FOURTH TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ Well! That's sure something, isn't it? There may or may not be a lot of you excited to get down to business, but Jones does eventually move to collect you all and bring you to the theatre. It's a familiar routine by now, perhaps even comfortingly so given the irregularities of this particular killing.

Two of you gone this week. The elevator is started to feel downright spacious, don't you think?

A shanty, as usual, echoes from the crew of the Dutchman as you enter. The room is the same as it has ever been before you as the elevator settles into position. ]

To yer positions, passengers. Chins up.

[ Three more podiums claimed by the rust and wear.

You have your evidence, and you're going to need it before long. The music outside dies down.

Welcome to your fourth trial. ]

Comments

[bonesorter]

I could, yes. Maybe it'll be you, or you... or... no one at all.

Perhaps I'll just drift among your number, here to remind you for the rest of your days about your failures... and devour the next one when I hunger again...

[scouserer]

Then if you're gonna leave her body, at least possess me. I'll be able to offer you more souls than you've ever been able to devour in your life.

[In all honesty, he has no idea what he's doing. He's hoping this flagrant overconfidence will at least work in his favor.]

[ltcommandroid]

[hey buddy, what the fuck?]

[scouserer]

[Data, your roomie is a known dumbass.]

[jibunwo]

Don't do something that stupid. Do you really want to kill one of us next when this thing gets bored?

...I might be able to get rid of it if my power worked, even for just a second. But it doesn't, and I have doubts the Captain would be willing to flip that switch for our convenience.

[scouserer]

Mate, I've dealt with these things before. Spirits, demons--trust that I know what I'm doing.

[jibunwo]

Do you, because we're both painfully mundane and average people here while you're about to make a bargain with a bloodthirsty specter.

[scouserer]

[Constantine scowls towards Zero.]

I've played with worse stakes.

[sivard]

[Erm.]

[scouserer]

[Look..........he's John Constantine.]

[magycks]

Nope.

[deathmagnetic]

[ .... ]

If you're going to say idiotic things like that, I believe you should keep your mouth shut for awhile.

[scouserer]

I'll keep talking as I please, thank you very much.

[deathmagnetic]

You don't have access to your powers here. What guarantee do you have that acting like a fool is going to work out for you?

[scouserer]

I'm John bloody Constantine--I do stupid in style.

[He crosses his arms.]

And I've done without fancy magic in the past. It's worked out for me plenty.

[Just don't mind the damage left in his wake.]

[bonesorter]

[That actually does give the spirit pause to consider.]

That is... tempting. But how do you plan on keeping that promise, when you have lost your abilities here?

[scouserer]

Simple. I've got connections.

[He's thinking just as fast as he's speaking--never say Constantine isn't prepared to bullshit his way through a situation.]

See, when we get out of here--and we will get out of here--we'll be going back to our respective worlds. Now, I've got plenty of enemies back home who send their goons after me on the regular--people and entities that'd love to see me dead. It ensures that you have a steady supply of souls to consume, and I remain alive. Win-win, see?

[He crosses his arms.]

All you have to do is enter my body, and let the girl go. And leave everyone else alive--because a feast awaits you if you cooperate.

[dokkalfheimr]

[She's just gotten Filbo over here, shouting at it is a bad idea, but-]

...Or perhaps Lord Davy will confine you to the Dutchman.

[bonesorter]

[The spirit does actually seem to pause in consideration of this, tilting it's head at an unnatural angle momentarily.]

... And allow the risk of me devouring all of the souls of his boat? Before he can bring them to their true final resting place? I don't think he wants that.

[But the spirit... doesn't actually know that for certain, hence their tone.]

[dokkalfheimr]

You asked yourself. How do you kill that which is already dead?

Those aboard Lord Davy's vessel are deceased. Can you truly devour those which have already passed?

[bonesorter]

[... At that, the spirit actually looks at Magica as if to say "ask her".

Because Magica actually answered this question sometime earlier in the trial. It's not just the living that the spirit apparently eats.]

mods!

[scythegun]

[You know what, let's just go ahead and get this out in the open—]

Mr. Jones! In this specific circumstance, would voting for "the Unfortunate One" be adequate or will that run the risk of killing us all?

[thekeyofsea]

[ Jones, who is looking over this situation with... some interest. ]

Aye, that would do.

[scythegun]

Then I think that will have to do! If you or the Captain would please be so kind as to start the vote before anyone else can do anything stupid, we can move on to the final act!

[bonesorter]

[The spirit... actually kind of looks at Jones curiously, before shrugging.]

Well... I can't say that it's not disappointing to hear... but this is fine.

I don't consider this a loss, after all.