Take Responsibility.

[transmittable]

This week isn't a good week - for anyone, it seems. The death doesn't seem to have gone over particularly well with anyone, whether captive or captor; it's difficult to say, for the time being, what will ultimately come of it - and how well the case will be solved, given that this is yet another hit to your number. There are so few of you now. Even so, there are still things to be done and processes to be carried out; the allotted time for investigation comes and goes, leaving only the sound of the courtroom doors sliding open again in their wake. The fluorescent overhead lights of the operating theater illuminate the room as soon as the first person enters, their light bright and steady; the seats on the upper level remain unoccupied where they're surrounding the podium circle in the center of the room. Danny and Ryoji's greyed-out portraits have joined those indicating the absence of the deceased, the podiums they rest upon draped in black as they watch the proceedings through unseeing eyes. The public-address system crackles back to life once everyone has found their place in the circle; the Transmitter can be heard throughout the room shortly thereafter. She's at least a little more composed, but her words shake. "Amiable's...gone. Figure out what happened, and- and do what you have to. For his sake. Good... Good luck." Nine Patients remain. However many leave here today is up to you.

Comments

[preciousking]

That's not it.

[cthulwho]

[...

...he thinks he gets it. He's looking toward Mikoto now too.]

[crywiththesaints]

Oh? In that case, what do you think happened?

[preciousking]

That's the wrong question.

Since I've asked everyone else up to this point—did you kill him?

[crywiththesaints]

That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. All this about a ribbon?

[georgeous]

[ Tilting his head, over on his place in the peanut gallery. That's not an answer. ]

[ossifragant]

[And now she's getting Greed looking in her direction, too.]

[positivespin]

...

[ Oh. Oh. Yeah, she can see where this is going and she doesn't like it. But if it's based on the discussion just now, she can see where he's getting at. ]

Auntie. Is it a yes or a no?

[crywiththesaints]

Of course I didn't kill Mochizuki. I want to know why you all think I would. We're barely into this trial as it is.

[journalname]

I...believe what Mikoto is trying to say is that you are the only one who knew the possible meaning of this ribbon. And you are an able seamstress.

[His tone is gentle, still, but he has come to respect Mikoto greatly in these trials.]

[crywiththesaints]

That much is true. But I've got no reason to believe in fate or love. You know the boy despised the former, too, even as he fixated on the latter.

[preciousking]

If asking outright is useless, we might need to check you over. Problem is, I'm not sure what we should be looking for yet. [ To be clear, asking has never once in the history of ever actually yielded clear-cut results.

A pause. ]

Pockets, maybe. Or checking your clothes to see if a feather or somethin' got caught on them.

[positivespin]

[ She doesn't even wait for him to finish before stripping parts of her usual outfit off. How shameless.

For the record, she's obviously uninjured and all of her clothes and accessories are intact. ]

[preciousking]

[ QQ why are you stripping. ]

[positivespin]

[ Because modesty is for tools, that's why! ]

[crywiththesaints]

........well then.

[crywiththesaints]

I suppose there's no pain in checking everybody for feathers or blood.

[journalname]

I understand. And we have no clear evidence against you yet. Still, it becomes us to consider all possibilities in these trials. Will you tell us where you were last night?

[crywiththesaints]

In my own room, much like I'm sure most of you were in yours.

[cthulwho]

...Would she make that sort of mistake of providing that information, then?

[She could've just kept quiet but chose to bring it up, so Lovecraft seems unconvinced about that part. But he is scratching at his chin about something else.]

I am more interested in something else... I do not recall seeing her when the body was discovered, or while Pizzazz and I investigated the chapel. We have not said exactly where the body was in the chapel just yet...

[Maybe the others can see where he's going with this now.]

[crywiththesaints]

Ah, you hadn't? My apologies; there'd been mention of his scarf caught on the pews and tearing, and bullets around there.

[dangerousfool]

Wait, why do you think she did it? I don't get it.

[Please explain so the less intelligent patients here can understand, Mikoto]

[preciousking]

[ He gestures to Asgore! Got it in one, buddy.

No, he can't be bothered to explain himself. ]