Trial 04

[shimmershimmer]

[It's time for another trial! Gather 'round the temple and... huh. That's weird. Does the Lady seem a little agitated to you today? Before you can even fully assemble, she makes an announcement:]

Jotaro Kujo, a Demon, has gone to the barn instead of coming to this trial. Isn't that strange? It's almost like some kind of horrible ravenous thing lives in there and is luring in victims. Gosh.

We may mourn him afterward. For now, let us proceed. I wish the best of luck to you in this difficult task, as always.

((Vote!))

Comments

[genuine_human]

I should point out that I am acting entirely on my own volition here. Clover is in the same boat as all of you are. Tragic, really.

[He looks over at her and gives her a somewhat gentle smile, at least, in contrast with the facial expressions he's been making all day.]

Perhaps you deserve an answer with absolute clarity: I am not your brother.

[fourleafcleaver]

You're—you're not...

But...I remember—I-I know I... [She sputters, desperately trying to reconcile this with everything else she's sure she knows into something that makes sense. He looks just like the brother she remembers, so who—how—

Her memories are so clear. Aren't they? The more she thinks about it, the worse her head hurts.]

...You've been lying to me. [She tenses, and her hands ball into fists at her sides.] What happened to my real brother?!

1/2

[genuine_human]

You've been lying to yourself, girl, just as much as I've been lying to you.

[They were both brainwashed, after all.]

I wouldn't know where your brother is and I can tell you with equal certainty and clarity that I don't care.

[He shakes his head and shrugs all the while giving a smug look.]

Let me tell you who I am, though.

2/2

[genuine_human]

[He raises up his hand and fixes his glasses.]

I am the leader of the Millennium organization and commander of the Last Battalion, the remnants of the Third Reich's Waffen-SS numbering a thousand strong. For fifty years, I've been hiding in the shadows with my eyes never once turning away from the horizons. There is my war. There is my enemy...!

And so it has come to pass that the ten million souls residing in London became the appetizer to my main course! Bombs burst, sending the city to flames, engulfing the guilty and pure-hearted alike. The Inferno that I have orchestrated, it was not enough. I had an enemy that I've vowed to kill and thoughts of its death both haunted and sustained me over half a century.

[His eyes widen and so does his smile. There's no way a man like this, so delighted over the violence he's committed and his madness, can be her brother.]

Are you starting to understand just what's so farcical about this situation? You, a young, innocent, girl, carefree and so doting on big brother... all this time, your soul has been united with mine.

Don't even talk to me about the displeasure behind it. You know nothing of it. What is mine is mine alone, soul, skin, hair, blood! I will share none of it for I... I am me. I am me...! ... That is why I've set this up.

They will be eager to rid the world of my evil and kill the both of us, knowing full well, or due to realize later, that they've condemned an innocent. Or they will have sympathy for the Archdemon and put us both to sleep, allowing me to live to fight another day.

Who knows. But I intend to end it here with a well-deserved finale.

[fourleafcleaver]

[She doesn't look at him when he speaks—she looks towards him, eyes wide and unfocused, but she's too wrapped up in something else to acknowledge the person in the way of her stare.

It doesn't happen all at once. One thought comes to her at a time and bit by bit, it starts to connect. Things start making sense.

She remembers.]

...Of course. [Her voice comes as a whisper. For a moment her focus darts rapidly between everyone before settling back on the monster who is not her brother. Clover glares at him.]

Can you shut up for five seconds?! I'm trying to think! [When was the last time she saw Light? Despite everything going on around her, she doesn't even have to think to push it aside; all that matters is knowing that he's safe, far away from the dangers and the monsters here.] Do you think I actually care that much about how terrible you are?! I got the gist of it!

[She whirls around to face the Lady. Her fists are clenched so tight that her knuckles have gone white and she can feel her fingernails cutting into her palms.] What happened to my brother?!

[shimmershimmer]

How do you even—

I don't know. I don't know what happened.

[fourleafcleaver]

Liar! You separated us, didn't you?! What did you do to him?!

[shimmershimmer]

I didn't do anything. Why are you accusing me?

[fourleafcleaver]

Who else could it have been?! You brought me here, you stuck me with that lunatic, my brother's not with me—that was you, so this has to be! What happened?!

[shimmershimmer]

I didn't touch your real brother. I only took you.

So stop your whining.