SECOND TRIAL

[bathymetric]

Time's up, boys and girls. Please gather up your evidence and make your way to the vault door.

[ The process of heading to the elevator and crowding in remains the same as last week - Angel leads you all to the elevator car, then stays behind as you make your slow descent to the dome below. You might not even notice if you aren't paying attention, but... the cart is already less crowded than it was last week. You certainly won't be able to avoid noticing it if your numbers dwindle too much further than this.

When the doors open on the trial room, it's just as bleak a place as last week. ]

Take your places, won't you? And this time, you all know what's at stake. No more... funny business.

[The number of podiums displaying that red light is higher now - Damien, Lif, and Piers are all represented by blank spots now, no tasteful covers or anything normal to mark their passing, just a red glow and a gap in your number.

Cheery!

The screens raise up to the ceiling to give you all room to see, and the Professor's final words before the trial begins ring out: ]

Find the killer, leave alive. And killer? Try a little harder to stop them from doing that than the last one in your shoes. Call out for me if you require anything.

[ Welcome to your second trial. ]

Comments

[ladygeryon]

He was playing his guitar, huh...did you hear him being attacked?

[obstagoodboy]

[He nods again.... then snarls, snatching the ball and shaking it around in a motion similar to a pokemon trying to escape being captured. He couldn't get out]

[emberserker]

So he tried to escape to save him, but he was trapped. I don't suppose we'll find who it was from that.

[obstagoodboy]

[He makes a sad sound at that- seems correct]

[emberserker]

That's not going to be much use, but I suppose it was worth something. But... wait. He wasn't out in the first place, yet the killer still found it important to move him?

[ladygeryon]

[Crap, that sounds even more horrible.] You were just trying to help and you couldn't even do that...no wonder you were so upset. [She reaches out to gently hold one of his giant paws.] Did you hear any voices, other than Piers? Before your Pokeball was moved?

[obstagoodboy]

[He stops to ponder... then uses his other paw to cover one ear.]

[ladygeryon]

Oh...they were very quiet?

[obstagoodboy]

[Nodnod. He gestures guitar again, then pauses, tilting his head as if listening.

Then starts bellowing and snarling like he's fighting. Guitar, quiet, fight]

[ladygeryon]

So he noticed someone coming up to him and stopped...and then he was attacked. He didn't even have time to grab your Pokeball? Or...did he purposefully not grab it? [He might have realized he was outmatched and decided not to endanger his companion...]

[lovelikeyou]

Maybe they didn't attack until they were close. They could have acted like they just wanted to talk.

[ladygeryon]

Yeah, he'd probably have stopped to talk to them...he...was a nice guy like that. [That "was" is so hard to squeeze out.]

[obstagoodboy]

[Slade just makes a sad grrr- he honestly has no idea]

[ladygeryon]

[Nira rubs his fur gently.] It's okay, you've still helped us figure some things out. Did they shove your Pokeball right in the vending machine after-after the fight stopped? Or did they go to the library or the bathroom first?

[obstagoodboy]

[He ponders... then shrugs. He's not sure. He wasn't exactly emotionally sound at the time]

[ladygeryon]

[That's fair. She leans forward to press her forehead against his fur, lightly.] It's okay, it was probably really hectic then. Do you want to...go back in your Pokeball for now?

[obstagoodboy]

[He kinda softly headbutts her before nodding]

[ladygeryon]

[She picks up the Pokeball to recall him.] When we find them...should I let you out again?

[obstagoodboy]

....

[He shakes his head. Even in revenge for his trainer, he doesn't wanna hurt a human. And he would]

[ladygeryon]

[SUCH a good boy. She reaches out to pat him one last time before recalling him.] Alright. I'll let you know how it went later.