unknownseas | THIRD TRIAL

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THIRD TRIAL

[ Two bodies this week. As a result, it's a little longer before Mayor Fontaine's voice calls out over the loudspeakers. ]

All right, that'll do, all of you. Get to the bathyspheres. Trial time.

[ There's fewer bathyspheres this week, aren't there? It's starting to get really noticeable. One by one, alone or in pairs, you descend into the depths. The bottom of the seafloor, a place no human life was meant to travel to unassisted. It's dark, until it isn't, the same bio-luminescent slugs as before lighting up the area and revealing the great glass dome in which the trial takes place.

Within, three more podiums have gone dark. They remain empty as you all gather around into the circle.

The projector clicks on, and you see the silhouette of Mayor Fontaine above you. ]

We all know why we're here. Florida Man and Cryptobro got themselves got. Up to you to figure out who did it, or... well, you know by now.

[ Welcome to your third trial. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

... I suppose we could start by collaborating on who we know took the plasmids. It wouldn't rule anyone out, nor would it necessarily create a list of suspects, but perhaps it might be a good mental note.

Yes, good thinking. We got Yasuhiro, Jason, Forrest, you, Floyd...

M-me? You told me not to!

[Jonathan might... be a bit of a rule follower.]

... You actually listened to me?

Y-yes? You seemed to have more familiarity with supernatural powers than I and I did not want to upset you.

[oh so it was NANDOR u listened to...]

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hotpaprika - 2022-07-09 17:13 (UTC) - Expand

Oh.

[ He just kind of blinks for a second! He is so used to his authority not being respected, despite his strident attempts to enforce it, that he just kind of assumed Jonathan would ignore him. ]

... Well, thank you for that.

I remember someone else sayin they might...

... I thought better of it. Mostly down to you, actually.

Nandor, did you not tell me not to use them on myself?

[What the fuck he got to use them but he couldn't???]

Yes, because you do not know how to move things around or set shit on fire with your mind, both of which I have been doing for seven centuries! I just thought, you know, it might help if someone used to having powers was messing with them instead of a bunch of amateurs.

But I did not end up using anything, so, a moot point. Zinda was right.

(no subject)

hotpaprika - 2022-07-09 17:22 (UTC) - Expand

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fuckingguy - 2022-07-09 17:26 (UTC) - Expand

[That earns him a big smile.]

More people should listen to me more often.

I don't think it was a mistake, either. You bein' involved could have just made this whole thing messier.

... Possible. [ no pal it definitely would have ] I will have to keep the listening in mind for the future.

[ NANDOR LISTENING TO A PARTNER..... THE GREATEST JOKE OF ALL......... ]

Weren't you going to as well, Nandor-san?

Or did you end up changing your mind?

Yes. [ a beat. ] To the second question. I did not partake. Might have been a mistake, but...

If that's all, it's a pretty small list.

It's still important to note. We at least know some of those who were willing to take it. And as I stated, it is not a cut and dry list of who took them.

Mm, after all, those are only the people who were okay with taking them openly. If it's a list of people who might in secret... well, there's really no ruling anyone out there.

Including the people who made a point of saying they wouldn't take any.

[He nods in agreement.]

I hate to admit it, but for all we know, the culprit had not taken any of the plasmids before the murder.

[... However.]

... Although, perhaps the ones who had openly taken the plasmids are the most innocent people here. Because they would know that any murder committed with those powers would be quickly traced back to them.

Edited 2022-07-09 17:28 (UTC)

... Did takin' em leave a mark? A big ol needle like that can leave a nasty bruise.

cw needles continued

sastruga - 2022-07-09 17:29 (UTC) - Expand

(no subject)

hotpaprika - 2022-07-09 17:29 (UTC) - Expand

cw: needles

visiblepattern - 2022-07-09 18:14 (UTC) - Expand

It does, at least, make it easier to rule people out based on the powers they displayed, which I believe is helpful in its own way. Would that it narrowed down our options more…

[ as if he's just adding to the list: ]

Not you, on account of the way you reacted on Tuesday... but let us be honest. Unless the killer is Floyd, which I doubt, someone took them without speaking up.

Aww, thanks for the vote of confidence, Vampire Squid~!

[ Behold: Nandor's fishsona! ]

Absolutely not. [ Tuesday was a time he remembers it well. ]

Taking them in private would be the obvious thing to do, but didn't some of them have side effects? If there was anyone exhibiting them even if it wasn't readily apparent, that's another avenue to explore. Unless they took the plasmids right before they set out to kill, in which case only the victims would likely have noticed if anything was off.

And Misfire also is clear, since he has no veins. [ HMMMMM ] It seemed like mostly they just gave you disgusting hands. Something concealed by gloves, perhaps?