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

[comesaround]

[ Oh good he's not the only one who hates this. ]

That's... what I'm hoping. That they could still have it on them, not having bothered to get rid of it.

[incendiarize]

Besides, if....if it's what you're thinking, then there's almost have to be a gun! As a decoy!

[comesaround]

Exactly. Just... the lack of one doesn't sit right with me.

[ Oh god. Did Arthur really know what he was implying here? ]

[incendiarize]

The stomach wound's older than the throat, and she was still alive for both, so...there'd be no reason to slit her throat, if it's what you're thinking.

[He has so many arguments against it and he just hopes it's not like Eric all over again.]

[comesaround]

Unless it was two different people, Arthur. One who shot her and another who performed a mercy kill on her or something.

[ Ugh. Not looking at anyone. This is atrocious and he hates his mind going to all sorts of places here. ]

[incendiarize]

In that case the culprit's the person with the knife anyway!

[comesaround]

Exactly. That's what I was thinking.

[katzenpfote]

Right. The rules were clarified to say the culprit is the one who delivered the killing blow.

[poorlovefool]

Now hold on here... if you guys are saying there's a gun-person power so they'd have to have a gun as a decoy, that doesn't make any sense. We don't know each other's powers. Why the fuck would there be a decoy?

If you know something, then ... don't cover it up!

[otherworldlyking]

[ And he'll just chime in to add: ]

No one will want to bother listening to the both of you if you are too busy hiding something.

[comesaround]

I'm just trying not to say anything or accuse anyone outright so quickly in case it isn't them. You want me to just out someone without having the proper evidence first?

[ Whoops okay so he might have come off as a bit snappy, there. Not trying to, but hey. What can you do? ]

[otherworldlyking]

Outing someone and accusing someone can be two separate things.

It could be more relevant if there's two people involved.

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama is just going to lay a gentle, calming hand on Karma's arm here. We don't have any grass but maybe find your chill anyway?]

[poorlovefool]

So lemme get this straight - this gun was just lying around where anyone could get it?