15strangers | THE FIRST TRIAL

THE FIRST TRIAL

[Soon after the final clue is found, there are three more loud, unsettling tonal clangs, all which go right to the bone. No matter where they are, the Titled will hear another, loud creak.

The set of doors on the left are slowly opening, revealing a long, long corridor, with a very long flight of stairs going upwards, just barely visible at the end of it.

The Intercessor's voice booms through the air and shakes the ground, sounding loud and clear no matter where the Titled might be standing at that moment.]

ENTER!

[The voice brooks no argument. As soon as everyone goes through the set of double doors, they close behind them. There is no choice, and no turning back. The Titled must go up the stairs at the end of the hall. They feel like they take forever, but when the stairs are finally traversed, there is a single door at the top, already open to them.

Welcome to the Debate Hall, Titled. Its the best-lit place you've seen, with gas lamps on the wall bright as possible. Its also the emptiest place they've ever seen so far - its massive and yet the Titled and the Intercessor are the only individuals to be seen in the entire area.

Seems, because there is faint chanting coming from the darkness behind that stage at the other end. There's no real way to hear what's being said, no matter how close you try to get. No way to check if there's even anyone on or behind the stage to make such chanting possible. The only person remotely close to the stage, standing on the stone steps, is the Intercessor.

There is also a faint rumble in the air, as if the world itself mourns the crime committed.

So. Take your seats at your stone desks to face one another as you debate. And yes, they are stone. Yes, they have stone chairs with which to sit in. And yes, your Title is on your assigned chair, etched in with chisel and hammer. Every desk also has a copy of the Writs with Orders 7 and 8 circled, and a copy of the autopsy file of the deceased on top of it; that is all the aid you will get from whoever brought you here. The rest, it seems, is up to the Titled, with what they have found.

Seats 7 and 8 are empty. Their copies of the rules and evidence lay untouched.

Once everyone has taken their seats, the strange, ominous chanting stops. Its time. Bound in blood, the death warrant has already been signed. The contract is complete. Its now just a question of finding the guilty party to fulfill the call for justice.

So, get ready, Titled.

The Inquisition of Laslow, the Spinner, has begun.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Stop this! Yusuke couldn't have done this.

[Why is this happening. This can't be real...]

I know this guy! He saved me! He would never hurt anyone!

If he's got nothing to hide, then all he's gotta do is show us.

[She doesn't really like this either, but she's not keen on having everyone else die because they made the wrong decision.]

...we're wasting our time. If something happened Yusuke would have told me. We're teammates. He'd never hide something like this.

[Much as she should she just can't calm down right now. The idea of them getting this wrong and losing Yusuke is too much.]

He's weird and stupid and says the wrong things and doesn't think but he's not a murderer!

If you're sure he's not a murderer, then him unwrapping his bandages should be fine. We already know he's got cut from a kitchen accident, so if there's nothing else suspicious, then that's that.

"Futaba is right," he whispers. "I would, under no circumstances, ever commit murder. Even when the life of the man who murdered my mother was in my hands, I spared him."

That's right. They forced him to confess. Even though the police never would have been able to prove it with a shred of evidence, we uphold a strong code of justice.

...besides, wouldn't it make more sense to look for someone the incentive meant a lot to? If there's anyone who wants to get out of here and use that thing to bring someone back it's me. So... if you just want someone to blame, then pick me.

[...................]

That? That is an instant look of utter horror.

"No... Futaba, no! You had nothing to do with this!"

Shut up Inari! It's true.

[She just... she has to.]

If one of us is in trouble then we're all in trouble. This is my battle too.

"No... I won't... I can't let you...."

He's shaking.

This is no different from back home.

...how do you think I feel. I'm terrified. But I won't back down. You did it for me once. So. It's my turn to return the favor. I'm willing to put my life on the line.

"Please don't... please... please...."

His composure is crumbling.

[She wants to see him get mad. To fight. Even just say something really stupid. Not... not this. Her stomach is in knots. It's making her even more uneasy now.]

