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

[hotpaprika]

... Dandy isn't smart enough for the tripwires, but...

W... why would The Undertaker do something like that to Dandy? It seems too... cruel for him.

[capreelcious]

I dunno, but there's a lotta loopholes here- might as well ask questions.

[ ... ]

But Barracuda did seem kinda upset about the motive.

[hotpaprika]

[Jonathan lets out a noise of frustration.]

I wish seances worked here! It would be so much simpler if we could ask him ourselves!

[capreelcious]

Well, I mean, it would be up to him to tell us if he did it or not too, so depending on how he's feelin', we might not get an honest answer if we could seance him either.

[ Floyd's real upset about this line of thinking but, he's trying real hard to think critically about it. ]

[hotpaprika]

He would not have any purpose to lie, and I believe he liked me enough to tell the truth.

[...]

I... realize we could have likely asked Dandy instead and he would have been more honest.

[sastruga]

...Do you happen to know how strong he was?

I mean, hypothetically, do you think he could have carried Dandy?

[since the undertaker wasn't human either she's gonna guess solidly likely, but like, we're here to talk this out]

[capreelcious]

I don't know how strong he was, but he was a little shorter than him. And also, he works with dead people, right? He's probably pretty strong if he could lift dead bodies, along with whatever powers he has as a grim reaper.

[sastruga]

...Mm, that sounds right to me. While we can't be sure... I think it's at least a strong possibility.

[capreelcious]

[ Floyd just nods in reply. ]

[allatonce]

We super don't have powers here, so I think it's probably best to assume he had normal human capabilities.

[capreelcious]

Yeah, fair. So it could just be body-lifting strength.

[fuckingguy]

I got the impression he was stronger than he might appear, but, eeeh...

[ if only obi were here to tell us he had to carry the tombstone with him...! ]

Did anyone see him with a sword after Sunday? He gave me this one that morning, and I do not recall him possessing another.

[capreelcious]

I don't think I did, but in the ice cream shop this wooden thing was sitting next to him when I... found him earlier.

[ He holds out the wooden sotoba with blood and flour on it. ]

mods i'm so sorry it never ends

[fuckingguy]

That is... concerning. But it is not what killed Dandy.

[ OR IS IT???? No, but really, does the blood smell the same... and, come to that, does it smell human? Or is the Undertaker similarly "off"? ]

the neverending blood check

[bathymetric]

[ Undertaker's blood does smell weird, like this is not human blood. However! It is not the metallic blood he knows is Dandy's. ]

[fuckingguy]

As I suspected, it is his blood. There is no scent of Dandy on this fancy board.

[capreelcious]

[ He nods. ]

Okay, cool.

[hotpaprika]

... If we are working with the idea that The Undertaker is a suspect, why would he be in the ice cream parlor? He doesn't seem like the sort to celebrate killing a man with dessert.

[fuckingguy]

He really enjoyed the jukebox in there. Liked Nadja and Laszlo's music.

[ He sounds kind of distant, and is not aware that he is not answering Jonathan's actual question at all! ]

[hotpaprika]

[Jonathan is just

Gently going to rest a hand on Nandor's shoulder.]

[fuckingguy]

[ Stiffly: ]

Jonathan, I would rather you not.

[ It's not angry! It's the same kind of awkward disengagement he dipped into weeks ago, when Jonathan apologized to him. ]

[hotpaprika]

[He removes his arm, but...]

You put up with me when I was in a pit of despair, I would like to help you as well.

[fuckingguy]

Help me like you would help anyone else in this bubble, then. Help solve these murders, and we can all get the hell out of here and slumber for the next two years.

[hotpaprika]

[Theres a silence.]

Once this is over, we are going to meet up for some quality time.

[That is not a request.]