Trial Room

You already know what this room looks like.

Stranger: Once again, the ride down feels like it's taking forever...the silence is all-consuming.

Tarnish: Until Tarnish speaks up, that is.

"...I'm sorry for snapping at everyone, yesterday. It is unfitting of the regal man that I am."

MX-Z0: "It's alright, Tarnish," MX-Z0 replies. "I do not believe anyone will blame you for your reaction."

Paradi: "Mhm~...you tried your best, did you not?"

MX-Z0: ...Quietly, she walks up to Stranger.

"...I've been thinking about some things, Stranger," She whispers. "...I think that-"

CRASH.

The platform comes to a stop.

"...Nevermind. We'll figure it out in a moment, okay?"

Stranger: "...Okay." Nod nod.

The group heads into the trial room.

The Destroyer: As it floats over to its throne, it realizes something... "Oh! I must've forgotten. Hold on..."

And with a momentary flash of light...

True Destroyer: "There we are! Perfect fit!"

It sits back down on the throne as everyone goes to their stands...with two more than last time now vacant. Even with only two less than the last trial, it feels so much more empty...

Another trial. Another killer...another debate.

Lotus: "S-So..." Lotus begins, stroking his vines softly. "...Where do we begin? We really don't have a lot to go off of..."

Paradi: "Well, the murder weapon is always a good start! Any leads on that?"

Dax: "...I don't think so."

Tarnish: "Alas, damn it..."

NONSTOP DEBATE - START

Arsenic: "Well the murder weapon couldn't have just vanished."

Arsenic: "It had to be somewhere in the building..."

MX-Z0: "Actually, I may have an idea."

Rue: "...There was a knife missing from the kitchen while we were searching together."

Clober: "Ooh, of course you two work together!"

Clober: "Two robots are better than one!"

Rue: "...I'm not a robot."

Paradi: "Oh, yes! Me and Tarnish found a knife during our search."

Paradi: "That has to be the murder weapon, yes?"

Tarnish: "What else could it be? It was the only thing we found!"

Tarnish: "A simple weapon for a simple case!"

Stranger: (...That knife...)

Stranger: (...There was something about its condition that I need to bring up.)

Paradi: "That has to be the murder weapon, yes?"

THE CLEAN KNIFE - BREAK!!

Stranger: "...Actually, Paradi, I don't think the knife you found was the weapon. The evidence bank shows it didn't have a single mark or sign of use on it."

Firestarter: "You can clean blood off of a knife pretty easily, you know!"

Stranger: "That's not what I'm talking about. The knife seems to show no signs of wear, even when it seems to have been used to cut the thick skin of a nyric...that wouldn't have been the case if it was the weapon."

Tarnish: "Well, then what is the murder weapon!? There's nothing we found that could've BEEN the murder weapon!"

MX-Z0: "Perhaps we shouldn't focus on the murder weapon for now."

Dax: "Mmm?"

MX-Z0: "If we can't figure something out, it's better to figure other things out first. Like when the murder took place...which is also a mystery."

Tarnish: "Hoho, how correct you are, Mixzo! Now then, any leads on when it could've happened-"

Firestarter: "TURNING UP THE HEAT!!!"

CRASH

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN - START

Firestarter: "You go on and on about timing, when its obvious that Tarnish and Rue were the killer!"

Stranger: "...Huh!? What's your reasoning for that!?"

Firestarter: "They were the only ones preparing the food!"

SLASH

Firestarter: "Nobody else could've put the head on the tray!"

SLASH

Firestarter: "I know a liar when I see one!"

SLASH

Firestarter: "Those fuckers are in cahoots, I know it!"

SLASH

Stranger: "...Why would the two of them set up an entire murder plan..."

Stranger: "...For the sole payoff of it being to show a head on a plate?"

Firestarter: "Oh, c'mon! They probably had the head thing planned the entire time!"

CHICKEN IN THE BIN - BREAK!!

Stranger: "...Firestarter, there was an entire roast chicken in the trashcan."

Firestarter: "And?"

