FIRST TRIAL

[whimsicalism]

FIRST TRIAL

THE CONTAINMENT CENTER

After all the evidence is collected, the students themselves are as well. The Little Brother units gather them up in orderly fashion, encouraging the line to proceed two-by-two up the hallway beyond the music room and into the newly opened area. When grouped up together, the class just barely fits into the glass-paneled section of the decontamination chamber. It's hard not to wonder if the entire student body was never meant to make it this far in the first place. A short burst of pressurized air later and the panels lift - and, for the first time, the door to the containment facility opens before you. Behind it, an elevator beckons the class in. A Little Brother unit reaches inside, pushes a button, and the lift's real, see-through door closes before the lift begins to lower.

As the elevator descends, the car passes floor after floor of cellblocks. Start florescent lighting casts stark highlights onto each of them, and in those closest to the elevator car, shape after shape is visible. A wolf the size of an elephant with blood-tinged saliva dripping from it's massive fangs. A clown holding 20 multicolored balloons in one hand, a popped and shredded 21st hanging from the other out to you with a gap-toothed grin. A pit of writhing snakes with no beginning and no end. The feeling is comparable to the hungry, lingering gaze from outside the academy's fence. Looking out at the many cells, it's as if there's no barrier between them and the assembled students at all.

The car's moving too fast to see all of them clearly, but careful attention reveals one final detail: Some of them are completely empty. The other noticeable thing is the noise. Snarls, roars, sly chuckles, hissing, and even someone humming a haunting lullaby... they all mix together into a cacophony as you near the final destination.

When the elevator comes to a complete stop, the group is let out into a black-floored room illuminated by the same stark florescent lighting. Luckily, as soon as you go through the doorway the noise suddenly stops. The steep walls extend some two or three stories above without interruption, throwing stern, exaggerating angles reminiscent of brutalism. 21 stone podiums stand in a densely illuminated circle in the center of the room. Each one bears a name of one of the students in the class.

The Prefect is already waiting for everyone, sitting at a long desk backed by a projector screen bearing the same ram insignia from the post-spelling bee dance. Her hands are folded in front of her, and she barely moves.

"Looks like somebody attempted the alternative capstone. A week ago, I never would have believed it... but I know better now. Those who fall behind... just weaken the herd.

Luz, The Owlette, is dead. What a stupid title... I really hated it." The Prefect's expression staggers for a moment, then settles again. "Her murderer's still here, and the only way to prove that you deserve another chance in this school is to find them. Get the exam started."

There's a flicker on the screen behind her as the Principal speaks. "You heard Miss Kiryuu. We're beginning the exam, don't just stand around staring at each other!"

Investigation | Podium Layout | Locations | IC Profiles | IC Rules | Evidence | NPC Questions

OOC NOTES

While played out OOCly on Saturdays, trials ICLY take place the afternoon after investigations are concluded. This means that characters will have only a brief period of rest to gather their thoughts before being brought down. While the podium layout graphic shows room numbers, the real stone does bear characters' names.

The victim's body will not be available for reexamination during the trial but other pieces of evidence small enough to carry/move with you can be brought down into the trial. If you need mod input or NPC input in the middle of a thread please put 'MODS' in the header so we can see. Trials play out until the killer is caught or until around 8pm Eastern, at which point we'll try to wrap up. Good luck!

Comments

[britbrat]

Only if no one bought it!

[temmapathy]

[She snorts, looking back and forth before lifting her hands to sign slowly.]

You know, the only reason I didn't do this after seeing your sign is because you were gone for some reason.

[And then she runs around the platforms to try and karate chop him in the face.]

[spychic]

E...Emma? Maybe that's not a good idea--

[oh no they're fighting oh no]

[britbrat]

[ YES LISTEN TO THE TODDLER ]

[spychic]

[at least it's not a good idea until anya does it first]

[temmapathy]

[Which of us punched a rich brat in the face hours after meeting him?]

[spychic]

[point taken.

proceed.]

[britbrat]

Wha - ?!

[ If their podiums were a little closer, Emma would be feeling the satisfying squish of rich boy face under her hand right now. However, fortunately(?), Valmont has a moment to at least try to flee. He makes it a couple platforms down, shrinking behind his girlfriend his meat shield Jeanne as Emma advances. She wouldn't hit a girl, right? ]

[temmapathy]

[She does slow down a bit as she approaches Jeanne. However, in the end, she simply signs at the girl a quick:] Sorry [before starting to circle around her to approach. Unless, of course, she wants to get out of the way.]

[holyironmade]

I—I do not understand. It is not as if Koishi is ignoble in her sentiments, far from it, but there are no vegetarians among us. The "weenie dogs" are one of the few things I have heard praised about this place.

[Somewhat stunned, she is making an initial attempt to stand in between the two without making physical contact with either of them. It seems that if Emma makes a dash, she will successfully get around her.]

[temmapathy]

Right! There's plenty of meat here already, so we don't need to kill any other animals to get more!

[Honestly, it's not just the turtle. If Jeanne is just going to stand there, Emma's going to juke around her, this time attempting to kick Valmont in the leg.]

[britbrat]

Ow!!

[ Yeah, he's definitely not fast enough to avoid that one. He crumples, clutching his leg and howling. ]

[violence_ensues]

THAT'S ENOUGH, PUNKS!

[Adorabat glares at both Valmont and Emma.]

[britbrat]

[ Valmont would protest that he didn't do anything, but he's too busy crying on the floor like an extreme baby. ]

[temmapathy]

[Sorry Adorabat, she's not watching you.]

[temmapathy]

[She's not going to kick him while he's down, but she is going to bend down and yank his hair.]

Stay away from Yasu or I'll do that again!

[She's signing one-handed, but the meaning mostly gets through.]

[violence_ensues]

[E M M A.]

[cellpreservation]

[Guys...]

I mean, I kind of get it, but... next time, can't it wait until after trial?

[Assuming neither of them are the culprit this time anyway.]

[temmapathy]

[Again, she's only looking at Valmont right now.]

[britbrat]

Y- Yasu?

[ That's unexpected enough that Valmont actually leaves off caterwauling. He stares up at Emma in confusion, blinking away tears of pain and indignity (how dare you touch his hair, peasant). ]

What... what's she got to do with any of this?

[temmapathy]

[...okay, at first it felt good to make him cry, but now she feels...a little bad? She lets go of his hair, mostly so she can sign properly.]

Stop treating her like your servant and giving her orders! She deserves to be treated equally to the rest of us here!

[holyironmade]

[Jeanne can see the essentially one-handed magnifying glass "detective" half of Yasu and immediately realizes what she means even if the two handed painting "artist" - explaining to Valmont.]

Emma has felt this way for a while. She is very serious. I have been meaning to request that we take turns wearing the Alice headband as a compromise. I do not want to spend less time with you...

[keyringwitness]

...

Thank you, Miss Emma...

[britbrat]

Why are you agreeing with her?!

[ YOU LIKE WORKING. YOU'RE A MAID. ]

[britbrat]

There! Thank you! Eating animals is perfectly natural! And delicious!

[ Valmont's voice definitely isn't quavering at all as he circles around behind Jeanne, trying to keep a 180-degree angle between himself and his aggressor. It doesn't occur to him that Emma can't see to read his lips. ]