dead hearts are everywhere

[goodforsomething]

[Stan arrives at the chapel early. It doesn't take long to re-create his ghost summoning setup from yesterday; he left all the materials stowed under one of the middle pews, where the hymnals should have been. He sets it up exactly as it was, right down to the angles of the candles. Honestly he suspects the mirror was the only really important part, but he's not about to risk technical difficulties. Not tonight.

The rest of it was all gathered up earlier: there's some coffee, to ward against people falling asleep outside the rooms, and a lot of extra notebooks and pens taken from the storage room. He didn't tell anybody what to bring, after all, or what to expect. Secrets are easier for one person to keep, even if only for a day. Some of the rest might have gotten excited, the Kingmaker might have gotten curious, and then what?

As the meeting time draws near, he tears a page from one of the notebooks, scribbles his little symbol and a message on it, and slides it in front of the mirror.]

You there?

[To the others, he turns with a grin. In a voice somewhere between a gravelly whisper and his Mr. Mystery act, he says:]

Thanks for comin'. Our friends on the other side have been waitin' for us.

Comments

[trustharder]

[After a moment you'll find another message in the mirror. It's written backwards, but it shouldn't be too hard to make out what it says.

"HERE NOW, GATHERING AS MANY AS WE CAN IN HERE."

Below this are a good number of doodles. We've got:
- A little crown like the one on Yato's robes
- Two fish that form a circle
- A Wayfinder
- A shell with wings, like a certain mermaid's pendant
- A fancy cross surrounded by little sparkles
- ...okay who drew another knife
- And another poorly-drawn cat with the words "zagi would you stop" nearby.]

[cherryblooded]

[Time to seance. Cherryblod's done backwards reading enough to not struggle too much when he gets up to the mirror and puts his paper down.]

This is Cherryblod.
Is everyone who's died so far around as a ghost?

[Look at him, not being specific.]

[trustharder]

["I'M SORRY."

Followed by the much more blunt "HE'S NOT HERE."

And finally: "TO CHERRYBLOD AND SIGRUN: I'M SO SORRY."]

[cherryblooded]

[...yeah, that's what he thought. It takes him a second to replace his paper.]

I'll tell her.
Do you know anything about what's going on in the pit?

[trustharder]

["WHATEVER'S KILLING US, IT'S NOT OUR VICTIMS, OR AT LEAST THEY DON'T REMEMBER IT. WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS."]

[isafraid]

[A seance, of all things.... who knew it could lead to something like this?

Speedwagon's jotted down on a piece of paper and, when he can, he approaches the mirror.]

It's Speedwagon.
Where are you all?

[trustharder]

["RIGHT BEHIND YOU."
And scrawled immediately under that is "BATES STOP THAT."
"CAREN STILL ISN'T FUN IF ANYONE WAS WONDERING."
"I TOLD YOU!!!!"
"CAREN IS TRYING VERY HARD."

...It looks like someone actually tried to answer the question though, because you've got "RIGHT HERE?" as well.

Oh wait, that's not helpful either. Sorry about your dead friends.]

[isafraid]

Corr blimey.... [It really does work.

and everyone is still bad at staying organized, um.]

You mean in this room?
In the chapel?

[trustharder]

[no more allcaps because that's getting annoying to type

"Yes, in the chapel. We can see all of you as long as there's a certain number present."

"The new floor is great, the blood is delicious."
"Better than mine?????"
"Yes, better than yours."
"^ lovebirds"
"THIS IS SERIOUS EVERYONE"]

[goodforsomething]

Ha! Good one, Norman!

[Look, even if we've all kinda avoided the subject of Norman, that's the kind of comment Stan can appreciate!]

[trustharder]

["Thank you. :)"]

[pokexplorer]

[When Colress' turn rolls around, he begins writing his question. He can still hardly believe it, they're actually here.

He ponders who represents what picture as he writes.]

