Eighth.

[trustharder]

Seven in the morning comes and goes as it always does – namely, loudly and a little obnoxiously, given the usual blaring of the klaxons. Today marks almost a full eight weeks since the Survivors awakened in the Vault; more than enough time for people to get used to how things tend to work around here on Fridays, and yet not so long that there isn't any hope that maybe (maybe) this Friday will be better. The first-floor corridor is generally quiet, in that it's free of blood; however, there are some scattered books in the hallway, near the library. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe it isn't. It might be good to make sure, though, right? >Explore?

Comments

[sleepingkogoro]

[It is Friday. Time to wake up and...well, look for dead bodies, Mouri supposes. For a moment he thinks of who it could be this time and who the killer will be. It is depressing to think about.

When he reaches the hallway of course he sees the books. Mouri sighs]

Here we go...

[Time to go into the library]

[trustharder]

[The library is quiet, as it always is; perhaps a bit too quiet, given the circumstances.

There isn't an explosion of blood, or weapons left behind indicating that someone's been on the receiving end of the Kingmaker's punishment; however, that doesn't change the fact that there's a person sitting in one of the library chairs, unmoving.]

[amygdalae]

[Well that isn't good.

Bruce is... going to go forth and see exactly who this abnormally quiet person sitting on the chair is.]

[trustharder]

[Things like this are never good, are they?

The person sitting in the chair has his head tipped back, long hair mussed up and splayed around his face; there are tight, dark ligature marks around his neck, as well as the heavy talisman he always wears settled at the end of its usual chain against his chest.

The body is identifiable, even from a distance; Gabriel Knight is dead.]

[amygdalae]

[Oh

oh no.

After going through this for nearly eight weeks Bruce doesn't even need to double check... and the marks are enough of an indication.

Gabriel is dead. No doubt about that.]

[notjustawriter]

[There's a sudden, rather loud choking noise as Gabriel sits up in the chair, wheezing, clutching at his throat.]

What-- what the he--

[He takes a long look around the room blinking slowly.]

Why are y'all looking at me like that?

[Gabriel Knight isn't dead yet.]

[sleepingkogoro]

...

[All Mouri can do is stare]

[amygdalae]

[What the fuck

what the fuck

Its surprising enough that Bruce gasps and stumbles back, almost hitting one of the nearby shelves. His eyes are wide in shock.]

Gabriel?

[notjustawriter]

[Gabriel sits up, looking a little light-headed, doesn't trust himself to move from the chair. He nods.]

Yeah. It's still me.

[He rubs at the bruise around his throat gingerly.]

[amygdalae]

[Okay

okay

Gabriel isn't dead. That's good.

Time to reorganize himself.]

...let's get you somewhere to rest first. Then we'll talk what happened.

[isafraid]

[Speedwagon shouts in alarm! .... And then he just shouts.]

...Y-you're not dead?!

[notjustawriter]

Why would I be dead?

[isafraid]

Bloody hell, man...

[Gabriel, you have to give Speedwagon a chance to get his heart pumping again. Holy shit.]

Look at where you are! What is this?

[captainobnoxious]

Holy shit man, are you for real?

[Gabriel, you're getting a solid goddamn punch for that. Fuck your choking. Your leader's mad.]

You scared us! What the hell's all this, huh?

[notjustawriter]

[Ow.]

Scared you...?

[Oh.]

Shit... it's a Friday, isn't it? Did I pass out in here?

[And the Kingmaker didn't see fit to punish him? Huh.]

[goodforsomething]

[There is a moment of shocked silence. Then Stan clutches at his chest and bursts out loudly.]

........you son of a bitch! Give us all a goddamn heart attack, why don't ya? [HE IS SO RELIEVED]

[notjustawriter]

[God, he doesn't really know what the fuck to think right now.]

Sorry about that, Stan.

so shocked I forgot my icon

[pokexplorer]

[That just...

...

What.]

[garudynamic]

[Sleepily wanders in... oh, what a mess but]

... did you guys start a hardcore bookclub and not tell me?

[goodforsomething]

Fucking...

[Stan leans back against the wall. He needs a minute here. At Yosuke's arrival, though, he looks up long enough to do a quick headcount.]

Anyone seen Cherry or Black?

[captainobnoxious]

[... A writer dying in a library is oddly fitting, is her first thought, and the second's that she hopes this is the only body to be found. Third is the hard hitting moment of someone in their tidy group being dead.

That's at least two more dead in their numbers, by the end of the day.]

[isafraid]

[He's... dead, it's immediately obvious the moment they spot him.

Gabriel was only a writer, he hardly deserved to die this way, especially now. Now with how tiny their group was.

Speedwagon... he needs a moment.]

[sleepingkogoro]

[Technically this was the person Mouri was the least close to, but that doesn't stop him from being saddened by the death. Somehow he had hoped Gabriel would be able to survive and get to the Kingmaker]

[goodforsomething]

Oh god...

[Stan stops up short in the doorway, gripping at the frame. He doesn't have to get any closer to see what's happened. After this week, the lack of incentive, he'd almost dared to hope...and now Gabriel is dead. There's no one left who wouldn't hurt to lose, but this hurts bad.]

[pokexplorer]

[Colress also lingers just outside the library in the hallway as he observes the others who had went inside. He can see well enough to know what's going on.

Why, after all of this...why is it still happening?

Mr. Knight...]