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

[thegreenhornet]

I was...investigating... [Yeah, that'll do] ...the barrier. I hit it a few times with a shovel, a hammer and other stuff, and out of it came some sort of monster. It was pissed because I kept hitting the barrier.

[...]

It was smart enough to understand when I talked, so I guess it's also smart enough to go around planting stuff.

[theirmagic]

... Of course. Surely it did it, then, right? And not anyone here?

[ ... Right? ]

I can't see anyone here that would work with our captors, after all!

[thegreenhornet]

I think that, yeah. Someone would have to be a real ass to work with the person who kidnapped everyone here!

[And nobody here seems to be that big of an asshole]

[theirmagic]

Or have some alternative reason we don't know about, but it's likelier that it was planted by that... whatever it was you saw. Fairy, perhaps?

[thegreenhornet]

If that was a fairy it was the worst fairy I had ever seen. Rather big, ugly eyes, throws tomatoes with good aim.

[Does that sound like a fairy to you?]

[theirmagic]

... Some fairies can get very large. I've seen full sized minotaurs working at our Academy.