FIFTH INVESTIGATION

[whimsicalism]

INVESTIGATION

After Thursday night, there are a few unexpected emotions injected into the atmosphere of Ira Academy: longing, determination...perhaps even hope, for some. After everything that's been learned and shared between realms, some students may even find themselves believing that victory can be achieved without any more death. Maybe there's just one more investigation, one more puzzle, one more piece of missing context left to find before the way forward is clear.

There's no shaking the knowledge of past patterns, however, and the morning brings with it a familiar apprehension. Ira Academy itself may not have gotten the memo about the shift in vibes. It's a dreary pseudo-fall morning like the week before, ushering in a bleak and eerily silent day as the students rise one by one to find what's in store for them this time. Many have said it by now - bad things happen on Thursday nights, and no amount of hearing the voice of a lost companion over an old touchtone phone can completely erase that experience.

Though your numbers are fewer now than they ever have been, the school is so much bigger than it was during your first week at Ira Academy. The extra amount ground makes it all the easier to recognize just how many of you there no longer are to cover it. The five vast floors of the school, now under new management, wait for someone to see if Kakuya's incentive forced another participant to play along - best get exploring to find what secrets are out there.

Locations | IC Profiles | IC Rules | Week Five

Comments

[shinedsobright]

[HE'LL........... SMELL TEST IT.

He is 90% sure it isn't chocolate.]

[whimsicalism]

[Wise man whose career will not be ruined today.

That sure is blood on that ice cream scoop.

Surely another vending machine will have snacks instead, right? There's another one conveniently nearby.]

[shinedsobright]

Oof. Killers!! Ya nasty.

[PUTTING IT IN A BAG.

But yeah if they're gonna corrupt one snack machine they could likely continue. What is behind door number 2!?]

[whimsicalism]

[Score! The receptacle on this machine also has a free gift for Fret!

He had better be careful to not hurt himself while digging around like he's trying to pull out the last Almond Joy, though... It's a knife.

And it's not chocolate sauce on the blade here, either.]

[shinedsobright]

[WHY ARE YOU LEAVING KNIVES AT THE SNACK STORE!?!?!

Is it the kind of knife they get out of the gacha sometimes, like the one he just rolled? Or some other knife?]

[whimsicalism]

[Upon closer inspection, this looks like a general purpose kitchen knife from downstairs.

Luckily, there are no more vending machine surprises to be had today. Fret has successfully cleared this area.]

this is a goof but i'm saying it's a canon goof.

[imprefect]

[..Just in time for Nanami to emerge from her room to find him out here clutching two bloody utensils.]

1/2

[shinedsobright]

[oh no, he's been caught Fret-handed!! I mean the scoop is in a bag so he's clearly investigating but still!]

Uh... this... this is...

[shinedsobright]

[FRET!! IS INVESTIGATING!!]

This is Channel Nana News, bringing you the Big Scoop on the Likely Murder Weapon!

Witness who lives near the scene, did you hear anything last night?

[imprefect]

... What.

[Nanami's eyelashes flutteras she bats them in slow surprise for a couple of moments.]

I didn't hear anything before the announcement this morning. [Because of course even she can't get away from Kakuya whispering to her now...] My room is soundproofed like all the bedrooms.

- More importantly, you! Why are you holding a bloody knife outside my room?!

[shinedsobright]

It was in the vending machine. Like when you buy a snack and they give you a bonus snack as a prize.... except I didn't buy anything.

[Fret pauses.]

Wait, she tells you the announcements!? Does that mean you got a motive too?

[imprefect]

[She makes a grossed out face.] From the way you're describing it, it's not like all the stuff you all keep saying comes out of that other machine. Someone... really must have come up here while I was sleeping and hid those!

[She looks more grossed out! And more creeped out!]

... I've been getting them for a while now. [Lest he forget she starved alongside them a few weeks ago.]

[shinedsobright]

Right, exactly, these are the normal vending machines! Why would they leave it HERE?

[He remembers. It could have been a one-time thing to ensure she wouldn't smuggle them food. But now he has confirmation.]

I got it! Someone tried to frame you!

[imprefect]

W-w-what?! But that's ridiculous! Why would anyone do something like that?

[shinedsobright]

They wanted to set up... the Prefect Crime!

[imprefect]

... Why, you!

[He had better make sure that knife gets securely flipped into its little plastic baggie if it isn't already, because after that Nanami is going to start chasing his ass down the hallways looking like she might strangle him should she make contact.]

[shinedsobright]

Aaaand I OOP!

[TIME TO SCRAMBLE he will just have to stuff the knife into the bag as he's running and hope he doesn't cut his finger off in the process.]