THE THIRD TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE THIRD TRIAL
(~SK. 17-18)


[When the investigation ends, the D O N G rings throughout the ship, followed by Zero's voice.]

It is time. Everyone, come to the theater. Time is...wasting.

[And so it is. The seating has once more changed to reflect the fallen-Moriarty and now Brain's podiums are draped in black. And, of course, there is no food-

The screens come up, and the mask of Zero appears, ever inscrutable. Their instructions are brief.]

Your Brain is gone, I'm afraid. Cut into pieces and cast aside...and someone here knows why. Now, it's time for you to discover the truth as well...if you can.


[The trial for the murder of Brain, the Blue, has begun.]

Comments

[yesorwoof]

I truly hope that I don't have to keep toying with your emotions trying to determine how you were hacked. That's an ace I'd rather keep up my sleeve. What happened to learning to solve the puzzles like I asked? We talked about that the very night before you would have regained your memory.

[somuchshipping]

I really don't think why smoothies and weird white plush doll things falling from the sky are possible puzzles to be able to be solved.

[Hermes scratches at one of his front legs.]

But I am trying this trial...

[yesorwoof]

It's true. If I had to give this movie a genre I'd probably call it absurdist.

What's wrong with your leg? Does it hurt?

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes FREEZES upon hearing that question asked.]

[...]

[He forces himself to stop scratching at it. Poker face!]

My legs are all fine!

[superstylishsquid]

Even the one I hit when I tripped you at the start of the week?

[yesorwoof]

I believe that the task of manhandling Hermes can be delegated to Alastor-kun if absolutely necessary. I hope it is not.

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes bobs up and down.]

I'm completely fine! YourSwordDidn't HurtMeAtAll!

[valkavian]

...we can figure out what the fuck's going on with him after the trial.

[jinglebros]

Val? Hermes is okay.

[valkavian]

Yeah, okay, okay.

[ She drums her fingers a bit. She doesn't exactly believe him, but you know. ]

[superstylishsquid]

Pretty sure he's hiding something that's getting concerning, though.

[valkavian]

Hermes, if you get us all fucking killed because you have some dark secret that isn't murder related I SWEAR TO GOD-

[somuchshipping]

...

[valkavian]

[ She's starting to tear up now? Except instead of tears of a bodily-excreted saline solution these are literal tears of blood, have fun with that. ]

[jinglebros]

Val??

[ Aoi is Worried about this. ]

[valkavian]

Don't do that to me, don't FUCKING do that to me, the one other person on this ship I actually liked is FUCKING DEAD and now this-

[ it continues ]

[not_a_lego_maniac]

Val? It's ok. We'll figure this out, I promise.

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes has never seen Val be this... upset.]

...It's... it's nothing... it...

[Hermes will walk over to Val and attempt to pat her on the back.]

I liked Brain, too... but you'll get through this. The murderer will be found and we'll all vote for them, right?

[valkavian]

[ Sorry she is now, uh, laughing a sick, gross sort of desperate laughter as bloodtears continue to stream down. ]

Yeah, sure. Sure, buddy.

[yesorwoof]

[Giving Val a glance because Makima is willing to leave Hermes alone but Aoi saying it is the exact opposite of reassuring to her... But they have to progress somehow...]

I suppose if he's scratching so much, then a nick would show up had Brain-kun kicked Hermes.

[valkavian]

Yeah, I'm just saying, it's like dinging a car. You can't exactly fix that shit without a lot of powertools getting involved.