Stranger: "...Why would they cook an entire chicken, season it and everything, only to throw it away? Do they look like the kind of people to do that?"

Firestarter: "...Well, no, but..."

Arsenic: "Just shut up already. Keep blabbering and I'll start accusing you."

Firestarter: "Don't accuse ME! We were in the blue hallway the whole time!"

Lotus: "I-I did see them in the hallway when I was coming to the party..."

Rue: Sigh. "...We're getting off track. Can we go back to figuring out the time the murder took place?"

Hitori: "Wait, wait! Don't we have some sort of timeframe for that? Who saw Gust last?"

Stranger: (...Right. Who did see Gust last?)

...Select a piece of evidence!

. . .

SEVEN STONES' ACCOUNT

Stranger: "...Seven Stones."

Seven Stones: He's been quiet this entire time. Still not looking to gaze at anyone.

Stranger: "...Seven, tell me. You were the last one to see her, right?"

Seven Stones: "...If you think it's me, then go ahead. Vote for me."

Stranger: "I-I'm not saying that...I just want to know. Because if you were the last one to talk to her, then that means we have a timeframe for the murder..."

Seven Stones: ...Huff.

"I just...I...I don't have any energy for any of this."

Seven Stones: "I fucked up, I-I...I was the last one to see her, and...either way, I'm to blame."

Seven Stones: "...I don't think it matters if I live or die....even if I didn't do it, it's my fault..."

MX-Z0: "...Seven Stones. I do not believe Gust would want you to talk like this."

Seven Stones: "...?"

MX-Z0: "If you truly cared about her life...then perhaps you should help with her case."

She gives a small smile. "I believe that, wherever she is, she is watching you...rooting for you. Don't let her down."

Seven Stones: "..."

He sniffles...but, finally, moves his eyes to meet MX-Z0's gaze. "...Fine. I...I will. I did see her last. She said she was going to...to be out soon. She was just trying to finish up her nap."

Stranger: "...I see. So anyone who came in after Seven Stones could have done it..."

Rue: "Likely so. But it's not impossible it was someone else..."

MX-Z0: "Perhaps we should look over more evidence first to narrow things down."

NONSTOP DEBATE - START

Hitori: "It's weird to me, though..."

Hitori: "...The dorms are so close by, did we really not notice anything?"

Ivan: "Yeah, I got no idea why we wouldn't have heard any commotion!"

Lotus: "M-Maybe she just...didn't say anything..."

Lotus: "Or she got attacked while she was napping..."

Firestarter: "AARGH! EVERYHING IS SO VAGUE!"

Firestarter: "FUCK THE KILLER! I HATE whoever this cryptic asshole is!"

Stranger: (...Hmm...something about that seemed wrong...)

Lotus: "M-Maybe she just...didn't say anything..."

THE LOUD MUSIC - BREAK!!

Stranger: "Hold on. The loud music on the radio, remember?"

Dax: "The loud music? Is that what I kept hearing from the kitty room~?"

Stranger: "Probably...so if Gust did say anything, like a scream for example, it would've been drowned out by the music."

Arsenic: "...And you still heard me and Firestarter wrestling?"

Seven Stones: "You guys were loud as hell, and also not too far from the dining room. I doubt anything besides you could've been heard through that shit..."

Stranger: "...So if we go off of that logic, then she probably did try to come to the party...but why did she not come, then? Did she change her mind?"

MX-Z0: "...Not quite. I believe that someone might've chased her back to where her limbs were found."

Stranger: "...Hm?"

Stranger: "Actually...I can see it. And since she said she was finishing up a nap, nobody would've been confused by her being late."

Stranger: "It also makes sense for her to have gone back to her dorm if she was chased..."

Hitori: "MY DANCE WITH FATE!"

CRASH

REBUTTAL SHOWDOWN - START

Hitori: "Chasing someone into their room!?"

SLASH

Hitori: "What were they hoping to accomplish?"

SLASH

Hitori: "Gust could just lock the door!"

SLASH

Hitori: "The lock is simple enough for even a nyric to use! She's locked it on people before!"

