CHAPTER 7 ; INVESTIGATION

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... CHAPTER 7 - WEEK 7??? Narrators Remain ; The clock begins to chime, and on the first note, curfew lifts. Your doors swing open, whether you are ready or not. Leaving your room is a blur. The person you fell asleep beside — are they still there? Have they vanished? Were they ever there at all? You can't seem to recall clearly. What you are most aware of is the pervading sense of wrongness in the air, and how you can't hear anything but the chime of the clock. Even the sounds of your own voice and your own footsteps do not reach your ears. By the time the time the clock strikes nine, you know one thing to be true: blood has been spilt. Search the castle carefully — you wouldn't want to miss a single important detail, would you...? Welcome to this week's investigation post! This time, the mods will be providing top-levels for you to search. Please note the Locations page for your reference. Evidence — or lack thereof — will be noted in these threads. We ask that group threads consist of no more than 1-2 characters. After the discovery of the body (or bodies) and any pertinent evidence, an IC announcement concluding the investigation will go up. You are then free to make your own toplevels on this post for any threads you would like to have between the end of the investigation and the start of the trial. If you have any questions, please ask on our Discord server or ping us on plurk. Please direct pings to Britt (bloodthirstiest) and Danielle (entrappings), as they will be taking point on this investigation! Instructions on this week's investigation can be found in a pin in the General chat! full navigation. locations taken (statuses) stories (profiles) info & faq wishing well private conversations

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JOUSTING GROUNDS

[themodsgrimm]

To the southeast of the castle lies the jousting grounds. Stakes and ropes form a jousting ring with pennants flying from every corner, marking out a field about a hundred and forty feet long. Seating encircles the area so that Narrators may watch matches, with a covered tent shielding two gilded chairs from the sun at the head of the ring, placed so that VIPs may have a prime view of the center where two knights would face off.

And speaking of the center of the ring, there's something vaguely body-shpaped in the center of it...

Further southeast lies the stable, but it doesn't look like anyone's gone in there recently.

[axilium]

[hmm.]

[doublecrows]

[hmmmm]

Good morning, Belph-san.

[a pleasant morning greeting]

[themodsgrimm]

[A pleasant morning greeting indeed! It's almost like there's not a body in the center of the ring.]

[axilium]

[...

he just stares. HOLD ON, BODY, THERE'S SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT.]

Oh, did you manage to win? I wasn't expecting that.

[doublecrows]

[smiles at Belph, one of his perfectly innocent detective prince smiles, and begins to stroll forward]

Haha. . . you could say we came to an agreement, actually.

[axilium]

... Well, I can't say I'm too surprised. There was a decided lack of enthusiasm in the idea of killing you, after all.

[but he'll follow after akechi.]

[doublecrows]

[almost wryly]

Much to my surprise.

[themodsgrimm]

[The body lays there, motionless. As they get closer, they can see it's wearing dark clothing and seems to be holding onto a sword.]

[axilium]

At least this means I don't have to carry out your last request. That would've been a pain, you know?

[unless akechi suddenly gets stabbed now because that's actually not out of the question.

... anyway, let's examine the body. who's dead. why isn't it me.]

[doublecrows]

You were the one who asked me for advice on how to proceed.

[he lets Belph pull ahead of him, trailing behind as they approach the body. his expression, formerly pleasant and cheery, grows somber]

[themodsgrimm]

[The body is clad in purple and grey clothing, and there are definitely too many belts. That can't be comfortable.

Still, despite the discomforting outfit -

The expression on the corpse's face is almost peaceful.]

[axilium]

I said, "Good luck", not "Hey, Akechi, I want to be responsible for looking after anyone who'd flip if you died—"

[.............. UH.

belph pauses, because what the hell.]

[doublecrows]

[. . .]

[ah. hm. despite this discovery, Akechi still stands quite a ways away, staring at the corpse with that forlorn expression. it's rueful, but still mirrors the peace displayed on the gray-and-purple clad corpse's body]

Ah, yes. . . that's right. I have somewhere to be. Can you take it from here, Belph-san?

[themodsgrimm]

[The body continues to lie there, motionless.]

[axilium]

[...

belph just presses a hand against his head, looking increasingly exasperated.]

Damn it, detective. [...] Fine. You know I will.

[doublecrows]

[there's no verbal response]

[Akechi's smile returns, lifts one hand to smooth out the wrinkles of his tie, and gives Belph a two-fingered wave. a brisk gust rushes through the jousting grounds, and just like that. . .]

[. . . his figure disintegrates into a series of gold sparkles, scattered by the wind]

[themodsgrimm]

[So, like, yeah. Goro Akechi is dead.]

[axilium]

[well. anyway.

belph stands there for a moment, wondering what the hell just happened.

... then, he turns around and walks away BECAUSE WHAT'S EVEN THE FUCKIN POINT IN INVESTIGATING

BYE]

[themodsgrimm]

[bye belph!]