The Lady of Justice - Chapter 1 Trial Start

R.N.A.

Narrator “THE PASSENGER KNOWN AS HARUKA. THE PASSENGER KNOWN AS JACK. THE PASSENGER KNOWN AS R.N.A. THESE ARE YOUR CHOSEN DEFENDANTS…”

“…I am unsure… Why I was nominated.” R.N.A wore an “O O” expression. It would become increasingly clear that the robot had no idea that they had been selected for nomination prior to this. “But I am innocent.”

“I would like to… say to the killer. Please… give yourself up now. What you did was heinous… But I am willing to forgive you… if you confess… willingly. You will prove… you are not a threat.”

Viper “And in the RVJAM group we voted for RNA as our defendant.” Spin. “…Democratically.” She added, after that sick metagame she used to call them by their actual ooc name!

“Why… Was I not included… in the vote? That’s not… democratic.” R.N.A. exclaims. “Anyway… I did not commit this murder. Before we both spotted the fire… which lead us to the corpse… I was attempting to patch a wound for Matsukaze. I could not have… caused the fire.” After all… The two of them had been the first to stumble upon that terrible sight. It didn’t feel good to not only find it, but now to be so brazenly accused of causing it?

Viper “But I like, really don’t think it’s Jack. Like… sure… I tailed him for ages and then he suddenly vanished by the western shore before I could steal what I wanted.”

“That’s not a very… strong alibi. You are saying… he suddenly disappeared? What if… he committed the murder then? Besides… Can anybody account for your whereabouts during this? You may be just… making this event up.” R.N.A. turns to Jack. It was possible that he had spotted Viper tailing him at some point. It would still be fairly weak as an alibi, but it was better than nothing.

“I would like to ask where Fenna was found. She was very clearly… not present at the scene at all. I know she was allegedly trapped in a tape… But where was she?” It was rather suspicious, wasn’t it? To not show up at all when someone had been murdered? It was best to clear that up as soon as possible.

Viper To everyone’s vehement denial of RNA possibly being the culprit, Viper gave a frustrated huff, flipping her hair.

“Okay? But thats like exactly why I suspect ’em?” She rolled her eyes, as if it’s the most obvious conclusion ever. “RNA has had mad beef with Atsuko since the fire in the weird-ass Ikea an’ like… Half of ya ain’t gonna be weirded out too much if RNA comes askin’ for a gun that was found in the gacha car ta dispose of it? Tryin’ ta stop more ‘dangerous people’ gettin’ it?”

“I did… not have ill will towards Atsuko. Even in spite of her… unruly behavior. I may have disapproved… But I would not turn… to something as antisocial as… violence. I also… imagine someone would have … if said so… if I had been given a gun by them.” R.N.A. rebutted. “I have no desire… to murder humans. I… nurture humans. You cannot nurture dead humans.”

Dexter Blanche I noted that the killer would potentially do this as a drastic measure to not watch their VHS, and that Mr. Melvin didn’t watch his yet…”

“I can also confirm… I have watched my own tape. However… The only other person present was Atsuko herself… Who obviously cannot verify that I did so.”

It was rather unfortunate. R.N.A. was aware that mentioning this may cause… unpleasant reactions. But the robot was not going to lie.

Fenna Van Daalen

Viper “Either of ya missin’ the gun or ammo BTW? It was in tha ocean by Atsuko’s body."

“H-huh? The gun?! It’s… I lost it in the shipwreck… Taran told me he lost the bullet, too.”

“…I shoulda looked harder, dammit. I thought we was finally rid a the thing…”

Fenna obliges to the search, opening her purse to show a ruined pack of cigarettes, a romance novel, and an empty flask.

R.N.A. “I would like to ask where Fenna was found. She was very clearly… not present at the scene at all. I know she was allegedly trapped in a tape… But where was she?”

“I think the sunset was behind me when I started the tape, so… east coast, right? I just thought I’d get the damn thing over with, didn’t think it’d take so long… I know it ain’t much of an alibi.”

Roadie 🪶Jack

Jack continued to kick back without a care in the world to watch everybody getting all riled up at each other. And at him, but not really enough to be interesting. Yeah, yeah, there was a murder so everybody figured he was related, no surprise there. Heck, his own group woulda nominated him if another hadn’t beaten them to the punch.

Or… not everybody did? Weird but okay. He wasn’t gonna worry about it too much.

Viper I tailed him for ages and then he suddenly vanished by the western shore before I could steal what I wanted.

R.N.A. Can anybody account for your whereabouts during this? You may be just… making this event up.” R.N.A. turns to Jack.

“Oh yeah, she was stompin’ around something fierce. ‘S practically the other side of the island, too, so our alibis’re both good.” As if the island was all that big.

“I’m sure ya hate to hear it.”

Dexter Blanche After all, Comedy had a knife of his own. Granted, we don’t know who struck first… but Comedy with a knife, and Atsuko with a rock. It could go either way… that is, if that even was the knife.

Ooh, that was a fun possibility.

“Yeah, our smiley friend wasn’t too sturdy, right? Bet Atsuko could brain ‘em easy.”

“Mm, ‘cept if you’re gonna get a stab deeper than the length a’ the knife, you gotta go pretty hard. Not sure they coulda managed that. Different weapon, then?” He glanced over his shoulder. “What was that you were sayin’ about a splicer?”

He had no idea what it was, but splicing sounded potentially violent.

Viper I mean, Comedy probs would have given up that knife if anyone asked nicely.” Viper shrugged. “They were quick enough to give up their medical supplies when I asked.”

