(Everyone processes things differently. Really, Claude isn't sure how he would react if he suddenly found a body in the woods.
... It would probably depend on who he was with, to be honest.
Anyway, he's figured out who else was in the forest with them and he's going to try to grab one of them to pick their brains but first, because he isn't a total jerk,)
I heard what happened. Sorry... that must have been real rough. You need a minute?
The color has yet to fully return to her cheeks, but she isn't actively freaking out at least. Mostly, she looks downtrodden as she shakes her head at him.]
I don't mind talking about it, but... [She didn't do a lot besides scream?] There isn't really a lot to tell. We can talk about whatever you'd like, though.
[Sometimes, you find a corpse and have to drop it off in evidence ASAP. It just be like that.]
(Ah, good, she accepted the invitation. Also I gues?? Maybe they're in the kitchen for the beginning of this? But he's jut going to get some water in a kettle going and make a beeline for the pantry to take out some chamomile. )
Did you know her?
(Just going to... get a feel for the relationship here before he really starts to poke.)
(HE'S TIRED he's beat and even after resting, he doesn't feel any better. He feels like he should just go back to sleep he's had enough rest and needs to pick up things again,)
Ah. (Sorry, he isn't exactly the most enthused right now but he's at least polite,) Sure. I can't talk for too long. Places to be, people to talk to... you know how it is.
(Everyone's gotta look out for each other after a bust like today.)
(He considers it, drawing out the silence and the wait a little longer than he really needs to. He just wants to see how she reacts. You can learn a lot about someone when they're put unde pressure or desperate...
And he turns heel and beckons for her to follow him towards the inn, up the staircase to his room. He doesn't open the door right away, keeping PHS hovering just out of range,)
I won't ask. (When she puts it that way, it's kind of hard to argue without making yourself look like a jerk,) And for me, that's a pretty big thing.
[She won't act particularly jittery, though she does bring her hands up to her chest, watching him expectantly. Almost like she thinks he will say yes out of goodness of his heart and nothing else. When he beckons for her to follow, she lets out a breath and smiles, going after him.]
That's alright. [She bows from the waist, politely.] Thank you so much, Claude-san! I promise I'll make it up to you.
[She absolutely does not expect him to cash it in for something shady. Oh, sweet, summer child.]
(SWEET SUMMER CHILD INDEED... It's always cute when a schemer like him meets someone who seems to earnest, though. It's kind of endearing, really.)
I expect it. (H a h) This is our secret.
(Another one to add to his pile and he lowers his PHS, letting the door unlock and steps aside for her.)
That one.
(He'll point to the one that is Kano's!! Just to make sure she doesn't go snooping into his own space. And he'll just hang out over by the door and watch her look for... whatever.)
gmail said claude has no rights bc i didn't get a notif for this
[It's fine. She will glance in the direction she's pointed to, and nod.]
Please, excuse me.
[Off she goes! Whatever it is she's looking for, it doesn't seem like she has to look around for very long. One glance as Kano's pod is all it takes before she's carefully scooting inside with both of her knees on the mattress, and leaning in to pluck something up. She slings her bag forward to shove it inside, and then closes it back up.
Moving out of the pod, she turns around to face Claude once more.]
I got it! Thank you, again.
[And she will vamoose unless he wants to say anything else to her.]
She turns to him when he speaks up, pausing in the middle of chopping up some ingredients. This is followed by her eyebrows shooting up as he closes the door, and she sets the (steak) knife down.]
What? [Kind of. Baffled. Her face twisting in confusion.] I'm sorry, Claude-san. Why would I have known any of this was going to happen?
I don't think you or Alex would give him any weapons but he definitely had... a collection that no one expected. (Of scalpels,) I just want to make sure that he didn't ask you to give her anything... interesting.
(HE CLOSES HIS EYES and have you ever seen a guy want to disappear on the spot so bad? It isn't the same aggravated pettiness or outright dislike from the weekend (or even... half of last week) but instead, he just looks
Embarrassed.)
Don't mention him. (There's no anger, no bitterness. Really, he's just embarrassed,) I don't know what happened.
(Ugh, he closes his book and sets it down on his lap,)
I almost wonder if someone used a stone on us... really, the two of us are fine now. I'm sorry for troubling for everyone so much. Really.
Please, don't apologize. I know what happened wasn't your fault.
[That said... She shifts a little, wringing her hand.]
