SECOND TRIAL

[whimsicalism]

How are we ever going to get the pond clean? It'll stink like lawyer for forever, Alice!

Be nice... We shouldn't say things like that, Alice.

Weren't you the one who were calling Franziska a wicked witch?

I'm sorry about it now, aren't I?! Just--it's time for a trial, everyone!

[As you climb back into the teacup to descend to the court room once more, the tea cup doesn't respond if anyone tries to go to any other floors. As you walk up to the podiums the amount of crossed out portraits has increased. How many more will die before the tricky game the Alices want is over?

At least the Alices seem relatively calm. The Queen, anyway. The Cat is in her Alice form, watching over the proceedings with a hungry look in her eyes.]

Franziska von Karma is dead. Do try to find out who did it but not too quickly. I'll get bored~

Comments

[immaculacies]

[ Manaka very placidly allows sniffing to happen. ]

[whimsicalism]

[This friend doesn't smell like the others.

That is to say Manaka why do you smell soapy

[octopups]

[???]

[Amdi is going to sniff around Manaka a little closer. Not... not because he thinks it's her yet, just, just to be sure. Yeah.]

[whimsicalism]

[Yeah, that sure is dish soap. Not the fancy hand soaps in the bathrooms.]

[octopups]

[!!!]

M-Manaka...

[Amdi backs entirely away and stares up at her, wide-eyed and disbelieving.]

[immaculacies]

Ah, do I smell funny?

[seventhlittlemonster]

[...oh.

He seemed resigned. Like... deep down he expected it to happen. He couldn't even make himself look angry.]

...I was worried it'd come to this.

[immaculacies]

Is that so?

Why didn't you spend more time thinking about who would premeditate something like this without any other motive, then?

[seventhlittlemonster]

...It was a matter of when, I suppose. [He gave a sad chuckle.] I guess I didn't want that "when" to be now.

[xxxx_me]

...Why, then?

[immaculacies]

I'm not going to lose any more memories.

I couldn't wait any longer than this. Winning or losing... For me, it's all the same in the end.

[xxxx_me]

[...Ah. Yes.

He just gives a single small nod. His question's been answered; he has no more.]

[strictura]

[ He's not surprised, but he sure wishes that whole clothing check scene hadn't happened!!!! ]

...Ironically, I'd warned von Karma this week about keeping that secondary motive in mind.

[imozon]

Is that a confession?

[immaculacies]

Mm-hm. Go ahead.

[ :) ]

[undershadow]

Okay, but there was a motive. It's just the same one we've had for the last three weeks.

[immaculacies]

That's why I said "any other." You mentioned it, right? But none of the other details really mattered.

[imozon]

[!]

[xxxx_me]

[Frowning. This check is taking a while, isn't it?]

Is something wrong?

[octopups]

S-she... she smells soapy, but, but not the bathroom soaps, s-so...

I-it's just a misunderstanding, r-right??

[golden_king]

Soup from like...washing objects up? Like our culprit had been?

[octopups]

... Y-yeah, I guess, but, but...!!

[golden_king]

[ He'll wag a finger for a moment ]

No buts, no cuts, no coconuts.

[ Beat. ]

Hehe, I've always wanted to say that. But anyway, that's far too suspicious, right? Since no one else smells like that...

So. Process of elimination means Manaka is the culprit!

[battlestations]

The one teenager who already had poison. What. A. Surprise.

[now he's just getting frustrated how much time they wasted on that, and trying to think of what even pointed at her.]

... was EVERYTHING a red herring?

[golden_king]

[ Sad trombone (?) plays.mp3 ]

Mm, I don't think so?

Then again I guess I can't say I know for sure...and I hadn't exactly been assuming who everything it had been pointing to in the first place either.