SLASH

Hitori: "It's just too stupid! Too out of left-field!"

SLASH

Hitori: "How would they kill her in her dorm?"

THE VENTILATION SYSTEM - BREAK!!

Stranger: "Wait! The vents!"

Hitori: "The vents?"

Clober: "The what? What about those stupid vents?"

Stranger: "Remember what Dax said, Clober?"

Clober: "...No?"

Dax: They stand there awkwardly. Again.

Stranger: "Anyways, if someone climbs into the vent, they can use it to enter someone's dorm despite the door being locked. It's only one way, but they could easily leave through the door afterwards..."

MX-Z0: "And since Gust didn't know about the vent system, then she wouldn't have known that someone could be hiding in it, waiting to strike."

Tarnish: He's just listening along, and then....an idea pops into his head. A contradiction. He has a singular smart thought in his head.

"Hold on, you two cunning clue-solvers! That's impossible!"

MX-Z0: "Oh?" MX-Z0 turns over. "How so?"

Tarnish: "How could the killer have chased Gust into her room AND been waiting in the vents to attack!? They'd have to have the speed of a demon to go from one place to another in such a short amount of time!"

MX-Z0: "...That's true. Very true."

She turns to Stranger. "I've been thinking about the logistics of it myself...but I think there's an answer. There's one way the killer could have been at two places at the same time. What do you think, Stranger?"

Stranger: (...What?)

(Is she relying on me to answer this for her? Damn, she has a lot of faith in me, I guess...)

The killer could have been in two places at once if...

- They cloned themselves
- They had psychic powers
- There was an accomplice

Stranger: "...There was an accomplice?"

Hitori: "W-huh!?"

Arsenic: "An accomplice!? Why!? How...?"

Seven Stones: "The hell would an accomplice even gain out of this? I don't think they get off scot-free if the murderer wins the trial..."

Stranger: "That's true...but we can't deny the possibility. We'll have to start pinning down suspects to figure it out."

NONSTOP DEBATE - START

Clober: "Sooo...suspects, right?"

Clober: "It could be anyone who showed up after Seven Stones!"

MX-Z0: "Most likely, but there could be other options..."

Firestarter: "Wait!! But that's impossible!!"

Firestarter: "We were in the dining room the whole time this murder apparently took place!"

Firestarter: "This is all wrong! The murder probably took place earlier!"

Arsenic: "God, could you shut up? That's obviously false."

Arsenic: "Maybe I should kiss you so you shut your face instead..."

Firestarter: "EEEHHH!?"

Stranger: (....Those two bozos aside...something they said wasn't right.)

Firestarter: "We were in the dining room the whole time this murder apparently took place!"

FIRESTARTER'S FIGHT - BREAK!!

Stranger: "...Firestarter, you and Arsenic had a fight that lured EVERYONE out of the dining room, remember?"

Firestarter: "...Oh. Right, I did! Thanks Stranger~!"

Stranger: He did not like the tilde-esque tone in that sentence.

"Huff...that means that there was a moment where the food was unguarded. A perfect time for someone to carry the head into the kitchen and replace the chicken."

Rue: "And because of how loud it was, I doubt we would have heard them."

Ivan: "So who showed up during that whole spiel, I wonder? Do we remember??"

Rue: "..."

Rue: "Paradi showed up not long after we all showed up out there..."

Rue: "...But Clober showed up fashionably late."

Lotus: "!! Clober!?"

Clober: All eyes instantly turn to face her. She clutches her tail like a paddle, peeping.

"M-Me!? Why are you all suspecting little-old-meeee!?"

Stranger: "Clober, you were the last person to show up to the party."

Tarnish: "A-hah! So you've been found out, you sly creature! Meddling with the worldburner's plans will always end in defeat eventually!"

Clober: "Gh...ghhh...!"

NONSTOP DEBATE - START

Rue: "There's nobody else who had enough time to set the head up..."

Rue: "...So it had to be you."

Seven Stones: "What the fuck, Clober!?"

Seven Stones: "Sneaking in the vents to kill Gust...why!?"

Dax: "...Hmmm....honestly, I can't say I didn't expect this."

