CHAPTER 5 ; MINGLE

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... CHAPTER 526 Narrators Remain ; Now, what are the odds that this week will be as quiet as the last one? … look, we have to at least humor the idea, don’t we? The rumbling that awakens Narrators on this lovely Monday morning is – larger. It’s louder, it’s more intense, and it lasts longer, like one final shove. Once it concludes, the castle is quiet, almost tired in its stillness. Should anyone wander into the dining hall this week, they will find that none of the tapestries burn up in true testament that no ink had been spilt and no Narrators have left us. Should you choose to explore the grounds and find the new additions to the castle – you’ll likely be surprised to say the very least. In the interest of recreation, the pumpkin patch has been opened – and you’re more than welcome to see if you fare better in a pumpkin carriage better than our Cinderella did. What’s the harm in giving it a try? Or if you’re more interested in paying your respects, the shrines of the Tiger and the Dragon are both open. Shall you see what happens if you try to leave an offering? You know what they say – nothing ventured, nothing gained. Or maybe you’ll find your friends. Your dearly departed, delightfully preserved friends in the morgue. Reunions always bring a tear to the eye, don’t they? As if the sky mourns with you, Narrators will find that on Tuesday afternoon, it will begin to rain. It pours and it pours and it pours… and it will show no sign of stopping until Friday evening. Plan accordingly. Stay dry. Finally, partners had best get comfortable with the idea of touching into the spirit of generosity. They'll feel compelled to be kind to their partner, including possibly making or giving them a present. Isn't that just the sweetest? This feeling will dwell until the beginning of Thursday night's curfew. Welcome to Week 5, everyone! Hopefully you all enjoyed your break week and are ready for your regularly scheduled murder! We would also like to remind players to submit all of their Chapter 4 PCs and new PCs at the Private Conversations page and review the weekly ooc notes for important details in the castle. Something exciting will be arriving on Wednesday, July 11th so keep your eyes peeled for that as well. full navigation. locations taken (statuses) stories (profiles) info & faq wishing well private conversations

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[randori]

i. Tuesday
[ It's raining, but that's no reason why Natsuo stays indoors. He's out there in the rain, soaked to the bone even with a jacket on— the waterproof tag that is a lie. He hangs around the wishing well, staring into the depths of it with his elbows propped up on the edge, one foot digging into the muddy ground surrounding the stone.

He seems to be talking to himself, but the rain drowns out much of the noise, and the mud silences any footfalls that signal an approach. Anybody that encrouches on his periphery is met with a exaggerated startle on Natsuo's part- or maybe he's just nervous, heart pounding and hands clapping together to snap himself out of it, forced grin on his face as he shouts over the torrent of rain. ]

I can show you a magic trick! Want to see?

ii. Wednesday
[ He's been coming in and out a lot, mud and rainwater tracked in from outside all the way up to the second floor— the tailor's in specific, the one room aside from maybe the kitchen where you really don't want there to be a mess.

Natsuo doesn't touch any of the clothes inside, but he is picking out a fair amount of spools of thread, mostly white but the occasional shade of red or yellow or purple. A bundle of flowers has been stuck in his back pocket, dripping rain onto the ground wherever he turns, but it's fine? People get murdered in these rooms and they're apparently self-cleaning, so it's fine. ]

iii. any day
[ If he ignores the blood, it almost seems as if most of them are simply asleep. There are certain cases he visits, mumbling under his breath as he pauses near Rapunzel's, Sandalphon's, Gi-gan's... but others he stands in front of in complete silence. Dave's. Monika's. Yasusada's. Silence and a glower on his face, a trembling fist that's halfway to smashing itself into the glass, no respect for the dead. ]

...it's final, huh? You can't write to me like this...

iv. Thursday
[ Maybe he's the only person who actually likes the pupper theater, but. Here he is. Or, at least, here someone is, if you're outside and find the door closed, the clanging of metal and the smell of smoke filtering through underneath the door. It's hard to force the door open, but once it does unstick, the spotlight on the stage dims and all the puppets fall to the ground- all 38 of them- as if your presence is the plague.

Natsuo, for his part, sits in the very front row of the seats, knees drawn up and arms hugging his legs, and he doesn't even turn when the play is interrupted; he simply lifts and arm and gives a vague wave: close the door and let the show continue. ]

wc.
[ For all your pc needs, I'm at birdseed! ]

tuesday

[vigilantics]

[ stephanie was already outside when it started raining, and she stayed huddled in the stables to wait it out. once it becomes obvious that the rain isn't actually going to let up any time soon though, she decides she'll have to bite the bullet and try to. make her way back over to the castle.

slowly. this is a little difficult.

when natsuo yells out to her, she blinks in surprise. ]

What kind of trick?

[randori]

A magic trick!

[ Like that explains anything. He trots on over to her, because it's not like the well provides very much shelter from the rain anyways, unless you're leaning way over the edge, but he also looks Steph up and down a little, as if appraising something. ]

It doesn't work for everybody, though, and I can't do it empty handed. To make the magic work, I need to borrow something from you. Something really really important— I'll give it right back!

[vigilantics]

Something important...?

[ she frowns, thinking. ]

Does it have to be something small? You can take a crutch.

