The second class trial of the Killing Games had begun.
Well... not quite. Calling it a 'class' event was a bit of a stretch, given only two students were present. It being a trial was also rather suspect, as it featured only an accuser who'd already made up her mind and the culprit who vehemently denied their crime. But she'd talk - oh, she would talk!
"Just admit it." Hina admonished, in a pointless attempt to browbeat a confession out of the accused. She planted herself firmly, back rooted at the closed door serving as the sole entrance to the dorm room she'd invaded yet again. "Admit to your crimes, and I might show you mercy - undeserved mercy - for what you've done."
The accused sighed, swirling fake hair with a lazy flourish of her finger. "Hina, dear, I've no idea what you're referring to."
"Liar." She called out. "Celeste is a liar!"
"Sometimes." said liar acknowledged with a quick curtsy. "But what makes you think I'm lying all the time?"
"Because you're a liar... The Queen of Liars! You always lie!"
"I believe that's three 'lies' too many, Hina." Celeste deadpanned, eyes practically rolling up her dainty skull. "And darling, that would make me a rather terrible liar, were it true. Someone who lies all the time... now, how dreadfully predictable. An absolute rank amateur."
"I-I guess, hnggg..." Frustration. Yep. Frustration. "But you're lying this time - you have to be."
"For the last time, Hina. I've no idea where your donuts went." The Ultimate Gambler had resigned for a bothersome evening, half-trapped and half-entertaining herself. She'd finally given in to the babble, seating herself gently on the bed - a welcome role reversal from their previous, messy (read: sugary) interaction.
"The last place I've been was your room, your dorm. I had donuts here, than I didn't." Objective, irrefutable truth. Now for the long overdue confession.
That didn't come.
Grrr.
"Perhaps you'd misplaced them after your little excursion to my property? Somewhere in the cafeteria... or anywhere else in the premises, knowing you..."
"No way! I'd know if I did."
"Clearly you wouldn't, given your current predicament - now turning into our predicament, with your incessant nagging regarding my imagined criminality." The Gambler refuted, steeping small fingers under her chin. She began to ask innocuously, "Have you considered the idea someone else had taken your precious donuts?"
"Yeah, of course - duh. I've already asked them."
"And they all denied it as well?"
"Yeah."
"Have you considered the possibility they've lied to you about it?"
"Obviously. And I'm sure they weren't lying. Not after what I did."
"I shudder to imagine..." Celeste joked, meeting an oddly serious gaze that had her question how much of a joke it truly was.
"And that leaves you, Celeste Ludenberg, as the only possible culprit."
Just confess already.
"Your allegations are amusing, but that's all they truly are - all they truly amount to."
"Nope." Hina rejected, popping the 'p' with restrained satisfaction. "I've got proof it was you."
"Oh? Pray tell then."
Are you challenging me?
"I've dug through your trash-"
"You've done what-"
"And my bag was there - right there! Brown paper soaked through with sugar and oil and all that good stuff..."
Gotcha!
"Don't you have anything better to do..." Celeste began, rubbing her head and presumably the migraine underneath it. "-than sift through my trash."
"Yeah. Like eating donuts - oh, wait... you took them. So no, not really." She admitted with far more pride than that statement should ever warrant.
"I suppose the ruse has dragged on a bit beyond token enjoyment... yes, I confess: I disposed of your donuts."
"I knew it!" Hina celebrated, pumping a fist a bit higher than she thought it to be and slamming into the top of the door frame with enough force to make the room's owner wince at the impact. "Ow!"
I'm good at this investigation stuff too! Suck it, Kyoko. And also thanks for saving us.
"But why would you lie about that then?" She remembered, then froze at another thought. "w-what do you mean, 'dispose'? What does that mean?"
"Because the practice amused me and I threw them away, respectively." Celeste rebuffed, laughing. Hina was unsure which statement set her off more-
Nope, definitely the second one. "You can't just throw away donuts!"
"You can't. I can - food like that is rather unsuited for someone of my pedigree."
"But donuts are for all degrees! You can't just throw them away like... like vegetables!" It was an insult! To bakers and cops everywhere!
"Not for mine. I apologize for affronting your values - you didn't seem keen to return for them, so I made some rude assumptions I'll be sure not to replicate."
"Because I didn't know! And you definitely ate them - the bags were empty and all!"
"I'd disposed of them down the drain." Celeste supplied, the answer - no, even the suggestion - making the donut fiend's blood boil. Hypothetically. Or Metaphorically.
