THE FIRST TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE FIRST TRIAL

[Minutes after Detective Beauford Bottson rumbled off, an alarm suddenly starts to go off, complete with flashing red lights. This is followed by the very unwelcome sound of you-know-who.

Oh, what fresh hell is this.]

ATTENTION PRISO--GUESTS! GO TO THE ELEVATORS IMMEDIATELY! IT'S TOTALLY AN EMERGENCY! AHAHAHA!!

[And indeed, the elevators are open and ready for fast travel. Only this time, the elevator immediately takes the Strangers downwards, and into a large room of controls with a force field in the center of it. Beneath everyone is a semi-translucent floor, revealing a massive, futuristic engine beneath them. Despite how giant it is, it's unnervingly quietly, only letting out a hum that can just be heard.

The controls are beyond the force field in the center, so there's no way to get to them without naturally passing through it first. And as everyone enters into the force field - complete with a slurping sound as they pass through it, they will realize two things.

The first is that any weapons on them are somehow gone.

The second is that they can't get out of the force field once they've entered it. Instead, they will have to stand in a circle, with Bottson in the middle, transmitting the evidence found to the wristwatches.]

bASed on tHe inFormATion I have hEre IS...the suspects who stole my HnduyFDUFB mu-uu-U-rdered!



tHeRE yoU Go!


[Finally, above everyone and beyond the force field is Marie, flying around on a floating platform. She looks smug as ever as she leans over, chuckling.]

WELL, SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR HIGH AND MIGHTY RESOLVE, RIGHT?? SO GO ON, JUST TRY AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHO KILLED THAT WOMAN! AND REMEMBER...IF YOU VOTE WRONG, YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF KILLING SOMEONE INNOCENT, WON'T YOU?

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Comments

[toushiro]

Really.

[ that's his reaction to all of this: the trial itself, him being on the suspect list... ]

Huh. If that's how you want to do this, then fine. [ he turns to everyone else in the room, gaze stone cold. ] Ask me whatever you'd like.

[crouching_sin]

All right. Let's start simply. Where were you when the murder occurred?

[fashionfever]

Uh... I don't know a whole lot about these things, but I have a little question.

Why was she stabbed in the neck when the cause of death was strangulation?

I guess the stabbing happened in the hallway or bathrooms or wherever because that's where the blood was. But where did the strangling happen? Why would you get gross blood all over the place after you strangled someone? And did they strangle her with bare hands or one of the zillion missing cords?

[theserpentsmiles]

Maybe they cut her throat to obscure something about the strangulation that would give them away?

[tiefleaf]

...speaking from personal experience here? If you don't hit the right spot bleeding to death isn't always quick.

...what was her power again?

[theserpentsmiles]

[Interesting... Nagisa keeps a careful eye to his surroundings. Lots to take note of here.]

I think it's safe to say that whatever happened, it happened in the theater. There was blue glitter everywhere inside, including on the door. Specifically on the theater-side of the door.

[toushiro]

The strangulation could have taken place there, with how much of a mess there was in the theater. There may have potentially been a struggle, too.

[tiefleaf]

That poor glitter never did anything wrong in its entire life.

[MOLLY...]

[beguiledcard]

[ Well, while some of you guys are acting calm, someone looks briefly pissed off. ]

What the hell...

[ But... he closes his eyes a moment and takes a deep breath. He rubs a hand through his hair, his head a bit lowered. ]

Fine... Let's just... [ jawline briefly tightening ] get through this. Ask me whatever you guys need to.

[backuphero]

You looked as sick as I felt. There's no way - there's no way in hell, God damn it, this is ridiculous!

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya doesn't say anything, and he doesn't move from his spot. But he does catch Akira's gaze for a moment. There's... well. As little malice in it as Naoya can have. It's an attempt to look comforting, at least?]

[tiefleaf]

Alright. I don't wanna jump to conclusions, but.

You and I were in the hallway together after the announcement. Where were you before that?

[backuphero]

[So not only has it happened after all, he's considered one who might have done it... him and other people he's started to like. Plainly his family's luck followed him into space.]

Why the hell is... you really think somebody who went through this before would play along with it?

[fashionfever]

[she doesn't like this idea at all, but]

He said again and again that the threat to loved ones got someone to act every single time...

[strangerpeople]

iaM sOrRY, buT I aM proGraMMed to detERmiNE most lIKelY suSpEcts bAseD On tHe EVideNce prEseNTEd!

[mementodagger]

And you're not going to protest your own inclusion in the suspect list?

[crouching_sin]

Possibly.

Jonathan. Where were you when the murder occurred?

[earietale]

[Well, that's...that's a really bad thing. Not only is she a suspect, but so are three of her friends. Kind of a thing that would damper your mood. Also doesn't help that she is next to Vita why.

