First investigation

[letsplayamod]

[You awaken to a quiet morning. The island stirs slowly with you, with winds whistling and the distant crash of waves against the rocks.

Athena's room is empty. She is nowhere to be seen.

Typhon's threat still hangs in the air, but perhaps if you all stick together, you'll make it through like Athena hoped. Might as well get on with your day.]

Comments

[letsplayamod]

[You're going to want to slow down there, bud. Because the floor is an absolute mess. Seems like someone tracked dirt or something in here.

They even got it on the Dabo wheel. Like, a huge clump of it.

A suspiciously shaped clump.]

[markofnobility]

[it's Ferd, are you surprised? He slows down, lifting arm to halt his trail of companions]

Hold! Let me check first.

[catsgothistongue]

Check wh--

[Peering over Ferdie's side to see. Hm.

That's a whole lotta not good. How's the clump look from here? Human-shaped or...?]

[letsplayamod]

[It's a little difficult to make out. What with it being smashed and all. Little bits of clay are everywhere.

But the general shape of it almost appears head-shaped. In fact, it almost looks like Crito.

...Uh oh. Crito is dead.]

[threeapplestall]

[...

.......

................................

Mutsumi turns and runs, hands over her mouth, looking like she's about to throw up.]

[liedol]

[ ok now we've established that this was an actual murder and mutsumi Just Touched A Dead Head (even if it was made of clay), Ai breaks away from the rest of the group to give chase. Or at least to try and be useful somewhere she might be able to do some good. ]

Ah, Mutsumi-chan, wait up...!

[threeapplestall]

[Thankfully, it doesn't take long to find Mutsumi. She's crying and sniffling in a corner, but trying to wipe her tears like the brave girl she is...!]

Ah, Ai-san... no need to worry about me, I'll be just fine. [She gives Ai a weak smile.]

[liedol]

[ For a second, Ai doesn't say anything at all.

She can admit even if only in the privacy of her own head that Mutsumi reminds her of a certain someone - reticent, quiet and clever even if she's a little softer at the edges - and it makes her feel guilty ever time the resemblance jumps out at her. She doesn't want to end up being kind to someone just because it makes her feel a little less lonely.

But suddenly, with her tear-streaked face and smile, Mutsumi looks a little like someone else. Ai's stomach clenches and she does her best to rearrange her face to keep the twinge of pain from letting itself show. ]

Of course I'm gonna worry if you're crying. [ It's gentle rather than a scolding. ] Um... sorry, I feel like I should say something like 'are you okay' at a time like this, but...

[markofnobility]

...What...

[ He turns to Ranma and the others]

I think it is Crito.

[raisethemoon]

What? But - how?

[ She has not received the memo on the Clay Thing. ]

[markofnobility]

[He hadn't either tbh]

I am not sure...

[sweetsynergy]

[Looking around Ferd's bulk.]

Huh. ...they'd probably think that was kind of ironic, at least.

[raisethemoon]

Can we - ?

[ Her horn glows, but not the pieces. Even with magic, she's anxious to actually try touching what...may or may not be a corpse? ]

[stringup]

...I can examine the body, if it bothers anyone else.

[ When did she show up. ]

[liedol]

I guess it does look like them but what's the problem?

[ She Doesn't Know ]

[catsgothistongue]

... I don't think they're gonna put themself back together.

[Otherwise why would they still be all over the Dabo table.]

[markofnobility]

If it is really them, we need to be on guard. Someone might still be on the attack.

1/2

[liedol]

[ ... she looks back and forth in confusion for a second, obviously not fully understanding what's going on here but then it.

clicks. ]

[liedol]

That's really them?!

[catsgothistongue]

[yeah. yeah that would do it.]

... Shit.

[He didn't know them or anything, and now thanks to someone smashing them up, he never will.]

[yourheroine]

--somebody died?

[Aoi drops the bizarre convo she's having with Vanity when she hears that.]

But aren't we all supposed to live? If we don't...

[Aoi stares down at her phone. No signal. No chance to reload and save Crito.]

[markofnobility]

I'm sorry, Aoi.

[catsgothistongue]

[this is the real world. people die when they're killed aoi]

[threeapplestall]

[Mutsumi... approaches the clump, touching it with a trembling hand.]

[catsgothistongue]

[BEEPO NO]