FIFTH TRIAL

[whimsicalism]

FIFTH TRIAL

THE CONTAINMENT CENTER

There are two more dead this week, and some unusual locations led to some unusual and interesting evidence. Once the students have had time to scour the affected areas and collect their clues, Kakuya's lilting telepathic voice guides them back to the elevator. Everyone now has plenty of elbow room - and plenty of carrying space to bring down the evidence, living creatures and all.

In addition to the constant strobing of the lights and the scream of metal chafing against metal, those who can tune into the softer noises in the background might hear snippets of a song on their descent. Though the lyrics are garbled and unintelligible as any other song playing in the soda fountain, a muffled crooner keens in the distance. The familiar clown whose presence is a constant despite the shifting cells, however, is 32 22 flavors and then some. He precariously balances a multi-scoop ice cream cone in one patient hand, all of its assorted scoops unpleasant and sickly colors. Multiple punctured balloons hang down from his other arm, wrinkled and dripping what is probably chocolate sauce. A cohort of aliens that look like every mid-century American fantasy of the little green men from outer space hone their weapons in silence. For the most part, every monster looks less restless now, but the hunger hasn't faded from any of them. If anything, it's intensified. If anything, it looks like they're biding their time.

There is, however, no sign of Father in his new prison. If he's suffering from the consequences he faces, you won't get the satisfaction of seeing that just yet.

Without the stark light of Father's telecomm screen, the trial room is a little bit darker but no less brutal. There's no longer a Prefect's desk visible by the podiums. Nanami, with nowhere to go, stands around aimlessly for a few moments, fidgeting, before finally taking a petulant seat on the open floor.

Kakuya, herself, is no where to be seen but the faint sound of flute music announces that she is watching. A voice echoes in the back of your mind as you return to your familiar podiums.

"It... looks like two of you are gone... Find out who killed... Koishi and Carrie, won't you? Kakuya... won't mind if you don't but don't... give up right away, okay? That would be no... good."

She laughs in her familiar, childish way. "Kakuya... wants to see what... you do this time... friends. Let's... start."
Investigation | Podium Layout | Locations | IC Profiles | IC Rules | IC Evidence Presentation | Evidence List | NPC Questions

OOC NOTES

Welcome to the fifth trial! Today's trial image is the famous eldritch cafe illustration by Jeff Paul Johnson. There are two dead this week, and success will entail solving both murders. Despite the shakeup in the management recently, there are still NPC question sections available.

Evidence Reminders:

• If you can carry it you probably can bring it. While the body itself isn't allowed into the trial, most things are, including live animals.
• If your character has access to a piece of evidence and you don't know if you can bring it in, you can either ask the mods privately if that's possible or by pinging them in the post itself.
• If a piece of evidence is forgotten or the original finder otherwise can't present it (an emergency, etc), you can either assume retroactively that someone did or that the sheep brought it in to make sure that everything is tidy.
• As always, just put MODS in the header of your comment to get our attention for any clarification.

Good luck!

Comments

[violence_ensues]

[Adorabat takes a deep breath...]

HUNTER YOU'RE NOT A DOG!

[That's how.]

1/2

[hashtagwoof]

GAH!

[ He stumbles over. Yep, that was loud and startling enough to snap him out of it. ]

Huh-- Oh... Thanks.

2/2 RESULTS

[hashtagwoof]

[ Let him get off the floor and dust himself off... ]

Okay! Uh... That wasn't as helpful as I thought, but I do have some things to point out.

One. Most of the people who investigated stuff and poked at bodies smell like they've done so.

Two, Kuro. You wear perfume often? And if so, where are you getting that stuff again?

And I don't wanna name names, but I would like to point out they invented toothpaste for a reason. Could you try using it more often?

[violence_ensues]

[Yeah, that's just what Adorabat's dentist said that one time before DRILLING INTO HER TEETH AND-]

[hashtagwoof]

[ THAT KEEPS THE DENTIST FROM DRILLING INTO YOUR TEETH YOU FOOL ]

[violence_ensues]

[LIES AND SLANDER.]

[copycut]

Huh? Doesn't every lady need a signature scent in their toiletries?

[ Kuro, ]

I've worn it every day. You noticed how Dylan acted when he checked me, right?

[hashtagwoof]

Oh... Right... Surprised he hadn't passed out from the smell but I hadn't really gotten close enough to notice before...

Also, like. That was three weeks ago. How much perfume do you even have?

[copycut]

A little spray doesn't take that much, does it?!

[ Wow. Rude. She frowns like... an 11-year-old whose body spray choices have just been insulted, really. It's not that much perfume, she just likes to smell good!! ]

[hashtagwoof]

Not on you! Like, how much do you have stockpiled away? This school only had cheap school supplies for sale, and unless the vending machine spits out perfume bottles at you like kibble I doubt you'd get your hands on a specific scent that will last you over a month. Or more, considering how long we've actually been here.

[copycut]

[ I'll be real, man, I've just been assuming scented body spray would be an acceptable toiletry like deodorant, considering the emphasis on preparation for adulthood and hygiene and the association between perfume and high society ladies blah blah etc ]

...Why? Oh, wait— Are you upset I didn't share with you? [ hehe ] You should have just asked!

[ :3 ]

[gotnothing]

Could someone have... poked at a body to cover up the scent? It has been kind of an issue for anyone trying to get away with murder.

[shinedsobright]

Yeah. I mean, the killer was in such a rush this time, I doubt they had time to clean up much. This could be rough.

[canreallymove]

…then I think I know what to do next…

[shinedsobright]

Go for it.

[He doesn't know what Sonic means but no sense beating around the bush!!]

[gotnothing]

Which would make people who only passed because they were investigating... the more likely group, right?

[hashtagwoof]

In that case, that would make Adorabat, Sonic, Dewey and you suspects. Especially since you and Adorabat kinda smelled like blood. But I don't want to accuse people based on that alone.

[shinedsobright]

Yeaaah... I'd appreciate the slack, cause I think I've been on a roll here, you know?

[hashtagwoof]

No offense, dude. Just saying.

[shinedsobright]

You're good!

[violence_ensues]

Who looked over the bodies... That would be...

[Oh...]

...Me and Sonic and Dewey.

[Adorabat pokes the tips of her wings together. She does not want to be suspected yet again.]

[gotnothing]

I'm... gonna go ahead and doubt your ability to do the thing with the scoop. No offense.

[violence_ensues]

[Adorabat breathes a sigh of relief. Thanks for your doubt!]

[hashtagwoof]

Hm...

[ He doesn't wanna point out how stressed Adorabat has been over this motive but... ]

Yeah, and if the frame up theory is correct we can assume Adorabat isn't the killer based on handwriting alone...

... Wait. What if we try checking people's handwriting? Just in case?

[copycut]

Do we have a sample to compare? I guess we could ask everyone to redraw the diagram I found either way, but...