week 9 - investigation

[vicedirector]

seven vices case 9 - investigation ♫ thursday On Thursday morning, nothing seems terribly out of place. As far as everyone can see, nothing is off, no one's is missing or unaccounted for. Everyone is free to wake up at their own times and mingle as they see fit. For now. >Mingle? cast setting

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[vicedirector]

[ Nothing here either. ]

[mothercat]

[ Alas, poor clues, he never knew ye.

He sticks around for a couple more minutes, either making absolutely sure there's nothing here or taking in the fashion (it's the latter, it's 100% the latter. There shouldn't be an "either/or" here). Once he's done he goes to check out the general store.

Clues, are you still being elusive? Is the sanctity of the general store intact? ]

[vicedirector]

[ Nothing here, either!

But in the noble pursuit of Where In The World Is Urashima's Head, may we suggest checking the void? ]

[mothercat]

[ Sure, why not?

By this point, he figures either there's nothing relevant in the shops or someone else got to the rest of them. This is an efficient bunch, after all!

This means it's time for a nice, leisurely stroll around the void! ... What does the void even smell like anyway? ]

[vicedirector]

[ Curiously, it smells like sulfur, though only a trained nose will be able to pick up on it. Otherwise, there's nothing besides the already-investigated blood trails. At first.

>Keep searching? ]

[billarious]

Hey Whiskers!

[With nothing anywhere else that they've been searching, the void seemed like a good idea to check out too.]

Mind if Dragonrider and I join you?

[On your noble quest?]

[brawlhalla]

[ Said dragonrider is indeed tagging along with Bill. WHY DO THESE TWO HANG OUT TOGETHER??? ]

We haven't found anything so far, unfortunately.

[ UGH, KILLERS, JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!! ]

[mothercat]

[ Ranulf is internally displeased with whoever tossed rotten eggs into the void when he hears Bill and Astrid. ]

I don't mind. [ He offers something of a smile. ] I don't know if there's anything to be found, but the more eyes we have the better.

[ For real about the killers though. Okay, how much more sulfur does he have to endure before they look closely enough to find something? ]

[vicedirector]

[ It takes a long, long time. Like, "over an hour" long. But the three of them searching together shaves a little time off, and eventually, in one of the deeper sections of the void where very little light filters in, there is a something that Ranulf will feel at his feet. ]

[billarious]

["Over an hour" long is entirely too long. Entirely too long. It's not going to take them this long to get back out, right...?]

What are we even looking for in here...you'd think we'd have found it by now!

[UGGGHHH THIS IS RIDICULOUS whatever the killer decided was so important to hide in here had better be spec-fucking-tacular otherwise he's punching them just for the goose chase.]

[brawlhalla]

[ ASTRID...guesses at least she's searching for over an hour with Bill, who she likes, and Ranulf, who isn't terrible even if he voted for her. SHE'S SORT OF OVER THAT. A LITTLE. MORE THAN SHE WAS. ]

I honestly don't know. I haven't found anything yet, but...

[ IF ONLY SHE HAD NIGHT VISION? a frustrated growl. ]

[mothercat]

I'm not sure. Our investigations have never taken us into the void before. Is there even anything in here? [ Why did any of them think this was a good idea? At least it's easy to keep track of each other by the sound of thei--

Thwack.

That was definitely the sound of something getting hit. Since he's walking, it's forceful enough to move it depending on how heavy it is. Ranulf immediately freezes in place. ]

Uh. I think I found something. [ And kicked it??? ]

[vicedirector]

[ It's about 10 pounds, so maybe not that far. He's kicked it, thankfully, into a lighter part of the void, allowing them a slightly better view of what it is, though it's still largely obscured by shadows.

It's small, round-ish, about the size of a basketball.... ]

[billarious]

...did you just kick it or something?

[IT KINDA SOUNDS LIKE YOU DID. They aren't going to have to go running after this like some kind of ball or something now, right? Carefully he gets down onto his hands and knees and sorta starts feeling around.]

