WEEK 6 - 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. Archer and Red are already there, with the box saying 'VOTES' written on it sitting where Stan normally sat.

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: Floe and Gonta Gokuhara
CAMPERS REMAINING: 12

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

Comments

EVIDENCE

[petoskeymods]

BEACH

[velocirainbow]

- A bloody pair of shoes (he couldn't retrieve them, no idea what size)
- Some blood in the sand (a small amount, like a drip)
All of which was in the same general space.

CW Blood + bone

[linearcrash]

Gonta was found dead in a tree.
Two swords held him up there.
There was blood and skull fragments below.
It also appears like two objects ( Mitsuru Smol and Richie) were there when it happened.
His face wounds match that of Floe.

CHAPEL (cw: gore)

[soylentprotag]

Ren and Lenka found Floe dead in the chapel.

- There's a lot of blood and flesh bits in front of the altar
- A wing of Floe's statue and a bloody knife under a pew
- Red fabric, wrapped up multiple times around Floe's body and some skull bits (not big enough for someone to have bled out)
- Multiple facial stab wounds, some healed and some partially healed, with the deeper ones made last as though the attack went on through the healing
- A wound on the side of her head going through the skull and angled towards an area that would cause certain death
- A statue Floe was holding with one wing broken off
- An outfit Floe was wearing before the stabbing, as it's bloody
- Smudged bloody footprints going to the door, and none after that

[killtheanimals]

Mitsuru and Richie were with Gonta when he died.
-He appeared as though he were being stabbed in the face repeatedly. Mitsuru tried to heal him, but his magic wasn't enough to keep up. It happened in the clearing right before curfew, and although Mitsuru wanted to find the killer and catch them in the act, Red intervened and knocked him out.
-Both Richie and Mitsuru have bloody shirts from the night.

Bathroom (boy's side)

[lovecolored]

- Spots of blood in the sink
- A ripped uniform shirt, too ripped to tell size but shredded with a blade

COUNSELORS

[petoskeymods]

[ihatepastme]

[Archer is here, leaning against a nearby tree, looking impassive.]

[backspacing]

[Red is here as usual too.]

Alibis

[linearcrash]

[ Let's get down to business. Nine is standing there with his arms crossed. ]

Hey, where was everyone that night?

[bladeisme]

[Ichigo...looks a little sheepish.]

...I was alone. I decided to do a little canoeing, clear my head some.

[le_mat]

I was with Lenka and Mitsuru-senpai at the lakeside for the first half of the night, but left for awhile after that.

[soylentprotag]

I was with Kirijo and Ren down by the lake. We were feeding the cats in the lake. Ren... left early. He said there was something he needed to do.

[trashmouthtozier]

[Richie's eyes are red, but the rest of him is bone pale, and there are circles under his eyes. he didn't sleep well last night. when he speaks, it's almost like his voice is coming from someone else. someone more tired. someone broken. not the loudmouth they'd recognize.]

I was with Mitsuru and Gonta. Gonta died right in front of us. We... there was nothing we could do. He just ...

[he shakes his head]

[velocirainbow]

I was... also alone. I had some thinkin' to do. I was jus' on de roof of de cabin, though. I like bein' up high.

[diesifkilled]

I was supposed to meet Chuuta in the kitchen, but... on my way there, I got distracted by what I now realise was a hallucination.

I thought I saw someone I knew and ran after them. I probably would have gone straight into the forest and gotten myself shot if I hadn't hit my head on a branch. [He rubs at the still hurting spot on his head.]

STATUE?

[trashmouthtozier]

[Richie may be tired, he may be sad, but he is also something else: he is also pissed. Gonta would want them to find out who did this: not just for himself, but honestly, first of all, he'd want them to find out who did it for Floe. because he always cared about everyone else so much more. whoever did this wasn't just hallucinating. they intended to kill. and they knew they'd be taking two lives. they had to. everyone was aware of the bonds after Thursday's meeting. so some asshole is going down, he's determined. his anger takes a slow burn as he thinks over all the evidence they've acquired. but...]

