15strangers | THE SECOND TRIAL

THE SECOND TRIAL

[Soon after the finals clues are found, there is a beep on everyone's watch. Then, the Conductor's voice echoes through the jail once more.]

Attention. All passengers of the Eventide, please come to the building in the courtyard. If you are not a passenger, you must have a ticket to enter.

[A ticket? Oh boy. And everyone's suspicions are confirmed when they come to the courtyard and find people-many of them who had been fleeing the prison that very morning-queuing in line to enter the building. Not the Strangers-they are immediately escorted in.

They find themselves in a courtroom, with them sitting at podiums in the center. Above them in the ceiling is a retractable dome; all around on the walls are large screens, so people can watch the proceedings no matter their location. People are filing in, even as a recorded voice drones that the jail isn't responsible for lives lost during the trial-or the sentencing.

Hm.

Lilac is in the judge's seat, the pangolin in her hands. Nearby, the captured animals-sans the rabbit, for some reason, and the sheep-are inside another pen that has been set up. The force field seems to have been quickly erected. After announcing the court proceedings and registering her right to magistrate, as she did the previous week, she clears her throat.]

THE WATCHFUL	THE CAVIAN	THE BRITTLE	THE FORLORN
				THE ENGINEER

You all know what you must do. You have your evidence, and you must decided who is responsible. Remember-every vote counts. And...just pretend you're alone again, if it helps, I suppose.

[There's not much else to do. There is the option to ask for the concessions they are selling to everyone, though its mostly water and popcorn. Otherwise, you are once again on a time limit. This time, the audience is watching. Their eyes stare hungrily at every action.

The trial for the murder of Atsushi Nakajima, the Rushlight, has begun..]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It could've seen the dead body at some point, or it was afraid of the person who opened the animal pen.

Think the latter is more likely. Computer room is in between the shower stalls and animal pen...no need for the body to go through there, regardless of which he was killed in.

So.... Someone who'd scare the sheep, somehow.

...Someone with an intimidating appearance, then?

Good chance, I think. Probably not Towa-chan, then, or Eliza-chan...

I would not consider King to be particularly intimidating, either. He is very small and fuzzy.

[Actually helpful...?]

[ Time to heat things up. ]

...Which'd leave Zack as having the most intimidating appearance.

[She agrees, but she's not going to say as much. Instead, completely calmly:]

Is that an accusation, then?

[ He'll yawn, but... ]

Yeah. I'm accusing him as the one who murdered Atsushi.

[She does not want to be pursuing this line of questioning, but Zack has a sister to protect. She can't stay quiet.]

Did Zack even get close to it, or was it just distressed in general? And as to unsettling appearances, you're one to talk, Mister Midway Candy Hair.

McBurn wouldn't have even bothered opening the Animal Pen.

[ Hello guess who is also on the McBurn defense squad because biased ]

Except he said he'd help me get them out.

(no subject)

otherworldlyking - 2019-08-03 23:02 (UTC) - Expand

zackthekiller - 2019-08-03 23:14 (UTC) - Expand

[ Well, he's certainly not backing down anytime soon. ]

I'm sure he did. It's not any of the others and it's not me.

Compared to an appearance like his, mine is hardly as intimidating.

charmingheroine - 2019-08-03 23:07 (UTC) - Expand

Or you, maybe.

[He's just saying.]

Wouldn't have gone through the trouble.

The possibility still had to be raised.

[ Fair, though... since they're still discussing... ]

Let's talk about the motive too.

I don't really have anyone I can consider a "loved one". Even that person they put up there, I don't care much for, and wouldn't kill just to save her, since I barely even know her.

katzenpfote - 2019-08-03 23:08 (UTC) - Expand

higanbana - 2019-08-03 23:09 (UTC) - Expand

katzenpfote - 2019-08-03 23:10 (UTC) - Expand

Plenty smart, though. Don't doubt you could think of acting counter to your nature if it suited you to.

[He wants to rule McBurn out but...he promised Atsushi (or, well, his head anyway) that he'd find who did this.]

It'd hardly suit me this time.

[And very quickly:]

Zack is definitely scarier than McBurn.

[Ris isn't biased at all, it's fine.]

Perhaps we should bring both of them over to the sheep and let it decide?

[Harsh whispering:] Do you really want this wretched audience to take the sheep back?

[Doesn't Tali have it?]

Edited 2019-08-03 22:55 (UTC)

katzenpfote - 2019-08-03 23:07 (UTC) - Expand

higanbana - 2019-08-03 23:08 (UTC) - Expand

[He just

His mouth opens into an O shape, then just

sigh

Closes his mouth

Curse this small, fluffiness! ~~Except this time cause it's proving he's not a murderer!~~]

[luv u doggodad ♥]

[ didn't it prove (at least the smallness) you weren't the murderer last time too? just embrace the small fluffiness king! ]

Wouldn't say he is, either, but a sheep might think differently. [Shrug.]