INVESTIGATION START!
You take a look at the "Scarlet File":
THE VICTIM IS RETHABILE BOTHA. THE VICTIM DIED AT 12:30 AM. THERE IS SEVERE BRUISING AROUND HER NECK, AND CUTS AND BRUISES ON MUCH OF HER TORSO. NO OTHER OUTWARD SIGNS OF VIOLENCE ARE APPARENT.

>Examine the body

>Examine the damaged bed

>Examine the mess on the floor

>Examine the bathroom

>Examine the damaged desk

>Talk to Ivan

>Talk to Alexandria

>Talk to Helen

>>1975815
>Examine the body
Pretty sure bruising means the injuries were sustained before death, which is curious.

>>1975815
>>Examine the body

>>1975815
>>Examine the body
Determining the extent of the damage is vital

>>1975815
Examine body.
The file hasn't given us a cause of death. Something to keep note.

>>1975815
>Examine the body
No cause of death. That probably means it is an important clue

May I be the first to say:
Shiiieeet

>>1975815
>Examine the body

Can we vote to do multiple things at once to speed things along?

>>1975815
Well then.

Person died shortly after midnight - was this after the Ultimate Psychologist left? Does he have an alibi for this time?

Severe neck bruising -> death possibly by suffocation. Then again with this much bruising it's hard to tell.

How much blood is in the room? Enough to cause death by blood loss?
Are any of the injuries on the chest deep enough to puncture a major artery?

The room was torn up severely.
Was anyone nearby enough to -hear- this happening? This can't have been quick.

How much blood is on the blanket compared to blood elsewhere? Any damage to Botha's fingernails?

>No other outward signs of violence
Possible inward signs of violence. Possible that Botha ingested something which would induce psychosis or enough pain that she'd thrash around in a stupor.

>>1975917
Rooms are probably soundproofed, that seems like kind of a constant in these killing games. You do raise a lot of good points to investigate though.

>>1975917
Also, I'd strongly recommend gathering the other 10 survivors around for an autopsy.

>>1975906
If you wish, you can do that and specify an order.
>>1975848
>>1975877
>>1975882
>>1975885
>>1975888

You walk towards Rethabile's body... and freeze. Your feet simply refuse to move, like they had been nailed to the floor. You suddenly realize your heart is beating at a hundred miles per hour, and your breath is rapid and ragged. You mentally curse yourself and start controlling your breath: in four, hold four, out four...
Once you've got feeling in your body again, you move closer to the hanging body and start examining it.
You touch the skin: and jerk your hand away as your heart starts fluttering again. Her body is still warm! That's... odd, isn't it? You know that bodies take a while to completely cool down, but her body just feels like she has... like a living person with a cold.
>Evidence collected: Body Temperature
>ULTIMATE FILM DIRECTOR: you rack your brain for anything that might help you know what to do. You think... you need to check the hands and face? Torso too.

You examine the hands first. Her nails are ragged and chipped, and there's some skin, you think, under the nails. Okay... now the torso. You inhale and roll up her shirt to take a look.

Yep, a lot of bruising and some shallow cuts: the tearing of the shirt matches up with them, as far as you can tell. There's something unusual about her skin, though... It's very rough and dry.

Okay... now the face. You reach up and lift the head...

Her mouth has a couple flecks of foam at the corners, and her lips are cracked. You open an eye, fighting down the creeping terrors as you do so. Her eyes are bloodshot and bulging, rolled up against the skull.
>Evidence: Dry skin added
>Evidence: Foam added
>Evidence: Botha's Eyes added

You step away from the body, fighting down your shudders.

Helen's voice cracks as she speaks behind you.

"I... I'm going to get the others. Dead bodies freak me out... Alex, make sure they don't do anything weird, okay?"

"Yeah..."


>Examine the hanging sheet

>Examine the damaged bed

>Examine the mess on the floor

>Examine the bathroom

>Examine the damaged desk

>Talk to Ivan

>Talk to Alexandria

>>1976008

>Examine the Bathroom

>>1975848
Good point. Everyone is a suspect but it would not surprise me if this was self-inflicted.

Anyway, here's her file:
NAME: Rethabile Botha
TALENT: Ultimate Diplomat
NATIONALITY: South African
LIKES: Folk Music
DISLIKES: Prejudice
BACKGROUND: Rethabile Botha has been flagged by the UI since birth: as a child of two notable UN diplomats who joined the 10th and 14th Divisions during Incident Zero, there was a great deal of hope that their child would develop an Ultimate Talent. Pleasingly, the young Ms. Botha seems to have inherited her mother's charisma and her father's natural deal-making skills, which, combined with her gentle nature, make her talent highly valuable.
TALENT ANALYSIS: Ms. Botha is a a natural mediator, skilled at preventing conflict and keeping a group together at all costs.
PERSONALITY: Shy and kind, she prefers to stay out of the spotlight and hates conflict of any kind.

Shy and Kind.
Hmm.
Botha, in her first few interactions with us, WAS shy and kind, and conflict averse.
But then...
>"SHUT UP, IVAN! NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR YOUR STUPID FUCKING OPINION! NOW WE'RE ALL GOING TO SEARCH THIS HELLHOLE, AND KEEP SEARCHING IT UNTIL WE FIND THE FUCKING MYSTERY!" (Botha)
>"Surely, I thought that Botha wouldn't break down like that. If any of us do anything to spook her... I don't want to think what might happen." (this is the Psychologist speaking)
>Sorry, everyone. I don't know why I did that. I know that this has been stressful for all of us, and I'm sorry for losing my composure. (Botha)

That drastic a personality shift back and forth?
Now, it's certainly within reason that the stress of this situation WOULD make someone flip out. Especially given that this is Hammer it in Vladimir Putin, where Despair is powerful.
But.
It would not surprise me at all if someone -agitated- it.

My bet?

Botha killed herself because the Psychologist talked her into doing so.

>>1975917
>Possible that Botha ingested something which would induce psychosis or enough pain that she'd thrash around in a stupor.
I suspect it as well judging from how she was acting. I'm curious of something. Would the suspect still be considered blackened? Or would this count as a suicide?

>>1976013
Can we tell if the wounds were self inflicted? She could have easily OD on some pills from the pharmacy and/or hang herself.

>>1976008
>Examine the bathroom

>>1976021
Ask Scarlet. He's the one making the rules.
And I fucking guarantee you if we don't ask him, he'll just decide later.
"Talked into suicide, and you fingered the talker? Hahaha fags counts as suicide, u all ded"
"Talked into suicide, and you fingered the victim? Hahaha fags counts as murder, u all ded"

>>1976021
You have an idea cooking in your brain. You pull out your Handbook and type out a message to Scarlet:
IF THE VICTIM WAS MANIPULATED INTO SUICIDE, IS THE VICTIM OR THE MANIPULATOR THE BLACKENED?

Less than a minute later, Scarlet messages you back:
GOOD QUESTION, ALFIE! IN THAT SITUATION, THE MANIPULATOR IS CONSIDERED THE BLACKENED. WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT RE-CREATING 'GASLIGHT' WILL GO IN YOUR FAVOR?

>>1976008
>She's still warm
... huh?
If she died at 12:30am, then her body SHOULD have cooled.
What could be keeping it warm?

>Nails
Show signs of a struggle. The skin under the nails tells me she was struggling -with- someone.
Check if it's the same color as her. If it's skin of a different race then we know who she was fighting with and can narrow down the culprit. If it's skin of same race, check her neck for scratchmarks, she likely struggled while hanging.

>There's something unusual about her skin, though... It's very rough and dry.
Dehydration. It shouldn't happen this soon after death, unless...
Was someone keeping her in an oven?

>Her mouth has a couple flecks of foam at the corners, and her lips are cracked. You open an eye, fighting down the creeping terrors as you do so. Her eyes are bloodshot and bulging, rolled up against the skull.
Death was violent, and she struggled until the end. Possible drugging.

>Examine the mess on the floor

>>1976008
>>Examine the bathroom

>>1976008
>Examine the mess on the floor
Lots of interesting information here, the foaming at the mouth could imply some kind of poisoning.

>>1976066
What if her still being warm and her being dehydrated are connected? It could be that her body temperature was much higher than is normal or healthy at the time of death.

>>1976066
Before you move on, you take another quick look at the skin under the nails: it's light and pale, not the dark brown of her : it's a tanned color. The only people you can think of who have this skin around this color are Tiago, Okitsumi, Alexandria, and Rethabile herself.
>>1976084
>>1976011
>>1976031
You go to the bathroom door and open it...
You immediately notice two unusual things in the bathroom.
-The mirror's been shattered; a couple of pieces are laying on the ground, but the rest still seem to be clinging to the mirror.
-There are a LOT of tissues and bottles of moisturizer lying on her counter.

>Evidence: The State of the Bathroom added
>Examine the hanging sheet

>Examine the damaged bed

>Examine the mess on the floor

>Examine the damaged desk

>Talk to Ivan

>Talk to Alexandria

>>1976172
>>Examine the mess on the floor

>>1976172
> The only people you can think of who have this skin around this color are Tiago, Okitsumi, Alexandria, and Rethabile herself.
Probably Rethabile's own skin then. Still, best not to immediately rule others out.


>Examine the mess on the floor

>>1976172
>Examine the mess on the floor
So, the bathroom tells us that the victim was probably not in a good state of mind(People in their right mind don't tend to dramatically smash mirrors) and that the thing with her skin is almost definitely pre-mortem.

