SEVENTH TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ After a while, Davy Jones comes and collects you all again. It's a much quicker trip than he's ever had to take for you all before. You all fit so easily into the elevator in the theatre now, don't you?

As he plays the song that takes you down, even Jones seems tired. But the elevator certainly isn't, moving just as dramatically into the depths of the ship as it ever has. You now know all the floors it passes on its trip down to the trial room, don't you?

And none of you even know that this is your last ride down. The end is coming. But that's for later, and not quite yet for all of you.

The crew of the Dutchman is... different, somehow, this week. There are more figures aboard, and they're all singing, well. Maybe Scott was right, that first week. ]

Ye know what to do, passengers.

[ Jones moves to the wall to look out at his ship, scowling.

The podiums are waiting.

Welcome to your seventh trial.

Comments

[scouserer]

[Constantine makes his way to his podium, a stony expression on his face. Everyone seems so spaced out....]

Right. Let's get this over with.

[He shoves his hands into his pockets, sighing.]

I went to the first aid room, and it looked like someone had opened the medicine cabinet. It looked like someone had been rummagin' through--a container of painkillers was removed and shoved back in. It looked like it'd be opened and closed. Dunno if it was tampered with, or what.

...Also, Data can probably talk more about it, himself, but he said he had been tased and experienced an electrical overload--probably 'cus his insulation was worn down by that fireball thrown at him the other day.

[A pause.]

I'm sorry, could we...could we maybe think of movin' a bit closer together? The space is weird.

[scythegun]

[Ah. He sure is surrounded by podiums of dead people, huh... Well, it's not like that troubles Yeager all that much. Since he's only got one small thing with him this time, he's also brought his scythe. After last trial, he wants to be armed in case shit goes down again??]

I found Jasper in the back room of the photo lab. [The darkroom, he means.] He was slumped into a chair while wearing his armor; his cloak was torn as well. Said armor suffered quite a bit; it was banged up with dents of different sizes. I was unable to determine what could have caused them.

As for the state of his body... well, it was quite alarming, actually. His throat was slit with one slice, but it seems like it didn't bleed - regular blood, at least. He has a large bruise on his cheek and also had a frothy foam around his mouth and nose... but other signs of poison weren't present. No smell or discoloring, that sort of thing.

The strangest thing was the "blood" - it didn't seem to be blood at all. It looked like blood, but it smelled sweet. It stained my glove in a way blood wouldn't, but I'm really not sure what it was. I found no regular blood otherwise. I did find one of these, though.

[It's a vending machine knife! As you can see, it's also covered in "blood".]

It hasn't been damaged at all, so I doubt this was involved in whatever happened to Jasper's armor.

Finally, his hair was messed up, as though it was wet and then dried. I'm not sure what to make of that one either, but it does seem to have been water in his hair, nothing else.

[One more thing that Yeager didn't get - Jasper's pendant was missing. He can at least confirm that if anyone else knows about it!]

[jibunwo]

I found a vending machine taser lying around on the fifth floor, after following some scraps of fabric that look like they were caught on parts of the stairs and paneling. [He'd pull a few of them out of his pocket and leave them on his podium; they match to Jasper's cloak.]

So that might have something to do with what happened to Data. As for our configuration, if you really want to be closer then by all means. But having spent six of these trials next to Magica, I can't really recommend it.

cw: stupidity

[cethflayn]

Oh, the blood is some kind of chocolate.

[Flayn. Flayn.]

[magycks]

[ She's going to very unsubtly try and whack him in the shins with her staff... ]

[scouserer]

Well, that would explain how Data got tased...though, given the volume at which weapons were given out, that doesn't really narrow it down.

[He does carefully eye the scraps of cloak.]

Also, noted. Magica can stay in her own little island, if she so desires. S'not like I'm forcing you all to move.

[scouserer]

[...................]

You ate it, didn't you?

[scythegun]

[Hang on, let him get a look at the scraps of fabric...]

They match Jasper's cloak! That's what I thought it might be, thanks for bringing them.