[ it's important because she needs it to walk. ]

[randori]

Something small would be easier, but... I guess "important" is what really matters. You're really okay with me taking this for a bit?

[ It's really really important, like she said, kind of like a lifeline she shouldn't let Natsuo handle so casually, if she's smart. ]

[vigilantics]

[ there's a long pause, before she takes something off her finger.

it's the red string he gave her week one. ]

iii, Tuesday

[disclosures]

[She doesn't like being in here, but she's spotted Natsuo. Leaving him alone with a bunch of dead bodies seems like a very poor idea. So she follows him in, looking at filled glass cases.]

Were you trying?

[randori]

[ He lets his hand drop when he hears Rebecca's voice, shoving his fist deep into his pants pocket so he can dig his nails into his palm instead. ]

I did. I wrote letters, even though I felt sort of stupid doing it. But not everybody responded— how are they supposed to like this?

[ This isn't the "other side" he'd envisioned at all. Though, he didn't have a clear idea of what that other side was, anyways, just sort of a vague... not here. ]

[disclosures]

[She watches him carefully before moving to his side and putting a hand on his shoulder. Does this work for comforting? She doesn't know, it might help her, but she doesn't know about him.]

I don't know. I don't know what the Other Side is supposed to be like.

[randori]

[ It's something and that something helps; the touch is grounding, at least, his shoulders slumping a little as he tries to let go of the tension. ]

As long as it's not painful, that would be good.

Tuesday

[concasse]

[Sanji, for his part, looks like he's ready to duck away and allow Natsuo privacy. The wishing well is that kind of place, isn't it, where you want to keep your secrets to yourself.

Of course, the moment he's caught and attacked with that comment, Sanji scratches the side of his face, looking a shade guilty but curious nonetheless.]

Tch, alright... show me.

[randori]

[ It's that sort of place, but Natsuo pushes away from the well immediately when he sees Sanji, stepping forward so he can't escape. ]

Alright! For this trick, I need one of your kitchen knives.

[concasse]

[... I mean.

Sanji's got one in his jacket, and pulls it out.

Doesn't give it to Natsuo yet]

You... sure you need this?

[randori]

[ Natsuo isn't surprised at all if Sanji keeps all the ones he's found so far on him, tucking them away under his pillow at night, etc. ]

Mmhmm. It's important to you, right? So it has to be that.

ii

[nivation]

[ Kyouka notices his trail and follows it, as detectives do(n't). She stands in the doorway but doesn't go in. ]

Natsuo?

[ The unspoken, obvious questions is what are you doing? ]

[randori]

[ Natsuo whips around, a couple of spools falling out of his hands and onto the ground, unraveling as they roll to a stop by Kyouka's feet, the rest he tries to hide belatedly behind his back, but the motion also just. causes more to fall. ]

Kyouka! Hello!

[nivation]

[ Kyouka kneels down to pick up the spools of thread. She doesn't offer them back just yet. ]

Are you trying to make something?

iii

[doublecrows]

[. . . a heavy hand, gloved as always, comes to rest on his shoulder]

[randori]

[ And he startles, feeling more and more like the jumpy rabbit on his tapestry with each passing week, but he settles down just as quickly too when he sees who it is. ]

Goro-chan... [ He doesn't know whether he can seek comfort in Akechi or not, so he decides on business, rubbing the heel of his hand over his eyes and bringing them back dry. It's business. ]

You're here to figure stuff out too, right?

[doublecrows]

[all business is just fine for Akechi who, although he's gotten used to Natsuo's feelings, is still much better at avoiding them]

I am.

Though I'm not sure what can be learned by staring at all of these corpses.

[randori]

Something we missed. I bet there's something here.

[ He lays the palms of his hands flat on Hijikata's case, letting them rest there for all of two seconds before they ball into fists. More and more people that they never figured out who killed them, why, how. ]

It's important, I think, to figure everything out. Otherwise it'll be dangerous.

morgue, idkkkkk monday

[londonstar]

[ waver doesn't want to visit the morgue. not because he has an aversion to the dead, but he doesn't feel the need to see them to remember the painful emotions that came with their deaths.

but he decides to go at least once, if only to pay his respects for those fallen. those they failed.

seeing natsuo, however, fills him with sadness. a child like him should not be in such a horrible place. ]

That is not true. Many people see the body as no more than a vessel for the soul. As long as the soul exists...no death is final.

[randori]

[ If he believes in reincarnation, he might have taken comfort in that. But for Natsuo, the body is the person- the body is what can take somebody's hand, what can smile, what can laugh. A soul is intangible and mysterious, and he has a hard time believing in something he cannot see or know. ]

Maybe... but they're not alive, either. I can't be satisfied with just ghosts.

[londonstar]

Well, that's why we're working so hard, no?

[ waver isn't satisfied with ghosts either. they're definitely real, but they're not the same as the having their physical presence. ]

I'm not telling you to be satisfied. But I'm telling you to not consider this final.

[randori]

[ It's hard not to feel the finality of the situation when there's a dozen dead bodies sitting right in front of them. ]

I guess... I worked really hard last week, but nothing towards getting all of those to stop, or figuring out how to be smarter about all of this. That sort of thing is frustrating, isn't it? "Spinning one's wheels in place."