Clober: "Y...You..."

Clober: "You're so mean to me!!!"

Stranger: (...Could Clober really be the killer?)

Stranger: (...Hold on--!)

Seven Stones: "Sneaking in the vents to kill Gust...why!?"

THE VENTILATION SYSTEM - BREAK!!

Stranger: "Hold on a second...it might not actually be her."

Hitori: "Huuuh?"

Rue: "Hm? How is that?"

Stranger: "Clober didn't know about the vents. How could she have used them in a murder plan if she had no idea!?"

Arsenic: "Someone could have told her, easy."

Stranger: "But earlier, she acted surprised to learning about the vents..."

Paradi: "Perhaps, an act...?"

True Destroyer: "Oh, come on! Can you guys SHUT UP about vents already!"

The Destroyer seems bored...it growls from its throne.

"I'm so tired of hearing the word "vent" that I'll just clear it up for you! NO! Clober did NOT know about the vents at any point until now! Can we get on with the juicy stuff already!?"

Clober: "....Hehe...Hehehehehhuu~!"

Clober is giggling to herself...for some reason.

Seven Stones: "The hell are you giggling about!?"

Clober: "Well, you see...I had fun pulling my little prank, even if I had nothing to do with the murder."

Stranger: "...Prank???"

Clober: "Yup yup! I was going to tell you all eventually, but I guess I need to explain myself now..."

Her stand moves closer to the middle.

CONFESSION - START!

Clober: "You see, I didn't really feel like going to the party...I stayed in my room, singing to myself!"

Clober: "But then, I heard Gust let out a big scream...I ignored it, of course, because who likes that cop-server? Probably tripped on her own ass or something."

Clober: "I came out later, however...only to see Paradi walking out of Gust's room, leaving the door nice and open. Once Paradi turned the corner, I peeked in to see a bunch of Gust's limbs stuffed into a poorly closed vent!"

Clober: "I was originally going to run over and tell everyone....buuut Paradi left the door open behind them, and I saw everyone was distracted! ...So I came up with a veeery funny idea!"

Clober: "I grabbed her head from the vent, and went over to the kitchen while everyone was dealing with those two lesbians...I hid it so well, and then went to say hi to everyone else!"

Clober: "And your faces when you all saw it...heheheee~! I love making stupid bootlickers feel just a bit of pain!"

CONFESSION END.

Stranger: "..."

MX-Z0: "..."

Hitori: "..."

Seven Stones: "..."

Firestarter: "...What the FUCK!?"

Arsenic: "So you're saying Paradi was involved in this!? What the hell!?"

Seven Stones: "...I'm not even surprised about this anymore....you motherfuckers...you and Clober!"

He clenches his fist. "God...god damn it..."

Paradi: "...Oh....oh dear....looks like I've been found out."

Tarnish: He's speechless, staring at Paradi with a look of horror. "You're admitting to this, my apprentice!?"

Paradi: "Well, why would I not? I'm not the killer, after all....only a helper."

MX-Z0: "A helper? Why would you assist in a murder...?"

Paradi: "Hm...."

Paradi: "...Actually, how about you figure it out?"

NONSTOP DEBATE - START

Paradi: "Why I would help someone with a murder..."

Paradi: "...I would have a good reason, I assure you."

MX-Z0: "And what reason would that be?"

Paradi: "I'm sure you can figure it out...you're smart, after all~."

Seven Stones: "You fucking bastard! Just say it already!"

Hitori: "You know, it was probably the motive...it's a motive, after all."

Arsenic: "Gggrrrkk....!"

Arsenic: "This is just getting more confusing! Nothing is sticking out of place!!"

Stranger: (...I know this might be a hunch...but could this have something to do with it? It seems so...unfitting.)

Arsenic: "This is just getting more confusing! Nothing is sticking out of place!!"

THE STRANGE CONTRAPTION - BREAK!!

Stranger: "...Could it have to do with the contraption Rue and MX-Z0 found?"

Rue: "...That thing?"

Paradi: "Ding-ding-diiiing..."

