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.

[theirmagic]

... I suppose that's fair.

Well, in any event, our victim was clearly killed with poison from at least two differing sources, if what I found was any indication.

We found apple seeds, and also apricot seeds inside a pestle and mortar inside the cafe MYJL. We found tobacco flakes, as well... the other two found a few other things, so I'll let them go over it.

[theirmagic]

Yes, it's the study of plants. I think we can clearly rule you out, then. Whomever did this would have to have knowledge of what plant seeds are poison.

[theirmagic]

[ ... She does give Kurama a glance, but she doesn't seem to think he did it. ]

Apricot seeds and apple seeds, do you know what they share in common, then?

[scienceofmagic]

[ Croix looks... Incredibly uncomfortable. ]

...We found a fake nail.

[byanyother_name]

[Kurama's expression turns rather grim at the question. It's clear he knows the answer and doesn't like it.]

They're dangerous to ingest in more than tiny quantities. Poisonous.

Ursula... Claire-chan and I found an aspirin bottle hidden among the alcohol that smelled bitter and somewhat of apples.

[theirmagic]

[ Also looking very, very uncomfortable.

... But she doesn't have anything else to add. ]

[thegreenhornet]

Oh. Wow. Had no idea that was a thing.

[All he knows about poisonous plants is how poison ivy is like]

[theirmagic]

... Aspirin? Then that must have been our method of poison delivery. I had... assumed it was something else, but...

[ Hm. ]

A bitter smell is the mark of cyanide, usually.

[theirmagic]

Yes, it's very much a thing, a mandatory thing they teach in witching school. Which I... realize will not rule out Professor Croix and myself, so I may as well say now that we both learned how to make potions and what plants were poison and what were not.

[scienceofmagic]

To clarify: we mostly learn to avoid certain plants and seeds in Basic Potions, so that we don't make mistakes and accidentally kill someone through simple experimentation.

[ It's against the rules, but no one really pays attention to that. It's just very "don't get caught." ]

We only use them in much more advanced potions.

[theirmagic]

Yes, using an apple seed to grow an apple tree out of an entire apple is quite common, as is changing the flavor of an apple itself, so...

[ Y'know, witch stuff. ]

[byanyother_name]

We aren't sure. Loewe-san suggested the bottle might have simply been used to store it. There were no actual pills in it when we found it.

[He frowns slightly.] Cyanide... Someone was being rather stereotypical, weren't they?

[byanyother_name]

A fake nail? Do any of us wear them?

[theirmagic]

Oh... that's a possibility, too. Carrying the cyanide would be... not probably fatal, but quite dangerous.

[scienceofmagic]

...

[ Croix is silent a moment, but... ]

...I don't.

[theirmagic]

I don't. I don't believe Professor Croix does, either... they would get in the way of casting spells, honestly. Or making potions.

[thegreenhornet]

So...the fake nail was planted?

[scienceofmagic]

...Actually, wasn't there tobacco flakes on a table? Akira and I found unrolled cigarettes in the trash.

[byanyother_name]

But why plant evidence that points nowhere? Meridies-san, what did the nail look like?

[theirmagic]

Oh, yes, they were on the table. I found them there. They definitely smelled like tobacco, though I dared not taste them.

[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.