House of Horrors: Isle of the Damned
Chapter 2 Act 11
The Ship of Nightmares
xxx
Location: Titanic's Engine Room (Class Trial Court Room)
Time: 8:10 PM
Date: April 14th, 1912
xxx(Truth Bullets)xxx
Victim File #2: Felicks Mlynarz
Cause of Death: Broken Neck
Time of Death: Approximately 6:50 PM
The victim was found by Sayaka Maizono, Kanemoto Mizuki and Ethan Gold in Suite B-68. He only suffered one injury, a broken neck.
Victim File #3: Tsumugi Shirogane
Cause of Death: Unknown
Time of Death: Approximately 6:47 PM
The victim was found tied to the bed within suite B-68. She shows various forms of trauma, including blunt force trauma to the back of her head, disembowelment, organ mutilation, and signs of sexual assault. A true cause of death cannot be identified.
Alice's Account- She's and Nyx shared tea in her room. Alice met with Ashton for a brief moment.
Giselly's Account- She, Miyaki, Ren, Mallory, and Diego were in the Palm Court on A-Deck
Dalila and Seisha's Account- Dalila and Seisha spent the day reading "Moby Dick"
Maria's Account- Maria, Riku and Ibb were in the Gymnasium just before the announcement
Charlotte and Daisuke's Account- Charlotte and Daisuke were on deck until before the announcement
Shiro and Kenzie's Account- The Two were in the First Class Lounge admiring the art
Felicks' Death (Mercy?) Could his death have been an attack or a mercy killing?
Weiss and Gehrig's Deaths- Angie believes that they were bludgeoned to death. Could she be right?
Ceiling Blood Spatter- Signs that Weiss and Gehrig were bludgeoned to death
Golden Ticket Corner- Kanemoto found this in Shidou's Pocket. Did he find one or?
Nico the Potential Killer?- Due to Secret Circumstances, Kanemoto believes Nico to be the killer, and with good reason
Planter's Missing Corner- This piece was pulled from the Planter. Could potentially be the murder weapon.
Planter's Resin- Could be what was used to strangle Shidou
Tsumugi's Broken Ribs- Tsumugi has various broken ribs, perhaps from the killer
Knife (Potential Murder Weapon?)- Ethan believes a knife may have been used to kill Aikeno and Tsumugi
Haruna's Account- She and Reukra were below decks Smooching
Rei and Hikaru's Accounts- Oh they fuckin'
Mirror Shard Knife- There's a piece of glass missing. Could this be a weapon?
Locked Sitting Room- This door is locked, perhaps by the killer.
"Let's begin with a brief explanation of the class trial rules! You all have to work together to find the blackened participant. Each of you will-"
"None of us need to be told how this works. We've been through a class trial before, and those that haven't have surely seen them on television. Let's just get this over with." Diego said firmly, glaring at the two-toned bear.
"Wew… you seem to be feisty today. Why is that I wonder? Is this ship starting to mess with your mind?"
"Forget that bear Diego. She's probably just trying to rile you up." Eris said firmly. She cleared her throat, looking around the room. "What do we start with? There isn't much to go on, it seems to me like the murders only took place in one general area."
"Eris is right. But with this huge of a ship, we can't be too sure. We weren't given enough time to explore the common areas. Regardless of that, let us just go on with the assumption that it did happen in this parlor suite." Dalila said, glancing at her Student ID, shifting through all of the information.
"It's obvious the person that did this had a reason too," Ethan said, earning the attention of his fellow peers. "I mean, look at how Tsumugi was killed. She was strapped to the bed and most likely beaten. She was probably raped and then cut open. Whoever killed her had a lot of anger and resentment toward her."
"I can think of one person here that does have resentment towards her," Sayaka said, shifting her eyes toward Dylan, who just gave her a smirk.
"You think I would sully my hands by killing her? Why? I have no reason to!"
"Are you sure about that?" Nico quipped, glaring at the Cuban boy. "I'm sure you do have a reason to kill Tsumugi. Especially because of how she treated you. You always hated that she had turned over a new leaf after her death. Maybe you got sick of her being around and decided to kill her here, knowing her ghost would be destroyed."
"Hmm… is that a guess or an accusation?" the boy said with a giggle.
"Let us not stray far from the crime. If anything can point towards the killer, I believe we should start with the Victims. The only case files we have are for Felicks and Tsumugi. But don't you find it odd that we weren't given case files for the hostages?" Bethany asked, earning murmurs from the others.
"That's because they weren't important!" Shiro said, earning a glare from Reukra.
"What do you mean they weren't important? Some of them were our family! What if it had been your sister Miyuki who had gotten her throat slashed like that, huh?" he cried out. Shiro puffed out her cheeks.
"I get that you are pissed off that your mommy is dead. But listen to what I have to say first. As I was saying, they aren't important. They weren't like the ghosts… they weren't given any incentive. Aside from the Golden Tickets that is."
"Hmm… I think I get what you mean." Kanemoto said, rubbing her chin. "Though I myself have a bit of a theory."
"Can we hear it Miss Kanemoto? I think it would do us good." Seisha said, giving her a small smile. The girl flushed, glancing around the room, taking a deep breath.
"I believe one of the hostages found a golden ticket. Upon realizing that they had, they might have started to fight. It could have lead to the tragic events that took place within this vessel." she said, shifting her gaze towards Miyaki. "I'm sorry Kiki, but the person who found that ticket was your dad."
"Huh… what?" the circus performer asked, clearly confused. "No… no, he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't just kill someone."
"I'm not saying he-"
"No! You are… you are insinuating that he did kill someone in that room. But he didn't!" the blonde cried, glaring at the Pokemon Trainer. "You just want to find a scapegoat!"
"Kiki, I get that you are upset. I would be too if I lost my mom. But you have to think rationally here. If Kanemoto is saying that it might have been your dad, then she might have a reason behind it." Daisuke said.
"No, it's you who doesn't understand! Your mom is right there, alive and well while my father is dead! I'll prove his innocence!" she cried out.
Non-Stop Debate
Loaded Truth Bullets: Golden Ticket Corner, Victim File #2, Maria's Account, Ceiling Blood Spatter, Weiss and Gehrig's Deaths
"Miyaki listen to me." Kanemoto began, hoping to get her attention. "I examined your father's body. There is a Reason why I am saying this."
