THE THIRD INVESTIGATION

[strangerpeople]

THE THIRD INVESTIGATION

[How is everyone, this morning?

No doubt, most of you are sleeping. Perhaps you are dreaming. Whether they are dreams or nightmares are irrelevant. Hopefully, none of you are heavy sleepers. Especially not when there is a very loud BANG that suddenly permeates through the ceiling right above the bedrooms.. The force of the impact is such the rooms actually shake, sending dust onto those in their bed.

If that didn't wake someone up, then the sudden scream coming from upstairs at roughly the same time will do it, right?

In other words. Good morning, Strangers. Something is happening upstairs.

Best to check it out, and quickly.]

Comments

LIBRARY

[strangerpeople]

[necroyalty]

[ This is where she usually finds herself most sleepless nights, so she's just a little peeved that someone fucked it up again. Alright, besides Jun's dead ass, anything else of note here? ]

EVDIENCE

[strangerpeople]

[Well, if someone is expecting just one downed bookshelf, she is in for a surprise.

There are three.]

[necroyalty]

[ her strength modifier is -2 what the fuck ]

...I could use some assistance.

[notadinosnack]

[Well, Thanatos was helping Eric get the one up, he can help with the rest.]

Allow me.

[He'll go ahead and work on getting the other two back up.]

[necroyalty]

You have my gratitude.

[ She's going to...peer under those. Anything? Bueller? ]

EVIDENCE

[strangerpeople]

[That...will be complicated.

All of the bookcases are chained together, using the chains that hold the books on the shelves themselves.]

[yonosoymaria]

[Given that Osomatsu's got Emma pulled off of him, now... yes, Eric's checking over Jun's body. He is trembling, but his vision is clear. For now.

The stab wound is obvious - what size blade appears to have caused it? Or... is it even a clean wound like a bladed weapon would leave?]

Miss Millstein, I'm sure you realize what this looks like, given the state you're in.

[He doesn't look at her. He can't do that again, or he will lose what clarity he has.]

[hexposition]

["Miss Millstein" is huddled up against the wall.

She doesn't respond verbally, but she does nod in response to Eric's comment.

Anyway, she's here if you want to ask her questions, but don't take them as Official Evidence.]

[relieable]

[Osomatsu's staying close to her, noticing the blood on her. he's trying to be gentle, even though he has a sinking feeling deep in his gut]

Miss Emma, can you tell me what happened?

[hexposition]

[Her voice is strained from how tight her throat still is from crying, but she does her best.]

I... I came up here looking for something, but when I opened the door, they fell over...

One hit Jun, and I tried to get him out, I really did, but...

[But she's a squishy witch, so.]

[relieable]

[that... doesn't really make sense. he keeps that information tucked away for now]

So you just saw the bookcases fall?

[yonosoymaria]

At this point the best option would be to allow one of the women to search you.

[A pause, as he gently removes Jun's glasses, and closes his eyes. He knows, of course, they won't stay shut, and yet....]

I refuse to act as the monster you would have me be. For Jun's sake. He thought of you as... he trusted you.

[hexposition]

I know he did.

[Her voice is barely above a whisper.]

I... I'll work with whoever wants to search me, I don't...

[Well, she's willing to cooperate, at least?]

[yonosoymaria]

Ambrosine is here, though she seems otherwise occupied for now. Please do not leave.

[His voice is clipped, and severe, and obviously forced flat.]

Was he bleeding before the bookcases fell?

EVIDENCE

[strangerpeople]

[Probably the first thing to note before the wound itself is the location the body was-and is even after moving it.

His back was-and is-towards the door of the library.]

[yonosoymaria]

[It is the most frustrating thing in the world to be writing someone who is not necessarily going to make remotely the same connections you do, mostly because he just wants to go full Roland after - wait, do I have to warn for Dark Tower spoilers still? ANYWAY....

That tracks, with the angle Emma was sitting at and all. Would he have been lined up with the passageway windows?

But back to the wound. It is just the one wound, correct? By which I mean it's not one that pierces all the way through, leaving an entrance and exit. Is it?]

[strangerpeople]

[He could have been lined up with the window at some point, yes.

Not only is it just the one wound-he might be able notice something in the bloody chest, if he looks closely enough.]

[yonosoymaria]

[Well, he's definitely examining the wound closely, trying to figure out what did it (trying to figure out who needs to live with what they did).]

I don't suppose any - never mind that, I need a second pair of eyes, please?

[There are things that will never, ever, feel "right", and shoving your fingertips into a hole in a dead boy's chest to try and grasp something that you aren't even sure is really there is one. So, while Eric's going alarmingly pale, what's that he's pulling out of Jun's body?]

[incendiarize]

[He's here he's unclear he feels like an FOE is near...

He can share his visions. He looks at the gathered people - Eric, who lost it a week ago, Emma, who's breaking down badly, Osomatsu, who already lost someone important last week and saw someone innocent put to death for it...

Yeah, no, he's gonna do this on his own.

Let's look at the past.]

EVIDENCE

[strangerpeople]

[When Arthur opens his eyes, he is in...a place. He can't tell where is is, for it is faded. His victim, however, is clear.

A figure in a dark brown robe, a hood covering their head. Arthur can't see who they are. Maybe it doesn't matter, not when the voices start. Though, through the faded and strange din, it is impossible to figure out who-or even what gender-the speakers are.

“You should have accepted your fate.”

There is a pause.

“I’ll fight that until the day I die and I’m not accepting that ending.”

Then, Arthur finds himself raising his arms. He's wielding a bow and arrow, and, without hesitation, Arthur fires, turns without bothering to see if the arrow even hit, and--

suddenly he's back in the library.



Huh???]

[incendiarize]

What the-

[He cuts off his own outburst. That wasn't... What the hell was that? Did he even get any indication who he was?]

[strangerpeople]

[n o p e.

Nothing, there.]

[incendiarize]

[Well...then there's no telling if that was helpful at all! Dammit!

Try again!]

ROOM CLEAR

[strangerpeople]