THE TRIAL ROUND... TRIAL... YEAH I SHOULD'VE CHOSEN ANOTHER NAME.

[thegardeners]

[On Saturday morning, the gates of the courthouse fly open.

All character will be ushered-- or forcibly dragged, if it comes to that-- the the Courthouse by the various gardeners. The interior of the courthouse is spacious enough for any amount of vigorous discussion, whatever that may be. Who knows what's on the second floor and beyond.

Meng Po sits above the chairs, overseeing everyone below.]

Today, you have all been brought here to find the one who murdered Cagliostro. Once you have come to a decision over who is guilty, you will cast votes on who you believe is the murderer. If the majority votes correctly, the murderer is condemned to Hell, and you will all be one step closer to reincarnation. If they are not found, they will be reincarnated instead, and whoever else is voted in their place as the murderer will be scapegoated. The murderer's sins will be falsely imprinted on them, condemning the scapegoat to Hell.

Should you correctly identify the murderer, there will be a second round of voting: the mercy vote, or the exoneration vote. If you believe the murderer deserves to be reincarnated or the victim deserved to die for any reason, you can vote for exoneration, and the murderer will be reincarnated if the majority votes for it. However, I am not responsible for what happens afterwards to the rest of you.

[...That's... okay, sure.]

Without further ado: the court is in session.

[Do your worst.]

Comments

[shikiori_no_hane]

Wow.

[ wow josh u dickaroo

not that Tsurumaru really blames him for the comment, but how cheery he sounds...!! ]

Well, then again there isn't much to say now, is there?

[unfashionable]

[ he is so going to beat you up josh before he dies-- ]

As honest as it gets. I just...I didn't want anyone taking the fall for what I did.

[keepcomposed]

[ Adding assault to manslaughter isn't going to help anyone. ]

Hee hee... Of course you didn't. You're far too kind to let someone go down for you.

[ Unlike some people. He brushes his hair away from his eyes, never once losing his cool smile. ] Since we have our answer, let's get this over with. We don't need to ask Neku any unnecessary questions.

[shikiori_no_hane]

I agree. Guess we gotta call the vote.

[unfashionable]

...Sorry, Josh.

[ even if you're kind of being a dick right now. ]

And, uh, everyone else. For this mess.

[creepylaugh]

Stop apologizing. It wasn't your fault.

[unfashionable]

...I could've said something earlier. I--I just didn't want to die a second time.

1/2

[keepcomposed]

...

[ Sigh. ]

Apologizing to me after everything I've done? If you keep that up, you might be able to change my mind about this.

[keepcomposed]

I was going to keep teasing him, but it's no fun kicking a dog while it's down. I'm afraid you've got the wrong person, the only crime Neku's committed is trying to protect me.

I'm the real murderer here.

[shikiori_no_hane]

[ crickets chirp.mp3 ]

... Good try? I mean I'm not falling for it, but good try.

[ He's fooled too many people to be fooled so easily, sry Josh. ]

[keepcomposed]

No? [ He stifles a gigle. ] It's better for me if you don't believe it, you know.

I'll be looking forward to saying "I told you so" later.

[creepylaugh]

[ Iria folds her arms with a huff. ]

Well, explain yourself then! Because if there's one thing I'm not sure I follow yet, it's that Neku would follow along with such obvious bait. Alone.

[keepcomposed]

You would have to be awfully stupid to go off by yourself, wouldn't you? [ Really, the thought of anyone going alone is too much for Josh to bear. It's too funny. ]

I've been staying in Neku's room, so naturally I went with him. They do say there's safety in numbers, after all. [ He gets a real kick out of saying "Neku's room," for the record. If a voice can contain innuendo, his voice manages it! ] Does that make things easier to understand?

[ladyporthos]

[Well, she actually can sense that innuendo. Still, she's not going to push on what their exact relationship is.]

So...you were trying to protect him? [She looks thoughtful.] And you punched her when she tried to get him...

[keepcomposed]

[ It's okay, the innuendo was to rile up Neku anyway. ]

Hee hee. Something like that.

[ Off-handedly: ]

But really, can you blame her for going after Neku? Of the two of us, he stands out the most. ... and looks the most vulnerable. [ He pauses to look over at Neku. Yep. Totally the type of person you would jump in a dark alley. ] I don't think she even realized I was there. I must not have a very strong presence.

I wonder why that is.

[ladyporthos]

Yeah, I know all about people going for the most vulnerable-looking. [She's had a few incidents like that herself, although more of the "unwanted sympathy" type than the "attacking" type.]

Why... [She looks between Joshua and Neku.] I suppose his clothing stands out more...but...you said you were going with him, but did he know that? Or did you follow him secretly?

[shikiori_no_hane]

[ he's so done??? ]

I can't believe you right now.

Whatever, if the others want to believe you then they can go right ahead and do that. I did my part.

[ lazy hand wave. ]

[keepcomposed]

Bye-bye.

[ lazy hand wave back. ]

[unfashionable]

--!!

[ what the fuck? ]

What the hell, Josh?! What're you doing?!

[keepcomposed]

Coming clean about everything.

This is what you were secretly hoping for, isn't it? ... Ah, no. Maybe you really did want to take the fall for me. [ Hee. ] You're such a good friend, Neku. [ He'll never, not once in his life, stop being a condescending dick. ]

If that's what you wanted, it's not too late. I could always take it back.

[unfashionable]

That's bullshit and you know it!

[ neku is actually so, so angry right now? why is josh doing this? ]

I don't know what you're trying to do, but--just--I deserve what I get, Josh!

[keepcomposed]

Ohh, very convincing! Even I almost believed you. Maybe if you keep yelling like that, you really will look like the guilty party.

[ By contrast, he's calm as a cucumber! Yelling in his face does nothing but provoke him to be a bigger, grander dick. ]

Hm? Do you really think that? [ He holds his hands up. Fine, he'll be indulgent just this once. ] Just because you couldn't save her doesn't mean you're to blame, you're not even the one who hurt her. [ He pauses, it's as if something is dawning on him. When he resumes speaking he crosses his arms. ] ... I thought you were just trying to protect me, but you really do feel bad about what happened, don't you?

You shouldn't. Someone here was always going to disappear.

[unfashionable]

[ neku can't even think; this is all happening so fast, from the trial to his confession to josh acting like this, and there's definitely a reason why josh is acting like this. but neku's too panicked to figure it out, because if something were to happen to everyone else if the vote was wrong... ]

Don't be stupid--you had nothing to do with this! Just stop it already! I killed her and there's nothing you can do or say to change that!

[shikiori_no_hane]

[ Tsurumaru just looking off to the side as shit goes down and: ]

So... is he your friend or something?

[keepcomposed]

[ Hee hee. ] "Or something" sounds right.