THIRD TRIAL

[whimsicalism]

To the court room. Make it quick, alright? I don't really know about any of you but I don't want to waste more time on a couple of bratty teenagers.

[The Queen still is silent as you descend to the court room. There are ten less of you than when you began. The podiums look empty as you go to them. Even if the podiums are getting empty, though, there is a new jury box near the Alices that is rather full... of ghosts of all the participants of the previous round you've discovered and of your dead compatriots. They don't talk but they're there. Judging. Always judging.

There is someone who doesn't notice this addition, though. Queen Alice.

The Queen is quiet but she's next to the Cat. Her head is bowed to her chest as she seems to sleep quietly. Then as movement she jolts up, smiling vaguely as she nods.]

Yes, a tea party--that's what we...need...

[Her head drops back to her chest as she falls asleep again. The Cat glances at her then back at the crowd with agitation.]

Someone is responsible for Lena and Neku's deaths. Do something about it, will you? Why did you even bring one of those ghosts in with you, anyway?

Comments

EVIDENCE

[whimsicalism]

[Oh where did all the evidence go? Here.]

Re: EVIDENCE 1/2

[seventhlittlemonster]

[The ghosts seemed to keep him on his toes. For a bit, anyway. He's energized enough to list his findings in the pit.]

Other than all the knife wounds, Neku had a bullet shot through the side of his head. Another bullet was in the pit, which might indicate it had missed. The gun itself, despite all the blood, was completely clean and has three bullets left in it.

There was bruising on Neku's arms, but otherwise, he died without a struggle. His headphones were playing music, even.

Two other things I found in the pit is this drawing - it's covered in blood, though - and a torn-up bedsheet.

2/2

[seventhlittlemonster]

...I don't have the capacity to keep thinking about this. I'm sorry, I just... [He curled up and held his head.]

Neku...

Re: EVIDENCE

[imozon]

I took a look at Lena's body, which we found under the pirate ship.

She had a small hole in her chest with some traces of blood around it. Most of it had washed away underwater but what was left looked like it had been smeared. She also had some scratches on her, and some clay stuck to her fingers.

I found this in her pocket.

[She pulls out the combat knife, still in its sheath.]

[strictura]

[ Duck fingers... ]

So both of them were shot, presumably by the same gun. Correct?

[soverainty]

Hmph. So somebody finally took a look at the sitting duck in the room.

[Despite her tone, she looks displeased about this. Either that or it's the duck fingers.]

At least we don't have to ask how you drown a duck.

[xxxx_me]

[Allen sure did drag a ghost in with him. That is a thing that happened.

He spends a moment staring at Seven and absorbing his words before speaking.]

I checked Nanako's room and found this. [Gesturing to the cardboard ghost.] It was checking the room for coins because they're shiny and knocked over a TV onto itself.

...

The gun... is probably Neku's. I got it from the vending machine and we took the bullets out. He hid the gun somewhere, and I hid the bullets in Nanako's room. I think someone noticed the ghost in the room and found the bullets when they checked on it, because all six bullets I hid were missing.

[He looks. So upset.]

...I brought the ghost, but it said it didn't notice anyone coming inside because it was too busy being trapped.

[strictura]

[ ...awkward wave at the ghost ig ]

[soverainty]

... If the gun was Neku's, and he knew you had the bullets, doesn't that just mean he was going full-tilt for the wish like he kept whining about this week?

[SIGH. She pretty much aired what she thought of this wish business earlier in the week, but really.

She also kicks the ghost, because she's Niko.]

[prescience]

[Oriko has gone through a quick outfit change after her dip in the cove, but she hasn't fully dried off yet: Her still-damp, very long blonde hair is droopy in its side ponytail.]

The source of the purple light in Lion Cove was this amulet... I find it perplexing that light still emanates from it, but nothing else seems to be attached. I observed Lena-san wearing it before...but it appears the chain here has been broken.

There was also an intact bullet, near the pendant, and two casings, some distance away on the Cove floor.

