THIRD TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ 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. ]

Comments

[buriedstar]

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

[hotpaprika]

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.

[sastruga]

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.

[hotpaprika]

[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.

cw: needles

[specialyellthing]

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

cw needles continued

[sastruga]

Good question. I don't really know myself, but I feel like... it must, right?

Can someone who took one of the Plasmids confirm this?

[hotpaprika]

-Oh! That is a good point, Zinda! Since the culprit must have taken the plasmid relatively recently, any bruising would likely still be evident!

cw: needles

[visiblepattern]

I didn't bruise, but I also wasn't trying to shoot it into my veins.

[More like a vaccine or something that goes into subcutaneous tissue, as opposed to trying to shoot up.]

[howveryglib]

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…

[fuckingguy]

[ 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.

[capreelcious]

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

[ Behold: Nandor's fishsona! ]

[buriedstar]

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.

[fuckingguy]

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?

[buriedstar]

Possibly. Did those effects linger? [ Looks at Floyd? ]

[capreelcious]

Only temporarily! I messed with the telekinesis one myself, and the side effects linger for longer if you're in like a high adrenaline situation. That's what I read on the bottle too! The one I used just turned my hand purple for a bit.

I dunno about the one Sunfish was using- the dummy hand one? So maybe it depends on the power.

[buriedstar]

So the chances of the side effects still being visible now are slim.

[ Good to know. ]

cw needles

[sastruga]

Did it leave an injection mark?

cw needles

[capreelcious]

For a little bit, but I guess it depends on the person? It's one of those biology things, so like. We could still check for it.

cw needles

[sastruga]

...Mm. I think it would be wise to do so. It might not be the most solid lead, but it's worth a shot.

[ha ha get it shot like--]

cw needles

[capreelcious]

Aha~! Worth a shot, huh?

[ HE'S SO AMUSED- ]