>>1976182
>>1976192
>>1976261
It looks like most of the contents of the room were upended onto the floor: a stuffed bear, clothes, a broken chair...
This is odd: there's a small brown package on the floor. You open it up...
There's some mushrooms in it. They have a powerful, earthy odor...
>Evidence: Mysterious Mushrooms added!

There's also a shattered mug on the floor, above a stain that's still slightly damp. You sniff it cautiously. You'd recognize that strong, bitter odor anywhere: black coffee.

"Where is she?! WHERE IS SHE?!?!"
"Hey, I'm supposed to- OOF-"

You look up to see Henry shoving himself past Alexandria and rushing for Rethabile's body. He grabs it around the waist.

"NO! -My lady... I have failed... -We must get her down, NOW!"

"I'm afraid that isn't possible, friend Henry. We must keep her vessel as it is for now. We will have time to joyously celebrate her journey into the Infinite later."

"What are you talking about, you preening, snake-tongued sophist!? I won't stand to see her body disrespected in this-"

"I am talking about catching her killer, friend Henry. 'Idle emotion clouds the mind and dulls the senses'. If you want justice for her, you will listen to my words. Do you want justice for her?"

"Of course I-"

"Then the matter is settled! Please go with friend Alex and kindly wait for friend Albert and I to finish our examination. 'Many hands make light work, but it is good at times for a burden to be heavy'."

Henry backs down and leaves the room without saying a word. It terrifies you how Ivan can do that...

>Examine the hanging sheet

>Examine the damaged bed

>Examine the damaged desk

>Establish alibis

>Ask for Pauline's help (Bond level 2; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Pauline is good at uncovering people's dirty secrets and other fairly illicit things.)

>Ask for Alexandria's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Alexandria is good at identifying the likely causes of injuries that might be caused in a fight; or identifying that an injury wasn't caused in a fight at all.)

>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)

>Ask for Helen's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Helen can use her "powers" to try and divine the mental state of the victim or culprit during the time of the murder., with additional uses revealing additional details.)

>>1976331
>>Examine the damaged desk

>>1976331
>Establish alibis
Okay, the mushrooms lend credence to the possibility of the victim being poisoned or drugged in some manner.

With all the options we're getting I've got the feeling we definitely won't be able to do them all, but I am hoping we'll be able to check most if not all of the scene and maybe call in one of our friends' help.

>>1976331
>>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)
Let's see if there was anything missed.

>>1976331
>>Examine the damaged desk
>>Establish alibis
If possible, we should investigate most of the scene before calling in a friend on something we could use extra info on.

>>1976363
>>1976419
>>1976369
"Alright, everyone: what were you doing last night at 12:30?"
Most of them just stare at you.
"Uhh... I think we were all sleeping, or trying to get to sleep."
"I had an AWFUL back pain, and I needed the rest."
"Definitely."
"Same here."
"I was rubbing one out."
"PAULINE!-"
"What? It's true! If you need to know, it was to-"

"-Before Ms. Van Dyck assails the rest of us with more father-issue-driven scatalogia, I'd like to make a general guess: we were all in our rooms, which appear to be soundproofed by the fact that no one heard this happening. Therefore, none of us have alibis. Is this about right?"
The rest of the group nod and give vague murmurs of assent.
"Good, glad we settled that issue. Does that satisfy you, Albert?"
You nod, and continue on with your investigation.

One leg of this desk has broken inwards slightly, and some of the stationary has slid onto the floor. An unopened envelope is resting on the desk,
"This is odd... Ivan, do you mind coming here for a second? I want a witness so that no one can claim I tried to pull some kind of trick and faked the content of this letter, no matter what it says."

"Of course, friend Albert."

You rip open the top of the envelope: there's a letter inside, written in a sharp, angular hand:
"I'm sorry you had to find me like this. I have been sabotaging the group this whole time. I didn't want to do this: Principal Scarlet forced me to cooperate. I can't say how. I couldn't live with what I had done to all my dear friends, especially you, Alexandria. So I will die with dignity and honor."
Alex glares at a point about 9 inches in front of her bare foot.

"'Dear friend?...'"

>Evidence: Suicide Note added


>Examine the hanging sheet

>Examine Botha's clothes

>Examine the damaged bed

>Establish alibis

>Ask Alexandria about the letter

>Ask for Pauline's help (Bond level 2; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Pauline is good at uncovering people's dirty secrets and other fairly illicit things.)

>Ask for Alexandria's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Alexandria is good at identifying the likely causes of injuries that might be caused in a fight; or identifying that an injury wasn't caused in a fight at all.)

>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)

>Ask for Helen's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Helen can use her "powers" to try and divine the mental state of the victim or culprit during the time of the murder., with additional uses revealing additional details.)

>>1976629
>>Examine the damaged bed

>>1976629
>Ask Alexandria about the letter

>>1976629
>Ask Alexandria about the letter
And
>Ask for Alexandria's help (Bond level 1)

So she planned to commit suicide right? Is that what the mushrooms were for? And what caused the foam at her mouth? However, this doesn't feel like a suicide at all. Unless those mushroom cause some kind of psychosis, there's no way she caused that much destruction before her death. And even if she was psychotic, i doubt she could hang herself on her own with a bed sheet.

Wasn't there someone who was carrying a bottle filled with mushrooms last session? Can an anon go and look for the post. Also Botha was the traitor? I don't know why, but that doesn't feel right. I think this suicide note is fake. Can we check the handwriting?

>>1976675
>>1976709
"Alexandria... what's this letter about?"

Alexandria looks at you, confusion in her eyes. "I... honestly don't know. Botha and I've talked, like... once, maybe. She and I just don't have the same interests, y'know. Have no idea what that 'dearest friend' thing is supposed to mean."
>Evidence: Alexandria's Testimony added

>Examine the hanging sheet

>Examine Botha's clothes

>Examine the damaged bed

>Ask for Pauline's help (Bond level 2; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Pauline is good at uncovering people's dirty secrets and other fairly illicit things.)

>Ask for Alexandria's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Alexandria is good at identifying the likely causes of injuries that might be caused in a fight; or identifying that an injury wasn't caused in a fight at all.)

>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)

>Ask for Helen's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Helen can use her "powers" to try and divine the mental state of the victim or culprit during the time of the murder., with additional uses revealing additional details.)

>>1976709
Giovanna I think was the one carrying a bottle filled with mushrooms if I remember correctly.

>>1976845
>>Examine the damaged bed

>>1976845

>Examine The damaged bed
>Ask for Alexandria's help

>"I... honestly don't know. Botha and I've talked, like... once

Alexandria doesn't seem smart enough to lie, so she's probably telling the truth. Even more evidence that the suicide note is a fake. Is someone trying to set-up Alexandria? Because of the violent nature of the crime?

I think the thing we need to figure out is when her wounds were inflicted, pre or post-mortem. What came first? her suicide or her attacker? I think that's the key to this case.

>>1976845
>Examine the damaged bed

>>1976845
>>Examine the damaged bed

>>1976879
>>1976894
>>1976935
>>1976938
This bed's a mess. The legs are barely standing up, and the frame is cracked and half-collapsed. It looks like there's some kind of brownish stains on the bed. You inhale cautiously...
Coffee again. Unusual... people usually don't drink coffee in bed. She must have REALLY liked it. She must have gotten this from the cafeteria.
>Evidence: Rethabile's Coffee Habit added

>Talk to Roland about Rethabile's mental state

>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine

>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy

>Examine the hanging sheet

>Examine Botha's clothes

>Ask for Pauline's help (Bond level 2; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Pauline is good at uncovering people's dirty secrets and other fairly illicit things.)

>Ask for Alexandria's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Alexandria is good at identifying the likely causes of injuries that might be caused in a fight; or identifying that an injury wasn't caused in a fight at all.)

>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)

>Ask for Helen's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Helen can use her "powers" to try and divine the mental state of the victim or culprit during the time of the murder., with additional uses revealing additional details.)

>>1976957
>Talk to Roland about Rethabile's mental state

>>1976957
>>Examine the hanging sheet

>>1976957
>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine
>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy
>Examine the hanging sheet
>Examine Botha's clothes

>Ask for Alexandria's help
Have her check the possible causes of the injuries. Note self-inflicting injuries in the process of trashing the room as a possible cause.

>Ask Alexandria who here could call her a "dearest friend".
It's possible the suicide letter was prepared by Botha for covering the murder of someone else.

>>1976957
>Ask for Alexandria's help
Check if we missed anything on the body.

>>1977008
>>1977037
You walk towards Botha's body.
"Ivan, would you have a problem with taking down the... the noose? I want to have a look at it."

"Of course, friend Albert. Friend Henry, you can take her down now."
You're almost knocked over as Henry bull-rushes into the room and starts working to take her down. You hear him grunt and struggle for a few seconds, until he pulls the sheet off of the ceiling lamp it was hanging from.
"Damnation... she tied it tight... Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?!"

"I'm sure we all miss her. Now, please, the rope..."

Henry nods, and begins working at the rope. After a few minutes, he growls, "This.. it is too tight! Without a blade, I can't undo it!"

"I think that's fine, friend Henry. That already tells me something..."

>Evidence: Noose Knot added!


>>1977037
>>1977043
"While we have the body down here... Alexandria?"
"Yeah?"

