There were many questions, and few answers. Eleven bodies were found in the mausoleum (ten of the visiting students, plus a staff member), with no clear sign of what had inflicted their injuries. No clear link to any crimes that could be detected in this world. No matter what stories you told them, they could never definitively prove anything. The truth of the case faded into mere speculation, vastly overshadowed by the displays of memorial for those who had died in the Lotan Castle Case.
Sympathies poured in, for them and for you. You were offered extensive therapy, with Hope’s Peak footing the bill. Lotan Castle was also forced to apologize extensively for the tragedy that had occurred under their watch; it seemed that the long-standing cultural exchange deal between the school and the museum went up in smoke, but where one door closes, another opens.
No one particularly liked that dead tour guide, but an investigation of the museum revealed a will, hidden in an excessively verbose manuscript in Calvin Amity’s office. Apparently, it had been his final wish that Hartmann’s works be made more accessible, and that the castle lift many of its restrictions on visitors so that more people could appreciate them. This art was for the world, after all, and ought to be remembered. The museum’s doors should be open to all. The administration figured. Well, they at least owed him something. A new audience arose around Hartmann’s work, entrancing countless visitors to Lotan Castle.
Many of them would never know the truth of these works, never be able to explore them as thoroughly as you did, never understand the depth of the worlds within. Worlds of magic and fantasy, of friends who welcomed you back with open arms should you choose to return. Worlds that, despite their nature, were no less complete than your own.
Worlds that would live on in the memories of not just those who inhabited them, but all who observed them.
The six came to their senses outside the mausoleum, under a crisp night sky - one you had not seen since you first arrived in Baltaigne. An owl hooted in a tree, before flying off. The flow of time had resumed once more; the spell that had been cast over the castle was lifted.
Back in the main painting hall, those you’d met in your journeys awaited you, smiling. The magic was fading, but remained strong enough that they could at least say goodbye. Indy, Lynae, Calvin, the hydra, Mira, Nona, Hartmann… they all awaited you.
Indy seemed to be in a conversation with Lynae, which you could hear the end of. “It’s just a small vacation. I’ll be back in time for next poker night, or my name isn’t Indianya Jowones.” She waved the group over enthusiastically.
“I always knew you guys could do it!” Her words before you left implied otherwise. “I’m gonna take advantage of this opportunity to visit my folks. My home’s in those paintings, but. It’s been awhile, want ‘em to know I’m okay, nyaha. Gonna skidaddle quick, though. Don’t wanna be here come morning.”
She offered a wry smile. “This ain’t a goodbye, I think. I’m sure you guys are gonna find a way to make it back across the boundary, if you really want it. And any of us would be happy to have ya. I could always use some exploring buddies.” She offered a half-hearted wave as she turned and headed for the door. “See you again, have a nice day.”
Lynae waved her off, and addressed the group. “If you do return, feel free to swing by. I might be able to offer a 1% discount.” It appeared she didn’t have much to say, as she returned to the painting behind her.
Hartmann stood by an installation that was not there before… ten figures, together in a field. Happy. Your fallen friends.
“I did not create this one. I believe… well, this is a sign. And even if it may not be here come morning, your friends’ souls are at peace, at last. They are no longer being used for those peoples’ machinations.” The artist sighed.
“... Even if they will not return as ‘themselves’, for the lives lost so young… I feel nothing short of obligated to give them a second chance at some sort of life, to the extent that my abilities will allow. They won’t be able to leave this world, and… they will quite likely take on new identities, much as Lynae did. But they will have the choice to do so. It will take me… quite some time to accomplish this. My power is not what it once was when I was a living man, but it should still be within my capabilities. One day, eventually, they will get their second chances.”
A bittersweet promise. Perhaps they would never revive in the truest sense of the word, but at least this way they would get another chance to live out fulfilling lives, of some kind.
As you returned to the sculpture hall, the spirit of Calvin sat where he had once died, with the hydra standing over him. Calvin sighed. “So it would appear I have no more place in this world. I know not what will happen to me come morning, but luckily I managed to complete my memoir in case of my untimely demise.”
