( TRIAL - WEEK 4 )

[abhoth]

At exactly 11:30 am, all residents who are still asleep will be jolted awake by a sharp, burning pain that spreads across their whole body. A simple look will reveal no visible injuries, oddly enough, and the pain will fade away as soon as they're properly awake. Those early birds who are already up and about will feel nothing — except maybe a strange, mysterious sense of relief as they go on about their business. Lucky them. Moments later, an announcement will come through the static-filled PA system: "This is Craftly speaking. My apologies for the rude awakening, but due to a certain someone who I shall not name [he's still pissed] — today's trial will take place by the pool. Please do try to be there before noon. My staff members have simply too many duties to tend to, to be escorting each and every one of you out of your quarters. Good day." And true to his words, anyone who doesn't make their way to the Outdoor Dining Area before noon will be dragged kicking and screaming regardless of where they've sequestered themselves. Sucks to be you, huh? Upon arriving there, however, residents will be given the menu, one copy of the rulebook, one pencil, one notepad, and a cheque folder. Due the Kitchen and Dining Hall getting wrecked, lunch and dinner will mostly consist of grilled and barbecued menu items. Hamburgers, hotdogs, salads, and items that require little preparation — all the residents have to do is ask in order to receive. Similarly, all beverages will be retrieved from a hundred quart cooler that has been placed by the side of the pool. Not as fancy as usual, but at least the pool is clean now. Some inflatable pool toys lazily swim in the water, along with pool noodles. Every now and then, the waters will vibrate to the sound of buzz saws and assorted power tools. Looks like the Disposal Room, Dining Hall and Kitchen are under reparations. A tent has been placed over the area to shield the residents from the sun, and to make up from the lack of transparencies everyone will receive a small booklet containing each resident's profile. They look a little bit like shitty PowerPoint presentation handouts, but maybe it's part of the charm. The profiles of the deceased are included, as always. A second tent has been set up in the parking lot, complete with an air conditioning on the inside. Its use will become rapidly apparent once the victims corpses have been wheeled in. Anyone who wishes to step into this area will be asked to wash their hands, and will be given a pair of latex-free gloves and a hairnet by a staff members who is stationed nearby. Residents are required to dispose of both items before returning to their table; a trash bin is available outside of the tent for this purpose. Evidence found during the investigation, on the other hand, will be displayed in a table by the pool shed. Any items found by the residents on Friday will be displayed here for further examination. Finally — one of the grandfather clocks has been kidnapped from its respective floor to show the current hour. Please do remember you have until 9:00 PM to figure out whodunit and cast your vote. And if anyone tries to leave the area before the trial is over? They'll discover an invisible wall blocking their path. ( victims ) Characters will be given nine (9) hours to discuss everything related to the investigation to hopefully solve the mystery behind this week's murder. No one will be allowed to leave the Pool/Outdoor Dining Area (the pool shed will also be locked), and all characters must cast their vote before 9PM EST. You may do so on this week's voting page. If you have any questions or doubts, shoot us a PM or a PP over at yuggoth. ( quick navigation ) voting | profiles | menu | locations | ic rulebook

Comments

[lohengrins]

The key said Station #11, so I'd assume it was somewhere in the gas station -- but that doesn't seem quite correct.

But since we're discussing Ryou...

[ tone shift time! ]

Despite being in critical condition, Ryou was found outside, having tea with a friend. His tea was tampered with. Ryou mustered the physical strength to enjoy tea with whomever this was, simply because he liked them that much.

[ wow. interesting :) ]

To put it simply: he was betrayed. Someone here exploited both his trust and feelings. Disgusting, isn't it. It's almost as though you've all learned nothing -- or perhaps the truth is, you simply don't care. But to go as far as to murder someone who's placed that much faith in you? Ha. That's a new low.

[ his eyes scan the crowd. if you look at him closely enough, you can tell he's watching for a reaction. ]

I need to know who he was closest to. Now.