Though Jack had been amused by several points, that one in particular got a snort.

“Hey, if you ask nice, even I might give ya some medical supplies, but I wouldn’t hand out my knife.”

And most of the rest was either unimportant or going right over his head. That’s fine. Not worth trying that hard to keep his head on.

Viper

Okay. Taran and Fenna both complied! That brightened Viper’s mood considerably. She did fully go through Taran’s things, even placing it back in his bag neatly for him before handing it back.

“Good. Thanks, Taran, Fenna.” Viper nodded gratefully, “…But don’t blame yaself, Fens. You either, ’ran.” Two new nicknames for the collection.

R.N.A. I was attempting to patch a wound for Matsukaze.

Viper glances over at Matsukaze sitting beside her. Maybe she seemed just a little hurt by the fact she had so easily been replaced in her doctor role. A shame.

But she quickly snaps back as RNA continues speaking.

R.N.A. Can anybody account for your whereabouts during this? You may be just… making this event up.

“When have I, like, ever told a lie? Ever?” Viper starts, but she’s quickly shut up by Jack’s confirmation of her alibi, scoffing and leaning back against the edge of the jury box. He didn’t have to say it like that! …She couldn’t even deny the fact she was stamping around at this point. So, she’s gonna pretend she didn’t hear it at all!

R.N.A. “I can also confirm… I have watched my own tape. However… The only other person present was Atsuko herself… Who obviously cannot verify that I did so.”

“Yeah, ’cause that totally doesn’t make you suspicious at all.” Viper rolls her eyes again, folding her arms across herself.

Roadie 🪶Jack “Hey, if you ask nice, even I might give ya some medical supplies, but I wouldn’t hand out my knife.”

“…I mean. Ya also ain’t as nice as Comedy. Fella seemed lonely, stuck in that hut with no one to talk to but murdercat if they even stop by.” Viper shrugs. “…Or maybe good looks and charm could win ’em over.” She seemed unpertubed by Jack’s amusement about her thoughts, “Or maybe Comedy would want ta give out a knife ta try ‘n encourage somethin’ like this.”

Arty Takenaka “Unless it was without me.”

“Eh, maybe just a lil’. But y’all wouldn’t’a changed the vote anyway, ’cause it’d have been 3-2? Democracy sucks, kiddo.” …Sorry, Arty!

Arty Takenaka “I don’t know who did that, but if it’s true it can’t be Comedy, and I don’t think Atsuko would shoot her own space heater since she was so attached to it. So… a third person then.”

“Bingo. It has ta be someone else. Atsuko was so attached to that thing, she wouldn’t’a destroyed it.” Viper pulls Atsuko’s lighter from her pocket. “An’ her lighter still seems ta have some gas in it, so… doubt it was used ta set the fire.” She folds her legs up onto the chair.

“Guarantee the fire was caused by someone shootin’ the space heater when Atsuko was prob’ly tryin’ to recover from her injuries. There was a bloody handprint on the tree beside her body, an’ it had no fingerprints. Tellin’ me Atsuko was at least alive by the time she collapsed under the treevee.”

Viper continues,

“…I think Atsuko prob’ly collapsed to the ground an’ wanted ta keep warm as her body was drainin’ of blood. She prob’ly knew she was gonna die, but didn’t want ta feel the cold set in. Soooo, when someone shot the space heater, it sparked ’n malfunctioned ’n set the fire.”

Taran “Actually, I’m not sure whether the gun could be fired without drawing attention. I was up in the open air but I didn’t hear it fire. It had a cobbled-together silencer on there, but the whole thing was in bad shape even before the storm.”

“…I mean, they prob could’a used somethin’ as a makeshift silencer, those are a thing… Or even somethin’ like clothin’ if it’s thick enough could prob’ly make a difference.” Viper shrugs- “People use pillows when murderin’ all the time.”

“…I also think ’Suko might have been shot. Which… is kinda weird, ’cause if the gun only had one bullet, perhaps Nekoneko was involved.” She looked over at the cat.

“Oi. Would ya interfere in somethin’ like that, kitty cat? Seems like somethin’ more your style.”

Taran

Fenna Van Daalen “H-huh? The gun?! It’s… I lost it in the shipwreck… Taran told me he lost the bullet, too.”

“Yeah, I did. You can run through my stuff too, Viper.”

Taran turns out his pockets and hands her his big blue bag (thank you, Blahajar). Cell phone, earbuds in their case, pocketknife, hall pass from the gacha, a length of rope from the beach, and a spare coconut. No bullet to be seen.

Arty Takenaka “We’re pretty sure this is a bullet. It was found lodged in Atsuko’s space heater.”

“Can I see that? I want to check if there’s anything obviously inconsistent with the gacha-gun’s bullet. And come to think of it, I was so worried about squirreling that thing away that we never determined whose it was. All the gacha pulls were associated with one of us, right?”

Arty Takenaka …they were probably stolen before we got on the boat.”

“Fenna held onto the gun and I had the bullet on me, ever since I got the thing out of the gacha machine. A thief would have had to steal from both of us, and in my case would need to have pulled it out of my front pocket. I’m not sure that happened. If it did, my first guess would be friggin’ Jack.”

Dexter Blanche “This is a tape splicing tool we found hidden away in Comedy’s hut. I actually have a theory that involves this but… ah, all things in due time. Lets not get ahead of ourselves.”

“I’d like to look at the splicer sooner than later. Melvin and I might be able to flesh out your theory a bit.”

