SECOND TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ After sufficient time has passed, and you're all as ready to avenge dear Obi as you've ever been, Mayor Fontaine speaks. ]

Alright, that oughta do it. Pack up the evidence and head to the bathyspheres, same as last week.

[ There's yet again a line of spherical submersibles back there, ready to take off as the citizens of New Rapture climb aboard one or two at a time. And one at a time the bathyspheres descend into the abyss below New Rapture, deeper and deeper, once again to the dome on the seafloor, lit all around by bio-luminescent... slugs, of some kind? They're a little closer today.

The ring of podiums still sits in the center, just like last week. Two more podiums are going to stand empty. Two more dead. By the end of the day, best case scenario? It'll be three.

The projector clicks on. Mayor Fontaine is as here as he's gonna be. ]

You all know why you're here. Night Knight is dead. And I know plenty of you liked him alright, so don't let him down, hm? Or do. I'm here if you have questions.

[ Welcome to your second trial. ]

Comments

[bootyhunter]

[Oh, he hates how that sounds.]

But how and why would they go about doin' all of that?

[The drugging part.]

The cot had splashes of blood on it. You think he got hurt, went to the clinic for help, and...

[He is wincing because Dandy despises the conclusion he's coming to.]

Whoever it was maybe switched up the meds on him? Like on purpose.

But then it'd have to be some kinda trap.

[vholran]

Perhaps. If someone pretended to offer their hand in assistance, it wouldn't be so far fetched that they'd do something so...cruel.

[ He is here to entertain terrible scenarios. Your welcome. ]

[bootyhunter]

Especially if they were goin' nuts already.

[There is the implication that something is on Dandy's mind.]

Now that I think about it, somethin' really funky happened the last time we spoke.

[It was, for sure, the last time.]

And not funky fresh, baby. More like funky stale, or funky hella rotten.

[He'll elaborate if pushed!]

[vholran]

Oh? What do you mean by that....?

[ Vholran has been well amused enough by the events in this trial, so he has no problems in pushing even in the face of Dandy's unique...vernacular. ]

[bootyhunter]

A little before we got to talkin', the vending machine spat out a lock of hair. Human! Probably. Blonde, straight, like... More cornflower yellow and less... Platinum.

[What he's getting at is that the hair most likely wasn't dyed.]

And, I dunno man, if somebody pulled my hair outta that machine, I'd be pretty spooked! Not spooked enough to off somebody, but everyone's been on the edge since the mess that went down last week.

There's no proof it belongs to any of us, or anybody we even know, for that matter! If we can all agree on one thing, it's that the Mayor's a dumb, smelly loser who's also a giant creep!

It coulda just been him pullin' a fast one on us.

[vholran]

[ What an interesting theory. ]

...So, you believe that someone who may have thought that hair belonged to them would be the one to turn their blade against Obi?

[bootyhunter]

I dunno if that's it exactly?

All I'm sayin' is that... It's pretty weird.

[vholran]

Nothing is too strange.

If there is an opportunity, we seize it. And see what comes from our efforts.

[bootyhunter]

[At that, Dandy snaps his fingers.]

I guess so.

[honeyedtea]

[ Mielle freezes and goes bone white. ]

[vholran]

Is something wrong...?

[sastruga]

Igniseri-san? Could you do me a favor, please?

[vholran]

No.

[sastruga]

...I'll ask less nicely, then.

Don't speak to her.

[vholran]

I've no reason to oblige your request, little girl.

[honeyedtea]

No.

[ It's said way too fast and way too sharply to be anything but a lie. ]

It's-- it has nothing to do with this.

[1/2]

[specialyellthing]

[oh. no. goldies upset. quick, gotta---]

[vholran]

[ He'll...certainly catch onto that. ]

You don't sound so sure.

Why is that?

[honeyedtea]

I think you'll find that I'm more than certain.

[ that comes out through gritted teeth. ]

[2/2]

[specialyellthing]

That's right! Got nothin to do with this. After all--

I keep leavin those dang ponytails of mine around!

[vholran]

Is it really yours?

[bootyhunter]

You got somethin' to say, Blondie?

[Dandy's face, which often contorts in a variety of exaggerated ways, is bereft of any readable emotion.]

Take your time.

[Although slowly, there's some gentleness that finds its way in.]

No need to spit it out right away.

How you doin', anyway? Maybe it's not the time to ask, but...

I'm sorry. The past few weeks have sucked harder than a newborn babe on his momma's-

[insert vague hand gestures here]

Well. You know.

[honeyedtea]

[ Mielle doesn't do anything quite as unladylike as spluttering but the way she stumbles over her words before she manages to answer is almost the same. ]

Y-you-- you bring this up and then you have the audacity to ask me how I am?!

[ she makes a strained noise, close to coming out like a hysterical bark of laughter. ]

What does it have to do with what we're discussing here?

[bootyhunter]

[He follows up, then, with a statment of utmost sincerity-]

I just wanted to check in on ya.

[Dandy's shoulders slump up and down.]

Seriously.

Anyone with eyes can tell you're havin' a rough one. I get it, though.

This sucks.

[honeyedtea]

If you know that, then why insist on making it worse?!