WEEK 5 - TRIAL

[petoskeymods]

TRIAL

It takes a full day after finding the body, but on Saturday, the counselors call you all to the campfire, the bonfire already roaring away as everyone finds their seats. Stan and Red are seated there, with Stan holding a box saying 'VOTES' written on it.

It looks like you're here to find the killer.

And just like before, you know you'll be forced to vote before the night's over...

And condemn someone to a grisly fate.

VICTIM: Usagi Tsukino
CAMPERS REMAINING: 15

((Remember that Everyone must vote and that Votes are due by 6pm EST!))

Comments

[diesifkilled]

Since there were marks on her neck, wouldn't it make sense to assume she was strangled?

[trashmouthtozier]

I guess, but the killer was really small. Don't you have to be pretty strong to strangle someone?

[itsagazebo]

[Eddie bites his lip as he thinks]

What if... what if they only had to keep their hands on her so she wouldn't get away? What if... what about that stuff that Drew shot at Mitsuru that time? That could've smothered her, wouldn't it?

[soylentprotag]

They're usually in the shape of nets, aren't they?

[He's frowning, but thoughtful.]

If that had been used to smother her, it would leave marks.

[killtheanimals]

It didn't leave any marks before. If you'll recall, he also sewed my mouth shut.

[And there aren't any holes left behind, obviously.]

[soylentprotag]

[He's frowning a little deeper at the wording of that, since he obviously didn't have any time to take a close look at the sympathy stitches before they were taken out. Hm. That's vivid.]

All right. Thanks for letting us know.

[It probably isn't a great thing to talk about, huh.]

[itsagazebo]

I was just gonna say... he did that to the freezer, too. Couldn't he have done that to her nose and mouth, and just held her there til she died?

[He looks ill]

[homeecspacecop]

Drew doesn't want to kill anyone. [Chuuta says, quietly.

He can't do this. He can't defend himself without any more proof than "I didn't do it" when there's so much evidence against him.]

[trashmouthtozier]

He doesn't, but ... you said you saw me with a knife, once. What if Drew thought you were in danger and it was just something you were thinking you saw? Would he kill to protect you?

[at least he's not saying it in anger. he just ... is thinking aloud]

[homeecspacecop]

[Drew is programmed for defense. If something attacked you and could kill you even with our Sympathy, that means they would be a better host.]

Oh.

[That hurts. It hurts more because of how flat Drew sounds, how objective.]

No. He couldn't. If... if something was strong enough to kill us... it would be a better host for him.

[Drew wants to stay with Chuuta.]

I know.

[itsagazebo]

But... if you killed it first you guys would get to stay together, right?

[He sounds more sad than accusatory. This is a lot more depressing than he thought it would be...]

[soylentprotag]

... Chuuta.

[The way Chuuta sounds, it seems pretty obvious what Drew's assessment is doing, and Lenka tamps down on the bristling at things he can't quite see. None of them quite understand Drew. That happens with aliens, apparently.]

You said Drew has always been with you. But you haven't always been the one with Drew, have you?

[le_mat]

Exactly. Chuuta isn't stupid- if he could strangle from a distance why would he get hands on?

[linearcrash]

She has a small neck. You wouldn't really need a lot of strength to... you know.

[le_mat]

Yeah. Anyone with a little arm strength could manage it, especially if they had leverage.

... or she didn't fight back.

[trashmouthtozier]

[that last comment is terrifying]

Usagi ... ... but she must've. She would've. Right?!

[itsagazebo]

Wasn't there signs of a struggle by the shack? That means she fought back, right?

[He grabs Richie's arm, looking to him for confirmation]

Right?

[linearcrash]

I didn't see anything on her body to suggest she fought back. No marks on her hands.

[le_mat]

She might have at first, but the hands were around the front. She saw what was happening unless they knocked her out in the first hit.

Her transforming alone would have knocked an attacker back. So either they cold clocked her right away, or she... didn't stop them.

[killtheanimals]

I think there was a struggle in the sand. Unfortunately, there weren't any clear footprints left behind, but the sand had definitely been disturbed that night.

[le_mat]

So *something* happened. Goddamn it Usagi, why didn't you transform...

[linearcrash]

That could have been from Red, yo. When she helped the killer.

[killtheanimals]

Do you know if there are certain conditions for her transformation?

[It's a type of magic, he assumes there's some kind of rules to it.

[soylentprotag]

... Maybe she didn't want to fight her attacker. If they were smaller.

[He's speaking quietly, like he's reluctant to say it. That's the awkward part for all of them -- the ones who can really defend themselves -- how much can you defend against someone without really injuring or accidentally killing them? He's not sure how hard Usagi hits when she's really trying, but... if she came out of the Metaverse in one piece, probably pretty hard.

And if it was one of the smaller children, then...]