The hydra’s three heads frowned in unison. “Sorry, again, about that. And sorry to all of you. If we’d only been more careful, none of this would’ve happened. We were fools… and it cost most of you your lives. Nothing will ever make up for that.” They frowned. “I expect this is not the last we will see of each other. Do you intend to return to our world, I wonder? You are always welcome… though we believe you will have duties to attend to in your own world first.”
Travieso, Iusticia, and Guto stepped onto their podium, and lifted their chins up high. Not quite the pose they were in when you first met them, but one that suited them nonetheless. As moonlight passed in from the next room, the flesh and blood hydra before you returned to stone, and a silence fell over the castle.
Working as one, with all your efforts combined, you delivered the final blow.
Kouri staggered, letting her scythe clatter to the ground. How could this be? After all they had done, to be bested in the challenge they had laid down? The sheer humiliation was almost enough to distract from the fact that they had failed, that their time with these vessels was nearly spent.
They, who had saved worlds, who not even death could stop, had been defeated after centuries of imprisonment… by mere high schoolers? Gone was Kouri’s cool exterior; the shock of defeat was on her face, clear as day. She looked around at her fallen comrades, and understood right away. To continue this would be folly. It was truly the end: their strength was spent, they would not be able to hold on after this, not even as spirits as they had the last time they fell. This all felt so familiar.
“So be it. Return to your sun, and bask in it.” Though resigned, there was a bitterness in her words. “End us, and live with the memory of this world, of what happened here. Your world will never know of your heroics, nor will they believe in them. And we shall live on, in myth and legend.”
The ice that covered this world began to crack. It was small at first, but it began to spread throughout, until it felt as though the very ground was going to break beneath your feet. And after a moment of silence, it did, as the world shattered around you.
“Shu Lán”, “Matthew”, “Aiko”, “Seri”, “Chiketsu”, and “Haruna” stood at “Kouri”’s sides as she swung her scythe with a flourish, planting the sharp bottom end of the staff in the ground for dramatic effect.
“Surprised? Ohoho, but you really shouldn’t be. After all, was it not “I” who initiated this little game of ours in the first place? The wretched thing was all too eager to accept our offer. She would be freed from her sad little shell, and cared so little for what would come to pass after she was gone that she prepared to act long before we directed those pathetic snakes to issue that first motive.”
Perhaps she had not truly lacked a wish at all, then. Somehow, it was even more malicious than simply taking a life for the sake of knowing how it felt. The spiral of loss and torment had been pushed into motion, and for what…?
“Some of us did not wish to fight here, but it is not as if their power is necessary to destroy the lot of you. We have fought to escape this world once, and once we have the rest of your bodies to offer our fellow heroes… they will be powerless to stop us from escaping it again.”
“Kouri”’s cocky grin was accompanied by mixed cheers and agreements from the other six at either of her sides. So this was what had become of your friends’ bodies.
“No longer shall we be confined to this false reality, where our kind must every day face the threat of extinction! Once we have obtained the last of our vessels, vengeance upon the world that left us to rot shall be swift and severe!”
Not-Kouri did a twirl of her scythe, letting it rest behind her back, for now; ready to be used, but holding back.
“To have come as far as you have, it would be remiss to deny you answers, would it not? Before you perish, we will humor any inquiries you may have, though you’d best make them quick. My companions and I are eager to feel the light of the sun once more.”
Well, this was it. The time you’d been provided had passed - the fact that time seemed to be passing normally again was both refreshing and alarming, but you had spent that time as wisely as you could. Be it physical, mental, or emotional preparations, here you all stood at the gate to disaster, at the precipice of oblivion. The previously locked double doors in the mausoleum now stood open, and the lights had vanished from every single one of the lanterns above the recumbent effigies. Of the sixteen of you who had started out on this journey, ten had gone. Only six of you remained, now.
Still, you weren’t entirely alone in this. Your numbers were bolstered, as everyone you had met along the way was there as well. From the ghost of your first guide to Hartmann and the Hydra, and even what appeared to be some hired help at Miyu’s side, you stood here, together. You had faced untold losses to make it to this point, where your final stand against the threat that forced you into this position to begin with would finally unfold.
Hartmann took the first step into the room beyond the double doors, revealing…
… a surprisingly empty room.
