Audience: Grace Monroe

[probe]

Comments

[alteracion]

[ CROSS EXAMINING A PARROT IS OBJECTIVELY FUNNY CHANGE HER MIND ]

That one worked out in your favor, too, though. [ she nudges greedworth with maus' paw, because the dog is letting her do things ] So I'm not seeing the downside in trying to use a dog as evidence next time. Even if they're naughty and breathe fire everywhere.

[probe]

[i can't i hate phoenix so much. maus lets this happen and greed catches maus's paw to swing it a little, like a gentle handhold.]

The difference is that a parrot can speak. I can't imagine a dog would provide much evidence given they're prone to being friendly to most people. [he gets what she's trying to say, but he's arguing anyway.]

On the other hand, I truly wish they hadn't involved the dogs in the first place.

[alteracion]

You'd need a really loyal dog, I guess. [ alas. and she makes a face when he mentions not involving dogs ] Yeah, I have no idea what Eleanor was thinking for... pretty much all of that.

[ why would you bring a dog to a murder. why would you set up a cocktail sauce trap. wh y ]

[probe]

Neither do I. [wryly. the whole thing was a mess to be honest.] I didn't think to ask either, obviously.

[because...she is dead.]

[alteracion]

Yeah, that's the downside with all these murders. We can't exactly ask the victims what they were thinking. Like... why go out for croissants in the middle of the night.

[ LUCA ]

[probe]

I can only assume Valentino didn't realize what time it was. You do know the clocks here aren't all synced very well.

[alteracion]

Greed, I know you're a lawyer, but you don't have to defend stupid choices.

[probe]

It's not really a defense...

[but he didn't mind luca, so.]

[alteracion]

Hmhmm.

[ gently deposits maus in greed's lap ]

Well, the killers are to blame anyway. They're the ones with the stupider choices. [ speaking of, though. she sits cross legged, leaning her elbows on her knees ] ... Apparently Misa heard you get more indulgence killing someone.

[probe]

[it's just grace, so he cares a lot less if she sees him holding his dog carefully. almost a cuddle. not quite though.]

That would be because it's true.

[alteracion]

Mm. I figured. [ she leans back to stare at the sky ] That's always been the whole thing, right? Testing how far we're willing to go for our wish.

[probe]

Yes. It's why we've encouraged you all to indulge in other means, but I think some of you grew too impatient to wait. Or wanted to ensure you pulled ahead. There are plenty of reasons this has happened.

I don't necessarily like any of them.

[alteracion]

[ she looks back at greed before looking back down to her hands ]

I always thought it was something like that. Taking out the competition.

[probe]

That's the general idea. The robot started it, and others followed. Though I'm sure it would have only been a matter of time before someone thought to try it themselves out of sheer desperation.

[alteracion]

Or even just because of all the serial killers we had hanging around.

[ she picks at the grass to grab a blade of it and tickle maus' nose with it ]

So what, will we just... keep going until there's only one person left?

[probe]

Well that just goes unsaid. [serial killers :unamused: maus snuffles at the grass and promptly sneezes before trying to eat the grass blade.]

No, nothing like that. It's always been about obtaining enough indulgence to fulfill your desires. Obviously a smaller number of participants means that there will be more to go around, but it isn't a requirement to go until only one person is left.

[alteracion]

It's not food, silly. [ she takes the blade of grass away and exchanges it for another treat. sometimes you come prepare for someone else's dog, it's fine. ]

So... how do we know when we've got enough?

[probe]

[maus immediately takes the treat instead like a dumbass.]

An age-old question. I'd like to know the answer to that myself before it's too late.

[alteracion]

It'd be nice. [ maus is getting all the good boy pets, but. hm. ] So what happened when you were gone? You didn't just... get maimed and get nothing for it, right?

[probe]

If you're asking if we received items like you all have, the answer's no. We received nothing.

[alteracion]

Actually, I was thinking information, since that's what you went in for...

[ hm. she holds a treat over greed's lap to encourage maus to go back there ]

Were you guys "tested", too?

[probe]

...in a sense, we did. Though now that we have it I'm not sure what to do with it. [maus is trying to stretch so he's on greed's lap and also still touching her with his delicate baby paws. selfish dog.]

It wasn't a test for us. It was a warning. Or a mockery. Either of those.

[alteracion]

[ well. entirely for maus grace moves a little closer so he can stretch and be on BOTH their laps. poor puppy. he deserves this treat she is feeding him ]

A warning sounds right, with what happened to you all. [ ... ] But... a mockery?

[probe]

[streeeech. greed lets his claws scritch at maus gently.]

Whatever took us to that house had been expecting us and made sure to let us know it.

[alteracion]

Because it's been watching all of us. [ including the avatars ] It already knew you were going to do it.