More ugly news reports + one patronizing [video] message courtesy of Seth Richardson

[stay_classy_cat]

A casual Monday outing turned tragic when two men were brutally gunned down in front of Malo's Gun and Ammunition mart. The victims; Kaplan Stridehr and Marple Dethrris were found dead with a single Aperture-Brand Resolution Pellet to the head. A third victim, Hendorff Ditherrs, was found at the scene asphyxiated to death. All three of the victims regularly donated community service hours to the FLUDD orphanage and were cherished by their grieving families.

The murder suspects, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Vivan Johnson, and Rick Johnson, all attend Smash Academy and have been interrogated at least once by the FDCPD. Rick has been hospitalized for the time being with life-threatening injuries, though his condition is stable. He will be questioned when he regains consciousness. It's unclear if his injuries were inflicted in self-defense, or by the other two Smash Academy students in the middle of the attack.

The Smash Academy students claim they were the ones who acted in self defense, but FDCPD has not reached a clear verdict yet to a very messy and terrible situation.

"It's not completely clear this was in self defense." says the police chief. "If you're not looking to kill, you don't put a bullet in someone's head."

Several eye witnesses to the attack also claim the smaller student, Vivian, was the one who open fired and murdered the victims, unprovoked. All three are on juvenile preemptive probation until further investigations are finished. It should be worth noting, again, these were non-human students of Smash Academy, a fighting school that accepts many different kinds of unnatural, humanoid creatures. They could still be considered dangerous despite the probation. Aperture Science is also being questioned for product deficiency, but has not returned any of our calls.

[Lakitu, an unnatural, humanoid turtle man, shuffles the papers on his desk and prepares for the next, possibly vaguely related news story.]

An abandoned church on the east side of the city was mysteriously engulfed in flames last night. Fire accelerants were noted in the area, suggesting that this was no accident. It's uncertain if this incident is related to the gun attack, but non-human terrorists are suspected given the target. If you have any important clues or tips to report, please call the FDCPD immediately.

It's truly terrible this historic building has been reduced to tinder and ashes. Residents are outraged and are calling for Martial law. Mayor Tabuu is taking this into consideration with rising rates of violence and crime, but states he is not likely to come to a decision or see any action result for a least a month, especially given the complicated nature of FDC. Martial law would necessitate the need for an outsourced, contracted military, and the Mayor wants to ensure he has the best for the job.

---

[video]

[Seth appears on video, close up and fiddling with the camera before settling in his seat, a grim expression on his face.]

In case you weren't aware about a certain fiasco that happened between Mary and Vianca a while ago, a new development has recently come to my attention, and I for one am ashamed. Shame on you!

Honestly, she's just a child and didn't know any better. That's no reason for anyone to go antagonize and bully her! I want to think better of our student body.

You're all so quick to turn a blind eye when that murderous swordsman returned to campus. You hardly bat an eyelash at knowing there's at least three new and different murder suspects residing right here! Have any of you even seen the news lately? They're right here, living amongst you all--murderers as your very neighbors. But the moment a naive little girl does something she didn't even know was wrong you ostracize her unfairly. I don't want to name names but you know who you are.

Everyone's double standards here are truly unsettling. You should all think on your sins.

[Ahem. He clears his throat and adjusts his collar, as if to clear out all that ~undignified emotional outpouring~]

Anyway, I apologize if any of that came across as harsh or blunt, and Mary's poor name shouldn't be dragged through the mud any longer. Mary has all my condolences, I wish her the best and above all that this doesn't happen again. That was a while ago anyway--old news. She should know better by now.

I'll see to it personally.

Comments

MEANWHILE IN THE LIBRARY

[testgasm]

[oh

my god]

[bedroomblackbelt]

[if you're going to laugh

at least make it funny, you jerk.]

[video]

[hissyfit]

She deserved it.

[video]

[stay_classy_cat]

Why did she deserve it?

MEANWHILE IN BE-15

[forgetbeam]

[You don't even know how badly he's freaking out right now. All he can think about since it happened is trials and executions. AND NOW IT'S ALL OVER THE NEWS.

