FIFTH TRIAL

[whimsicalism]

Is everyone finished? Good. It's time for a trial.

[The ride to the court room is uneventful this time. There's no breaking of bones or porcelain when you land. The podiums are rather empty, especially now that there's only twenty portraits even if there's twenty one podiums still. Huh. Fancy that! It's almost as if the Storyteller was still bitter.

Though, there definitely feels something off about the court room. It sort of feels like you're being watched but you're not sure.]

Seven is Dead. Time to find out who's responsible. Time for a trial!

Comments

VOTING

[whimsicalism]

[Nursery Rhyme has been surprisingly silent comparatively. She's not eager for voting and she keeps looking elsewhere.]

He's right. This is only the first round. The disqualification for your round has already happened. I think twenty more will do it. I don't exactly want to do this forever, either.

Do vote, though, or this will end before next week.

[xxxx_me]

[He picks Nagisa but he's glaring at her all the while.]

[imozon]

Twenty?!

[...but she votes Nagisa.]

[ballooncaged]

[RIGHT? MOOD? MIZUKI HAS LITERALLY BEEN PRACTICING ALL THIS TIME AT THE MACHINE FOR THIS EXACT MOMENT BUT SHE IS STILL DISTRACTED BY THE STORYTELLER BECAUSE SINCERELY WHAT THE FUCK]

[nothingposh]

Same old story, what's the use of tears?
What's the use of praying if there's nobody who hears?
Turning, turning, turning, turning, turning
Pages here

[Nagisa.]

[ballooncaged]

[Mizuki stares down at her hands. Why won't they move? Oh. There's the friendship ring with the red gem on her left index finger. She can practically toss it over to Nagisa's podium (though she sets it down).]

See if you can show this to Niko? It's red and everything. If you can't, then you'll learn something about the physics on the other side.

[Giving him a specific, concrete task to complete seems like the best gift she can give.

And... what is returning to her podium and voting for Nagisa but a specific, concrete task that Mizuki has now completed?]

[strictura]

[ ...Nods. ]

[octopups]

[During the walk towards Nagisa's photo, Amdi keeps at least five pairs of eyes on him, not always the same ones. His body language and his general aspect are... unreadable.

Maybe it's never been quite this obvious, but a significant portion of Amdi's puppyish physicality is... a kind of affectation, a learned behavior, a collection of little half-conscious insights picked up here and there in his close relationship with Jefri, a human boy who was himself very familiar with dogs.

Maybe he's making a great effort to keep that learned cuteness out of his gait and his faces. Maybe he's just stopped trying. Either way, the creature walking toward Nagisa to vote for his death isn't eight little dogs. It's one alien. One "monster."]

[ Nagisa ]

[golden_king]

[ He'll pick Seven. ]

I can't wait to see the look on your face when we end this on our terms, but I guess it is what it is for the moment.