Rosethorns

"Rosethorns?" Ulrich asked, turning to Yun-Yeong beside him. "What's that, exactly?"

"You know about organized crime, right?" She replied.

"Like the mafia?"

"If that's what it's called where you're from." She nodded. "A really shadowy organization, who do basically everything from the background."

"Like what?" Ulrich asked again.

"Drugs and gambling type things?" Yun-Yeong replied. "I live on level two, and I kind of assumed they were some kind of old wives tale."

"Woah now, that's a hefty accusation!" Leonie yelled out, firing a shot from the gun onto the floor to shut everyone up. "A member of the Rosethorns, damn!"

"But is he correct?" Seeta asked.

"He's off ever so slightly!" Leonie shrieked while slamming her hands on the platform. "Not enough to warrant a penalty, and as a bonus, I'll fill the rest of you in! She's the leader!"

"Bullshit!" Micah screamed. "Amber runs a coffee shop! There's no way in Nova she has anything to do with the Rosethorns! I-I refuse to believe it!"

"It's all true." Amber affirmed sternly. "But last time I checked, the challenge was to prove who killed Gemma, and whatever organization I'm in has nothing to do with that."

"So the last five minutes were completely pointless, you're saying?" Eric asked bluntly.

"I don't think so." Ulrich replied. "We know Cyrus has the drive to kill, which counts for a lot. And I think if we look back to the first challenge where Timothy died, it might be the same person."

"Actually, you have a point there." Seeta interjected quickly. "Andrei was stabbed and pale, right? That was the same condition as…" She gave a quick glace towards Silvia.

"Wait, yeah!" Silvia yelled. "Quick, Andrei. Where were you hit?"

"I remember getting hit in the legs before passing out." Andrei replied calmly. "It felt like getting stabbed a little bit."

"A little bit?" Silvia asked. "As in a little bit like stabbing or a small stabbing?"

"The second one."

"And the legs. Timothy was hit in the neck, so the poison probably took longer to spread." Silvia whispered.

"So it was poison?" Wendy asked.

"Okay, but nobody here has poison. At least nobody we know of." Micah replied calmly.

"Well, who do we not know the powers of?" Ulrich asked. "We might be able to narrow it down from there."

"Hey, good idea." Silvia smiled. "Power wise, let's see…who have we not seen yet?"

"Or who attempted murder before." Amber added. "Ulrich, didn't somebody try to kill you on day one?"

"Actually, yeah!" Ulrich yelled. "During that first challenge, somebody tried to suffocate me. Somebody put my hands to the wall and put some weird plastic feeling thing over my mouth."

"Oh, that was me."

Huang, calm as ever, admitted to it. An entire mystery, solved with one question.

"Wait, excuse me?" Eric asked, trying to take a step back. "You tried to kill somebody?"

"Darkness creates stress. My goal was to create a stress-free environment, which at the time required the loss of a life. My condolences, Ulrich Hart."

"Condolences? You tried to fucking kill me!" Ulrich screamed.

"Okay, but he didn't kill Gemma!" Vanessa screamed back. "Can we get back to the trial?"

"We'll deal with him later." Amber said calmly. "Focus on the murder for now. And besides, I don't think it matters that someone was poisoned."

"Goth, I'd consider that pretty damn important." Eric replied, looking dumbfounded.

"You didn't let me finish." Amber sighed. "Evidence of poison doesn't mean somebody here can use it. There were syringes laced with poison hidden throughout the building, which easily could have been used. And I can confirm Cyrus knew about them."

"Oh, really?" Valentina replied sarcastically. "Provide this evidence, then?"

"It's how we defeated him in the hallway." Amber replied sharply. "Ulrich pumped a bunch of poison into him and knocked him out."

"W-what was that about killing being bad, Ulrich?" Vanessa yelled out, with a smirk on her face.

"He attacked us first!" Ulrich spluttered.

"And I'm assuming this poison is lethal?" Huang asked, turning to the hosts.

"The deadliest on the market!" Leonie replied enthusiastically.

"Then pray tell how Cyrus is walking here now?" Huang asked calmly.

"I extracted the poison." Amber replied calmly, folding her arms. "I used my shadows to drain it to a less lethal level."

"A less lethal level that you just so happen to know?" Huang questioned, putting a hand to his chin, his ever-smiling face becoming more punchable by the second.

