TRIAL

[consolemods]

Well, Niles is dead now, and in a very unpleasant way. The investigation has progressed for some time... but after a certain amount of time, a marker appears on the player's console HUDs directing them to a particular location, much in the same way as it did when directing them to the paddock for Thursday's challenge.

This time, though, it's directing them to the courthouse, which has been locked up until this time... but not now. The doors are wide open, and you might as well go inside. The interior is lacking the audience benches you'd expect, but... there's a large, oppressive emptiness to the space. It almost seems bigger on the inside than the outside... no, it definitely seems much bigger on the inside. And after you walk the long, long walk to the center, you'll find a circle of 23 podiums with your names on them, with... two of them being much, much smaller to account for the, uh, pets.

Those... seem really out of place, by the way. They stand out in stark contrast to the rest of the quaint, old-timey Western town by being more on the technological level of the consoles on your faces, with touch screens and pictures of all of the current players... and the two former players, too, with the icon of Niles' and Makoto's faces having the word DEAD stamped across their faces.

As you stand at your podiums, you do begin to notice some wrongness about the whole thing... like that there might actually be some audience benches behind you, depending on the angle you look at them, but they seem to flicker in and out of your peripheral vision. Ditto with the two holes in the podiums, too-- they're... sometimes there, but not always.

The judge's box looms high over the podiums, towering for the animals but really only a few feet higher. The sheriff stands there as comfortable as he's ever seemed, arms crossed and silent the entire time. There are flickers of something uncanny in him, just like the architecture - the color of an eye, the shape of an arm - but nothing sticks for long enough to confirm.

It isn't until everyone's settled at their podium that he speaks, and any hint of the laconic tone he's taken all week is finally gone to be replaced by one far more formal. He seems in his element as he leans down to address the podiums.

"Welcome to round two! You've all done well to make it this far! The first attack has succeeded, and now Niles lies dead. But for every offense, there must be a defense! Will you find his killer? More of your lives may be at risk of you do not. Share your findings with each other, and come to a conclusion based on the evidence: Who killed Niles?

Now, let's play."

Comments

[carbide]

This place is spatially inconsistent.

[That has nothing to do with anything, but what did you expect from Miss Didn't Participate In The Challenge And Also Didn't Help Investigate At All?]

[exclusiverelease]

You've come to an arena beyond temporal and spatial limitations. The only thing of any import is the game.

[helldestiny]

[Does anyone mind Sin trying to drag the body into the courtroom? Because that is what she's trying to do right now. It's wrapped up in saddle blankets, but man is it heavy.]

HRGH--A little help here!??

[carbide]

[Olympia walks over to the body and casually picks it up with both arms. I mean, unless it weighs a literal ton or something.]

[i_spy]

Whoever did this...I sincerely hope this was not for the ice cream, mercenary pay is far too low already.

[fuckthemancers]

[Zulf... has needed a good while after his, Soren, and Guzma's own little discovery. Still, after he's caught his breath and steadied his nerves, it's just in time for the HUD to update. Without really any other choice... Here he is, carrying a pitchfork in one hand and a bucket with a rope and an eyeball in it. Gingerly, he rests them against his podium, and tries very very hard not to look into the bucket.]

...I suppose there's no point in staying quiet. I believe someone tried to use the well to dispose of evidence.

There was blood on the well handle and the rope attached to it. Inside of the well, I found this pitchfork. There was also a rope separate from the well's own. I don't know why or how, but there's blood on both ends of it.

[A pause, before he takes in a deep breath and does his best not to look sick.]

There.... was also an eyeball in there.

[helldestiny]

Oh. Well. That explains where the eyeball went, then.

...Hey, can I look at the eyeball?

[carbide]

A pitchfork. That would deal stab-type damage.

[kingofkoopas]

WHAT KINDA NAME IS NILES ANYWAY?!

[condemnedone]

There are better questions to be asking.

[ Honestly. ]

[fuckthemancers]

A.... normal name...?

[flagrants]

Dunno, but it's miles ahead of yours.

[carbide]

It's a common name in some regions. I believe it means "champion."

So, not a fitting one.

[:D]

Fingernail Check!

[fuckthemancers]

[If everyone is done bickering for like five seconds-]

Everyone! Please put out your hands to show your fingernails. We should check something.

[And Zulf will go first, showing his nails are clean. He didn't even pick the eyeball up with them, because of course he didn't.]

[condemnedone]

[ It's not a big deal for him to hold out his hands for a check.

His nails are clean. ]

[cantread]

[Sissel jumps up on Zulf's podium so he can show off his claws more easily. But yep they are clean.]

I don't think I could do that without scratching stuff anyway.

[flagrants]

[ In a somewhat showy display, Dito pulls off his gloves and shows his nails. They're clean! He makes a point of following Zulf around during the check too, 'cause he's the worst. ]

[acherontiastyx]

[Guzma's fingernails are... well, okay, he doesn't meticulously clean them or anything, but they're not super gross.]

SMELL CHECK

[thegoddamnmissile]

Hey, Niles smelled like the horse house! So I'm gonna see who all smells like that, too!

[ And without ceremony, the dog is going to give everyone a sniff. And oh boy, you better have a good explanation for smelling like horses and the stables if he catches a whiff of them. ]

[cantread]

[HELLO DOGFRIEND

Your catfriend smells like the kitchen, because he was totally raiding it this morning.]

