theairlock | 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If you all vote incorrectly, the victory will go to the culprits.

They'll get to live? You... you'll let them go?

Dude. You've known them for a week. You'd let all of us die for two people who killed?

I can't just--it's not their faults!

Yeah but we don't deserve to die for their mistakes!

[DONT DO IT HO]

I have four younger brothers waiting for me back home -- I'm not dying here!

[Ha...ha.

Well he. Karamatsu was holding it together, anyway. But hearing Osomatsu mention the others causes Karamatsu to make a strangled noise in the back of his throat, which he stops by covering his face with both hands.

He continues to remain silent, not moving or voting.]

[...well you know Osomatsu already voted so he's just gonna hop off his podium and go over to his brother's, okay? Okay.]

Hey buddy... gonna.. put in a vote?

[Karamatsu keeps his hands pressed hard over his eyes.]

I....I a-am, I...I am j-just...I'm sorry...

Hey, hey it's okay. It's okay.

[Just gonna, throw an arm over his shoulder and shush his brother.... and with his other hand, he reaches over and puts in two votes on his brother's podium.]

>CHAMPION SCORPION

>CHAMPION EXALTED

(no subject)

karappo - 2017-10-29 00:29 (UTC) - Expand

titularly - 2017-10-29 00:33 (UTC) - Expand

[He sort of... stares at the floor in front of Osomatsu for a while without looking at him, then glances up at the Overseers.]

...Do we all have to vote right? F...for the others not to die?

You need a majority vote to execute the culprits.

[And it's a majority they don't have yet.

Prompto twists his trembling hands together, struggling to... not even to do anything, just to stay in this godsdamned moment, on this godsdamned space station.

Osomatsu has his brothers--Karamatsu must, too. Lucina and Tsurugi don't want anyone else to die. And the kids--Penny, Yuri. He can't... let them get hurt.]

H-how many is a majority?

[He's not very good at math.]

How many of you are alive, twenty...? That's eleven.

photoshooter - 2017-10-29 00:27 (UTC) - Expand

challengesfate - 2017-10-29 00:29 (UTC) - Expand

photoshooter - 2017-10-29 00:33 (UTC) - Expand

challengesfate - 2017-10-29 00:35 (UTC) - Expand

photoshooter - 2017-10-29 00:38 (UTC) - Expand

challengesfate - 2017-10-29 00:42 (UTC) - Expand

Prompto.

[It's said with a surprising firmness.]

I don't want to walk free if...if it leaves the rest of you here. Please.

Lucie, I... I can't...

If you're punished - if that means death, Prompto - you can't die here.

[Just. She can't do this again. She can't cling to him and cry again because what if they hurt him too]

I beg of you...I beg of you to live...

I-I... I don't want to. Not like this...

...No. I...agree. I never wanted it to come to this. But I meant every word I said to you - and I don't regret a moment of our time together.

[She wishes she had more. Terribly, selfishly, to hold onto. But like always, she will have to make due with what she has.]

I wont... let anyone else give me a nickname. Not until we... m-meet up again.

T-That's...not very fair to the others, is it...?

[She chokes out a laugh, though, and for the briefest moment, that vague, Mona Lisa smile appears on her face.

And then it's gone.]

I don't want anything to happen to Lucina, but please... don't...

I c-can't...

...It's alright. I've made my peace. And if you have as well...at least neither of us go alone.

...I'm sorry.

I made you a promise, didn't I? That I'd help you get home? [Right at the start. Hah.] So much for that, I suppose...

...No matter who you are, truly. No matter if you're not human...that doesn't cheapen the honest intent behind your promise. [A solemn nod.] Don't carry that worry with you. It's alright.