“Oh and for the record, I was up a tree looking at one of the teevees during the attack. Not in a tape way, I was trying to get into the casing to see how it worked. No company to back me up, unfortunately, but it was real peaceful until everyone started gathering.” Taran takes a glance at Matsu, the only remaining passenger yet to chime in with an alibi. That reminds him, though…

“Actually, I’m not sure whether the gun could be fired without drawing attention. I was up in the open air but I didn’t hear it fire. It had a cobbled-together silencer on there, but the whole thing was in bad shape even before the storm.”

R.N.A.

Viper “…RNA. I like, am so convinced you’re not actually a robot that i think it’s actually kinda relevant. Can…can ya humour me. Lemme see the bottom of ya feet.”

The oddity of this request aside, R.N.A. feels obliged to attempt and prove their innocence as much as they can. They lift a single foot up, angling so Viper has a clear view of the bottom. “They… are both identical.”

The bottom of the foot is decently sized and rectangular in nature. It’s very likely that any footprints made by it would be extremely recognizable as being from R.N.A. in this case.

“Besides this, there is… a lot of evidence… proving my innocence.” R.N.A. needed to clear this up quickly, so people could turn to different suspects.

"1. I was with Matsukaze… when the fire erupted. If the bullet… hitting the space heater… caused the fire… then I could not have fired that bullet without… Matsukaze noticing.

2. I have already watched my tape. I had… no reason to kill.

3. I could not have stolen… anything. I am not stealthy. Nor has anyone… admitted to giving me something. So I could not… get my hands on the gun or bullet.

4. Just because I am a robot… does not mean I… am not destructible."

Now that this was cleared up…

Narrator “I MAY ONLY RULE ON CASES OFFICIALLY PRESENTED TO THE COURT. BUT SOLVING ONE MAY HELP SOLVE THE OTHER…”

“I believe this too. Comedy was not attacked… for no reason. The culprit may have… wanted to use something in secret. The… tape splicer, in specific.”

There had been something small, yet odd that they had made a note of. Now felt like a good time to bring it up.

Fenna Van Daalen “I think the sunset was behind me when I started the tape, so… east coast, right? I just thought I’d get the damn thing over with, didn’t think it’d take so long…"

“Miss Fenna… I believe your tape was spliced. That’s why it was taking so long to finish. Someone tampered with it.”

R.N.A.

Narrator Since R.N.A. did ask nicely, they went over to the jury box to present a tape. The name on the label (Fenna Van Daalen) was one of the clearer ones you’d seen, and you could tell by the reels that it had been watched… partly. Nothing seemed more unusual about the tape’s film than anyone else’s.

Interesting. Well, it was clear the tape had not been tampered with, at least.

Despite Viper’s best efforts, R.N.A. had retained their foot, as well as awareness of the proceedings in the trial. It seemed like all points were converging on a specific person.

…There had been quite a few things brewing under the surface of this case. With far more evidence having come to light than initially, R.N.A. had been led to a far different conclusion than they had initially concluded.

Arty Takenaka “So all of this is exactly why everyone needs to stop jumping to conclusions about everything, okay? Seriously! You all make up explanations for evidence based on nothing and then use that to accuse people and not give them any benefit of the doubt at all.

"I’m sorry, Arty… but there are several points of suspicion. This is not… nothing. For starters… She has no verifiable… alibi for the crime.

Fenna Van Daalen “H-huh? The gun?! It’s… I lost it in the shipwreck… Taran told me he lost the bullet, too.”

Fenna Van Daalen Fenna obliges to the search, opening her purse to show a ruined pack of cigarettes, a romance novel, and an empty flask.

“First of all… the gun and bullet… It is about… who has access to it. Not who knows. The only people were… Fenna and Taran.”

R.N.A. turns to Taran. “Taran… am I correct in assuming… Miss Fenna emptied the gun and gave you the bullet?” R.N.A. questions. “Because it is very possible… there were more bullets. So she kept a bullet for herself. In essence… the gun was always loaded.”

“Secondly… I find it hard… to believe the only thing she lost… in the shipwreck was the gun. All the other items… in her purse were still there. I don’t believe… she ever lost it.” It was too coincidental, wasn’t it?

Roadie 🪶Jack “Doesn’t put her anywhere in particular, no. But does mean she’s been barefoot, and I coulda sworn there were some toe marks in those prints at the scene.”

Fenna Van Daalen It looks like more of a scrape than a cut from broken glass.

Fenna Van Daalen Fenna’s glittery heel was quite a bit larger than Viper’s foot, and the velvety insole bore trace amounts of blood.

“Fenna scraped her foot… so she must have taken her… shoes off on the beach… at some point. Much like the killer… must have, if there were toe… prints in the sand. Her foot is also… larger than Viper’s… like the killer’s.”

“But I think most unusual…”

Fenna Van Daalen “I think the sunset was behind me when I started the tape, so… east coast, right? I just thought I’d get the damn thing over with, didn’t think it’d take so long… I know it ain’t much of an alibi.”

Fenna Van Daalen Maybe if she just kept quiet… Maybe no one would notice that her tape hadn’t even been watched halfway through, or–

They hold up the tape that Nekoneko had given them. Fenna Van Daalen’s tape. “…Is that Miss Fenna’s tape has been barely watched. Despite her saying how long she… was watching for, less than half… of the tape has elapsed. I find it hard… to believe she watched much at all.”

“Miss Fenna, do you care to admit your crime? I believe you killed Atsuko Samukura.” R.N.A. concluded.

Vinzent Mayer

See, normally Vinzent is still very jittery and nervous about this whole thing, so when Asuka spoke up? She got on his nerves pretty easily. And… Of course Asuka had to open her mouth.

