T͜H̶́͏E̵ ҉̡F̛ÍRS̸T͏̴ ̶̀T̢R̵͠͞I̢AL̵͜

[strangerpeople]

T͢͝H̶͝E̵͞ ͜F͞͏IRS̛͜͡T̢͞ ̸͝T̵̶̢R͠IA҉̵͜Ļ̷

[As soon as the investigation has wrapped up, the voices of the Hosts suddenly echo through the City.]

Hi, Strangers! You remember what happens if you don't show up at the trial, right? Maybe we'll have every single one of those things done to you this time!! Don't worry, it's right up the elevator.

You all could have avoided this, you know! But now we have to follow procedure. Only registered residents will be allowed inside - please leave all animal or other companions in a safe location.

[When the Strangers go to the elevator, they are suddenly plunged down once they get in. The doors open, and they are in a massive metal room, where fifteen cold, metal pedestals wait them. Each podium has the individual's name and room number splashed in a dot matrix green on a small monitor on the front, as if they were contestants on a game show. Two of the pedestals-9 and 14-have instead a red X in their computerized name slot, as opposed to a name.

In the corner of the room is a large area cordoned off from the Strangers by what looks like glass upon first look, but is, in fact, a force field. There is little doubt what that area is for, unless one is truly naïve.

Once everyone has finally gotten into place, five of the podiums' dot matrix name plates suddenly flash with a red border.]

THE BAD LUCK	THE BRITTLE	THE EMBARRASSING	THE NAGGING
				THE UNKNOWN

For some of you, this is the first time dealing with a double body discovery announcement... How does it feel? You don't want to... be emotionally numb or anything, do you?

They look so unhappy, Hiyori. It didn't have to be this way...

Hey, Link. Whose arms do you think they're going to rip off if they vote to convict one of the kiddos left in this game?

They'll probably try for ours, but that won't happen. But probably whoever argues for one of them the hardest...

[At this, the ever-present ticking suddenly grows louder. On one of the walls, a dot matrix clock comes to life, counting down the time everyone has until the Trial has been scheduled to end. You have your evidence-only you know what to do with it.

Well? The clock is ticking.

The trial for the murders of Akira Kurusu, The Nagging, and Kazuaki Nanaki, The Embarrassing, has begun.]

Comments

[carryabigstick]

[Hmm. That sure is a suspect list. She doesn't like it one bit. She likes exactly none of this.]

...I found Akira's body at the house across the street from mine-- which belongs to that guy. [She gestures at McBurn.] So if you have anything to say McBurn, now would be a great time.

But there was a trail from there all the way to House 14, where Nanaki collapsed. So I investigated there instead.

...whoever did this I'm going to drag you out. I'm going to find the truth. Just you wait.

[Ahem.]

I found a gun by his body. Nanaki had a wound that probably could have been made by this gun, but he also had a slash on his abdomen that looks like it was made by something sharp. Which means there's more than one weapon at play here. Did anyone find anything like that when they were investigating?

That also means... we might have to consider the possibility that more than one person was involved.

[poorlovefool]

I don't know about a sharp thing, but ... Did we find a bullet?

[illusionarymelody]

[Vita looks at that suspect list and is definitely not pleased to see her name on there, but also not surprised that with Akira as a victim that an attempt to frame her would happen. She's glad Jonathan isn't on it though, because that will help her.]

Not surprised by this, so I'll go ahead and start off by saying before certain people start pointing fingers towards me that Jonathan and I retired to my home at about 6:30 pm the night before and we didn't leave until after the bodies were discovered. Jonathan can confirm this as well.

[poorlovefool]

I get that you're an easy target here, but you don't really think we're gullible enough to believe an alibi from your husband, do you?

[carryabigstick]

...for the record, I don't think you did it.

[She has her sights set on the other snake. Besides. Your husband is good people.]

[incendiarize]

[Arthur's already exhausted. So there isn't much emotion in it when he replies.]

It'd be nice if a second person could verify that. He's your husband, and you died before, of course he's gonna protect you.

I know you'd be an easy frame job and all - on the other hand, maybe you're framing someone for framing you. And you did already admit you're unable to be rational, where Akira's concerned.

Not saying it was you, just not ruling you out.

[touchsensors]

[Hi, Lala hates all of this.]

...why are the victims suspects-lun?

[katzenpfote]

I was afraid this might happen.

On the train we had a situation where the victim and suspect killed each other.

[carryabigstick]

With multiple weapons in play, it's possible at least one of them may have-- at least in whoever's running this stupid thing's eyes-- had some responsibility in it.