"The wounds on her neck and torso... can you identify what caused them?"

Alexandria walks over and takes a look, occasionally pressing on the uncannily-warm corpse.
"Well, the torso stuff... a lot of things could cause this. Look at the cuts, see how they have slightly ragged edges? It looks like something fragile, that breaks into shards? It sprayed all over her torso, and... yeah, some of her arms, too. Oh, she's got some more cuts on her hands... makeup hides it from most, but not me! Now, what else...
Oh, yeah, the bruising here's BAD. It looks like she just got pounded over and over by someone. Tried to put her in a chokehold, too, but let go for some reason; that's the neck bruising, from what I can tell with the noose in the way. There's some weird bleeding under the skin in some places: maybe that was caused by the hanging, I don't know, but I haven't seen something like it in the pit before.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a crime scene I need to be guarding."

>Evidence: Alexandria's Observations added


>Talk to Roland about Rethabile's mental state

>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine

>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy

>Examine Botha's clothes

>Ask for Pauline's help (Bond level 2; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Pauline is good at uncovering people's dirty secrets and other fairly illicit things.)

>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)

>Ask for Helen's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Helen can use her "powers" to try and divine the mental state of the victim or culprit during the time of the murder., with additional uses revealing additional details.)

>>1977079
>Talk to Roland about Rethabile's mental state
>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine
>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy
>Examine Botha's clothes

Is the number of times we can ask for help for a single investigation, or the whole game?

>>1977086
Investigation.

>>1977079
>>Talk to Roland about Rethabile's mental state
>>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine
>>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy

>>1977079
>Talk to Roland about Rethabile's mental state
>Ask for Helen's help to try to divine the mental state of the victim

>>1977079
We ought to get Murray or Pauline to cover one of these bases, have one of them check the coffee and/or mushrooms.

>>1977112
Should probably be Murray then, so he can notice any details when he inspects them.

>>1977115
Murray is a she, that's the Driver.
She also read a pychoactive drugs manual yesterday, she could notice something useful.

>>1977079
Well, it looks like Botha was struggling with someone (or something?) pretty fiercely.
That's how she ended up smashing into the mirror.

Whoever it was can tie knots well.

They also very likely drugged her so she'd be easier to take down in this manner.

They're interested in making this look like a suicide, but this definitely was NOT one. At the very least not a voluntary one.

These drugs probably induced a damn high fever, and made Botha agitated. If you were planning a fake-suicide you'd use a sedative. A LOT of sedative. Which has the opposite effect. Our culprit doesn't know his drugs.

>The only people you can think of who have this skin around this color are Tiago, Okitsumi, Alexandria, and Rethabile herself.

Tiago:
Ultimate survivalist
Would know how to tie knots.
Knows wild food and what effects it has. I'd expect this guy to know his shrooms, and our culprit probably doesn't.

Okitsumi:
Ultimate fisherman.
Would know how to tie knots.
Wouldn't know his shrooms.

Alexandria:
Ultimate brawler.
Would have the -strength- to make a knot but probably not the technique.
Probably wouldn't know shrooms.
Plus, letter addressed to her. Now, if I wanted to fake a suicide letter to divert attention -from- myself, I wouldn't address it -to- myself.

>>1977236
There's also the possibility Botha struggled against the noose, and that our culprit is someone else.
As for what the people have been doing during their free time:
Survivalist was in his survival hut most of the time.

Aha, this is interesting.
On the night before Botha lost her shit, the Angler was in the Cafeteria.
If he knows Botha has a coffee addiction, he could've spiked the coffee.
And after that, he went to the Pharmacy. He was looking at painkillers.

Very interesting.

Brawler has been in the Gym and the Games room.

>>1977236
>>1977238
>>1977079
I'd say we really should check out:
Botha's stomach contents (yes I know autopsies are gross, but they may be necessary)
The coffee machine
The pharmacy

The advice of the Ultimate Herbalist, Peter Stoyanov, might help. If we can pair up with someone to investigate, pick him.

>>1977236
You don't need strength to tie a hanging noose. It tightens under the weight of the victim. You'd have to know the proper technique though.


>>1977079
We need to obtain a sample of Bothi's handwriting to compare with the letter.
We also need to look for the traces of blood on the mirror shards

>>1977239
How exactly are you planning on doing an autopsy mate? It's not like we have a pathologist on hand.

>>1977086
>>1977108
>>1977109
"Roland, if I can ask; what was Rethabile's mental state like?"
"Well, I suppose there's no point in confidentiality now, and if it helps identify the culprit... Ms. Botha suffered from severe anxiety issues; feelings of guilt and shame, a belief that she was completely inadequate, and so forth. I had been trying to help her with cognitive-behavioral therapy, but she was insistent on a more... immediate treatment, which I am not equipped to provide."

"Oh, really? Thank you."
>Evidence: Roland's Testimony added
>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine

>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy

>Examine Botha's clothes

>Ask for Pauline's help (Bond level 2; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Pauline is good at uncovering people's dirty secrets and other fairly illicit things.)

>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)

>Ask for Helen's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Helen can use her "powers" to try and divine the mental state of the victim or culprit during the time of the murder., with additional uses revealing additional details.)

>>1978019

>Examine Botha's clothes

>>1978019
>>Examine Botha's clothes

>>1978019
>>Ask for Murray's help
Have her check out the coffee and mushrooms if possible.
Meanwhile examine clothes.

>>1978019
>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine

>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy

>Examine Botha's clothes

>>1978019
>Examine Botha's clothes
>Ask for Pauline's help

I have a feeling that Our resident hate-midget probably knows all about Botha's addictions and problems.

>>1978019
>>Examine Botha's clothes
>>Ask for Pauline's help

>>1978151
>>1978155
>>1978159
>>1978177
>>1978266
>>1978360
"Carter... do you mind if I look through Botha's pockets? There might be evidence in there."
Henry looks up at you with tear-streaked eyes, but steps away from Botha's body. "Fine, but be quick about it."

You start turning out the pockets of Botha's clothes; you don't find much besides her key-ring... and her Handbook. You open it and go to messages. There's one sent message:

From: Rethabile
To: SPOILERS!
Listen, there's something important I have to tell you. Meet me in the Gym tonight at 11:00 PM.

>Evidence: Handbook Message added


>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine

>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy

>Check the meeting place in the Gym

>Ask for Pauline's help (Bond level 2; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Pauline is good at uncovering people's dirty secrets and other fairly illicit things.)

>Ask for Murray's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Murray is good at noticing things other people might have overlooked.)

>Ask for Helen's help (Bond level 1; you may use someone's help a number of times equal to your Bond level with them. During an Investigation, Helen can use her "powers" to try and divine the mental state of the victim or culprit during the time of the murder., with additional uses revealing additional details.)

>>1978380
>Ask for Pauline's help.

>>1978380
>Check the meeting place in the Gym

>Check out the cafeteria's coffee machine

>Check the mushrooms in the Pharmacy

>>1978380
>>Check the meeting place in the Gym

>>1978380
>Check the meeting place in the Gym

>>1978380
>Check the meeting place in the Gym
>Ask for Murray's help

Gym is a pretty big place, we could miss something there

>>1978467
>Check the meeting place in the Gym
>Ask for Murray's help

>>1978467
>>Check the meeting place in the Gym
>>Ask for Murray's help

>>1979357
meant to say I'm changing to this

>>1978467
>>1979126
>>1979357
Sorry for the absence: sudden friend visit.

"Murray, can I ask you for a favor? I need to check something at the gym., and I could use an extra set of eyes."

Murray doesn't respond, but follows behind you as you leave the doors and head up the stairs.

You take a look around the gym, There's a bright-pink thermos resting on the bleachers. You open it up and take a whiff. It smells like coffee, but there's something else...
>Evidence: Thermos added!

Murray waves at you from across the gym, and motions to come closer. You get up and stride over to the cabinet she's standing by. Murray points to the contents of the cabinet. At first glance, there's nothing but jars of protein powder and other energy supplements, but when you look more closely... there's one jar that isn't labeled. You pick it up, and something sloshes around: it's a liquid of some kind. You cautiously take the cap off...
Oh, GOD, your head's swimming with just a whiff! Whatever that is, it's powerful-smelling: like a chemistry lab and candy mixed together! You feel oddly unsteady for a few seconds with just a whiff, and can't feel your face. Still, it's odd.
>Evidence: Odd Liquid added!

"Thank you, Murray. You've been a big help."

I OWE YOU. THAT SIMPLE. AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT RETHABILE PROBABLY HAD THAT MEETING.

>Evidence: Gym Meeting added!
The monitor in the gym snaps on, and Principal Scarlet's cruel mask leers out.

"Well, I'm bored now, kiddies, so it's time to start the Class Trial! Please make your way to the basement doors as quickly and orderly as possible. And don't be late, or I might test out some of my really fun toys on you!"
You lock eyes with Murray. "I guess we have no choice."
HOPEFULLY, WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS ENOUGH TO SAVE US ALL
Murray's normally placid face betrays a hint of nerves at the thought of what is to come...

The doors to the "courtroom" are done up in an imperial red color; the others mingle outside of the doorway, their nerves palpable. You spot Tiago squatting in a corner, detached from the rest.