Actually, I wanted to speak with you because I feel like you're owed an explanation. I asked around a little, and I think... I know what happened. And it wasn't a stone at all. [It's fine? It's fine.] Um, where to start...? Have you heard of someone receiving a strange message on Monday? Or have you received one yourself?
And here I was, planning on how to shake everyone down for their stones.
(SAYS THE GUY WHO... actually didn't answer the question at trial about his own stone, oops. But this is interesting and it helps him recover from his s h a m e,)
A message on Monday? (He tilts his head curiously to the side and sits up,) No. This is my first time hearing anything about this.
Well, Shima-san received a message like that last week. He couldn't describe it beyond saying it was a choice, and he didn't know what the end result would be, but he was asked to offer two names. So... He offered yours, and Hua Cheng-san's. That's why you were acting so strangely.
There was someone I was friends with. He kept mentioning it. It's nothing. (Like, actually, really nothing.) He probably didn't need much of a reason to target me but that's one connection, is all.
Do you know anything else about this message? ... Are other people getting messages?
I'm sorry, I don't know who they are. But I do have an idea of who was targeted by their actions. One was Shima-san, as unbelievable as that may sound, and another was a dear friend of mine. Though, I also suspect Kamiki-san's dream may have been the result of something similar.
So we have an effect that lasts multiple days (Hua Cheng and himself) and an effect that just occurs briefly at night.
(Izumo's dream.)
Soo-won was acting strange too, wasn't he? He had to carry that pillow around with him everywhere for awhile.
The week before that, Izumo couldn't say anything mean to anyone for a few days and... there were maybe some other effects. I wonder if it's all related. And where these messages are coming from, too?
Kamiki-san was affected the other week as well? [Well, that's a surprise.] I didn't notice anything strange until the trial, if I'm honest... But my guess is that this is another product of the Realm. Although, I can't imagine where this was all drawn from.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
WEEK 0, POST-INVESTIGATION
... It would probably depend on who he was with, to be honest.
Anyway, he's figured out who else was in the forest with them and he's going to try to grab one of them to pick their brains but first, because he isn't a total jerk,)
I heard what happened. Sorry... that must have been real rough. You need a minute?
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The color has yet to fully return to her cheeks, but she isn't actively freaking out at least. Mostly, she looks downtrodden as she shakes her head at him.]
It's okay... You don't have to leave.
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I was going to go make some tea. You know, a little something to calm the nerves?
(Except he seems to be fine but like... ok.)
If you wanna talk about what happened, we can. Or not if you'd rather have a distraction.
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I don't mind talking about it, but... [She didn't do a lot besides scream?] There isn't really a lot to tell. We can talk about whatever you'd like, though.
[Sometimes, you find a corpse and have to drop it off in evidence ASAP. It just be like that.]
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Did you know her?
(Just going to... get a feel for the relationship here before he really starts to poke.)
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We spoke a number of times, but we weren't close.
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Still, when we've only have each other and have only been here for a little while, something like this feels much closer.
(They were all supposed to get along and this will no doubt put a huge wedge in everyone's trust.)
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[And now there are even less, and it will soon be even worse.]
It's impossible to gain distance from it, even if we hadn't talked to her.
week one, saturday.
Claude-san! May I borrow a little of your time?
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Ah. (Sorry, he isn't exactly the most enthused right now but he's at least polite,) Sure. I can't talk for too long. Places to be, people to talk to... you know how it is.
(Everyone's gotta look out for each other after a bust like today.)
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[After, uh, you know. Screwing up so magnificently and sentencing his roommate to death. It's fine.]
I know this is a strange request. But, will you grant me access to your room? There's something I need to fetch.
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Now he's awake and his eyes look her up and down once and his eyes narrow some,)
And what would Kano have that you want to take?
(Because she sure isn't taking anything from him.)
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... It's not for me. He asked me to deliver something to Benedetto-san, as a favor.
[Since. He can't do it himself.]
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(Interesting.)
It depends. What is it? Given the circumstances, you understand I can't just let things come and go easily.
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[Everyone is suspicious now, regardless of whether she likes it or not.]
However, Kano-san requested some privacy. Um... I don't want to disregard his wishes after what we did to him.
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And he turns heel and beckons for her to follow him towards the inn, up the staircase to his room. He doesn't open the door right away, keeping PHS hovering just out of range,)
I won't ask. (When she puts it that way, it's kind of hard to argue without making yourself look like a jerk,) And for me, that's a pretty big thing.
(It's true!!)
... You owe me.
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That's alright. [She bows from the waist, politely.] Thank you so much, Claude-san! I promise I'll make it up to you.