Pocket check

[condemnedone]

I would like to see everyone's pockets emptied and turned out -- it could be possible that the killer is still carrying the eyepatch on their person.

[ So, why not check. He has nothing that he's hiding in his own... robe pockets, that must certainly exist because how else does he carry vulneries and books at the same time. ]

Re: Pocket check

[thegoddamnmissile]

[ I mean

Missile doesn't even have pockets, so ]

Catherding Go

[fuckthemancers]

Alright.... I can't think of anything else to ask at right this moment, so why don't we go over everything we've learned so far?

To start with... Guzma, Soren, and myself found a pitchfork, bloody rope, and Niles' eyeball in the well. Kokoro found a knife in the stables.

The body was very helpfully brought into the courtroom, so we can all see that it has around twenty different stab wounds. There's bruising and blood on one wrist, along with damage to his eye. Around eighteen wounds on Niles' body match with the pitchfork. However, two other wounds are from something else, and they don't match either the pitchfork or knife.

I checked everyone's fingernails to see if there was any blood, but everyone seems clean. Soren had everyone clear out their pockets, which also revealed nothing. The only check which seems to have given any sort of clue is when Missile sniffed everyone, and Dito apparently smells like well water. He claims it's simple hygiene but, for lack of any other evidence and with only his word there, it's something I suppose we should keep in mind.

The Sheriff stays outside all night and says he'd make any rulebreaking or misconduct known. Also something to keep in mind, since he seems willing to go along with our questions. [Or at least Zulf's since he asked nicely.]

Let's see, what else is there... Ah, that's right. Niles' eyepatch is missing, for whatever reason, and we still aren't entirely sure how the rope factors into all of this.

[He looks to everyone gathered in the room, his hands folded neatly in front of him.]

Am I missing anything?

[acherontiastyx]

Nah, I think that about covers it, from what I've been listening to.

Wardrobe Check!

[fuckthemancers]

[After a talk with Guzma...]

Excuse me, everyone. I just need to see what you're wearing.

[Zulf isn't making a secret of what he's wearing. Since he shed his skirt to make it easier to go down the well, he never put it back on. That leaves him with a simple shirt, vest, slacks, and the same shoes he arrived with. Nothing suspicious, not even spurred boots.]

[But that doesn't mean anyone else doesn't have something that could be a worn murder weapon or other wise have something off with their appearance.]

[condemnedone]

[ Soren allows Zulf a close up of what he's wearing. He doesn't evidently have any strange indications with his clothing at all that would suggest he's concealing a weapon in his robes (he even rolls up his sleeves.) ]

[flagrants]

[ +1 dangerous weapon, Dito stares down everyone. ]

Damn, you guys must be the dumbest, most hideous sacks of skin I've ever seen. You were so goddamn stupid you got all caught up in "ohh, well water, ohh, I'm an unclean freak who can't bother to shower once a goddamn week" that the goddamn Sheriff had to help you out! "oohh, there's a piece of evidence you haven't found but it's in here! Ooh!!" Real fair, by the way! I thought you were supposed to be unbiased, *******! So much for me getting away with it! Ugh.

You're all so goddamn worthless! You unimaginable ******* ********, why don't you go sit on a ************ ***** and shove some ***** up your ***! [ Ugh. Ugh. ]

Fine, I admit it! I killed Niles! Who even fucking cares?! He was practically begging for it with all his bullshit!

[ Bullseye. ]

[helldestiny]

...I'd offer you ice cream to make you feel better, but you're not getting a party after this. Oops~!

[JUST GONNA RUB IT IN LIKE THE MATURE PERSON SHE IS]

USE THE D-PAD TO SELECT YOUR CULPRIT

[exclusiverelease]

[After those last few hints, he's been watching intently, eyes to one person or the other but most frequently on the loudest - Zulf, Dito, Sin - and stare growing redder. Dito's outburst doesn't even make him intervene, not for a few minutes until it's clear this is all going to turn into an argument.]

It seems that someone's volunteered to die! If you truly believe he did it, we can call for you to vote: will he take his last stand against you, or will someone else die in his stead?

[kingofkoopas]

We should all vote for ME! I should be the president! Vote Bowser!

BOSS BATTLE: DITO

[exclusiverelease]

[Once the other players have cast their votes, the sheriff's argument with Bowser ends abruptly: by this point, the glow in his eyes extends out, beam-like, and sweeps the room before he claps his hands together.]

Well done, players. The majority of you chose correctly. Once you had all the information, it really wasn't so difficult, was it? Now, as for you...

[His stare turns to Dito.]

You have one more chance for a counter-attack before the end. Don't worry about all these witnesses! I'll give you an advantage.

[The red glare from his eyes grows brighter, and he opens his palms, two more red lights widening over Dito and his podium, blinding the other players momentarily-]

bc who needs smart life choices when you're this guy ig

[beguiledcard]

[ -but he's already moving, the second the sheriff starts to talk. Listen, he might hate this guy. The guy might have murdered someone, but does he deserve to die, too? Hell no.

So, the moment those palms open, the moment those lights are widening, Akira is trying to shove him out of the way. ]

Damn it...!