[relieable]

[leaving the pokéball upstairs. be safe. otherwise, Osomatsu is present and ready.

he sighs once he gets to his podium, not liking how the Hosts sound at all. as for the suspects... this is most certainly not good news. Osomatsu barely talked to any of these people. he doesn't know the drama behind them. but maybe that's a good thing? now he can only rely on the evidence]

A taser, huh...?

[carryabigstick]

And neither of the bodies seem to have any marks that fit...

[unwittingking]

…oh, for the love of-

[He grumbles before that can turn into summoning bad stuff onto him. It's going to be one of those trials again, isn't it...King sighs as he gets on top of the pedestal meant for him.]

Three things. First, Caleb and I looked over Akira's body. He was shot at least once, and the bullet that went thru his heart was fired at close range. He had some bruises as well, and near his body were these.

[He holds up a bloody combat knife and a taser.]

The battery's dead in the taser, though.

Second, if anyone needs some food, I've got some sand-flavored pills if you need them. They taste awful, but I grabbed what I actually could from the kitchen.

Third-

[He actually turns to wherever the hosts are this time.]

Is this going to be a repeat of The Eventide's last case? And if it is, what happens if we do get it wrong?

[carryabigstick]

There wasn't any sign that Nanaki was shot from close range but it did look like he was shot also.

Which makes it less likely that either of them used the gun... and points to at least one other person being involved.

...right?

[champion_link]

In the event that someone who was not the perpetrator, that person will be executed in the perpetrator's place.

Arthur Charles or Osomatsu Matsuno could tell you about that.

[necroyalty]

Out of curiosity: No one here's aware of what power the deceased had, are they?

[comesaround]

I... I know what Akira's power was, but can't say the same for what Nanaki's power happened to be.

[incendiarize]

Nanaki's the Embarrassing, right? Wouldn't it make the most sense if he had whatever Felicity did?

Do we know what she could do?

[touchsensors]

I don't know what anyone's power is-lun.

[otherworldlyking]

[ He'll yawn...what a pain in the ass. ]

I found that spotty trail, which began on my front porch and ended at Nanaki's.

If you've got anything to say, feel free.

[carryabigstick]

...why don't you try saying something?!

[WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO PULL TEETH WITH YOU??]

Just what the hell were you doing last night anyway?

[comesaround]

[ After a little bit, Karma clears his throat and stands up a bit taller at his podium with a fairly serious expression. ]

Okay since nobody seems to want to bring this up, I'll start.

Akira had a good couple of bruises on him that look to be consistent with self defense injuries, so I believe he was attacked first and he tried to fend off his killer and probably tried to escape when he was shot.

[otherworldlyking]

If he was caught off-guard, it'd make sense that his self-defense wouldn't work all that well.

[poorlovefool]

Everyone .... there's one thing that I think you guys should know. Whatever happened with Akira and Nanaki - whoever killed Nanaki and for whatever reason - that wasn't the last thing they did.

After that happened, the killer went to the furnace... to get rid of this thing!

[Eric is holding up what looks to be a half-burnt undeveloped polaroid.

He probably should have done this earlier. He got wrapped up in the other things and completely forgot. But at least he can be dramatic now]

[otherworldlyking]

[ Oho... nice.

... what even, actually. ]

What's that supposed to be?

Suggestion

[otherworldlyking]

Arguing in circles is just proving a pain.

[ He can't nap considering his position in trial, and though there's little he could care about, seeing a certain someone getting constantly roasted wasn't making the trial end any quicker and it wasn't ideal to him. ]

Someone should take a suggestion I gave earlier and do it. A fight happened. If we're still looking at a killer who might be alive, their clothes might not all be in tact.

[illusionarymelody]

The murder happened at midnight though. It isn't that hard to go over to the dressing room and the shower room and clean themselves up.

HOST TOP FOR YOUR HOST TOP NEEDS

[mermaidkin]

Hey, Link, it's getting a bit past five! Have you had your super delicious food pills for dinner yet?

[To the crowd:]

Any strangers who brought theirs to the trial today will get an extra smile the next time you see me again! Free of charge!

((PLEASE PUT QUESTIONS HERE IF YOU HAVE NEW ONES))

[champion_link]

I did, in fact. It's been a while since they started, after all. I was getting hungry.

On the matter of voting for the dead...

[katzenpfote]

All right, let's discuss this seriously.

If the dead are, as they say, dead - then voting for them will not hurt anyone. If there are one or more killers still left among us, we have enough people to outnumber whoever it is. We also have several people good at fighting, and people with other skill sets.

I think this may be our best option at this pont.

[unwittingking]

I already put my vote in.

[Just saying, kind of gloomy.]

Let's hope it's the same as then, here.