FINAL INVESTIGATION

[umbralant]

FINAL INVESTIGATION

Time continues to pass. And before long, it's the end of the week once again. Maybe it feels strange to call it that when there's such little sense of time besides the changing phases of the moon, and maybe the exact day doesn't even matter to you anymore. But regardless of the day, regardless of the month, regardless of the year, one thing is certain:

The time for preparations is over.

Because as the moon in the sky shines blood red, it becomes clear that all of the fog and the tremors were nothing but omens for what was to come.

And so, on Friday morning, Survivors will find themselves waking up to the sensation of energy practically buzzing through the air, prickling and tingling on skin like static electricity. Those who venture outside will also find that the fog that's creeped up in the recent days has been dispelled entirely, which includes the impassable kind that once hid a number of the buildings. Despite this, the tremors themselves do not lessen, and in fact, the earth itself seems to be vibrating with this energy as well.

The feeling will only get worse as the day progresses, and those who have been marked by the manifestations may feel more restless than normal.

The clock is ticking and there are some new areas to explore. No one's coming to save you, so there's nothing to do but to save yourselves, right?

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[umbralant]

[ Nothing looks trapped! Guess the Lady doesn't want to get caught on one of her own contraptions when she wakes up at 4am for milk and cookies. Assuming she eats those, which she does now. Checking on the doors will reveal ornate stately rooms, with high vaulted ceilings and expensive art on the walls, but it doesn't look very lived in. In fact the rooms look like they haven't been touched in a while, a thin layer of dust visible upon closer inspection.

The real interesting stuff doesn't seem to be on the main floor at least. Which leaves you with two options: the grand staircase that spirals upward, or the lone door that opens up into a stone passage with steps heading down. Which one will it be? ]

[drydrown]

[...]

Well, I imagine both of these are going to lead somewhere horrid.

[In other words, like hell if he's making this particular call. Tell them, Naegi.]

[psychophant]

Oh, absolutely.

[gods fine, give naegi a moment to think...]

We do need to move quickly, but it's best for the three of us to stick together. The castle itself seems abandoned, but that doesn't mean it is. I believe starting with the basement is best. Are you both in agreement?

[inordertobelieve]

[ Mikami's been taking great care to examine the rooms they pass without touching any dust and it's probably looked kind of funny, but he's here now, for this choice, and... ]

... if anything it sounds like the basement would be worse. So let's get it over with swiftly.

[ He'll get out the gun now just in case. Basement time it is. ]

[drydrown]

The basement will be fine. Do you want me to go see if there's light down there?

[Seeing as he won't need it.]

[psychophant]

You should lead the way, given your combat experience and Sonui. I have a lantern [helpfully holds it up!!] and I'm sure Teru Mikami is prepared, but it would be best for you to scout ahead.

[inordertobelieve]

[ Is he? Is he prepared? He's not going to correct this impression even if it feels vastly incorrect.

So he shall just stay silent and get in whatever passes for an exploring formation. ]

[drydrown]

Do avenge me if something eats me.

[All right, then, let's...go downstairs, he's got his sword with him and he's keeping it drawn and swear to fuck, he hates basements. Basements are where the weird people keep their torture pits and feed children to monsters and generally leave gore strewn about, and the Lady is so Ragou-tier weird. So here's hoping this basement is not also Ragou-tier weird.

First question: is there light down here?
Second question: what are we looking at(/what is he looking at even if there isn't light down here)? is it a gorefest. are there lizards.]

[umbralant]

[ A'scouting Cumore will go. The basement is not lit, so sending the Sonui is a good choice. It's also a decent ways down because Antumbra clearly wants all of survivor pool to get their steps in today. The stairs open up to a large room, ostensibly a dungeon at some point given it's cobbled rock floors and walls.

From what Cumore can make out with his echolocation, there's several workbenches with items on top. Notably there's no signs of lizards, or a gorefest. Phew. ]

[drydrown]

[Just. Over to the damn stairwell we go, then.]

It's a dungeon because of course it is! Bring light down here, it looks like she was using it for something else, I have no idea what.

[psychophant]

[Down we go!! Give us a moment to make it down here with light!!]

I don't know what else you expected...

[castle basements are always dungeons, aren't they??? Anyway, now that we've got some light down here, can we get a better idea of how many workbenches there are and what's on the closest ones?]

[umbralant]

[ There's two benches, one of which has a device of some kind, in the light it looks like it could be some kind of gauge but you'll need to look closer. On the other bench is something you're all exceedingly familiar with, skala! Or more accurately, a giant pile of skala.

Next to the scala is a blender. And while you're here, there's scuff marks on the floor surrounding the benches which track back to the stairs. ]

[inordertobelieve]

So that's... where we got our sludge.

[ Presumably? BUT WHY????

Mikami is going to leave that to Iago, who is an expert by now, and approach the device instead. What's its general shape etc? What's going on here? ]

[umbralant]

[ Why indeed, if only manager bats cared about their customer service rating. But onto the device! The device looks like a giant gauge with with a screen on the front (currently turned off) and a space on the bottom where it looks like you could insert something.

Notably there's no wires of any sort, but there is a power button in the corner.]

[inordertobelieve]

[ Does the bottom space seem the right side for Skala?]

[umbralant]

[ It can fit Skala, yes! It's a little larger than that, so you could jam other things into there as well. Going to try? ]

[inordertobelieve]

[ Yep. He's going to grab a few Skala from the table and insert one, then press power. Let's see.]

moves this here instead!!

[psychophant]

[deadeyeing the skala.........]

Why.

[But fine, apparently he's an expert now, so while Mikami's checking out the device, he'll go poke the skala! Is it exactly the same skala we're all used to? Is there anything else off about it?]

[umbralant]

[ It's the same skala you're used to, just a whole bunch of it. But seeing as he's poking the skala, moving it aside reveals a crumpled up piece of paper all the way at the bottom of the pile. ]

[psychophant]

[Oh boy, more paper!! What does it say? While we're at it, is the handwriting familiar? He's already found one of the Lady's notes before, he can definitely pick her handwriting out!! And of course, the most important question of all: what color is the ink!!!!!]

[umbralant]

[ Bingo, it's the Lady's handwriting, in black ink!: ]

Having to make a way of sustenance for someone like Ulquiorra is a challenge, but I believe I got the right combination of ingredients, these skala being the main component. This should have all the spiritual qualities he requires. That was interesting to work on -- he better be grateful.

[ Endgame spoilers: he was not grateful. ]

[drydrown]

[So for the sake of efficiency and because he imagines he can't 100% get away with just standing here looking cute, what kind of scuff marks are we looking at? Like something was dragged across the floor? Like some kind of substance...?]

[umbralant]

[ With this party it's a possibility. The scuff marks look like things were dragged, yes! They're dirt scuff marks with sharp edges that vary in size, from big to small. Taken together, it seems like someone moved a pile of boxes from this room somewhat recently. ]

[drydrown]

[He'd get away with it, but Mikami would judge.

But all right. If the boxes were heavy enough to warrant dragging and left marks, and then were presumably brought up the stairs, well...RIP to the Lady's back? That said, are there still any boxes in here, or were they all cleared out?]

[umbralant]

[ All cleared out unfortunately, but hey now you know where her weak spot is. There's nothing else to see around, so it might be look cute time-- or he could venture upstairs. ]