Maaayyybe we should be more careful while we're lookin' here...if this thing goes any further into the void we may never find it. Or find our way back out.

[brawlhalla]

I...think I might see something...?

[ Following Bill's example, Astrid will also drop to her hands and knees, heading towards the basketball shaped item.

??????????????

WHAT ARE WE EVEN DOING HERE ]

And yeah, let's try not to lose vital evidence. We already lose our heads often enough as is, we don't need to lose everything else, too.

[mothercat]

[ There's no confirmation or denial about the kicking here, Bill. There is only guilty silence.

Up until Astrid speaks up, at any rate. She gets a low, awkward laugh from him. it's true. They really do lose their composure a lot. With good reason too. ]

You're right. ... Sorry, I won't make any excuses but I will promise to be more careful from here on out. [ He closes his eyes for a moment before getting onto his hands and knees. Time to feel around where he ran into the basketball! There could be more clues. ]

You said you saw something, right, Astrid? I'll leave that to you and search over here. There might be something else I didn't kick. [ Confirmation. ]

[vicedirector]

( Closer to the ground, Ranulf will be able to fresh blood. He can follow his nose if he really concentrates and it'll eventually lead him over towards Astrid. Bill will touch something wet near them.

Now that the three of them are close enough, they'll be able to see... Urashima's head. )

1/2

[billarious]

[Something wet? Well whatever it is, he's going to reach out to try and pick it up, because they can't lose it.

Except...wait...this is a head right? He lets out a little laugh as he starts picking it up.]

Oh man Dragonrider. "Lose our heads!" And here we have... [A head!]

[billarious]

[...................

Oh. Wait. This is suddenly not very funny.]

Haha...is this Urashima? I can't quite tell in all this void darkness going on! It's somebody else, right?

[brawlhalla]

[ BILL...DON'T LAUGH AT THAT, IT WASN'T EVEN A JOKE SHE MEANT ]

Oh fuck. [ More viking cursing. She stands up. ]

Let's get out of here so we can get a better look.

[mothercat]

[ He'll try concentrating on it but rotten eggs. It's not easy to track anything through that smell. Will his nose ever recover from this venture?

Maybe someday... For now he gets to his feet and carefully comes over to Astrid and Bill. ] ... I really hope it's not him. [ Urashima...

To think someone would kill him like this... it's not right. ]

Okay, I think the two of you should head and make sure it's him. I'll stick around here and see if I can find anything else.

[billarious]

[Bill will also follow suit, holding the head just...against his chest for now. He's got you Urashima...he's got you. No one's gonna kick you again or drop you or anything YOU'LL BE OKAY...]

It can't be him. I mean, who'd kill him? Nobody would kill him! Heck, nobody would just leave his head in here either. Everybody loves him he's just a sweet little creep who's done nothing wrong.

[HE'S DONE NOTHING WRONG.]

But...yeah alright. Sounds good. Good uh...good luck.

[He's just gonna start walking...forward? Maybe they'll exit the void doing that? Let's go Astrid.]

[brawlhalla]

I don't even hate him, and I think I'm the only person left who hates anyone?

[ ASTRID...........but ok she admits she's probably the saltiest about certain people...she sounds baffled, but definitely starts following Bill. In fact, she's just going to hook a hand through his elbow so that they don't get separated. ]

[billarious]

[Good idea, Astrid. It's not like Bill is really paying attention to where he's walking here, just...to wherever "out" is.]

Nah...you're not.

[Let's talk about hating that is a much better topic than people he actually likes that are no longer here.]

I hate Buddy.

[brawlhalla]

Oh, me too.

[ GUYS?????? ]

I guess she also still hates...all guys, or whatever. [ Astrid prefers to hate people on things other than their gender. Like VOTING FOR HER!!! or HAVING SECRET CLUBS THAT TOTALLY EXIST!!! which are way better reasons, clearly. ]

But the whole retiring thing really gets on my nerves.