MOCK TRIAL

[hijackers]

"Alright, mooks, everybody make youse way down to the trial room, pronto!"

[There's certainly no trial room on the map. No trial soundstage, no trial room, where oh where could they be talking about. You might spend a long time looking for it, or only be thinking about it for a single second before it comes over you.

Whenever you close your ears, or even blink, you find yourself there.

The room is a cartoony laboratory, filled to the brims with scientific equipment and beakers beyond wondrous, almost impossible to imagine being utilized in any sort of actual scientific context. A large monitor is mounted on the ceiling, playing a single clip on repeat along with the words "IMAGINEER THINK TANK". There is a large stage underneath that television, which your two hosts take their places at quite readily.

A circle of metal podiums is set up on the ground floor, 26 in total. Each is marked with a name and a photograph of the individual who's supposed to take their place there, as well as a keyboard for inputting...something. The 26th podium is marked with a grayscale photograph of Gwenpool.

Your fellow participants appear in the room one-by-one, seeming to "digitize" out of nowhere. Once everyone has appeared in the room and taken their place, the air around them seems to go deathly still.

Mugsi holds a cigar between her lips, lighting it from a stick of dynamite lit by Kate. With Mugsi taking a deep inhale, Kate speaks, the dynamite somehow fizzling out.]

Each of you has a place you oughta be sitting, and your job is to solve the mystery that's been put before ya. Once you think you know who did it, input their name on the keyboard in front of you. Majority rules, participation is mandatory, and if ya vote wrong you're not gonna see the light of day ever again!

So, get on with it!

Comments

[billbillbill]

I would say that is sufficient.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki gives him a bow. ]

[worldsaway]

If we hand over the damn, stupid duck, can we just go home?

[billbillbill]

Do you believe he is the culprit?

[worldsaway]

I believe the evidence is damning, but I'm not sure I believe I'll really leave when you turn him into dinner.

[dothelokimotion]

Thor.

[worldsaway]

What?

[dothelokimotion]

You have no real proof and you know it.

[worldsaway]

More leads to him than anyone else.

[Wait.] Are you fond of him?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Someone save him. ]

Don't be ridiculous, Thor. A piece of red fabric is not proof and frankly, if you start accusing others, public opinion will be turned on you.

[worldsaway]

The feathers and the kitchen are clues. Everyone agrees. [His frustration is mounting, but he simmers down.]

You're the one that wanted to stab an alligator to get home. What happened?

[bayoublues]

...But, but, why would he want to kill Gwen? And he's got a cane! It's not like he can chase her quickly!

[dothelokimotion]

A cane can be used to trip her, but I cannot say more than that. Were there any bruising on her knees?

[bayoublues]

I don't think so. Just the weird cuts around her ankles.

[dothelokimotion]

Weird? How so? What shape were they in? Did they form a pattern?

[bayoublues]

Um, no, no, nothin' like that. Some people were sayin' that it'd be awkward to sort of stab someone near their ankles unless the victim or the murderer was crawling on the ground.

[dothelokimotion]

. . . Or if the murderer was short.

[greekrevival]

Do you remember our motive? A lot of people were given pictures of their loved ones.

[bayoublues]

Ah, you're right! But, he said that he was sure what he had was safe.

...Unless...he lied?

[madmadam]

Oooh, golden boy wants to spill some blood!

[worldsaway]

I want justice to be served.

[madmadam]

It sounds more like you want to get this over with and damn the truth.

[worldsaway]

It sounds like you want to meddle.

It's not real anyway, is it? Now there's no stakes.

[madmadam]

I do enjoy a good meddling, I admit!

If there's no stakes then why not volunteer yourself?

[worldsaway]

Maybe I will. [Whispers softly: don't.]