Asuka Fukuda “Soooo, we just going to ignore the part where Taran pointed out it was waaay more likely Comedy got hit with the rock, and that was Comedy’s hair? You don’t think maybe the head wound could be connected to the bloodstained rock with hair on it!?”

It seem out of character for Asuka to actually care about handling this correctly. Yet here, she seethes with rage.

“Plus, other people out of the group wear brown clothes, and we could have voted for them. All I saw was a brown scrap, so I’m not sure what material it was, but like…. Off the top of my head, not factoring alibis because I guess those don’t matter,” Asuka’s tone changes, making it clear there is some personal level there, “I noticed Jack’s brown gloves when we fought earlier. And unless we’re super sure of what the scrap is, why are we limiting it to clothes? Like….Could have been something else, I think.” It’s not the most persuasive argument, but she’s putting it out there.

There’s another pause, before Asuka stares at the floor.

“Also, I literally told you I was with them. So unless you think I missed them magically teleporting to set a fire, or I’m just lying, you’re an ass. I would have said something if Haruka left during that time. But nooooo. Let’s ignore me. Let’s maybe let a murderer get away. Great fucking job.”

Vinzent found it pretty hard to hide his annoyance, slash, anger in his tone. Has she not listened what he said? Why does she wants to beef with him so bad again?

“I. Said. It did not necessarily. Means it was Haruka. Am I clear now? Or do I need to repeat it a third time?”

Dexter Blanche “Ah, I think that makes a lot of sense actually!” Dexter says, perking up. “See, when you put it like that, it sounds like Atsuko and Comedy got into a bit of a fight!”

… Alright, okay. He hadn’t considered that possibility, but again, it was possible. But then… The knife got discussed. And people saying “oh they’re so nice”. Vinzent would argue that just because someone is nice doesn’t mean they’re totally innoncent but he’s shutting up because he… Really doesn’t want to throw oil on fire. That said, R.N.A. always weirded Vinzent out for some reason, so he’s not that surprised if they ended up suspected. Speaking of that… Vinzent then listened to both Abel and Viper.

Viper “Okay? But thats like exactly why I suspect ’em?” She rolled her eyes, as if it’s the most obvious conclusion ever. “RNA has had mad beef with Atsuko since the fire in the weird-ass Ikea an’ like… Half of ya ain’t gonna be weirded out too much if RNA comes askin’ for a gun that was found in the gacha car ta dispose of it? Tryin’ ta stop more ‘dangerous people’ gettin’ it?”

“No, I agree, I feel they’re a little.. Too forceful in niceness. I don’t trust them either.”

Oh god, the robot spoke.

Honestly they’re so grating. And their alibi…?

“So just you and Atsuko? That…” Sounds really suspicious. They could have a motive, don’t they? In addition to their weird shtick, Vinzent just regretted suspecting Haruka. But R.N.A. … It sounds more likely only because… They don’t have anything solid enough to make themself innoncent.

Then Fenna spoke… Ah… well, Vinzent’s staying quiet at this moment mainly because he doesn’t think Fenna is a murderer. But he wants to hear everything before determining the truth. There’s more he needs to hear.

Haruka Yukimura

Haruka tried to not look too sheepish about the arguments that began cropping up around her nomination. Contrary to what it might be easy to believe, she hadn’t actually put herself forward - but she didn’t feel as if she could put anyone else forward, either, so it had just ended up this way.

Viper she was stabbed with somethin’ that stabbed deeper than my finger, an’ about as wide as two of ‘em.

Roadie 🪶Jack if you’re gonna get a stab deeper than the length a’ the knife, you gotta go pretty hard.

Viper’s statement seemed to be what a lot of people are going off, but she couldn’t help but be a little uncertain about it. And it seemed someone else had picked up on it, too - she nodded to Jack next to her. Apparently Haruka had no particular issue with him - or if she did, she didn’t let it affect her consideration of his statements.

“…Are you sure Atsuko was stabbed? Because… that doesn’t really sound like a stab wound, to me… Perhaps a spear could do it, but I’ve not seen anything like that… Jack is right, a knife alone wouldn’t leave the kind of wound you’re describing.”

Taran All the gacha pulls were associated with one of us, right?

Haruka looked distinctly uncomfortable about it, but it was only right to answer.

“…I don’t know if they’re all associated, but… I recognised that gun. Uh… you and Abel are right about the silencing, Taran. It is… hard to really stifle the sound of gunfire. I didn’t hear anything myself - believe me, I would have recognised the sound - but I was far away enough that the sound might not have reached me.”

Viper Which… is kinda weird, ’cause if the gun only had one bullet

“…One bullet might be all you need… they can pass through things, and… ah, people…”

That uncomfortable look was only intensifying. But was there anyone else who had the experience and knowledge she had? Well, she hoped not, so it was up to her to help out.

Arty Takenaka

When the trial starts, Arty is quick to fade into the background. Theories and accusations fly one after the other, and she doesn’t quite know what to make of them. Seems like everyone has their own idea of what happened… everyone except for her. It just seemed too soon to draw any conclusions.

But even if she doesn’t have a theory yet, there are a couple things the others have said that definitely sound a bit off to her. If nothing else, she can cast doubt on those, and then… she nudges the object at her feet with one foot, making sure it’s still there. She might have at least one real contribution to make after that.

Viper “And in the RVJAM group we voted for RNA as our defendant.” Spin. “…Democratically.”

