WEEK 5

[bathymetric]

That's three murders now - and this last trial got more than slightly out of hand. It looks like you might be in for another tough week... or at least, maybe that's just the refusal of this place to change too much. You lose Saturday again, but maybe six-day weeks are starting to feel normal by now. Who knows? The cycle of day and night continues apace, changing so little.

Speaking of change, though, there's a new area to look through, the biggest and most complex yet. And the end of one wing of the facility, from the looks of it - though you can probably guess where more areas might start to open up.

And speaking of opening up (segues!), this week if you're out particularly late, you might sometimes see Angel out and about! So hey, maybe change is on the horizon.

Just gotta hope it's a change for the better, don't you?



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 5! Remember to turn in AC here, threads for regain coins here, and if you feel so inclined you can visit Angel's office hours over here! Or, if you want Angel to come to you, that's now an option! Simply put a prompt after lights-out into your toplevel and indicate you want Angel in the subject line, same as investigations! ]

Comments

[philoxenia]

[ .... well, last night sure happened!

Upon waking up, she spends a while writing out a single message on pieces of paper for everyone. She slips them under everyone's doors--it's early enough, at least. They all say the same thing:

We contacted someone last night. I've written down a summary of everything we learned. If you would like to attempt contact, the board is in the library. He answers to "Ghostworth."

--Mira

And then, after grabbing a bit of food in the dining area (and setting out some tea for everyone to grab) she heads off, again, to the room doors. Except-- she's only stopping by the doors of those who've died--specifically, Lif, Aela, Seteth, and Damien. Hm. She spends a bit of time at each one, placing a flower chain on the outside of the door.

After that, she's in the museum--specifically, the memorial area she and Shelley worked on. She's got a sketchbook in her lap, but the page she's turned to is blank... and after a moment, she sighs. ]

If we make it out of here... I'm sorry we can't bring you all with us.

Museum

[drladysounds]

[Shelley has spent so much time in this room this week she already knows it like the back of her hand. When she hears Mira mutter, she approaches, sitting nearby]

Take off that 'if'. We'll get out of here.

[The other part of that sentiment, though...]

Besides, there may be something we don't know yet. That board has opened a world of possibilities, we may find out something that'll be a gamechanger.

[philoxenia]

[ She wants to hope Shelley is right... and it's easier with friends to remind her. ]

I didn't actually think anything would happen. [ She shivers a little. ] I guess we just need to keep at it. This is a determined bunch... and smart, too, when we're not at each other's throats.

Lif's room

[bolderfell]

[Well, that's right next door to Therion's room. He starts when he sees someone there as he leaves his room--softens a little when it's Mira.]

What're you... oh. Sorry to interrupt.

[philoxenia]

Oh-- Therion. It's okay.

[ She finishes affixing the chain to Lif's door. ]

You aren't interrupting anything. I was just finishing up.

[bolderfell]

[He nods, but lingers.]

That some kind of rite, where you're from?

[philoxenia]

[ She shakes her head. ]

It was just something Zerinda and I thought would be nice. Flowers have meanings associated with them, and we have a garden full of them... so I requested a book from Angel and we made these last night.

[bolderfell]

Huh.

[He looks at the chain she made for Lif.]

So it's like... a secret message in code.

[philoxenia]

Sort of. We made sure there were flowers that connected all of the chains, but... there are some unique to the person. Lilies are usually associated with death, purple hyacinths for "regret," and forget-me-nots... well. The name speaks for itself, really.

[bolderfell]

[He accepts that quietly, taking in the flowers, then glances down the rest of the doors.]

Did you make them for everyone? All the dead?

[philoxenia]

Mm, we did. I made them for Lif, Aela, and Seteth, and Zerinda made them for Alice, Zelos, and Piers. We worked on Damien's together.

[bolderfell]

You're all... It's so important to you. That no one's forgotten.

[philoxenia]

... It is.

[ She looks away, to the chain on Lif's door. Sweetpea, for gratitude; zinnia, for endurance and remembrance. ]

I've done a lot of forgetting, in the past... I hadn't realized just how much until this week. And, besides, if it were me, I wouldn't want to be forgotten.

[bolderfell]

[After a pause, he nods, a little stiffly, but he's not angry or scornful or anything he shows so freely. His voice is quiet.]

Not everyone puts so much thought into it.

museum;

[snackooed]

Ah, I see Shelley got to you after all...