"No! You just want to look for a Scapegoat when you know it was someone else!" the blonde countered angrily. "I know that he wasn't acting right, because of this Ship. But he was still a kind man, unable to kill someone!"
"How do we know that?" Lars interjected, smirking. "For all we know, he could have Beaten Weiss and Gehrig to death. Face it, sweetcheeks, your father is as much a culprit as the rest of us."
"We don't really need your opinion on all of this asshole. Why don't you keep silent?" Mariana snapped angrily, glaring at the Demonologist.
"Look… I get that you are angry and sad that he is gone. But you have to think of the possibilities." Kanemoto said firmly.
"The one that needs to think is you! For all we know, it could be You who killed everyone in that room. And now you are blaming my father for a crime he didn't commit, just so you can save your own ass. Face it, you are a liar and a cheater! I bet even your Pokemon Championship Victories are lies!" the blonde cried, tears streaking down her cheeks.
"I need to end this… but how? They're just insulting each other and I don't have the information needed right now." Daisuke thought, watching the two arguing back and forth. He heard a chuckle in the back of his mind.
"All you have to do is pick a side boy. Which one of them sounds more Just? I'm certain that will allow you to see the truth of the matter." Sparkling Justice said, earning a grumble from the boy. Even if he hated that side of him, he did have a point.
"You have a point… but which side do I choose?"
Choose a Side
Kanemoto's side: "I can prove it to you. I found something that can point to him being a potential killer!" Truth Bullet: Golden Ticket Corner
Miyaki's side: "You are wrong! It wasn't my father, it was clearly the other two. I mean look at how they are. They were beaten to death, meaning they could have strangled him easily!" Truth Bullet: Weiss and Gehrig's Death
"Miyaki doesn't have much evidence. She is hanging onto Weiss and Gehrig's Deaths, and her argument is flawed… but Kanemoto says she can prove it…. I think hearing what she has to say will lead to the answer." Daisuke thought to himself.
Side Chosen: Kanemoto
"Kanemoto! I want you to explain to us why you believe Shidou Hanao is a potential killer. You say you can prove it, then do it." Daisuke said, earning a nod from the girl.
"I'll do just that!" she said cheerfully. She reached into her bra, pulling out the corner of the golden ticket she had found. "This is the reason why I think he did it!"
Break
"What… what the hell is that?" Riku said, eyes wide like saucers. "It's so pretty and shiny! Can I have it, please please please!"
"Calm yourself Riku… it is merely a piece of golden paper. You do not need to concern yourself over it." Ibb said firmly, interested in what the Pokemon Trainer had to say. "Explain yourself Kanna. You claim this is the reason why Shidou may have killed?"
"Yes… this is the corner of a golden ticket. As you all know, one of the motives that were given to all of us, was the use of these tickets. If we found one, we could have easily left this game and the island. I believe Shidou was looking for this ticket. He may have gone into that room to find it. Only to realize that someone else had found it."
"Weiss and Gehrig, you mean?" Miya said, narrowing her eyes. "It does seem likely. They were virtually unrecognizable. Not to mention, their arms had various self-defense wounds. Their heads had been caved in, and by the blood spatter on the ceiling, I can tell it was quite the brutal attack." she said, glancing at Miyaki. "What was his specialty in the circus?"
"He… he was a strongman." the girl chirped, glancing at her folded hands. "He used to do heavy lifting and all of this other stuff. When he retired, he continued lifting weights to keep his muscle mass. But I don't think that translates into his game… he couldn't have done it!"
"It isn't about can or can't Kiki," Nyx said, causing the group to look at her. "Even the weakest person can do normal things in this game. Look at me, I don't look like my halfling self. In fact, my body is as frail as it used to be when I was in the hospital. I can run, walk and jump just like I can in the real world."
"It's the same for me. I'm normally stuck in a bed at home, and have various health issues." Miyuki said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can barely get up to pee without my knees buckling. But here, I've never felt more alive. I actually ran with Shiro for the first time in years, and I was able to swim with all of you as well. Even if strength didn't translate into this game, most of us would probably have stats."
"Stats… that's it!" Mackenzie said, a grin on her face. "What if this is like a video game? All of us have been assuming it's a simulation. But what if all of us have stats? Maybe some people specialize in strength over others?"
"That has got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Lars said, shaking his head. "But, as a man who played a lot of video games growing up, the painter brings a good point. So the Big Breasted Brunette's point of Shidou being the killer stands. He was definitely the one who did Weiss and Gehrig in. He probably even had a round of hot passion with Tsumugi too!" he said cheerfully. "Teenage Poon is very tight, or so I've heard."
"Shut the fuck up!" Ashton growled, slamming his fist down onto his stand. "You sick bastard… that is a human being you are talking about. It doesn't matter what she did or didn't do. You don't joke about rape like that."
"Oh, I'm sorry… I… I didn't know I was supposed to care about her. Oh boo hoo… boo hoo! Poor Miss Shirogane had her hole stretched to the size of a shower drain. Oh the humanity, the unbridled audacity! Woe is me."
"Can we just ignore this shithead and get with the program?" Giselly cried, trying to reign in the trial. Ren cleared his throat, earning her attention.
"Giselly, when you and Miyaki were hacking the system earlier, did you notice anything off?"
"What?" Surrashakuma cried, causing them to jump. "What the hell do you mean by 'hacking the system?' Our firewalls are impenetrable. I should kill you where you stand for your insolence!"
"Oh, I'm sorry… was I breaking a rule? As far as I know, Rule 4 of the killing games usually state that with minor restrictions, we are free to explore the areas available to us. I wasn't breaking a rule by accessing the system. It's not my fault that you didn't change Fujisaki's credentials."
"Gah… I knew we forgot something. That damn Programmer always hides something in his shit. I gotta get back at him somehow." the bear said, grumbling under her breath.
"Returning to your earlier question, no we didn't see anything. Nothing that stood out at least… well, there were those pods."
"Pods? What pods?" Angie questioned, tilting her head in confusion. "Was something else hooked onto the system?"
"Yeah… there were four pods that were unidentified. 12 of them accounted for all of the ghosts in the game. While 23 of them were for the participants of the killing game. I'm assuming, the last 4 were for hostages." Miyaki said.
