THE FOURTH TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE FOURTH TRIAL
(~SK. 24-25)




[There's no announcement informing the Strangers to come into the theater. There is only the sound of the doors opening, beckoning those left to come inside. It's best not to tarry-really, do you want to know what happens if they refuse to go to the trial?

When they enter the theater, it's...different. Sort of. Maybe it's because the area where the podiums are covered in donuts (and yes, Roland will see the little white animals pop over and pinch a few off the top). Maybe it's the fact that more spaces are draped in black. Maybe it's the fact that Zack's podium is also missing from where it sat, leaving nothing but donuts-in fact, that's where the primary pile of donuts are. Digging through that pile will only yield donuts, and nothing more.

(Some of the animals try to approach Akane. They disintegrate before they get two steps. Apparently they're better off eating the donuts.)

But-most of all-it's the fact that Zero is not on the screens that pop out through the theater. There's nothing but static. And while the curtains are closed, you know you are being watched regardless.




Uh. So. Maybe it's not worth waiting for Zero on this.


The trial for the murder of Zack Prince, the One, has begun.]

Comments

ZERO’S QUESTIONS

[strangerpeople]

[….Seriously where IS he??]

[pegasinister]

[yeah Hubert had come in here with a question in mind for sure but... no Zero. He looks distinctly... worried.]

Late, are we? Now is not the time for games, Zero!

[he doesnt yell but he does raise his voice]

[somuchshipping]

...Okay, yeah, where are you? Aren't you usually watching?

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes sets a half-eaten scone and all the shards of a broken teacup on his podium, then goes and rushes over to Ritsu. Is she okay...? Should she be standing like this?]

Evidence Please!

[superstylishsquid]

[Alastor gives the donuts a rather...pointed look as he walks into the theater, but he doesn't say anything about them. Of greater concern is the lack of Zero...he didn't announce the body discovery, either.

Could Zack...? No, the tree had tried to kill him last week. He shakes his head and clears his throat loudly to get attention.]

Alright, let's save the circus sideshows for after we've taken a look at things, this time? We should look at the evidence together, see if we can draw connections.

The armory was a mess, looked like there was a fight in there. The wall was peppered with bullet holes that I think came from a handgun or something similar. There was also a knife missing...I didn't see the body this time, were there stab wounds?

[godspiousjasper]

[ Indeed the lack of Zero being present is concerning but he is all too happy to get right to it. Even placing a small container of some strange pink fluid on his podium once he's cleared it off enough. ]

I took a good look at his body and there were only bullet wounds. There were no injuries that came from a knife. Someone really wanted to make sure he was dead, given the two shots to his head.

[autonomousthought]

[Her podium is supporting most of her weight. But she is awake.]

...Focus on the trial...for now. I'll...be able to rest...later.

[superstylishsquid]

Then I wonder what the knife was used for...think Zack tried to fight back?

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes will silently nod and head back to his own podium, scratching one of his front legs once he gets there.]

[superstylishsquid]

That body going to last you another week?

[autonomousthought]

...I don't know.

[somuchshipping]

The tea room where I found Ritsu in was also a mess... There was a pathway of chairs all topped over to the door...

[There's a pile of teacup shards and a half-eaten scone on Hermes's podium.]

[superstylishsquid]

And it looks like someone was having tea? Did you find any bullet holes in the room?

[godspiousjasper]

It's possible, since you said the armory was a mess and the chances of a fight having occurred in there is extremely likely.

[onychomance]

[Kira drags himself in on his motorcycle, with bound injuries all over and some unbound- not much he can do about the whip marks on his face. He's checked out mentally, not doing much of anything besides fidgeting with his jacket (which is all torn up from said whipping and various other sharp implements.) There's just a low rumble of his engine as background noise due to lingering stress and the all nighter he pulled. Indeed, the man is exhausted.]

[superstylishsquid]

In that case, we'll want to see if anyone has knife wo- [Looking. At Kira.] ...If anyone has unexplained knife wounds.

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes shakes his head.]

Just the mess, the scone, and the teacup. And Ritsu.

...RitsuDidYouSee WhatHappenedLastNight? I was chasing that honey badger.

[somuchshipping]

Oh... the honey badger got to you, huh?

[voidseeing]

The amount of blood on the floor in the infirmary made it clear that the actual death happened in there. But from the looks of things, he somehow got up and walked away after that...

[yesorwoof]

[Makima has also staggered in. She is very pale, with blood around the right pocket of her black overcoat, which her sleeve disappears into. Casual. She waves her left hand "no" at Hermes.]

I did. Well, first he got to me. We were together all night. Never took our eyes off each other. It's unrelated.

[superstylishsquid]

There wasn't blood in the armory, so I think it's fair to say our culprit kept missing in there.

What makes you say Zack managed to get up and walk away after bleeding all over the infirmary?

[pegasinister]

...perhaps that has something to do with the listed causes of death. The fact that there are two of them.

1/2

[somuchshipping]

[...?]

[autonomousthought]

No...I saw nothing. ...As far as I can tell... I was out cold all night. I left...the tea room, felt unbalanced, and then...next thing I remember...you were waking me.

[...hm. Alibis are a good starting place, though.]

Where was...everyone else?

[superstylishsquid]

...And people commented on me being rough in bed.