Paradi: "How odd is it, to have something like that set up in the kitchen?"

Paradi: "It doesn't fit into the plan at all...because it didn't."

Paradi: "The target the killer had...it wasn't always Gust."

Paradi: They turn to Tarnish.

"In fact...it was you."

Tarnish: He's flabbergasted, almost jumping out of his stand. "WHAT!? Who!? Who could have tried to...!?"

Paradi: "In all fairness, my dear worldburner, you aren't the smartest. They set up a whole contraption to throw a knife into your head while you cooked...but I found them out, and had them change targets."

Seven Stones: "S...So you're the reason why she's...!?"

Paradi: "Mmm...well, I didn't kill her. I was just assigned to body-hiding duty."

Rue: "...Speaking of that, how did you cut the body up...?"

Hitori: "More importantly, where's the abdomen!? That's just...gone!?"

MX-Z0: "...I believe I know how it could've been done."

Paradi: "Do you? Go on, then."

MX-Z0: "...Stranger, you know what I mean, right?"

MX-Z0: "Something only Paradi has...something that could let them make an entire body part vanish."

Stranger: (W-Why is she always relying on me?)

(...Wait, I think I remember...)

The way Paradi could've dismembered the body...

- They used The Wren Card
- They used The Loving Card
- They used The Hark Card

Stranger: "Your card. Paradi, you got The Wren card."

Paradi: "Oooh, what a good memory you and your robo-friend have! You should be a detective duo at this rate..."

Paradi: And then their podium moves forward.

CONFESSION - START!

Paradi: "After the killer did their little game, I was told to hide the body the best I could...but with a body that big? I had no ideas."

Paradi: "So, I did what I had to do and called over the prawn guy. I asked it to make the body vanish...but it said no, and offered to just make one part vanish. So the torso went away."

Paradi: "After that, I realized I was a bit short on time and stuffed the limbs into the vent. It wasn't pretty, but it was better than leaving it out in the open, yes?"

Paradi: "Then I went over to the others...where the killer was already among you."

CONFESSION END.

Paradi: "And that's all I'll say~!"

Firestarter: "Really!? If you know who the killer is, at least tell us!"

Paradi: "Mmm...but that's not too fun to figure out. I'm sure it's obvious at this rate."

Tarnish: "B-But-"

Tarnish is almost shaking...almost. He's scared, but still trying to speak up. "We still haven't figured out some things yet...the murder weapon...?"

Paradi: "Yes, the murder weapon." He replies.

Paradi: "If we can't find the weapon anywhere, and it's not the knife...I wonder what it could be?"

Stranger: (...Paradi?)

Stranger: (...What are you getting at?)

Stranger: (...)

Stranger: (No. It can't be.)

Stranger: (Are they saying that....he did it?)

Stranger: (I don't...want to believe it...but I have no other choice.)

SELECT SOMEONE!

- STRANGER
- MX-Z0
- CLOBER
- IVAN
- RUE
- LOTUS
- TARNISH
- PARADI
- ARSENIC
- SEVEN STONES
- FIRESTARTER
- HITORI
- DAX

YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE!!

Stranger: "...Your talons, Ivan."

Ivan: "!?"

Lotus: "W-What---!?"

Stranger: "...They're the only other thing we have that could slash Gust the way it did."

Stranger: "Please, Ivan...if I'm wrong, let me know. I don't want it to be the truth either..."

Ivan: ...The room is silent.

Not a peep. Not a sound.

Ivan stares at everyone's horrified, remorseful expressions....and just when he's about to speak...

Lotus: "I WON'T LET YOU!!"

FINAL SHOWDOWN - BEGIN!

Lotus: "He didn't do it!! He didn't!!"

!!!

Lotus: "I won't let you accuse him!! You're baseless!!"

!!!

Lotus: "He would never!! After everything he's done...!"

!!!

Lotus: "I don't want you to hurt him!!"

!!!

Lotus: "I won't let you hurt him!!"

!!!

Lotus: "PLEASE! Just STOP!!"

!!!

