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.]

NPC QUESTIONS

[whimsicalism]

[For the Cat. Or the sleeping queen, I guess.]

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.

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.]

[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.

[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.

[prescience]

[After some concentrated impassive staring at the ghost jury box:]

Still not feeling well, I see?

[strictura]

[ ...awkward wave at the ghost ig ]

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...

[whimsicalism]

Some idiot thought they would be clever.

[The Queen sort of stirs then mumbles something about cake.]

[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]

Are you disappointed that you weren't able to punish them for their transgressions?

[Hard to do that to someone who is already dead, right?]

[whimsicalism]

[She turns to glare... at the jury box.]

Yes.

let's talk a series of unfortunate events (wait...)

[prescience]

[(Realistically she does not speak about this until all evidence has been presented, but the comment is here for when you need it because this one! is! a doozy!)]

We can start at the beginning, can't we? I suspect the truth is far less complicated that it appears, on the surface. Regardless, a lot seems to have transpired last night.

To orient ourselves, would it be worthwhile to discuss possible timeline of last night's events? Number One-san was adamant that we return to our rooms together, all of us who were in attendance at the party. That restricts the time in which things could have happened.

[strictura]

[ Leans over to peek at the drawing... ]

Was a diagram really necessary for something as straightforward as a pit full of knives?

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.

[strictura]

[ Duck fingers... ]

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

[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.

[golden_king]

Do you still have the amulet with you?

[prescience]

Yes. I hoped that perhaps by the end of this trial, there may be some way to return it to Lena...providing it was something she would actually care to have back.

[Oriko offers up the purple amulet, damaged and chain-snapped. She's wrapped it in like, a hand towel to bring to the evidence table? We don't trust glowing rocks.]

[nothingposh]

Oi. Let me see the casings.

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

[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!!]

[whimsicalism]

[It sure does!]