[She absolutely does not expect him to cash it in for something shady. Oh, sweet, summer child.]
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I expect it. (H a h) This is our secret.
(Another one to add to his pile and he lowers his PHS, letting the door unlock and steps aside for her.)
That one.
(He'll point to the one that is Kano's!! Just to make sure she doesn't go snooping into his own space. And he'll just hang out over by the door and watch her look for... whatever.)
gmail said claude has no rights bc i didn't get a notif for this
Please, excuse me.
[Off she goes! Whatever it is she's looking for, it doesn't seem like she has to look around for very long. One glance as Kano's pod is all it takes before she's carefully scooting inside with both of her knees on the mattress, and leaning in to pluck something up. She slings her bag forward to shove it inside, and then closes it back up.
Moving out of the pod, she turns around to face Claude once more.]
I got it! Thank you, again.
[And she will vamoose unless he wants to say anything else to her.]
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But he'll let her go! No questions asked because it's time to move on with threads but he's gonna remember this, Sumi!!)
week one, sunday.
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(He says casually from the doorway. Looks like someone is here with a purpose though and he cuts right to it, closing the door behind him,)
I don't know how long we'll have to talk. (It's a pretty public area!!) So you should talk quickly before anyone else comes.
Did you know any of this was going to happen today?
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She turns to him when he speaks up, pausing in the middle of chopping up some ingredients. This is followed by her eyebrows shooting up as he closes the door, and she sets the (steak) knife down.]
What? [Kind of. Baffled. Her face twisting in confusion.] I'm sorry, Claude-san. Why would I have known any of this was going to happen?
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(Granted, it was to give something to Alex but,)
I want to know if any of that is related.
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He asked me to deliver one of his belongings to Benedetto-san. That's all.
[Fetch quest, like a true JRPG protag.]
Um... I'm not entirely sure I understand what you're thinking. But I don't think anyone knew Kano-san had weapons on him, or had the means to arm him.
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I don't think you or Alex would give him any weapons but he definitely had... a collection that no one expected. (Of scalpels,) I just want to make sure that he didn't ask you to give her anything... interesting.
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week three, tuesday.
Claude-san, are you busy?
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Hm? (He looks up, setting the book down,) No, you could say I'm taking a break right now.
(Even a nosy, meddlesome lord like himself neesd one once in awhile.)
What's up?
(She looks like?? She wants something?)
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Yoshizawa nods, clasping her hands in front of her.]
This may seem like a strange question, but how are you feeling today? In general, and... in regards to Hua Cheng-san?
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Embarrassed.)
Don't mention him. (There's no anger, no bitterness. Really, he's just embarrassed,) I don't know what happened.
(Ugh, he closes his book and sets it down on his lap,)
I almost wonder if someone used a stone on us... really, the two of us are fine now. I'm sorry for troubling for everyone so much. Really.
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[That said... She shifts a little, wringing her hand.]
Actually, I wanted to speak with you because I feel like you're owed an explanation. I asked around a little, and I think... I know what happened. And it wasn't a stone at all. [It's fine? It's fine.] Um, where to start...? Have you heard of someone receiving a strange message on Monday? Or have you received one yourself?
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(SAYS THE GUY WHO... actually didn't answer the question at trial about his own stone, oops. But this is interesting and it helps him recover from his s h a m e,)
A message on Monday? (He tilts his head curiously to the side and sits up,) No. This is my first time hearing anything about this.
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Well, Shima-san received a message like that last week. He couldn't describe it beyond saying it was a choice, and he didn't know what the end result would be, but he was asked to offer two names. So... He offered yours, and Hua Cheng-san's. That's why you were acting so strangely.
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(And suddenly, something clicks in place and he just looks. Annoyed.)
He's sure got some way of saying thanks. (Tch,)
(A reference... she probably won't get. ) So it was all his fault...
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Did... something happen between you and Shima-san?
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(...)
It's probably because of my relationship with someone, though.
(Some how. In some weird twisted way.)
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Do you know anything else about this message? ... Are other people getting messages?
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And you wouldn't happen to have any idea who they are or what might have come from it?
(He's trying to think... if anyone had anything strange happen to them that week.)
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(Izumo's dream.)
Soo-won was acting strange too, wasn't he? He had to carry that pillow around with him everywhere for awhile.
The week before that, Izumo couldn't say anything mean to anyone for a few days and... there were maybe some other effects. I wonder if it's all related. And where these messages are coming from, too?
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