bellelurette | TRIAL I

Trial

Today is going to be a loooong day. You knew that pretty shortly after waking up, didn't you? On the plus side, it means you've had some time to process the death of one of your own, or leisure time at the very least. But come midnight, the clocks in the castle all strike out in unison again. This time though, you barely have time to clutch your head before you're transported elsewhere.

Yes, you're coming in your pajamas if you were already in bed.

The place where you find yourself is obviously not the castle, that much is obvious from an immediate look alone. The look is very circus fair meets hell, minus any actual fire (for now). The walls, the lighting, the atmosphere is different, reds and purples and exposed rock face all together with furniture that should belong in a courtroom, and a carnival, not a caldera. It's a stylistic choice, for sure.

Seating consists of various stools on the outer ring, the layout suggesting that the preferred way to conduct trial is to free mingle towards the center, unless you're partaking in food and refreshments. A veritable bounty of a spread is available for you to partake as you like. There's even an entire table's worth of chocolate, cut out in various animal shapes for you to enjoy. And yes, alcohol too, because a banquet without the finest wines isn't a feast at all.

Even with all the food there's plenty of space for all of you, but do be careful around the pit in the center of this room. How deep does it go? Where does it lead? There are other unanswered questions to answer, and you've been tasked with finding out who murdered Tia. The Witch of Ruin demands a show and unfortunately you are his captive actors. He presides over all of this from a balcony above, the best seat in the house.

(( OOC: Welcome to your first trial! You'll have 7 hours (until 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT) to vote one (1) person guilty of murder. As this is scapegoat style, a correct vote is not necessary. Please remember to vote unless otherwise discussed with the mods, as that is our AC for this game ))

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[ The thing is... Angelo is not that smart - he's studious when he wants to be and can really apply himself, but at baseline he is not exactly a genius. And he is easily riled up.

So... ]

I doubt you'd have been able to afford my old prices.

[ Here's an admission he hadn't planned on making, lmao. ]

[ ...........

Hickey is so, so bad with people. And Siffrin's bad with them too, but not... like that. Soft-spoken, but Firmly cutting in. ]

It's okay. You don't have to do anymore. Will you touch your toes instead?

[ Angelo might have once been willing but before he can... Hickey continues to happen. ]

[ HE'S GETTING A NEW BEDMATE STAT ]

[ SIFFRIN TO THE RESCUE but alas, he's not going to save Angelo from a Hickey heckling. ]

An odd tack, to shame a man for the amount of coins in his purse—or were you selling your body for the joy of it?

[ ... yeah no, he's punching Hickey straight in the face for that one. No warning either. ]

[ OW??? He very nearly drops to the floor, caught off guard like that, but manages to stay upright. ]

You stupid bastard—! I'm trying to clear your bloody name!

[ He's gonna launch forward to tackle Angelo unless someone wants to... grab him... ]

[ Can Siffrin trip him. ]

[ yes, thank u bestie who is still definitely hickey's bed buddy no take backs. ]

[ Angelo is prepared for this and is, in fact, already in place to kick Hickey away from him. He's wearing beautiful heavy duty leather boots, of course!

So, uh, someone stop them or else this will get very ugly. ]

I do not need help from a dirty old man like you. Take your fucking arrogance elsewhere!!

[ Cain steps in between them. ]

C'mon, enough. Stay on track.

[ Lucky(?) for Cain, the kick, plus Siffrin's ~~BETRAYAL~~ tripping, sends Hickey to the ground for real this time. >:( ]

My arrogance?

[ yeah he's still shit talking from the floor, nose bloodied. ]

I'm not the one refusing to participate in a murder investigation! A woman is dead!

[ Angelo is... at least somewhat satisfied by seeing him on the floor. He longs to step on him as well, but with Cain physically in the way, he will not. ]

People die all the time. A stranger dies, and I'm expected to perform little tricks for the audience in this damned circus hall? No thanks.

You have no reason to suspect me and I owe the dead nothing.

[Chara nods in agreement and solidarity.]

(no subject)

spotsalone - 2025-03-15 21:40 (UTC) - Expand

cleansheets - 2025-03-15 21:56 (UTC) - Expand

spotsalone - 2025-03-15 22:21 (UTC) - Expand

Fights aren't helpful.

[ Standing a little straighter, oddly present for someone who's normally so... quiet and background character. ]

Don't taunt someone about their past. You find a different approach.