The Trial (before battle)

Memory sloshes within a tin bucket bearing a label.

Experience dissolves into the stinging aftertaste that lingers on someone's tongue.

I hammer them into packages, obeying the instructions nailed to the wall.

My gaze faces the consistent sway of the liquid in the container.

What, in this life, could be the proof of "me"?

Memory? Experience?

And if neither...

Yet another peculiar question, I see.

Has a single mission ever gone precisely as you expected, Dante? Why should this one be any different?

You have a point...

But would it have killed you to at least give us some kind of clue, Vergilius?

One might come to wonder why the company keeps throwing its employees into risky situations without letting them in on all available information... Ah, I can practically hear the complaints lodged in the tick-tocks of your winding clockwork.

Like it or not, this is how a bus operates, Dante:

Transporting its passengers from station to station, but not to their destinations. That last part is the responsibility of each passenger.

*sigh* The ticking of your clockwork is quickening indignantly - very well, I'll dispense with the overwrought metaphors now.

If I'm to put it more plainly...

... The company has already taken into account all constants and variables surrounding the Golden Boughs, yes. Theoretically, should everything go according to plan, you could simply walk in and grab the Golden Bough... But there would be no point to it.

Try to question yourself why the company forwent the option of choosing a team of professionals who are less prone to... shenanigans.

Quiet bus? No fun for Charon.

This much, however, I can tell you:

Sinner #5... was never meant to return to this District.

Which means that everything here that is to transpire was, from the very beginning...

... entirely beyond prediction.

Vergilius tends to be cryptic and indirect anyway,

so I didn't think much of it this time as well.

If by "beyond prediction" he meant something that might get the Sinners killed, that wasn't anything new. It was an everyday occurrence at this point, and I do have the ability to rewind them back to life, after all.

... As always.

But at the time, never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that...

... I would be rewound alongside the Sinners as well.

<Did you know this would happen, Meursault?!>

Only after hearing the feeble question leave my proverbial mouth does Meursault turn my way.

I did, Manager.

As usual, his reply comes brief without a moment's delay.

Not the slightest sign of surprise at his arrest. Not so much as a token excuse.

And I have no choice but to admit it - this is who he is. Always has been.

In the absence of a reasonably justifiable cause, such as a contract, engaging in battle with the City's corporate entities is strongly discouraged.

Yeah?! And we're just supposed to twiddle our thumbs while they drag him away?!

S-so where are ya taking him?

A retrial will be scheduled for the execution of the exile's sentence.

<Guys, just... just let's all calm down first.>

<... Can someone ask them to explain in more detail? We need to know what exactly is going on with Meursault's trial and exile order.>

Uh... Hang on... I don't even know where I'd begin to ask...

We will now take him into custody. Please submit a formal declaration of negotiation rights at a later date should you have any objections.

Ezra, who at least had some knowledge of N Corp., stepped forward while Gregor was still ransacking his brain to find the appropriate words to ask about Meursault's trial.

No, we're not objecting to anything yet... It's just that we're completely in the dark about what's going on here.

Did the man himself tell you nothing?

For the first time, a look of puzzlement flickered across the dispassionate countenance of the N Corp. employee.

Well? Did he?

No. Nothing at all - I don't even recall him hinting at it.

To our regret... Miss Ishmael speaks true.

The suspect, Meursault, disobeyed the court's permanent exile order and remained in N Corp.'s District without authorization.

Annex 3 of the Eviction Regulations permits a stay of up to 6 hours to account for the possibility of transit en route to other Districts...

But 6 hours have already passed, and we have concluded that the purpose of the suspect's visit is not a transit stay. Does the defendant have any objections regarding this?

None.

... Wait. How did his status suddenly change from "suspect" to "defendant"?

Because the indictment has been filed as we spoke.

<…….>

…….

Outis, who was glaring at Meursault, looked just one breath away from roaring a stream of reprimands that would probably begin with "Imbecile! Couldn't you have forewarned us?!" But, somehow, she managed to hold it in.

Mind sharing the trial date with us, at least? As we've said, the man's told us nothing, nada, zilch about this predicament.

We would like to know whether there are any requirements for entering the courtroom as observers.

The proceedings will convene today, in 3 hours.

Although the trial won't be open to the public, you may, as close acquaintances of the defendant, be allowed to attend if you apply for seats in the observer gallery now.

The observer gallery... I don't assume there is any way for observers to intervene in the proceedings, correct?

Correct, as it is generally the case. I'm... not sure why you would assume otherwise, though my knowledge is limited to trial proceedings at N Corp.

W-wait! What about the jury? Can't we enter as part of the jury...?

That option is not available.

Okay, it's a trial, and at trials, they have... Right, a lawyer. You gotta find a lawyer, don't you? Have you found a lawyer yet, Meursault?

No, I have not.

Are you serious? Meursault was with us the whole time. When was he supposed to get a lawyer?!

A very frustrated Ishmael yelled at a very flustered Gregor, who still seemed to be reeling from the shock of the news.

