sixth trial

[airlockedmods]

[Six weeks, thirteen Champion dead out of their original twenty as well one half of the former Overseer pair. With Jamie now counted as a fellow Champion in the Benefactors' eyes, their numbers have dwindled down to eight.

C.E.C.E.'s announcement sounds and for what may be the last time the Champions must file to the teleporter with their evidence and the Champion Landscape Artist now officially among them. The courtroom is empty this time around, the floating platform as empty as the updated circle of surviving Champion's podiums. Jamie makes a small, humorless sound when he sees the lack of a portrait at Lightning's podium and his own name in glaring green where she once stood.

There's no Bolton to speak to them this time around so it's C.E.C.E. whose voice rings from on high.]

Welcome, Champions, to the courtroom. Eight of you have entered, but if you vote correctly only seven of you will leave. Compile your evidence and select the correct culprit is. If you vote correctly, the culprit will be executed and the rest of you will be allowed to go back upstairs.

Thank you!

Comments

[ratherdoweddings]

Nothing of mine uses buttons or leather. Does it match anything?

[kingshaming]

They are not too dissimilar to the dress shirts I wear, but as you can see my shirt is intact. Without something to compare to it could be anything.

[cyan_maid]

I've never seen a button like that. My...cardigan was knit fabric, though, and it only had the one button. [A pause, as she hugs herself, rubbing her bare arms.] It's - with Bolton.

[kingshaming]

We could possibly do a clothing check to see if anyone is missing a similar button. But considering where it was found it's very possible the clothing was burned.

[stitch_in_time]

Whatever it was was something big. Either a full body suit, or something with multiple layers, I'd guess.

As best as I could tell from a pile of ash, anyway.

[kingshaming]

Many of us have had clothing come from the dumbwaiter. Can anyone recall anything that would fit that description?

[ratherdoweddings]

Hmm... not really. I got my pink dress, my uniform, and this bunny suit. And a bunch of Thomasin-chan's things, most of which went back to her, but even if they had buttons, I don't remember leather.

[kingshaming]

I got two outfits, one from home and one I don't recognize but was clearly made for me. One of my riding outfits and a costume of some sort. Otherwise it's just been the clothing Thomaisn made for me, which had no buttons. I also received a costume of Lightning's but... I returned that.

[He looks down at his hands at that, picking at his wounded hand]

[ratherdoweddings]

Maybe it belonged to Bolton-san. I'm not sure I remember. I know the Doctor got a change of clothes.

[refusedtoleave]

Could it have been a coat of some kind? That's the only thing I can think of that'd be leather and have buttons.

[kingshaming]

That would also protect the wearer from the blood to a degree.

[refusedtoleave]

And serve as make-shift armor if they needed it.

[kingshaming]

Exactly. Though Bolton didn't seem to put up a fight the culprit likely couldn't know that would be the case.

[refusedtoleave]

Or they expected him to notice them.

[kingshaming]

Assuming Bolton was awake and already in the studio with all the mirrors there is almost no way to sneak up on him.

[refusedtoleave]

And he was standing, unless he had his eyes closed. Maybe he didn't know that had the blade, if they were wearing a coat, it'd have pockets.

[cyan_maid]

...The killer definitely closed his eyes for him after he died. And put his glasses back on, so, they must've fallen off. But they didn't sit right on his face.

[But with that out of the way-]

Maybe he didn't have to be snuck up on. Maybe...he expected to be killed.

[refusedtoleave]

But why would he expect that, unless he made a deal?

[stitch_in_time]

[The Doctor's not gonna say anything just yet, but he's going to give Xander a Look.]

[Are the dead ends they're hitting enough to tell Jamison what they found in Bolton's room?]

[kingshaming]

[He winces.]

It's up to you.

[cyan_maid]

He might have. He might...have wanted to make sure we could at least return to our rooms without us all dying over it. Or...he wanted to make sure Jamie got back to his room safely. It's like I said...he'd do anything for him.

[imnotfat]

He wouldn't let any random participant do that.

[...]

Are we completely, positively sure he'd let himself be killed by someone who respects him enough to put back his glasses and close his eyes?

[cyan_maid]

No, he wouldn't. But he couldn't have put up a fight. There wasn't much of a struggle to be found. It might have been done through mutual trust.

[stitch_in_time]

Could've been a coat, maybe. A full-length coat might've been big enough.

[kingshaming]

Sounds about right.