[golden_king]

Do you still have the amulet with you?

[nothingposh]

Oi. Let me see the casings.

[............. Aren't you all glad an eleven year old is. Your gun expert?]

[soverainty]

Hmmm? Part of the powers she didn't want to talk about? Or whatever that was.

[They got into some kind of argument about duck powers back on the meeting but also: Local Duck Definitely Acting Weird.]

[strictura]

Uno and I looked at the playground and along the shore. The swimsuit rack had been knocked over and most of the swimsuits were thrown in a wet pile, with a mix of smears and drops of blood.

It didn't look like any were missing, though the large and dog-sized suits were still dry and not in the pile with the others.

Even though the rack was knocked over, it didn't really look like there had been a struggle there. The blood on the swimsuits wasn't enough to account for that. It seems more likely to me that they may have been used to move a body or clean up.

[prescience]

We could see the omission of the unusually-sized suits a few ways, couldn't we?

One, the killer is neither too large nor dog-sized, and used the other suits to obscure any damage to their own.

Alternatively, it is difficult to mop up blood with an outfit you are already wearing, so...

A clever person would be aware of the former; therefore it could also be a deliberate attempt to draw our attention towards the individuals who wear those sizes.

[soverainty]

Why the hell would a dog need a swimsuit??

[Look, someone really had to ask.]

[octopups]

[Amdi is just watching all this discourse awkwardly while he rapidly tries to put together from context what a "swimsuit" even is. Look he is from fuckin Space Norway they don't swim there.]

Lena's Room

[golden_king]

The room was a mess; like a struggle happened in here.

There were knife holes in the walls; made from stabbing with the same knife. Also even if there was white feathers clearly from Lena lying around, and the bedding was ransacked, along with snacks everywhere, there's no blood or tipped over furniture.

Oh and I found this journal jammed into the mattress. I think it'd be best if you all take a look at this page. There's some torn out pages too.

I also found her friendship bracelet in the toilet sink. Like someone just threw it in there.

[nothingposh]

Well that's just rude, innit?

[He sings for a reason, thanks.]

mod ping for verification!

[strictura]

Huh... Can I see it for a minute?

[ Reaches over for the journal to see what it says! Does the purple ink match the knife pit diagram? ]

mod pwease

[prescience]

Oh, my... [That page is...something.]

This other author seems have vandalized more than just a single page of this notebook.

Ah, but this purple... Could it be the same?

[As the purple in that bloody knife put drawing Seven found!!]

Re: Lena's Room

[imozon]

It must have been someone who didn't like friendship, huh?

PLAYGROUND

[battlestations]

[Nigel has been gazing flatly in the direction of the two victims' ghosts (and really all the ghosts) for a while. It's exasperating that they are here in the first place, but if they must show up, he's gonna judge. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOURSELVES, YOU STUPID TEENS?? He's feeling a bit petulant since he did what he could to strengthen their bonds and keep rank, but it still happened anyway. Eventually, he clears his throat and speaks up with the evidence he found.]

There was a blood trail leading from the pit to the beach through the playground. Very odd, very odd. It zig-zagged all over, and... there were drag marks and feathers along the trail. Perhaps not so strange that she was moved considering where Lena was found, but I've been asking myself this. Just who would have needed to drag her? MOST of us should have been able to carry her, unless we've got somebody hiding a busted arm.

[it makes him pretty suspicious of someone in particular, but he doesn't want to accuse them without a clear picture. Just know that he is avoiding eye contact with the dogs rather pointedly.]

...Still, perhaps it's only a red herring. There was another matter of a bullet embedded in the slide. Casings were found in the gravel nearby. This is unusual as well, since the blood trail didn't seem to have much to do with it.

[prescience]

Could she have dragged herself? I'm not sure how quickly the wound would have taken its toll.

The shots that landed do seem very precise, however...

[octopups]

[Amdi doesn't seem to notice the lack of eye contact, but then again, Nigel is wearing sunglasses..]