"When you're in crime, you know these things." Amber replied calmly. "Poison is pretty expensive, and overspending is bad. Simple enough explanation for you?"

"Hm, shadow elementals are capable of that?" Huang asked, still polite. "I may not have been there, but I feel that you're covering your tracks. Perhaps the blame for this incident falls on you?"

"Woah now, I think you need to explain your reasoning here, sir!" Leonie chuckled.

"Certainly. Andrei, sir. You were protecting Gemma, correct?"

"Yes." Andrei replied bluntly.

"And you didn't see anything?"

"I saw black, and then when I woke up, I was in a hospital room with Amber."

"And who has the ability to make things dark, exactly?" Huang asked, looking at Amber. "Friends, I hope my argument has made some points."

The lights around Amber turned to red.

"Woah now, she was with me the entire time!" Ulrich yelled. "If she did anything, I would have been there!" The hosts responded to this by casting Ulrich in a red light.

"Are you serious right now?" Ulrich yelled.

"Ladies, ladies." Aurora sighed. "I'm gonna need you to stop blaming my friends for this, and make a very simple explanation."

"Simple?" Leonie asked, leaning in.

"Simple enough for the more braindead here to comprehend." She replied, glaring at Huang. "Gemma was found dead at the beginning of day three, right? And that's when Micah and Eric broke into the building. Micah has sharpened nails, which he could dip in the poison, and Eric could have found a knife somewhere to kill Gemma."

"Woah now!" Eric shouted as he was cast in a red light. "I didn't even know you could get knives in there!"

"I didn't even see that room!" Micah yelled out as the lights changed around him.

"Well, do either of you have any better ideas?" Amber yelled.

"I think I do." Eric nodded. "I think I'm with you, Amber. Cyrus did it, totally sure."

"Excuse me?" Valentina asked. "What makes you think so?"

"Ties to the government, lady." Eric said calmly. "Guy who works for the Nova families gets too protective and tries to kill somebody."

"But he said he had no reason to kill Gemma!" Valentina screamed back at him.

"Very aware." Eric agreed. "No ties to her, and she's weak. But Andrei was also attacked. And he was the real target."

"Wait, why would he attack me?" Andrei asked calmly.

"Because you're a strong guy. If you have to fight either him or Valentina, you have a decent chance of winning, unlike Gemma. You two also share a room, so taking you out reduces the chances of him accidentally saying too much."

"Eric, I am perfectly capable of keeping my mouth shut." Cyrus replied sternly.

"Oh please, Novas let anyone in there. They couldn't catch a six-year-old if it knew what it was doing."

"Six?" Valentina asked herself.

"That could also be a reason he tried killing Amber and Ulrich. Both of them are pretty competent and taking out either would be a boost to your survival chances."

"I tried killing her because she's in the Rosethorns!" Cyrus yelled. "Honestly, if we're talking about killing strong competitors, maybe you should reflect on yourself!"

"Nah, I could take you." Eric replied, rolling his eyes. "But hey, poison access, entering the building with the intent to kill, trying to kill someone else. Seems pretty clear to me!"

"Hold on, Eric." Odebode interrupted. "He was in the lobby when the body was found!"

"Found, sure." Eric shrugged. "But the time between being killed and being found are separate things."

"Okay, but when did Cyrus try killing Amber?" Odebode asked desperately. "Ulrich, Amber?"

"Night two." Ulrich replied.

"Day three." Amber replied.

"Night two. I heard night two, right?" Odebode replied, slightly confused. "But if it was night two, then Andrei would have woken up by day three and reported the murder! And Cyrus was in the lobby when he was knocked out. If he was knocked out night two, he'd have either died from the poison or been fine enough not to go to the hospital before this. The timeframe doesn't match up!"

Cyrus light changed from red to blue, and he gave a soft smile and a nod. Odebode smiled back, breathing heavily.

"But during all this. I've noticed something. That relates back to Amber." Huang piped in once again.

"Oh brother, what is it this time?" Amber snarled.

"Silvia's question near the beginning of all this." He replied calmly. "He asked what the powers of everyone here was."

"So? I've shown my powers. What does this have to do with me?"

"Oh, nothing. I'm just asking about your friend, Aurora."