T̢H̢҉̴E̢͝ ̡S͝E҉̡C̡̢O̵N̡̕͠D̵͡ ̕͠T̀͢R͞IAL

[strangerpeople]

T͝HE͘ S̴̸E҉̶̀C͜Ơ̷̢N͏D̡͟ T҉̧R͘I͟A̧͟͠L̢

Heyyyyyyyyy, Strangers! How's Valentine's Day going? Unfortunately we have to start the trial soon if you want to get any dinner dates in before midnight!

I know some of you have a very special day near today, too! So let’s get a move on, shall we? You know the drill! Though you know… since we saw one of those clues, you can bring your pets in today.

[And so it is. Just like last week, the elevator shoots everyone down to the trial room. Lala's podium, now, is Xed out in red. And like last week, five of the podiums' dot matrix name plates suddenly flash with a red border.]

THE BRITTLE	THE CIRCUIT	THE ENEMY	THE NOODLES
				THE UNKNOWN

[And clashing with the borders whether red or not, on each Stranger’s podium is a little piece of candy: A gray heart, printed with a message in nearly black capitals. These candies are similar to the pills in that they taste like nothing at all rather than sand; while a pill is meant to serve as a full meal, one candy is about as filling as a single apple.

The messages are as follows.]

KING: BEST FRIEND	ARTHUR: LOOKING GOOD	OSOMATSU: ONE OF A KIND	ESTELLE: BRIGHT SPARK	MCBURN: NEVER MEANDER	JONATHAN: DOUBLE THE FUN
AMBROSINE: QUEEN OF MY HEART	CALEB: HOT	KARMA: YOU’RE A DOLL	VITA: TRUE BLUE BEAUTY	KURAMA: FOXY	ERIC: SEW NICE

I'd call what you had to look at "inhumane", but Lala Hagoromo wasn't human, was she?

Now, now, Hiyori. I’m not human, either.

Doesn't change how sad it is that she lost her chance to be happy... Oh, why don't you give them a good look at what you have there, Link?

[Link holds up the heart labeled "OUT OF / THIS WORLD". The hosts are visible behind the glass of their sterile observation room this time by the way.]

We made too many because we hoped all of you would finally join in on the fun by today... So, if you retire, culprit, you can eat this one!

[...Well, maybe the evidence will cause the Hosts to eat their words. BOOM. Burn........or...well, it doesn't matter. The clock is ticking.


The trial for the murder of Lala Hagoromo, The Chance, has begun.]

Comments

[illusionarymelody]

How about we start by trying to establish what we can clearly figure out from the evidence right now?

We do know there were two weapons involved. Someone tried to heal the gun wound she received. Then we know that the knife was placed in the weapon storage, but there was nothing out of place among the guns.

Is there anything else we can fill in here about the events without guesses?

[poorlovefool]

...Not sure but, have we talked about what Lala was doing with her antenna? Maybe she grabbed onto the killer, or something.

[illusionarymelody]

No, I don't think so and truly I don't think I can answer that since my thoughts keep going to something terrible.

[poorlovefool]

Oh... s-sorry. [He can imagine what kind of terrible places that could go.]

[illusionarymelody]

Maybe check the suspects for evidence that her antennae grabbed them or wrapped around them?

[And that's about the best she can offer. Her thoughts just quickly keep going to how Lala could well have used her antennae to try and strangle the culprit and died before they went unconscious. It's gruesome, but she knows it's not a quick way to die.]

[poorlovefool]

It's worth checking for anyway. But... um... aren't you the only woman who isn't on the suspect list??

[ARE YOU OKAY CHECKING THE GIRLS FOR THIS...]

[illusionarymelody]

It would appear so, but I think I would feel better if we can rule out such a terrible thing right away rather than to dwell upon it.

INJURY CHECK

[poorlovefool]

Thank you, Vita...

[Eric is thankful to her for a lot of reasons this trial... but he's clearing his throat now so he can then try and raise his voice above all the Discourse]

Can we get a line-up here?

[relieable]

[oh boy]

Where do you wanna look?

[poorlovefool]

Like... throat and wrists and shit. [do not take that last one literally the podiums are not toilets] Grabby places.

[who put him in charge of this]

[illusionarymelody]

Ankles might be a good idea too.

[poorlovefool]

Right. She did get knocked on the ground... [Poor Lala.]

[relieable]

Grabby... places...

[well, he pulls off his shirt anyway. there don't appear to be recent marks anywhere on him at all. no burns, no scrapes, no scratches]

[poorlovefool]

What?

[Eric's mind is completely innocent.

Oh, um, taking off the shirt was more than he asked for technically but you know what, fine, this means they don't have to check for more stuff later. He did blink a bit first though. After checking out the neck and wrists... and after listening to Vita]

Okay, that's good. Can you also roll up your pants a little for ankles?

[otherworldlyking]

Yeah sure, whatever.

[ Just tell him what to do and he'll do it. ]

[poorlovefool]

Lemme check the ankles and wrists, and ... [Well he thought he could just see the neck from where he was with the open-ish shirt, but that's a lot of necklaces if he's wearing them?? He just stares a bit there.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ He has no necklace on despite the icon SORRY FOR THIS but his shirt's pretty open so yeah it's fairly easy to tell there's no wounds right on his neck or anything! He's good there for sure.

He won't need to roll up his sleeves so his wrists are visible, and then his pants up past his ankles. Nothing wrong with his wrists or ankles! ]

[poorlovefool]

[duly noted!! Eric steps back having inspected these.]

All good here!

[carryabigstick]

...do what you have to. Check wherever you want.

[She doesn't like it but she's gonna cooperate.]

[illusionarymelody]

[Vita doesn't like it either, but she'd rather do the check and get the terrible thought out of her mind now.]

Just wrists, ankles and neck should be enough. This is probably pointless, but it would ease my mind.

[carryabigstick]

Sure thing.

[Estelle's wrists are partially covered by the sleeves of her gloves, but she can take those off. Her neck is uncovered. Neither of them have any injuries.

So shoes off too-- no marks on her ankles either.]

[illusionarymelody]

Thank you, Estelle. I see no signs of injuries.

[backuphero]

I - to make it clear for everybody - you think one's stretched out because they grabbed her by those and she tried to get away, or... there's an option too much like how you were killed. Dammit.

[illusionarymelody]

[Vita nods. She knows very well how something long and thin like that can become a weapon.]

[backuphero]

[And... he's got his arm around her now, even if it means stepping back from his podium.]