FINAL WEEK

[strangerpeople]

FINAL WEEK

[There are no new floors that open today.

No food, if you didn't bring any with you. No way to figure out how much more anyone can take of this. There's just no way to know. Half of your number are gone. Half of your number either betrayed, or were betrayed. It is overwhelming and terrible-and who knows what more is to come.

You can feel the shift in the air. The fear, the strain, the tension, between everyone who is left. What can anyone do? Is there any way out of this? Is everyone truly condemned, after all? Who will betray whom?

What will happen next?


There are seven strangers left in this place.]

((OOC NOTE: This post is your last chance to have your characters explore the Mansion and all of its corners for possible clues. After the Final Investigation is open on Thursday, the Mansion will still be accessible, but the Strangers will be unable to uncover any new clues-or alter their Nightmare levels-in Investigations or Encounters.

You have been warned.))

Comments

[hexposition]

[Emma sets up in the dining room, spreading out a couple of sheets of paper full of notespaperweight prototype of some kind of machine.

Emma still looks a little troubled, or perhaps a little shellshocked, but either way, she's here to answer any questions anyone has about these.]

[relieable]

[later on in the evening, Osomatsu comes down to the dining room with Hydrangea riding on his head and sees Emma there. he smiles a little sadly at her, before he notices the papers. he'll come over to see what's happening]

What're these?

[hexposition]

Ah. Good evening.

[She smiles back, as best as she can.]

I had told you all yesterday when I thought I was done for that I had been hiding things from you... I thought it was prudent to share them now, since I'd already revealed my hand.

[She sighs, poking at the little paperweight a little.]

I found all of these in the laboratory, and none of it is good. This little thing here... it's a prototype of what's in the blueprints, there.

[relieable]

[oh, yeah. she did say that, didn't she?

Osomatsu stops to pick up one of the papers, skimming through it, at first. but then he goes back and re-reads things]

What the...

[hexposition]

[Yeah. Yeah, that's pretty much the mood, isn't it.

Emma folds her hands under her chin, biting at her bottom lip.]

Mm. It's... I won't pretend I understand this entirely, but from what I think I do understand...

They're trying to create a brainwashing machine.

I don't know how far along they are, or what part we play in it. But... I think their plans ought to stay as far out of their hands as possible from now on.

[relieable]

[that's all she needs to explain, really. Osomatsu looks scared for a moment, then his hands begin to shake. and he is mad. not at her, of course]

This was found in the lab...? What else did you see in there?

[hexposition]

This sheet of notes here, something about amplifying "their Lady's" power and using this as a base of operations to avoid disturbance...

And several flasks of water in strange containers I couldn't carry with me, but I sensed as being off somehow. I can't say I know what exactly is off about them, but it was offputting enough I wouldn't suggest drinking it or even touching it.

[relieable]

[now Osomatsu looks at the second sheet, scanning again. a part of him wonders about the certain rare powers sentence, but he’s not sure why that sticks out. he finally takes a seat in a chair across from her]

I wonder if their Lady is gonna be making an entrance soon.

[hexposition]

I can't say for sure, but... I've got a sinking feeling it's likely. And when that happens, it won't be good news for us.

[relieable]

[yeah, he was thinking the same thing. though he's also concerned about that machine]

Well, thanks for sharing this with us. It's... good to know. [he just hopes that the Stewards don't find out about her having these notes]

[hexposition]

[She nods.]

They say knowledge is power. And it's the only real power I can gain here that isn't one they've given to me. Whatever I can share to bolster our strength, I'm happy to do so.

[Shame she won't get much more time to do so.]

[relieable]

[yeah...

he looks down for a moment, then thinks about what he has to share. there's a short pause, and then he looks up]

I talked to Franciscus this morning.

[hexposition]

[And to that, Emma's eyes widen. She's... really not sure she's okay with this whole necromancy thing, but at the same time, she can understand why Osomatsu would want to...]

You did? How did that go? What did he say?

[...And she can't help it if she's a little excitable about it, herself. She's sure he couldn't have possibly left as big of a hole in her heart as he did in Osomatsu's, but there was and is an undeniable hole there, nonetheless.

The hole that Jun made doesn't make Franciscus' hurt any less. It just makes everything hurt more.]

[relieable]

[he sucks in a deep breath]

He... wasn't around for very long. [they probably exchanged ten sentences] He did say they met a girl... Maka? And she was helping them on the, uh. The other side. He said she knew a lot about people turning into Weapons, but he couldn't remember much more.

[hexposition]

Ah... [She offers a little sympathetic smile.] All business, was it? I'm sorry.

[She sighs, softly.]

Well... it's not rest, I suppose, but it doesn't sound as bad as it could be. I guess that's something to take comfort in.

[relieable]

[business is fine. Osomatsu wanted to know if there was a way to bring him back... they could have exchanged nicer words, but there wasn't a lot of time]

I mean, they're stuck in the freezing-ass cold and taking shelter in an abandoned plane, so... I don't think that's exactly comforting. But, yeah, guess it could be worse.

[hexposition]

[Maybe so, but Emma's still a young woman at heart, and one who spent all her time in Literature Club proofreading boys love novels, to boot.

Their affections are obviously pretty skewed toward each other, enough that she'd never dare to intrude, but... well, it'd be enough for her maiden heart to know they at least wound up happy, she thinks.]

...I didn't know the dead still had to worry about climate and shelter.

[That's honest. Like... seriously? What's the point of dying if you're still stuck dealing with human problems?]

Still, they have help, at least. The closest thing we've had got bored and wandered off on me about 15 minutes after we met.

[relieable]

[somewhere, someday, they will end up happy. Osomatsu wants to believe that, as well.

though, now that she's said something about how the dead are worrying about shelter, that gets Osomatsu wondering, too. she's right! if Franciscus and the others are already dead, why are they...]

Oh, yeah. Excalibur, right? I wonder if he's still around here.

[hexposition]

Mmhm.

If he is... I hope he's safe. He was a bit troublesome, to be sure, but he seemed like he was sweet enough past the endless babbling about his own history.

[relieable]

[hehe]

Maybe he found a way out.

[hexposition]

Hee... I sure hope so. [Look at that, he made her smile a little again.] I think he'd be much better regaling some large audience with tales of his many feats than he would a bunch of starving trauma victims.

[relieable]

Well, he must've been here for a reason, right? Did he say if he'd been captured?

[hexposition]

Um... well, I think I remember him getting kind of offended when I asked him that. But then he just said he didn't know why he was here.

He was... shall we say... rather eccentric.

[relieable]

[ah... Osomatsu wishes that he could have met Excalibur. maybe there would still be a chance. or maybe he got away, which would be preferable for him]

Hm. Hopefully we don't need his help...