"I still cannot believe one of us killed Botha! She was so kind."
"The human mind is capable of terrible things under pressure, Ms. Cowler."
"So true, friend Roland. All we can do now is find the one who so callously shattered her physical vessel."
"This happened because you weren't self-reliant. If the rest of you had followed my lead, the Killing Game wouldn't be able to start."
"Of course you would say that: you're probably the blackened."
"Do you have anything to back that up?"

The crosstalk falls silent as the doors swing open. Your group walks into the hall beyond...

The Class Trial begins tomorrow at 5PM!

>>1981424
I like Murray already. Hope she doesn't get offed.
5PM in which timezone?

>>1981457
Whoops! EDT

>>1981463
Well damn, it's too late for me. Dont fuck this up, anons.

>>1981463
Welp, won't be able to be at that time. Plz Americans don't fuck this up

>>1981424
The interior of the "courtroom" is stark: 16 podiums stand in a circle, facing inwards. One stand is filled with a black-and-white file photo of Rethabile: a red X has been painted across it. A small electronic pad is mounted on the center of the podium; each one is currently displaying a name. A wall in the back is dominated by an ENORMOUS black monitor, currently displaying a red, scalpel-like symbol; the same one you saw drawn beneath that blood-writ message. An array of cameras circle the roof, whirring and shifting slightly as the class files in, each taking their assigned place. You notice that Murray's podium has a speaker mounted on the front. Murray quickly taps something out on the screen, and a synthesized voice chimes out from it.
"TEST."
The black monitor flickers to life, and Principal Scarlet leers down from it at your group. He's seated behind a mock-up of a judge's bench, and has a wig thrown atop his head.
"Alright, kids, let's start with a reminder of what happens at these trials: you're going to hold a discussion about who you think the Blackened is. When you're certain you have the right person, you'll all vote: abstaining is NOT an option! If you vote correctly, the blackened will be punished. IF you vote incorrectly... well, you know. Now, let's get started!"

CLASS TRIAL IN SESSION: ALL RISE!

ROLAND: "Well... let's start with what we know. Someone killed Rethabile Botha at half an hour past midnight last night-"
PAULINE: "'Someone'? Come on, nerdboy, it's obvious who!"
IVAN: "Oh? Do you know something we don't, friend Pauline?"
PAULINE: "No, I'm just not so far up my own ass I can't notice what's in front of my face! Rethabile snapped under pressure and hung herself, duh! Danced the hemp fandago, fitted herself for her last necktie, did a jig on air!"
HENRY: "HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT MADAM BOTHA LIKE THAT!"
PAULINE: "Back off, white knight! In case you didn't notice, your princess decided to do a flip!"
C. HESS: "Did she, though? If you wanted to win at this game, the best move would be to make your murder look like a suicide..."
PAULINE: "Jeez, you guys are overthinking this. She offed herself, right? There's no other explanation for how she died!"

>>1982737
>Blue statements are Agree points. Red statements are Argue points. Use the evidence options below to agree or argue with others to get to the truth!
Credibility: 10/10 (your Credibility drops by 1 every time you make a weak argument (not using the best evidence to back up/refute a point), and by 2 every time you make a bad argument (Back up or refute a point that's obviously incorrect/correct, or use obviously inappropriate evidence in an argument). You gain 1 Credibility every time you make a strong argument (use the best evidence to agree with or refute a point). You can also use evidence to commit Perjury, which can be used to speed trials along. Doing so is highly risky, however: if you succeed, you lose 1 Credibility anyways, and if you fail, you lose 3 Credibility. If your Credibility ever drops to 0, no one will listen to a word you say!

MAKE YOUR CASE:

>Roland's Testimony
>Alexandria's Observations
>Noose Knot
>State of the Bathroom
>Body Temperature

>>1982743
>>Alexandria's Observations
>Refute: There's no other explanation

Of all the injuries she sustaines, it seems unlikely they were all self-inflicted. Besides which, why would she go through the trouble of hirting herself and trying to cover her wounds with makeup if she was just going to off herself.

>>1982743
>There's no other explanation
I'm pretty sure Alexandria's observations say that it looks like she was beaten by someone else with those type of injuries. If she wanted to commit suicide, why would she bother hurting herself like this?

>>1982743
I'll support both of these >>1982770
>>1982783

>>1982770
>>1982783
>>1982832
ALBERT: "I wish it were that simple, Pauline..."
PAULINE: "...Eh?"
ALBERT: "If Rethabile had killed herself, that would mean that we wouldn't have a killer in our midst... but, sadly, we do. Alexandria: explain."
ALEXANDRIA: "What?!"
ALBERT: "*sigh* Just tell me what you saw on Botha's body."
ALEXANDRIA: "Oh, yeah, that! Well, it's pretty obvious that Alex got in a fight with someone. Got beaten up pretty hard. They tried to put her in a chokehold of some kind, too."
PAULINE: "Rethabile? FIGHTING someone? Don't make me laugh! A kitten could beat her up!"
HENRY: "Regrettably, I must agree; Madam Botha lacked the kind of physical conditioning needed for battle."
RUBY: "You'd be surprised how feisty someone can be when backed into a corner..."
TIAGO: "It doesn't matter whether she gave as good as she got: she was someone else's prey, which means that this trial's purpose is to flush them out."
HELEN: "Aren't we presuming a bit much here? Sure, she was attacked, but it's possible she killed herself anyways."
TIAGO: "And how's that?"
HELEN: "Well, for starters, there's the rope burn on her neck..."
ALEXANDIRA: "...There were some neck wounds I couldn't identify, and garrotes and stuff don't pop up in pit fights a lot. Maybe I just didn't recognize it?"
HELEN: "Plus, there's no signs that her door was forced..."
PAULINE: "Yeah, not to mention that there's no signs that anything but the rope killed her! So, BAM! She killed herself, case closed!"
OKITSUMI:"Is it that simple?!"


MAKE YOUR CASE:

>Thermos
>Dry Skin
>Body Temperature
>Botha's Eyes
>Foam

>>1982861
>no signs
>foam
Correct me if I'm wrong, but foam at the mouth is a sign of poisoning, right?

>>1982884
Any other anons agree or disagree with me? Just to make sure I'm not choosing anything dumb.
The cause of death should also be pointed out to be missing from the file on purpose.

>>1982884
It's not an outright sign of poisoning, but one can't forget the thermos. There's more than just coffee on that thing.

>>1982861
>>Foam
>Support: she was someone else's prey
The foam could be sign of poison

>>1982861
>Dry Skin
>Refute: No signs

Assuming Botha hung herself with a rope, there's no reason her skin should have been as dry as it was when her body was found. I'm no detective, but I don't think hanging oneself causes their skin to dry. It can't as simple as a suicide.

I think an argument could be made about her body temperature as well. If she just hung herself it shouldn't have been as hot as it was when it was found.

>>1983043
All of it is strange. The foam, body temperature, and dry skin is all off.

>>1982743
Can we also agree or refute statements if it would result in funny dialogue or flavor text at the expense of cred? I remember all the DR games had you able to do that.

>>1983124
Of course: some of those options can even lead to the trial still moving in the direction you want it to go! (if you've played V3, its basically like Back Routes. Like those, though, it requires some clever thinking.)

We have to vote for something how about we pick foam for now against 'no signs' it's the only thing that suggests something else killed her.

>>1983138
Sure I'll agree.

>>1982861
>>Dry Skin
>>Refute: No signs

>>1982861
>Foam
>Refute: no signs

>>1983138
Switching to this >>1983153
Unsure about it, but it's also suspicious. If we do get it wrong, we could easily recover our cred in the next debate.

>>1983138
>>1983177
>>1983150
ALBERT: "That's wrong, Pauline. You're overlooking something."
PAULINE: "Well, that's the first time I've overlooked something..."
ALBERT: "When I examined Rethabile's body, there was foam on the corners of her mouth."
PAULINE: "...!"
ALBERT: "Now, I'm no expert on hangings, but I don't think it's possible for a hanging to make someone foam at the mouth."
PETER: "Foaming?... That makes it sound like she was poisoned."
ALEXANDRIA: "Poisoned? But... all of her wounds and shit!"
OKITSUMI:"This is really confusing..."

ARGUE!

PAULINE: "What the fuck are you talking about, Big Fish? It's really obvious what happened! Rope, poison, whatever: she killed herself! That dumbass Albert's just overthinking this!"
ALBERT: "Why are you so insistent on the fact that she killed herself?"
PAULINE: "BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES SENSE!"
PAULINE: "I mean, seriously, you really expect us to believe one of us did this? Sure, Rethabile was a bit annoying and intense, but none of us could kill her?!? It's absolutely not possible! No way, no how!"
ALBERT: "I don't want to believe that one of us did something like that, either, but the evidence for a suicide just doesn't add up! The wounds, the foam, the hanging... it's just too suspicious!"
PAULINE: "Bullshit you don't wanna believe! You're a judgmental asshole with an ego the size of Jupiter! Besides, where's the evidence?! The door wasn't forced, none of those wounds were lethal, and she left a fuckin' note! Face it, you're just seeing a conspiracy where there isn't one, buddy! Botha was just plain psycho! Beat herself up, poisoned herself, then hung herself! A triple-threat suicide!"

REBUT:

>Gym Meeting
>Roland's Testimony
>Alexandria's Testimony
>Noose Knot
>Odd Liquid

Alexandria's testimony contradicts the note.

Also, the Noose knot was too well-made to be crafted by Botha herself.

