PROLOGUE : TRIAL

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... PROLOGUE - WEEK 037 Narrators Remain ; Wakey wakey, naughty murder children. It's a lovely Saturday, after all. Breakfast is served piping hot at its usual time and all of the evidence has been removed from the scenes of yesterday. No matter how you choose to spent your morning though, the clock will begin to chime the moment both hands reach the large, ornate twelve. Before your eyes materializes a door...but not just any door. Unlike the door leading to the festival, this door sits primly and properly right in front of the foyer. Whether you exit the castle on your own or you feel a friendly, invisible push, you begin to walk under an arc of wisterias. Behind you, the clock continues to chime with every step you take. By the time the time the clock strikes twelve, you've entered a beautiful garden. In front of you is a long table, 19 seats on each side. Around the garden are several glass cases containing evidence collected yesterday. As noon intensifies on the sun-shaped clock, you'll find Dragon at the head of the table, a glass-covered rose near her right hand. Tick tock, Narrators. You have nine hours to deliberate. Welcome to your first trial post! Please see here for the OOC summary of events from yesterday's investigation. In addition, please be sure to vote! Please see the voting page on how to vote, as we will have two special things to vote for. Voting will close at 9pm EST/6pm PST! If you have any questions, please ask on our Discord server or ping us on plurk. Please direct pings for the NPC to Dana (decals), as she will be taking point for today's NPC, and the moderator team will be on deck for all other questions. full navigation. locations taken (statuses) stories (profiles) info & faq wishing well private conversations

Comments

[asswipe]

We had, uh— dancing armor. [jesus, that's weird.] And it's confirmed that narrators have special "gifts," even if we don't know what all of them are. Whoever's behind this could've won the lottery and got something that would've helped them prop up Gi-gan's body like that, right?

[fonlines]

It's entirely possible. It's also possible- they were the same person? If they could animate the dancing armor, then they could also animate something else to lift the body.

That would also allow them to not stain themselves with the ink, though I'm unsure if there was anything else in the castle bearing stains outside of the knife...

[ pause. ]

Of course, it doesn't necessarily have to be one person, still. It could be partners, working together.

[asswipe]

Her body was inside a suit of armor. What if they— I don't know... Animated one so it would suck her up inside? God, this is so weird.

[ugh.]

... People who knew each other before arriving could be working together. Literal partners would fit the bill, too, since our lives are connected.

[it doesn't narrow it down, though.]

[fonlines]

It would mean everyone whose alibi is their partner vouching for them is a suspect again, but that doesn't much help, does it...

[ sigh. ]

I apologize I can't offer much more, at the moment. It seems strange to me that all of us who searched the armory managed to miss the knife, though. The abilities they granted us ... they really do make it so that there's much more to consider than in ordinary circumstances.

[randori]

Who searched the armory again? Maybe they didn't miss it— maybe they just didn't say anything.

[ maybe it was one of you... ]

[fonlines]

— I was one of the ones who searched the armory. [ That comes out with a slight snap of authority, this time. ] As well as [ pause, names, names... ] Souji, 2B, and miss...

[ pause. ]

I hadn't caught her name previous, but I believe her name was miss Cardia Beckford on the tapestries.

[randori]

Oh. It can't be any of those three, so.

[ It's you? ]

[fonlines]

[ ... A long, patient, but very tired Look. ]

Yes, Natsuo, I would willingly incriminate myself by bringing up the subject, putting my partner's well-being at risk amongst others.

[ no it's not ]

[randori]

[ ... ]

Is that an admission of guilt...?

[fonlines]

[ this is the most tired, frozen smile tbh ]

No, I did not kill Gi-gan. I'm sorry to disappoint.

[randori]

...Oh.

[ He does look disappointed. ]

I was hoping you'd admit it. I'm kinda tired of all this.

[resumed]

I think we're all getting kind of tired, actually.

[toughchoices]

You can say that again.

[resumed]

[He's still sticking to Reyna's side but he's also monitoring Kyouka.] How long do we have in here again?

[wearys]

I woke up tired of this.

[resumed]

[A slight grin.] Let me guess, you're going back to bed after this?

[fragileprophet]

[Because this isn't confusing, the other Ion approaches and puts a hand on Natsuo's arm.]

Have faith. I'm sure we'll figure out who the culprit is before much longer.

[randori]

[ SCREAMS BLOODY MURDER WHY ARE THERE TWO OF YOU HE HAS NEVER SEEN BOTH OF THEM SIDE BY SIDE BEFORE ]

[fragileprophet]

[AH OH GOD]

I'm--sorry!

[psychedelica]

Hey. Why are there two of you, anyway? This is confusing.

[alttitude]

I'm starting to wonder if critical thinking might not actually be your strong suit.

[randori]

Hey??

[ no, you should have realized that right off the bat ]

[sanguinairy]

[THIS CASTLE IS WEIRD but he just rolls with this mess.]

Do you think the dancing armor and why Gi-gan's body was left inside of one could be related, then? A gift from the same person, maybe?

[asswipe]

Both events involved suits of armor. It's not that big a stretch, if you ask me.

[sanguinairy]

That's true... If someone can move suits of armor into dancing and capturing people, I guess it would also make actual strength in a fight a bad way to try figuring this out, too.

[But a good way to potentially frame people??]