THE THIRD TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE THIRD TRIAL

[It happens again, like clockwork. Once the final clues have happened, the elevator in the food court opens with a DING. It doesn't leave until everyone has gotten on, and the thought occurs to everyone that they shouldn't waste time.

An innocent man was ruthlessly murdered, after all. After everything that's happened.

Just as before, everyone who is still alive will find their favorite food and drink at their platform. And just as before, Akechi, Helena and Ren's platforms have now been lowered and covered with a white cloth, joining the increasing number of dead spaces in the trial area. Helena's platform, however, has an addition not present on any other deceased's platform: a single white lily, placed almost reverently on top.

Well. Whatever reason that lily is there, it shouldn't detract from the fact that there is a trial to be had here, once more. Its time to look at the evidence at hand, and to hopefully find whoever did this heinous crime.

So, it's time, Titled.

The trial for the murder of Ren Sanzashi, The Doorframe, has begun.]

Comments

[theirmagic]

[ Ursula... stares at that lily before steeling herself. Time to cut to the chase. ]

All right. Can I ask a question? How many of you know anything about Botany?

[scienceofmagic]

You know as much as I know.

[ Plants are Pretty Important. ]

[thegreenhornet]

Botany? That's the thing about plants, yeah?

[He sounds rather unsure about that. Looks like he has zero knowledge about botany]

[byanyother_name]

I've never hidden that it's one of my interests.

[eyesofdespair]

Only enough to identify plants. Ask me for their official names and I'd just be scratching my head.

[Seriously, he's a former assassin, not a scholar.]

[comesaround]

[ Tapping his finger against his podium, Karma sighed. Someone had to do the uncomfortable thing, even if everyone would probably get all up in arms over it. ]

Well. If noone's going to say it, then I will.

[ Cocking his head to the side with a smile. ]

They say a distinctly blue fake nail was found. I remember one individual who does have nails that color out of everyone here. I believe that our little Life Coach had a hand in this somehow. Not directly, but more that I think she possibly assisted someone in making that cyanide.

[theirmagic]

.....

[ She came to that conclusion as well, and looks quite uncomfortable. ]

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama doesn't get up in arms but he does look like he's thinking over the prospect carefully.]

Would that fall within the rules?

[eyesofdespair]

All right. Since some people are proposing a few interesting theories here, I think it is worth discussing how he even ingested he poison.

In his pockets I found a pack of cigarettes. A few were smoked, but the majority were still there. About half of the remaining ones had a very telltale bitter smell.

On top of this, in the ashtray there were two cigarettes. One that had barely been smoked, and one a bit over halfway smoked. The latter also smelled bitter. The ashes in the tray also smelled bitter.

There was a glass of whiskey that he didn't finish, it had no signs of poison. His breath had nothing else on it besides smoke, alcohol and the bitter smell.

I find this interesting because for someone else to do it without him being involved in this, they would have to get a hold of his cigarettes and replace half of them and put it back without him being aware of it. Not an easy task for most here I'd imagine.

So what do the rest of you think?

[byanyother_name]

I think that would partly depend. If he kept them in his pocket, yes, certainly. But if he left them sitting out at some point, that might be easier.

...and that's without going into the theory that he killed himself.

[theirmagic]

The cigarettes, what kind were they? Self-rolled? Pre-bought? It would change a lot of things.

[beguiledcard]

[ It's a little while after Loewe says this, a bit of discomfort surfaces on his face. ]

Actually, maybe it wouldn't have been as difficult as we're thinking, since there's something they might have been able to use to their advantage...

[ He's pausing just long enough for his jawline to tighten. ]

He was deaf, right?

[incrediblystressedout]

[Eight living strangers left. Eight is an auspicious number: an infinity symbol spun turnways, a number of oracles, and of endings. By the end of this trial, there will be eight dead strangers instead.]

[Joey shakes her head to clear it of unwanted morbid thoughts, her animate Mr. Mew doll standing resolutely beside her at the podium. She has to help. Even if it means another person will die. Another daughter out there is never going to see her father again, and she can't just accept that...]

So there's one piece of evidence from the Barcade that hasn't been brought up yet...there was a broken blue women's bracelet near Ren's body. If you ask me, it's kind of suspicious that there was a broken piece of jewelry left at the scene again. Especially since I don't think Ren had a chance to fight back...

[theirmagic]

... The sleeping pills, the post-mortem wounds...

[ She looks at Coach. Is she wearing any bracelets today? ]

Could the bracelet be fabricated evidence?

[scienceofmagic]

...All that would have to happen is it would have to catch on something, really. But combined with the fake nail...

[ ...Things aren't looking good for Coco, are they? ]

Time for the Pain Train

[scienceofmagic]

...

[ Croix look at her phone. As if she's reading something. She grits her teeth. ]

...No regrets, huh?

[ She looks around the room. At everyone's faces. At the people she'd come to be connected with. At Chariot especially. And then she looks down at her phone again. An image of a group of girls, smiling faces on all of them as Croix and Chariot stand proud with them. She closes her eyes... And she chooses, for once, to simply believe. ]

...No. I won't take part in this anymore.

[ She slams her hands down on the podium, before looking up at everyone. ]

Coco didn't do this. I can tell you for certain because... I have been working against everyone since almost immediately after our arrival. I'm the one who's been obscuring the crime scenes. All because... Because...