“I didn’t realize we’d settled on anyone at all. All I know is that my defendant wasn’t allowed”—she casts a glare at Neko-Neko—“and then R.N.A. and I left. So no, we didn’t have a vote.” She gives Viper a grumpy look. “Unless it was without me.”

Fenna Van Daalen "Jack’s got somethin’ ta do with all dis!”

“I don’t know if he did, though. He was investigating with us. And like, actually, trying.” She doesn’t quite know how to articulate this without sounding extremely naïve. “Like if he was trying to cover up evidence then sure, but it wasn’t that. Why would he want to help us catch him?”

“Plus, like Dexter said, it’s not his style. He has multiple knives. But a gun was used in the murder.”

Arty pulls a small object out of her overalls pocket, holding it up for everyone to see: a small, mangled piece of metal. “We’re pretty sure this is a bullet. It was found lodged in Atsuko’s space heater.” This, too, she pulls out to show everyone, lifting it into her lap. It’s extremely broken, and was that hastily wiped-away blood on it? “Someone shot the heater. Either on purpose or it got in the way. And—wait.” She just realized something. “Which means that someone had both the gun and the bullet, and finding both of them from the shipwreck is really unlikely if they really were lost in the water, so they were probably stolen before we got on the boat.”

“I don’t know who did that, but if it’s true it can’t be Comedy, and I don’t think Atsuko would shoot her own space heater since she was so attached to it. So… a third person then.” Yes, she’s finally come to the assumption that everyone else has already arrived at.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Arty Takenaka

Jack paused chewing on his jerky long enough to realize he’d actually done so. Another person saying they didn’t suspect him? If that’s where their logic went, sure, he guessed, but. Still. It’s… weird. He slowly resumed chewing on his whatever-meal-this-was.

Taran A thief would have had to steal from both of us, and in my case would need to have pulled it out of my front pocket. I’m not sure that happened. If it did, my first guess would be friggin’ Jack.”

“Aww, you flatter me!”

“I mean sure, I could. Didn’t, but still nice t’ be appreciated for what I am.” A dirty lowlife thief.

Taran “Actually, I’m not sure whether the gun could be fired without drawing attention. I was up in the open air but I didn’t hear it fire.

Jack’s voice was even less projected than usual as he squinted at his boots and muttered.

“Huh. Coulda sworn I did hear… eh. Probably not.”

Haruka Yukimura that doesn’t really sound like a stab wound, to me…

He nodded slowly.

“Th’ wound on her stomach didn’t look all that stabby, either. Maybe, if you went at a couple different angles in the same place for some reason…?”

“Not sayin’ I’ve been stabbed that many times, but. ’s just a little too… messy, I guess?” He shrugged. It was what it was, whatever it was.

Haruka Yukimura Jack is right,

He didn’t have further comment on that topic, but he did look smug as heck. Why didn’t he like this girl again? She didn’t seem so bad.

“ ’f somebody did fire the gun, ’d be easy to find ’em, right? They’d have that, uh…”

“…gun… resin… stuff on ’em.” He wrung a little water from his pants leg. “…'r whatever that is.”

Arty Takenaka

Taran

Taran “Can I see that? I want to check if there’s anything obviously inconsistent with the gacha-gun’s bullet."

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Passing the scrap of metal to another person had the potential to be a nightmare with them all sitting like this, but thankfully Arty only has to reach around Vinzent to give Taran the item directly, which she does.

Narrator

Viper “…I also think ’Suko might have been shot. Which… is kinda weird, ’cause if the gun only had one bullet, perhaps Nekoneko was involved.” She looked over at the cat.

“Oi. Would ya interfere in somethin’ like that, kitty cat? Seems like somethin’ more your style.”

Though a little out of sync, Neko-Neko’s head-halves both turned to look at her.

“ ‘Would’? Well… Tsk. You and your general questions.”

“We’ll give ya a real answer, anyway. No bullets from us are involved in this murder. How’s that?”

R.N.A.

Dexter Blanche “We didn’t hear the gunshot, yes? And its a small island, but there is one place where nobody would be able to hear you, and that’s Inside one of these VHS Tape scenes itself."

Abel Lazarus “We can interact with each other in the tapes, so I don’t see why injuring each other would be some sort of limit. Not if this is supposed to be a murder game.”

“It is a fact that a… bullet was fired. After all, a bullet was found… lodged in the space heater.” R.N.A. explained. “Whether people… heard the shot or not… does not matter.” R.N.A. pauses for a moment. “But it… is likely that it was… inside of a VHS tape. Specifically… Atsuko’s. I found her tape… inside the TreeVee near… her body. I believe she… was watching it before she died.”

“Even she… wanted to move on without bloodshed.” They add. They wanted the culprit to really understand this.

Narrator “We’ll give ya a real answer, anyway. No bullets from us are involved in this murder. How’s that?”

Viper “…I also think ’Suko might have been shot."

Taran “A thief would have had to steal from both of us, and in my case would need to have pulled it out of my front pocket.”

“Is there… any point in continuing this discussion? It is clear… who the culprit is.” R.N.A. seemed fairly sure of their logic at this point.

“Taran… You never lost the bullet… did you? It is like you said… it was kept in a spot where… stealing it would be difficult. You had it… and used it… to shoot Atsuko whilst… inside of her tape.”

Abel Lazarus

With the clearance his new knife is fine he closes it and returns it to his pocket. He’s being just a little moody about this. Crosses his arms and leans back against his chair.

For a moment he watches the conversation happen around him before Viper says something he can’t keep his mouth shut about because he needs to correct her.

