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

[drladysounds]

So he's in a way holding you hostage...

[...hm. Well this sure is starting to take a turn Shelley isn't sure she likes. She has to ask:]

Is that a life or death situation for you?

[precognit]

[Alice chews her lip.]

In a way. It could get dire, if I didn't eat for a long time.

[philoxenia]

[ hey so is there anything different about Alice's eyes, even from earlier in the week to today? ]

[precognit]

[well actually....yes. Alice's eyes are a pale, buttery gold.]

[philoxenia]

[ hm! interesting! ]

[bogwife]

[and what color were her eyes last night during their slumber party?]

[precognit]

[not that color!]

[bogwife]

[hm!! she is not sure what that means but it doesn't feel like a great sign]

[fivestagegod]

That's an interesting new definition of "immortal", if you ask me.

I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that if we were to ask you what specific kind of undying thing you are, you're not going to give us a straight answer, are you.

[precognit]

[Alice glares at him.]

You make an awful lot of assumptions, don't you?

[fivestagegod]

Have I been wrong so far?

[blackmass]

That didn't sound like much of a straight answer.

[point proven?]

[fivestagegod]

It certainly did not.

[precognit]

If all you're going to do is pussyfoot around and sidestep questions, why should any of us do anything different?

[fivestagegod]

Oh, I'm sorry - the last time I asked you anything directly it seemed to hurt your goddamn feelings. Besides, it's reasonable to assume that if you are a vampire, you wouldn't hang yourself, because that would be stupid. But fine, Alice, if you're a vampire, now is the time to share that information with the rest of the class.

[precognit]

Fine.

[She snaps. It's not even the accusations, it's the rudeness. She turns away from him, toward the rest of the circle. Her posture is upright and defiant, but her fingers tremble at the podium.]

Everyone...I'm sorry. I haven't been completely honest with you. But it's true...I am a vampire.

[emberserker]

And that's it, isn't it?

[precognit]

I don't know what else to say. I...I know how it looks.

[snackooed]

Well, no, not quite. I don't think we'd be doing our due diligence if made our decision based on that alone.

[ Though it isn't good, that's for sure... ]

If she has an alibi, for example, we're back at square one.

[bogwife]

Is that why you asked me about vampires in my world when we talked before? [Her tone isn't accusatory but it laced with Deep Concern over the dog piling evidence.]

[precognit]

...Yes, it is. With everything you told me...I thought maybe you might not judge.

[fivestagegod]

[...Okay, he still stands by the notion that that was goddamn stupid, but.]

Points for the honesty, I guess.

[reallyhatesharks]

[well. okay then.]

How long can you go without blood, Alice?

[precognit]

N-normally, a couple of weeks. But I was only getting a little bit at a time, so when I couldn't get it anymore...

[Alice sounds very upset. She can't cry, but if she could the tears would be welling up.] It took way less time than usual for it to affect me.

[drladysounds]

...I knew something was up with you, but I didn't think 'vampires'...you're nothing like the brutal vampires I once encountered...

[The strength she once presumably had, the cold skin, the age, it all pointed Alice wasn't human, but Shelley hadn't bet on vampire at all]

I just wish the truth had come out in better circumstances than this, especially since...

[...since it just fits the narrative created by the crime. Shelley can't bring herself to say that part]