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

[iksb]

Don't panic, Ishimaru-kun.

[Mukuro's voice is calm and level, completely unphased by what she was seeing on her television.]

I do not believe that you did this.

[forgetbeam]

[He's still not sure how he feels about this girl who isn't who he thought she was, who made such a wild claim as everyone having escaped from Hope's Peak alive. He still isn't sure if it feels better to address her as Enoshima or as Ikusaba.

But it's... comforting to have her confidence in him, nonetheless.]

The police are the ones who will need to believe that.

[iksb]

[She'd prefer Ikusaba. At the end of the day, she is deeply sorry for deceiving everyone as she did. Even she did not know the depths of Junko's twisted despair searching. But all she can do is atone for what she has done, and that involves protecting the members of Hope's Peak Academy's 78th Class to the best of her ability.

There is no way that Ishimaru, a law abiding citizen to the core, who knew the rules of the academy by heart and lived by them utterly and totally, would simply indulge in needless violence.]

...

[She knew the feeling of being wronged. And she wished it not upon someone like Ishimaru.]

I offer my services to you.

[forgetbeam]

Your services...?

[What kind of services can a soldier offer? It sounds like just another recipe for death. He frowns at the desk in front of him, at all the papers and textbooks he hasn't had time to take even a glimpse at with all these phone calls.]

That won't be necessary! There's nothing that can be done until a verdict is reached. Everything will be fine.

[iksb]

The situation is weighted against you at the moment, I will not be surprised if they attempt to take you here by force despite your innocence. I shall ensure that this shall not be the case.

[Duh, that's what she can offer. Protection. She's not a SHSL Bodyguard like Madarai, but she's an SHSL Soldier who can probably match him to some degree.]

Please do not leave wherever you are.

[forgetbeam]

They're still investigating things! They're taking the time to do that even with their doubts, so I am sure everything will be handled fairly...

[Know who else claimed to be "protecting?" VIVIAN.]

[iksb]

[Mukuro remained silent over the line for a long moment. She knew Ishimaru was stubborn, but time has somewhat dulled how... stubborn he actually was. So without much ado, she let out murmur of agreement.]

As you wish. Please do not feel free to contact me should you need me.

[Ah, one more thing. Before she forgets.]

I advise you do not attend classes until the situation has passed.

[forgetbeam]

[Oh Mukuro, you didn't know Ishimaru at ALL if you thought that suggestion was going to fly.]

That is out of the question! Doing that would make me look even more like the kind of person who would be caught up in all of this...!

[Skipping class, murder, there's a pretty obvious connection here. Yeeeah.]

But I will ask one favour of you now. Do you have some sort of... make-up that would mask bruises?

[He doesn't know anything about make-up but he's pretty sure something like that exists. If anyone would have it it's the girl pretending to be a fashion model. Make-up's hardly masculine but going to class with his face looking the way it does is just going to have more people harassing him about it.]

[iksb]

[Mukuro, in her entire life, has never gotten a bruise or a scar or anything to indicate that she had been on a battlefield on any sort. The only lasting scar was that on her hand, of her Fenrir tattoo. And if her make up could cover that, then it could cover a few bruises.]

Yes. When do you need it?

[forgetbeam]

[There's a pause while he looks over his shoulder at the guy he knows he needs to speak to most about this who is very likely sulking about the fact he's taking all these calls first SORRY BRO IT JUST KIND OF HAPPENED. He'd like it immediately, but he can't willingly bring on yet another interruption.]

Will you be available one hour from now?

[iksb]

Mmm. Please expect me.

[Loooooog.]