Second.

[trustharder]

Friday dawns fairly quietly this week; unlike last week, there's no blood splashed around the hallway, and there's very little that seems amiss at first glance. It's almost enough to make one think that nothing happened last night – that maybe the incentive was ignored, that maybe rational-minded camaraderie may have won out over the desire to escape the Vault. That impression will last you until somebody decides to head upstairs. They won't get past the stairwell without noticing that something is definitely amiss - while there notably does not appear to be a body, that doesn't mean that something isn't there regardless. You might want to check that out. Just saying. >Explore?

Comments

[garudynamic]

[He's about to offer her the scarf, now sparkling with dust too, to wrap the pieces in, when-]

I heard something but then I slipped...

[He is kinda soaked]

Wait, Pearl's... what do you...?

[prismbloom]

You should change into dry clothes before you catch a cold.

[ ... ]

Pearl is dead. I think these are her gemstone--that one that was on her forehead.

[garudynamic]

[Oh...

He goes pale, eyes glued to the pieces in Aqua's hands. He didn't know Pearl well, but the idea of having parts of someone's body in his hands just a moment ago...

Yosuke almost wants to throw up again. But instead he fights it down. And if he can't freak out, then the emotion has to go somewhere. And it shows in a flash of anger. Someone did this- after everything that happened last week, knowing what would happen to all of them if they got away with it.

A pitched snarling noise of frustration escapes between his clenched teeth, and he storms out of the room]

[isafraid]

[Pearl's room had been a bust. No one was inside, or at least there to answer his increasingly worried knocks. Was she really dead? He hadn't spoken to Pearl much at all, but she seemed like the reliable sort.

Then, why...

Speedwagon stops on his way back to the stairs, he's noticed Yosuke. He didn't look too happy at any of this. Speedwagon could relate.]

Yosuke...?

[garudynamic]

[He stops his stomping with Speedwagon calls out to him. He can't yell at him: other then Cherryblod, Speedwagon is the one he honestly can't see killing anyone.

Which just means, for all his size, eventually someone would probably kill him too. Yosuke makes a strained noise- like a bit off scream and hits the wall in frustration. He's not strong, but there's some effort there.]

Damn it-!

[isafraid]

[Of all the people here, he should have expected Yosuke to be the one that was having the hardest time about this. Truthfully, he wanted nothing more to not Be Here, but... here they were.

And they had another body on their hands. Someone paid the price, like Speedwagon feared.]

Oi! [He approaches at the sight of Yosuke hitting the wall. Speedwagon's expression quickly drops.]

...You get all of that out. [Vent your rage. You gotta do it somewhere.]

[garudynamic]

This... is so stupid!

[And that's what has him so worked up- not just the death, but the fact that in his eyes it's so utterly pointless]

[isafraid]

[That's one word for it. Useless, useless, useless.

Speedwagon nods sympathetically.]

Right, and whoever's got blood on their hands now thought it might have been worth it.

[Which is why someone's dead, who didn't deserve it.]

[garudynamic]

[And he can't say they're wrong... if he had more proof of what the Kingmaker said... might he have done the same to save someone back home? His shoulders slump]

Damn it...

[isafraid]

[Yosuke's shoulder would soon find Speedwagon's hand on it again-- a show of sympathy, if the look on his face wasn't enough.]

There's nothing we could've done. And if we can't make it better now, then we can at least do whatever we can to catch the blighter that did it in the first place.

...It's pure madness, isn't it?

[What else is there to call it right now.]

But we'll get through it.

[sleepingkogoro]

[Mouri was just walking downstairs after finishing his investigation and looking for something to keep himself busy until the moment came when he stumbled upon Yosuke.

The kid sure looks stressed]

Hey! Hanamura-kun!

[Just being a nice adult and checking on the youngster!]

[garudynamic]

[He doesn't want to yell at Mouri- Mouri was harmless

(he had thought Black was harmless at first too. He thought Adachi was harmless)

But the anger feels like vomit- he can't stop it]

Not... not now, Mouri-san....

[sleepingkogoro]

[The kid says 'not now'. Too bad Mouri is not the type to listen to that.

That is why Mouri crosses his arms and looks with that classic adult stare of 'i know better than you kiddo']

Something is bothering you.

[garudynamic]

[That look just digs at him more]

No shit, Sherlock.

[sleepingkogoro]

[What is that tone, young man. Mouri frowns, bothered]

Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to spit it out now?

[Yeah, he really is bothered at being talked by that by Yosuke. Let's not have an angry party here, guys!]

[garudynamic]

You wanna know? Yeah, I'm pissed. Someone is dead for no goddamn reason! And I bet that Kingmaker asshole is laughing his ass off right now!

So yeah, I'm a little mad! The person trying to kill us all is right here pretending to be on our side! Hell, for all I know it's you! Or Aqua or Speedwagon or, shit, anyone!

[sleepingkogoro]

[Good, good, you are doing good, kid. Mouri nods emphatically]

You have all reasons to be angry with the culprit. I don't fault you for that, but don't let this get under your skin later!

Being angry won't solve anything!

[Mouri is still not good with the whole calming words part, but he is at least starting to talk louder]

[garudynamic]

[He huffs in deep gasping breaths... and it's clear he's fighting back angry sobs. Mouri isn't fighting back, but not pulling away either. So throwing his rage at him isn't having the effect he wants.

So it just starts bleeding out, and his back loosens, his shoulders drooping.]

Sorry... yelling at random people isn't helping.

[sleepingkogoro]

Of course it doesn't help.

[But at least Yosuke seems to be calming down a bit. That is great]

We can do nothing for Pearl-san now, but we do can catch her killer. Take that anger of yours and direct it into that.

No matter what happens you can't let it distract you from what must be done.

[A lesson Mouri knows real well. A case that's still fresh in his memory comes to mind, having to reveal somebody he hadn't met in years as a killer. He idly notes it is one of the few cases he can actually remember whole instead of having a blank space in the last part of the whole deal, but it is not the time to think about that]

This will never get easier.

[garudynamic]

[He nods, not trusting his voice]

If it's... anyone's fault... it's the Kingmaker.

[sleepingkogoro]

That is right. None of us would kill anyone if we weren't locked here.

Someday we'll have the chance to confront the Kingmaker. I promise you that.

[garudynamic]

...speaking of which.

[Oh look, it's his phone! He hits the call button and-

-wow that sure is some language that wouldn't even be allowed in a Atlus game]

[sleepingkogoro]

[Should Mouri be amused by this? He isn't sure, but what he does know is that he is willing to make an exception to any rules about decency if the Kingmaker is the target of all that.

Please by all means do that for as long as you want, Yosuke! Mouri definitely isn't going to try to stop you]