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

[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?

[silentscout]

Did you talk to him before or after Tuesday?

[ahelpingpaw]

Tuesday, after we all got our motives. We spent quite a while talking about his world and I made sure to ask how he was holding up.

[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.

[silentscout]

It's a possibility, and it's better to say ALL the possibilities now so we don't latch onto the first one we think of and force that one to be the truth.

[scythegun]

It's really not any better at all, and I would like to ask that you please keep such thoughts to yourself unless you have more substantial proof.

[scouserer]

Then why don't you voice any other possibilities, hm? Why that one right out of the gate?

[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.

[silentscout]

I should have said "possibly" instead. And I'm saying it out of consideration to you: everyone's already thinking "if Plumeria was involved, Freyja might be too". Don't you deserve a chance to say your piece too?

[dokkalfheimr]

But that isn't what you said. You accused me, and you aren't providing any evidence for why you think that other than you apparently want it to be so.

I believe Zaveid has a point; the first to point fingers often has a reason for doing so. So again, tell me how you think this happened when it physically couldn't have, or do us the favor of keeping your mouth shut.

[ltcommandroid]

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

[ahelpingpaw]

B-But if she had come upon the scene already and killed Decus because he murdered Plumeria, uh...I don't think she'd have almost collapsed when we found Plumeria. She'd have seen it once already, right?

[Unless it was an act, but Filbo is really convinced Freyja was genuinely overwhelmed with grief there]

[silentscout]

She collapsed?

[Lalli slept through investigation whoops]

[sivard]

You know, when Shard immediately pointed fingers at someone at the trial, he ended up being the one responsible.

[jibunwo]

Don't you start either. We're not taking shots at each other when we've barely begun this whole thing. Whoever did this, we'll figure it out without bickering like children.

[wanna bet]

[silentscout]

[He'll have an answer later, but for now he's ducking down behind his podium to sit for a bit. Whoops.]

[magycks]

[ LISTEN SHE'S NOT GONNA SAY ANYTHING BUT SHE APPRECIATES THAT SOMEONE DID... ]

[deathmagnetic]

[ holy shit Lalli ]

It's still early to tell, though I'm doubtful at this time that Freyja is involved. It could change, but I've seen nothing to convince me of her involvement.

I also don't believe it was a misunderstanding, though I will agree with a scenario that clearly someone had happened upon Decus and likely found out what he had done.

[cethflayn]

[Looks like everybody already came to Lalli for this one, but-]

I do not think Lady Freyja killed Decus. She was far too upset when we...when we found Plumeria.

[That kind of reaction is raw emotion. You can't easily replicate that sort of thing for an audience.]