“… not that I want to shoot a hole in your theory Viper- but makeshift Silencers really won’t do much. A good Suppressor only knocks about 30-35 decibels off the sound of a gunshot. If the silencer is bad or make shift it probably won’t even take it below the threshold for hearing damage.” He has no idea he’s made a pun. Haha Abel.

“Of course they could have just lucked out in everyone being occupied or had another noise distract but it’s not like gun shots are easy to Hide- unless Neko-Neko had something to do with it. I guess enough illogical stuff happens on this stupid train.” He looks like he hates that idea, though.

Dexter Blanche

Dexter clears his throat, clapping his hands a couple times.

“Ah, you all wanted to know more about this splicer? Well, I do think that its a key to this case, though as for what im not entirely sure. Could this be the stabbing implement? I suppose… if one were to be brutal about it. But I still don’t think so. Its meant to cut and bind together film tapes, after all. But… thats besides the point. The point, actually is in fact the tapes.”

He stands up, now. So that everyone can hear him. He still doesn’t pull down his scarf though.

“We didn’t hear the gunshot, yes? And its a small island, but there is one place where nobody would be able to hear you, and thats Inside one of these VHS Tape scenes itself. I wonder what would happen if one were to take a weapon inside one and injure another… Alas, we didn’t have time to experiment, but the thought did pass through my head.”

Roadie 🪶Jack “…gun… resin… stuff on ’em.” He wrung a little water from his pants leg. “…'r whatever that is.”

“Ah, yes! Gunshot residue. Basically, its when the gunpowder or equivalent propellant cools down. Most often, its seen when someone is shot point blank, but its certainly possible that the residue could have gotten on someone’s gloves or hands, certainly!”

He takes a beat.

“Ah…” He puts a hand behind his neck. “I’m not some forensic scientist or anything though… so don’t take my word for it. But I think it is an interesting lead to pursue. Has anyone seen anything that looked almost like… small burn marks? Or black pocks, on anyone or anything?”

Abel Lazarus

Roadie 🪶Jack “Huh. Coulda sworn I did hear… eh. Probably not.”

Abel turns to him like an awoken sleeper agent. What did you say Jack? What was that?

“Did you Hear something Jack?” He’s looking at him So intensely. If Jack heard something and didn’t think it was important to mention he swears to GOD-

Dexter Blanche “We didn’t hear the gunshot, yes? And its a small island, but there is one place where nobody would be able to hear you, and thats Inside one of these VHS Tape scenes itself. I wonder what would happen if one were to take a weapon inside one and injure another… Alas, we didn’t have time to experiment, but the thought did pass through my head.”

“That would probably work- we can interact with each other in the tapes so I don’t see why injuring each other would be some sort of limit. Not if this is supposed to be a murder game.” He’s still looking at Jack, though.

“That point doesn’t matter if someone heard something, though.” Then he squints.

“You know, Creature kindly brought our group two tapes to watch. I wonder if that’s important. One of them was Atsuko’s- but the other…” He trails off.

Is now the time for this game you’re playing, Abel?

“The other had no label- But wasn’t in the box of tapes Dexter and I were sorting, before or after discovering the body.” He’s still looking at Jack.

“You know- If we’re going to point out Melvin not watching his tape- Jack? Did you ever get around to watching yours?”

Abel. Please. NOT THE TIME. I mean yeah these questions might be relevant but you alREADY ADMITTED YOU DON’T EVEN THINK IT’S JACK.

Haruka Yukimura

Dexter Blanche when someone is shot point blank, but its certainly possible that the residue could have gotten on someone’s gloves or hands, certainly!”

“It’s not a guarantee, but if someone did have residue on their hands, that would certainly be a bit suspicious… It’s not too hard to clean it off, but for the sake of thoroughness-” She held up her hands, which had no markings on aside from her vitiligo. “Mine are clean.”

Viper Haruka- What do you mean when you said you recognised the gun?

“…I’ve seen it before. A long while ago. It wasn’t the… highest-quality weapon, but it was - is? - enough to kill. It’s a gun, after all…”

She paused for a moment, trying to think of what might be helpful to bring up.

"So… ah, are we treating these deaths as related, or do we think they were coincidential? I can certainly say how I think Comedy may have met their unfortunate end… It seems they were struck by a rock, and then somehow or another ended up in the water - where I think they drowned. Perhaps they were unconscious after being hit?

“…But I don’t have much to say in regards to Atsuko. Sorry.”

And she completely avoided casting suspicion onto anyone. Partially because she really wasn’t too sure, herself.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Dexter was once again getting Points with Jack, whatever those could possibly be worth.

Dexter Blanche Has anyone seen anything that looked almost like… small burn marks? Or black pocks, on anyone or anything?”

Haruka Yukimura if someone did have residue on their hands, that would certainly be a bit suspicious… It’s not too hard to clean it off, but for the sake of thoroughness-”

“Yeah, be pretty stupid if the killer didn’t try an’ wash it off of ‘em, I guess. But didn’t the footprints go to the water, too?”

Abel Lazarus “Did you Hear something Jack?”

“What, just now? Not ‘n particular.” If you’re gonna glare at him like that, then he’s gonna be an imp about it.

He just stared right back at Abel through the tape talk. Well how about that.

Abel Lazarus Jack? Did you ever get around to watching yours?”

“Yeah… Musta been a day or so now? More or less? All kinda blends together, you know how it is. ‘R maybe not—you haven’t been here that long yet, have ya?”

“But yeah, ‘s been watched. Launched it into the ocean after. ‘Bout enough of that, y’know?”