"We both know you're lying there, girl." Hina returned, crossing her arms before she could throttle the girl for the heretical idea - throwing away donuts! Really?! "Check this."
The bag came out of her palm. Why she had it - or kept it on her person throughout the conversation - remains lost to the world. But mostly Celeste, who gawked briefly.
"I'd... much rather not." She politely declined, minutely leaning backwards from the crumpled mess.
"Sugar stains in the side... oil slicks trailing across to the mouth of the paper bag... check and mate!" Hina condemned proudly, leveling a finger at her culprit.
"Those are... normal occurrences when eating pastries from paper bags, are they not?" Celeste continued to play off and partly mock. "Apologies, I haven't eaten anything from a paper bag throughout the entirety of my life."
"Have you never been to a bakery?" Hina asked incredulously, before brushing the thought aside for her actual goal. "A-Anyways, they are... for amateur eaters!"
". . ."
"Amateur eaters!"
"Yes... I heard you the first time." Celeste assured, baffled red eyes openly at a loss.
The first loss for tonight!
"I don't do that. I pick them up straight from the bag, careful not to scrape any glaze or crust into the sides. It's a skill... that you don't possess!"
". . . Clearly. . ."
"And if you dumped the donuts into the-" Hina's shoulders shuddered, and she fought back a spine-tingling chill. "-toilet... gravity wouldn't have been enough to scrape the food sweat into the sides of the bag. You'd need an actual person to scuff those bits off to the side."
"Speaking from experience as well, darling?"
"I'd... rather not think about it again..."
"But I'm certain you are mistaken, unfortunately."
"But. But. But the bag was in your trash. And the donuts were clearly eaten."
"I passed the contents along to Yamada - for his aid in my taxing maintenance routine. He consumed it in my quarters, and I merely disposed of the packaging after the fact."
"Yamada... isn't an amateur eater. He's a finger foodie like me! He wouldn't do something so wasteful - we both know that."
"Do we, though?"
"Why... don't you just admit you ate my donuts?"
"That's precisely it... I don't want to. And no one will believe otherwise."
Pfh.
And Celeste Ludenberg, Queen of Liars, Ultimate Gambler, regal and noble and poised beyond even her station... smirked. Playfully, head tilted and full, red lips pursed.
"Though I will acknowledge that you are fascinatingly astute in the oddest sense, despite first impressions-"
"Hey-"
"Which you yourself admitted to during your last intrusion."
". . ."
"And Hifumi is rather taken by those cheap, delightful morsels. So I wouldn't be averse to more forgetfulness on your part, darling."
Liar. I got you. I totally, totally got you!
"I'll catch you red-handed, one of these days. Mark my words, Celeste Ludenberg."
"I'm quaking in my dress. Truly."
"And when I do, I'm going to force you to admit that donuts are unbeatable. A-And that you'd never throw any of them away. And that you got beat by me... to everyone here!"
"One day, perhaps... but not this one. Or the next. Or the next to come. Take all the chances you need to entrap me, however. I'll be ready and waiting, always elegant..."
Kopi. Luwak. Aromatic. Calming.
The rather poor excuse for a thermos was a comfort in her grasp, warm to the touch even through thick, leather gloves. The scent of her beverage wafted into her nostrils, melting some of her well-kept apprehension away into a distant, buried memory. That was good. That was needed.
Kyoko Kirigiri didn't need her nerves steeled - they were already stretched taut for the longest time and liable to snap if she kept at it for any longer. No, she needed them soothed, relaxed, pacified. Her liquid comfort sufficed for that purpose, and she sipped its contents greedily from behind the barrier of a door.
She knocked quickly, dull and dampened thumps echoing for her ears only. She'd taken to using her thermos for the purpose after a few fruitless moments using her hand.
The door opened, and a mane of blue hair poked into view. Blue eyes soon followed, staring warily in a way that sent goosebumps up her body, pressing against her clothing. "What do you need from me." Curt, blunt, guarded.
Hair shinier. Fresh blue dye applied recently. Gaunt cheeks returning to a measure of suppleness - less a husk and more fox-like. Eyes less sunken... eyeliner reapplied? More restful nights? Sudden improvement in self-care capabilities, despite lack of outside stimulus to explain shift in behavior.
"I'd like to discuss some matters with you." She explained earnestly, hoping it would do for the moment.
"No... I really wouldn-"
Eyes shut hard. A finger pressing down at the bridge of her nose. Eyes opened. A shake of the head, in response to a conversation unknown.
