FOURTH TRIAL

[bathymetric]

Alright, that's quite enough time. Move along towards the trial, if you would all be so kind. You know what's coming.

[ It's routine by now - go to the vault door, get let into the elevator by Angel, head down to the trial room... it's hard not to notice the losses on the ride down by now, though. Your numbers are starting to really dwindle, even if you're often spread out enough not to notice as much normally. The trial room and its podiums, too, seem more than ready and willing to remind you of the same. The red glow of the empty spaces is constant, potentially unnerving. ]

Remember that as there are two victims to consider, up to two votes may be counted at the end of proceedings. As always, I am but a direct address away, however rude you choose to make it.

Find the party or parties responsible for the deaths of your comrades. And to those parties: Good luck.

[ The screens rise!

Welcome to your fourth trial. ]

Comments

[archboxer]

I would think a thief [hi therion] or maybe an adventurer. Though, I think we have ruled out some of those possibilities.

[bolderfell]

...I don't know if I'm one of the people you ruled out, but am I allowed to stand on my own two feet now.

[archboxer]

Not until we are sure. I will give you more treasure.

[She doesn't want to let a potential murderer go. So, no, he's not eliminated yet.]

[bolderfell]

Ugggghhhh.

[blackmass]

It would have to be someone lightweight, as well as possessed of such skills as those.

[archboxer]

Yes. Though. I also wonder... someone who might not be able to lift Therion now but in the moment could be ruthless and have enough power to do so.

[blackmass]

Adrenaline does a great deal to aid one's physical capacity, I agree.

[mouflon]

...Yeah, I'm not going to lie, there are a few of us who might not be totally ruled out by that test.

[blackmass]

So essentially, we have nothing and have moved not an inch from where we began.

[mouflon]

I wouldn't go that far.

But yeah, pretty close to it.

1/2

[nothingcanstop]

[ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-- ]

2/2

[nothingcanstop]

[ Della sucks in a big breath and. You know-- ]

Do you think whoever's doing this realizes the Professor's reward won't actually fix their problems?

[ ...That sure is something to say. ]

[blackmass]

If they understood that, we wouldn't have found two corpses today.

[nothingcanstop]

I'm not talking in the abstract. I'm saying did anyone else actually ask about it? Anyone?

[blackmass]

...What do you mean, precisely?

[nothingcanstop]

[ She looks around at everyone. ]

Angel. Did anyone go in and ask her, how does this work? Because that's the very first thing I did.

And one of the very interesting bits of information I got was that it wouldn't keep us from being here. It would change our personal timelines. But we would still remember everything in the original one.

Not really changing one's mistakes or regret, if you don't have the new life they would've made, huh?

[archboxer]

[... Actually you know what? This is a train of thought that might be worth pursuing.]

No, I cannot say I did. Then again, I could not say I chose what sent me down my path.

[bolderfell]

Ask who? The Professor?

[nothingcanstop]

[ She shakes her head. ] Angel. But, the Professor was very eager to butt in. Guess he wanted to make sure one of his targets would bite.

[lovelikeyou]

Did...you?

[nothingcanstop]

Yeah. I did.

[bogwife]

I didn't open mine. [Whatever was in there, it probably wasn't choice-related for her.] But, Della, did you talk to him about it...?

[archboxer]

I was not about to name names.

[Was she looking at Rin the whole time? Of course she was.]

[mouflon]

[ It's fine, it's merited. That's why Rin is being as forthcoming as she can! ]

[emberserker]

And Therion isn't the only one of either of those. While we're on the topic of Mr. Cooper, his profile does say "master thief," doesn't it?