There was very little inside of it, save for a painting of Lotan Castle itself. Still, even if it was unmistakably the castle you were familiar with, it looked… newer. The toll of time and aging had not dragged its claws down the sides of this castle yet. So, this was where they intended to fight you for the fate of this world? Very well, then. Before you ventured forward, Hartmann held an arm out and turned to you, a serious expression on his face. If there was a time for any of them to say something, it was now.
“This is going to be… a difficult conflict for you, I say. I cannot tell you for certain how many of them intend to show themselves, but however many there may be, these are very powerful heroes donning the visages of your friends. Do not allow them to appeal to your emotions on this front, for they will exploit any hesitation you show. The mercy you may be tempted to show them will not be returned in kind, least of all by the one who has styled herself as their ringleader.”
All three of the hydra’s heads nodded in assent. Travieso’s turn to make a final address.
“That said, we no longer… expect you to be able to grievously harm them. We will not stop you from doing so, but to prevent you from accumulating any further trauma, we suggest a simple course of action.”
The brothers spoke in unison.
““””Don’t die, and don’t kill.””””
A fourth, silvery voice had materialized alongside them - one that you had come to recognize by now, as Mira manifested between Calvin and Hartmann. She didn’t seem to have much more to say than that, but offered you all a small wave of support. Cal chuckled nervously.
“You know, she never does cease to surprise me. I can’t imagine I’ll be a great deal of help, but I would like to wholeheartedly offer my assurances that a small group of heroes as yourselves triumphing over a daunting, seemingly insurmountable enemy is a very common element of later Baltaignese painted works.”
… At least he was trying to be supportive. And maybe there was some logic to it - if you were entering a painting to fight this battle, it wouldn’t hurt to think of it as such. Indy stood behind him, watching everyone. Perhaps she was here to offer her aid?
“Yeah, you guys have got this in the bag.” Apparently not. Still, it didn’t sound like she was refusing just out of laziness, she seemed confident enough in the class. “You guys keep on coming out on top somehow, Kinda shocked you aren’t mincemeat, but nothing’s beaten you so far, and I doubt whatever’s on the other side of that painting’s gonna change that. You guys are tough.”
No way to prolong it any further. You stepped through the painting, and into the sunlight over a rolling field in the hills of Old Baltaigne. As the last of you entered, the wooden door in the stone arch on the other side swung shut behind you. There went... most of your reinforcements. At the very top, a familiar crow was perched there, staring at you with a judgmental eye.
And then, of course, it laughs.
“Ohoho, so you showed up after all! How very noble of you to accept our most generous offer. I almost have to pity you, the expendable ones, locked in a futile struggle against a foregone fate…! Ah, but we’ve waited long enough already, haven’t we?”
Six figures began to approach from behind the door, three on either side. When had it become so cloudy on that side…? Even cloaked in shadow, you recognized them as some of the people you had known and lost.
“Come, let’s begin! Try to remember, beloved friends, what form did I have…? It was surely the most beautiful and elegant form! Ohohoho~!”
The crow took to the skies, and diving down in a flurry of feathers and petals...
The silence only hung in the air for a moment, but it felt so much longer than that. You had so many questions - where had he been all this time, why was he here now? It was as if he knew what you were going to ask and held out a hand, paintbrushes still gripped between his fingers, as if asking for just a moment to explain.
“You must have many questions, many, I am sure. But the time I have to provide answers to you is short. It is dangerous to be here, for myself and for you all.”
Hartmann’s expression grew even more serious than it already was.
“I have cast those heroes’ influence out for now. They will not be able to touch this place for a little. But they will come back, and they will come back stronger.”
He looks out over all the podiums decorated with flowers, his gaze lingering on the foxgloves.
“The risk to Creation and all other things has become too great. I am only sorry that I could not help you sooner. They have become emboldened, to act, I say, given how one of them has now killed your friend directly, rather than by manipulation. The one who has disguised themself with the guise of white and blue struck quickly and eagerly.”
Ah… so you were right about that. Hartmann looks remorseful about the fact.