"If that's the truth then… why only four? There were seven hostages." Alice said, furrowing her brows in thought. "That is unless… Jibo decided to do something different this time around."
"Something different? Different how?" Charlotte asked, causing the blonde to shrug.
"I'm not exactly sure. However I do recall one thing, when we were in Space, Jibo was experimenting on the mind. A few of my friends were put through some awful ordeals, one had her mind split into various personalities."
"I remember this… if I recall correctly, this was the first time he started experimenting with talent." Nico said, closing her eyes in thought. "Yes… My guess is that we were all a precursor for the AUP… test subjects if you will."
"That doesn't exactly help us right now does it?" Evan piped up, a frown on his face. "All of us are here right now, and we need to figure out what is going on in front of us. Let us not delve into the past."
"I agree with Zeus. The Horizon Killing Game is far behind us… there is no use in revisiting those events. They'll only serve to remind us of all the awful things that happened." the violinist said softly.
"You are all spoilsports! Why not talk about it? It sounds like a fun time, to be honest!" Dylan said, chuckling. "It sounds like your game was a bit dull though, could have used some swine to make it far more interesting."
"Believe me, between Ringo and Hiyoko, we had plenty of fuckin swine," Sayaka said. She gasped, covering her mouth, her gaze shifting towards Daisuke. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring her up."
"It's fine Saya. I've already put her to rest, she was a bitch… feel free to discuss it among yourselves over tea." he said jokingly.
"Tea… tea… that's it!" Haruna cried.
"What… what's it?" Reukra asked, visibly confused. "Haruna did you find something?"
"I might have. Reukra, do you remember before we went to the Boiler Room, your mom had gone to get some tea?" she asked, earning a nod from him. "Okay, follow my train of thought for a second. What if she was there because she was having tea with someone?"
"That-" Hikaru began, narrowing his eyes. "Would make sense. I didn't survey the scene though, however, if you claim that she went to get tea, then."
"Then it puts Aikeno exactly in that parlor suite. When we left our room, I took a left and went straight to the lifts. But what if Aikeno took another direction and ended up back in the B-Deck Landing? We left the reception room and had to climb up to B-Deck. She might have run into Shidou there. Not just him, but Weiss, Gehrig, maybe even Tsumugi."
"What if it's something more than that?" Mallory said, a nervous look on her face. "I don't know about you but… I've been seeing some things."
"Like what kind of things?" Mariana asked.
"She probably smoked one of the plants from the ship. Either that or she was eating paint chips." Dylan said, chuckling. A glare from Ashton got him to zip his lip.
"I don't like where this is going," Ethan said softly, brushing back his cowlick. "I think Mallory might be onto something. I've been seeing delusions myself. People that I know are dead, have been appearing on this ship. I saw my deceased girlfriend walking around."
"I've seen Gundham a few times. Covered in wax, whispering heretic, almost like a zombie. Every single step he took, a piece of wax covered flesh would fall to the ground. Praying to Atua was the only way to get him to go away." Angie added, a fearful look on her face.
"So these delusions have been appearing on the ship? I haven't seen any… but by the looks on your faces, I'm glad that I didn't." Vanessa said.
"This opens up a new avenue, however," Dalila said, taking the reigns for the moment. "What if Aikeno saw something in that room? Going further, what if Weiss, Gehrig and Shidou all saw something?"
"I'm not sure what my father would have seen but… I think seeing me die in that killing game would easily trigger him. When we talked, he kept hugging me tightly. He said that after my death, Burnett's Circus was destroyed. My mother died in a fire, with him as the sole survivor. He was contemplating taking his life when Jibo brought him to Hora Island." Miyaki said, holding back her tears. "Oh daddy… I'm sorry… I never got to tell you how much you mean to me," she said.
"Let's put it like this then." Shiro began, earning everyone's attention. "Shidou probably saw Miyaki's mom and tried to save her from the fire. What if in his mind, he felt like he was choking from the smoke, but that was because someone was strangling him? It would make sense with how he died right?"
"Holy shit… that makes a fuckload of sense!" Ashton cried, a small smile on his face. "Nice on Shi! I doubt any of us could have come up with that!"
"Aw… thanks, Ashy-Boy! I'm so happy you are a friendly tree now~" she said, giving him a wink.
"If what Shiro is saying did happen… then Weiss and Gehrig could have seen something frightening. An SCP Perhaps… they were members of the foundation." Ibb said.
"That could have lead to someone else bashing their brains in. Maybe Aikeno? But then who killed her and Tsumugi? I doubt someone in their delusion would have tied Tsumugi up, raped her and then cut her open." Sayaka said.
"Um… does anyone know what rape is? I'm confused… is it a game?" Seisha asked. No one decided to respond to the boy. Dalila stepped away from her stand, closing the distance between herself and the young boy.
"I'll explain everything to you later okay? For now, don't pay these terms any mind," she said, taking a hold of his hand. The boy smiled.
"Can we read Moby Dick after this stupid trial? I know someone died but I wanna read something fun and exciting."
"Sure… we can read that and all the books you want! I promise!"
"Jeez, how fucking old is that kid? He looks fourteen, is taller than a twenty-year-old but acts like a child. Maybe someone should put him out of his misery."
"Maybe someone should put you out of your misery, asshole. Someone needs to show you that human lives on the line here." Daisuke said.
"Son, ignore him. He's just being an asshole." Maria said firmly, causing the man to grumble under his breath. "We've hit a major discovery here. But that doesn't mean we've solved this case. We still have to figure out who killed Felicks, as well as Aikeno and Tsumugi."
"Let's relegate Shidou, Weiss and Gehrig to victims of delusions. We need to focus on Aikeno and Tsumugi. You see… my thing with them is simple. I believe someone killed the two of them with a knife." Bethany said.
"A knife? You think someone killed those two with a knife?" Evan asked curiously.
"I don't think, I know," she said, matter-of-factly.
"I don't think so!" Ibb interjected, causing the Pele to jump. "Tsumugi and Aikeno couldn't have been killed with a knife. The wounds on their bodies don't even match that profile!"
"I'm not sure if you noticed, but they were both cut open. One at the throat and the other from the throat down to her navel. I am willing to bet it was with a knife, what else could they have used?"
"I actually have proof that it was a knife. And the one who is wielding it is right there!" the runecrafter cried, pointing a finger at Dylan. The boy gave her an incredulous look, before bursting into laughter.