There's one piece of the evidence Ren and Lenka found that's confusing me. If ... if Floe was stabbed, how the hell did the statue break?

[linearcrash]

Maybe she used it to hit her attacker?

SOUL LINK CALL

[soylentprotag]

So, whoever was linked to the killer this week might have felt what they felt last night. Emotionally or physically, especially if Floe had the chance to fight back.

We should... probably go over the links we know. Kirijo and I were linked. Floe and Gonta... Mitsuru and Shirou, and Marisa and Richie. Did anyone else find theirs?

[If he sounds a little stilted, it's mostly because he's frustrated that they didn't push for this sooner. Like at the investigation, he's thinking that they could have kept more people safe if they'd had a better handle on this thing.]

[bladeisme]

...I'm pretty sure I was linked with Eddie. All the - anxiety, and other things.

[HE HAD A MOMENT THIS WEEK WHERE HE LOOKED AT RICHIE WITH LOVE AND IT WAS A LITTLE DISTURBING NGL]

Obligatory strip search

[linearcrash]

[ Someone will have to tell Nine to take it off, because he isn't thinking. He's standing up again and pointing to the spot in front of him.]

So, we're looking for wounds. Take your shirts off and let me check your heads.

[ He's looking for fresh bruises, bumps, or any signs of a fight from the last couple of days.

ALSO FEELS DREAD as he remembers... ]

Um. Marisa, you can check Mitsuru, yo.

[ Indicating which one by putting his hand up to indicate a tall height. ]

[lovecolored]

Don't remind me...why the hell are we the only girls left?

[ In the ooc absence of tolsuru, Marisa is clean. No wounds here. ]

[le_mat]

Okay, so I saw footprints that were smudged and Cielo said he saw the shoes before the cats stole them.

The prints were clearly smudged on purpose I tried to compare their sizes but it was impossible.

So whoever was involved tried to cover up what they did too.

[trashmouthtozier]

[he's going to TRY a Bogart Voice. it's brand new. it's not very good]

Oh, so they're on to us. That ain't good, friend, ain't no good at all.

DAGGER & ???

[soylentprotag]

[Lenka's brought the weird ritualistic dagger from the chapel, wrapped up in what's probably a kitchen dishcloth (sorry kitchen) since it's still pretty bloody. He'll unwrap it if anyone asks or wants to look at it, but yeah.]

I found this under one of the pews in the chapel, where we found Floe. It's not the one that killed her. That one is still missing.

I don't think this is something we've seen before this week, so it might have come from Stan. Does anyone recognize it?

[bladeisme]

..I sure as hell don't.

[diesifkilled]

[All right, this has gone on long enough. He knows, he knows everyone suspects him already, so what's even the point of letting it continue? Why not just let them kill him and finish this bullshit?

Shirou stands up.]

Let's stop wasting time. Just vote for me and we'll have the sacrifice for the week.

[le_mat]

...sit down, Shirou.

MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW

[trashmouthtozier]

[Richie stands up on the log he's been perched on]

Okay, everyone, ignore Shirou being a total dumbass. We need the fucking facts. Right? So.

[he jumps down off the log and starts circling the campfire, counting things off on his fingers]

Fact. We know who everyone was paired up with.
Fact. Gonta and Floe both died right before curfew.
Fact. There were two weapons used on Floe.
Fact. Archie the Delivery Boy saw the murderer ... but he won't tell us because he's a dickhead.
Fact. The only people who don't have alibis are Suicide Bummer over here - [he points to Shirou] - Marisa, Cielo, and Ichigo.

So what else do we need to know? What's missing?