I'd contradict
>Hung herself
with
>Noose Knot

>>1983257
>Odd Liquid
>Refute: poisoned herself

Anybody see anything else we could refute?

>>1983257
I feel that the problem with Pauline's theory is that if Rethaibl poisoned herself she couldn't have done the other things. Just sniffing that liquid was almost enough to knock us out after all. We also know that the Noose was tied to tightly to be removed by hand.

>>1983257
>>Alexandria's Testimony
>Refute: left a fuckin' note
The note could have been forged.

>>1983322
This. Alexandria certainly doesn't ever remember being her dear friend.

>>1983322
let's go with this

>>1983322
Switching my vote to this, I completely forgot about the note's contents.

>>1983322
My thoughts exactly Anon. This is my vote.

>>1983322
>>1983328
>>1983344
>>1983347
ALBERT: "You're wrong."
PAULINE: "Yeah, then prove she didn't hang-"
ALBERT: "No, you're wrong about something more fundamental. That note was a fake."
PAULINE:"... Uh, hehe, what?"
ALBERT: "That note contains an obvious lie. It says that Alexandria was Botha's dear friend."
ALEXANDRIA: "Yeah, and we barely knew each other!"
PAULINE:"..."
ALBERT: "What? No biting retort?"
PAULINE: "...I didn't know. How?.. Then that means..."
PAULINE: "IT MUST BE TIAGO! He's been creeping around by himself like some kind of... sick fucker or something! He must have been the one who did it!"
TIAGO: "So quick to point the finger... have we flushed you so quickly?"
PAULINE: "What the hell are you talking about?!"
TIAGO: "You've been trying to refute the idea that this was a murder this whole time, and then, when you can no longer deny it, you accuse another. Something to ponder..."
PAULINE: "Are you fucking with me? I couldn't have done it!"
MURRAY: "A MOMENT AGO, YOU WERE SURE NONE OF US COULD DO IT."
OKITSUMI: "You never liked her anyways..."
HENRY: "So, you vile witch, is this your game? You fake the note, poison Madam Botha, and string her up to mislead us. If you had been more quiet, you might have gotten away with it, too. But my vigilance never falters!"
RUBY: "So you slipped into Rethy's room..."
HELEN: "And poisoned her in her bed!"

MAKE YOUR CASE:
>Gym Meeting
>Alexandria's Observations
>Thermos
>State of the Bathroom
>Noose Knot

>>1983407
>string her up
>Noose Knot
Sif a fuckin Comedienne knows how to knot like that.

>>1983407
>>Thermos
>Refute: poisoned her in her bed!

She was poisoned by what was in her thermos, which was in the gym. Logically she was poisoned there, during the meeting she had.

>>1983450
Hol up senpai.
Coffee stains on her bed?
She drinks coffee in bed, and likely keeps the coffee in the thermos.

>>1983407
Backing >>1983450 but first, how do we know the thermos wasnt moved to the gym from Botha's room?

>>1983450
backing this

>>1983407
>Thermos
>Refute: poisoned her in her bed

>>1983450
Was about to say this. Evidence points out to her getting lured into drinking poison in it.

>>1983459
Yes, but the thermos was found in the gym.

>>1983461
If anything, it's strange that it wasn't moved to her room. It was left in the gym, which also happened to be where we found the poison.

>>1983450
I'll support

>>1983407
>Thermos
>Refute: poisoned her in her bed!

>>1983450
>>1983461
>>1983464
>>1983466
>>1983482
>>1983500
ALBERT:"She wasn't poisoned in her bed. I found Botha's thermos in the gym: there was a distinct hint of something else under the typical coffee odor..."
IVAN: "Well, that does explain a thing. I looked at the coffee machine in the cafeteria while you were running about, and someone had clearly tampered with it. Maybe they slip something in?"
HELEN: "Fine, maybe not in her bed. But still, Pauline could have done it at any time! Your excuse for her is half-baked!"
PAULINE: "The only thing half-baked in here is your argument! Well, and me too, I guess..."
CREDIBILITY DOWN! 9/10

IVAN: "Hold on your accusation, friend Helen. There is another reason why friend Pauline is not the killer. It has to do with the presentation of the body..."
HELEN: "Uh, what are you talking about? Pauline could have tied a knot-"
IVAN: "Yes, she could have tied, perhaps, a Windsor: but the knot used on the rope was a complex one, no doubt beyond Pauline's skills. Furthermore, as week as friend Rethabile was, there's no way friend Pauline would be able to do the damage Botha's body showed."
PAULINE: "Yeah! I'm a total wimp, and proud of it! Leave muscles to the plebs!"
OKITSUMI/ALEXANDRIA/HENRY:"..."
ROY: "So, that is one suspect down, 14 to go, right?"
IVAN: "Wrong, friend Jean. There is only one possible murderer with what we know, and that is Peter."
PETER: "What are you implying?"
IVAN: "Nothing. I'm stating that you killed friend Botha in cold blood. You used the poison to soften her up, then beat her down and strung her up, you monster. No one else could have had the knowledge of poisons you have."

>You know that's wrong, but you need to be sure before you say anything

WHY ISN'T PETER THE ONLY SUSPECT?

>Peter doesn't know how to poison people
>Peter isn't strong enough to beat down Rethabile
>Anyone here could learn about poisons

>>1983563
>>Anyone here could learn about poisons
Murray was reading that book wasn't she? Anyone could have done the same.

>>1983563
>>Anyone here could learn about poisons

>>1983563
>Anyone here could learn about poisons
Top is obviously incorrect, and I don't think we really know how strong Peter is so middle seems iffy.

>>1983563
Told you lads it was the noose.

>Anyone here could learn about poisons

>>1983563
>Anyone here could learn about poisons

>>1983575
>>1983577
>>1983587
>>1983601
>>1983619
ALBERT: "Anyone could have poisoned Rethabile. There's a reference manual of poisons and drugs in the Pharmacy."
IVAN: "Oh, is that so? I did not know that! My apologies, Peter!"
PETER: "..."
ROY: "So we're back to square one, aren't we?"
ALBERT: "No, we aren't. We've actually made an important discovery: Rethabile was poisoned, not hung or beaten to death."
ROY: "But anyone could have killed her: poisoning the coffee machine meant that the killer wouldn't even have to be there."
PETER: "Speaking of being places- why was Botha's thermos in the gym?"
ALBERT: "Ah, yes, I knew this would be important. I took a look at her Handbook after she died, and found this note..."
ALEXANDRIA: "...Huh? How come we can't see who's it for?"
SCARLET: "Well, if you had a mystery as important as this all solved for you at the start, this would be a boring case, wouldn't it? I just want to keep things exciting for you kiddies!"
HENRY: "'Something important'? What on Earth could that be?"
HELEN: "I have a bad feeling about what it is..."
IVAN: "With this context, I think I know. In fact, we all already know...."

SELECT THE EVIDENCE IVAN IS REFERRING TO.

>>1983672
I'm a bit unclear on what's being asked here OP.

>>1983672
Could we get a list of all the evidence we've got?

>>1983672
The note:

From: Rotha, To: Spoilers
Listen, there's something important I have to tell you. Meet me in the Gym tonight at 11:00 PM.

It's called Evidence: Handbook Message

That said, Murray also found an Odd Liquid in the gym on one of the shelves.

>>1983703
It's this. The note lured her in.

>>1983700
>>1983695
1. Select the piece of evidence that hints at what the "Something Important" is.
2. Sure!

>Evidence: Body Temperature
>Evidence: Dry skin
>Evidence: Foam
>Evidence: Botha's Eyes
>Evidence: The State of the Bathroom
>Evidence: Mysterious Mushrooms
>Evidence: Suicide Note
>Evidence: Alexandria's Testimony
>Evidence: Rethabile's Coffee Habit
>Evidence: Noose Knot
>Evidence: Alexandria's Observations
>Evidence: Roland's Testimony
>Evidence: Handbook Message
>Evidence: Thermos
>Evidence: Odd Liquid
>Evidence: Gym Meeting

>>1983672
>Handbook Message

>>1983718
Oh. That's the Handbook Message.

>>1983715
Isn't Rethabil the one who called for the meeting according to this though?

>>1983718
>>Evidence: Gym Meeting
It could be this?

>>1983718
>>Evidence: Gym Meeting

>>1983734
You're right. Maybe it is the meeting itself?

Guys the meeting itself implies that there *was* something important but not *what* that thing is

>>1983869
The mushrooms maybe? Maybe it was a drug handoff or something? Perhaps she was doing mushrooms to take the edge off and help her cope with stress.

>>1983718
>Gym meeting

This explains why the Thermos was there right? that means she drank the poisonous coffee at the meeting and whoever she met up with poisoned her.If she was poisoned at the gym meeting, then why did her body end up in her room? I think we might be mixing what's important to solve here. I don't think WHAT killed Botha is important, I think WHERE she was killed is the real case breaker here.

But then again I could be overthinking this, what do anons think?

>>1983718
>>Evidence: Rethabile's Coffee Habit

>>1983966
There was a struggle in her room, that's how the mirror got broken and the desk got rekt.

>>1983978
>>1983978

Maybe the poison didn't kill her at first and she was knocked out and dragged back to her for the culprit to set-up a crime scene. However she woke up and fought back and that's how the crime scene became a mess? As I said, can we say for certain we know exactly where she died? And also what killed her? the violent wounds or the poison?