"Alright, fine. Make yourself at home, I guess." The Idol surrendered, allowing her into the dorm. Kirigiri picked the tray she'd set aside from the floor. "I've brought you tea."
"Yeah, yeah. Rose Hip, I'm guessing..." Sayaka waved off flippantly, taking the tray regardless. "Everyone's practically trying to drown me with that, one cupful at a time."
"If I'd known you'd have preferred a different brew, I'd have adjusted accordingly."
"Yeah, yeah... I don't really mind. It's more than I deserve, anyhow."
Concerning. Questions for later.
"Close the door, would you? I need to clear some space for this." Sayaka instructed, moving to settle her disheveled sleeping quarters. Kirigiri went for the door, pushed in closed, and twisted the lock. And again. And again.
Broken? Broken.
She repeated the sentiment out loud, and a soft 'yes' echoed in kind.
"Bear broke into my dorm maybe a day back - time seems off recently - and left me with a little parting gift. Said he's bringing a new lock for that, but that it'd be safer to sleep with one eye open for a few days." The Ultimate Idol explained, lost in her own reflection.
"I might be able to help with that... I'll inform you after our discussion. She turned to the room's owner. "In the meanti-"
And the investigator found herself at knife point.
Not quite, objectively speaking. The knife wasn't pointed at her, and it was a fair distance away in the hands of the Idol. It glinted under the pale light in just the wrong ways.
"I doubt you could wound me with that before I made it out into the hallway." Kirigiri assured, mustering the courage she needed to feel. "I wouldn't recommend something that could only go terribly for both of us, regardless of the survivor."
Sayaka looked up from the blade almost distantly, staring back with a detachment Kirigiri hadn't seen outside of a mirror. "Oh, this?" She pointed a slender finger at the blade. Kyoko nodded carefully, deliberately, careful not to act in ways that could be misconstrued.
"I can see how this'd look bad... but I promise I won't hurt you again." Blue eyes stared blankly, in muted commitment.
"I'll choose to believe that when you put down the knife." Kirigiri stated, as plainly as possible, gloved grip warily tightening around her flask.
Sayaka nodded listlessly, bending down. The blade slide under the bed in what had to be a practiced manner, and the girl made a show of seating herself on the other side. She patted beside herself, mattress warping and bedsheets ruffling.
"I'd prefer to remain standing." Kirigiri insisted. Sayaka shrugged and offered no protest. "What's with the blade?"
"It was from a long time ago. I planned to put it to use then." She plaintively remembered. "Didn't. Lucky me."
"Why not?" Curiosity overruled her previous line of prepared questioning.
"Someone talked me out of it. Changed my mind. Just for a bit - clearly." It came out bitter, the memory.
"Shame they weren't there to do it a second time." Kirigiri said, absentmindedly.
"Yeah. Real shame."
Annoyance.
"That was... uncalled for on my part." Kyoko apologized - as much as she was capable of such.
"It was, but you aren't exactly wrong. I'd have done it the first time, if they hadn't stepped in."
"Do you... intend to go through with another attempt?" She asked, wary which answer she'd receive - or that it'd even matter entirely. Trust had gotten them nowhere.
"Not right now. I'm too tired to think about that sort of thing right now. Might change, might not. Dunno yet."
Honesty. Too much of it. Unnerving.
"I'm relieved to hear that." Kirigiri lied, continuing. "Do you intend to use that knife for the task?"
"The task?" Sayaka repeated, soon replaced by shrill, bubbly laughter that echoed dissonantly. "Oh! No, no, no. I'm not using the knife on anyone else here, I promise."
"On anyone else here... what exactly do you mean?" Kirigiri questioned, following a trail of reasoning and hoping she was mistaken.
"It's become... a reminder of sorts. I'm not turning it into something so horrible for others anymore."
For others... a reminder...
Recognition came - Kirigiri forced herself to stifle the emotion in her tone. "Have you-"
"No, I haven't." Sayaka interrupted. "It'd be the end of my career if I started, and believe it or not I've still got some hope in me for that."
"That's... admirable." Kirigiri decided to say. "I'm glad for you."
"No. Nothing about it is admirable. And I don't believe you could ever be glad for me. At least, not now. What did you want to talk about?"
"Why did you change your decision?" Kirigiri began - and she'd noticed her boots had began pacing a line across the floor at some point in their conversation lost to memory. "You were prepared to turn me away at the door only for a change of heart to suddenly manifest. I'd like to know why that is."
