second trial

[airlockedmods]

[Like last week the announcement sounds, the Champions with their gathered evidence file once again to the teleporter where the courtroom waits for them.

The a circle of podiums has changed since last week. The Griffin, Toby, and Angelica's floating portraits have joined Chintanda's above their respective podiums as well as the bright green having been changed to a glaring red.

The Overseers are waiting on their floating platform when the first group of Champions arrive. They're back in their black suits, side by side. Jamie's expression is grim but he looks more mentally present than the last trial. Bolton, on the other hand, looks stern but not grim, arms crossed over his chest. Once again, he's the one who makes the announcement.]

Welcome, Champions, to the courtroom. Sixteen of you have entered, but - in the best case scenario - only fifteen of you will leave. Compile your evidence and figure out who the killer is. If you vote correctly, the culprit will be executed and the rest of you will be allowed to go back upstairs. If you vote wrong, however, the killer goes free and the rest of you take the punishment in their place.

Remember, there is no time limit but keeping things interesting is in your best interests.

Comments

[almightyconflagration]

Doesn't take much to know it's fake.

[damnfourthemerald]

We have to take every detail and possibility into account. If it's fake, then it was left in her room with the same handwriting deliberately.

[almightyconflagration]

For the reason of throwing us off potential suspects. But one thing to consider, did anyone note any strange behavior from the victim before this? One who is looking to die tends to act strangely.

[stitch_in_time]

She was in the library on Wednesday night, like she was looking for something. Dunno how unusual'd you call that, though.

[almightyconflagration]

A person looking to die tends to try to wrap up loose ends and act more reckless. She didn't seem reckless. If anything, I get the impression most here would break rule six if they ever decided they wanted to die.

[stitch_in_time]

That'd have the best chance of maybe actually leadin' to a way out if it worked a little too well, at least.

[almightyconflagration]

It seems far more fitting of her as well, and that fact tells us something of the culprit.

[stitch_in_time]

Someone who needed to get back t'something at home, urgently. Which narrows it down by about none of us, unless I've missed something.

An' someone clever enough to come up with even a basic coverup, who didn't think they could get around the Overseers rules, at least not fast enough.

[almightyconflagration]

Also selfish. It's not like last week where the culprit didn't know what would happen to the rest of us.

And before you accuse me, I have nothing urgent to get home to.

[stitch_in_time]

I'm not accusin' anyone just yet, but that's what the culprit'd say, isn't it?

[misplacedxsheath]

It's not his style. A man like him...it would be a fight.

[almightyconflagration]

Except the culprit also wouldn't have pointed out how obviously fake that note was.

[misplacedxsheath]

Someone fastidious enough to forge another's handwriting convincingly, and not afraid to get their hands quite literally dirty. Along with tall enough to reach the basketball hoop by standing on a chair.

[almightyconflagration]

Or it could be someone fastidious enough to disguise their own if truly no samples of her handwriting exist.

[stitch_in_time]

An' strong enough to get her up there...

[He does some quick mental calculations.]

That'd make the most likely suspects me, you, McBurn, Lightning, Xander, Togami... maybe Seth, if he's one hell of an actor. Maybe Yurika an' Natsuhi, dunno if they'd be quite tall enough.

[almightyconflagration]

I can't see Margulis, Xander or Lightning being the types to use a cowardly means of murder like poison.

[fatherofsin]

It wouldn't need to be cowardly. They simply would have to be someone who couldn't take Angelica specifically.

[stitch_in_time]

Maybe not. Depends on how badly they wanted to get home. Taking someone on physically is gonna leave a hell of a lot more direct evidence than poisoning.

[Sometimes desperation makes people act atypically, you know?]

[almightyconflagration]

That also rules those three out.

[curdle]

Or wished not to. To use their own two hands, it might make them easier to catch out. But any of us might poison a cup.

[misplacedxsheath]

As he said, cowardly. It's the mindset of a warrior...if you're going to attempt to kill someone, it's an insult to both them and yourself to accomplish it through something like that.

[kingshaming]

I'll also admit... before today I didn't know what bleach was. Though I could have read the bottle.

[He shakes his head slightly- it's not IMpossible he could have done it, but he didn't want to be the Lady that Protested too Much]

[stitch_in_time]

For what it's worth, I'm not ranking you as terribly likely. Just a possibility.

[He'd really rather not have everyone but the actual murderer die here because he was eliminating possibilities without actual evidence.]

[almightyconflagration]

I didn't either.

[overears]

Your hairs natural, then.