“I fear that the worst will come to fruition shortly. There is no doubt what is to come next, I say. I, and the more powerful and benevolent of ‘my’ creations will help you prepare for it as much as we can, however...”
Why did he say ‘my’ like that?
“The ringleader is sure to make her next move shortly. She will gather what army she has, and they will… they will attempt to take your bodies by force, I say.”
Just then, you could hear a soft ‘thump’ against the glass behind the artist. A crow had flown into the glass, and it appeared a little dazed. No, not dazed… annoyed? Mira shimmered faintly in the panel of glass, her arms spread wide. You couldn’t hear her, but it was clear she was saying something to the bird.
When the hydra’s voice cut into your heads, it was jarring. When this new voice, this unknown burst through, it echoed painfully and distorted, just enough that you couldn’t quite make out whose it was.
“Ohohoho… clever, but you can’t keep us out forever. The washed-up artist you’re hiding behind couldn’t even muster the nerve to face us himself again. Or perhaps I should say instead his shadow couldn’t? What makes you think you could possibly hope to stop us this time? The original Creator is gone. But I feel like I must congratulate you for surviving our little game this long. I will honour your tenacity, for which I almost feel an inkling of respect, by allowing you enough time to prepare so that you may die in battle rather than cowering like the pathetic insects you are.”
Somewhere, someone snapped her fingers. The false sun fizzled and vanished, revealing the actual (?) sun hanging quite a bit closer to the middle of the sky. It hadn’t… been that long, had it. There was actual daylight to judge that by now.
“You are not entirely weak, nor are you entirely stupid. We shall give you until the sun sits in the middle of the sky tomorrow to prepare. You will enter the painting in the crypt and face us, and you will all be certain to do so. If any of you do not arrive, we shall assume that you wish to forfeit our generosity, and we shall simply slaughter you from the shadows. There will be no dignity in your deaths that way, but it may be quite presumptuous of me to say that you have any dignity left to lose at all!”
Her laugh echoed through the room, and faded. The crow flew away. Hartmann looked rather stunned himself now, and turned back to you all, expression grave.
“That was her. If they were able to get even a message through like that, it appears that… this battle you must fight will be strenuous. My precious sons, whom I dearly love, will fight with us too. The others will help however they can, too. I am certain they will.”
Before you could ask how he was so sure of that, in a flash of light the hydra teleported in, directly on top of the now-very-flat topiary replica of themselves.
“-- blasted trickery! It is as if they have already killed him, and are merely-”
They paused. They blinked. There was much to be said between the four, but judging from the look on Hartmann’s face you all knew that this was not the time for it. Or, perhaps like the bond between brothers, they were simply able to say it all without speaking a word. Travieso cleared his throat.
“Ahem. Yes, then. You should all do your best to prepare. Ask Lynae about expanding your armories and magical capabilities, and tell her that we shall cover the cost no matter how high. You will need to be well-equipped if you are going to fight those heroes. Do not be afraid of excess, for there is no such thing compared to what they will undoubtedly bring to the fight. You are the true heroes, here, and we will do everything we can to help you stop the others.”
There was a sense of finality to it as you left the dome. Organically this time, led to its exit in the centre of the hedge maze by Hartmann and the Hydra, and escorted directly to the relative safety of the castle. You would be left to your own devices as to how, exactly, you wished to prepare, but you would at least be able to do so without as much fear of uncertainty.
There was no hydra’s voice to tell you when your votes were due. Your cards just suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke, which swirled around the topiary hydra as the sky darkened behind it.
The smoke spiralled faster and faster, expanding quickly into a storm that tore through the dome. What was happening?
The wind whipped as what little sun you could see was blotted out, plunging you into total darkness. You had to duck for cover behind your podiums to avoid the bits of foliage that were being haphazardly flung around.
Try as any of you might to make your magic manifest in this world in a desperate bid to stop it, even your most valiant attempts fizzled out on attempt. Something was stopping you. It seemed as if all you could do was weather this storm, until…
“Enough! Enough, I say. Let this farce end! You are unwelcome here, and you always will be. Now out - out, I say!”
You don’t recognize this voice, but a flash of light, almost bladelike, slices cleanly through the smoky darkness. For a moment, it feels as if the world has been frozen and cut entirely in two. The halves of darkness slide off of each other, falling in opposite directions until the light could once again be seen and the source of the voice made visible.
