Sixth Trial

[bathymetric]

[ After a time, as always, your investigation is interrupted by the Mayor's now-familiar voice, calling out to you over the loudspeakers. ]

And that's gonna be time. Pack it in, everyone, bring what you're gonna bring because it's trial time.

[ There are so many bathyspheres missing, you cannot help but notice, as you all pile into the station for your standard trip down to the trial room. Your number has dipped to about a third of its original size - a fact that becomes even more evident when you reach the circle of podiums at the bottom of New Rapture's ocean trench. ]

You all know why you're here. Someone killed Pillage Idiot, and it's your job to figure out who. This is your sixth one, I sure hope you have the procedure down by now.

[ Welcome to your sixth trial. ]

Comments

2/2

[bathymetric]

[ Something - and looking closely you can see that it’s something or someone, now, slight distortion of invisibility barely recognizable in the air - changes the script. The stockade is unlocked. The executioner’s ax is nudged just that much closer to Forrest. And for one moment, just one, the holographic experior of the rider falters, revealing a bright yellow and white robot, almost centaur-like.

These things, it seems, are enough.

Forrest leaps out of the stocks, spinning out of the way of what might be a magical blast or might be a cloaked gunshot and picking up the battleax. And with a speed and strength you wouldn’t previously have expected of him, certainly not before what you found this morning, he leaps forward and slices through the machine’s chest - in just near the shoulder, and out near the waist at the opposite hip.

Then he strikes again, taking the front legs off the “horse.”

Then again, to the stockade, which splits into… metal, despite seemingly having been made of wood? There’s a pause as Forrest takes a moment to take things in.

Then he attacks the scenery.

What seemed moments ago to be a vast landscape turns out to be, apparently, a number of massive screens, and as Forrest’s ax connects with them, they break and fracture.

The Mayor deigns to reply to this, apparently. ]

Oh god fucking damn it, this is what I get for not having some sad brainwashed lesbian in cold storage—

[ It’s… definitely more upset than you’ve heard her, before now, that mad libs of a phrase aside. Yet still, somehow, she sounds restrained, just… colder. ]

All right, Forrest, feeling good about finally standing up to daddy? Real cathartic for you? How about you just save us both the trouble and let me reintroduce you to your friends—

[ But it’s too late. As Forrest cuts away at the screens, he finds an opening and takes it. The camera lingers for only a moment before cutting away from the swathe of destruction he’s cut, but it’s clear.

Forrest isn’t dead. Not yet.

The lights come back on, and the Mayor speaks up, frustration clear but pushed mostly down, the repression evident in the vocal strain. ]

Out. All of you. If he makes it back, you can have him. You seem surprisingly okay with having killers and traitors in your midst, after all.

[howveryglib]

[...WOW. COOL... ROBOT???

okay no fuck this. he's lingering. he's felt like such a shitty leader that he's going to pull out his sword and stick around to make sure Forrest makes it out.]

[inaclearing]

[Brett......actually just turns to go, because what the fuck would he do about this situation, honestly? But he does turn back to look at Gaius when he realizes he isn't coming, hovering by the submersibles.]

[onemillion]

Did... Did he...?

[Okay no, never mind, Gaius looks like he's going to try to do a dumb thing, he's going to intervene.]

Gaius, come on. Let's return for now.

[howveryglib]

He should have backup, if he is to escape.

[gaius is this place even adjacent to the trial room.]

[onemillion]

We don't know where that room is. We should play along with her demands for now.

[Let's try not pissing off our captor okay!!]

[howveryglib]

[...MGRGRGRGR okay he's not stupid enough to get himself killed here... even if he feels very... :c...]

...

I suppose you are correct, yes. It is better to retreat.

[...he does look sadly over his shoulder because :C :C :C]

[specialyellthing]

…

Go on, then. [shes not moving though.]

[howveryglib]

...

[DON'T ENABLE HIM LIKE THIS ZINDA.]

We should have some time to investigate, should we not...

[onemillion]

[SMH AT BOTH OF YOU]

Do you really think now is a good time to risk irritating her? We can return and decide our next course of action together.

[howveryglib]

...I suppose I would rather have better weaponry to fight some sort of warmachina, but at the same time...

[--wait no what]

[onemillion]

[Tries very, very hard not to sigh very loudly...]

1/2

[specialyellthing]

If you want.

I’m in no rush. Thought I’d just stick around, wait an see if he makes it back.

[specialyellthing]

So I can finish him off myself

[OK MAYBE NOT THE ENABLING WE WANT HERE—-]

[howveryglib]

...

I know you loved him but can we not make things worse here...

[onemillion]

Zinda, I understand you're hurting and that this is the last thing you want to hear - but you know what will happen if you kill him. We aren't going to lose you too.

[specialyellthing]

You really think that bitch would kill me, for finishing her job?

[… it makes her hesitate, at least. for her eyes to flicker to the podium where the girls had stood.]

[howveryglib]

Yes, I think she would.

[specialyellthing]

She should thank me. At least I can finish a fuckin job! [… but whatever. She whips around.]

I gotta get this fuckin blood off me. [AND SHE BOLTS.]

[onemillion]

[Just as hard, no hesitation:]

Do you really think she wouldn't? Is it worth taking that risk?

[inaclearing]

[yeah okay he's leaving, fuck this]

[onemillion]

[Big mood, Gaius... But c'mon, let's head back out together, we're gonna have to see how this shakes out...]

[howveryglib]

[HANG ON ZINDA'S ENABLING HIM]