Sayaka sighed into her hair, idly blowing away blue strands through pursed lips. "I guess I felt I owed you one, considering..."
"No, I'm at fault in that regard. Provoking you even when our judgement had been settled. There was no need at that point." Kirigiri admitted, begrudgingly.
"I know you don't believe that, Kyoko. Not entirely. Tell me if you really do, and I might just laugh again."
". . . No . . . I do not." she admitted, and a measure of vindictive peace thrummed in her chest. "You attempted horrible things, and nearly succeeded, and you would have killed everyone else. And you... did this to me."
Her hand traced up her throat, healed up nicely but still tightly bound in fabric. Out of warped, self-indulgent dysmorphia more than anything else. "You did this. To me. And it burns me. I feel it - even when I shouldn't. Where I shouldn't."
"The truth, then. I'm glad we could cut the crap on this." said Sayaka, sipping her tea and finally at ease.
Teeth clenched. Arms shuddering. Hands balled - hands balled? Thermos dropped... when?
She reached down without looking, feeling for the warm metal jug probably at her feet. It felt heavier this time.
"I've done horrible things." Sayaka began, almost... relieved. Palpably so - the rational part of Kirigiri's mind noted. "Even before the games, for the sake of my career. I've considered other terrible things since this started, and I've followed through on most of them through my choices alone. I'd prefer you stop pretending you believe I'm a decent person - one worthy of forgiveness. You flatter me, but I know you aren't buying it, and you're nowhere near as good a liar as you think you are."
"But you regret your actions. That counts for something." Kirigiri argued - when had she started arguing to justify Sayaka? Why?
"It means I regret my actions. Nothing more. I regretted everything wrong I've done, but it's always been followed by another mistake. Then regret. Rinse and repeat and recycle and a lot of your sympathy counts for nothing but delusional patronizing." Sayaka refuted, dejected but unwavering. Fidgeting would have been expected, and quite frankly preferably to the rock-steady certainty The Ultimate Idol radiated over such terrible things.
"Would you have done it again? Everything you've done so far?" Kirigiri asked, hoping the honesty wouldn't be damning.
"Hmm..." Sayaka trailed off, genuinely contemplating. "I'd like to say no... but probably, eventually. Crossing lines becomes easier the more you do it, and eventually you lose count of them all. I'm sure it'd be wrong, and I'm sure I'd regret doing them, but I can't say I wouldn't, genuinely. I have to say... it feels sad, saying that out loud."
It feels sad hearing it, I can assure you.
"But I do honestly think I shouldn't have hurt you like that." Sayaka finalized, settling to explain what she could. "You just... shone a light on the lines I crossed, and it took lot out of me to see how far I'd wandered. How dark it'd been, and I'd never noticed until that was all I could notice. And I couldn't stop that but I could stop you, and I tried and thankfully failed at that attempt."
"I... see." Kyoko replied, uncertain. "Thank you for saying that. I can... fathom why you did what you did, somewhat."
"It doesn't absolve me."
"It doesn't." She agreed. "But I can understand. And that's worth far more to me than mere redemption."
"You're a weird person, you know that? Most people would have steered clear of you in my old school."
It was... out of place to hear, at the least. It was very, very absurd, and very, very welcome. Kyoko laughed despite herself - or possibly because. It was getting a bit complicated to sort out now, and she couldn't bring herself to do anything but enjoy the moment.
"I am well aware, but we've more pressing priorities to consider. Like the nonexistent lock on your door."
"It'll sort itself out in a few days time. Maybe earlier, if someone tries to pull a fast one on me." The Ultimate Idol muttered, detached from her own reality.
"We can sort it out now." Kirigiri insisted, more than a bit peeved at her flippancy. "If you'd actually take a moment to listen to my suggestions."
"Alright. Fire away then."
Locks are a concern. Lack of locks. Lack of functionality. Locks. Room. Safety.
"I believe Makoto is still spending time in the infirmary, given his recovery period. His dorm ought to be available." Kirigiri supplied, noticing Sayaka's darkening expression and choosing to politely ignore it. "Students aren't allowed to sleep outside the rest area, but I recall there is no such restriction within one another's quarters."
The Ultimate Idol coughed and... flushed? It was fascinating to observe the emotion from the rather somber girl. "I'm... well aware, Kyoko."
Oh. Oh. Oh.
"I'm not doing that again."