His face is young and unfamiliar to you, and yet, intuitively, you know that you know him. Perhaps for even longer than you’ve thought. But there’s no mistaking it. Even without an introduction, even without him speaking another word, you are certain of one thing:
This is the first time anyone's really been on the same page; nobody seemed to want to divert the conversation, or bring up odd theories. It was...weird. Everyone was on the same page, coming to the same conclusion: but that conclusion was still uncertain, unknown. Where the hell was Hartmann, and why the hell did all of them get wrapped up in this? They wanted to indulge everyone in their final thoughts.
They turn their gaze over to Vermilion, and for a brief moment have a look of amusement - it was more to try to suppress their own immense stress than anything, though.
"Heh. I appreciate that. comment."
"Though it's just as she said, too. We never left each other's sight. I feel as though if that were to happen with any of you, you'd definitely bring it up by now. With that in mind, we should...consult a question, even if it's in our own heads. Height wise, considering who could and couldn't fit in the cave, and given what they wore, the likely body being used in my opinion is Matthew's, and yet..."
They nodded to Hibiki in agreement. It was possible for someone to have multiple magics. Though it was unfortunately not a surprise when Hibiki mentioned being specifically targeted - it was something Toshiko had unfortunately predicted in the past would happen, given his circumstances.
"Is it the mind or the body that we vote for? How can we vote for someone we don't know the name of? How do we vote without a proper mediator that won't corrupt our results? Something feels wrong...and I'm glad I'm not alone in the feeling that something bad's happened to Mhmham. We need to plan in the event they still try to execute one of us."
They're starting to sweat. Not again. Not like this. This uncertainty, even if it's likely going to be rigged towards a favored result regardless.
Scars in your heart | Hibiki | Trial 5.2 | Re: Toshiko, Verm, Miyu
Hibiki was listening slightly more attentively now, not that he hadn’t been at all before. He still wasn’t back up to the way he usually was, and for obvious reasons, but it was something. He stares at the space that the Hydra usually occupies, and the topiary there. That gave him a bad feeling unrelated to what he was already going through.
He glances back at the group for now, because he does have at least something else he can contribute now that he's thinking about it. He nods at pretty much everyone who'd talked so far.
“It’s… That wasn’t the only magic they used either, I think. After we first heard the tree rustle, I got knocked to the ground by a different force of some sort. Himiku had to shield me from the bolts while I was down, and then… everything else.”
“...They were definitely going after me and not her, though. Maybe they settled for framing me afterwards, but. She just... She jumped in the way of the sword, after they took it from me."
Oof. And the fact that she had done that for him, all the time that he’d spent after she’d been hit trying to save her while pursuing the culprit, screaming for the hydra to do something so he could get her proper aid and not getting a response... It fucking sucked.
“It’s not impossible for one person to have multiple types of magic, I asked about that before. The more types we'd get the weaker trying to use it gets or something, though. That was Indianya’s answer to that a while ago, at least. But you’re right that… I don’t think any one of us in particular fully matches any of those types combined that I know of, living or dead.”
He sighs. It seemed like he was a little more willing to talk now at least, even with everything that had happened and his voice being as hoarse as it was.
“...If it was someone who already died doing this, I don’t… think that it’s really THEM that did given what we know. But I don’t know how we’d… specify that in voting. Whatever happens here feels like a trap, and I don’t trust it. Clearly they want this trial to happen, and I don’t know if the hydra’s even alright, with that being here.”
He gestures to the topiary of mhmham (with a hand still covered in blood, oops). But what should they do with that information, exactly? He's not sure yet either.
There's A Snake In My Grass | Miyu | Chapter 5 | RE: GrimmZB, Toshiko, Hibiki, Vermillion
Oh good, she had gotten that part right. It was certainly difficult to get between the areas they were teleported to. So that definitely ruled out the living students here, she felt confident about that. So with a nod to Toshiko and Grimmy, she stopped to listen to Hibiki, and later Verm.
It. It made sense, somewhat. What Hibi had testified to. It lined up with the evidence, as Verm had laid out. It was quite convenient, like Grimmy had theorized.