[blacktailed]

[nicely done, Percival.]

I don't think he's resting easy, knowing he was taken advantage of, when you put it like that.

[thawedheart]

[Well, if Percy's really looking that closely, he'll see that Yukina's expression is pained...

...and that her hands are shaking badly.]

[lohengrins]

[ hm. he walks over towards her, his expression frigid. his tone doesn't seem to differ. ]

Do you know who Ryou had tea with, Yukina?

[ and without a beat: ]

You two were close, I take it.

[thawedheart]

[Her voice is tiny when she answers him. She doesn't look in Andersen's direction - she keeps her gaze on Percival as he approaches.]

We spent... a lot of time together. Especially after the trials.

[She swallows hard.]

...he was teaching me to play Duel Monsters.

[lohengrins]

Considering how much you had to say earlier, Andersen, it's certainly interesting that you've taken up the mantle of a blue guard dog.

[ a sigh. ]

If he were to spend time with anyone after receiving those injuries, who do you think it would be?

[thawedheart]

[She shakes her head at Andersen and speaks up, her voice soft.]

...it's okay, Andersen-san. It's... it's like last week. He's just being thorough.

[lohengrins]

I don't make exceptions for people. I'm not as soft as you are, little one.

[ he folds his arms. ]

You didn't answer my question, Yukina. Even a vague idea would be helpful.

[thawedheart]

He would have spent time with a close friend.

[She takes a breath and looks him directly in the eyes.]

But if you're thinking that friend was me, and that I murdered him in cold blood... you're wrong. I did not betray Ryou-san.

[blacktailed]

Was Ryou who you went to see on Thursday?

[softer, much gentler than Percival, who has no idea on how to talk to a lady.]

[thawedheart]

I did, but... I left before curfew. I didn't spend the night in his room.

[She shakes her head slowly.]

He said he didn't want me to see him like that.

[lohengrins]

If you're thinking I said what I did with you in mind, you're wrong. I'm not that antagonistic, and I would prefer to believe you.

[ a shrug of the shoulders. ]

But we saw what happened last week.

Who else would you consider a close friend of his? You knew him well. Be honest.

[blacktailed]

Percival.

[it's a warning.]

[rextenebrae]

... He must know or figure that there are others who may have known Ryou and simply wishes to know.

That's why he's asking her like this. He's only trying to help.

[blacktailed]

...I know.

[but she's an attack bird at times.]

[rextenebrae]

It's alright. He won't try to hurt her or anything like that.

[ He looks over at Yukina, unable to deny the concern he feels. ]

Let's continue to work together, to try to figure out what happened.

[gamerscore]

Hold on — how could you say that about physical strength...? Ryou was ... well, it's not a pretty sight... He probably needed someone to help him. There's no way he could move that far on his own.

[ She clenches her fist a bit tightly. ]

And stop — don't talk about new lows when we have someone's spinal cord in a pile with their body parts. Don't put one method over another.

[lohengrins]

His friend could have easily had helped him. Have you forgotten that I have third degree burns as well? I understand what they're like.

[ he doesn't flinch at that. not in the slightest. ]

Betrayal is one of the worst things a human can experience. I hope you don't have to realize that yourself.

[gamerscore]

So someone strong needed to help him — my point, I mean.

[ She seems a bit defensive. ]

Ryou was a good person and didn't deserve any of this — but this is a game. We're stuck in this game unless we start trying to put cheat codes in or something. Murder is murder, no matter the pretenses. I don't think we have much room for morality right now unless the killer explains their reasoning.

[ungodly]

Caesar was killed by the people he supposedly trusted the most. Ryou would probably feel more safe if several people were present during their little tea party — one person just needs to sprinkle in the pills, and he's out. So if a couple people moved him out there for a romantic moonlit cup of tea.. makes sense to me.

[lohengrins]

You make a fair point. Not any more than 4, I would assume. After they killed him, they could easily move onto their next victims.