I spent years hiding from everyone and everything. I shut everything out so that it wouldn't hurt me. But then you all gave me my life back. I refuse to do that ever again.

[Futaba's trying so hard to be strong. Because he seems so weak right now.]

So. Too bad. I'm not going to stop. I'll never abandon one of my teammates. [...] If necessary I'll steal your heart right now.

"...."

Slowly, he unwraps the linen from his hand.

There are two cuts, one much deeper than the other.

...

[No. She hates this. Why is this happening? This has to be some kind of bad dream. Her voice is soft and shaken in a way nothing else has broken it down since she got here.]

Why... this isn't right...

[This wasn't his fault. He'd never...]

I refuse to believe this...

(no subject)

pursuitofbeauty - 2017-05-28 07:26 (UTC) - Expand

If that's the case, all he has to do is show me his hand. If there's no fresh wound under that bandage, I'll back off.

"The accident in the kitchen happened yesterday morning. Of course it would be fresh."

There's a difference between a wound that's twenty-four hours old and one that's nine hours old. We could also rule it out if it doesn't match up with the cut on the sleeve.

"Not if the edges of the wound separated again. I was using this hand to paint in the afternoon after the accident."

[His eyes narrow and he glances over at the Intercessor.]

How's this? You said the Intercessor saw it happen. If there's any doubt, we'll ask them if it looks like it's just the cut they saw. That way, there's no guesswork.

Yusuke is quiet for a long time. Then, softly:

"If you have any other evidence that proves I was in the armory or the library at the time Laslow died, I will show you my hand."

...

HUMAN? CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION?

...

I PROMISE ITS NOT 'WILL YOU SHOW YOUR HAND?'

For once, Yusuke doesn't shout at that loud voice. He turns to Papyrus with a faint, sad smile.

"Yes, Papyrus, you may."

[He's smiling! That makes Papyrus smile too. But if Yusuke's innocent he must ensure it by asking questions!]

OH! OK! MY QUESTION IS REALLY GOOD, TOO! I WANT TO MAKE ABSOLUTELY SURE WE DON'T NEARLY GET YOU KILLED LIKE WE DID CRAZY LADY. NYEH-HEH-HEH!

SO YOU GOT YOUR CUT FROM THE KITCHEN, RIGHT??? AND THIS CLOTHING IS YOURS, RIGHT? WELL, THAT MUST EXPLAIN THE CUT ON THE CLOTHING, DOESN'T IT? IT CAME FROM A KITCHEN MISHAP!

BELIEVE ME, I COULD TELL YOU ALL SORTS OF STORIES OF ME AND UNDYNE MAKING SPAGHETTI IN THE KITCHEN AND THINGS JUST GO NUTS!! CUTS, EXPLODING POTS, SOMETIMES WE RENDER HOUSES UNINHABITABLE FOR MONTHS...IT'S WHY I COOK SPAGHETTI ALONE MORE OFTEN ACTUALLY, HER KITCHEN TENDS TO GET TRASHED A LOT DURING OUR COOKING LESSONS TOGETHER.

...

SO YEAH! OF COURSE IT MAKES SENSE THAT THE KNIFE WOULD ALSO SLICE YOUR CLOTHING OPEN LIKE THAT IF YOU WERE HAVING A HARD TIME!

...

...RIGHT?

Edited 2017-05-28 06:15 (UTC)

"... maybe you're right. I don't know if I even noticed."

He sounds so very tired.

[1/2]

defriendestration - 2017-05-28 06:18 (UTC) - Expand

[2/2]

defriendestration - 2017-05-28 06:21 (UTC) - Expand

pursuitofbeauty - 2017-05-28 06:24 (UTC) - Expand

goodnightbats - 2017-05-28 06:27 (UTC) - Expand

defriendestration - 2017-05-28 06:28 (UTC) - Expand

...Someone found a note left for the victim, right? I've seen Yusuke's handwriting. Let me see that note?