So she wracked her brain, trying to think back on everyone they had lost.
"Do we know... Who had plant magic, out of everyone who had died?" She looked around at the excessive foliage creeping into the room, blinking slowly. "I can't explain why someone would have two magics, not with any sort of concrete proof at least. The shadow magic could just be something the heroes can use. Or maybe the heroes can use all magic?"
Blink blonk.
"S-So, maybe that heel print is the only thing that could clue us in as to who our attacker is?"
She took a deep breath.
"Um. I feel like Matthew wore heels? If I'm recalling correctly? I don't think anyone else did... Oh, maybe Ai-chan did?"
Her eyes wandered to the hydra topiary, feeling uncomfortable.
"I don't like this. They're here, aren't they... If they were using vines earlier, then these plants... That's their doing too, right?"
Opened and then Shut || Vermilion || Trial 5 - 1 || Re: Hibiki, Toshiko
She expected to be forced into a stupid trial but she did not expect the potted plant for a hydra. Not that he was of much use anyway. They would just have to go through this without him. Like they often did anyway. Ally or enemy the moron seemed to still be filling the same exact role in things. Any hope he could stop an execution was clearly dead now.
It was with this knowledge that she anticipated their answer to this trial would not matter. Still she would do her best to avoid one of them dying if she could. The problem was that GrimmZB was right. This was a Koala court.
"Well let's break this shit down. Hibiki says the culprit attacked from on top of the tree before rushing them once they had been noticed. So while Hibiki could be lying about whether he murdered Himiku or not, we do have clear evidence of somebody having been in the top of the tree. I kind of doubt he went to the extent to make such a stupid piece of evidence. I also am willing to take the gamble that he didn't do it. Sometimes you have to take an uncertain shot to have a chance at winning. Simply continuing to not lose isn't really an option since our enemies can likely beat us out in a prolonged battle."
She was only barely making sense but it was entirely reasonable to her. Their now clear fight with the heroes of the paintings could not be won through simple endurance. The heroes had been around hundreds of years and the living students would surely die eventually. So these heroes had to be defeated before they inevitably won.
"So it is safe to assume the other things Hibiki is saying are true. Now looking at this all objectively, there are only really two of us here who could reasonably take on both Hibiki and Himiku at once and win. That is me and Toshiko. I respect Miyu's strength but she doesn't exactly have a lot of experience fighting. I would also note that my boots do have some form of heel to them. Even if thick heels. But, I think everyone can understand how I, the girl with minimal dexterity, and one arm, could not have climbed a fucking tree to shoot arrows at Himiku. Toshiko probably can. She has ape strength. Except I can vouch for her having been with me the entire time. I am sure that Meisa, GrimmZB, and Miyu all enjoy the same voucher for the status during the fight. Lastly, none of the living members of our party can control two magics. I don't even think that is allowed. The only person i could suppose might have that option is GrimmZB as she is host to a ghost and thus two people. Except we all know Darling's magic is fire. So even if Remmy Ratatouille has plants or darkness, they can't have both. Which is why I think, and I am sure everyone else thinks, the killer was a dead body possessed by a hero. Somebody stronger and more experienced than us. Who could take advantage of weakest party during the exploration in order to kill one of us."
Welcome to the Mind Fuck||Toshiko||Trial 5-2||RE: Miyu, GrimmZB Hibiki
Miyu was right. People were grouped up and had solid alibis for one another; and given the timing in which everything happened, something told them of the very real and almost certain possibility this was a setup to frame Hibiki.
Damn. What a cruel reality they were all in. It felt dehumanizing.
"Vines, huh..."
Toshiko seems distracted by their thoughts for a short while, straightening up when they realize they paused for longer than they wanted to.
"In any case, yes that is correct. According to GrimmZB, the ladder she saw earlier was missing. Similarly, there was a boat Vermilion and I had utilized that also vanished. There was no way of exploring either area further as a result."
This "trial", if it could even still be called that...it was eerie. Quiet. They all were on the same page, yet they couldn't shake off a premonition.