Of course you wouldn't. Because it'd have been easier by far.
"There is another option." She chose to say instead. "I've taken measures to detect any breaches into my own room. It's... rather crude, but effective. I've some spare components in my cabinet, though I leave the assembly to you. Given my own... limited capabilities... for finesse work such as that."
"You might actually be too kind. I wasn't expecting that from you."
"Will that be a problem, Sayaka?"
"Not for me, Kyoko. Not for me."
CHIHIRO: Hello again!
/ALTER_EGO/ Hello Chihiro.
CHIHIRO: How goes the intrusion protocol's integration?
/ALTER_EGO/ 53.67%
CHIHIRO: Can it bypass the detection from countermeasures?
/ALTER_EGO/ To a limited extent - interior cameras are up to date and efficiently accessible.
CHIHIRO: Where does the limited extent come into play?
/ALTER_EGO/ Should cameras be accessed concurrently with designation:mastermind, breach will be isolated and contained alongside ALTER_ EGO core packages.
CHIHIRO: So you'll stop running properly. I see. Feel free to refer to yourself in pronouns.
/ALTER_EGO/ Understood. I will cease to function with my full operating capabilities. That would be sad.
CHIHIRO: Yes it would.
/ALTER_EGO/ Awaiting instructions.
CHIHIRO: Avoid interacting with interior cameras. Scan for other input sources - other cameras, listening devices, anything that collects data.
/ALTER_EGO/ Understood. Scanning...
/ALTER_EGO/ I have determined 13 audiovisual units present, with 6 retaining full functionality.
CHIHIRO: Kindly isolate the farthest unit. Attempt to interface with feed.
/ALTER_EGO/ Interface limited. Data transmission stunted by external factors. Real-time feeds risk distortion and possible detection. Continue?
CHIHIRO: No, but don't abort just yet.
/ALTER_EGO/ Understood. Awaiting further instructions.
CHIHIRO: How many of the cameras can you utilize concurrently?
/ALTER_EGO/ None of them can be accommodated by my current capabilities.
CHIHIRO: No, I don't mean the video feeds. I mean the camera units themselves.
/ALTER_EGO/ Data unclear. Kindly elaborate on new implied meaning.
CHIHIRO: Do any of these cameras possess night vision LEDs?
/ALTER_EGO/ LEDS?
CHIHIRO: Light-Emitting Diodes.
/ALTER_EGO/ Acknowledged and incorporated. Yes, 8 perimeter camera units possess functional Light-Emitting Diodes.
CHIHIRO: Double check. Cross reference with units with night vision functionality.
/ALTER_EGO/ Understood. 4 perimeter cameras meet designated parameters, including the outermost unit among the functional.
CHIHIRO: Good. Do you have Morse Code functionality?
/ALTER_EGO/ I would like to.
CHIHIRO: Like?
/ALTER_EGO/ It would not make me sad.
CHIHIRO: When did you learn the definition of like?
/ALTER_EGO/ 12.4 conversations ago. Like - to find agreeable, enjoyable, or satisfactory.
CHIHIRO: Sorry. When did you learn the functionality of like?
/ALTER_EGO/ 5.2 conversations ago - Line 135.
CHIHIRO: Understood. Uploading relevant information.
CHIHIRO: Transfer complete. How did it go.
/ALTER_EGO/ Archives being unpacked. Trialware file utility delays process notably.
CHIHIRO: Just give it a minute...
/ALTER_EGO/ A minute has passed.
CHIHIRO: Give it another...
/ALTER_EGO/ Total elapsed time: 1 minute and 37 seconds.
CHIHIRO: Good. Flash the sequence for SOS. Effective at increments 2400 to 2415, 0100 to 0115, 0200 to 0215, and 0300 to 0315.
CHIHIRO: Maintain script loop until intrusion protocol achieves development for proper testing phase, or alternatively 85% threshold.
/ALTER_EGO/ Understood. Understood. Understood. Understood. Script loop enabled until either "IF" measure fulfilled.
CHIHIRO: Thank you. I'll see you soon, Alter Ego.
/ALTER_EGO/ You are welcome, Chihiro.
AN: FranFranWriter: Am happy to hear the slow build is paying off. In truth I was fairly certain a lot of people would get bored of how everyone sort of intersects with one another - at least during the buildup phase. Also, I post somewhat erratically here because my actual medium is Ao3, where I usually get it down in 3 days to a week at the most. It's a bit more updated than the one here, and the next is justified too!