THE SECOND TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE SECOND TRIAL


[Soon enough, once the final clues have been uncovered, the telltale DING echoes through the Mall. The elevator in the food court has opened once more, and it will not close until all of the remaining Titled have gotten in it. And, as before, a thought comes to them, the realization that they needed to get on the roof, and get to the bottom of this.

Soon enough, everyone is back on the roof, and they will find that their platform arrangement has changed to reflect those who had died since last week. The podiums of Dio, Torri, and Yuuri are each all lowered and covered with white cloths. Otherwise, everyone else's platforms also have food and drinks, just like last week.

It's probably still not much comfort, especially with what everyone knows must happen. They must look at the evidence they have gathered, and once more, they will have to figure out the truth, putting their lives on the line to do so. Hopefully, their luck will hold.

So, get ready.

The trial for the murders of Torri Feiji, The Bliss, and Yuuri Katsuki, The Future, has begun.]

Comments

[byanyother_name]

There's no need to apologize, Meridies-san. I would have included myself as well.

[This expression is trying very hard to be Shuuichi's understanding smile, but there's something sharp simmering under it. Anger that at least isn't directed at Croix. It's very much directed at the fact that they have to go through this.]

I do have a question for Karma, for my own interests. When we were speaking before the investigation began, why did you think Katsuki-san was the intended victim? Given that he looked to have fallen, while Feiiji-san was surrounded by blood.

[beguiledcard]

[ Looked to have fallen... ]

Could it be... [ He's now staring at Karma for a moment, his expression tensing even more. Then he's looking at the floor. ] ... he was aiming a punch at Katsuki-san but missed because of his speed ... and then Katsuki-san fell down the stairs during his attempt to dodge...?

[ He swallows hard. ]

[thegreenhornet]

Karma wouldn't miss a punch!

[After getting punched a few times by Karma that's what he thinks, at least]

[byanyother_name]

Karma is highly skilled, Reid-san, but Katsuki-san's power was to literally move faster than the eye could see. If he triggered it in a panic, seeing the strike coming...

Yes, Akira-kun, that's a scenario I've been considering as well.

[beguiledcard]

[ ... but it's a scenario he doesn't want to think about. His expression is actually becoming a little strained. ]

Karma's very skilled. The bruises on my body from training make that clear... but like Shuuichi said...

[ He's holding a blink, going quiet. ]

[comesaround]

Akira-kun. If I had wanted to kill Katsuki-san, I wouldn't have bothered with my power to do it as it takes a moment to gather the energy there and it would have given him too long to try and get away from me.

[ Karma really wants to dispel those doubts here, so you don't think he's the one who actually killed Yuuri. ]

[beguiledcard]

Katsuki-san was very trusting, so if you were just talking to him without raising suspicion of what you planned to do... I don't think he would have thought to try getting away, until he saw the punch coming.

[comesaround]

I meant that I wouldn't have bothered using it at all. If i'm going to kill someone, i'll use my skills with a knife to do it before trying to use the power i'm not well acquainted with.

[theirmagic]

... Yuuri was a figureskater, though. It's possible he could have.

[comesaround]

Hmm... My initial observation was based off of the sheer number of injuries he seemed to have in comparison to Feiiji-san herself who seemed more untouched from what i'd been able to tell. She seemed more like the one who'd witnessed the murder rather than the one who'd been targeted first.

[ Karma made sure to give Shuuichi a direct look, meeting his eyes and leaving no room for doubts here. He wasn't cowering away or trying to lie; being honest was a trait of his and certain people should know that all too well. ]

[totalbullshit]

I would make the opposite assumption, actually. I would suspect the one who has less injuries to be the cleaner and thus the intended kill.

[comesaround]

It's not quite like that. Think about it.

The killer went after Katsuki-san, didn't think he'd put up so much of a fight and when they finally killed him? Noticed she had witnessed the murder and wanted to cover their bases and kill her before she could tell anyone what she saw.

[totalbullshit]

That's oddly specific reasoning.

If it were just about the state of the corpses, you could assume that Torri was ambushed with the perfect surprise moment to give her minimal time to fight back. Her water bubbles did nothing in the end, too. Yuuri who happened to see got a headstart on the killer and thus had more time and opportunity to defend himself and make the kill messier.

Obviously, we know this is not how it went, but for a first assumption? It is just as legitimate, if you ask me.

[scienceofmagic]

...I'd have assumed the opposite. The one with less injuries would have felt interrupted to me, while the one with more injuries would be the one I assumed interrupted.

[comesaround]

Logically? That might be reasonable to think that but Feiiji-san's death seemed rushed to me. Someone wanting to take care of her quickly, more than anything.