fifth trial

[thecastle]

FIFTH TRIAL

Saturday, Week 5

UNCOVER THE GUILTY PARTY


Yesterday's events were quite shocking. None of you expected to find two victims, much less two who were so young and full of life. But, as always, there's a silver lining here. Their lives bought you release from the motive, and isn't that worth something? After all, it would be a lie to say that this thought hasn't passed through anyone's mind. But would it be right to thank whoever was involved for what they did? For some of you, the idea isn't all that outlandish.

Any further deliberations regarding whether or not the act was truly just will need to wait until later. For now, you have a trial to attend.

Once thirteen of you gather in the Great Hall, the large doors slam right open and prompt everyone to ascend the stairs into the trial room.

As those present takes their seats, it becomes apparent just how many lives have been lost over the course of this game. Half of the seats are now empty, which is staggering given how many of you there were when the challenge began. Beyond the room and the current occupants are the profiles lining the walls. They're hard to miss at this point, for obvious reasons.

The Sage's steady voice slips in through the pendants as soon as everyone's settled.

"It is time, my warriors, to meet the challenge head on. You have all managed to come this far and so I expect you to perform as admirably as you have in the past. How may vary, but every individual here is important and brings their own unique touch to these trials. ... Normally, that is. To my dismay, a number of you will be temporarily incapable of taking part in this challenge.

Let us hope this is a trend that does not continue into future weeks. That said... May all who remain be blessed with only the best of fortune. You will need it."

As soon as the Sage finishes speaking, five images flicker into sight as if brought to life by a projector. Seeing how there's no such device present, it may not be a stretch to consider magic is at work here.

15 REMAIN

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locations | profiles | votes

Comments

Bodies

[gyakusatsu]

Tiki, Mahro-kun and I were the ones who found their bodies. They were hidden under the bridge though one of their shoulders was visible from above. When we first arrived at the scene, they were found on their backs, lying side by side and clasping hands. Both of them had their faces submerged in the river, but their shoes were dry as their legs were in a shallower part of the water. It appears that they'd been this way for some time as they were in rigor mortis. [A beat and a slightly saddened look.] Their clasped hands were.. difficult to break apart.

[A sigh.]

I inspected Jin-kun's body. As far as I could see, there was one bruise on his right temple that was a little smaller than the average fist size. There was no sign of bleeding from whatever caused that bruise and there were no other evidence that Jin-kun had sustained any other injury. His lips and fingernails were blueish in color and he was wearing only one contact lens. There was dirt trapped under his finger nails that appears to match the dirt from around the river.

As for his clothes, however.... [She sets the white hoodie he used to wear around on the evidence table.] As you can see, it has two large blood stains, one on the hood and one on the chest area of the same side. There's a clean edge between them where the chest meets the shoulder here. But notably, there was no blood on any other articles of clothing that he was wearing.

Re: Bodies

[browbeater]

There was just a bruise, no injury?

[gyakusatsu]

That's correct. Aside from that one bruise, there wasn't a single wound on Jin-kun's body. i checked pretty thoroughly.

[browbeater]

So you think he drowned?

[gyakusatsu]

That seems probable, yes.

But considering it's Jin-kun, I wonder if it was intentional on his part when he realized Toranosuke-kun had been killed.

[browbeater]

There's a bruise so... probably not intentional on Jin's part. He had to have been involved in some way.

[gyakusatsu]

Involved, yes.....

[A beat.]

I take it yo don't think it's possible that the culprit intially only wanted to go after Toranosuke-kun, and tried to knock Jin-kun out before they could be seen? I'd be relieved if that wasn't the case, but...I suppose what Jin-kun said about being willing to die for Toranosuke-kun just left a pretty strong impression.

[browbeater]

Depends on where this started, honestly.

I think it's more likely that Jin tried to break up whatever was happening, then got knocked out. And possibly became a loose end.

[fedorascout]

So they were both drowned, maybe at the same time...that's cruel.

[Kizakura crosses his arms]

How would a killer hold both of their heads under the water? That can't have been easy.

[devilsphysician]

Perhaps they were drugged?

[browbeater]

... Wouldn't that implicate you again? You're the doctor with knowledge of this stuff.

[seriously georik]

[devilsphysician]

[He sighs]

Just throwing out a possibility, and with some drugs it would not be difficult to get the results even if you don't know the proper dosage.

[browbeater]

Yeah, but I tried going to the labs, and I couldn't even begin to understand the manuals.

They were written in a different language, almost.

[devilsphysician]

[He frowns slightly, leaning back, well no good counter for that, he'll let it drop unless they somehow know for sure improper use of medicine is involved]

[browbeater]

They were likely dragged from the greenhouse. I don't think they were both drowned.

[fedorascout]

From the greenhouse?

[Kizakura raises his eyebrows]

Couldn't they have been alive after being dragged? How did they die in the greenhouse, then?

[browbeater]

I looks like Miyamura's throat could have been slit.

[based on the now-present evidence from Mahiro.]

But if Tiki is right, something was dragged. Based on the case from week 3, it's likely it was them.

[irrationalities]

There was a bruise on Kurosaki's head, so couldn't they have just knocked him out first before drowning him in the river?