Chapter 26
Chapter 26
“Shizuku? You’re back from the archery club already---?
Who… Who the fuck are you?!”
Es just had the best nap of her life, or at least the best she could recall having.
She got up and went to get a cup of coffee from the coffee machine.
"Ah, you're finally awake."
Jackalope greeted her, a projector screen behind him lit a vibrant red that almost hurt Es' eyes.
"Let me give you a rundown of what happened while you were sleeping."
Es had a bad feeling from Jackalope's maniacal rabbit grin.
"...Go ahead."
"Well, let's start with our little falling star, Prisoner 001! His verdict is guilty."
A little Tsukasa popped up on the screen.
"Prisoner 001 broke his arm!"
Es almost spat her coffee out of surprise because of Jackalope's cheerful tone.
"He's become… Paranoid, if you will. Prisoners 006 and 005 stop by his cell quite a lot."
Two little Rui and Shizuku appeared.
"Anything else?"
She asked, continuing to quietly sip on her drink.
"He writes a whole lot. Letters, if I'm not wrong."
Es thought.
"Could they be for Saki..?"
She was almost certain they were.
"Moving on, Prisoner 002, verdict, guilty… Oh boy this is a wild ride!"
Es hummed, having not heard the last part of Jackalope's statement.
"As kids say these days, her health has… gone to shit."
Es immediately began to choke on her coffee.
"What?! What the hell happened?!"
She managed to say, in between coughs.
"She was beaten up by Prisoner 009."
A little An popped up and bonked little Minori.
"You missed it, it was great--"
"Great?! Oh my god…"
She ran a hand through her hair in frustration.
"You're a psychopath, Jackalope…"
"Oh thanks! As I was saying, 002 was beaten up by 009. Had 010 not been brought to the scene, we would've had our first loss! Various other prisoners tried to stop the fight, including our next Prisoner! 003!"
Es sighed.
"His verdict is guilty, and he has lost his voice momentarily after the incident with 009 and 002. 007 visits him constantly, he refuses to even look at 009, and he doesn't leave his cell much. Well, not like that's any different."
Little Akito slid out of the screen as little Ichika slid in.
"Prisoner 004. Verdict, guilty. Still fails to befriend 007. Overall her mental state seems to be one of the best in the prison despite her guilty verdict."
Little Shizuku comes back.
"She and 005 have been seen taking small walks in the hallway."
"Move on."
Jackalope rolled his eyes.
"Prisoner 005, innocent. I don't know what you did on 005's trial, but she's completely changed."
Es put her cup down.
"How so?"
"She's sweeter than a jar of sweet honey now. The nicest of the prisoners. It's like you gave her a therapy session instead of a murder trial."
Es didn't say anything.
"I mean, don't get me wrong. She's beautiful but I don't like girls wi---"
Es threw the cup at Jackalope, missing him by mere centimetres.
"Jackalope!"
"Hey! That was a new cup!
W-Well…"
Es sighed as a little Rui appeared on the red screen.
"001's partner in crime! Prisoner 006, innocent, has befriended 005, and let's just say he has had some… interesting talks with his former troupe leader. You'll find out when their trials come around, I'm sure."
Little Honami popped up as Es gasped.
"Honami--!"
She whispered under her breath.
"And then there's your 'girlfriend'!"
Jackalope blurted those words out with a teasing tone in his voice.
Es grabbed a nearby plate and threw it at him.
"HEY!"
"Mark my words, Jackalope. I would never have a romantic relationship with a prisoner."
She sighed and sank into a chair.
"Continue."
"As I was saying… Prisoner 007… verdict, Innocent… She has been with 003 constantly over these past weeks."
Es nodded.
"They started to become good friends in the first trial."
"007's also talked quite a lot with 010."
Jackalope's voice shook a bit as he glanced at the broken cup and plate beside him.
"Anyway… Prisoner 008… Their verdict was innocent… Again, spends most of their time with said prisoner, although they've checked on 002's multiple times, being the one that ran out for help in the first place. Their relationship with 009 has been rough to say the least, but not to the extent of 003's."
Little Mizuki slid out as Little An popped up, Es winced slightly, wondering just what the hell happened between Minori and An.
"Prisoner 009! She was judged as innocent, and oh boy! That was certainly a choice to say the least! She and 005 talk sometimes, but aside from that, nothing much has happened."
Es rolled her eyes.
"Nothing? What about the fact that she almost killed 002?"
Jackalope shrugged as best as a rabbit could.
"Prisoner 010, her verdict is innocent, she has been beginning to act all friendly again, well, except with 008. Maybe they had a fight."
Es thought to herself.
"That's just how 010 is, isn't it…?"
"010 seems to have some sort of medical knowledge, she treated most of 002's injuries at 008's request."
Es nodded, getting up and walking towards the door.
"Very well then…
Let the second trial begin."