"Me? Do you actually believe I did this? That's a laugh."
"She's not wrong." Nico hissed, glaring at the boy. "You clearly could have done it, and you have an incentive. If Mr. Hanao did, in fact, possess a Golden Ticket, then that means that you had a reason to kill him and everyone in that room. After all, you were the one who was flipping his shit all over the ship. It was a cover to hide what you were planning."
"It would make sense with his actions. But I sincerely doubt he would actually do that." Eris said, crossing her arms.
"You don't know that!" Mackenzie cried out. "I saw him walking around, breaking into rooms and trying to steal passenger belongings. Even the Master-At-Arms was called and gave him a stern warning. What makes you think he isn't capable of doing that?"
"Not to mention what he did to us on the Lunar Colony." Evan quipped, glaring at the boy. "He's clearly the one responsible for all of this."
"Guys… we might be jumping to conclusions here. Just because he did something in one game doesn't mean he did it in another." Charlotte said.
"Sorry Charlie, but if it quacks like a duck, and waddles like a duck, then it's a duck," Shiro replied. "My sister's life is on the line here. I say we vote for him and end this trial early. It might give us some time to get out of here."
The siren was about to reply when Dylan's laughter filled the room. It was louder than some of the whirling machines around them. Even a few of the NPCs noticed him, but none seemed to question what exactly what was going on. He slammed his fist repeatedly against his stand, shoulders shaking with mirth.
"Oh… this is so rich! I missed this kind of shit, the trials were my favorite part of the killing game."
"Let me guess, this is the part where you claim to be the killer and how you enjoyed it?" Diego said, crossing his arms. "If so act with more dignity. Honestly, you are just a deluded louse at this point."
"Diego, what's wrong with you? You've been acting rather angry these past few hours." the dryad asked, sounding concerned. "Is something the matter?"
"Yes, something is the matter. I happen to be wasting my goddamned time on this stupid pointless trial. Honestly, if it wasn't because my life was on the line, I wouldn't even be in there right now!" he exclaimed angrily. "To think, the Prince of Dim Carcosa has to deal with you insolent buffoons"
"Oh great, someone else has decided to join us… how fun." Lars said, shaking his head. "Anyway… it seems we were in the middle of a confession… can we get this moving? I wanna see how he dies."
"Actually, I was about to prove my innocence." the young man said, sneering. "You see… you were all jumping to conclusions about me being a killer. However, I haven't had a reason to kill since moment one. Well, I did have a reason." he said, glancing at the demonologist. "When you shook my hand, you took something dear to me… my chance at living again."
"You were an idiot."
"I was, for believing you. However, I must thank you, Lars, because you stealing my ticket to freedom has, in fact, provided me with four." Dylan said, reaching into his pocket, flashing the golden tickets he had found. "I'm innocent of this crime. And even if I wasn't, I'd buy my way out of it."
"Holy shit! Someone else actually found those? Well, I must say, I'm impressed with you Mr. Rufheiser. If you'd like to cash those in right now, I can get you a one-way ticket outta here."
"Nah… I wanna watch this. Just know that if any of these fucks try to even lay a finger on me, they'll die. Oh… and just as an FYI, I never had a knife, not on this ship. However, I did spot someone with one." he said, his eyes shifting toward Alice. "Isn't that right Alice?"
"What are you getting at?" the veterinarian asked, crossing her arms. "Are you assuming that it was I who commit this crime?"
"Of course! As I recall, Alice Bailey was a former member of Fenrir. Someone who is trained to fight, meaning you could have easily committed that crime. Look at how methodical it was. Shidou being strangled, Weiss and Gehrig being bludgeoned to death. Tsumugi having broken ribs aside from her obvious cause of death. It fits the bill honey… now, how are you going to explain that?"
"It isn't true!" Nyx cried out, coming to the defense of her friend. "She may have been a member of Fenrir in the past, but I know she wouldn't do this to us!"
"I can't say the same," Ashton said, bowing his head. "I had a delusion as well… I saw my little sister Aliyah, who was killed a few years ago. Alice came to us, and she stabbed her in the eye with a knife. She killed that delusion!"
"Ashton you bastard… I did that to ease your burden!" the woman spat, glaring at the man. "I've been dealing with my older brother practically since we began this trip. No one should have to deal with reliving their past, especially when dead relatives are involved."
"So he's telling the truth? You really do have a knife?" Reukra said, gritting his teeth. "YOU BITCH!"
"I knew we couldn't trust you."
"It isn't like that, please… you've got to listen to what I have to say!" Alice cried. Several people started shouting at her, calling her various names. Daisuke frowned, shaking his head.
"Great… now they're all ganging up on Alice. I've got to find a way to get this back on track. I don't think it was her who did this. If it wasn't for Alice, Junko would have probably killed me." he thought to himself.
Non-Stop Debate
Truth Bullets: Alice's Account, Victim File #3, Tsumugi's Broken Ribs, Haruna and Reukra's Account, Planter's Missing Corner, Locked Sitting Room Door
"Alice was a former member of Fenrir. That means she knows how to covertly Kill people. It's possible that she was capable of doing this!" Ashton said firmly.
"It Wasn't Me. I wasn't even near that suite, so I couldn't have done it!" the woman cried out.
"That doesn't mean you couldn't have done it. Ashton said you have a knife." Reukra said, pointing a finger at the Veterinarian. "That means it was you who killed my mother, you bitch!"
"Stop blaming Alice for this! If she had killed someone, she would have likely done it for a reason!" Nyx called out.
"Yeah… her reason being that golden ticket. That's probably why she seems so calm and collected." Diego said firmly. "Alice Bailey killed Tsumugi Shirogane and Aikeno Orion with her knife and that's final!" Dylan said, a smirk on his face.
"Um… may I cut in? I have some evidence that might shed some light on this case." Miya called out, only for her voice to be drowned out by Ashton.
"Let's hurry up and cast this vote already. Send the traitor to Davy Jones' Locker!"
"Fantastic. They're all going around blaming Alice without having a shred of proof that she did. Nyx's alibi doesn't help here, especially when Alice admits that she saw Ashton briefly during it. She could have easily done it then." Daisuke thought, glancing at Alice. She had a look of fear and confusion on her face, as she tried to defend herself.
