FIFTH TRIAL

[stagemanagers]

[The sound of the courtroom doors opening is louder and deeper than the stairwell doors were, as if they understand their dramatic importance.

It's time for yet another trial.

Natalie's podium has joined the other somberly-decorated ones in pretty short order. Unfortunately, the other ones are left entirely as they were - no pillows, food, or coffee provided by the Opera staff. You'll just have to try and make this quick. The Balladeer sounds like he'd like to get this over with as well when he speaks up.]

I'm sorry, Heather. I really didn't think... [He sighs.] Okay, go ahead.

Comments

MODS

[inforapenny]

[Billy's going to gingerly set the gun down on his podium.

And then he's going to take a pen out of his pocket, dismantle it for the inside, and then stab his own undershirt to make a hole so that he can rip off some of the cloth.

Which he will then wrap around the ink stick from the pen and shove in the gun barrel, swabbing it around a little before pulling it out.]

[trettende]

That's... that's certainly possible.

If the killer was also shot, then they'd probably still be bleeding even now.

[ Yep, knew it. Strip check time. ]

[inforapenny]

............

[Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.]

That's... that's if the killer was the one who was also shot.

Flynn mentioned, uh. Mentioned that someone... someone else left bloody handprints o-on the body, and they...shut her eyes.

That doesn't- doesn't sound like a killer. That sounds like a witness.

[catliketread]

Shall we separate again? I volunteer to check the men!

[trettende]

You... really don't.

[ Hans isn't happy about that. He isn't happy about any of this. ]

I'll be honest, the evidence all points to you. Even the blood in the men's room would implicate you, since you were the only man on their floor.

But that's what's suspicious to me. It's too easy. You could have easily been framed.

[ He knows you killed a dude and like, you'd probably know better than to leave this much obvious evidence, right?? ]

[stagemanagers]

[There's a heck of a lot of dirt in there, for starters.

But it's fairly easy to tell that apart from the blackness of gunpowder residue. Of which there is a little bit.]

[trettende]

I'm not saying he is, but that's not necessarily true, either. The pillow in between them could have caught most of the blood spray.

And there was blood in the men's room. It doesn't look good.

[trettende]

Then why not come forward if they saw who killed Natalie?

Why protect someone who could get us all killed?

[dontfeedplants]

But... why would anyone want to frame me? Wouldn't most people think... I'm not exactly someone who looks like they would just shoot someone I like.

[He wants to point out that only two people know that he's capable of murder, but yeah no.]

[trettende]

Yes, I think that's a fair plan. Killer or not, someone is hiding something. If it's a bullet wound, they'll have to explain themselves.

[catliketread]

Very well, then! Let's go, men!

[AND SO ONCE WE'RE OVER HERE and letting the ladies have their privacy... the Pirate King will go ahead and remove his shirt. He's clean, no injuries or blood here.]

[inforapenny]

...Crap.

[trettende]

It's not exactly you. I would argue that... with two other people on your floor, the killer would have to frame you. You were the only other person there.

[ He means Jezebel. He'll take Jezebel being the killer over you, dang, that's cold, Hans. ]

[dieformymusic]

I refuse to insist on his guilt until we exhaust every bit of evidence.

If a pillow was involved then anyone could be a suspect. The bathroom could be used to frame him! It's too simple!

[dontfeedplants]

You mean Je...

[Oh.]

But she really liked Natalie! If she was going to kill someone, I'm pretty sure she would have gone after me first.

[inforapenny]

...I don't know.

[He's also pretty sure none of them are going to have a gunshot wound but he'll just hold his tongue on that and wait and see.]

[trettende]

[ They should all just come to the trial in bathrobes, that would solve so many problems...

But whatever, Hans strips down, gloves and all. He's clean. ]

[trettende]

That may be true, but... we don't know what happened last night between them.

[ But? ]

But Natalie was crying before she was shot. Would she have cried around you?

[inforapenny]

On the bright side, depending on how high up the wall the bullet hole was, we probably only have to take off our shirts.

[Billy takes off his shirt as well. He's clean. Still pale and still scrawny as hell, but totally unharmed.]

[trettende]

I'm insisting on his innocence, not his guilt.

I never said he couldn't have been framed-- far from it, I believe he was.

[dontfeedplants]

[Rather desperate to prove his innocence, Seymour hardly even waits to get to the other side of the room to start stripping.

He is completely clean.]

[dieformymusic]

She's a devil all the same.

[SORRY JEZ.]

[dontfeedplants]

[That doesn't sound good.]

... What did you find?

[dontfeedplants]

Maybe? I like to think that Natalie liked me but I don't know how she would react if I just shot her.

[But you know what? No. He is not going to let someone who might be innocent be the main suspect just to get himself off the hook.]

... But that still doesn't explain why the gun was on the second floor in the first place. I told you guys it was in my room the last time I checked.

[inforapenny]

This gun's been fired.