FINAL INVESTIGATION

[strangerpeople]

FINAL INVESTIGATION


[Fifteen X-Passes. Six weeks. Freedom at last.



But it's not the end. Of course it's not. There are questions to answer, and souls to save. And now that the group is outside, they can see where they are.

They are inside a massive cavern, illuminated in an eerie green light, standing on a stone path. On one side is the ship-or rather, a massive, ship-shaped tangle of bloody branches, the trunk-like roots snaking out and into the river its buoyed on, as well as into the ceiling of stalactites. Said river is wine dark, but it's clearly not water. No-it is blood.

And on the other side of their little pathway? A root-encrusted palace. It sits over a labyrinthine city, bathed in emerald, and all is eerily silent save for some sounds coming from within the castle. It's clear the infestation somehow started here. And it is here that answers are likely to be found.

The doors are right in front of the group-and they are already open, covered in branches. From the outside, it seems little more than a ruin. Once everyone goes in, though?




It's even worse. The tree has taken over. Whatever lives here is no longer in charge. There's no easy way to disentangle the Qilphoth from this place. But there is life here, somehow. You can see figures entangled within the roots as you explore. And-they are still, somehow, alive. More than alive. They are beings that bleed ichor instead of blood-beings of incredible divinity and power. They are gods. And they are hostage to the tree, forever and ever, trapped in induced ennui, unless something is done.


So welcome, Strangers, to the House of Hades.]







[Once you enter, the investigation shall begin.


Good luck.]



((OoC: And here are team assignments!))

Comments

[unpossibilities]

....

Uh.

Hi?

[This is a purple blob with a spiky head and a star-patterned robe.

You can almost hear the orchestra die at this moment.]

[exequte]

[... not what she expected, really, but....]

K-Kaito?

[unpossibilities]

...Oh.

[He fidgets, but then softly smiles.]

Y'look as beautiful as the first day I met ya, Akane.

[....is he smooth? he's trying]

[exequte]

[BURSTING INTO HAPPY TEARS AND FLINGING HERSELF AT HIM HE HAD BETTER BE TANGIBLE]

[unpossibilities]

[He tries to catch her...

And he can't.

So she just kinda. Wipes out.]

SHIT! I'M SORRY--!!

[exequte]

[She kinda. Trips on her ice after going right through him with a little oof and then slides several feet, and when she pushes herself over briefly appears to be experiencing just. All the emotions. Every single one.

Then, finally, she giggles, just a little, at the absurdity of the situation.]

I guess we'll just have to do that again later.

[and in the mean time DETERMINEDLY staying cheerful.]

[unpossibilities]

I guess so. I'm...

[He sighs.]

I'm sorry, babe. I...really wish things'd been different here. But hey, Pops really did us all a solid back while we were stuck on the other side. There was a battle and everything.

....I'm also never gonna eat pizza again. When you die, there's. There's only pizza.

[devilmehcry]

[From nearby:]

You say that like it's a bad thing!

[unpossibilities]

IT IS! I'M SICK OF IT!

[HELL IS CHUCK E CHEESE]

[devilmehcry]

I refuse to believe it. Pizza is the manna of the gods!

[He almost sounds insulted. Almost.]

[exequte]

...

Only...

Only pizza?

Really?

[of all the new facts she thought she might learn that was not one of them.]

1/2

[unpossibilities]

Yeah.

I kinda just sat there, eating pizza. Sometimes a new person would drop in.

Babe...

[A meaningful pause.]

2/2

[unpossibilities]

...Did I get fat? I'm scared I mighta put on somethin' after that. I don't wanna really diet to get all that off, but if I gotta, I will!!!

[:(]

[exequte]

[She stares, and then starts giggling.]

Kaito, you're... you're a shadowy blob! How should I know?

Besides, I should be asking you that question. I think I put on some weight.... um.... after you died, nobody else got any food for a while, and I had to eat half of anything I wanted to share.

1/2

[unpossibilities]

...Oh right.

Forgot about that.

[Did he really, or did he just know that it'd make her laugh? Could be either.]

2/2

[unpossibilities]

And you don't look that different at all to me! You still look drop-dead gorgeous, just like I said!

Worse comes to worse, we become one of those gym couples after I somehow get back to my normal self! I'll make us custom protein shakes and everything!!! It'll be fun!

[exequte]

[HELPLESS GIGGLING until she finally manages to get herself under control and looks up at him.]

I love you.




I missed you.

[unpossibilities]

[Ha! Still got it.]

I...I love you too, Akane.

[He's shocked, but...he's happy. He's so happy.]

I missed you...so much. I won't leave you. Not ever again.

[exequte]

Good.

I missed you, too.

[And then she smiles, sweetly, teasing.]

But I'm still keeping the jacket.

[She is wearing it still. A little piece of him to carry.]

[unpossibilities]

[Kaito laughs.]

That's fine. That's yours now.

[He's not at all bothered. What's his is hers.]

Not like I can wear it right now anyway...hopefully when we beat this dumb tree we can find a way for me to get my body back. Or a new one. Or something.

[exequte]

I hope that Hades might be able to help with that, actually. This seems like it's his house, after all.

[unpossibilities]

Hades? Haven't seen him around, actually. There's just been those two silver-hair guys and all us people who bit it. You think he'd be welcome to helpin'?

...Are we just gonna talk to him? I've never spoken to, like, an actual god before.

[yesorwoof]

[Makima waits some time for Akane to have flitted somewhere else. She has also learned from the incident with Brain and has her amputation completely hidden within her pocket. So here she is, riffing from the back of Kira's bike.]

Seems that the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. At least you're not half-hearted.

Welcome, comrade.

[unpossibilities]

Yeah, the flesh apparently straight up and abandoned me. [He chuckles weakly.] And I never do anything half-hearted!

Thanks, Makimaki. Sorry I, uh, kinda up and bit it.

[he's well aware that did no good things to his heroic reputation]

[yesorwoof]

No, no. I'm sorry I doubted you. I should have guided you more.

[Though... into what? He'll never know.]

In the end... do you trust Moriarty-kun? Don't think he left anything out of his first letter?