Third Investigation

[airlockedmods]

[The incentive this week was a pretty intense one. But spirits seemed high at yesterday's party - even Blaze Dudely participated, albeit in a weird, oblique and pretty Mozu-centric way. Maybe this Friday will be different from the last two?

Everything seems quiet, at least.]

Comments

[induality]

[Cool! So what if we move to the Mess Hall? Surely fine here too...]

[power_of_dominance]

[Everyone's probably exhausted after the nightmare that is this particular Friday. Five bodies. Five. The thought that it might be the work of a single person is sickening, but equally horrible is the thought that there could be more than one killer still among them. How many more will be gone by Saturday night?

Seeing Toko brings a sense of relief that she's still alive. He promised he would protect her, and if she'd been among the dead today Soma's pretty sure he would've freaked out. There isn't time to talk to her while everyone is investigating, but he catches her afterwards, when they're headed back to their cells. A hand settles on her shoulder.]

Toko? I....

[induality]

[Fukawa feels drained in a way she's never been before. So many people... so many people died today. In Hope's Peak there had been a rule-- you couldn't kill more than two people. So five victims isn't something she's ever had to face. Mako... Cheryl... John... Apollo... even Rideaux. It leaves her feeling numb, hurting in a way the other trials hadn't made her feel yet.

Lost in her thoughts she jumps a little bit when she's approached. But when she realizes who it is, she relaxes a little-- albeit fidgety.]

...wh-what is it?

[power_of_dominance]

[It's hard to see her like this, on top of the others' fatigue, Pyrrha's grief, everything compounded into barbs that stick into his heart and leave him feeling just as drained as Fukawa. He looks down at her with concern-- no, fear-- in his gray eyes.]

... I was afraid you were dead. I kept hearing shouting and screaming, I knew they were finding people, and the damned announcement just wouldn't go live....

[He's not used to being this rattled. They still have a killer to find, but all he wants is to find an escape pod, load everyone into it, and get the hell out even if it means taking said killer with them.]

You have no idea how glad I was when you showed up. Five people are dead and I'm still glad you're not one of them. It's selfish, but... I made you a promise, after all.

[induality]

...I'm fine. Really.

[At least in the sense that she's not dead. The rest is obviously a facade of strength-- no small part because she fells like she needs to be. At least for Pyrrha. And for Mako who'd believed in her for some inexplicable reason. So... even if it hurts. Well, she's alive. And she has to stay that way.]

I made a promise too-- t-to someone very important to me. I'm not going to die here, n-no matter what they try to do to me. There are people I have to go back to...

[She... really wishes she could see them right now. Komaru... Byakuya... even stupid Hagakure and the bimbo swimmer Aoi.]

I'm... glad you're okay.... too.

[It bothers her when she thinks how many other people there are that she doesn't want to lose. And the possibility of something happening to them is becoming greater...]

[power_of_dominance]

[He knows she's struggling. What can he offer her to give her even a little more strength when she sorely needs it?

Maybe it's not much. Maybe it's everything. But either way, it's all he has right now.

His hug is warm, not too loose and not too tight, smelling of soap and rosemary.]

[induality]

[She can count the number of hugs she's given people on her fingers. She was never much of a physical affection person. Well-- not much of an affection person at all. But then Komaru, Pyrrha... what's one more?

Oh right. This is an attractive guy, one that's tested her this whole time. Her chest feels tight.

This is it. This is how she dies.]

[power_of_dominance]

[Oh god, is she stiff and unsure? Did he cross a line? He backs off a bit from the hug, though he still has his arms around her back. Yup, he's blushing too.]

S-- sorry... that was pretty forward, wasn't it? I know Japanese people don't do the casual touch thing and you're more nervous about it than most, but you looked like you needed it. And... I wanted to do it, too.

[induality]

[Ah-- she worried him. Guh... someone does something nice for her and she still manages to mess it up. Still-- it' only takes her a few seconds to quickly shake her head.]

No it's... f-fine. I...

[Part of her head is sharply reminding her that she was just talking about Byakuya-sama. That she's entertaining disaster. Love triangles only work in silly otome games. But the other isn't ready to admit that.

...and that's ignoring what Syo would say.

Gurrrhh....]

I want you to make me a promise. No matter what-- promise me that you haven't... and will not kill anyone here. [Embarrassing--] B...because how else am I supposed to introduce you to the Future Foundation...

[It sounded a lot less embarrassing in her head.]

[power_of_dominance]

[She wants him to live. She doesn't want him to be tainted by murder. With all that's happened, promising that feels like courting disaster, but Soma wants to think he's better than whatever motives Blaze concocts. Fukawa needs something to believe in.]

I promise.

[He can't be a liar. She needs to believe in him, because he's going to save Mina from the castle and then he's going to help Fukawa fix her world.]