theairlock | first trial

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first trial

[With the announcement, the Champions are free to decide amongst themselves what order the groups leave in. Once that's done the process of teleporting is automatic and happens in the blink of an eye. Once second they're in the center of the cafeteria before a soft blue light surrounds them and then they're standing in the middle of a circle of podiums.

The room itself it the same shiny, chrome-covered atrocity as most of the rest of the ship save for the sections of floor that aren't the teleporter: those are thick clear glass that show nothing but empty space and stars beneath the Champions' feet. As for the podiums they're the same sort of garish chrome with a digital screen facing toward the center of the circle. The screens each have a name and title associated with a Champion written in green block letters, all save for Chloe Price, the Champion of Max Caulfield, Miki Naoki, the Champion Support and Chitose Karasuma, the Champion of Mediocrity. Theirs are a striking red and, floating above their podiums, are greyscale portraits framed in some kind of bold, mechanical-looking frame.

The Overseers are waiting when they all arrive, standing on a floating platform just high enough to be out of reach and back far enough toward a far wall to have a full view of the courtroom. Both are dressed well, Rox in a pressed grey dress jacket and skirt and Blaze in a black suit with the sleeves rolled up to expose his numerous tattoos.Rox is again the one who speaks up.]

Welcome, Champions, to the courtroom! Twenty of you have entered, but - in the best case scenario - only nineteen of you will leave. The goal here is to compile the evidence that you've gathered and figure out who the killer is. Once you think you have an answer, we'll call a vote where you'll use the podium in front of you to vote on the title of the Champion who you all agree has broken the peace. If you're correct, the culprit will be executed and the rest of you will be allowed to go back upstairs. If you're wrong, however, the killer goes free and the rest of you take the punishment in their place.

There's no time limit, but we reserve the right to call for a vote if things drag on too long. Now let the first trial begin!

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...

[Why...why is it that Prompto's reaction hurts the most to see?]

I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to find Miki's killer. I don't know who did that to her. And I...am ashamed of what happened to Chitose. But above all else...Prompto...I-I want you to know, that...I have cherished our time together. Y-You are such a beautiful person, inside and out, and...for you or anyone here to be punished and grieving because of my cowardly actions...I would rather die.

[She wishes she could hold him, just...one more time. But. Surely he wouldn't want her to. And now she can't stop the tears from falling, the hitch in her breath.

She doesn't want to say goodbye to anyone again, and yet...!]

Please...t-they're going to need you. The people here will need the kindness and sunlight in your heart. Lady Lunafreya needs you...your friends need you. Escape from this place, and live a happy life, and share your smile. Please.

[No one's ever called him beautiful before.]

No! No, don't--don't say things like that, don't... Ch-Chloe, and Miki, and you...

[He steps back from his podium, shaking his head, then pressing his hands over his mouth as everything starts to unravel around him.]

I... I-I can't, I can't take this anymore, I can't... [Oooh, yeah, he's crying, desperate and lost as a child.] I keep--losing all my friends, Lucie, no...

[It won't stop. Slowly, he bends, then crumples to his knees, sobbing his heart out.]

Prompto...

[If no one else is gonna, Max is gonna circle around to go over to him.]

[Just gonna keep on cryin', bro.]

This c-can't be happening...

[C'mere, he's gonna just put an arm around your shoulders for a good side-hug.]

I know, I know, it's bullshit...

[He's not ashamed, he'll lean into that hug and keep wordlessly weeping, because this week has just been no good very bad and it keeps getting exponentially worse.]

[Max will just hold him, leaning his head sideways against the top of Prompto's. He's sniffling a little himself, because Lucina's his friend too, but he's doing his best not to break down. Prompto needs this. Take as long as you need.]

[...No, she can't. She can't leave him. She can't.

Silent and swift, Lucina leaves her podium, falling to her knees and holding Prompto tightly. She'll relent if he pushes away, but - but...]

I'm sorry...I'm sorry...! [Her voice catches in a sob.] I'm sorry...

[Push her away? He wraps his arms around her and clings to her fiercely, arms shaking with every sob, every shudder as he cries into her hair.]

Don't... don't do this, please... D-don't say you'd rather...

[She honestly isn't expecting that. And...it only makes her start to cry harder, her eyes sheltering in the area between his neck and shoulder. Gonna get tears all over your cute shirt, sorry bro.]

I-I can't...I won't lie anymore...I won't hurt you anymore...I can't stand it...!

[It's like falling from the train all over again, but slowed down. He can feel every horrible second of his descent--the drawn-out awful lurch as speed and gravity pull him away from something beautiful.

