Second Trial

[rech]

[Once everyone makes it the portrait gallery again, they will hear Randall's voice echo through the room.]

I'm not sure what everyone expected. There are a lot of children here and given the situation it was only a matter of time they started dying.

[Charming.

The floor descends once again as Randall begins his speech.]

Our tour begins here in this gallery where you gaze upon the sweet innocence of youth. Ah, but things are not always as they seem. Can it be this room is actually stretching? And notice this: this chamber has no windows and no doors, which offers you this chilling challenge… to find a way out.

Of course, there’s always my way.

[The floor stops again and doors open to the trial room.

At least the trial room doesn't look terribly different, although there are strange burn marks in the summoning circle now. And now, along with Mim, now Woody and Noby's podium has a lit candle and a voodoo doll resembling them (which is perhaps a little redundant in Woody's case).

Randall is already standing within the summoning circle, holding his stick with Facilier's head on it.]

Now then, I hope everyone has fun today.

[Trial Start]

Comments

[hasit]

You have a distorted idea of 'fun'.

[Leia stands at her podium, heavy-hearted, and looks around the circle as everyone shuffles in.]

One of the people in this room murdered a child. If you have any decency whatsoever, you'll give yourself up now and make this less painful for the rest of us.

[sharpasanarrow]

[It's only been the second time he's had to do it, but already it's starting to feel like a chore.

Arrow drags himself to his podium, and stares at Randall.]

I don't do fun.

[rech]

That's a shame.

[Randall doesn't seem to care at all if you're Mr. No-Fun.]

[bestchefinparis]

Whoever killed that kid won't just step forward.

[They shouldn't have killed that kid in the first place and surely they know it]

[faciliheir]

Why would anyone give themselves up? They've already gone and killed a kid to get out of here; what do they care about anybody's feelings?

[sharpasanarrow]

He had a name, sir.

[Disrespectful.]

[rech]

A valid assessment.

[hasit]

I know, Remy. But I'm not going to miss a chance to make them feel as low as possible until we figure out who it is.

[faciliheir]

Don't talk to me, Randy!

[bestchefinparis]

...I agree...

[Rémy looks down]

I don't know why someone would even want to kill Noby. He didn't deserve any of this.

[The game and everything, he means]

[tanukey]

[Randy. Buddy. Guy. Pal. Friendo. Amigo. Chum. Companion. Acquaintance.]

[Please don't make him actually agree with Arrow on something, because you're one of the only people he likes less but taking Arrow's side in any way isn't something Rocket is sure he can handle.]

[hasit]

He didn't. None of us do. Noby was a good kid. We're going to do our best to make sure his killer is found.

[tanukey]

Anyone know what this is?

[He holds up the broken sky tile.]

It was under the kid's body.

[not_over_yet]

[ Those burn marks are worrying. Not really the time for that though.

Basil scrambles up his podium, same as last week. ]

...Did anyone happen to find some sort of. animate rock, anywhere? I found the eye-creature in the casino, but the boy had two pets... and the eye-creature at least was very distressed. I can't help but think the rock's in no better state.

[ He feels these aren't exactly the best priorities, but the eye-thing was so sad. ]

[pinkflip]

Of course he didn't. He- he was just a kid.

[ Kim's having a hard time keeping her emotions in check this week, that's for sure. ]

Whoever did this is disgusting.

[pinkflip]

[ Oh... Kim nods, taking a moment to compose herself enough to speak up. ]

Y-yeah, he got that...weird camouflage screen thing from the slot machine. He- I thought he put it up in his room.

[kickbuttseatnuts]

He tripped on it last week. I- he- he told me he'd be more careful with it.

[hasit]

I pulled one of those out, too.

[She'd noticed Rocket looking at it, but she'd been so distracted by the bruises...]

[madeofpine]

[Pinocchio's been sitting behind his podium, knees drawn up to his chest, since the trial started. He just doesn't want to look at the voodoo doll. But he tries to still project loud enough to be heard, anyways, even if he doesn't feel much like talking.]

Their names are Rocky and Spinny.

[Maybe it doesn't matter much in the course of the trial, but he feels like it would've mattered to Noby.]

[hasit]

I did. It was beside Noby's head, trying to...comfort him, I think. It seemed upset.

[As upset as a rock can be, anyway.]

[kickbuttseatnuts]

[Doreen is clawing at her podium, scratching the wood slightly erratically. Desperately trying to keep her features controlled.]

...If you do confess now, whoever you are, I'll just break your arm.

[not_over_yet]

Ah.

...Simpler to use their names rather than attempting to describe them every time either's mentioned.

[psychopinesis]

From what Noby told me, Rocky's...uh, enchanted...to act like a dog, so it might've been trying to get him to get back up...

[tanukey]

...There was a footprint on the stairs, looks like it could've come from the kid. Any chance we're lookin' at one hell of an accident here?

[bestchefinparis]

[Rémy's ears stand up]

Wait, if Rocky is enchanted and was with Noby, maybe it knows who did this, right?