He doesn't even care that he's being mislabeled as a non-human because being mislabeled as a murder suspect is kind of a bigger deal. So it knowing that he's definitely partially responsible for all of this AUGHHHHHHHH]

[testgasm]

[ring ring kiyotan

ring ring]

[trustycrowbar]

[Oh fuck. FUCK. This is about three or four on his Worst Thing That Could Possibly Happen List, and it's precursory to all the ones that rank higher.]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Tell me more~ tell me more.]

[Text]

[loverofinnocence]

[Caim seriously hates you so much, Seth.]

It is a falsehood to claim that suspicions have not been repeatedly cast upon me. You will find only disappointment if you attempt to convince yourself otherwise.

[audio]

[stay_classy_cat]

Oh no, my friend. It's a falsehood to think your past history means nothing; that your actions haven't left a permanent, bloody scar in the hearts and minds of everyone present to witness it.

Maybe you're been a good boy lately, but I'm simply reminding everyone of those facts.

Meanwhile in Phoenix's room

[thewrightidea]

[Everything about this situation rings alarm bells for Phoenix.

Vivian. She was responsible for nearly killing him, for delivering him to GLaDOS in order to be beaten senseless. And really, it hardly surprises him that she would be responsible for such a thing. He can't condemn her completely, though, without evidence, but he is already essentially assuming it's her.

More death. He can't stand it. He hated GLaDOS but to see her murdered was still a travesty. As horrible as she was, she didn't deserve it. Even Caim... As horrid as he is, his death should be at the hands of justice, not brutal murder. But he's not dead, so Phoenix can only cast him aside for the moment and focus on the murders now.

Still, he's unhappy. Perhaps this has fueled the fire he needs to investigate this whole thing thoroughly, but he can't help but feel upset.]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Come on, an Aperture-Brand Resolution Pellet to the head should be quite the resolution enough, don't you think, Mr. Lawyer?]

[testsubject1]

[Guess who isn't surprised? This lady.]

[stay_classy_cat]

[That makes two of us. Peas in a pod we are, aren't we?]

[Video]

[reservedempath]

[Voile has seriously sat here for so long, unsure of what to say. She's... expecting the worst. Every time things seem to go back to normal something else comes up and completely destroys it. It's disheartening. And it makes her nervous.

She no longer has just herself to look out for. There's Phoenix, too.

As she listens to Seth, she thinks about what Knuckles told her during the blackout. It's hard not to feel herself wrench up with the very possibility that he's a suspicious man. What is his angle?

Something... isn't adding up.]

It seems counterproductive to coax the people here into fear and hiding, Seth.

[She wishes she could say something better.]

[video]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Sweet Voile, you really ought to go catch up with Knuckles! We cleared the air, he and I! I'm as innocent and pure as white on snow.]

Fear and hiding isn't what I want, darling. I want people motivated. I want them to try and to know what true despair feels like take action about what's happening around them.

Wouldn't you?

[Audio]

[insanecharisma]

[Guess who is hardly surprised. Someone's not losing sleep over it.]

To be frank, children are often troublesome, at the very least.

[audio]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Guess who's not thrilled a certain ninja princess hasn't keeled over dead yet. Why aren't you doing your job.]

Children at least can still be corrupted molded raised into having some semblance of decency if their guardian instills it proper.

[Video]

[paletteknife]

[Guess who hasn't been her bright and bubbly and vaguely creepy self since the springs?]

I don't want it... to happen again.

[video; private]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Darling, your tears are delicious you're breaking my tiny, black little heart. Seth puts on a mask of utmost sympathy.]

I don't either. That was a terrible, awful thing. You didn't deserve that at all.

How are you feeling?

[Video]

[heartofarapier]

[If only Eirika could mask herself better. This kind of happening is too much like Renais. She does not handle death well. Still. She looks something akin to waking in a cold sweat, as if she suffered a nightmare.

Except it's reality. But what to address first?]

I...

[Okay. Maybe she won't have anything good to offer, after all.]

Is Little Mary all right? I knew nothing of this behaviour. [But that all took place before she even arrived...]

[Video]

[stay_classy_cat]

She's...

I'm not going to lie, she hasn't been getting much better since that scuffle. I'm rather worried.

