First Investigation

[airlockedmods]

[It's been five days since the Champions woke up in the space station, and three days since Bolton's first incentive. And this morning, like the day of the incentive, Bolton is not in the library for his morning office hours. Unlike the day of the incentive, there is no breakfast being served either. The space station is still open for the champions' exploration, but there's something eerie about the suspension of routine, like unfinished business hanging in the air.

The Art Room door is ajar. Maybe someone's channeling their inner art student and pulling an all-nighter...?]

Comments

[bylight]

[Nope. After that body announcement Lightning is a little too wound up to join that little freak out party. Better to get away from people.

Which lands her in front of Chitanda's room.

So... let's go in. Anything immediately off?

[damnfourthemerald]

[The kitchen is the obvious first place to look, and hopefully the lists made will help people figure out what's missing. And the art room is chaotic right now with all the people. Bolton's announcement is...bothering him, too.

He sees Lightning go into what must be Chitanda's room and follows suit. He only looks at her, not even a nod of solidarity, because this is...

Hn. Bad news is what it is. What he immediately goes for is the trunk. Is the key to her trunk still by the door?]

[bylight]

[It's very much appreciated that he comes in without saying anything. There's not a lot keeping her together at the moment. :'D]

[airlockedmods]

[Chitanda's room is quite clean. It looks almost identical to the way all the rooms did when you first arrived here. The only personal effects left are near the bed and the trunk.

Investigate?]

[bylight]

[Lightning will hit up the bed since Shadow is going for the trunk.

Is there anything on the floor by the bed?]

[airlockedmods]

[There's a small piece of paper and some folded cranes by the bedside.

Read the paper?]

[bylight]

[DEF PICKING THAT UP AND READING THAT PAPER]

[airlockedmods]

[Here you are.]

[bylight]

[..... Oh. Well. That. LIGHTNING IS GONNA KEEP THAT AND A CRANE AND LEAVE THIS ROOM NOW]

[curdle]

[ She cannot go into that room, but she must do something. She must. The thought of a shroud comes to her, but she has used her own sheets already. The nearest source is probably...

So here she is! Thomasin clears her throat before walking in, very hesitantly indeed. ]

I... [ if u thought she overused ellipses before, this is ten times worse. ] After you are done... I thought I might take the bedclothes for a winding-sheet, to [ GULP ] cover her. I'll away if you think not.

[ She doesn't consider the fact that the condition of Chitanda's bed might matter to the case until she gets there. It's probably not relevant, but has it been slept in? ]

[airlockedmods]

[The bed is still made. So no, not slept in.]

[damnfourthemerald]

...That sounds like a kindness. We'll let you know when we're done, so long as they aren't important for figuring out who did this. [Doesn't seem like it so far but you NEVER KNOW.]

[damnfourthemerald]

[Investigate? >Y
What's there by the trunk, since Lightning's got the bed? Is there anything in the trunk?]

[airlockedmods]

[There are two folded sheets of paper sitting on top of the trunk. They aren't addressed to anyone here, but they aren't exactly sealed up, so...]

[damnfourthemerald]

[Welp, the dead don't need their privacy or their papers anymore, so what do they say?]

[airlockedmods]

[I can do you one better: here is the first and the second.]

[damnfourthemerald]

[Well. That's...really optimistic and hopeful to be writing letters to people they can't likely contact but. One is in cursive and one in print. It's probably just a difference of respect--the letter to parents is more subdued and less enthusiastic. But still, to make sure, the handwriting between them is the same? Is there anything else on them, any kind of stain of paint or tearstain or blotch of ink that shows up when you press down but don't write, etc?]

[refusedtoleave]

[Natsuhi can't see much of the room from where she's stood outside of it. But she has a good view of the door, anything off there? No small items or markings?]

[refusedtoleave]

[Natsuhi had been waiting by the showers to get in as soon as the water was on.

The annocuncment scrapped that plan. So, she'd started heading back to the cafeteria, where most of the others would be. Which means she has to go straight past Chitanda's room. Noticing the others already there, she winces. And heads to join them.]

Is it true?

[bylight]

[Lightning looks back at Natsuhi, gritting her teeth.]

What do you think?

[It comes out almost like a hiss accompanied by a glare.]

[refusedtoleave]

[Her shoulders slump, and looks passed Lighting to see into the room.]

She's so...young... I don't believe someone would actually do this...

[She's not sure what more to say. So she takes a breath.]

Is she in there? [Natsuhi hadn't even looked at the p.i.p]

[bylight]

[Natsuhi looks as defeated as Lightning feels.]

No. She was killed in the art room.

[refusedtoleave]

[She glances that way.]

All the way down there? I'm assuming it's obvious that someone did it and it isn't an accident... You've seen her, haven't you?

[bylight]

I wouldn't... If she was in here, I wouldn't let anyone in here that doesn't know how to deal with a body.

[Won't mention that she would have bailed. She doesn't want to let anyone know that.]

[refusedtoleave]

There are peo- Ah Doctor... [He's the only person she can think of.]

All of us should meet somewhere, and make sure that everyone else is present.