week one afterparty ★ where is this warmth going? when it's tomorrow, it'll vanish

[excavated]

The day had ended on a rather solemn note, with not just one innocent dead, but two.

Both the Great Detective, Erika Furudo and the magical girl known as Cure Aqua, Karen Minazuki were killed in cold blood, and all that was left behind was a pool of blood that acknowledged their deaths. And yet, in spite of that, they had to move forward... 🗈

Of course, in spite of the lingering feeling that hung in the air, the possible suspicion that would probably stick through them for the rest of their stay here, if not for the rest of their lives.

Being used to death, he knew very well the sting of having blood on your own hands. He understood too well the consequences. But he didn't want people to simply just blame themselves for something that wasn't entirely their fault.

Which is why after a while, he goes on ahead to search people out to tell them that if they would prefer not to be alone, they can come to the dining room and that there will be food. For those who stay in their rooms, however, they'll find a neatly handwritten letter:

To the one who might read this:

We're dealing with a difficult time and I know that because of this turn of events, that people might start to distrust one another and even make the decision to not face the future. But I don't want to hide and run away from our present; I want all of us to face the reality and change the future so that it isn't a sad one. I'm certain that the two that we lost would not want that from us, either.

Feel free to meet me in the dining room if you wish to mourn, or if you'd wish to not face all of this alone. Nobody deserves to be alone on a day like this. Food will be provided. Don't force yourself to come, though.

- Syaoran

Set up in the dining area are a lot of various comfort foods - a lot of soup based dishes, kebabs, hot pots, you name it. Even if the times are difficult, especially with the results, at the very least there's a small glimmer hope, right...?

Comments

[beguiledcard]

Wh-... Shit!

[ HE'S JUST GONNA TURN TO RUSH TO THE CHAPEL, LMAO, I'M SO SORRY. ]

[literalidiotball]

Huh?!

[Oh no Akira!]

Hey, wait! At least let us have the book before you run off!

[improbablenotimpossible]

[His head snaps up as he notices movement]

Hold it! Akira Kurusu. Leave that book.

[beguiledcard]

[ He blinks... then frowns at them.

But after glancing at the book, and then at them, he walks back over and hands it over to Sherlock. ]

At least tell me what this is all about?

[anonnomnomnom]

[Don't mind Anon just climbing on in and sitting on the windowsill and watching them all with a deeply curious expression.]

Is the book more important than the chapel?

[He seems to be perfectly fine with this.]

[improbablenotimpossible]

Let's say... This book may hold quite a few answers to the mysteries behind the 'game'.

[He seems to calm down considerable once the book is in hand, and now he just looks tired.

Also, all of them probably smell of smoke? That is a thing]

[beguiledcard]

[ ... Yeah, the smoke smell definitely is a clue that they had something to do with it. Hence him asking what the heck is going on. ]

And you figured that out by... starting a fire...?



... Not that I'm outright against arson, when it comes to this place, but...

[improbablenotimpossible]

... it turned out to be the long way about doing things.

[Aka: boy that wasn't needed. He slowly opens the book, the pages blank, giving a tired sigh]

I suppose the answer will come another day.

[anonnomnomnom]

Eh? You set the chapel on fire and ran around the mansion for a blank book?

[He's peering over Ruler's shoulder!]

Is it like a secret code? The Witches really seem to enjoy those.

[improbablenotimpossible]

[He felt his brow twitch]

It - it likely is. 'Place the fragments inside it, and learn of the truth.'.

[anonnomnomnom]

Fragments, fragments... So, like pieces of something? Or Pieces? Or those things that Yuuko keeps talking about?

[There's so many possibilities!]

[beguiledcard]

[ Man, he didn't even go through any of that and he's already more exhausted, just from hearing these things...... ]

[anonnomnomnom]

[He thinks it sounds like a grand old adventure!]

[chaoscontrol]

[Shadow is here. Sometime, he must have passed out, judging by the half-drunk bottle of whiskey in his hand ]

WHAT. ARE YOU ALL. Doin. Huh? This ish a librarrryyyyy. Be... be quiet.

[anonnomnomnom]

Hi, Shadow!

[Anon is waving at him way too loudly and cheerfully, probably.]

You're the loudest one here!

[goldenmaniac]

[Takumi makes a startled sound]

[literalidiotball]

... Okay, Ruler has the book. We're good.


.... [He turns to Takumi.]

You need anything before we go to bed?

[goldenmaniac]

[He shakes his head]

Thank you, for coming with me, Wheatley. I would probably be dead if not for you and Ruler.

[literalidiotball]

Oh! Anytime, mate! Honestly, I don't think we would have known all this was a thing if we didn't go into the chapel.

[So... They did good. Sort of. Marginally.]

Now, how do we explain this to the others?

[beguiledcard]

Maybe by starting from the top?

[literalidiotball]

What?! I'm not going back in the chapel! Not while it's burning and all!

[He's frazzled and stupid, forgive his literal interpetation.]

[beguiledcard]

I- [ oh. he gets it ]

No, I meant with telling the story. Starting from the beginning of it.

[goldenmaniac]

The Epitaph. I solved the first part of it... there was a whole secret basement under the chapel.

[beguiledcard]

Oh...

[ His eyebrows lift. ]

... Where does the fire come in? [ . . . ] And I'm guessing you didn't inhale too much smoke?

[ . . . . . ]

Maybe you guys should go sit down... Want me... to fix you some tea?

[anonnomnomnom]

You're really good at figuring things out and puzzles, aren't you, Takumi? That was great, especially the fire part!

[Anon's clapping in the background. He should probably wait for the end of the story but he thinks solving the Epitaph in one day is kinda cool??

Also arson. Arson is definitely cool.]