FIRST TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ After a while, once all the appropriate clues have been found, Mayor Fontaine calls out again over the speakers. ]

Alright, citizens, pack it in quick and head to the back of the Hall of the Founders. You have business to take care of.

[ When they do reach the Bathysphere station, Eleanor is manning the controls, gaze quiet and even over the crowd. The hatch at the front of the strange elevator is open, and everyone is gestured inside. A series of small submerisbles are lined up, waiting to be ridden. ]

Just hop into the bathyspheres one or two at a time, and the system will get you where you need to go.

[ It's a long, cramped ride from here, but Fontaine's word is true. At least you can tune into the radio in the pod?

The bathyspheres take you down until even the few lights of Rapture are out of sight, down until lights of a different kind are visible - the reds and blues of bioluminescent sea creatures, a little too out of your way to make out what they are, blending to a strange sort of not-quite-purple as the bathysphere reaches its final destination: a glass dome built into the sea floor, about the size of an average house.

As one by one the bathyspheres arrive carrying the new citizenry of New Rapture, less natural lights than those of the creatures around you begin to click on in the dome. In the center, most of the space is taken up by a circle of podiums, each with an image of one of you engraved into it.

A projector of some kind kicks on, which combined with the lighting allows for the familiar silhouette of Mayor Fontaine at his chair to appear on the side of the dome, watching over you. ]

Time to do your best to figure out who killed the Diamond in the Rough. And do yourselves a favor: keep it interesting. I'm here if you have any burning inquiries.

[ And here it is.

Welcome to your first trial. ]

Comments

[buriedstar]

I don't think biting is most people's first response.

[kninja]

It isn't? Huh.

[So maybe Obi is the only feral lad in the room, good to know.]

[buriedstar]

[ Nod. ]

Why put your face that close to an attacker? Not to mention how disgusting it would be.

[allatonce]

I mean, if someone's choking me and the choices are die or put their disgusting flesh prison in my mouth? Yeah, I'm gonna bite them.

[buriedstar]

[ Hold that thought because what. ]

...flesh prison?

[capreelcious]

Doesn't matter how disgusting it is- if you wanna survive you use everything you've got. That includes biting.

[ You're not the only feral one, Obi, it's fine. ]

[buriedstar]

...if it's come to that, possibly. But I'd like to think there are options in any situation.

[dullshooter]

You've got to lower your standards, mate.

[buriedstar]

I refuse.

[visiblepattern]

Well... If I believed the options were "bite someone" or "die", I could possibly bring myself to bite someone...

[Only possibly, though, apparently.]

[hotpaprika]

And if you're panicked, you're likely not thinking of strategic attacks.

[He flinches and doesn't make eye contact with Forrest, as if scared he will say something in return.]

[visiblepattern]

[He glances over at that, though it seems he doesn't have anything scathing to say. Just.]

Being grabbed from behind is certainly a good reason to panic. Particularly in this situation.

[It's a concession, at least.]

[kninja]

[Forrest's a healer, but]

There are usually better options, but yeah, sometimes you gotta do what you've gotta do!

[hotpaprika]

Depending on how someone grabs you, I can see biting being the only option.

[His voice is quiet as he speaks.]

[buriedstar]

We're talking forced close range combat, in this instance? You could always headbutt someone too. More effective and doesn't leave a mark that could be easily traced back to you.

[ He refuses to really entertain this line of thought :| ]

[hotpaprika]

If you think you're being attacked, I am not sure if you'd be thinking clearly about such things. Particularly if you aren't a trained fighter.

[sastruga]

Maybe not the first, but... Who knows what anyone is capable of when cornered?

If I was afraid enough and I couldn't get away, even I might resort to biting.

[buriedstar]

[ As opposed to Jonathan, Seo Dawon stops to consider for a moment. ]

If you're untrained or young and frantic, possibly. But most trained fighters would pursue other options first. Biting is something kids do. Or beasts.

[allatonce]

You've clearly never seen a catfight.

[buriedstar]

Oh, I have. But it's different when everyone has skills.

[ A million times messier! But also more options. ]

[sastruga]

We have plenty of young, untrained people here. People who will panic and lose their heads.

Was the killer trained, do you think?

[kninja]

I don't think so, at least.

[vholran]

I've my doubts.

[specialyellthing]

You ever been in a real fight? Life or death?

[buriedstar]

Plenty.