First.

[trustwellness]

The past five days have come and gone, though exactly how easily they've done so is debatable; some have been trying to press onward in their optimism and faith that things will get better, while some seem convinced that things will only go downhill from here. However people have chosen to see it, though, clearly this week hasn't been all bad – after all, attempts at encouraging unity among the group seem to have been at least reasonably successful. ...Seem to have been. Friday dawns like the rest of the week before it – the clock chimes the hour at seven, the doors to the kitchen and the mail room unlock, and the building is quiet. It would seem that maybe the night passed reasonably quietly – were it not for the large red smears on the walls and floor of the southeastern side of the dormitory. It looks like somebody decided to be a damn overachiever and took some initiative of their own. >Explore?

Comments

[trustwellness]

[She doesn't respond.

To say that she seems peaceful is something of an overstatement; she's lying still, curly brown hair lying messy around her head, and she doesn't stir when approached, touched, or gently shaken, but the fact of the matter is that she doesn't seem to be breathing, either. While her clothes are stained red as well, it doesn't seem to be concentrated anywhere in particular; the spatter seems a bit too random for that, it isn't radiating out from any major injury.

However, the fact that she's not breathing can probably be attributed to the deep, unmistakable bruises on her throat.

The facts of the matter are clear.

Adelina is dead.]

[modernmedicine]

[This isn't the first time she's seen a body, but this? It's enough to shake Mercy up a little. She keeps that in check, though.

How cold is her body? Is it obvious that she's so far gone CPR won't help?]

[trustwellness]

[Fun fact: unless it's a case of hypothermia, brain cells begin to die off after 10 minutes of no blood flow. Beyond that, the chances of CPR helping drop off rather steeply.

...Okay, that wasn't fun, but it was factual.

She feels cold in a way that implies she's been dead for a while; well beyond the drop-off point, and pretty far beyond anything that could be done flat-out without a full life support system.

She's pretty damn dead, is what we're saying.]

[modernmedicine]

[She knows. If she had her Valkyrie suit, had access to a lab, something, she could bring the princess back, but as it is, she knows there's no way.

Time to start checking the body. Besides the bruises, are there any obvious injuries she can see without flipping her over - anything on her hands, her arms, her legs?]

[trustwellness]

[Come join us down here and we'll talk shop, Mercy.]

[acherontiastyx]

Oh. Uh.

[someone fucking got murdered right next door.]

Does... anyone need towels? I'll go get towels. Yeah.

[time to coolly withdraw to his bathroom and lock the fucking door]

[introspects]

...A...Adelina-san...!

[ The bruises, the fact that she's not waking up--this can't be happening. Not Adelina. She was so young, only 16 years old, how could anyone do this?

In a panic, Orihime reflexively reaches for her pins, moving her hand up to her collar. ] Shun'ō, Ayame-- [ Sōten Kisshun is what she'd say next in a desperate attempt to heal her, but alas, her hairpins are gone. Upon the realization, Orihime gasps before covering her face in her hands, feeling completely helpless and lost. ]

[elepe]

Ms. Inoue...

[Christ, this is horrifying. Someone killed a child. A damn child...

But Orihime seems even worse off, and she just...tries to put a hand on the girl's shoulder.]

...I'm so sorry that this happened. But...we should leave. We're going to find who did this, but...staying in here is not a good idea.

[introspects]

I...I can't do anything... I can't help her...

[ It might sound like nonsense to Lusamine--how can you help someone who's already gone--but for Orihime, she could have tried to resurrect her. It hurts. So much.

She turns towards Lusamine, not saying anything, but she will follow her out. ]

[elepe]

[Lusamine just chalks it up to being in the denial stage. It happens to anyone who's experienced this.]

There's...nothing that can be done for her, now. All we can do...is find who did this. For her sake.

[introspects]

[ That's a perfectly reasonable assumption! ]

...She was so young... If I just--if I just had my powers, she would be okay--

[elepe]

[...Orihime has the power to bring back the dead? This is...news to Lusamine. Very, very big news, and she...pauses for a moment.]

...Perhaps all hope is not lost for her, then. [She's not really sure what to say to that, but...] When we get out of here...you'll likely have access to those again, hm? So...do not lose hope for her just yet.

[Lusamine doesn't...quite believe it, but hey, anything to make Orihime feel a little better...?]

[introspects]

[ No, Lusamine is entirely right. Though Bleach is weird and hasn't really set too many guidelines on how that part of her powers really works, so... ]

I...I don't know... It might be too late....

[ The one time Orihime brought back someone, their wounds were pretty fresh. This, though, well, it may be too late, after all. #bleachlogicproblems ]

[elepe]

[Ah...well, that puts a wrench in things.

(and it's nice to see Bleach remains ever the clusterfuck, goodness)]

...I'm so sorry.

[Because at this point...what else is there to say?]

[neverheardofhim]

[Varric felt effectively useless, but the feeling only seemed to last as long as it took Orihime to speak. He tilted his head up, looking at Orihime for just a split second, before reaching out to place a hand on her elbow.]

Hey. Come with me. [He wrapped his hand around her arm, and set to pulling her further into the hall. Not that it's any less grim of a locale.]

[introspects]

[ She won't resist him, simply following him while the tears start coming. ]

I...I just talked to her the other day! She wanted to help us all get out, and I told her a ghost story, too...

[ There's a smile on her face, but it's clearly one of sorrow and disbelief. She still can't process what's happening. ]

[neverheardofhim]

I know.

[The hand on her elbow loosened, just enough for him to rub a circle or ten against her arm. He thought about telling her the stories they exchanged, but figured it would only make things worse. That she had an unresolved story back home certainly hadn't rubbed him the right way.]

We'll find out who did this and we'll make sure they pay, alright?

[introspects]

[ She appreciates it a lot, Varric. Orihime will finally stop mumbling as the realization finally hits her completely, and she simply slumps against the (clean) wall and cry for a little while.

They will find the culprit, for her sake. ]

[modernmedicine]

Orihime...

[Mercy doesn't ask before giving the girl a hug. She clearly needs one.]

[introspects]

[ She's going to return that hug and just. Cry a little into Mercy's shoulder. Thanks, mom. ]

[modernmedicine]

Cry as long as you need to.

[She's not going to try and shush daughter.]

[plentyfriendly]

...I'm going to go look for any clues that might be somewhere else.

[That "everyone" from earlier was not meant to be this literal.]

[avoidcomplications]

[What's all the commotion just a few doors down, why's everyo-]

[...Oh. Oh. That's, um. A thing.]

[A not at all surprising thing, really. The only thing that was surprising to him was that it took this long.]

[iamthatsea]

[ Ah, that...

That's not good. She feels her throat tighten, just a little. Her fists clench, and she has to screw her eyes shut tight. Calm. Stay calm. The Bluemother is with her. Stay. Calm.

Okay. She's going to... let the qualified people handle this. The nice thing about reincarnation is you don't have much to do in the way of last rites.

... maybe not nice, but it's a bitter thought that occurs to her as she goes back to her room to meditate before the trial starts. ]