CHAPTER 3 ; TRIAL

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... CHAPTER 3 - WEEK 329 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 Tiger at the head of the table, a glass-covered rose near her right hand. Tick tock, Narrators. You have nine hours to deliberate. Throughout today's trial, the delightful, delectable scent of freshly brewed coffee will linger in the air though there will be no coffee present. Instead, today's trial snacks include...finger foods. Welcome to your 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 Danielle (entrappings), 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

MIDTRIAL SUMMARY

[sanguinairy]

[OKAY ninja clan here they stand and here comes Souji with the midtrial summary.]

Alright... Of the things we know so far, it's that it's possible the same dagger was used against Hijikata-san, Monika, and Fitzgerald, and it looks similar to those in the armory. It seems more likely that a katana is what took Fitzgerald's fingers. A sharp blade with a fluid swing is also responsible for cutting through the money that was found.

They don't seem to have been restrained, and there are no signs of poisoning. Their wounds bled very little on their discovery. According to Tiger, everyone died where they were found. Monika and Hijikata-san appear to have been stabbed fatally from the front, while Fitzgerald's seems to have been from behind. Both Hijikata-san and Fitzgerald suffered from multiple wounds; Monika just seems to have the one.

Nico also said that he felt a difference between them - that Hijikata-san's death was more drawn out or prolonged, compared to Monika and Fitzgerald. It also seems as though a Blotter kill may happen at any time between Monday morning and Thursday night, and that even if Tiger is aware of the target, she doesn't necessarily know what time it will happen.

Of our victims, Hijikata-san was Maleficent, with the ability to put people to sleep. Fitzgerald was The Little Match Girl, who could start fires at will. Monika was The Frog Prince, who could breathe under water.

We're also still missing Hijikata-san's katana and Monika's hair ribbon. The katana from the armory isn't his - I don't recognize it at all. Supposedly, we have all of the evidence right now, and the killers are still alive. We also have one fingerprinting kit to use.

[He's also lung-rattling a little by the end of this spiel but it's fine.]

[psychedelica]

... How many people here actually know how to wield a katana? I don't think it's that easy - especially with Fitz probably trying to burn you at the same time.

[ he knows souji can, but. ]

[doublecrows]

And cutting money with a sharp blade and a fluid swing would require above average skill with same, wouldn't it?

[psychedelica]

Definitely. [ he folds his arms. ] Souji is a famous samurai, so I'm sure he's capable of that, but he's also been ill.

[doublecrows]

Yasusada-san's tapestry mentions proficiency with "Tennen Rishin Ryu." That also implies mastery with a sword.

Sousei-san has demonstrated mastery with a sword as well.

[sanguinairy]

[Souji also can't even finish a speech without wheezing rip.]

Of those still living, myself and Yasusada-kun can, but I was with him and his partner during the night, so I know that he didn't go anywhere. Sousei-san also can, and I believe Kyouka's tapestry mentioned a sword, but I'm not sure what sort.

[He doesn't think it's any of them anyway.]

[thesettingsun]

Kyouka's mentioned summoning a sword-wielding spirit. That's not the same as using a sword yourself.

[sanguinairy]

Ah, I see. [I, AKI, DIDN'T DOUBLECHECK LIKE A FOOL.] I don't recall anyone else, then.

[psychedelica]

... I wouldn't be that confident. We've seen that people can be moved out of their rooms against their will. And as sick as you are, I wonder if you couldn't just sleep through them leaving, anyway.

[sanguinairy]

[THAT UNINTENTIONALLY STINGS considering he basically slept through Hijikata's death.]

I didn't sleep very well last night, so I should have noticed someone entering or leaving, unless something else was at play.

[toughchoices]

Of those who are still alive, leaving aside Okita...

[Reyna considers it.]

Sousei, Yamatonokami Yasusada... Dazai's tapestry said something about skill with a scythe, did it not? They're different weapons, but if he's already familiar with a curved blade, it might have translated more easily...

[...she's not sure how she feels about those names. They don't seem particularly likely - well, on the other hand...]

Combat ability is listed on many other tapestries, but unless the people in question choose to elaborate, we won't know what that means.

[And then, as an afterthought-]

I've not been trained to use a katana, myself, but weapons are generally easy for me to figure out how to use. A gift from my mother, so to speak. [...] Of course I know I didn't do this, but in the interest of fairness, I ought to bring it up.

[psychedelica]

What? A scythe and a katana aren't anything alike. He's annoying, but that's not enough for me to accuse him.

[ you get to live for now, dazai ]

I doubt Yasusada was the one who attacked Hijikata unless he's a great actor. We can set him aside for that murder.

[fonlines]

[ ................... ]

A more practiced sword-handler, then.

[ like not Natsuo, who Ion worries will smash himself over the head accidentally while swinging Dave's sword around. ]

[toughchoices]

That does seem to be the case, yes.

[fonlines]

Any one of us could have simply picked up a dagger and stabbed someone, but this, it seems, might help to narrow down the suspects somewhat...?

[concasse]

"Fluidly" suggests someone knew what the hell they were doing with that katana.

And if Fitzgerald was stabbed from behind, maybe he was running from someone?

I don't know if he could fight, but the bastard talked shit like he could.

[alttitude]

I doubt that someone so arrogant would have gotten through his life if he didn't know how to hold his own. He seemed like the type who had no apprehension about making enemies.

[fonlines]

I honestly would have to agree with this assessment.

[concasse]

Right.

So whoever got him had to have the edge somehow.

And lemme tell ya, fire is nothing to sneeze at. If he could conjure that up, I'm surprised whoever tried to kill him kept trying.

[thesettingsun]

His tapestry said he had superhuman ability to gain strength by spending money, didn't it?

Maybe that was what the money was sliced through for. ...I doubt it would work any better than the rest of our supernatural abilities that weren't gifts, but he might try.

[function]

. . .

[ she very stoically pulls out one of the chairs from the table and places it near souji because even though she's ready to midtrial murder she doesn't think anyone should be dying of tb ]

[sanguinairy]

[THANKS TOOBS... He'll just. Take a seat and catch his breath discreetly and maybe actually eat a snack so his blood sugar doesn't tank and kill him.]

[function]

[ any time bro ]

You could've saved your breath and left it to someone else.

[okitactless]

[At least Yasusada's hovering behind him now, instead of standing in front of him like a shield... if there's any water or tea, he'll make sure to set a cup down in front of Okita as soon as he's done speaking, but if not he'll just sort of hover awkwardly with his hands up, as if to catch Okita if he seems too unsteady.]

[sanguinairy]

[HE'S FINE HE'S FINE 2b got him a chair so he won't collapse. i also have no idea if there's tea or water but he will definitely have some of that if there is thanks]