"That girl, the Investigator. Her voice cut through earlier… she said she had something to share. Perhaps she found something that will lead to the answer. An Unjust death for an innocent person goes against our ideals."
"Miya… right. I have to listen to what she has to hear, I'll have to cut through their words!"
Loaded Truth Bullet: Assist Bullet
"Alice was a former member of Fenrir. That means she knows how to covertly Kill people. It's possible that she was capable of doing this!" Ashton said firmly.
"It Wasn't Me. I wasn't even near that suite, so I couldn't have done it!" the woman cried out.
"That doesn't mean you couldn't have done it. Ashton said you have a knife." Reukra said, pointing a finger at the Veterinarian. "That means it was you who killed my mother, you bitch!"
"Stop blaming Alice for this! If she had killed someone, she would have likely done it for a reason!" Nyx called out.
"Yeah… her reason being that golden ticket. That's probably why she seems so calm and collected." Diego said firmly. "Alice Bailey killed Tsumugi Shirogane and Aikeno Orion with her knife and that's final!" Dylan said, a smirk on his face.
"Um… may I cut in? I have some evidence-"
"Allow me to assist you!"
Assist
"Miya, what's this evidence you want to present to us?" Daisuke said, having successfully silenced the room. The Missing Persons Investigator smiled brightly.
"I thank you good sir. It seems you are the only one here who has a good head on his shoulders," she said, tugging her jacket. "Right… well, I have a piece of evidence that points to someone else. Alice is innocent of this crime!"
"Well come on, spit it out already. We haven't got all night!" Hikaru said firmly.
"Don't rush me you frickin frick!" the girl spat. "Ahem… while I was examining the crime scene, I poured over the broken mirror. Weiss and Gehrig were likely the ones that ended up breaking it, as they had some shards in their arms. I actually went through the trouble of putting it back together."
"She did. She pieced it back together, and we ended up finding something about it." Riku said, holding out his ID. It showed a picture of the broken mirror, with a large hole in the middle. "There was one shard that was missing."
"So, what you are saying is… someone used that's hard to kill Aikeno and Tsumugi?" Venessa asked curiously. "But… if that's the case, wouldn't the person that did it get cut? It's a middle piece so I would assume it's very sharp."
"Exactly the case. If Alice was truly the killer, then she would have that cut on her hand. Not to mention, I saw her briefly enter Cafe Parisien during the time this was likely occurring. I was able to estimate the time of death of all the victims. Weiss and Gehrig died first, evident by the bruising on their arms. Shidou was strangled next, with Aikeno following shortly after. Tsumugi died after her, and Felicks was last." the violet-haired girl said firmly.
"That clinches it then. Alice is not our culprit, but we've found another piece of the puzzle. Someone here used that shard to kill those two. Meaning they should have a cut on their hand. That is unless a glove was used."
"Well… only three women here have gloves on their hands." Haruna said, glancing at Rei. "Rei, you are one of them. Ibb, you've got a pair yourself, and Charlotte has her own pair."
"It wasn't me… I have an alibi. I was with Daisuke at the bow of the ship. They were likely dead by the time we returned to the First Class Entrance." the siren said.
"It couldn't have been Ibb either… since we were together in the First Class Gymnasium until just before the Dinner Bell was rung." Maria admitted. She frowned, glancing at the violinist. "That only leaves you dear."
"Huh… what? Are you fucking serious?" Rei cried angrily. "Here we go again, I already killed someone and died for my sins. Do you actually believe I would do that shit again?"
"Well if the boot fits," Lars said, earning a glare from the green-eyed ravenette.
"What did you say?"
"If. The. Boot. Fits."
"I'm going to shove an ivory bow up your ass and use your teeth as strings." the woman said, about to step away from her stand.
"It's easy to figure out if she did it or not. Just take off your gloves." Angie said with a shrug. "If you claim you didn't do it, then show us your hands."
"She shouldn't have to!" Hikaru cried, coming to her defense. "Besides we know that she and I were-"
"No, I think she should show her hands," Giselly said. "Hikaru, Rei… I trust the two of you. You are like siblings to me now. But until I see her hands, I won't be able to exonerate her at all."
"I'm not going to take my gloves off dammit!" the girl cried, cheeks flushing.
"Yawn… I'm starting to get really bored. You might wanna hurry up and end this already… especially because we don't have much time left." Surrashakuma said, stretching in her seat.
"What do you mean by that?" Seisha asked, a worried look on his face. "Why are you acting like something bad is gonna happen?"
"That's because it is kiddo! I'm sure you'll have fun, you are a samebito after all… oh wait, you can't even swim...pfft."
"Ignore her Seisha. She's just trying to psych you out… no need to pay attention to her and her ramblings." Dalila said, soothing the boy's concerns.
Non-Stop Debate
Loaded Truth Bullets: Maria's Account. Rei and Hikaru's Account, Haruna and Reukra's Account, Victim File #2
"I'm sure Rei is the suspect. After all the cut is hidden under her gloves!" Mariana snapped angrily.
"That's a bold faced lie! I wasn't even near that parlor suite. I was somewhere else doing something else." the violinist cried.
"Something else you say? Like what? Explain yourself, dear, you are only digging yourself deeper into your grave." Angie said.
"Um, Rei… maybe it would be better for you to take the gloves off. That way, we could check to see if you are telling the truth." Miyaki said, sheepishly rubbing her arm.
"She doesn't have to do anything. Rei is innocent of this crime… you are all grasping at straws because Surrashakuma is making us nervous!" Hikaru cried out.
"Typical white knight behavior. Of course, you'd defend your girlfriend you jackass. Clearly, she's hiding something, why else would she refuse to take her gloves off?" Lars asked firmly. "Maybe that's because you two are accomplices!"
"Fuck you!" the ravenette shouted angrily.
"This is going nowhere. Why are we even discussing this?" Shiro mumbled, sighing. "I swear if me and my sister die because if you, I am so going to haunt your asses."
"Shiro… if we all die then there's no one left to haunt." Mackenzie said, pressing her fingers together. "I uh… I mean… Rei should take her gloves off! If not for us then to prove herself innocent!" she stammered, a flush on her cheeks.
"This is fucking stupid. I can't believe we're actually discussing this." Ashton said, shaking his head in disapproval.
