DAY 03

[thecomputer]

[Good morning! The doors unlock at 07:00, the enforced sleep effect wearing off just a few minutes prior. The body will take some time to find this time - because Zolf was hidden in the depths of the Labyrinth!

The Computer doesn't speak up until someone finds him.]

Good morning, Citizens! Last night, participant Zolf-O-DEF-1 was terminated due to Communist action. There are now 10 Citizens and 5 Communists.

Trial 03 will begin at 20:00.

[Friend Computer will remain to answer questions for ten minutes. One hour after the body is found, the usual fleet of cleaning droids will clear up the corpse and surrounding mess.

On the profiles list, Zolf’s full User ID is now visible, and his status has changed to DEAD.]

Comments

[schrodingers_man]

[ Yomiel approaches her, and there's something... oddly menacing in how he's carrying himself today. She was one of the people suggesting he could be a Communist at the trial last night; did he take it a little too personally...? ]

Anthy Himemiya. We haven't talked much. I think that should change.

[cantarellacookie]

[She looks up, as does Chuchu. She smiles in that particularly blank way of hers up at him. Her voice is pleasant and inoffensive.]

Do you, Mr Yomiel?

[The little monkey-mouse eyes him with trepidation.]

[schrodingers_man]

I do. See, I've got some good news, and I've got some bad news. I think everybody's going to want to hear about it, but it's actually of particular interest to you specifically, Ms. Himemiya.

[ There's a distinct sarcastic tone to the polite term of address, and while he isn't yelling, he's definitely speaking more loudly than usual. Looks like he wants to make sure people notice what's going on over here. ]

[cantarellacookie]

I see.

[She's not entirely sure what Mr Yomiel's exact plans are... but she's got enough experience to tell when someone is getting ready to attack her. She looks down at Chuchu, pets his head, and something seems to pass between them, because he nods and scampers off the table.

She looks back up at Yomiel and though her face still has that same blank smile, her eyes are looking at him as if he's an alien--or maybe she is.]

What is your news?

[1/2]

[schrodingers_man]

It's customary to start with the good news in cases like this, isn't it? At least, that's what I've always believed is the best way to go about it. As it turns out, our Loyalty Officer found their first Communist last night!

You've probably already guessed what my bad news is, haven't you, Ms. Himemiya? Who's the Communist they found?

[2/2]

[schrodingers_man]

It's you, of course.

Re: [2/2]

[cantarellacookie]

[Anthy continues to look up at him with the blank smile and hostile eyes.]

If you say so, Mr Yomiel.

If you're going to murder me, please make it quicker than Moge-ko did.

[schrodingers_man]

Do you think I'm going to stab you? Is that it? That's not really my style, you know.

[ As if in a show of good faith, Yomiel takes a couple of steps back from the table and spreads his arms. No weapons, see? This in no way makes that smile on his face look any less predatory. ]

[cantarellacookie]

No. I think your style involves strangling people. Isn't that what you did to Mr. Puppington?

[schrodingers_man]

Wrong again. If I really wanted Clay dead, trust me, he'd be dead. But he's not worth it. It's not like he got Greed killed on purpose. Not like you.

[cantarellacookie]

If I were a Communist, wouldn't I have been trying to get Mr Puppington killed on purpose? After all, they were Partners.

[schrodingers_man]

[ Yomiel shrugs. ]

Close enough.

And you know there's no point in trying to deny that you're a Communist. Your Inhibitor can fake an innocent verdict, but there's no way to get a false positive on a "guilty". And you're definitely guilty.

I wanted to ask you some questions, but I see you're not going to cooperate. Well, it doesn't really matter. Whether or not the Scanner--I'm really hoping that's you, by the way--targeted me last night, everybody'll know what that result would be soon enough.

[ He reaches into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulls out... his PDC? He keeps talking while he goes through some menus. ]

A lot of people think I'm the Loyalty Officer after yesterday. I bet you guys think the same thing. But they're all forgetting something important. There's two roles still left unknown. And I'm the other one. You know which role that is, right, Ms. Himemiya? You know what it does?

[ He holds his PDC up, thumb hovering over the screen. ]

I push this little button, and you die. Completely within the rules, no consequences. I'm probably a dead man tomorrow either way, but I'm glad the Loyalty Officer found you. I didn't want to go without firing this special little bullet I was given. Now I can face tomorrow with no regrets.

[ He lifts his free hand, too, fingers mimicking the shape of a cocked pistol, pointed squarely at Anthy. ]

Any last words, or are you going to deny it to the very end?

[cantarellacookie]

["You have to realize we aren't Communists of our own free will."

"We should have recruited Kimbley."

"I hope you're happy, big brother."

"I hope it lasts this time."

"Maybe... maybe if it doesn't I'll see Miss Utena again."

All those words flash through her mind but in the end she just says:]

I wasn't the Scanner, Mr. Yomiel.

[1/2]

[schrodingers_man]

Oh well. Maybe next time. See ya, sucker.

[2/2]

[schrodingers_man]

Bang.

[ He pantomimes the motion of a gun firing as his thumb presses down on the PDC's screen. ]

[thecomputer]

[A brief moment passes before a large number of turrets unfold from the ceiling. Big, bulky guns, some kind of rocket launchers or something.]

Attention, participants! The Troubleshooter has requested the extermination of participant Anthy-O-IND-2. Please step away from the target.

[Five seconds later, the guns fire, but instead of rockets or bullets, they shoot swords. About fifty of them, filling Anthy like a pincushion.

The backdrop of your PDCs changes from orange to yellow.]

[respring]

[ ABRUPTLY SCREAMING GOOD LORD this isn't the Unlimited Blade Works route what the hell people ]

[in_plain_sight]

[...And then for some reason Mukuro felt like someone just walked over her grave. At least they're not spears.]

So... I guess that makes you 100% clear...

[angry_jerk]

[Dan immediately races toward the cafeteria, eager to catch at least some display of this great moment.]

FUCK! CAN WE AT LEAST STILL KILL THE MONKEY?!

[fullonbraced]

[That... that was her sort of roommate.

...Who was apparently a communist. what.

And oh god that's a lot of swords. She cant handle this twice in one day man. She just can't. Manliness be dammed.]

[staunton]

[ ...okay watching that was kind of disturbing and he didn't expect this to happen but-- ]

Holy shit, Mr. Yomiel.

[plentyfriendly]

I expected you to be an ally, but not that... damn, that was a show.

[So many swords.]

[schrodingers_man]

[ Yomiel didn't actually completely know what would happen when he pressed that button. But he sure wasn't expecting swords.

For once, he doesn't look away from the body, though. This one's his doing. He can't look away from that--he won't. It's revenge. Of course he wanted that. They deserved it. They all deserved it.

The mania in his face fades to an impassive expression as he slips his PDC back into its pocket, but the way his shoulders move with his breathing betrays the rush of adrenaline he's still feeling. ]

Two down.

[standbyrival]

[W O W]

[Paul was hanging back, just about when Yomiel started yammering away. He doesn't react until the whole SWORDS FOREVER THING]

[theeeen he just laughs]

Guess I was right, that was well worth the risk.

[murimurimuri]

[Shrieks in an unpleasantly high-pitched way and flips around to not have to look at the body. It takes him a second to regain his calm, but once he does he asks the most natural question:]

Is... is her monkey okay?