But Barbara needs to stay calm. Moments like these are the worst times to panic. So she'll take a couple deep breaths before speaking.]

You can ask me whatever you need to. I'll try to be as helpful as I can.

[backuphero]

I can't think straight. I can't think normally, this is almost too much.

[He takes a deep breath, trying to calm down, and with a deeply regretful expression...]

I told you some of my family's history. Did I tell you what the weapon passed down through that history is? I know I told somebody, but I can't remember who...

[leftthelighton]

I have nothing to ask you. I know that you did not do it.

[ Pass believes in her. He offers her a comforting glance from her side. ]

[crouching_sin]

All right. Where were you when the murder occurred?

catherd...!?

[beguiledcard]

[ It's after considerable silence, he finally speaks up...

His voice is quiet, but it should be loud enough for everyone to hear, if they're listening: ]

I never wanted to hurt anyone, but...

[ but... ]

[crouching_sin]

[He doesn't say anything. Instead he just looks slightly paler than usual.]

VOTING TIME

[commandurr]

WOW!! THAT WAS QUICK! I WAS SURE YOU HAD MORE STAMINA THAN THAT! WHAT, I THOUGHT YOU ALREADY WENT THROUGH ONE OF THESE "GAMES"??

AHAHAHAHAHA HA HMMMHMM!

[At this, their wristwatches activate, revealing a voting interface.]

JUST TYPE IN THE TITLE OF THE PERSON YOU WANT TO KI--I MEAN, DISPENSE JUSTICE TO!! MAJORITY RULES!! OH...

[At this, Marie's face darkens with a rather worrying grin.]

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE VOTE FOR HIM! YOU COULD JUST LET HIM GET AWAY WITH IT! AFTER ALL, IT WAS MORE OR LESS SELF-DEFENSE, WASN'T IT??

BESIDES, DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW THE OTHER PRIZE YOU GET IF YOU DO GET AWAY WITH MURDER?? I BET YOU DO!! AHAHAHA!!

[OoC: VOTING IS HERE! Otherwise, feel free to have characters react to all this here.]

[beguiledcard]

[ He's not even going to hesitate, though his voice does strain a little: ]

Everyone should vote for me. I'm the guilty one - nobody else.

EXECUTION: To Absent Friends (CW: some asphyxiation)

[commandurr]

[Bottson finally speaks, once the voting finishes.]

vOtEs haVe been TAllIed!!

WOW!!!

WELL WELL, 8-5!! THIS IS GONNA BE FUN...

[With that, Marie presses several buttons on her console]

ENJOY THE SHOW!! AHAHAHA!!

[With the last button, an odd hum emanates from beyond the walls. It's very similar to a dog whistle, and is barely perceptible.

However, the accompanying roar is very easy to hear, and instantly, a giant black tentacle shoots out from the wall. It goes right into the force field without any effort, and before anyone can respond, the tentacle has wrapped around - and yanked - Akira right out of the force field.]

DOWN, BOY!!

[A quick press of another button, and the tentacle suddenly shakes with an accompanying roar, dropping Akira flat on the ground. Akira is instantly on his feet, eyes wide and looking around. He gets into a position, and glares up at Marie, as she presses another button.]

OOOOH BARNEEEEEY~! COME ON OUT NOOOOW~~

[And with that, Barney the Terminating Dude slowly and methodically enters from the wall like liquid metal, staring at Akira.

Akira's eyes widen - bulge out, really - from the sudden pressure on his windpipe as he attempts to gasp, and he starts to violently flail as he is lifted upwards. The asphyxiation, however, is brief, for with a single, wave of liquid pressure from its shoulder, the robot squeeze harder, and a sickening snap can be heard. The liquidy appendage retreats, and Akira is unceremoniously dropped to the floor in a heap, increasingly blank eyes staring at the people safe within the force field.

From her perch, Marie claps.]

BRAVO! BRAVO!! YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A LITTLE FASTER THAN I THOUGHT, BUT WELL DONE! GOOD JOB, YOUDIDAGOODJOB!!

[As soon as the robot makes its slow, methodical exit through the walls, Marie hops off of the platform and makes her way to the elevator. Before she leaves, she turns back with one last smirk.]

WELL. YOU KNOW, IT'S FUNNY. IF ONLY THAT FOOL KNEW HIS FRIENDS SURVIVED AFTER ALL...OH WELL!

AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

[And with that, she is gone, and the Strangers can feel the force field changing. It's just enough to let them go to the elevators and leave this place.

For now. Hopefully, they won't be coming back here any time soon.]

[vividsins]

[ The Baku isn't even bothered. He's at least 600. This is nothing. He'll just turn and leave as soon as they're able to. ]