"Ash is right. It's clearly obvious that Rei and Hikaru aren't the culprits. The only way to prove that is to get her to take those damn gloves off. Let's see if I talk some sense into her."
Loaded Truth Bullet: Rei and Hikaru's Account
"I'm sure Rei is the suspect. After all the cut is hidden under her gloves!" Mariana snapped angrily.
"That's a bold faced lie! I wasn't even near that parlor suite. I was somewhere else doing something else." the violinist cried.
"I agree with that!" Daisuke called out.
Consent
"You… you agree with me?" Rei asked, narrowing her eyes. "Why?"
"Because I remember your alibi. Everyone, Rei and Hikaru couldn't have been the ones to kill everyone. The reason being, they were in their own suite having sex."
"Don't just blurt it out like that!" the boy cried in embarrassment. "Jesus Christ man, what the fuck?"
Daisuke rolled his eyes, walking over to where Rei was. She sighed, knowing what he was going to do. She held her hands out, allowing the boy to delicately pull her gloves off her hands. He examined them both, snorting as he looked them over. "Jeez… here I thought violinists took good care of their hands?"
"Hikaru likes giving me love bites! Sue me!" she cried. For emphasis, she held out her hands, showing everyone the bites that littered her skin. Her palms, however, were completely clean and free of cuts. "See… I was embarrassed okay? I like to keep our sex life between us."
"We're back to square one again… dammit… we aren't going to find the killer if we keep beating around the damn bush!" Diego said firmly. "I'm not going to die because of you idiots!"
"Then maybe get in this shit and start helping us. Standing there and bitching when shit doesn't fucking happen to go your way isn't helping!" Giselly snapped angrily.
"You know… if any of the girls wearing gloves had killed either of them, wouldn't they have blood on their gloves?" Mackenzie asked curiously. "I know they could have taken them off. But if Charlotte and Ibb have alibis, couldn't the person that killed them have ditched the gloves too?"
"She makes a good point. When I checked the private promenade attached to that room, I saw some blood on the deck. Not only that, but the planter was broken." Kanemoto said, glancing around the room. "I think I know what the two murder weapons were for this case. The first was that piece of wood from the planter. It was used to bludgeon Weiss and Gehrig to death, as well as break Tsumugi's ribs. The second is rather obvious."
"The mirror shard." Miya piped up, a firm look on her face. "I'm starting to see the bigger picture here, but there are things that I'm blanking on."
"So let's put it together," Charlotte said, gaining their attention. "Okay… so we believe that Shidou, Weiss and Gehrig fought over the ticket correctly? So what if Shidou in his anger, went into the Promenade deck and broke apart that planter?"
"He wouldn't do that!" Miyaki cried out in reflex. She sighed, bowing her head. "I know my dad wouldn't do that… but I do see your point. He was growing delusional."
(Flashback)
"Dad… don't you think you are drinking a little too much?" Miyaki asked, glancing around the Smoking Room. The other men were glaring at her, a few even wanting her to leave. "I know you are having fun, but I'm worried about you."
"Leave me alone Kiki. Can't you see I'm having a grand old time with my friends here?" Shidou said, glancing at his friends. "John, Benjamin, I'd like for you to meet my daughter Miyaki. She's my pride and joy, the only one I have left after my wife's passing."
"It's a pleasure to meet you miss. John Jacob Astor, you can call me J.J." the man said, extending his hand to the girl. She gave it a light shake, turning to the other man.
"Benjamin Guggenheim, I'm honored to meet you miss. You know… you seem to be around Madeline's age."
"Madeline?" Miyaki asked in confusion, causing J.J. to speak up.
"My wife, she and I recently got married. She's seventeen and is already expecting. I'm sure you two would get along. She's on deck with Madame Aubert. If you'd like, you can go have tea with them. I'm sure she'd love another young lady to converse with."
"Oh… I'll keep that in mind, thank you sir. I just came to check on my father. He's been distraught since losing mother. I don't want to continue drinking like this."
"Miyaki dear, I've already told you… I will drink as much as I want! It's the only way I can cope with her passing. Besides… I'm rich! I want nothing but the best for you, it's why I bought these first class tickets for us." he said, earning a frown from the blonde.
"Daddy… this isn't the real Titanic you know… this is all just a video game."
"Video Game… heavens what is that? It sounds absolutely awful." Guggenheim said, chuckling. He flagged down a steward. "Sir, could I get some more brandy? I'd like another cigar as well."
"Of course sir, only the finest for you. Another round for you gentlemen?"
"Mhmm… I'll take a bottle, my treat!" Shidou said, slapping a twenty onto the table.
"Dad… please, you are starting to worry me."
"Miyaki that is enough. Just leave me be... " he said firmly, brushing her off. Miyaki sighed, turning around. She respectfully excused herself, starting to leave the room. "Honestly, when we get to New York, I'm going to look for a husband for her. It's about time she got married."
(Flashback ends)
"So, he was drinking heavily?" Daisuke asked, earning a nod from the blonde.
"He was. He spent most of his days in the Smoking Room with his 'friends'. He probably forgot they were NPCs. He looked really out of it the last time I spoke with him. I don't even know how he was able to get from the Third Class to the First Class without being forced out by the stewards."
"Gambling," Riku said firmly. "Wiess and Gehrig were doing it a lot. When me and Ibb went to go speak with them, they were gambling with some of the rich folks. It's not that hard to make enough money and then upgrade your ticket. The ship has a lot of spare First Class cabins that went unused."
"Mini-games," Lars mumbled, shaking his head. "Those idiots… they got roped into playing Mini-games. That's probably why they focused solely on that. I bet you the Grand Prize was a fucking Golden Ticket. Oh, that's rich… those dumb shits were making bets, hoping to get those tickets and all they got for their trouble was death!"
"Pfft… that's pretty funny now that I think about it. What losers!" Dylan quipped with a laugh.
"Bollocks. I don't for a second believe that was the cause of their delusion. It was far too real and far too personal for it all to have been a mini-game. Especially for me... " Alice said, closing her eyes. She could see her older brother on the forefront of her mind, glaring at her, laughing. "I can't help but see his sneer every time I blink… it's too much for me."
"Alice… it'll be okay." Nyx said, giving her a smile. "Just remember, this is all a game."
"But what if it isn't?" Ethan asked, tilting his head slightly. "What if killing someone was also a mini-game? What if someone got a ticket for it?"
