Hostile Action Trial

[mockmods]

[As you all finish investigating, an electric chime rings out across the PA system.]

I believe that should be sufficient time for you all to prepare. Assistant, please escort everyone to the trial room.

[Penny emerges from the Security office again, head down, and slowly collects everyone; she leads you all to the east side of the common room, to the short hallway between dorms B1 and A2, that’s dead ended through your entire time here. As your group approaches, the wall seamlessly slides up to reveal a hidden doorway. Passing through leads to another short hallway and a small, round room, just big enough to hold all of you. Penny passes her ID over a small pad near the doorway, and it blinks green before the room lurches slightly beneath you; an elevator going down.]

[A short trip down leads you to a larger chamber, with a series of twenty-two podiums set up in a ring; in the center is a column of computer stations with large monitors, behind a set of thick metal beams with occasional faint flashes of energy arcing between them and a constant, low hum.]

Welcome to your first trial, Participants. You will use this time to determine which among your number killed the Legendary Bassist, and send them to justice. Failure to choose the correct culprit will have dire consequences for you all.

[Trial: commence.]

Comments

[aragona]

I need it to live, obviously. But why would I go through all the risk of obtaining and drinking the blood of a supernatural?

[scratchitti]

... putting the blood in a bottle to save then just... leaving it sounds almost too obvious, honestly.

[Neku isn't saying she's innocent, just that they can't go with JUST this]

[canbebeautiful]

She could have been trying to turn him into a vampire. That's how it happens in the movies, anyway.

[scratchitti]

... well shit.

[doppelanger]

He was special?

[aragona]

His profile states he isn't human. I have never heard of anything like him, but there's always the possibility of negative effects when the blood has magical properties.

[doppelanger]

How negative? I want to understand why beheading was necessary. Maybe, at first, the killer doesn't know that he is really dead. A stake is too obvious and burning would wake us. So, this.

[aragona]

Drinking the blood of another vampire binds us to them. You can safely assume any other supernatural blood deters us.

Though you bring up a good point - perhaps he was beheaded in case that was the single way to ensure his death.

[scratchitti]

Is that how it is with vampires?

[aragona]

Yes.

…

Normally, I'd have to kill you now, but special circumstances lead to special exemptions.

[in4apounding]

Everyone's special! ...Oh, though, I think she means-

[She mimes fox ears with two fingers.]

-he wasn't. You know. Human.

[doppelanger]

I know he was not human, half-beast. But not what it means for his blood.

[in4apounding]

That his blood wasn't human either?

[doppelanger]

I do not know much of vampires. Maybe they covet the blood of strange things.

[mightdoriya]

[Izuku blinks, his brows furrowing.] Does the blood make a difference? And, I mean...I don't think you would have done all of this just for his blood, no. But if you had been intending to get out of here by whatever means necessary, having blood readily available like that would be hard to pass up. [And he was just talking to her about escaping. He knows it's on her mind.]

[aragona]

I'm not in the mood to explain the details of Feeding. [Unless he'd like to learn all about vampires.]

I do want to escape, but I didn't kill him.

[mightdoriya]

Can you tell us what you were doing last night, then? You must have an alibi at least. [He wants to believe it's not true, too, so might as well cover all their bases.]

[aragona]

I was investigating the computer lab. Training. Sleeping.

[deathroadtocanada]

Investigating?

[aragona]

I'm good with computers. I figured it was worth poking around to find anything.

[windowsexplorer]

Why does your handwriting match the note, then?

[aragona]

Fun fact. There's billions of people out there, and not everyone has a totally unique way of writing.

[mightdoriya]

You have to admit though, it's still strange that it's a match. You didn't readily give us the writing to compare it to, either. I am sorry that we are focusing on you so much right now, Sonia-san. But we need to exhaust all of the possibilities here.

[aragona]

And what? You expect me to admit to a crime I didn't commit?

[windowsexplorer]

We don't have billions of people here, though, and as a coincidence this would be pretty contrived.