fifth trial

[arsholes]

[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.

Comments

[encelevenemus]

I would estimate the killer to have then continued to use the cloak as Bruno. To what end...that, I am not sure.

[rikonstructed]

Considering the use of the chemical... to disguise the time of death, I assume. Though that brings us no closer to 'why'.

[encelevenemus]

That is what I can not understand. There must be some reason for it, but what? To conceal one's own whereabouts and lack of alibi at the true time of death? Because whoever they were disguised as was known to be elsewhere at the time? Or something else entirely?

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

I don't get it either. If the killer were pretending to be Bruno-san and hiding him, I don't know why they would, since they'd have to go through a trial if they wanted to try to get out... or save their special person, either.

But if that theory from before, that someone tried to poison Bruno-san and someone else killed him with the knife to spare him, if that's true, then the second person would know they'd be the one to be punished. And they'd at least want the truth to be out somehow, even if it wouldn't benefit them! So if they hid Bruno-san and pretended to be him, then it might catch the real killer off guard, right? And at least they could expose that person before they had to be executed!

[encelevenemus]

...

[RECORD SCRATCH]

Or...they sought to prevent a trial.

[draconite]

– and derail this horrid ritual altogether!

[encelevenemus]

Essentially, yes. or at least, derail it for whoever held the blade and sought to avoid execution.

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

And if they pretended Bruno-san were still here long enough, then nobody would catch on except the one who did it?

[encelevenemus]

They would have to be playing two roles--Bruno and themselves--for however long we remained here. Such could not have been simple, and no doubt would not have been possible forever.

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

Maybe they didn't think they had a choice...

[replacementshield]

...And what, try to claim the motive that way?

[ Is that even possible ]

[encelevenemus]

No--it is as Hubert says. If this death was accident or mercy, then the culprit sought to conceal it as long as possible so that they would not be caught out and this whole trial would never occur.

[replacementshield]

...That makes sense.

[pegasinister]

The question then, now that their charade is exposed... why keep it up? Unless they fear their death more than ours. Which, I suppose, is fair.

[encelevenemus]

That would be my immediate assumption. Better to remain committed and have a chance at escape rather than condemn oneself.

If they should be some manner of coward, that is.

[replacementshield]

Hmph. I wouldn't be surprised if they were truly a selfish coward, no matter their original intentions.

It's clear they're now in it for themselves, without a care for what happens to everyone else as a result.

[spitessier]

........

[Katsuya considers it]

That sounds more like something Bruno would take part in.

[Because it could lead to nobody other than him dying in an execution, or undergoing a trial and getting it wrong. Seems to Katsuya that Bruno would go for anything with the least potential for casualties]

[encelevenemus]

It does, indeed. But that does not change the situation as it is now. What was meant to be prevented was not, and there is but one course of action left. Someone was masquerading as Bruno, and I intend to find out who that individual was.

[reresurrected]

... if that's true, it would eliminate everyone who was present at the seance yesterday.

[encelevenemus]

Exactly so. Which, unless the situation changes, leaves us currently with Katsuya, Loki, and Patchouli as Brynhilde clarified.

[reresurrected]

[Hmmm don't like this!]