I'm probably overthinking this, just take what I'm saying as a possibility, I have no proof. Does the file state her location at the time of the murder?

>>1984010
>Does the file state her location at the time of the murder?
It doesn't, which is a concern.

>>1983753
>>1983794
>>1983966
ALBERT: "Well, you see, there was a meeting-"
PAULINE: "Yeah, you yutz, that's what we're talking about! Apparently, there's some big secret behind what motivated the meeting, according to Goulash Vladinski over there!"
CREDIBILITY DOWN: 8/10
IVAN: "You still haven't figured it out? Maybe a clue? Perhaps friend Botha wasn't so friendly after all. Something in her room told us that."


WHAT IS IVAN TALKING ABOUT?
>Evidence: The State of the Bathroom
>Evidence: Mysterious Mushrooms
>Evidence: Suicide Note
>Evidence: Rethabile's Coffee Habit
>Evidence: Noose Knot
>Evidence: Handbook Message
In all fairness, this might be my fault: it's hard to understand how a mystery looks from the outside sometimes.

>>1984226
Imma stick with Handbook Message.

>>1984226
>Mysterious Mushrooms

I think it's either the mushrooms or the state of the bathroom...

>>1984226
>>Evidence: Handbook Message
According to the Roland, she had "feelings of guilt and shame." The letter of the message also suggests that she was sorry for something. Considering her personality and how tense she has been, it is quite possible she got into an quarrel with someone who felt slighted enough to kill her

>>1984226
>>Evidence: Suicide Note
The part where it says she has been sabotaging the group.

>>1984284
That note was possibly forged, though

>>1984288
If you look at it from another point of view, doesn't that mean whoever forged the note believe that the victim actually was sabotaging the group?

>>1984226
>Evidence: Handbook Message
Can only be this, unless coffee makes you an asshole.

>>1984226
>Evidence: Handbook Message

>>1984243
>>1984282
>>1984300
>>1984310
ALBERT: "...I see now. It's the message itself, isn't it?"
IVAN: "Now you are starting to think."
ROY:"I'm sorry, am I missing something here?"
GIOVANNA: "It does not seem to follow that merely arranging to meet with someone is incriminat- oh. Of course. I should have considered that immediately."
RUBY: "Considered what?"
ALBERT: "The fact that Rethabile arranged for a meeting with this person at a third location with no witnesses."
HELEN: "..."
RUBY: "..."
ROY: "..."
PAULINE:"So... you're saying-"
ALBERT: "Botha planned on killing someone."

ARGUE
HENRY: "HOW DARE YOU LEVEL SUCH A BASELESS ACCUSATION AT MADAM BOTHA! IS HER BEING DEAD NOT ENOUGH?! MUST YOU ATTACK HER MEMORY ALSO?"
HENRY: "COWARD!"
HENRY "BLAGGARD!"
HENRY: "WHORESON!!!"
ALBERT: "I can understand why this is so upsetting to you, Henry, but please: the evidence points to her planning something-"
HENRY: "NONSENSE! I won't hear of it! Madam Botha was kind, pure, and gentle."
HENRY: "She wanted us all to live in harmony under her guidance!"
HENRY: "There is no motive for her to kill, you, you... ARCH-FIEND!"

REBUT:
>Mysterious Mushrooms
>State of the Bathroom
>Suicide Note
>Odd Liquid
>Roland's Testimony

I'm not seeing it with the message. Isn't the whole reason we're going through this because the message was specifically brought up in the first place?

>State of the Bathroom
That was not the work of a gentle person.
She was clearly in pain. And speaking of pain...

[quote]
"Roland, if I can ask; what was Rethabile's mental state like?"
"Well, I suppose there's no point in confidentiality now, and if it helps identify the culprit... Ms. Botha suffered from severe anxiety issues; feelings of guilt and shame, a belief that she was completely inadequate, and so forth. I had been trying to help her with cognitive-behavioral therapy, but she was insistent on a more... immediate treatment, which I am not equipped to provide."

"Oh, really? Thank you."
>Evidence: Roland's Testimony added
[/quote]
There's your motive.

>>1984371
It's "close enough" to right that Ivan would just move on without elaborating on his real point,
which he'll probably bring up later.

>>1984367
>State of the Bathroom
The glass shards could have sliced the perps hand

>>1984367
>Roland's Testimony
>Refute: motive

>>1984367
>>Roland's Testimony
>Refute: motive

>>1984393
>>1984543
ALBERT:"Rethabile had severe anxiety and a major inferiority complex. I'm not a psychologist, but I can tell you that actors with those personality traits are terrible with pressure, and are willing to do anything to make themselves feel 'good enough'."
ROLAND: "And she believed that there was a traitor among us."
MURRAY: "NOT WITHOUT REASON OR ANYTHING: THERE WAS A TRAITOR DURING THE PREVIOUS KILLING GAMES, TOO."
SCARLET: "So there has to be one this time, too? Is that how you all see me? A copycat? Now you've got me all depressed..."
IVAN: "So, friend Botha decided she wanted to do something about it."
ALBERT: "That means whoever Rethabile wanted to talk to..."
IVAN: "Was the one she thought was the traitor."
HENRY: "What are you trying to imply? that Madam Botha intended to become the Blackened?!"
IVAN: "Yes, and then kill herself, taking the blame on her."
HELEN: "I think we're missing something... maybe... she planned something else..."

>Mysterious Mushrooms
>Odd Liquid
>Handbook Message
>Suicide Note
>The State of the Bathroom

>>1984703
At this point I'm honestly not sure. I'd ask for a hint from one of the others, if we still have one.

I know that the Shrooms and the Liquid are vital clues, but I don't see how they tie into Botha's intent.

>>1984703
>Odd Liquid
>Consent: something else
Maybe she tried to subdue whoever she thought was the traitor

Honestly I'm not really sure about this

>>1984754
PAULINE: "Something else... oh. Oh, SHIT! You mean... oh, God that's messed up, no wonder Alexandria didn't get it!"

>>1984790
oh man, she's not talking about... THAT?!

>>1984703
>Support "something else"
>Suicide Note
The way the suicide note was formulated, it seems it was intended to make the murder of Retha's target look like a suicide. It was written not from the Botha's point of view, but from the target's.

>>1984703
>Odd Liquid
she was probably planning on using this on whoever she was gonna subdue.

>>1984801
That seems reasonable, I support that.

>>1984800
A-AIMAI!

>>1984801
This makes sense to me

>>1984801
That's reasonable, but I doesn't correlate to THAT something else they're talking about

>>1984906
I don't know what THAT is.

>>1984910
She's talking about the Suicide Note.
>no wonder Alexandria didn't get it!

>>1984913
I don't get it as well.

>>1984913
Oh, that makes sense

>>1984703
>Suicide Note
>Support: something else

Yo! This is cool as fuck keep up the good work prox.

>>1984801
>>1984842
>>1984897
>>1984906
>>1985069
ALBERT: "The suicide note..."
RUBY: "Didn't we already figure out that's a fake, though?"
ALBERT: "Yes, that's what we thought, but now... I think it wasn't a fake. It was just meant for someone else."
CREDIBILITY RESTORED: 9/10
TIAGO: "Eh? Sorry, I don't follow."
IVAN: "It is simple: Rethabile thought she could convince the person she was meeting with to commit suicide for the good of the group."
OKITSUMI: "But... that is crazy!"
ROLAND: "She might have been trying to prove her skill as the Ultimate Diplomat to herself."
PAULINE: "Are you serious right now? Do you actually hear yourself? Nah, she was planning on becoming the Blackened! Thinking you can talk someone into killing themselves is crazy!"
HESS: "If it's crazy, that just means that Rethabile wasn't in her right mind..."


MAKE YOUR CASE

>State of the Bathroom
>Odd Liquid
>Mysterious Mushrooms
>Botha's Eyes
>Roland's Testimony

>>1985431
>>Mysterious Mushrooms
>Agree: in her right mind

>>1985431
>Roland's Testimony
>Agree: in her right mind

Well we have evidence she wasn't in her right mind

>>1985465
We've used that to establish her motive, but I don't think it proves that she would do so unreasonable as to convince someone to do suicide.

>>1985431
>>Odd Liquid
>Agree in her right mind
Apparently its strong enough to fuck with you even if you just take a whiff of it

>>1985431
>>Mysterious Mushrooms
>Agree: in her right mind

>>1985431
>>Mysterious Mushrooms
>Agree: in her right mind

Out of all the evidence the odd liquid seems the most likely to be the poison so I'd say the mushrooms were probably used to alter her mental state

>>1985431
>>Mysterious Mushrooms
>Agree: in her right mind

I don't why, but when I read Ivan's lines he sounds like that rhino from the CG TMNT show.

>>1985431
>>Mysterious Mushrooms
>Agree: in her right mind

>>1985445
>>1985696
>>1985853
>>1985924
>>1986164
ALBERT: "She definitely wasn't in her right mind: consuming hallucinogenic mushrooms does that to you."
RUBY: "What? You saying she was tripping?"
ALBERT: "Perhaps you mean intoxicated? And yes, she was. With these."
PETER:"Fly agaric!"
ALBERT: "Pardon?"
PETER: "Those are fly agaric mushrooms;they are poisonous if used improperly, but if treated... they can cause powerful hallucinations and feelings of superhuman ability."
RUBY: "Oh! So that's why she thought she could do something like that!"
TIAGO: "So she went up there, thinking that she could do anything..."
HESS: "And then the villain sneak-attacked her while she was hallucinating!"
MURRAY: "ARE YOU EVEN PAYING ATTENTION? WE ALREADY AGREED THAT SHE WAS POISONED."
ALEXANDRIA: "Yeah, the stuff in her Thermos."
HELEN: "So if we know where the stuff in the Thermos came from..."
IVAN: "Then we'll be close to the killer..."

