week 2 - trial

[productions]

week two trial



[At 9 AM precisely, the old grandfather clock chimes once again, and the doors to the drawing room are opened. They will remain open until everyone has come inside, after which they will shut behind them. It is not possible to leave on your own, although perhaps if you have a specific purpose the hostess will allow you to go, as long as you are accompanied by a partner.

The room is set up comfortably, with several tables by the fireplace set out to assist with the trial. The Hostess will also remain in a seat near the fireplace, next to the scales on the mantle. At lunch, the doors will open to bring in a large meal on an automatically rolling buffet, and at 3 PM, tea and finger sandwiches will be served. You'll be able to enjoy the trial in comfort, of course, but the information cards set out on tables will not allow you to forget your true purpose here.

At 7 PM, the trial will adjourn for the day. Players will be escorted by the Hostess to the ballroom, where dinner and wine will be served until 10 PM, at which point players will be required to return to their wings in groups with their wingmates and will be locked in their bedrooms until 8:30 AM the following morning.]

victim



suspects



Character Statuses
Setting
Manor Rules
Cheat Sheet
Voting

Comments

[speakveryclearly]

[The dirt aspect of the case, whether deliberate or the fashion described presciently by Anastasia, already clarified the culprit to Kanaya. She had begun to become set on a course of action other than immediately slaughtering Annie for playing a game for her own life's sake to the best of her ability, to the point of developing an intention to perhaps even physically defend her from anyone running to murder her for revenge.

The detail about the needle, though, is what makes her feel like she is the one who was poisoned. She stands there, staring, feeling sick. All she can say is:]

I just thought you cared about fashion.

[hollowheart]

[That. From the myriad of anger and frustration was not what she expected.]


I blame my peasant background.

[speakveryclearly]

[Priorities. That and the entire incident led to the slight bias which pushed her over the edge in accusing Ukraine.]

Your entire race, huh...? What kind of nonhuman race?

[hollowheart]

We're giants. [She leaves out the cannibalism, standing up finally after Latvia's onslaught.]

[speakveryclearly]

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

[She squints for a few moments, trying to imagine the weight of it - literally - is she talking about plausible biological giganticism or something that could pick up this whole house?

Kanaya decides to only hear one thing.]

In my eyes that's a vindicating aspect. Of the case. The race thing, I mean.

[hollowheart]

[It's hard to believe coming from a 5'1 kid, but...]

I'm not going to pretend my life is worth more than anyone else here's, or my motives were more compelling, but I wasn't going to not take a fighting chance to survive, either.

[speakveryclearly]

Oh, yeah, you still--you still did something indubitably fucked up. Don't pretend I'm not decrying that.

I'm just. Not in the team cheering for your blood either. Even though as Susan said it's a capital crime.

...

Independent of the vampirism that doesn't apply to you in any particularly strong respect, I mean.

[She's feeling really awkward about this whole situation now.]

[hollowheart]

[She's happy to fall back to being quiet. That's what she's best at. She's mildly grateful for the not-support, though.]

[pandacea]

Miss Kanaya...

[May approaches her hesitantly, before getting onto her knees in front of her and bowing deeply, placing her head onto the floor. The panda next to her does the same.]

I am deeply sorry for accusing you for this crime and suspecting you the whole time. I see now that I was in the wrong. Please accept my most sincere apologies.

[speakveryclearly]

[Kanaya is somewhat taken aback by this gesture. Awkwardly, she reaches down to pat May on the head.]

There, there. Don't get depressed. It's not your fault. The same evidence that led me to suspect Ukraine could have just as easily been construed to mean me. We both failed to solve the case at our full potential and need to do better next time. That's all.

[pandacea]

Yes, you're right...I should have worked harder. I should not have believed that every case would result in an obvious culprit as last week's did. [She bites her lip.] I thought that my knowledge of chemistry would always be vital, but today it proved to be useless. I need to learn how to solve these crimes outside of it.

[speakveryclearly]

The thallium could have helped out earlier, it's true. And yet...

None of us can rely on any one asset, or even on the insights of any one person. We've got to diversify.

[hollowheart]

[After the trial, and on her way upstairs, Annie slips Kanaya a note]

[speakveryclearly]

[By the time Kanaya actually reads it - and she has to do so a second time to understand - Annie is already gone.]

...!

[A noise of pain.]