Lotus: "WHAT COULD HE HAVE DONE!? What could he have done to Gust!?"

S L A S H E D
W I T H
T A L O N S

FINAL BREAK!!!

Ivan: "Lotus....It's...it's enough."

Lotus: "!?...W-What...!? No, there's no way--!"

Ivan: "They caught me. I did it. You don't have to fight for me anymore, Lotus..."

Lotus: "...B-But...but...why...?"

Ivan: "...Lotus. You remember the secret you told me, don't you?"

Lotus: "..A-Ah...I, do, but..."

Ivan: "...I didn't want anyone to see that...I know you didn't either...I got s-so desperate..."

Hitori: "H-Huh? What are you two talking about!?"

Ivan: ...He lets out a small giggle. As the trial comes to an end, he walks over and pats Lotus on the shoulder.

"...I said I would protect you, didn't I? I...I meant it, ya know. Your secret'll die with me..."

Lotus: He stares at Ivan...and it all comes rushing to him. Tears well up in his eyes. He can't handle it anymore.

"Y-You...you didn't--"

He sniffles. And then, his voice breaks.

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT!!"

Ivan: "H-Huh?"

Lotus: "Y-You..."

He stares at the ground, his tail lashing widly. "You didn't...need to sacrifice yourself for me..."

He's sobbing. His tears drip onto the floor, and he continues to speak.

"I-- I just needed you!"

Lotus: Everyone else was speechless as the two spoke. Nobody could find a single word...

"I- I found strength in you-- I found hope in you...I..."

His voice seemed infinitely weak. "...I fell for you..."

Ivan: "...Lotus-!"

Lotus: "So...why!? Why!? You didn't have to do this! WHY!?"

Ivan: "..."

True Destroyer: "...Ahem, sorry to interrupt you..."

True Destroyer: "...But you all remember our rule, do you not?"

Lotus: "H-H-Huh...!?"

True Destroyer: "It's voting time! Go on, vote!"

VOTING TIME!

12 VOTES FOR: IVAN
1 VOTE FOR: LOTUS

🎉 IVAN IS CORRECT 🎉

True Destroyer: "Man, voting for yourself, Lotus? How silly...anyways, I think we should move on to the appetizer, hm?"

Stranger: "The...appe...tiz...er?"

He remembered.

The sin reveal.

Ivan: And the sadness that had gripped Ivan quickly turned into fear and remorse.

Ah...he was going to go out looking like this, wasn't he?

???: And then, the screen came down, turning on.

???: ...Ivan was a mean older brother.

???: Always bullying his little brother. Calling him names...He thought it was all in good fun.

???: (Some images show of Ivan teasing and bullying his younger brother.)

???: It went on for years...all those games, all those pranks...Ivan never thought it would get as bad as it did.

???: (...It suddenly cuts to Ivan standing over his little brother's grave.)

???: Suicide.

Everyone blamed him for his brother's death.

???: And Ivan never admitted it. He refused to face the fact that he lead to his brother's suicide...and it only got worse.

???: The death lead to his family's divorce. His father left...and his mother turned to drinking to cope.

???: His mother later died in a car accident...as she was driving drunk. The accident hit a family of four, killing all of them as well.

???: His sin was like a virus. He spread misery and guilt to everyone around him...and refused to admit it. All of the grieving, the chain that spread...and before he knew it, he was surrounded by only pain.

???: And instead of facing it, and living up to this sin...he hid behind jokes and a mask of smiles.

???: (It shuts off.)

Ivan: ...He laughs. Not a big laugh...but a soft, nervous one.

Lotus: "...I-Ivan...Ivan, I..."

True Destroyer: "Siiigh, I'm getting bored. I would let you talk and hug or whatever, but this has gone on long enough!"

Lotus: "W-Wait...wait!"

Ivan: "Lotus...it'll be okay. Trust me."

Lotus: "No, it's not! It's really not!"

True Destroyer: "Okay-okay! Let's go! Here comes the PUNISHMENT!"

Lotus: "NO!"

He cries, his voice cracking once again.

"I WON'T LET YOU KILL HIM!"

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