[ Her gaze will linger on Ursula before she shakes her head. ]

...It doesn't matter. What does matter is that I was contacted by someone different than usual last night. And they told me, in no uncertain terms, that I needed to frame Coco. That it would be in my best interest to do so. So I planted the nail and the bracelet.

[ She lowers her head, facing all of them like this. ]

...I won't blame you if you hate me. I really won't. ...But the last thing I want is for all of you to die because of me. So I couldn't... I couldn't keep it hidden anymore. No matter what anyone threatened me with.

[theirmagic]

... I thought so. I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was hoping you'd confess.

[ She looks... distant. ]

... I've suspected since that day. The day you mentioned resurrection magic. It doesn't work that way, does it... and you know better than anyone it doesn't.

[greatfascinations]

C-Croix?!

[Coco blinks so hard at this that her tears shake off her eyelashes. She even uses her name instead of title...]

[byanyother_name]

Meridies-san...

[Kurama looks wide-eyed, surprised and pained. He doesn't know her very well, but... What she's doing is incredibly brave.]

[incrediblystressedout]

Croix...

[That damned cynical, objective part of Joey was pretty sure of it by now, honestly, given how hard she'd been pushing Coco as a suspect, but.]

Thank you. I knew we could count on you.

[beguiledcard]

Croix...

[ He's standing and turning towards her. ]

... Is that why you were acting so weird when you told me about how you'd talked to Goro?

[ Yes, his gaze is softened. No, he doesn't look or sound angry. If anything... ]

... I'm proud of you.

[ yep ]

I'm sure this took a lot of courage.

[ Also... ]

What do you mean by someone different than usual?

[beguiledcard]

[ OKAY... so this is a lot for everyone to process, right?

Well... there's still a murder to solve. He's going to be standing and projecting his voice loud enough to make it easy for him to be heard. ]

Well, now that we know, for sure, which evidence was planted...

[ A deep breath. ]

We need to re-examine this case from the top with the newest information in mind. We know who it wasn't, but that still doesn't tell us who did this.

SMELLOVISION, no im not changing the name, fight me

[theirmagic]

[ Ursula looks at Croix, then at Coco... and then nods to herself. She's a little shaky. She's... gonna take a sip of her iced tea. She needs it. Then, she's going to turn to everyone in the room, Akira included. ]

Okay. In light of everything we've just found out... since you think we should re-examine, I think it would be pertinent to split into groups and check each other's scents. Have the women look after the women, the men check the men.

Is that agreeable? I mean, I don't think we'll need to strip. It's a pretty strong scent we're looking for. Only if we don't find anything... well, we'll go from there to figure out what to do next. It's worth a try.

CONFESSION

[byanyother_name]

[As Akira questions and then plunges directly into trying to save him, Kurama's head is lowered, his hair screening his expression. Slowly, his shoulders begin to shake, it's not clear at first from what.

It's only when he lifts his head that they all can see he's crying, silent tears from blank, anguished green eyes. And yet, his voice is steady.]

You all have no idea how many times I have already killed to save my mother. How many times I would have died. The things that I have done...

If I were still Youko Kurama, perhaps I would not have been so foolish as to let myself care for all of you. This would not have been as much of a betrayal.

Yes, I killed Sanzashi-san. I swapped his cigarettes when I helped him set up the party. And gave myself that one last night to be your friend.

Akira, don't do this. Not for me.

MTB

[beguiledcard]

[ A harsh exhale slips out, his hands trembling a little by the end of those words... ]

Shut up!

[ Whoops... exterior has cracked. He didn't actually mean to yell. ]

We're not only doing this because we care, but because enough is enough. No more people being backed into corners. No more watching each other die.

[ He clenches his teeth. ]

You don't want me to do it for you? Fine... I'm doing it for all of us. The sooner we find a way to stop one of these things, the sooner we can get everyone home.

VOTE

[greatfascinations]

[Coco's phone beeps. She flutters to the center of the ring of podiums, poses to get attention, but at least she seems to have calmed down from her anger earlier.]

K guys. It's, like, time to vote!

[She sighs, though, because she sees all of them hastily trying to put a plan together even as she's talking.]

Well... If you're gonna try something, I hope ya know what you're doin'.

[beguiledcard]

[ ...

nope ]

EXECUTION - HEART BROKEN - CW: SUICIDE

[byanyother_name]

No. We all know the consequences of an incorrect vote. They are exactly the same as the consequences of interfering in the execution. Death may not be the end but if there is no one on this side to work, there will be no escape.

I know I tried to kill you all. I thought... I hoped, that if I reached my home, I could come back for you. I work for the son of Enma-daioh, surely he could do something.

I never intended to simply walk away. I meant it when I said I cared for you all. Akira... I meant...everything. I do want you to know that. I'm sorry.

[His smile is sad but determined. Resolved. He does have one more thing to say. Even though the rest of this has sounded like a plea for them to make the right votes and do what he thinks is the right thing, this last part...]

I knew I might die again here today. I also knew I would never make poor Nyaf-ya do it.

[What happens next happens too fast for anyone to stop him. All Kurama has to do, really, is lay his own hand over his heart.

And fire.

The arrow-shaped bullet at such close range is more than capable of piercing through his body, the tip punching out his back. He coughs, blood spattering his chin. By the time he crumples to the ground, he's already gone.

Shuuichi Minamino, The Unknown, is dead.]

[strangerpeople]

[At this, everyone's phone lights up with a single message.]

UNKNOWN EXECUTION PROTOCOL APPROVED.

VOTE CANCELLED.

[And...that's it. The elevator opens with a DING.]