If you're correct, the culprit will be executed and the rest of you will be allowed to go back upstairs.]

Don't go...!

...

[This is so hard. This is more difficult than fighting any foe, than staring down any uncertainty. But for everyone's sake...it must be done.]

I won't go. Not...not so long as you remember me. Keep me in your heart, and...I will always be with you.

[He jerks like she's stabbed him with those words and then, with a wounded noise, holds her tighter.]

No. I'll--I won't let them take you. I won't.

[Despair and desperate share the same root.]

Prompto-

[Her voice is suddenly tinged with something akin to fear.]

But - no, you can't...you don't know what they'll do to you if you interfere! The people here need you - please, don't throw yourself away for my sake, I could never...

It's n-not fair!

[He really can't take this anymore. His heart's wrung and twisted so tightly it's starting to tear, fibers snapping like the loose threads around his cut sleeves. Maybe it's not his heart, maybe it's him. Maybe he's always been this slender and breakable.]

I--Ardyn was right there, and, I-I could've killed him and Noct would be...! [Free, finally, safe, at least from this, at least from one person in a world that did nothing but strike him down, over and over and over.] If I'd been a little faster, or--or braver, or--and why couldn't I hear anything, why couldn't I help you and Chitose, o-or stop whoever hit Miki's door...

[He has to gulp for air between his words and his crying. He can't even see right now past his tears, what does he think he can do?]

Why can't I ever stop these things from happening?! Wh... why can't I protect anyone I care about, when they're--and I'm just--

[Without Noct, he's nothing.]

...It is not your fault.

[She tries with everything within to keep her voice steady. To shift, but not pull away - just so she can see his face, to reach out and wipe the tears away, even though they're still streaming down her own cheeks.]

Prompto...it isn't your fault at all. Y-You've given so much here, to everyone, in the form of kindness and smiles...you've done so much to put my own mind at ease, and...[Lucina shakes her head.] Even if I had all the time in the world, I could never repay you for that. It is invaluable. And I'm sure...I'm certain that no one would begrudge you for something out of your control.

[She leans back in, just enough so she can lower her voice to a whisper, so for a moment these words can be just for him.]

You are so much more than you realize, Prompto...I...

[

The words catch in her throat and dive down to pierce her through the heart.

Oh.]

['Dude, are you seriously trying to kill me?'

'Why wouldn't I?!'

And she wipes it away.

He clings to her hand as she leans in, his arms trembling, tears still rolling hot and bitter down his cheeks like the time a Hundlegs clipped him and he didn't know he was bleeding--and she wouldn't let him bleed, either, she protected him even from Akira, even though they're just looking for the one who killed Miki.

Her eyes are so blue, and in the left, there's a mark. It blurs, but he blinks and there it is again. He blinks and she's still here for him, steady as she's been the whole time, and he... even now, she...]

How... can you say that, when you're...

[After that brief, stunned moment of silence, he falters again, quieter--sinking into sorrow rather than fighting to deny it.]

When you're the one... who's gonna... How can you worry about me w-when... it wasn't your fault, either!

[...

The answer that pitter-patters in her heart isn't something she can just. Say. Not like this. Maybe in another time and place...maybe when all is said and done. Maybe if they're at rest together, which...hopefully wouldn't be for many years to come.]

...Worrying for all of you is all I have left.

[So she says the closest thing to it.]

Being there for the people who need help the most is all I've ever done. If these are the last moments I ever get to see...that's what I want to use them for.

...

[He can't fight this anymore, can he?

His grip on her relaxes, but doesn't loosen. Gently, he just pulls her close again, sniffling and crying, but done. Defeated.]

...It was selfish, but... I-I wanted to spend way, way more time with you...

...And I you.

[She's so sorry. So, so, so sorry.]

Prompto...

[This is so painful to watch... Lunafreya wants to tell Prompto that he doesn't need to hang on for her, but would he want to hear that?

She's going to go join the two already over by Prompto, not to hug him, but just to be close by.]

[Luna if you happen to get Pryna out of the hold anytime soon can he just have a day to hug that dog and cry]

[Prompto can hug Pryna anytime he wants to after this when the drop happens, Luna won't deny him that.]

[ prompto...

yuri doesn't know what to do? but he feels like he needs to do something. how do you comfort someone? he just--he doesn't know.

he walks over...sort of hovers over prompto for a bit.

and then does what everyone else has done to him before: he puts a hand on his shoulder. ]

[cRYING]

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