You concentrate. You need to figure this out... the whole case rides on it!

INTROSPECTIVE!

1. When was the coffee poisoned?
>In the Gym
>In her room
>In the Coffee Machine

>>1986265
>In the Coffee Machine
Didn't the Fisherman mess with the coffee machine at some point?

>>1986344
shit we might finally be getting somewhere here.

>>1986344
>>1986439
CORRECT!
2. What was used to poison the coffee?
>Strike-9
>Fly Agaric
>Odd Liquid
>Scarlet's Urine

>>1986460
>>Scarlet's Urine
Truly the most deadly poison.
But nah for real it's the Fly Agaric. Right

>>1986460
>Fly Agaric

>>1986462
>>1986519
INCORRECT!
CREDIBILITY DOWN 8/10!

>Strike-9
>Odd Liquid
>Scarlet's Urine

>>1986593
Odd liquid then.

>>1986593
>>Odd Liquid

>>1986593
>Odd liquid

>>1986593
>Odd Liquid

>>1986605
>>1986783
>>1986788
CORRECT!
3. Where did the Odd Liquid come from?

>Hell
>Cafeteria
>Occultist's Lab
>Pharmacy

>>1986822
Uh.. the pharmacy?

>>1986460
>>Odd Liquid
Mushrooms are solid, she'd probably have noticed them.

>>1986822
>>Pharmacy

>>1986822
>pharmacy

>>1986830
>>1987116
>>1987153
CORRECT!
4. Why was the Odd Liquid in the Gym, and not the Pharmacy?

>Someone else moved it
>The killer left it by mistake
>Because it has a non-poisonous use

>>1987168
>>Because it has a non-poisonous use

>>1987168
>Because it has a non-poisonous use

>>1987168
>Because it has a non-poisonous use

>>1987168
>>Because it has a non-poisonous use

>>1987176
>>1987195
>>1987317
>>1987385
CORRECT!
ALBERT: "Is there anything in the Gym's cabinet that could be used as a poison?"
ALEXANDRIA: "I don't think so- there's just nutritional supplements, an electrolyte replenisher, and some body rubs."
PETER:"...Those body rubs, Alexandria... is one of them a black, foul-smelling oil?"
ALEXANDRIA: "Yeah: reminds me a lot of what my coach uses for his joints."
PETER: "That's henbane oil!"
ALBERT: "What does this oil do, when, say, ingested, Mr. Ultimate Herbalist?"
PETER: "Well, in proper doses, it would calm nervous complaints and achey bones, as well as cause a general sedating effect- this is why some cultures use it as an ingredient in herbal teas. If you go over the proper balance even a bit, it causes hallucinations, restlessness, flushed skin- it can even cause some of these phenomena when applied to the skin, which is why henbane is used in flying ointments and vision-creams."
ALBERT: "Very interesting, but please stay focused: could you use it as a poison?"
PETER: "Oh, definitely! In larger doses, it would induce a delirious state and cause huge spikes in body temperature, along with an unsettled heartbeat."
TIAGO: "Combine that with a self-prescribed dose of fly agaric, and Botha would go berserk- then lapse into a coma and die within the hour. Wouldn't take even half the lethal amount then."
IVAN: "So, we know that the killer is someone who hung out a lot at the gym, was physically strong enough to fight off an enraged Botha until the henbane would paralyze her, and could tie a complex knot."
RUBY: "Yeah, and who Botha thought was sabotaging her!"
ROLAND: "That is likely secondary: Botha's mental state was not on an even keel, and with the fly agaric, she'd likely make an arbitrary decision on who it was; thereby backing that person into a corner out of the blue."

ACCUSE SOMEONE:

>Helen Cowler

>Jean-Baptise Roy

>Henry Carter

>Ruby Willoughby

>Peter Stoyanov

>Tiago Vargas

>Christina Hess

>Giovanna Maroni'

>Arkady Ivanovich

>Christina Murray'

>Roland Cameron

>Gintaro "Okitsumi" Oshiro

>Alexandria Economedies

>Pauline Van Dyck

>>1987841
>>Gintaro "Okitsumi" Oshiro

>>1987841
Gotta be a toss-up between Tiago or Okitsumi

>>1987841
>Gintaro "Okitsumi" Oshiro

>>1987841
>Gintaro "Okitsumi" Oshiro

>>1987841
>Gintaro "Okitsumi" Oshiro

>>1987868
>>1987929
>>1988139
>>1988366
ALBERT:"There's only one person here who fits all three of those. Isn't that right, Okitsumi?"
OKITSUMI: "...What?"
HENRY: "You? W...why? Why did you kill Madam Botha!?!??!"
OKITSUMI: "Wait, hold on, you have got this all wrong! I did not kill her!"
ALBERT: "Then I suppose you can provide an alibi? Or at least explain how someone else could have committed this crime?"
OKITSUMI: "Look, it was... Alexandria! Tiago! YOU! The point is, I didn't do it! I'm innocent! Totally innocent! Besides, I don't even know how to tie a noose!"

REFUTE HIM AND END THIS:

>Explain why his counterargument is invalid, in your own words

>>1988582
>Okitsumi wouldn't be an Ultimate Angler if he couldn't tie a noose.
>Dark skin under Botha's nails eliminates Tiago, but matches Okitsumi
>Botha couldn't have had the meeting with Alexandria because of how the note was written
>Us, of course, would never stoop to being some maniac's marionette. Also we have light skin.

Allow me to put up my version of the events:

>After her meeting with Roland, unsatisfied with his slow methods, Rethabile imbibes fly agaric.
>Her drug-addled mind decides, based on who knows what, that Okitsumi has to die. Maybe she really considered him a traitor, or maybe she intended to become the Blackened by talking him into suicide. Rethabile calls him for a meeting.
>In the meantime, Okitsumi has prepared some coffee with henbane oil to alleviate his back pains. He prepared a whole thermos to have a supply for when the cafeteria is off-limits.
>At some point, Rethabile drinks some of that coffee. Maybe she asked for a drink, feeling dehydrated by the mushrooms, or Okitsumi offered some in hopes that henbane calms her down.
>In any case, Rethabile goes berserk from the combination of the mushrooms and henbane, and attacks Okitsumi. He fights back and manages to put Botha in a chokehold.
>Rethabile loses consciousness and ultimately dies. Thinking that he killed her, Okitsumi hauls her back to her room and tries to imitate suicide.

Depending on whether Botha died from poisoning or strangulation, this could be qualified as an accident or an unintentional homicide.

>>1988598
I agree with this.

>>1988598
This makes the most sense.

>>1988598
Sure I'll support.

>>1988598
A bit of an error, Tiago is dark-skinned as well.
Still, his willingness to just camp inside the facility and survive as long as possible makes him going for a murder so soon unlikely.

>>1988598
Well than who did it? That makes the balckened either Okitsumi or Botha with no way to tell who did it.

Fuck this is Naegi all over again.

>>1989259
I don't think accidents warrant a class trial, so it has to be Okitsumi.

>>1988598
>>1988733
>>1988739
>>1988748
>>1988776
ALBERT: "Even you must know that's a shallow defense; what sort of fisherman doesn't know how to tie a rope?"
ALBERT: "In addition, the suicide note eliminates Alexandria as the Blackened: why would Rethabile forge a suicide note that lists the alleged suicide as a close friend?"
ALBERT: "As for Tiago: I believe that, besides an occasional trip to the cafeteria or the store to pick up supplies, he hasn't left the section of the 4th floor he's converted into a shelter this entire time; something which precludes him being at the gym. In addition, why would Botha send him a message when he's made it clear that he isn't going to cooperate with us?"
OKITSUMI: "..."
ALBERT: "I honestly cannot understand why you would do something like this, but... let's just walk through this one more time."

>>1989321
CUTTING ROOM:

REEL 1
The events that led to this murder began, strangely enough, shortly after we arrived, when the victim- Rethabile Botha- decided to take charge of the group. Unfortunately, this caused her underlying anxiety issues to begin to flare up; no doubt they only got worse as several days went by without us finding anything.
Roland Cameron, as the Ultimate Psychologist, tried to help her through traditional therapeutic methods, but she wanted something a bit more fast-acting. She went to the Pharmacy, where she found her answer; the poisonous hallucinogenic mushroom fly agaric. The chemicals in this mushroom formed one half of this case's murder weapon.

REEL 2
Later, Botha, under the influence of fly agaric, had a paranoid fit in front of all of us, putting everyone on edge; and setting the final stage of the murder in motion. She decided that there was a traitor in the group, and she needed to eliminate him as quickly as possible. For reasons which I suspect will remain a mystery for us all, she determined the culprit was the traitor and planned to carry out her scheme; manipulating them into committing suicide, thinking that doing so would prevent anyone from dying in the subsequent Class Trial. In order to help along the process, she even had a letter prepared for them. She contacted the culprit and told him to meet her in the gym.

