THE THIRD INVESTIGATION

[strangerpeople]

THE THIRD INVESTIGATION

[As Friday dawns, all seems peaceful. No screaming. No electricity. Nothing in the bathrooms. All is quiet. However, it is a Friday, so there's no guarantee anymore that someone hasn't taken up Marie's offer. Even if they haven't, it's clear time is running out for a guaranteed means of escape. At least, if what Marie claims is true.

It's probably a good idea to look around and check up on people and places before going about one's normal day, regardless. Better safe than sorry, right?]

Comments

[backuphero]

[It's so hard to focus... Barbara is warm. Given he's wearing nothing but what he sleeps in that's appreciated comfort. There's someone else who would have... but she's...

No no no. There's a question. He has to answer the question, even if it's addressed more to Barbara's shoulder than the guy who asked it.]

My head hurts real bad and I feel really sick.

[earietale]

O-okay, um...Nagisa, can you please get some bandages... and maybe a bowl? In case he needs to throw up.

[She's gonna look at his head a little bit. Any visible injuries?]

[theserpentsmiles]

[...he can speak coherently. Nagisa is thanking every deity he can think of.]

I- I think you've been drugged. [He hopes that's all it is, prays it's not poison. He's not Okuda, he wouldn't be able to... God. If it's poison, like on the island- someone is going to die.

He's....gonna make this a group hug.]

Don't scare me like that.

[mementodagger]

[Late to the party, but Yurick finally walks in looking tired and more than a little done with this. When he sees Jonathan, he just slumps]

What did you do....

[theserpentsmiles]

I don't think he did anything. [His voice shifts from tight with emotion to....something steely. Someone did this to Jonathan. He's going to find out who.

Sensei hadn't wanted them to continue down the road of an assassin, but...sensei couldn't have predicted this.]

We have to figure out what happened.

[mementodagger]

Right... you’re right. How badly is he injured?

[He can’t heal, but he can comfort. He takes one of Jonathan’s hands and squeezes gently.]

You’ll be okay. I’m sorry I wasn’t here....

[backuphero]

[Yurick. That voice is Yurick. Barbara is hugging him, and so is Nagisa, and Yurick has his hand. He's safe.

He's safe for now. But oh God does his head hurt.]

Not your fault. None of you. Not your fault... but how come I'm not in bed?

[mementodagger]

You... someone attacked you, I think. You didn’t do this, after all.

[He has to believe in his... brother.]

[backuphero]

[It isn't that he's ignoring you, Yurick, but it's hard to focus on more than one set of questions at a time....]

[theserpentsmiles]

[Now that we know he has an injury!!]

I can't tell if it's drugs or a concussion or what... He only just woke up.

[Either way, it means they should take it slow if they try to get a testimony from him.]

In bed... Is that the last place you remember being?

[backuphero]

No, I got up, I wasn't in bed. I think around three. Had to use the bathroom, and... keep waking up at weird times. Messed up staying awake - wait, fuck.

[Abruptly, he's struggling to stand, trying to use Yurick's hand to pull himself upright somehow though the angle is all wrong.]

It's Friday - did they - where's my -

[He's not making any sense even to himself at this point and trying to move that much was a bad idea. He's already sickly pale, but there's a greenish tinge to his face when he slumps back down, and he swallows hard against the room's spinning.]

[theserpentsmiles]

[DO NOT. Nagisa immediately moves to stop Jonathan from getting up, that's not going to help anything.]

Don't move. We need you to stay still and rest right now. One thing at a time.

[He has more questions, but he won't overwhelm him. There's a lot to process, here, and Jonathan is already short on processing power.]

[backuphero]

Nagisa, did I give you the whip?

[He's still wild-eyed, even as he has to keep swallowing against the nausea he managed to make worse. He won't be trying to get up again anytime soon, that's for sure...]

[theserpentsmiles]

No. I returned it to you and it hasn't come up since...

['Where's my' whip, then? Is that it? Did he have it with him when he was attacked?]

[backuphero]

[He did have it when he left the room, and yes. But he can't remember more than that...]

I... but I should... it's Thursday, so I took it with me, where....

[theserpentsmiles]

...Jonathan, what's the last thing you can remember? Do you remember meeting Passepartout-san at all last night?

[Because the guy sure is right next to you. And quite dead.]

[backuphero]

[Jonathan very slowly, almost gingerly shakes his head.]

I can't... I think maybe but it's a blur. Something was wrong... I can't remember, I can't remember if I did or if - is he miss... ing?

[His voice trails off midword and only barely picks back up. His head freezes before he can keep shaking it, because that sure is a dead man over there.]

[theserpentsmiles]

[Sure did find him.]

Finch-san found the two of you at the same time - I came in when I heard her shout. I....thought you were dead, too, at first.

[Praise everything that thought was wrong.]

[losergod]

[ Hi, he's done touching the body. ]

Mister Morris, you need to be still. You have a concussion. I've bandaged the injury on your head--there was a gash on it. But if you don't keep still and try to keep activity to a minimum, you may worsen it.

[losergod]

[ He's here and he's got an actual medical kit with him this time. Yes he took the time to make one. ]

... Glad to see we don't have two bodies. Would you two mind if I looked him over?

[earietale]

[Oh thank goodness, an actual medical professional! Barbara shakily lets go of Jonathan while looking at Charles.]

Please. A-and thank you.

[losergod]

[ Placing a hand on her shoulder, gently. ]

Barbara... it's okay. Just--breathe. We have someone alive, and that means a lot. I'll look him over.

[earietale]

I know, and I'm glad, it's just...

[She glances back at Passe, feeling tears start up at her eyes again. She rubs them away, though, before looking back at Charles.]

I'm just sad we lost him.

[losergod]

... I'm sorry. I'll... do what I can to help figure out who did this.

[ Seeing Barbara sad is the worst. ]

[earietale]

...thank you.

[And with that she starts looking around because the less she's thinking about who the victim is, the better.]