SECOND TRIAL

[keyofimagination]

[When the investigation is done, the door to the boiler room once again opens, with the elevator doors readily awaiting the remaining guests. Like last time, once everyone is buckled in, the elevator moves backwards and then up, with The Narrator’s voice echoing in.]

Dipper and Merlin, despite their age difference, had a lot in common. They both are fascinated in science, the unusual, and an escape out. Last night, they decided to stay up late, only to both find out that they are forever in an eternal slumber. And they’ll soon learn that they’ll be stuck in a never ending nightmare called… The Twilight Zone.

[Once again the elevator stops abruptly.]

You are about to discover what lies beyond the fifth dimension. Beyond the deepest, darkest corner of the imagination… in the Tower of Terror.

[Did you expect the elevator not to drop again? Because too bad, the elevator drops again. After a few more drops, it once again stops at the top floor, The Tip Top Club.

The soft music fills the room and the Tip Top Club looks almost the same as it was last week. Except now Preston, Finnick, Merlin, and Dipper’s pictures on the wall are also in grayscale. The Narrator is still sitting on the stage, but he is now sitting in the chair like a normal human being. In his hands there is the all-too-familiar Talky Tina, that The Narrator is thoughtfully looking over. When the guests enter the club, he finally looks up.]

Welcome again to the trial room, everyone. I hope you remember all the rules from last week, but if you need a refresher I may explain the rules again.

Comments

[keyofimagination]

Yes, you could take as much time as you needed to solve the murder.

However, only one of those bodies are the result of a murder. And you have solved that one.

[forgottenfounder]

...Only one? Then, what about the other one? Was that...

[Oh. He's eyeing that doll.]

[keyofimagination]

Talky Tina was not involved.

[theduck]

So what, Dipper just... just fell in?

[keyofimagination]

...Sometimes, the explanation is more simple than you'd expect.

[theduck]

But that's so...

[Normal? Sad?]

[keyofimagination]

Even the mundane can be horrifying, sometimes.

[goofy_er]

.....What?

[..... Oh god.
Oh god oh god oh god.
This means he killed an innocent person.
Oh god.

Well Goofy is going to have a fun time having a whole fucking breakdown right now at his table right now.]

[forgottenfounder]

[Oh. oh no.

And Oswald is quickly there by Goody's side.]

Goofy? H-hey! You didn't... really...?

[goofy_er]

I.... killed Merlin-- But I thought--- I--

[He's like literally curled up in a ball right now.

He's also sobbing.]

[theduck]

You... didn’t know.

[He’s not going to say it’s okay, because it’s not. But it is unfair. For everyone.

He’s still standing up from when Marnie tried to come over, so he moves to Goofy’s other side and rests a hand on his back.]

[forgottenfounder]

Goofy...

[This isn't right. A kid is dead, a man who had nothing to do with it is dead, and soon, someone Oswald looked at in admiration is going to...

Well, it's just too terrible to think about. So he opts for just resting a hand on Goofy's shoulder. He wants to be comforting, but how can he?]

[nocasetoobig]

[...]

This isn't right.

[forgottenfounder]

He just... drowned?

[That's so... It's anticlimactic, to say the least. And also...]

Could he have slipped? why else would someone even get close to that water?

[keyofimagination]

Dipper was an investigative sort.

If you are expecting some dramatic reveal regarding his death, or me to make light of it in any sort of way, I can assure you that will not happen.

[fairlypushy]

Why did he set his hat down? [She's stuck on the fact that it was just. There? On the diving board.] If he was going for a swim, why would he leave the pool cover on?

[greatwidesomewhere]

Why should we take your word for it? For all we know, it's just a trick to get us all to vote wrong.

[keyofimagination]

I wouldn't deliberately mislead you when it comes to life or death. That is a path that your group must forge on it's own.