REEL 3
For the next part to make sense, you'd have to know that the culprit was suffering from back pain; a back pain they decided to treat through ingesting small amounts of henbane oil. Since henbane oil was known to have calming properties in addition to being a painkiller, the culprit decided to spike Botha's coffee with it, hoping to avoid a repeat of her panic attack in the cafeteria. Sadly, the culprit couldn't know that this would have the opposite effect.

REEL 4
By the time Botha reached the gym, it's likely that the fly agaric and henbane oil's active ingredients were starting to interact with each other to dangerous effect: the initial symptoms would be hallucinations, violent mood swings, a high fever, and partial shutdown of the pain receptors. In this state, she probably didn't have enough of her higher functions unimpeded to do more than slur out "you have to die" or something similar, before launching herself at the culprit. To their credit, the culprit didn't try to kill her; after a struggle, they put her in a chokehold to subdue her. Once she lost consciousness, they brought her back to her room and stuck around to make sure she was okay. Sadly, with the fly agaric and henbane oil in her veins, knocking her out sealed her fate; around 12:30, she goes into some spasmodic state and dies.

REEL 5
The culprit, of course, panics, realizing that their actions have accidentally made them the Blackened. They immediately start covering up for their crime: they smash up the room to make it look like Botha had a psychotic fit in it, then string up the body to make it look like a suicide. They find the note in her pocket and quickly scan it in their panic; seeing that it's a suicide note, they leave it on the partially-damaged table hoping that it would help make the fake crime scene look authentic. Of course, since they were panicking, they didn't read the part at the bottom, which noted that the intended recipient of the note- the culprit- was a close friend of Alexandria's.


ALBERT: "Isn't that right... Gintaro Oshiro, the Ultimate Angler?!

CLASS TRIAL CLOSED!


ALBERT: "...That settles it, am I right?"
IVAN:"Seems correct..."
HELEN: "...So, this was an accident? Then... why? Why are we having a Class Trial?! Okitsumi didn't mean to kill her! He's innocent!"
SCARLET: "Is he, now?"
OKITSUMI: "Yes, I am! I did not plan to kill her! Just end this!"
SCARLET: "I'm afraid only your friends can end it now, but I just have to say: I'm wounded by your distrust of me!"
OKITSUMI: "...What?"
SCARLET: "You know, if it really was an accident... you could have just told me."
OKITSUMI:"...!"
SCARLET: "Gyahahahaha!!! If you'd just done that, we wouldn't be having such a good time! Your dull lives would have continued uninterrupted! But, since you decided to cover it up instead... well, that says there was a part of you willing to become the Blackened, doesn't it?"
OKITSUMI: "N-no, you've got it all wrong!"
SCARLET: "Oh, really? Well, too late! No crying over spilled milk, water under the bridge you just burned down behind you! Now, lads and lasses, it's time to vote! And remember: if you abstain, you get to share in the Blackened's punishment!"

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49 KB JPG

>>1989455
>SCARLET: "You know, if it really was an accident... you could have just told me."
That's fucked.

>>1989455
r.i.p fisherbro.

>>1989455
>SCARLET: "You know, if it really was an accident... you could have just told me."
That's pretty fucked and I love it.

THE VOTES ARE IN!

Gintaro Oshiro: 15

Albert Wiene: 1
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

The numbers flash above Scarlet's head on the screen, and you see Okitsumi blanch. He tries to take a step off of the podium, but you hear a pair of metallic *CLACK*s and he pauses.
Scarlet snickers behind his mask, and the quiet sound is more final and terrible than the thunder of a thousand cannons.
"Well, looks like you got it right, kids! But don't go anywhere yet, because it's the part you've all been waiting for: the PUNISHMENT! And have I got something special ready for the Ultimate Angler!"

The screen flickers to black, and Gintaro's podium suddenly retracts into the floor, taking him with it. You feel a pair of manacles suddenly snap around your wrists and ankles, anchoring you to your podium: looking to your left and right, you can see the same thing happening to everyone present. Your podiums rotate and spread across the courtroom floor, forming a row facing the monitor. After a few agonizing seconds, the screen flickers back on, displaying a crudely-drawn image of Scarlet marching Okitsumi off a cliff, a pitchfork driven into his back. Scrawled beneath it in red crayon are the words
GINTARO OSHIRO HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY. TIME FOR THE PUNISHMENT!

The image suddenly jump-cuts to Gintaro's podium, suspended above a massive open-top aquarium tank. Principal Scarlet, wearing a monochrome bucket hat at a jaunty angle, is seated on the edge in a lawn chair, holding a fishing rod and a bucket. Scarlet unceremoniously dumps the bucket's contents- an assortment of bloody fish- into the tank. You see dark shadows pour up from the lower depths and start ripping them to shreds; sharks. A wide variety of them, in fact. The camera suddenly switches perspective; now you're looking up at the group of sharks from inside the tank itself. A flash of silver suddenly catches the light; there's a serrated bowie knife sinking towards the bottom of the tank.
The camera jumps back to above the tank: Scarlet scratches the top of his hat, shrugs, and pulls a remote from his jacket. With a press of the button, Gintaro's manacles unlock and the bottom of his podium falls away, depositing him in the water with a pack of baited, bloodthirsty sharks. The footage jump-cuts to a titlecard: blue, bubble-like letters against a seafloor backdrop.

THE DEADLIEST CATCH

>>1989597
Imagine if Okitsumi never killed anyone. This fuck would have to feed the sharks the entire time.
Maybe that was the secret to defeating him.

>>1989597
>16 total votes
I-is there a mysterious secret student?

>>1989642
My bad.

>>1989597
The camera cuts back to the underwater angle. Gintaro twists himself midair and pulls into a diving position, slicing into the water with barely a splash. He powers through the waves after the knife, his eyes wild and desperate. He makes it about five body-lengths before the pack of sharks finishes the chum off and rushes after his motion through the waves. Gintaro races against them through the waves... closer... closer... several times, one of the smaller sharks manages to bite his legs, but Gintaro barely flinches, responding only with a swift kick to its snout.

Gintaro seizes the blade just in the nick of time, and swiftly turns and launches himself towards the sharks. You only catch glimpses of what happens next through the crimson bloom that explodes in the tank: snapping jaws, a flashing blade, and occasionally, Gintaro's face, burning red with desperation.
Less than a minute later, you see the torpedo-like shape of Gintaro's body launching out of the cloud, his eyes alight with the fires of vengeance as he drives towards the surface...

File: ibp3dxZy2Vys4F.png (661 KB, 848x900)

661 KB PNG

>>1989662
This is fucking brutal. Despair was a mistake.

>>1989662
And suddenly stops. The camera zooms in to show the hooks lodged in Gintaro's arms and legs, the filament wires running towards the surface at acute angles. The camera cuts back to the surface: a large number of large, metallic fishing rods are now mounted on opposite sides of the tank, their lines plunging down. Scarlet turns his mask towards the camera, and you have no doubt the marker-drawn grin on the left side of his mask is a pale echo of the ghoulish, hateful grimace beneath. He slides his remote into a slot on top of his rod and begins to rapidly spin the reel. The sound of several dozen motors activating in perfect harmony fills the room. The footage cuts back down to underwater,
zoomed up close onto Gintaro's face. You see the fire drain from his eyes, replaced first by a horrible recognition, and then, briefly, by sheer terror as the skin on his face begins to tear...
The footage cuts back to the top of the tank as a massive crimson burst erupts near the surface and several hideously red pieces fly out of the tank at the end of the rods. Scarlet stops reeling as his own rod's hook pops out of the water, a small, round-mouthed shark on the line. Scarlet holds the flopping shark next to his mask, flashes a thumbs-up at the camera,
and tosses it in the bucket before getting up and walking away from the camera.

>>1989712
Jesus this is fucked up.
Ultimate Despair has nothing on this sicko.

>>1989752
Honestly, Scarlet's such a poser. Back in our day, there was more to an execution than just excessive blood and gore!

>>1989712
I assume we label this as a C grade guro flick with a horribly anticlimactic and unnecessarily violent end for the Protagonist, As a comping mechanism to deal with what we just watched.

>>1989771
Agreed, it wasn't even that clever. Monokuma would've used him as bait to catch a giant robot mono-fish or something.

>>1989712
You barely hear the manacles on your podium unlock: having all of the blood drain from your body through sheer shock can do that. Your arms, your legs, your neck; all refuse to respond. The smell of vomit strikes your nostrils, and it takes you a second to realize that it isn't your own.
The sound of an airhorn makes your heart leap into your mouth: the monitor flickers back to life as Scarlet's leering face appears on it again: you notice that a bone fishhook on a small stand has appeared among his desk ornaments.

"Well, didn't that just get the blood pumping, kids! You can really see why people used to hold executions in public! Now, go forth, my surviving 14, and prosper with those days you have remaining!"

You want to say something. You want to call Scarlet a monster, a freak, a twisted perverter of the cinematic art. But words cannot escape your lips. That wasn't cinema. It wasn't a special effect. You can't rationalize it as that no matter how much you try: your studied eye could tell that all of that was real. Your white knuckles release from the podium, and everything goes black.

END CHAPTER 1

Chapter two begins on the 23rd.

>>1989801
>>1989771
If it feels a bit hackneyed, it's supposed to: Scarlet isn't Monokuma, after all, and for all of his posing, he can't quite measure up to the original Ultimate Despair.