( 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

[thawedheart]

[Yukina narrows her eyes, her hands clenching tightly into fists.]

Ryou-san trusted me because we were friends. I don't have any explanation for you other than that.

[That, at least, she's able to say firmly.]

As for Suzaku-san... I would not say that he and I are close. But we do come from the same world, so if there was anyone I was going to go to for self-defense lessons, it would be him. He has the knowledge he needs to come up with a routine that would work for me.

I don't know for sure that he didn't kill Justice-san and the princess. It's possible he may have accepted my request specifically to have an explanation for his bruises, should he decide to commit murder.

But I do know that I am in no way involved with what happened to the people at City Hall, and that I did not betray Ryou-san. You can make up your own mind from here. I can already see that trying to influence you will be a waste of time.

[g101]

Yukinachi... You need to rebuff more readily. Prove it's not you.

[ hajime can't clench her fists, but her expression is tumultuous. it's early. you can diffuse this. diffuse it, come on. you're too cute, hajime wants to think the best of her. ]

You weren't more than friends with him? ...No, probably not. He wouldn't have had time to tell you.

[lohengrins]

[ he's simply staring at this point.

wow. yikes. ]

...

[thawedheart]

I don't know what you want me to say, Hajime-san. I didn't betray him. But some people have already made up their minds, and obviously, the truth isn't convincing them.

[thanks heather]

...tell me...? ...what do you mean?

[g101]

You have to have an alibi. Something. Kaito-kun showed us his gun.

[ ...a beat. ]

Ryou-kun asked me for advice on talking to a girl you have feelings for. He didn't say it wasn't you when I asked.

[ that's the only reason she's looking to debunk this. come on. please. ]

[thawedheart]

My role doesn't have a weapon or an item. There's nothing I can show. All I can say is the truth: I didn't betray him. My goal, this entire time, has been to keep him and everyone else here safe.

[What Hajime says next, though -

That gives her pause. She stares at her for a few long moments, her eyes wide, as that sinks in. A sharp intake of breath - and her hand comes up to cover her mouth.

Oh.]

[g101]

If I don't, then I won't forgive myself. Yukina deserves a third degree so she can be completely clear.

[g101]

[ titty wont save hajime now]

[g101]

Anything you can do to prove it... I think Ryou would want you to use that.

[ hajime wants to say more, but.

she can't. ]

[thawedheart]

If I had something I could use to prove it, I would have already. I've already said all I can. Think about what I've said, and why I said it the way I did.

[That's... really all she can say, at this point.]

[g101]

I believe you. I want everyone else to, also...

[thawedheart]

...everyone will make up their own minds. That's what these trials are all about, isn't it? It was never about finding evidence that points conclusively to a killer.

[g101]

No. I won't let them do that to someone. Since Hana, we haven't let someone pay for another's mistakes.

[splinten]

If you didn't betray him, did you have his permission to kill him?

[She said think about her words. So he did.]

[thawedheart]

He begged me to.

[Yukina's voice is so small that it gets small text, too.]

[splinten]

[Ah. He doesn't move to comfort her, but he doesn't attack her, either.]

That makes sense. Why didn't you come forward?

[lohengrins]

...Yukina.

Say that again. Right now.

[ungodly]

Are you kidding me? You're not lying?

[willremember]

Then we can cross Yukina off our suspect list and focus on the other murders.

[ Sometimes people want to be put down, what can you do? Nothing wrong with that. ]

[g101]

Were you gentle with him?

[ he was so sweet on her. ]

[ungodly]

What a diplomatic answer. You should be in pageants.

It'd be so easy for you to kill Ryou, wouldn't it? All you'd have to do is sprinkle some dust in a cup. Really, someone else could prepare it for you if you didn't want to. You would just need to get him there. To make him feel safe.

[ she crosses her arms. ]

I can tell why this murder happened, and what the point of it was. You know stuff you shouldn't. So it just makes sense.

[thawedheart]

I'm telling the truth, Heather-san. I'll repeat it for you, if you would like:

I. Did not. Betray Ryou-san.

[Her hands are shaking again, but she keeps them clenched into fists to try and get them to stop. It's hard to tell if she's angry or upset - both, probably.]

I've learned lots of things since I came here, that's true. But my goal from the start has always, always been to keep as many people as I can safe. If you have a hard time believing that, even after four weeks of this, then I think that says more about you and the conclusions you've jumped to than it does about me.