itscurtains | First Trial

[As the investigation ends, you'll hear Hester's voice inviting you to the auditorium. As this happens, the twin doors on either side of the concession stand, across from the gym, will click open. You can enter on either side; both go to the same place.

When you enter the auditorium, it's dark. There's only the small lights along the walkway behind all the seats, just enough to illuminate where you're going. There's a central path between the seats, down towards where you know the stage must be. That's where you must be going, right? As you pass each row of seats, the lights at their ends flick on, marking your procession and slowly making more and more of the room visible. Shortly, you can see your destination: a circle of podiums stationed in the orchestra pit, below the lip of the darkened, curtained stage. They're all identical, labeled with a cast member's name, save for Mumble's, which is draped in black crepe and has a framed monochrome photo of him - Elijah Wood him - on top.

When you reach the podiums, the lights above the stage finally come on. It's time to meet the Wizard.

The mechanical head, with glowing green eyes, is installed above the stage and the still-closed curtain. Even if you were standing on the stage, it'd be well out of reach. It peers down at all of you, its motions fluid, and speaks with a booming, artificial-sounding voice:]

Welcome to your first trial, everyone. I am the Wizard. It's time to determine who was responsible for the murder of Mumble. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves and work together - you'll have to show teamwork if you want to leave this room alive.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Fine, fine, he'll contribute, as much as he's been enjoying just glaring at this Wizard.]

Yes, the whole place was a mess, like a tornado went through. But less fun.

[how is that--]

Someone was in a hurry there. And took a push-cart out.

Edited 2021-06-12 16:52 (UTC)

[The costume room...]

Where things taken out from there? I found Mumble wearing a lot of heavy clothing that didn't go together, in a fashion sense.

The cart was. I don't know about clothes. People are taking those in and out constantly, so maybe they have. Maybe that's what they were looking for in there.

...Are you saying someone played dress up with the corpse?

He was wearing all of that over his uniform. Whoever had dressed him was in a great hurry, as if they wanted to have him appear to have been freezing.

[Hm...]

That depends. Do you think it was the culprit dressing him, or Mumble dressing himself? I know he talked about being a Penguin, but...he looked like a person to me in every way. I'd imagine he wouldn't know how to handle being cold when he usually wouldn't be, right?

Oh, was he? A penguin who got turned human when he got here, well, that would explain a few things.

[no one told him]

But maybe so. Someone definitely was in a hurry in the costume room,. If he was cold and in a panic... maybe. I don't know.

It certainly seems like it. Mumble does not understand human rules of outfits.

...He was also resting on a thick piece of fabric under his head. He was either resting there and using it as a pillow...or someone wanted him to look like he was resting.

…I told him…a scarf. And a coat. Those’d keep him warm.

He had a scarf on, along with socks and a coat- wait!

[He almost forgot! Angus pulls out a knitted scarf and plucks out something from between the fibers.]

There were a few dark hairs caught in the scarf he wore! I checked, and they are too long to belong to Mumble!

Edited 2021-06-12 17:31 (UTC)

[Oh, WELL.]

Sounds like a game of match two is in order.

Should we... compare the hair to our own, then?

I can see if any of you match the color. Hold on.

[And he'll go around with the few strands for comparison.]

[Maya has long, brown hair! That's kind of dark, right?]

I will say... If these have been in the costume room, there is always the chance that any of our hair has gotten onto it. It isn't the most secure of locations.

(no subject)

themuseabandonsyou - 2021-06-12 17:41 (UTC) - Expand

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MODS

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Re: Hair Check

alchemistake - 2021-06-12 17:56 (UTC) - Expand

barberic - 2021-06-12 18:50 (UTC) - Expand

Well I guess it's a good thing I don't have hair.

[:)]

[ YES YOU DO IT'S RIGHT ON YOUR HEAD ]

employeeoftheyear - 2021-06-12 17:39 (UTC) - Expand

howtheworldwas - 2021-06-12 17:44 (UTC) - Expand

Good catch, Cheeto-Head.

Peregrine.

[Maya's giving her a look from across the way. She doesn't want to leave the people she's protecting but. It's very much a "I'm here if you need it" look. In fact --]

Come and find me.
Come and find me.

Edited 2021-06-12 17:35 (UTC)

[ Peregrine’s head snaps up. Her eyes are full of tears. ]

If Jacob’s not there to remind me…
“Come and find me,”
What is there instead?

[Unfortunately, Maya (nor Aspen) know the rest of these lyrics, so...]

For now, you have us. We -- I will not allow any harm to come to my class. I am the top of the 99th class for a reason. I will prove that again and again if it means keeping everyone here safe.

[She holds the hand not holding her sword out?]

brokeforgood - 2021-06-12 17:58 (UTC) - Expand

violentenvies - 2021-06-12 17:59 (UTC) - Expand

comeandfindme - 2021-06-12 17:59 (UTC) - Expand

Killed him and then made it look like, what, he just took an extremely bundled up nap instead? In the locker room, which is definitely a normal thing to do, of course--

[Cool cool cool you know what he does not like thinking about this in detail.]

I don't know which option is more grim.

I found a push cart in the locker rooms, where... Mumble was.

[It feels wrong to say "the body" just yet.]

It looks like it was just abandoned there.