15strangers | FINAL INVESTIGATION

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!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

When would Zack-kun have slept in here? Did he not become a shade like most of the others, and he was here during the time we believed he had died?

[Makima uses all her femme fatale energy to lean over the bed without further disturbing it. Is there anything she can deduce like the outline on the bed? Order that the figures were present - is the idea that Zack just stank up the entire room and Thing 2 occupied the bed? Both in the bed? Attributes of the other person - human, godlike, maybe male or female?]

[Clearly, Makima will be better than Kira - she's normally so pragmatic and someone he respects, given her intelligence. Perhaps he could even assist -

He floats in.

Sees her leaning over and sniffing the bed.

...

...

{Moriarty has left the Area.}]

[Makima is quite oblivious to the scentless shade entering the room. With only Kira around, she was pretty comfortable and even spreading both arms over the bed rather than hiding her amputation.

This room is full of mysteries...]

[A bit hard to tell. I mean, yeah, Zack's stench is most demonstrable in the room, but for whatever reason all you get of the other person is a stench akin to the ship, Makima.

Also, watch your nose-don't want to bump your sniffer on that tape recorder there.]

[... Makima has some very unpleasant chainsaw man typical violence thoughts about this situation. But she'll set them aside.

She straightens back up, holding the tape recorder. Can we press play...?]

[Indeed you can.]

--You. You are a twin.

...I would appreciate it if you returned that photo to me.

In time. I would like to ask you a hypothetical question. You are the parent of twins. You and your children are being held hostage. Both of your children have a knife at their throat. There is no way to save both. If you spare one, you condemn the other. Even if you sacrifice yourself, only one child will survive.

[silence]

No response? Then I shall continue. The same scenario, but you are told more information: one of your children will grow up to be known as a mass murderer. The other child will not be of such a cruel disposition, but will nevertheless suffer grievously throughout their life, ultimately taking just as many lives as the mass murderer. Both children will cause suffering, regardless of which one survives.

Which do you spare?

...Do you have a point?

You know that I do. Brother. Or should I call you Delta Klim?

[the sound of rustling clothes and a creaking chair]

You know how I can save those twins from that fate. You will aid me however I want…

[a baby's cry]

...and while I suspect you have no regrets about your own life ending...I do not think you will wish to refuse, now that you know of her.

[Makima listens to this entire thing first. She glances at Kira during a certain part that real ones will be able to immediately guess. Then, she plays the tape again and sets to transcribing it (a bit troublesome switching her one good hand from the button to the pencil).

...she hasn't actually admitted to Kira yet that she could use help recognizing the voices but he's in the room so it'll get to them all hopefully. But what's interesting is that, just from the pretence in the analogy, she was really reminded at first of Zero in the game - Delta Klim. But instead, it was someone else speaking the bulk of the dialogue to Delta, who objected almost at the last second...?

Her eyes wander as she transcribes. Where is more stuff to pick up or did Kira get it all? Will she have to get under the bed?]

[Actually, there's another tape on the bed that may have something on it.

Switch out the tape?]

[Makima squints at the bed, trying to make sure that two tapes are all there are. She's wondering why they're sprawled on the bed like this. Did someone leave in a hurry? Find it cozy to listen in bed? After gathering it, she presses play on Tape #2.]

[Unknown, but.

>>Play]

-THE FUCK IS THIS!?

[the angry sound of someone struggling against some kind of binding. The person shouting sounds very familiar. Actually, they sound like someone who died during your game.]

You better let me go, or I swear I will...I will...

[A gasp of disbelief.]

You seem shocked to see this costume, Aoi Kurashiki. But I suppose that makes sense, doesn't it? You weren’t expecting to see it. Still. This isn't your first time dealing with such a matter of life or death, is it?

...Zero.

[An angry snarl.]

I should have known! You had-you have no right! It's you again, isn't it, Delta!? I knew it, I knew you were behind what happened! If you don't give her back this instant, I'll tear a new hole in your-

[The sound of shuffling, then the clacking of heels on tile. Santa's voice goes from angry to confused.]

Huh?! But-wait, Delta? You're not-

[An older man's voice starts speaking. He sounds...oddly subdued.]

...I'm afraid you won't remember any of this conversation once this Zero is finished dealing with you, Mr. Kurashiki.

But before then…let's talk anyways.

[With that, the recording ends.]

[Makima is transcribing this tape the first time around. Fortunately, the names in the conversation are making this very doable. Confirming whether the old man in this Tape #2 is the same as Tape #1 "...Do you have a point?" will be a little hard for Makima but she can do her best. But what's interesting is that of the three people in Tape #2, the italicized "this Zero" does not seem to be using the growling voice changer at the moment, is that correct? The heels... She wondered if there was a feminine person there, the "this Zero", but maybe it was actually just Delta's shoes stepping?

Now she will look for tapes (or other stuff) under the bed, perhaps even sandwiched between the mattress and the wall. And also check these first two tapes for any label.]

[There are a few things Makima can figure out.

First, the old man in tape #2 is, indeed, the same man in tape #1 who asked if he had a point.

Second-the unknown voice in the second tape sounds...distorted. It's not the growling voice changer, but something else. Pitch shifted, essentially.

Also, neither tape have a labeled date. Phooey. Otherwise Makima will find some wall scrolls stuffed behind the bed, but nothing else.]

[These scrolls really are adding to the bizarre college boy feeling, huh.

The pitch shift on Tape #2 "This Zero" leaves her with questions. Is it possible that Tape #2 "This Zero" and Tape #1 "I can save those twins" are the same person? As Tape #1 "I can save those twins" is an unaltered voice?

But for now she's just gonna start taking polaroids. Yet another thing that is a pain with one hand. Maybe she shouldn't be quite so blase. No, she can do it.]

[see here for final haul for clarity on looting the room!]

FINAL INVESTIGATION

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EVIDENCE

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cw dysmorphia

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