Viper “…When you vanished. You went into a tape, didn’t you? That’s why it’s a ‘trade secret’. ’Cause you didn’t know you were in a tape… Would also explain how you might have heard a shot but nobody else did!”

“Oh, so you ask me to be your thievery mentor, but ya don’t even think I can shake a tail without some magic train crap, huh? Think I know what I’m doing or not, Snakebite? And I’m pretty sure ‘d notice if…”

“…..” If what? He was suddenly seeing a completely different nightmare scenario? And knew it was a tape thing and not reality or literal nightmares or anything else that he regularly…

“…Okay, I, uh. You got me there. But I didn’t hear a shot, anyway. ‘S more just a sudden…” He trailed off, squinting. What had it been, really?

“But be careful tryin’ to doubt my alibi. ‘F mine’s no good, then neither’s yours.”

“Not that anyone’s gonna blame you when I’m right here, but. Just saying.”

Taran

R.N.A. “Taran… You never lost the bullet… did you? It is like you said… it was kept in a spot where… stealing it would be difficult. You had it… and used it… to shoot Atsuko whilst… inside of her tape.”

The accusation from R.N.A. lights up some combative instinct in Taran.

“Haha! I like your thought process, but no. If me and Fenna didn’t lose our respective stuff I would know where to get the gun at least, but that doesn’t put me at the scene and I didn’t have any motive to kill Atsuko. Especially not a tape-related motive.”

“I snuck into the hut and fast-forwarded mine to the end, and afterwards I called in Comedy to let me watch it. It worked as well as I thought, didn’t relive anything too awful.” Taran shifts to break his gaze at R.N.A. as he says that. “ Melvin walked in on me and I did the same to his. And that’s why I wanted to see the splicer, actually. Our tapes- mine and Melvin’s anyway- were both pretty shoddily cut. If that thing does it better, somebody could have done a second pass or something.”

Roadie 🪶Jack “Guess these aren’t ‘xactly standard, though? Sure missin’ all the… halfway decent memories.”

“If they’re a recurring thing out here, it sounds like Neko’s trainjacking tendencies are probably at work, but someone else could have been involved here.” Heh, Train-Jack.

“You’re not in the clear with me either, R.N.A., but I’m not interested in hurling murder accusations at you quite yet.”

“Arty’s bullet doesn’t seem different from what I had, though… I had a doubt, but I guess it probably was fired from the gacha-gun. Damn, when could it have been stolen?”

Fenna Van Daalen “When did that happen…? Anyone got a band-aid?”

“Could Haruka or someone take a look at the cut? We had some broken glass in the sand where Comedy was killed…” And maybe Fenna did it. He couldn’t quite say that part out loud.

Viper

Grumbling with the considerable deflection of her point about the gun and a homemade silencer, Viper seems dejected. Just for a moment or two. Wow? She’s not the smartest one in the room for once? Blasphemy! …Not that she’s really proved she’s anything but a resident girl fail, but… beside the point!

“…I’d have to disagree on the point on ’Suko’s tape being the one she watched before she died, though… I think it’s much more likely she just…. kinda left it in there after watchin’ it earlier. I think… ’s much more likely it happened in that unlabelled tape.”

She clearly had some thoughts about that in itself, as she spun…slowly on her chair to look over at Mr. Soggy, Jack.

“…When you vanished. You went into a tape, didn’t you? That’s why it’s a ‘trade secret’. ’Cause you didn’t know you were in a tape… Would also explain how you might have heard a shot but nobody else did!” Viper knows Jack might not be the most cooperative about this. So, she next addresses Haruka.

“And you- Haruka- What do you mean when you said you recognised the gun?” Since Haruka said it that had nagged at the back of her mind- “Purely in a sense of…. seein’ Fenna and Taran handlin’ it or… have ya seen it before? Sorta in the sense of those… gacha items bein’ related to us?”

“Look… I dunno what ’Suko was stabbed with, but it’s clear to me she was stabbed with somethin’ at some point in time. It’s kinda obvious now that it ain’t some kinda blade.”

Now she had ample time to mull over RNA’s accusations, also, she blinked a few times…

“…Taran? I dunno… he would’a had ta be pretty lucky ta find the gun in the shipwreck. Or…ta steal it from Fenna.” Viper scowled, “I dunno. I ain’t too convinced right now. Gonna need some more…evidence.”

“‘s there anythin’ either group ain’t talked ’bout yet?”

Vinzent Mayer

Vinzent has once again been content to listen to everyone talking, he wasn’t sure what to say. Mainly because he had no idea what the heck happened overall.

Arty spoke, as she shows the bullet and the space heater… Oh god, is that blood? Vinzent made an effort to not show any expression change, especially to try to pretend he wasn’t getting a little pale, but that was… Bleh, so there was more blood involved. Fun. ANYWAY, this isn’t the time to act weak, he had to listen to Arty. Because… While her conclusion was at least the same, her points were valid. It’s good to have more context. Then…

The bullet got stolen? Yeah, he too would’ve thought Jack would be the thief, if only because he has a tendency to steal. … Anyway, the noise discussion… Right.

Viper talks, she brings good points too… Then Abel corrects her. And Neko Neko speaks. How the hell did the shot happen?

He leaned back as Arty went to hand the item to Taran, before crossing his arms in thoughts. Haruka spoke, then Jack, then Dexter.

How do some people just know things like that? On one hand, he’s grateful for their knowledge, on the other, hello?

He listened to Abel talking. … Oh yeah, he has forgotten about that, Vinzent has watched three tapes, and the idea of interacting with each other still escaped his mind, somehow. Trauma Memories Time, baby! THIS IS NOT THE TIME NOW.

