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

[strictura]

The zig-zag pattern of the trail makes that seem unlikely... Not being able to move in a straight line is one thing, but it seems like it would have taken more energy than she should have had at that point to move that much.

[ Unless that was some weird aunt shit too somehow??? who knows ]

[prescience]

Yes, given the location of the injury...she wouldn't have had enough time.

Last time, the culprit not being strong enough to fully carry a body came up. This could very well be an intentional diversion, as Number One-san indicated.

[strictura]

That's possible.

[ Hm.

...Well, he'll just go ahead and voice this possibility at this point. ]

I think she was likely dragged on some of the swimsuits, since they had both smeared blood and sand on them. That would most likely either point to Amdi or to someone trying to frame him, right? He would have only been able to move her by dragging her, and if he did it by using the swimsuits as... sort of a sleigh or wagon, I guess, there wouldn't have been bite marks on Lena or her clothes like there would have been otherwise.

[prescience]

He did seem receptive to the motive...however briefly. [But she really can't blame him for that one.] Were there any on the swimsuits themselves? You said it was just blood and sand, correct?

I don't want to discount him without merit, either, but I'm wondering about the gun...?

[Can dogs. Can dogs shoot.]

[strictura]

Not that I noticed, but with how dark it was, it's possible I could have missed something.

[prescience]

It was dark on that floor, wasn't it...?

We should pursue that theory until it yields more information or falls apart.

I wonder if he would have been able to restrain hard enough to cause that bruising. Of those of us who remain, the list of those who might have the strength is certainly shorter. Seven-san, myself, Mizuki Okiura-san, Dark Dream-san?

[Is she missing anyone?]

[battlestations]

It'd also have to be someone who would put the body under the ship in the ocean. Should we be looking into swimming prowess?

[prescience]

Possibly... Though how we might test it out now, I really don't know.

Who was it that originally found Lena-san?

[battlestations]

That was Mizuki and Dark Dream.

[a beat]

We do know that Mizuki wore a swimsuit to the party, but... I doubt that means anything. The third party couldn't have pre-meditated the actions of the other two.

[prescience]

No. However, hnowing she would be able to make it to the water would allow her to redistribute the scene the way we witnessed. Someone else might have planned to use the graveyard instead, for instance.

We truly haven't heard much of Mizuki Okiura-san's perspective on this murder, either.

[imozon]

I was the one who saw her hand [(wing?)] but I needed Mizuki to go down and get her.

[battlestations]

So does that mean you don't know how to swim?

[It wouldn't really surprise him.]

[imozon]

I...

[Hm.]

It's kind of complicated. Nozomi knows how to swim, so I do too, but I've never really done it. And I don't think either of us could swim and carry something at the same time.

[battlestations]

That does sound complicated.... Normally you have to do it to learn it.

[imozon]

It's part of being a copy.

[ballooncaged]

Yeah, that was Dark Dream and me.

[Shrugs shoulders wide...]

She can probably vouch that my swimsuit didn't start out looking used recently enough to be suspicious.

[prescience]

There were also swimsuits by the Cove, the ones that were wet and stained. It wouldn't be the best idea to commit a crime in a recognizable outfit, unless there was nothing that someone possibly could have worn left.

[strictura]

...Gilgamesh did manage to get that jukebox to my room before, but I don't know what motivation he'd have for something like this.

[prescience]

A wish? But that would mean he would have believed the Cat when she claimed to have no need for the Holy Grail any longer.