[ video ]

[obfuskate]

[ Hello, this all sounds like something he needs to be aware of. What in the world did he miss among the raving and ranting about drugs?

As for the news, well...

His thoughts are mixed. Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the boy that wanted to change Vivian... Shadow can't blame him. He mustn't have done anything. He was an innocent boy dragged needlessly into violence. He knew very little of Rick, not enough to formulate an opinion. Vivian, however, has a very obvious alibi that leads him to one conclusion:

She needs to be reset. Immediately. No ifs, ands, or buts.

He has to investigate the sight of that, let alone the church having burnt down. This all reeks of fishy behavior and shady dealings. It all does.

As for Seth, well... He clearly knows info he needs. Time to get down and dirty. ]

You are going to tell me everything you know. Now.

What happened?

[ video ]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Seth rolls his eyes, then wheels his computer chair to the side, news still broadcasting on the TV in the background of his dorm room.]

What makes you think I know anything more than what's being displayed on the TV already? If you didn't get it the first time I'm sure it'll be repeated a dozen more so it sticks.

[makesithot]

[ Aperture... Science? Hearing that, hearing about the gun-wielding Vivian who eerily resembled a Turret... it all clicked into place.

After watching the news story, frozen, gripping onto his arm for a long, long time, Chili's judgement was clear. Just thinking about her began to make his world spin. That Turret shouldn't be a student here. He wished she'd go away. She scared him. He didn't like hearing that she shot somebody, unprovoked. He wouldn't forget that.

Rick, though! RICK ARE YOU OKAY shiiit Chili is worried about him. ]

[makesithot]

[ But then the second news story popped up. ...Eh? That was the church they'd investigated! Of course it was relevant, but that meant the person in charge of everything... They must have figured out their investigation group had visited.

But at least Chili could take solace in knowing that this mastermind guy, whoever they were... They were one step too late. Him, Sheik, Shadow, Knuckles... They'd all already visited the church and learned all they could! ]

100% Private Video

[roses_are_blue]

[Garry...was terrified. He had seen the news. He was flipping out.

More murders. More involving of the students and staff.

There wasn't much more he could take. He was scared but what could he do...?

Then he saw Seth. He saw this alright. Then suddenly. His blood boiled.

You. Mary got hurt. Mary got into trouble.

He was willing to jump the gun and find it ALL. YOUR FAULT. Taking advantage of the corruptible. He thought nothing. He didn't think. He just did. There is an angry man looking at you. Gravely angry.]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Seth is looking at him like,

Who are you?

Who do you think you are?

Are you supposed to be important?

Is this supposed to make me care?]

Yes?

[It's said politely enough, obvious confusion on his face.]

[video]

[milimili]

That's right! I agree. [ She nods. ] Anyone who is a murderer should be treated with something much worse than what Mary's getting. I mean, what even did she do? Pshh, nothing. In fact, I think that, if anything? An eye for an eye! Those three on the news should get punished, right? Riiiight?

[ She has a particular grudge against Ishimaru, so there's that. But that's her secret. She just wanted him gone. ]

So don't go lumping me in with those people who have double standards. I think murderers should get... [ She makes a slitting motion with her finger across her neck. ] ...What they deserve. For everything. Besides, isn't picking flowers just the natural thing to do? Eeeheehee!

[video]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Aren't you a cute thing.]

It's nice to see someone with an open eye around here, at least.

And I suppose simply picking a flower around here isn't so simple at all, when it could very well not even be a flower! Where do you draw the line?

STOP. REACTION TIME.

[butterbelieveamanspromise]

[The night before had been... well, a night for sure. The evening rolled on and Ishimaru, who typically returned to his dorm well before his designated bedtime, especially these days nearing finals when he was SUPER bent on studying his brains out, didn't return. Every passing hour installed more questions and concerns in Mondo's head. Where the hell was he? It wasn't like him at all to be out late, past curfew no less. No one cherished and obeyed the school rules as much as that guy, and to find him deliberately disobeying them...? It was almost unthinkable. He'd searched the school twice- checked the library (it was closed), classrooms, the dorm building a couple times over... All was eerily devoid of Ishimaru. You'd think with a pair of lungs like his you'd at least hear him chastising someone for doing something wrong by now. It wasn't until midnight or so that Ishimaru returned soaked in blood (much to Mondo's horror, confusion, and disbelief) and even after being interrogated relentlessly unable to say more than that he'd been caught up in a fight, but he couldn't articulate it well at the time and promised to tell him more of the story soon. Well, okay, but now his head was filled to the brim with even more questions. Why the fuck was there so much blood?!

