FIFTH TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ It's not terribly long, once everything has been found, before Davy Jones heads out to round you all up once more and take you into the theatre. At least plenty of you are around the same area, so it probably doesn't take terribly long.

The ride down to the trial room is the same as ever - a blast of the organ, a slow descent. It's really starting to become clear, though, just how your numbers are decreasing. You're already down three, counting the absence of Chloe, potentially more when you come back up.

The crew of the Dutchman is singing as Jones lets you out into the trial room. ]

To business, passengers. I am about if you need guidance.

[ The circle of podiums is less populated than ever. So many of you are islands now, so to speak.

The song dies down, the waters quiet.

Welcome to your fifth trial.. ]

Comments

[ltcommandroid]

I examined Plumeria's body.

[Data's trying real hard to project emotionlessness today!]

She suffered a slash to the abdomen from a large blade, as well as significant damage to her left wing. The latter almost appeared to come from multiple blades simultaneously. There was some effort to stop the bleeding from her stomach with a piece of fabric - I believe she was not alone when she died.

She also had a large bruise covering the left side of her body. Her remaining skin was unnaturally flushed, and there was a pink frothy discharge around her mouth. I was unable to determine its chemical components, but it smelled sweet.

[jibunwo]

[...wait a damn-]

Is it possible Plumeria was the one poisoned and not Decus? Flushed skin would indicate a fever, alongside the rest--that would explain why the medications were gone through in such a rush. If Decus saw her eat something she shouldn't have, or if the symptoms presented themselves in front of him...

[leaveittomother]

He might have tried to finish her off?

[jibunwo]

...I'm sorry, I wasn't aware we were immediately assuming they killed each other.

[zero,]

I was considering a scenario where a third party was involved.

[leaveittomother]

Mm, I think it's obvious there's a third person involved here but I don't think that person was behind both deaths.

[Look... she's a damn serial killer what do you want from her]

I'm sorry.

[jibunwo]

...No, I'm sorry. We can't afford to be at each other's throats, and I shouldn't have snapped at you. Let's just work through this one step at a time and we'll figure it out.

[silentscout]

IT doesn't have to be on purpose. If Plumeria was sick and Decus was trying to help her, a third person could see this and assume the worst.

[deathmagnetic]

An interesting perspective...so, what, you believe this to be possibly borne of a misunderstanding?

[silentscout]

No. Decus and Plumeria both had reasons to go for the motive. What probably happened is that Decus poisoned and killed Plumeria and Freyja happened across the scene and killed Decus in revenge.

[Lalli maybe don't go tossing around accusations like that in the first hour?!]

But 'probably' isn't the absolute truth, and we should consider all possibilities. Even if I don't think it was a misunderstanding, it could be one.

[ahelpingpaw]

...I dunno...somehow I'm not sure if Decus would be out to kill despite everything. I mean, I had talked to him and he seemed really into trying to live his life despite not having Alice, and that's really hard and all, but...

...I dunno if he'd risk getting executed. Because we'd have caught him, I'm sure of it! W-We did once, we'd have done it again, especially if he was gonna use that sword we all know is his because it was right there on his golf course...so would he have gone and placed himself in danger to throw away the life Alice gave him?

[jibunwo]

Don't just accuse someone right away like that.

[what the fuck, lalli]

We don't have any evidence yet to prove that could be the case, and I don't want us jumping on the wrong track like we did with Alice.

[dokkalfheimr]

I would like to know why you think that "probably" happened, seeing as I can't physically fight very well while Decus clearly could, and how I escaped unscathed while Decus seems to have absolutely destroyed Plumeria.

[ltcommandroid]

I do not believe we have sufficient evidence to level accusations at this time.

[ltcommandroid]

She was certainly poisoned, regardless of what happened to Decus. It is difficult to say if it would have been fatal on its own, but the oral discharge makes it seem like a very serious case.

[jibunwo]

Exactly. I was assuming he was in the infirmary for himself, but I may have been incorrect.

[scouserer]

That's definitely not out of the question, especially given the symptoms. You said there was acetaminophen missing, right?

[jibunwo]

Right--that one was knocked over and scattered, so I presume Decus found what he wanted before he was likely interrupted.

[dokkalfheimr]

[Freyja still looks deathly pale, but she's...trying her best to be here and present. She owes Plumeria that much.]

I don't think Plumeria knows-

[...]

...I don't think Plumeria knew what acetaminophen is. If the medications were gone through in a rush, I don't know if she would have done that - she would have had to go through everything, and read all of the labels individually.

[scouserer]

[Constantine nods, a grim expression on his face.]

Especially after...well. The incident from the other week.

[leaveittomother]

I'm not sure Decus would either. He knows the existence of such things but his world seems to rely on... things like 'gels' for quick health restoration?

[jibunwo]

There were a lot of medications out with roughly all the same function. I would believe someone was looking through them for possibly the strongest or most efficient one.

[scouserer]

So, then, with this information, the question is--what were they doing in first aid room to begin with?

[sivard]

Gels are what I'd go for, too. I've never heard of the aceta-thing before.

[ahelpingpaw]

Would this stuff even work on you? I mean, I wouldn't know for sure any of the medications would work on me due to dosage or something, maybe it would be different on you and Plumeria.

[Sure would be dangerous, really. At least it was confirmed the sleeping pills work on the fairies]

[dokkalfheimr]

I don't know. I avoid taking any because I don't know what it will do.

It's possible that Plumeria would have tried to take some if she wasn't feeling well, but I believe it unlikely for the same reason - I think after what happened with the sleeping pills, she might have been more likely to avoid the human medications altogether. But obviously I can't say for sure.