[killtheanimals]

Could we tell anything from the corpse? Two of those people are used to using blades, aren't they?

confession 2: emiya boogaloo

[diesifkilled]

I didn't go into the woods at all on Thursday night. I went into the chapel and found Floe there. I killed her. I didn't want to get caught, so I got rid of the footprints and the bloodied clothes.

I made both the murder weapons with projection. When she kept getting healed, I threw out the knife and made a sword. I let it disappear after she died.

That... covers everything, I think.

[lovecolored]

So why? Why the fuck did you stab Floe in the face, you son of a bitch?!

EXECUTION: MIRROR MATCH

[ihatepastme]

[Red seems a bit somber as she counts out the votes this week, because she already knows what the results will be. But still, she counts them out, and she goes to announce them.]

Shirou Emiya. You have been deemed culpable for the murders of Floe and Gonta Gokuhara. You will now face punishment.

[but before Red can do anything else, Archer raises a hand to stop her.]

I’ll handle this.

[Red looks as if she’s about to argue with Archer, but then looks oh so tired - and nods.

Archer looks out towards everyone, seeking out Minitsuru.]

Everyone, gather around Mitsuru as he puts up a barrier. I can’t guarantee your safety otherwise. Red - you might want to help, if you’re able to.

[He steps forward towards Shirou for a moment, waiting for the barrier to go up and everyone to get into position, staring into Shirou's eyes - his own, if but years and universes apart. Shirou looks back, not wavering - it's the last time they'll be like this, after all.

(It reminds him of another time, another place, a different Shirou attacking him with everything he has -)

Once everyone is protected, he closes his eyes - and begins to chant.]





I am the bone of my sword.
Steel is my body and fire is my blood.
I have created over a thousand blades.
Unknown to Death,
Nor known to Life.
Have withstood pain to create many weapons.
Yet, those hands will never hold anything.
So as I pray, Unlimited Blade Works.

[The moment he says those last words, the surroundings flare up in a flash of blue light -

And when it fades, a Desolate, foggy landscape appears, thousands of swords planted in the dead earth as gigantic, rusted cogwheels slowly lower out of the cloudy, hazy sky. Embers float by on the wind that blows in this place, forever flowing - the smell of hot steel and blood heavy in the air.

Archer stands still - but swords materialize in the air behind him as he stares resolutely forward.]

Let's begin.

[The swords fire at Shirou, and even though he tries his best to get out of the way - to block some of them with his own hastily made swords - he can't block them all. One sword, two swords - drive right through him, all in non-vital, but painful, areas.

Archer doesn't stop, making as many broadswords as he can - plain broadswords, not any special sword or Noble Phantasm. Apparently, just killing him slowly by making him a living pincushion, one blade at a time -

When he stops, Shirou is bleeding, held in place by all of the swords which have stabbed through his arms and legs and torso, all of them straight through - but even as he grits his teeth through a mouthful of blood, Archer isn't done.

Holding out his hand, he materializes...A red spear, red energy flowing through it as he draws his arm back.]

GAE-

[Shirou just - stares, eyes widening in shock - and apparently, disbelief.]

"Seriously?!"

-BOLG!

[The spear shoots forward, a red bolt of lightning that hits the ground one, and arcs up -

And spears Shirou straight through the heart.

There's a long moment of silence, Shirou staring down at the weapon that's entirely through his chest, before the light fades in his eyes, and he slumps.

In another instant - another flash of light - and they're back at the camgrounds, with Shirou's bloody, pinholed body staring lifelessly into the sky.

...And with all of that done, Red just lets out a sad sigh.]

Function complete. Go rest up now.

[killtheanimals]

[Coughs.

Anyway. Mitsuru forms the barrier as instructed, using the same quick chanting technique Archer taught him, and then proceeds to watch the results.

It's... amazing, actually. This kind of magic is far beyond what he's capable of, such that even though it's a brutal execution, he hardly cares - he's trying to take it all in, to pick apart this magic that's so beyond him and try to understand it instead.

He'll wait until it's completely over before he dismisses the barrier.]