"Though unfortunately, Hibiki, if you indeed injured the culprit, it wasn't enough for notable bleeding. The trail stopped with the resting place of the sword and shield. Didn't find any shit like that looking in the tunnels. Not to mention, that cave couldn't fit anyone much taller than GrimmZB, Clayshiko and I. That already rules out far too many people."
"...Living ones, anyways."
Toshiko seems to have a determined thought going into this.
"Remember, one of the tombs is open, a body missing. And the footprint we found implied the existence of a heel. Nobody still alive standing among us wears anything with notable heels. The information given all lines up pretty damn well."
Blood on your hand | Hibiki | Trial 5.1 | Re: General, GrimmZB
It was likely no shock to anyone here that Hibiki was still looking far from okay as of the trial starting. Seeing him in the investigation covered in blood and hardly leaving Himiku’s body… Getting suddenly teleported away from her and into a trial for her death certainly hadn’t helped anything, and he was having a much harder time than usual focusing on what was going on, let alone possessing the energy to lead a discussion.
He nods at some of what Toshiko says to start about the jacket and possibly more, and he does register that GrimmZB asked him a question at least.
“...Yeah. Snatched my sword with vines, same with the mushroom shield before that. Not… the crossbow though, I think. I don’t know,” he after a moment answers, voice still a bit hoarse.
He’s either been crying or yelling to get it like that, and both seem possible. Just how long had it been before they’d all got teleported back since Himiku had died…? She'd died a minute before she'd been found by the others, but it was still a mystery just how long her death had taken to happen.
“...They were shooting at us from a tree, before they jumped down when we heard a noise. Looked... shadowy. Like the magic I use. I couldn't see who it was."
Thank you for your contribution Hibiki. While there was definitely more about what had happened to him that he hadn’t said yet, he apparently doesn’t feel the need to say anything else at the moment.
Broken Ass Marriage || GrimmZB || Trial 5-1 || RE: Toshiko, Miyu || ATTN: Hibiki
GrimmZB was really not a fan of the vibes in this place. There were more plants than people here, by now, and there was an uncomfortable feeling of being watched. She glanced at the outside of the dome, before shrugging. At the topiary hydra. “Well, at least he’s not bugging us today.”
She put her hands up with casualness that belied how totally fucked this situation was, but despite her attempts to seem at ease, there was some clear distress radiating off of her. “So, this is all a sham, right? Just fucking nonsense. A koala court.” Wrong marsupial, but she was close, at least; some of the letters in the right places. But was this really the time for jokes?
“The tunnels connected each of our respective zones, it seems. I didn’t notice it when I was investigating the pit, but there was a ladder originally. Gone when the Toshikos and I went, though hell if I know why.”
There wasn’t a lot to work with here, so she held a hand to her chin. “So the mushrooms were from Himiku… and the sword was Hibiki’s?” Not a chance in hell he was the one responsible for this. “So did someone snatch the sword from you, Hibiki?” She tilted her head. “Pretty fucking bold of them.” She didn’t mean that in a sus way; whoever was attacking them so brazenly had to have a lot of guts to do it.
Miyu felt empty, after everything that had just happened. Internally she chastised herself for not taking this seriously enough, for having made it through all of this with her new friends and family together. For feeling safe. But now? She hadn't wanted to leave Himiku's side, or leave Hibiki alone, so all she picked up was only from observing the others and listening to what they'd found from exploring deeper.
But again, silence reigned. Himiku really was the heart that got these discussions going, wasn't she? Man, had they taken her for granted up until now. So Miyu thought, in that spirit, that she'd try to add her two cents, at least.
"The timing... it feels like we'd all have an alibi for the attack on Himi and Hibi..." She nodded to herself. "Despite all the areas we were in being connected... physically, you all said that there were ladders and stuff not there, right? So that crossing from area to area would be impossible?"
She thought she had that last part right but she had pieced that together from what everyone else had said when they came back from exploring.
"So someone showed up and quickly overpowered Himi and Hibi. The crossbow was hers, as was everything with mushroom caps on it... It was... what she was using instead of magic." She looked away, biting her lip. "But if that's the case, then where did they come from, and where did they go? And, well, who...?" She had her thoughts but no evidence whatsoever.