[sivard]

Why would you taste it?!

[ahelpingpaw]

[After what happened last trial Filbo sure had thought he wouldn't be back here for a murder case. Alas, fate isn't so kind. Filbo puts on his podium the steel bowl with the evidence and clears his throat]

So, uh, looks like someone went to the kitchen to eat something, I guess? Corn flour, cocoa powder and...red food coloring, for some reason. It was all mixed here on this bowl -- it's clean but there's this towel here with coloring stains on it. That says it all.

[Seems Filbo is unaware of the things you can make with those particular ingredients]

But also I found this note in the sink. Someone tried to burn it and then change their mind, I guess, because even though it got somewhat burned it also is all wet! The problem is I can't tell what it says here. So I guess this is a good starting point as any.

[PL__ #--
B ∆ → A_T__L__E? → _ON__CT D___ → [????] ]

[jibunwo]

OW, I WAS JOKING--

[excuse him while he's in Pain for a bit]

[magycks]

... Well, let's keep track of her vital signs throughout the trial and see if she dies, why not? Might learn something.

[jibunwo]

Of course. My guess is that he was heading up or down the stairs in something of a hurry, to have it snagged so much as to tear like that.

[scouserer]

[Constantine takes a closer look at the note....yeah, he doesn't know what this says, either.]

I'd assume the "B" part means Bermuda Triangle, but I can't quite make out the rest. But those are...rather specific ingredients, aren't they? Don't think they were lookin' for a midnight snack.

[scythegun]

I... see...

[He does not see.]

Probably not a very good idea to go tasting things that are involved in cases, ja?

[magycks]

Be funnier next time!

[jibunwo]

Red food coloring--wait, is that what was all over Jasper?

[sivard]

There was something strange going on in that water around the garden.

There were some puddles near the edge, which I know isn't that strange, really, but something was dragged away from it.

cw: stupidity

[cethflayn]

[Ah...heavily surrounded by death. Feels about right.]

I found three things of note that I have brought along with me. [She indicates the three empty photo lab tubs stacked on her podium] The first were several cigarette stubs left by the door. They were cold and ashless, and there was no scent of smoke in the area, so I do not think they were utilized by the door. They might be about a day old at the least. Mister Constantine, I know you make a habit of smoking these, so if you could check them to see if they are like the ones you may have obtained before, I would appreciate it.

Secondly, I found some teal feathers under the table. I could not tell if they might have been roughly handled or pulled from anything. Magica, they are close in color to your plumage. Might I compare the color to you?

[Something to note here is that as Flayn goes through her evidence, if she addresses you? There's no accusatory tone. Looks like someone's using her noodle.]

Lastly, the trash bin in the photo lab contained a pair of thin disposable gloves covered in "blood". But it is important to note that it is not blood. It smells too sweet, and tastes of chocolate.

[Flayn. Flayn why do you know that. Honey.]

[ahelpingpaw]

I dunno where Data was found, but if that taser was anywhere away from him then he can't have done it to himself...

[Wouldn't have wanted to think Data tased himself, really, but anything can happen on this ship]

Where was Data?

[cethflayn]

...I licked a pinkie's tip worth, and then spat it out and rinsed my mouth and had a spoonful of the "dark froyo" for good measure.

[THAT DOESN'T MAKE THIS ANY LESS STUPID!!]

[cethflayn]

Because I...know what blood looks like? And it did not seem quite like actual blood?

[Y'all don't seem to process "I'm 1000+ years old and have fought as a field medic in two wars" well.]

[magycks]

... Wait, what?

cw: discussion of emetics

[cethflayn]

I should be fine. I spat it out, and did not swallow anything, and rinsed my mouth out and had some of the "dark froyo". It is a form of emetic, is it not?

mods?

[scouserer]

[Constantine blinks. He glances at the tub with the cigarettes in it, then lets out a scoff.]

I guess someone here's been busy plantin' evidence, huh?

[He's gonna take the cigarettes and examine them a little more closely...what exactly can he tell from them as the Resident Smoker. Are they his brand of cigarette?]