THE FIRST TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE FIRST TRIAL

[Almost as soon as the investigation is over, a loud DING echoes through the mall.

The elevator doors in the food court, before completely inaccessible, have now opened for the Titled. It will not close until every last Titled has gotten in. Nor will everyone have to wait long for potential stragglers; a thought comes to everyone's mind, a realization that they need to get into the elevator. They need to go.

They need to find out who did this.

The elevator is a small freight elevator inside, and its just big enough to fit everyone in it. After a short ride, the elevator opens...

And they are on the roof. Despite it clearly not being that late in the day, the roof seems to be surrounded by an air of cool, perpetual sunset. Beyond that, good luck making out what's beyond the roof - there seems to be a city, but it's utterly unidentifiable. Not that anyone can jump off the roof to try and get closer - there is a translucent barrier surrounding the roof that is utterly impenetrable.

The main attraction of the roof, however, is not the fuzzy landscape beyond. It's the large, stepped circular platform which is a mere ten paces from the elevator. On this platform are 15 podiums, surrounding a large, empty, circular floor. Instantly every phone pings, giving everyone their platform assignment based on their bedroom number. And - upon arriving at their designated podium - they will find a dock for their phone to slide into. As soon as they do so the XAMINE app will pop up, revealing everyone's findings regarding the murder.

Not Wake, though. His podium is lower, and bare save for a white cloth.

Still, everyone - including Ren, who will find that whoever arranged this whole deal has given him a chair to sit in - will need their strength. Which is why each Stranger also has a bento box lunch, carefully prepared, waiting for them at their podium. Each meal is tailored to every Stranger's specific tastes and allergies, as best as a bent box meal can be. It even comes with a cup of their favorite drink.

So, take a few bites, take a few breaths, and get ready, Titled.

The trial for the murder of Wake Archus, The Feeling, has begun.]

Comments

[notgentle]

I told Ursula! I was eating dinner at Unsteak My Heart. To clarify, after that I went straight to bed. Obviously, the culprit happened to see the chain in front of that restaurant and planted it behind the counter. By the time I woke up and noticed it, we had bigger things to worry about. Like Wake being dead.

[steelmagnolias]

[ This sounds like a completely unrelated bullshit hootenanny but he promises he's going somewhere with this. ]

What did you eat?

[ Surely he remembers if it was just yesterday. ]

[notgentle]

It was a philly cheesesteak. Why?

[the tone seems somewhat more consistent with the truth than an improvisation]

[steelmagnolias]

Just asking.

[ GOOD THING HE CAN'T PICK UP ON TONE ]

[eyesofdespair]

Then who else was there when you were eating that could have grabbed it? Or were you oh so conveniently eating alone?

[His tone is implying he doesn't believe this one bit.]

[notgentle]

Uh, you're not gonna wanna hear this, but obviously it fell off getting caught on a chair or something, and it laid there with nobody looking at it until the killer came along.

[eyesofdespair]

Wasn't what I asked. I asked who was there that could have picked it up. Seriously, if you didn't do it you should have some idea who could have done it.

[notgentle]

No, I shouldn't? Like, even if I'm guilty and it did fall off me in there while shit was going down, I have no way of selecting someone else who looks particularly guilty. We know there were no witnesses for a long time between whenever my chain fell over there and when the rest of us discovered Wake.

[eyesofdespair]

Oh? So you didn't even have in mind someone to frame for this?

I can't believe I'm making a "clothing for performing probably doesn't rip that easy" argument

[scienceofmagic]

You know, something about that bothers me. If I were a ringleader, I'd want pretty durable clothing. There's all kinds of movement going on in that line of work and things you could get caught on. In fact... I can't imagine a chair of all things ripping off a piece of a circus performer's clothing. Really good stitching, you know? Wouldn't it take a bit more force than catching on a chair? How hasn't it come off before now at your job?

[ SHRUG. ]

And you'd have me believe someone whose likes includes fashion didn't notice that a very noticeable piece of his clothing was missing and he didn't immediately go looking for it? You do seem to pride yourself on being well-dressed, after all, and asymmetry like that really doesn't seem like something you'd do. Unless, of course, you sleep in your boots.

[totalbullshit]

He may like fashion, but that doesn't mean he has any sense for it.

[ HAVE YOU SEEN HIS OUTFIT??? HELENA HAS. ]

[scienceofmagic]

He still prides himself on his own sense of fashion, though, doesn't he? Can you really see him ignoring a missing piece of it?

[totalbullshit]

No. It's just a distinction that may be important for those in the fashion business to make.

[ And here she clears her throat, because right, she doesn't care about these things and she's clearly not someone who used to be super involved with this. ]