"Surrashakuma did say something earlier. About those tickets being notoriously hard to get… perhaps they were tied to Mini-games." Dalila added.
"If they were playing a game and then ended up facing a boss, then that could have killed them. I know I don't like fighting boss monsters. They're annoying." Seisha said, scrunching his face.
Mallory yawned, rubbing her eyes. "M-maybe the killer saw a delusion too? What if they thought it was all a game, and didn't realize what they were doing until it was too late?"
"You have a point there Mal. I think that might be the case here. But where to Aikeno and Tsumugi fit in? Matter of fact, where does Felicks fit in? We've been ignoring him this entire time." Sayaka said, glancing at the deceased Fairy's portrait.
"His death was quick and painless. I'm sure he was just a victim of circumstance." Ashton said.
"A very particular circumstance. With all of the carnage that was going on in that room, only he died of a broken neck? And after Tsumugi too. Something tells me that isn't the case." Vanessa said firmly.
"What if he was watching?" Maria queried, twisting a strand of hair between her fingers. "What if he was caught watching and he had to be put down? You know… to stop someone from telling the others, before the time was right?"
"That… makes a lot of sense mom. A lot more sense than I hope."
"I don't think that's the case," Evan said, shaking his head. "I think he was brought there as a victim to be murdered, simple as that."
"I don't think so," Mariana said. "I believe Felicks could have been watching this whole thing go down."
"It's impossible for him to have been watching! From where would he have? The Promenade? Because that clearly isn't the case!" the mythologist snapped.
"Oh boy! Do I finally get to do it! Yes, siree! Looks like we're going to be having a Scrum Debate!" Surrashakuma cried, jumping to her feet. She spun her cane around her neck, slamming it hard on her throne chair. The stands started whirling loudly, beginning to move around, causing everyone to grab on. "This is gonna be fun!"
"What… what the bloody hell is going on?" Alice cried out, as she struggled to hang on.
"Beats me… this is a new ball game!" Haruna called out. Dylan giggled joyously.
"Yes, I've been waiting for hard for this!" he said cheerfully, a manic grin on his face. It only took a few seconds for each of the stands to be fully lined up. Everyone was facing each other.
"Tada! Here we have our sides! Evan believes Felicks wasn't a victim of circumstance and was in fact taken there against his will! On the opposing side, we have Mariana who believes he was watching the entire time! Let's see these two duke it out in our favorite event of the trial! The never replicated, Scum Debate!"
Scrum Debate: Start
"Evan, I'm not sure you understand what you are saying. It's clear that Felicks was watching from the get go!" Mariana snapped, glaring at the man.
"No, it's you who doesn't understand. The other victims were either hostages or ghosts. Felicks looked weaker than most. Someone could have easily forced his hand and dragged him to that room!" he spat back.
"I see mythology is the only thing you are good for." the manakete quipped, resting her weight on her leg. "If Felicks was indeed dragged there, then why was he killed last? There was no point to it, especially when they could have killed him first."
"That's simple… they killed him last in order to scare him."
"Scare him? Are you stupid?" she cried, an incredulous look on her face. "Why the hell would they want to scare him?"
"If I may interject, I believe Evan might be onto something," Angie said. "I think Felicks was just someone quick and easy to grab. He didn't look like he would put up a fight. He could have been subdued with ease."
"That's where you are wrong Angie," Sayaka said firmly. "I can't follow that line of logic. I mean, they grabbed him because he was weak, then why not grab Miyuki or Nyx? They look equally as weak as he did. Even Dalila looks a bit emaciated, any one of them could be grabbed."
"Hey… I don't like being described like that." the dryad said, frowning.
"See… that line of logic is flawed. Admit it, Evan, you are grasping at straws here? And for what reason? You've got no cause to oppose me." the red-haired beauty said.
"Pardon me then… but I still do not believe Dylan is entirely innocent. He is on your side for whatever reason. That is why I oppose you… because when he's around, you never know what may happen."
"Oh, boo frickety hoo. You ended up getting yourself and Ren killed and suddenly I'm at fault? Come on man… I already told you, I've got no reason to kill anyone here. Even if I did, why would I? I got a one-way ticket outta this shithole!" Dylan said, waving his tickets around. "Besides, I'm not a brain dead idiot. There's one thing about the murder scene that proves Felicks wasn't a victim but watching it instead."
"Oh… and that happens to be?" Reukra asked, fuming. "Because if I find out you are lying, I'm going to beat the shit out of you. I'm sick of this class trial bullshit. I just want to find the fucker who killed my mom!"
"It's quite simple… unless you hide under the bed, there's only one place where you can hide and get a full picture of what is going on. I'll give you a hint, it isn't the Promenade Deck."
"Tch… any hint given by you is probably false. I assure you, Felicks was a victim of circumstance. The killer grabbed him, forced him to go to this parlor suite and then he was killed, end of story."
"No! You are wrong… the truth of the matter is that I have the final piece of this puzzle!" Mariana said, a grin on her face.
Loaded Truth Bullet: Locked Sitting Room Door
"This is the answer!"
End of Debate
"Woo! Now that was exciting, wasn't it kids? It's clear that Mariana won that debate, she aced it with flying colors!" Surrashakuma said excitedly, as the stands returned to normal. "Miss Nunez, you have the floor!"
"You are seriously going on the assumption that the Sitting Room door was locked?" Evan asked, eyes wide. "Are you mad? Don't you know our lives are on the line?"
"Of course I do… and that's why it makes sense. Felicks must have seen what was going on in that room. Maybe he saw someone else being dragged in… someone like Aikeno or Tsumugi. Growing concerned, he tried looking into the room but realized he couldn't. So he went into the Sitting Room from the hallway door."
"Take it a step back," Daisuke said, cutting into the conversation. "What if Felicks sniffed out a ticket in that room? What if he was searching for it and went into that Sitting Room?" he said, glancing around the room. "Then he really was a victim of circumstance. He saw Weiss and Gehrig getting attacked, and probably alerted the killer. He was killed, not just to silence him, but because he was a loose end."
"I think… I think that might be the case." Charlotte said, looking down in sadness. "If you look at his cause of death, it's a simple broken neck. What if he was killed by someone he was friends with? One of us in this room who he actually grew close to? I think that would be the most logical conclusion."
