arsarcana | fifth trial

[With the last piece of evidence collected, Heisenberg's voice abruptly comes from everywhere and nowhere once again.]

Ready when you are. Come on up, Apprentices. You know the drill by now.

[Time to get in your weekly cardio climbing all these goddamn stairs again. Per usual, the ascension takes several minutes, with one final door remaining locked than that first time. The shimmer of purple shield magic remains, blocking the apprentices from accessing it but they'll know soon enough if they make it through this trial.

Finally they reach the courtroom door. It's a bit singed and a little splattered with dried blood. You'd think the tower would have eagerly drunk it up...but perhaps someone left it as a message. The door swings open to reveal a small set of steps, leading up to an imposing round chamber with a tapered roof. Twenty podiums stand in a circle in the center, lit brightly from below. Each podium is made of dark metal with a colored crystal matching the individual dorms enclosed on a thick glass dome on top of it. As always, greyed out portraits of the deceased have been added- Olive and Bruno. The courtroom looks completely unharmed from Hubert's attempt on Wednesday.

Heisenberg once again is up on his scaffold. He pulls a gas mask off of his head and runs a hand through his hair, before settling his hat back in its usual place.]

Hope you've brought your best. And all the evidence. You know how this goes by now. Either one person leaves here, or ten of you get the reward of going back down to the Institute.

Better get started.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...I don't recall Katsuya, Prince Loki, or Patchouli joining us. Does anyone remember differently?

Edited (i can do titles consistently) 2022-04-30 21:06 (UTC)

Indeed, I wasn't there.

[A nod! He's not implying anything.]

What were you doing at the time?

I was outside, at the docks. I did receive word of what was going to happen, but...

[But he had things to do, yeah. He thought a time most people, if not everyone, would be somewhere else would be the best time for that]

I'm not sure at what time I returned back inside, but it was dark outside by the time I did.

Edited 2022-04-30 21:16 (UTC)

'But' what, specifically?

...I had other things to do. Practicing, for the most part. With my Persona.

[He shrugs]

I won't specify further than that.

[well, he did tell you to practice...]

Due to who may be listening, or for another reason?

Indeed, it's because of that.

[Katsuya nods]

Like what you told and had shown me?

Edited 2022-04-30 21:27 (UTC)

Indeed, although I also have moved on from that, to larger objects.

[Katsuya shakes his head]

I won't specify further than that. I have reasons.

Katsuya-san, it's important! What's wrong?

It's unrelated to this case in any way possible, therefore I'm at liberty to not say a thing if I don't want to.

Is any reason good enough to hide when we're investigating a murder? You must know we'll have to discuss it sooner or later.

Yes.

[He sure sounds certain about it, at least]

We'll discuss it some other time -- not here in the middle of a trial, and much less with eyes on us.

[He glances briefly up at the scaffold where Heisenberg sometimes appears]

(no subject)

draconite - 2022-04-30 22:00 (UTC) - Expand

encelevenemus - 2022-04-30 22:02 (UTC) - Expand

I would suggest you specify as much as is safe to do so, because this is no time to conceal one's own actions from each other.

Better safe than sorry. I can't specify nothing more -- especially since it holds no relation to this murder.

[Katsuya sure is pretty cautious about this, apparently]