Fifth Investigation

[bathymetric]

Friday morning dawns once more as crisp and clear as a morning can be at the bottom of the ocean. There's something hanging in the air, but it's unclear exactly what. Excitement? Dread? There are plenty among you who stand to gain from someone getting away with a murder this week. The "hostages" are all still in their cages, of course, but that was bound to happen until someone gets away with the whole murder thing.

There's nothing wrong in Helios Suites or on the grounds thereof, and there's no literal explosions in the distance, but... there's something off in the air, today. Better go do your civic duty, citizens.

Comments

[sastruga]

[We should absolutely not leave this to the traumatized teenager, but also like, no one stopped her, so. What DO we got in here, anyway?]

[bathymetric]

[ Well, the first thing of note is probably the noise from the running wood chipper! ]

[sastruga]

[...Yeah you know what, that is pretty distracting so uh. She'll go over. And turn that off, maybe, as she takes a look at

what I'm sure will only be wood chips and nothing else.]

cw robot gore

[bathymetric]

[ "wood chips" is one hell of a way to spell "the mangled remains of a robot arm but like sure ig!! ]

cw robot gore

[sastruga]

[Yeah you know what, that about scans for how the day is going. Cool, she's... uh. Gonna pull? that? out??? If she can?????

It doesn't seem right to just leave it in there.]

cw robot gore

[bathymetric]

[ You can get like. The upper part, which seems to have torn out of its socket? But the rest is in there, girl, damn. ]

cw robot gore

[sastruga]

[...Yeah okay, she'll leave that then, that's clearly not happening by herself. At least she's noticed that much. Is there anything else to see about it in there, as she takes a peak?

Or maybe anything around the wood chipper, like footsteps, maybe...?]

[bathymetric]

[ Not footprints, but there is a trail of pink energon blood heading out towards the field where you found the body! ]

[honeyedtea]

[ And... surprise! As well as whatever evidence there is to find here, there is also a Mielle, looking at once confused, impressed and sort of disgusted by all the mess. ]

What on earth...?

[bathymetric]

[ Hell of a thing, huh, Mielle?

You'll note, upon entry, the missing pitchfork on the wall! ]

[honeyedtea]

[ * Mielle will remember this. ]

[bathymetric]

[ You will also note, perhaps, the pitchfork-sized holes in the wall in a couple places near the wood chipper, such that you have time to reunite with ur girl and we can close this area out. ]

[sastruga]

[thank u mods they will commit these details to memory

and like

cry]

[sastruga]

[Mafuyu is following the trail and literally

bumps into Mielle]

Ah--

[honeyedtea]

Kya–!

[ She stumbles back a bit – then when she registers it's Mafuyu, she freezes. ]

... ah... it's you, Mafuyu...

[ This is the first time they've seen each other face to face since the meeting, isn't it? ]

1/2

[sastruga]

Mielle...?

[It's a bit awkward, almost, at first. There's a silence, for a moment

then two

and then--]

2/2

[sastruga]

[she throws her arms around Mielle, clinging like her life depends on it.]

Thank goodness--

[sorry investigation she WILL come back to you in a second]

[honeyedtea]

[ After her little display on Wednesday, Mielle's not sure what she's expecting – rejection, obviously, is at the top of the list as it always has been. She's in such a state that when Mafuyu moves forward she almost steps back to avoid what's clearly coming – a slap, or worse – but she hesitates just long enough to be enveloped in Mafuyu's arms and she freezes. ]

M... Mafuyu...?

[ She sounds a little dazed. This makes it... the second time someone here has held her so kindly. She hadn't expected to feel this sort of warmth again. Tentatively, her hands lift and settled on Mafuyu's back, like she's not sure she's even allowed to be touching her. ]

[sastruga]

[Mafuyu only holds on more as Mielle's hands touch her back. Like she might slip away, if she lets go now.]

I found-- Misfire is-- And then the body announcement didn't happen and I hadn't checked on you and... and...

[oh

she's crying

why is she...?]

[honeyedtea]

[ She'd heard the announcement, of course – it was the only reasoned she'd ventured out of her room at all. But hearing it all again from Mafuyu – realizing that Mafuyu was the one to find the body all by herself (or rather, without Mielle at her side) makes her stomach drop. And the cold, sickly feeling only gets worse when she feels the wetness of Mafuyu's tears and realizes she's crying. Because of Mielle. ]

... you were worried. [ Her voice wobbles a bit. ] I didn't think anyone would– o–or rather, I thought maybe...

[ Maybe it was best to avoid everyone. Maybe they'd never want to see her again. And maybe if Mafuyu rejected her as well, that would be too much for Mielle to bear. She swallows all that back and shakes her head, before pressing her face into Mafuyu's hair.

Even after all this time stuck in New Rapture, it's sleek and soft. ]

... I didn't mean to scare you.

[sastruga]

Scare me...?

[Oh. She was scared... that's it. That's that icy feeling in her chest.]

It's okay, I... I should've checked on you, but I didn't and...

I'm just... I'm glad. [The words are sincere and feel so strangely heavy to her. Realizing she means them, completely, utterly. The feeling of relief at having Mielle here, to be able to feel how warm she is, hear her breathing, know she's okay...

It's almost overwhelming.] I'm glad you're okay...