"That's just awful… why would someone do that to him? Especially if they were a friend… I could never imagine having to do something so disgusting!" Haruna said, shaking her head in anger. "Let's just end this farce… we need to figure out who killed Aikeno… we're wasting time!"
"I would certainly say so," Surrashakuma said, glancing at her pocket watch. "It's 9:30 PM… We're gonna have to wrap this up soon. If you are deadlocked, then you know what will happen."
"A sacrificial vote… we are not doing that. That isn't even an option." Daisuke said, earning a laugh from Lars.
"Why not? I believe it could be beneficial. It worked so well last time… hey, maybe it'll land on one of these undead fucks. Maybe the bitch with the green eyes or the soulless ginger." he said, glaring at Rei and Mallory. "That is something I would love to see."
"I would love if it if it was you." Mariana spat. "I think the world would be blessed with your passing."
"Hardly. Someone like me will never die… I've got big plans I'm afraid. Plans that will be fulfilled the moment we step away from this stupid ship. I cannot risk my own death yet, so sadly I must concur. We need to solve this case, and solve it quickly."
"That's a switch… I'm impressed… there's a part of you that actually does give a shit." Diego said, smirking.
"Eh… nope. I just don't wanna die, a perfect human like me doesn't need to ever see that side of life. At least, not before my time."
"I've been thinking about something. Don't you think it's a little odd that we haven't honed in on a suspect yet?" Eris asked, a pensive look on her face. "Normally, someone would have found something incriminating. Yet this time, we haven't found anything… do you think maybe something was erased?"
"Erased like how? By accessing the system?" Giselly asked, causing her to nod. "I doubt it. Aside from myself, no one but Miyaki and those on the outside have access to the system. Both of us were in the Palm Court when this murder was happening."
"There has to be something we're missing though, anything at all," Ren said.
"Well, we can't find anything. There is nothing left to find… unless someone here is hiding something. In which case, you know how that turned out last time." Rei said, rubbing her hand.
"I know I haven't said much, this is all new to me, but. Maybe someone could retrace Felicks' steps? That would probably lead us to where we wanna go." Miyuki said.
"Hey yeah! Big sis is right… whenever I lost a piece of fabric or a thimble when I was sowing, I would do everything I did in reverse. Most of the time, I ended up finding what I lost." Shiro said happily. "What say you Miya, can you come up with something?"
"Perhaps… what was the last thing Felicks did before he died?" she asked calmly.
"Well… I remember being at the Squash Court with him this morning. But that was at 11, I spent the rest of the day searching for Charlotte, so I didn't see him." Daisuke said.
"Same here… we split up at 1. We had gone to the Turkish Baths and we made plans to meet up after dinner. Shame we weren't able to hang out afterward." Riku added.
"All of us were doing the Tour, so we didn't see him either," Miyaki said.
"I was… hanging out with Nyx, among other things. Dealing with my delusions became a bit hard. So I took frequent walks when I could. If I recall correctly, I did spot Felicks coming down the Grand Staircase. I met up with Nyx at the Palm Court before we went to have tea. It must have been… around 5:50?" Alice said causing Miya to snap her fingers.
"We have a window. 5:50 is the last time anyone saw him under the notion he was alive. I examined Weiss, Gehrig and Shidou. To me, it seemed as if they were dead far longer than Aikeno, Tsumugi and Felicks. We know that they died last."
"So, you're saying Weiss and Gehrig were dead before 5:50?" Ashton asked. "How the hell can you tell?"
"I've said it before… despite being a Missing Persons Investigator, I yearn to be more like Saiko Kobayashi. That's why I dabble in forensics. The blood on the ceiling looked a bit dry as if it had been over an hour since it happened. That means those two died first, at exactly 5:50. If Felicks was indeed searching for a ticket and was in the Sitting Room, then he might have seen their bodies." she said. "Shidou was probably there searching for the ticket, and may have killed those two."
"And if he did, Felicks would have likely tried to get help. But when he did, he saw someone else being dragged into the room. Tsumugi and Aikeno. They probably were brought in there for one reason or another." Ethan said. Kanemoto grit her teeth angrily, slamming her fist against the stand.
"Okay… this has gone far enough. I've been waiting for this entire trial for you to say something but watching you stand there, going on like it's nothing. It's pissing me the fuck off." the brunette Pokemon Trainer snapped.
"Kanna… what are you doing?" Nico cried out, a look of shock on her face.
"What I should have done from the beginning! Ethan is a lying sack of shit! He's in bed with Surrashakuma and Jibo. He's the one that probably killed those hostages!"
The whole room grew silent at the woman's accusation, no one wanted to utter a single word. The Participants, Hostages and Ghosts could only stare at the Ultimate Cryomancer, who became frozen in place.
xxx(End of Act 11)xxx
Surviving Subjects: ?
Ghost Peeps: ?
Hostages: ?
A/N: Holy shit I did it! A chapter where I didn't go over 10,000 words, not including the Authors Not of course. Wew!
I cannot thank you all enough for the support. This chapter has been a long time coming, and now we are drawing near the end of this trial. I was going to have it be an entire chapter, but I worried it was becoming too long. The next chapter is going to be the conclusion to this Act's trial. Not to mention, the beginning of the end of Chapter 2. Because after this, only a few more acts will remain!
Honestly… I didn't expect Chapter 2 to go one for so long. You can clearly tell I'm a huge Titanic Nerd, especially if I've kept this chapter going for this long. I swear it was meant to be 10 Acts long, I'm sorry.
I am not sure when I will post this. Most likely tomorrow afternoon. Who knows? Maybe if I finish early, I'll have a double post for ya… or I'll make you suffer… yeah, the latter will be better. Before I go I must say one thing….
Bella, please don't kill me. I know you want closure for your boy, but bear with me… I want this trial to be perfect!
Be sure to read the Mall AU! Where I made my writing Debut! Please… it's the fluffy story where all of our OC's can live happily ever after, without any suffering. Show some love to Super, JCW, Trust and everyone else who helped out.
Shout to all the pairs… oh and my buddy BloodyDemon has started a Cyberpunk/Persona cross over. Be sure to check it out if you'd like… It's not my personal cup of tea since I know jack shit about Cyberpunk, but be sure to drop by if you are interested.
Peace out y'all!