Hello again, everyone. This is Colress writing.
Mr. Pines told me you would like me to try to have one of my Pokemon help you. I believe I have one with me that may be capable. What would you like Beheeyem to try?

[trustharder]

["I DON'T THINK I'VE MET BEHEEYEM, BUT IF YOU BELIEVE THAT ONE'S MORE SUITED TO IT... WELL, YOU'RE THE POKEMON EXPERT HERE."

"WHAT DOES BEHEEYEM DO? IT SOUNDS CUTE!!!!"

"TRY IT. WHAT'S THE WORST THAT COULD HAPPEN?"]

[pokexplorer]

[That is...so much at once. Colress can't help but smile a little though, seeing the responses in real time like that. So perhaps they're not sure what to try except to just...try. That he can do.]

I am going to have Beheeyem try to sense you all, all right? Perhaps he can open a better channel? Hold on one moment.

[He calls the alien Pokemon over.]

I know this is a bit out of your comfort zone, Beheeyem, but...pretend you are trying to pinpoint some Ghost-types' locations, all right? Just see what happens.



[Beheeyem makes his weird eerie noise as way of saying, "Well...okay then." He settles in front of the mirror with Colress, his eyes and orb fingers glowing as he concentrates to try to find any presences around.

Will he still have the ability to do so in the Vault? Time to find out.]

[trustharder]

[Beheeyem can definitely sense the ghosts. There's quite a few of them gathered here, actually!]

[penduli]

[ ...this would be sort of unbelievable if he hadn't talked to Glory yesterday and brought Sigrun up to meet them today too.

What should he ask... ... ....... ........ ]

opinions on the stuffed animals?

[ #important question hour

why bother signing it really there's only like two people this could be from. ]

[trustharder]

[You're getting a little doodle of Yato with black cat ears and a speech bubble that reads: "They're adorable! Practice makes perfect!"

"misa-misa loves her little lambie <333 thank you!!!"]

[penduli]

[ ...okay he's grinning LOOK, SEWING-SENPAI NOTICED HIM AND MISA GAVE HIM HEARTS, it's a good night everyone ]

thank you ♡

[ Misa did a heart, he gets to do one. A little loopy heart!! ]

have any of you tried possessing them? you wouldn't be able to talk but it'd be really cute to see them flopping around.

oh, and more importantly, have any of you talked to someone going by the name "glory"? or seen them. they're on the 7th floor.

[trustharder]

["We only have six floors. If there's someone named Glory, I haven't seen them around. There is someone here that goes by the title of Ambitious, though."
"HE'S ALSO A KILLJOY"

"I'm kind of tempted to try that with the stuffed animals now."]

[sleepingkogoro]

[Huh. Suddenly there are hieroglyphics. At least Mouri can decipher most of those.

Time to get to business]

Hello everyone. Detective Kogoro Mouri here. I'm sorry for the lack of pleasantries exchange, but I'd rather to get down to business as soon as possible

[Because this is a valuable opportunity! Who knows for how long it can last]

I suppose you all are in something like a copy of the Vault, right? What differences have you noticed from the Vault you are in now and the one you were in when you were alive?

[trustharder]

[You're going to get a drawing of the second floor of the Vault. It's nicely done too! More importantly, there's an arrow pointing to the closed off room between the art studio and the sewing room. It's labeled "SURVEILLANCE ROOM".]

[sleepingkogoro]

[Huh. That is impressive]

Excellent job. Next question:

Do any of you know about similar situations to our current murder problem here? We know there has been at least two in the past. Any objects or strange clues you may have found could be useful.

[Mouri knows the ghosts mentioned an 'Ambitious'. This is mostly to try to see if they have found objects like the locket and the notebooks]

[notjustawriter]

[Well it's... time to see what he can do.]

Hello everyone. Gabriel here.

Have you been able to get to places we can't?

[trustharder]

["Just the surveillance room, so far, but we've been searching."]

[notjustawriter]

I take it that's where the Kingmaker watches us, then?

[....]

Were you the ones who set of the klaxons?