Fourth Trial

[bathymetric]

[ After the evidence (and what a large batch of evidence it is, this time) has been gathered up, after actually patiently waiting a longer time than usual to make sure everything's been grabbed, the speakers over New Rapture crackle to life. ]

Time's up, everyone. You know where to go.

[ The lower number of bathyspheres, as you descend, is starting to become really notable, isn't it? The descent is the same as ever, lower and lower into the sea. The bioluminescence of those slugs on the ocean floor is almost brighter today, somehow, and some of them have even crawled up the cliff face around you as you pass them.

The dome approaches, slowly as ever, gleaming red in the darkness. The bathyspheres land in a row, doors opening one by one to reveal the familiar sight of the trial room, three more podiums now darkened. ]

Take your places, ladies and gentlemen. You've got a doozy of a situation to discuss. Ass Man and Silver Fox are dead. You know what happens if you can't figure out whodunnit.

[ Welcome to your fourth trial. ]

Comments

cw torturemurder and gore discussion

[howveryglib]

Speaking of having all our information in one place.

[let's get back on track.]

Two people are, in fact, dead, and considerably more people will be dead if we do not get back on track. Dandy was killed in an extremely gory and disturbing way that may have been the result of sadism, his unique biology making him extremely difficult to kill, or both. He was likely carried from where he was incapacitated by someone tall and strong enough to do so, and the killer needed to remove... whatever that cube is in his chest that contains his memories and his emotions. There was a blunted knife found underneath a fake rock, which is likely related.

Undertaker, meanwhile, seems to have been killed through some convoluted series of events that I cannot even begin to describe. I think we have barely even discussed what happened with him, actually. I find myself doubting that the two cases are related, but who truly knows, given that we have been off track for some time now.

[fuckingguy]

... It feels like it would just be way too much work for any one person, does it not?

Cw torture mention

[dullshooter]

Having the time to do all that to Dandy, and then set up an unnecessarily complex set of boobytraps to kill Undertaker? I think it leans damn near to impossible.

[fuckingguy]

And then to also clean themselves up... no, it is too much. I think we have one tall, ruthless person and one clever, very annoying person.

[dullshooter]

Where’s the annoying coming from?

[sastruga]

If Vholran didn't die last week I'd almost think it was him again.

Well, if nothing else the check gives us some idea of who could've carried Dandy around, but we need to find a way to narrow it down a little more...

[allatonce]

I think the thing that points toward two people is less that and more...

[How does she say this without sounding sociopathic?]

... people who kill through complicated traps like whatever happened to Undertaker don't tend to be the same people who favor more, ah, hands-on methods like. Well.

[She holds up the sword again.]

[fuckingguy]

... Right, the sword. I almost forgot I was going to smell it.

[hotpaprika]

[After Jonathan recovers from all of that.]

... Do you think they were two people working together or...

[fuckingguy]

Unlikely. I mean, what would connect them?

[allatonce]

Honestly, the use of explosives in both makes me kind of sus that they didn't at least notice each other? But I don't know if we know enough to fully declare that either way.

[daimakaicho]

I would agree that the two cases are unrelated. It seems too convoluted for it to truly tie together in that short amount of time.

[howveryglib]

I also agree. Furthermore, even if an infinite amount of time had been allotted for a theoretical culprit to arrange both murders, the two seem different enough in method that I think they would point to different culprits regardless.

[inaclearing]

If - [Brett takes a breath, pushing all of his feelings back down into a little dark box. Almost had an emotion there, lol!] - if we think they're unrelated, should we choose one to focus on first? They're both complicated enough on their own.

[specialyellthing]

It seems like too much, but... the use of explosives in both cases makes me wonder.

[pairtner]

The cause of the explosions in both incidents are different. One was a dust explosion, as Mafuyu suggested, while the other involved fireworks and gasoline to cause explosions and set fires.

[So as Aiba sees it, they're likely separate incidents]

[inaclearing]

...how about the microwave? Something was done to it to...trap it, make it dangerous, right?

[He sort of looks at Misfire for confirmation; honestly, he's unclear on the details there.]

Not everyone would know how to do that.

[capreelcious]

...

[ As everyone speaks about there being more than one culprit at play potentially, Floyd looks deep in thought. ]

[specialyellthing]

Whatcha thinkin about?

[capreelcious]

...Nothin' good.

[ He looks down at his podium. He really doesn't like this idea. ]

We got the confirmation that two killers could be found at the same trial, right?

...'S there any rule about one of the culprits possibly being dead?

[daimakaicho]

[ A little while later: ]

Perhaps it'd be easier if we put together profiles of our culprits then? Outside of making everyone strip, I don't see how we're going to progress any further without just accusing everyone.

[hotpaprika]

I suppose we could create a list of those who could have possibly done this and interrogate them on their alibis?

[pairtner]

At this point it feels like a more proactive take will be necessary. For both crimes a fairly firm base and conclusions can be reached. Leaving aside whether they're correct or not, proceeding to call potential names could be a good idea.

[hotpaprika]

Calling names...

[His brain searches for someone to accuse.]

Mr. Dawon, how do we know that you weren't behind this?

cw the dumbest possible gore reference

[fuckingguy]

[ THE LONGEST, MOST EXHAUSTED EXHALE... ]

Fuck it. Gaius, Thomas Oliver. Did you lure Dandy into the dark ride last night and rip his box heart out of his flesh body?