THIRD TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ Once all the needed information has been pulled from the PARTY ZONE and nearby echelons, Davy Jones once again does his rounds to collect everyone and bring them to the theatre. ]

You are all familiar with this procedure by now, step quickly!

[ And with the blast of the organ, down the elevator starts to go, into the bowels of the ship below. Things darken and then, as before, you hear a song from the crew of the Dutchman drifting predatory below. ]

Take yer places, all of ye.

[ The circle of podiums remains, two more podiums rusted over and aged. Jones takes his place, meanwhile, looking out the window at the sea.

The shanty dies down, and the atmosphere darkens.

Welcome to your third trial. ]

Comments

[ltcommandroid]

[Honestly, weirder than her being an impostor.]

Are you...all right?

[conceivesfrenzy]

...

[ Look, they're gonna find out at some point. And the profile kind of confirms it. ]

What are the chances, do you think, that changing one person's fate would involve what goes on here?

[thisaroma]

[ Huh...? ]

[ltcommandroid]

In cases such as yours - [OR FREYJA AND PLUMERIA, but we aren't on that right now.] - it seems reasonably likely.

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ MAYBE ONE DAY!

She's quiet for a little while longer, thinking about it for a really, really long time, then, with a long sigh: ]

I give up. I actually killed him.

[leaveittomother]

You didn't.

[thisaroma]

Alice, don't—

[ltcommandroid]

I see.

[Data being Data, it's hard to tell how he's reacting, or even if he believes it. Nonetheless:]

Can you explain further?

[conceivesfrenzy]

What Decus said was mostly correct, with the planning and everything. But I had snuck into that room where they were practicing and killed him myself while he was down stretching or whatever.

The plan was to pin it on Decus for me to escape since everyone wouldn't have expected me to do it for him, Decus included, but...

[ She trails off, and looks away. ]

If he's saying we lost and something happened to him, then... I'd be sending him right back to where he was. I won't let that happen.

[thisaroma]

A-Alice, what are you talking about? I was the one who did it. They all believe me, so...

[ltcommandroid]

You speak as though you care for him.

[He doesn't have feelings but like he thinks this isn't confusing because of that!]

[silentscout]

Alice.

[He sounds annoyed.]

[conceivesfrenzy]

What.

[silentscout]

I don't understand people well enough to know if you're telling the truth or not. But I need to go home. I have to help Onni save our grandmother's soul. I have to tell Emil and the others 'thank you.' I can't die here.

So did you really do it? Or are you lying to save him?

[Lalli, people aren't obligated to tell you the truth just because you ask them to.]

[cethflayn]

...You do care for Decus..

[It's said softly, unbelievable to Flayn, and yet.]

Even if you treat him so cruelly...you cannot go on knowing he was willing to take such risks to change your fate. So you are trying to push yourself forward, to sacrifice yourself - much like how he willingly does so now. Oh, Alice...

[Hey, guess who feels bad for you now, Alice sweetie~]

[thisaroma]

That's...

[ He doesn't know what to say to this. That's not right, but... ]

[cethflayn]

[Sir Alice has been nothing but awful to you this entire time, she's. This is complicated okay!]

[conceivesfrenzy]

I don't need pity, Flaynie. Least of all from you.

[cethflayn]

...

[Oh wow hey way to ruin the one iota of not-negative feelings Flayn has towards you, Alice.]

Apparently it was misplaced. Rest assured I shall not make the same mistake again.

[muttered under her breath,] Bitch.

[magycks]

Seriously? You're just going to squander the out he gave you like that?

... Or, wait, is this your attempt at getting us all to die in service of his goal? Ugh, this why I don't have emotions anymore, they're so annoying—!

[jibunwo]

If she's telling the truth now, that means Decus lives with the rest of us.

If she really does care, then that's the result she should want.

[queceracera]

........... This is like one of those gatekeeper questions. One always lies and one tells the truth.

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ YOU WERE REALLY WERE THE BEST OF US MAGICA ]

[guffawsungraciously]

...

I suppose I am less incensed by you accomplishing this than Decus given that I respect you more in the first place.

[he's still trying to sort through all of his fucking emotions here and he's kind of mad she did it but at least...

fuck.]

[conceivesfrenzy]

[ She giggles. ]

Sorry, Jaspie. I'd hate for you to think any less of me.

[ nickname getto!!!!!! ]