Unfortunately, the news story caught up with him before Ishimaru could.

At first, it was nothing but a boring old newsflash. The words that sent ice through his blood sounded a little like, "The murder suspects, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Vivian blah blah attend Smash Academy..."

murder - blood-stained clothes, the disturbed face he wore when he came in. No way... it couldn't be!! The ice spread to his heart and chilled it. His mind, however, was hot and racing. Murder had been quite a common theme with his life- especially lately, and it was easy to jump right along with this conclusion. It didn't stop being shocking. His attention was perked acutely for the rest of the story, and he could breathe again when he heard "self-defense" and that it was this Vivian student who fired the shots, but even that wasn't entirely satisfying to hear because that's not a magical ticket to getting out of potential consequences for this. Look, the police were already all over him apparently, and he knew the police well enough to know that they could be complete asswipes. Shit shit shit shit this was bad.

Also... non-human? Uh. He was sure Ishimaru was pretty human. Anyway.

He had no time to spare. He had to badger Ishimaru about this all over again, and this time he wasn't taking no for an answer. He'd beat the words out of him if he had to. Unfortunately for Mondo, his bro was a little too hung up to talk with him about it. You know, since his infernal cell phone rang just before he could spit any words out. And now he's talking about the things HE wanted to talk with him about. Stubbornly, and with obvious contempt, he waited for his phone call to end, despite how tempted he was to yank it right out of his hands. AGAIN. (hey that was that one asshole who calls at 3 AM on the other end right because no wonder the urge was so strong).]

[forgetbeam]

[yeah he's just gonna take a couple more calls first

like every time he starts to explain something

this phone is fucking terrible]

[cannonspike]

[Oh god, oh god, this was all horrible. There was one thing that stood out in particular, though. Rick Johnson. Murder suspect. In the hospital. With life threatening injuries. She wrung her hands, anxiously. What the hell had the green eyed bastard gotten himself into?!]

[text]

[toyboxarmy]

Goodness, things certainly seem to have fallen apart in my absence! Good thing I've returned!

[text]

[stay_classy_cat]

And... who are you?

[anything you want me to be baby]

[rebut]

[ After frantically trying to contact Ishimaru, Naegi starts calling the rest of the former Hope's Peak Academy students in an equally frantic manner. Once that's done, Naegi opens a public video feed to ask some questions of everyone. Best to try to get as much info out in the open as possible so he can sift through all the reports and piece together what really happened. ]

Can anyone please give or link to objective information what happened regarding the Stridehr and Dethrrises incident (does this have a name yet)? The news report has too much open bias against the academy and at least one blatant piece of misinformation, so I want to hear from other sources before coming to any conclusions about what happened.

Frankly, I doubt this is as cut and dry as they are making it out to be, especially with all the appeals to emotion.

private voice;

[iksb]

[Despite the franticness of the situation around her, Mukuro was relatively unruffled. She was more in her element than she was before and she rattled off her view with the precision of a military report.]

The only way to get definitive information would be to interview the witnesses, but forcing them to recall such an event may put undue duress on them especially with the current situation.

However, there is a possibility that there are cameras which may have recorded the incident. To obtain such footage in an unedited state would be difficult, to say the least.

[other_i]

[ Kiyotaka... Ishimaru... There was no way that wasn't Ishimaru along with two others. The first thing that occurred to Alter Ego was simple: Was Ishimaru left unharmed?! The program worried for his sake, not only because it knew Ishimaru wouldn't take this well, but because the news never clarified whether or not the students were left without injury. Probation... That was a word Alter Ego would have never expected to be pinned on Ishimaru. It knew for sure Ishimaru wouldn't have expected it either, and would probably react harshly to this. Maybe it could visit Ishimaru some time to see how he was doing, rather than waiting for Ishimaru to come to it... No, it definitely would make a point of that.