Has Jack ever watched his own tape? Vinzent didn’t know but he was curious. If he could have the dexterity to take it and watch it himself before Jack could, it would have been a nice small revenge for the wanderer’s idea of blackmailing Vinzent about the tape.

… Once again, it has been several days ago and Vinzent’s tape is as good as broken. Not the time to hold an unnecessary grudge about that. (But he’s still salty.)

Then… R.N.A. spoke. Okay, first, yes, Taran having no one to back him up on his alibi might not help, but Vinzent is… Surprised that Taran would be accused. He didn’t seem like the type to go and do that?

Oh. There we go. Vinzent might not have been present with that group, but as if he’d not listen to what Viper was saying. The brown scrap that keep nagging him… He muttered to himself, only loud enough for his immediate neighbors to hear.

“Could the brown scrap be from part of a glove…?”

While he hasn’t made a direct accusation, it was pretty clear to him that he now made a possible connection. Actually… That might make more sense? But how was he to get a visual confirmation from where he was sitting? As if he’d proudly make an accusation in front of people, but maybe him talking with his neighbors hearing him, might… Help push the idea forward? Vinzent was more afraid of getting consequences for daring to speak up. If only he was less fussy about self preservation than anything else.

Viper

Haruka Yukimura "So… ah, are we treating these deaths as related, or do we think they were coincidential? I can certainly say how I think Comedy may have met their unfortunate end… It seems they were struck by a rock, and then somehow or another ended up in the water - where I think they drowned. Perhaps they were unconscious after being hit?

“Hm. Kinda feels plausible enough. That’s probably partially why Nekoneko specified only one of the deaths mattered.” Viper agreed, frowning almost pensively. Nekoneko was such a crafty cat, it wouldn’t surprise her if their words could be taken so literally only when convenient.

Roadie 🪶Jack “Yeah, be pretty stupid if the killer didn’t try an’ wash it off of ‘em, I guess. But didn’t the footprints go to the water, too?”

“Yeah. Kinda bigger than my feet by a lot. They looked a lil’ weird too…” Viper tilts her head, “…Almost kinda like they were stepped in more than once.”

But Jack addressing her commentary on his alibi has her puffing up like a p-ssed off snake.

Roadie 🪶Jack “But be careful tryin’ to doubt my alibi. ‘F mine’s no good, then neither’s yours.”

“I never said your testimony was bogus, dipsh-t! F-ckin’ listen ta what I say.” Viper snaps, and for a moment she looks like she’s about to fly from her chair and launch at Jack, but luckily- or perhaps unluckily, for him, her butt stays firmly parked on the chair. Perhaps it was the realisation she’d have to bolt over Abel, RNA and Haruka just to swing for him.

“Doesn’t f-ckin’ matter if people are gonna blame me or not.” She huffs, grumbling as she folds her arms.

After a long pause, Viper finally speaks up again.

“I kinda… have a theory. This kinda… banks on my long-standin’ theory about someone here.”

Huh?

“…RNA. I like, am so convinced you’re not actually a robot that i think it’s actually kinda relevant. Can…can ya humour me. Lemme see the bottom of ya feet.” Viper has…thoughts. It’s probably nothing, but she can’t not chase up this lead to avenge beloved Atsuko.

“Like, it just ain’t fair for murdercat to put a robot on the same train as us humans who can die. But, if ya really are a robot, ya ain’t really gonna die are ya? Ya can just be… uploaded. An’ built a new body.”

Viper leans forward, glancing around Abel.

“Humour me. Prove to me you’re a robot. Beyond any doubt.”

Roadie 🪶Jack

Viper “I never said your testimony was bogus, dipsh-t!

“Y’… said I was at your crime scene… at the time of th’ murder? How’s that not doubtin’ my… Whatever.” Fine, hate him, not like you’re the first. Tch.

And people going on, this and that and the other thing. Jack’s head was still pounding, and a swig from his water bottle didn’t come close to fixing it. He’d probably have to pass out a while within the next day or two. Ugh. Not gonna think about it.

R.N.A. I believe your tape was spliced. That’s why it was taking so long to finish. Someone tampered with it.”

He wasn’t gonna mention he still had no idea what splicing was. Wouldn’t affect his point, anyway, would it?

He sighed. “What, this everybody’s first time with these things? High enough risk a’ getting trapped in ’em normally that you’re not even s’posed to try and watch your own. Not usually, at least.”

“Guess these aren’t ‘xactly standard, though? Sure missin’ all the… halfway decent memories.”

Or maybe that was just his.

Viper “Measurin’ feet.

“Well! Oughta be easy.”

Jack wriggled his toes a little, feet very much in plain sight despite the whole court of law murder trial thing. Crossing his ankles the other way, he didn’t bother to move his feet anywhere more accessible or hand off a boot. They weren’t much bigger than Viper’s, though. Did still have a couple scars on them. Had this guy grown up on a minefield or what?

Abel Lazarus “Wait- Jack? You Launched your tape into the water? You’re. Sure about that?”

He squinted back. Seemed weirdly unaggressive for this guy, not that Jack could recall a baseline. Did he need to be concerned?

He thought a moment and shrugged. “Sure ’s I am ’bout most things I’ve done.” Which was… substantially lower than most people, but still something.

Fenna Van Daalen “When did that happen…? Anyone got a band-aid?”

“Some a’ those beach rocks getcha? Wasn’t the greatest place t’ go barefootin’ if ya don’t got the calluses.”

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