2 Die 4 You

overcorrections

Lumine was waiting for them in the auditorium, looking just as nonchalant as usual. The portraits of the deceased had been updated on their respective podiums. X gave an involuntary shudder. How could it come to this? Four of them were dead already, with another soon to be exposed.

"It's gotten out of hand too quickly, that's for sure."

X spun around to see Aero next to him, not realizing he had been voicing his thoughts out loud until now. The duo looked at each other.

"We don't have to kill each other." X finally said. "I don't know what we have to do but..."

"I know." Aero nodded. In a slightly darker voice she repeated, "I know."

The two then went to their podiums without another word.

"Welcome back, welcome back," Lumine greeted them. "A few short days simply are not enough, are they?"

No one answered as they took their places. Lumine seemed to be amused by their quiet natures so far.

It was time to change that.

"I do have to give a round of applause to today's Maverick." Lumine droned. "Only the second killing and you take out two others? Amazing stuff. Although I do feel like you could have taken on someone who had a bit more... muscular strength. Of the ones you could have found, you took the easy ones. Especially that seraph haired girl. Far too easy, that one."

"You piece of-!" Marino screeched as she prepared to bolt right from her podium to Lumine. She barely made it three steps before something shocked her. With a yelp, Marino backed away from the invisible barrier. Her astonishment came out in a muttered, "The fuck...?" before looking to Lumine for answers.

"Oh, have I never told you?" Lumine sneered. "The moment everyone is ready for our debates, an invisible barrier forms around your podium. It's to ensure everyone's safety, of course."

"The many are mightier than the few," Zero said in his usual grumble- this one containing a bit more bite than usual. It did not phase Lumine.

"Such as it were," the snake with a white aura bemused, "We've gotten off topic."

The lights around the auditorium dimmed slightly for dramatic effect.

"Two killings in one..." Lumine mused. "Let's see who our opportunistic Maverick is."

As before, Lumine gave a snap of their fingers and the lights in the room went out. A few moments of anxious heartbeats were allowed before a spotlight was turned on. This time, it was pointed at Spider.

Unlike Massimo, he did not bother to defend himself right away. Instead he gave a shrug, then folded his arms before looking down. It was a rather dramatic stance in its own right.

"You killed without me?" Dynamo asked first- giving a whine that invariably sounded fake. "But we made a suicide pact. Spit shaked on it and everything."

Spider gave a half shrug.

"Opportunity decided to ring for a different outcome, chum." he said. "It wouldn't have been much fun for you to begin with."

"But two girls in one."

"I know, I know. One for each of us. I know that's what disappoints you the most."

"Shut up!" Marino demanded. "How could you two talk so carelessly about them?! They were one of the few who wanted to make friends with everyone, no matter how callous they were!"

"I don't think they particularly care, Marino." Zero said. His eyes were closed and his arms were folded. When opened his eyes, they immediately glared daggers in Spider's direction. In a cold voice he asked, "Who did you kill first?"