subdivided | week one: trial

Week One: Trial
27 in Competition

It may be difficult to sleep with the light shining so brightly throughout the night, but the participants can rest easy knowing they will not be plagued by unwanted, disturbing dreams. Early the next day, a bell chimes and all will feel compelled to enter the main meeting hall.

The hall looks mostly the same as it always has, the two thrones for Lune and Sol at the head of the room and scrolls hanging from the walls. The metal box sits on a table near the front, along with a glass box perfectly centered before the benches in the room. Now that the trial is in session, Tokidoki, Nana, and Junna's coffins are open, and their bodies will be available for examination.

Lune and Sol are seated in their thrones, patiently waiting for the last participant to settle. Sol remains quiet, looking over to Lune to allow them to speak first.

"Even if it is a rather daunting task ahead of you, I hope that each of you will not lose hope. One step at a time, one step at a time. It is not hopeless."

When they finish, Sol sits up a little taller in their seat to address everyone.

"I'm only going to say this once. I know it's not an ideal situation, but...the votes count, and the universe only gives one warning. Can we try not to repeat last week?" There's a pause. "You have nine hours. Let's start."

✩★✩

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the second trial!

We'll go over a few notes briefly as we will be playing this trial a bit differently than other games.

As noted, there was no investigation period on Friday. However, today participants will have the chance to investigate areas in the game setting as they see fit! This can be done by providing the name of the location you want to visit to the host header comment. To help with the ease of the trial and for IC mechanics, only one location may be visited at a time. In addition, these locations can be manipulated and adjusted upon request to test theories and solve puzzles, so please feel free to ask if you're searching for clues! Your host will also be accompanying you on these visits.

Most importantly, before the trial is over, please place your character's vote over on the voting page. Voting will close at 9pm EST/6pm PST, and will serve as our activity check for the week, so please be sure you get your vote in before it ends unless you have contacted us previously.

If you have any questions at any time, please let do us know by pinging us on Discord! Dana and Ty will be in the chat and available for all questions. Thank you, and have fun!

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[SHE HAS TO PROTEST.]

Nana thought the world of Junna - even if she was corrupted, she has no reason to target her. They were friends and students together.

We need to investigate more before considering that.

That may be exactly why.

Nana wanted to protect others. Perhaps, if her mind was corrupted, she thought killing Junna would be an act of mercy.

[ Cinnabar nods. ]

... We don't know how the corruption works, anyway. Normally... I don't think she would ever hurt anyone at all.

Yes. She was unwilling to strike another person even during training.

... If you are correct, and that alcohol contained poison that was meant to kill, then that too would remain consistent.

[A DEEPER FROWN.]

... she wasn't stupid, and she wasn't the type to give up either. Even with her mind warped...

[lili doesn't think that's the type of person that nana was]

She's not a coward, and I don't think she would've acted those fears out on Junna.

But we can look further before we decide anything. Even if it was Nana... I think Junna would've fought back.

Of course, I am not saying we must accept this theory, especially before we even have confirmation of who was corrupted, and I myself would prefer it wasn't Nana. I liked her as well.

But we need to start looking somewhere. And I also believe Junna did resist, hence the other bruises.

It's not a matter of liking her [this is how lili gets around saying that she liked her] it's just....

[she shakes her head]

Was Nana cut? Junna's weapon of choice was a knife.

You will have to ask North.

Then we'll see...

Junna didn't like losing - I'm sure that she would've retaliated.

... That's wishful thinking. The corruption makes people do terrible things they normally never would. That's almost the only thing we do know about it.

[ it's not like they believe their partner would do something like that, either, but... well, that wasn't exactly their partner anymore, was it? Like Phos... ]

[there's a shake of her head at that]

Maybe not but... it was said that the victims aren't chosen randomly, right? I still don't think that 'mercy kill' is how Nana would've moved forward.

And if it's alcohol, Junna wouldn't have even taken it.

That's what you think. You've only known her for a week and a half. [ it seems like barely the blink of an eye from Cinnabar's perspective. ] ...Why not?

[ they don't know what alcohol is... ]

She was arguing with Tsurumaru the previous week over his [incredibly stupid] champagne tower. She was so straight-laced it was almost annoying.

But fine - Nana was your partner, wasn't she? What did you know of her?

We still don't know enough about how the Corruption works, but if it can control a mind completely, how much Nana cared for Junna might not have mattered.

[ Which is the truly scary part of all this, really. ]

There's... always the possibility she was snuck up on. She might not have been able to fight back.

They said that it's not as if the victims are chosen randomly and if there was any modicum of control, I don't think that Nana would've targeted Junna.

[THOSE ARE HER FACTS]

You think someone snuck up on her and forced her to ingest a snack?

Kaoru and I looked at the powers earlier - there are some that let you become invisible, or move through objects. If Shess is right, and she was poisoned, then it could have been administered that way, by someone sneaking up on her.

[ she. hm. she hates this. ]

Edited 2019-06-15 18:00 (UTC)

... I'll accept that, but do we know that Nana belong to that element?

Nana was fire, I believe.

If that's the case, then she wouldn't have been able to do something like that.

[ She's thinking... ]

But there are abilities in the fire category that might have been used. Until we know for sure this is all still guesswork, huh?

Yes. I also cannot confirm that she actually was fire-aligned, since she didn't specify and I didn't see her. Just that she got into a mishap while practicing in the fire area.

Someone else might know for sure.

(no subject)

televised - 2019-06-15 18:11 (UTC) - Expand

nonbelligerent - 2019-06-15 18:12 (UTC) - Expand

Mary liked Tsurumaru, too.

[ Y'ALL REALLY GONNA MAKE HIM PARADE AROUND HIS DEAD PARTNER, ]

We don't know that Shess is right, but we can't eliminate any theories offhand right now, either.

Edited 2019-06-15 17:49 (UTC)

[SHE'S ABOUT TO PROTEST - but it's... Axel....

and she didn't know Mary as well. Lili holds onto a lingering theory that a girl who wanted to play would've just chosen the most surprising and playful member of their party to be her partner.

but that's.

not something she can say to.... axel in particular....]

.... I'm not saying Shess is wrong - but I find it hard to believe after seeing them both.

That's all.

Yeah, I getcha. Like I said, I'm not convinced it's as straightforward as that, either.

[ because nana's body is a crushed banana ]

I'll reserve judgment until we have a clearer picture.

[that's her compromise, but it's not like lili has the ability to

shut up]