R-right, right...

Then... who's gonna mount a defense for him? Oh, I know - don'tcha people have something like court-appointed lawyers?

That option is not available.

... For this particular trial, the defendant may choose to defend himself in the absence of a lawyer.

Meursault replied with calm and dry apathy, as though this entire affair didn't involve him at all.

I believe that's sufficient explanation on the extraordinary circumstances.

Wait, we still have -

You'll need to secure a formal negotiation document if you have any remaining queries.

The employee cut us off in the indifferent tone of an overworked drone who couldn't be bothered anymore, then began dragging Meursault away.

Meursault simply fell into step, surrendered to the momentum of his captors' feet.

Halt, good people...! Where be this courthouse in which the trial shall take place?!

*sigh*

Directing a thoroughly put-upon look toward us, the employee answered Don Quixote's question with only a sigh and promptly left.

P-prithee, give us an answer at the very least!

The Collectors in T Corp. were pretty rude, too, but... these people are really something else. It's like they're passive-aggressively trying to let us know that we're being a nuisance to them.

In T Corp., time and wealth are one and the same. One could sense the active desperation not to squander so much as a second.

Here, however... everyone seems to be mired... in ennui.

I kept my mouth shut, because I thought it wise to watch how the situation would develop first...

But now I think anything we could've added afterward would've fallen on deaf ears, if it didn't provoke worse reactions. Those men seemed as uncommitted to their work as the corrupt kleptocrats of S Corp.

Fie, they could have vouchsafed us an answer, at the least...! 'Tis a matter of courtesy...

Ugh, forget about 'em, they'll never bother telling us. I know where the courthouse is - here, lemme draw you a map.

W-wait awhile, Lady Ezra. Let us leave the drawing of the map to the Mentor. Best you direct your attention to -

As the LCD trio was working on drawing a map on a piece of paper, Rodya stomped up to Faust with barely-disguised anger. There was a cold bite in her voice.

I have a pretty good idea of what your answer's gonna be, but I'm still gonna ask.

Ya knew this was comin', didn'tcha, Fau? Ya knew about this crap the whole time.

... Yes.

Don'tcha think ya could've at least warned us about it?! Ya know perfectly well that Meur's not the type to dump his baggage on anyone!

Faust taking the initiative would have served no purpose.

It never has. And it never will.

Ya really are... *sigh* forget it.

A tempest of a sigh tore out of Rodya's lips. She walked away from the subject, as though she had realized that pressing Faust further wouldn't go anywhere.

What's gonna happen to Meursault if... if things don't go well?

Worry thee not, for I have conceived a plan.

... And what plan is that?

With combined efforts, we shall defeat the armsmen of the courthouse and secure a path inside. While young Ishmael standeth guard, I alone shall most sneakily venture into the dungeons beneath! We need only young Heathcliff to purloin the key from the warden and -

Did you lift that straight from the comic book you were reading on the bus yesterday?

... Prison dungeons? In N Corp., huh? Where did you even get that bit from?

Eeep...! That's... I do conceive that strongholds are furnished with dungeons, so...

And this is what I get for indulging my curiosity.

Bamboo, Aeng-du, start looking for a lawyer who can represent Meursault in court. I'll contact the Team Lead, bring her up to speed, and see if she has any advice for us.

You fellas'd do that for us? Oh boy, that'd be a great help!

... No, that'd be quite troublesome, actually.

Does the LCD team not have a different task that must be completed within the day?

Geh... I mean, yes, we do, but you're in a real pickle now and need all the help you can get if you want out of the pickle jar.

Hmm...? Do they?

The lady said otherwise, though. Let's head back and get ready for our task.

But...

Didn't you hear, Aeng-du? "Quite troublesome," she said. I'm not entirely certain of the predicament they face, but it seems that the stones on their board must do without our advice.

Is that truly the reason that you wish to withhold our advice, Mentor?

…….

Ezra furrowed her brows in consternation at Kim's comment... but eventually, she relented with a sigh. She shook her head in defeat.

... Fine. You're sayin' this is LCB's responsibility - okay. Then we'll leave it up to you guys, but be sure to call for us when things go south, got it?

... We will.

With the LCD leaving us for their own task...

Faust slowly opened her mouth amid the piercing glares from the other Sinners.

Faust is not without a plan.

Sure you aren't. Would be nice if you let us in on it for a change.

*sigh* But you can't, because of that clause in our contract that says you're forbidden from going out of your way to tell the rest of us about a Sinner's past, right?

Yes. That seems to be the case.

Why did you reject the LCD's offer of assistance?

For lack of any meaningful help they could provide, given the nature of this trial. Faust's analysis concludes their presence in the courtroom will only prove to be a deterrent to our mission.

<Fine. So just what exactly are you plannin - >

... The present time constraints will not permit us the luxury of holding a briefing session.

A mere 3 hours remain until the trial doth convene... Ah, verily, we are in a race against time.

First... Let us head to the courthouse. The plan will become clear soon after our arrival...

... without requiring any elaboration.