Second investigation

[letsplayamod]

[Friday has come once again, Typhon’s deadline for the carrot of a motive dangled in front of their faces. Temptations abound and, when the godlings stir in the morning, the air feels thick in a way it hasn’t before. Thunder rumbles outside and the sound of sheets of rain pour down but only ends up pounding against Athena’s protective barrier. No one could ask for a finer umbrella.

There's no more monstrous cyclops threatening your morning. The horses were corralled back to their stables to wind down from the frightening excitement of last Wednesday. From then on, Typhon's threats have once more grown quiet. Everything seems to be... fine.

Still, something feels off.]

Comments

[rockymountaindie]

[ Of course something feels off. Something always feels off. Especially with a fucking storm. There's always a fucking storm, isn't there?

Hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, Alex decides to descend the stairs because ya know what, the armory really unsettles and confuses him. ]

[letsplayamod]

[Ohhh boy.

The sound comes first, an abrupt clattering of falling metal just as a booming crack of thunder rips through the air from upstairs. Then comes the panicked whiney-ing and stomping of hooves as a stampede of frightened horses and pegesai burst from their stables and out into the open floor.]

[sweetsynergy]

[So, uh. Anything off in the eatery? If someone were beelining there for some reason.]

[taintedfayth]

Alex. You should not go alone.

[Because yeah, he's getting some bad vibes right about now.]

[rockymountaindie]

[ The booming crack of thunder. Oh. Is that what he...?

Alex hesitates for all of a split-second. Then he takes a few quick steps forward, not to get in front of the horses or anything like that, but to try and get a better look, to see if he can figure out what the hell happened, or if any of them are hurt. ]

[letsplayamod]

[The Eatery itself is all good!]

[catsgothistongue]

[Call it hunch or nerves or whatever, but with it being a week since the first, Ranma leaves first thing in the morning to head to the kitchen. Just to check... and breakfast, assuming there's not another death to kill their appetites.]

1/???

[letsplayamod]

[None of the horses appear to be injured at a glance, just scared, but…oh.

Oh, Alex.

If only you’d listened to that hesitation.

He takes one quick step. Then a second. On the third his foot hits something very slick- slick enough to send him sailing across the floor.]

[raisethemoon]

AGAIN?!

[ She's not even nearby she's just really sensitive to horse sounds! She is on her way tho! ]

[rockymountaindie]

Then c'mon. Keep up.

[ He doesn't ignore when the universe says something. ]

[phototraces]

I agree… something is wrong.

[Hi boys she’s tailing you.]

[sweetsynergy]

[What calming, non-suspicious phrasing! But assuming that means we're clear here, how's the kitchen look.]

2/???

[rockymountaindie]

Hhwhha—! [ Alex lets out a noise of surprise that turns into a shout. He instantly goes into survival mode, windmilling his arms about and trying to grab hold of something to stop him.

But...there is nothing. At least, not close enough. He skids across the floor passed something that his panicked brain cannot identify, something made of wood and cloth, and he flails to grab it, but at the worst possible moment, in response to the stress and adrenaline flooding his system, his hands go entirely numb.

His old injury feels in that moment like Death cackling at him. ]

H- help—!

[ He squawks that out just as the slippery something takes him right into the crafts room. He continues to reach even though his hands will not respond, turning his body fully about face but unable to stop his trip on the world's worst slip n' slide. He can't just give up. He won't give up. He'll never—

Alex slams ass-first into something solid and metal, and finally, that stops his momentum. Well, his lower half's momentum. His torso keeps going, resulting in him falling hard over the well-placed object. (A particularly large anvil, for anyone wondering.) The impact knocks the air out of him, and he wheezes, trying to catch his breath and staring at the ceiling in shock.

A little voice in his head tells him he needs to move. But— ]

3/3

[letsplayamod]

[Creak creak.

Something is wrong with the craft room. Or is though? Or is it only Alex’s rising panic telling him that? Above his temporarily prone body, a shelf creaks with every stomp of the herd of horses and pegasi just outside the room.

Creak creak— crack.

The shelf, covered in numerous heavy tools and sharp chisels, collapses forward on top of Alex.]

[letsplayamod]

[Also fine!

The coffeemaker is still dead though.]

[fillets]

[ Yeah I would truly love to say "well Alex is having a Time!! she's going to take a stroll elsewhere" just for greater coverage but unfortunately she wants to see how that premonition of his plays out so she's zeroing in on that upsetting energy signature and will also show up following the three of them! ]

[stringup]

[ You know, Velvet's inner panic spiked a little hearing the commotion coming from the stables, and she arrives just in time to see Alex sliding across the floor. ]

Wha-?!

[brokenhabit]

[ It's Alex's "help" that gets her attention and she's heading that way ASAP ]

Alex?!

[taintedfayth]

[MAYBE SOMETIMES YOU SHOULD--]

[murchada]

[excuse me what the hell was all that noise, and was that voice...]

A-Alex?!

[letsplayamod]

[No bodies but there's a very strong chance there's some relevant stuff here for later!]

[liedol]

Whoa-!

[ Ai is here! She also promptly jumps like ten feet once Vanity walks in and nearly spills her tea everywhere. ]

[raisethemoon]

[ Well probably unfortunately for her she arrives at a gallop! Princess Luna, Guardian of Night and Goddess of Dusk, eats shit! ]

What is happening?

[fillets]

[ so uh is that aura still like


present ]

[atu709]

[ Walks in-

Ah.

The story repeats. ]