[ It's a somber area, this memorial, even if the David is a bit on the goofy side. Even so, the heart more than shines through. Ema's quick to take a seat next to her, with a ziplock bag full of Swedish fish in hand. ]

I'm glad that you guys have been able to channel your feelings into something like this, you know. Heaven knows anything I'd try would just fall flat.

[ She sticks her open bag of candy out to her; want a few gummies, Mira? ]

[philoxenia]

She's good at that, isn't she?

[ She'll go ahead and snag a few of those fishes. ]

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that... Even if it's not conventional art, you can really make something special if you put your mind to it. I'm sure you could come up with something incredible, Ema.

[snackooed]

As much as I'd like to say science is an art form, I think the whole reason I latched onto it so hard is just because I'm not really all that creative of a person. At least, not compared to some of my colleagues.

[ The creativity of some of those arguments she hears in the courtroom...she doesn't think she'd be able to come up with them if her life depended on it. ]

Sure, experimenting is fun, but when you're dealing with chemicals, I think there are only so many ways it can turn out. Not much as much room for expression as a canvas, or a sketchbook...so, I'll leave the monuments and the masterpieces to the real talents. They deserve time in the sun, anyway.

[philoxenia]

Well, I suppose you make an excellent point.... And you're very good at science. Me, not so much... But I guess that's why we make a good team, right?

[ She pauses to eat one of those candies, and to think. ]

I'd say that magic you work at the bar is art, though. I don't drink, but... I'm sure the others would agree.

[snackooed]

Like any good team, we cover each other's weaknesses, right?

[ She says, with a grin on her face and the head of a gummy fish between her teeth, the gremlin-- ]

But as for the drinks...well, you can get a little more creative than just combining this and that, so I'll take the compliment, just this once. You don't know just how many I've had to trash because they just straight-up don't taste good, though. I mean, I'm not a drinker either, but I think if I tried passing off some of my failed test subjects, we'd have a disaster on our hands.

[philoxenia]

Exactly.

[ She laughs a little, nudging Ema. ]

Really? Hmm, but that's part of the beauty, right? Finally finding something that really goes well together... kind of like mixing paint. Sometimes you get a weird shade, but other times, you can make something incredible.

[snackooed]

That right? Sounds like it'd be fun to see the artist at work, one of these days.

[ She's quick to give her a light, retaliatory elbow to the arm... ]

After all, even the weird shades are probably fun to work with. And I think if anyone can use them to make something gorgeous, it'd be you, based on the stuff of yours I've seen. Besides, I'd probably get more out of that than you'd get watching me mix drinks at the bar, or chemicals in the lab. My enthusiasm can really only take it so far...

[philoxenia]

I'd love to show you one day. It's something really special, taking two colors, or three or more if you're feeling adventurous... and making something entirely different.

[ She hums a little. ]

I don't know about the drinks, but some chemicals can have some fun effects, right? I'm no chemist, but I did take an introductory class in college. I was terrible at it, but... I'd like to see a master at work.

[snackooed]

Well, if it's a master at work that you're looking to see, I can show you something cool right now, actually. I got something pretty awesome from the machine the other day, and I've been meaning to show it off to you...

[ She quickly reaches into her pocket and pulls out a certain little white spray bottle, for Mira to take a look at and inspect while Ema chews on another Swedish fish.

LUMINOL: Chemi-luminescence Forensic Test for Detection of Trace Amounts of Blood. This is only a presumptive test for blood. It will not discriminate between human and non-human species. Analytical testing should follow to characterize sample origin.]

It's the ultimate tool of the trade. The whole reason I wanted my bag back so badly was because this baby was in it. ...And my munchies, of course, but that's neither here nor there...

[philoxenia]

I would love to see something cool.

[ And she'll take that little bottle, looking it over. ]

Oh! I bet it was an amazing surprise to get it back. [ And it'll be incredible in investigations, she thinks. She hands the bottle back, and then-- ]

You still haven't found your snackoos?

[ Tragic. ]

[snackooed]

If I did, you'd be the first to know, I promise. I did make a deal with you, didn't I? And that aside, even if you were all the way in here, you'd be able to hear me from the vending machine room, I'm pretty sure.

[ Maybe she was downplaying how much of a fanatic she can be over them in the first week... ]

But anyway, I can give you a little demonstration, if you want. Kind of like a magic trick? Do you remember how I told you that those incredibly stylish glasses of yours have a secret? It has to do with this.