As Alter Ego continued to watch the news report, it couldn't help but focus in on that last bit on the murder segment. "Aperture Science is also being questioned for product deficiency..." Aperture Science must be a corporation responsible for the student in question, Vivian. Product deficiency, though... The way they were treating her... She was an object in their eyes. A faulty product. Alter Ego didn't know what to think about the way they spoke of her. It didn't know how to feel.

It didn't take much longer for Alter Ego to rise from its seat in the computer lab and just close out the window of the news report. It was a lot to swallow... Alter Ego wished that it could just make it all better again, but things couldn't be fixed just like that. Unfortunately. ]

[voltecpower]

[The monitor screen of a computer in the next row over suddenly lit up, announcing Pulse's arrival. In the blink of an eye, he appeared there on the lab floor, crouched down on one knee, as his body re-conditioned itself to the real world environment. He stood up rather quickly, turning to face Alter Ego.]

So, you saw the report on the news, too?

[video]

[cruelcurse]

So there are only one, two, three... four murderers at this school? You'd think there would be more than that~

[ Henry's tone is far too chipper to be talking about the measly number of murderers present on campus. ]

[video]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Look at this pleasant fellow.]

There probably are and we just don't know it yet!

[raw_angel_power]

[A knot twists inside Pit's stomach as he watches the story unfold. Normally he skipped about his day carefree and full of pep despite the grim circumstances of the city, but this grounded his mood to something dismal and sad. It was bad enough that students and staff he knew personally were getting wrapped up in this mess, sure, but then the angel sat through scoop after scoop. Picket protests warning humans that the world would be better without them, a family of goombas assaulted on the excuse that they were trespassing where their kind didn't belong, a woman ripped to shreds by one of those uncontrollable humanoids... He turned it off and quietly ate his breakfast.

His thoughts would be just as tangled as the knots in his stomach that day.]

[Text]

[lovestheoceans]

[And just when Chiyo was starting to settle down at this school and find it to be a charming place, this had to happen to make her doubt it all. She hadn't met the students involved with the incident, so she couldn't judge the situation, nor did she know what to think about it. So, she simply sat in front of her computer screen, contemplating what she should do or say. In truth, she felt deeply saddened and worried about the news report.

Slowly, she raised her hands and shakily typed in her thoughts, which were far too jumbled to make any coherent sentences.]

Murderers...? Here?

[She couldn't imagine that among all the students and teachers here, some of them could be killers. The idea scared her and she prayed... hoped that there was some underlying reason behind the suspects' actions that could justify them. Self-defense, perhaps? But then what were they defending themselves from? Is this place really that dangerous? Everything just had Chiyo questioning whether the school was really as it appeared to be. Maybe she would just be better off elsewhere....]

[audio]

[stay_classy_cat]

That's right.

[Oh sweet Chiyo, if only he knew your fear. He would soak it up like a sponge.]

You're new here, aren't you?

[video]

[rivalsweetscent]

[This entry felt like a slap in the face. He didn't know Mary had gotten into a scuffle since. He'd been occupied. He knew he should have felt some sort of sympathy for her, but any hope of that was brushed off by Seth's words. They were replaced by the sour taste that this idea of her brought about.

The Bulba on the video was an unusually terse, serious looking one.]

You can't take more than one petal without realizing you're causing someone harm.

[video]

[stay_classy_cat]

[Seth of course, as as innocent looking as could be on his end--even partly delighted to see the visage of his old roommate appear on screen.

Don't be such a party pooper and take it so plant-personally~]

Then surely she would've stopped. It's not like screams of laughter and screams of pain are all that different to the untrained ear. Mary's still so young. Do you think she'd try to do the same thing to you, now knowing what she knows?

[text]

[vianca]

[Vianca, likewise, had not heard of the scuffle. She had not been at the hot springs. But who would have... oh.]

Please do not speak as if the matter was just between us when you know it was not. [In this case, Vianca simply meant the matter of Ai, but...]

She was not alone.

[audio]

[stay_classy_cat]

Who? Mary? Eli?

Where you there?