Second.

[trustmods]

Between Truth or Dare and the resistance meeting, it seems things have been going reasonably well this week; at the same time, there have been fights here and there, and the Conductor's incentive has certainly been something to take into consideration as well. So there's been some good, and some bad, and some things that no one is talking about; the clock chimes on Friday morning, as it always does, and the doors to the kitchen and the mail room unlock. Of course, those wandering past the incinerator room will notice that it's...warm in there. Really warm? ...Oh. Blessedly enough, there isn't a body in the room, and the incinerator isn't large enough to destroy one, so this room can probably be left alone for now; however, just because there isn't a body here doesn't mean that everything is clear and no one has anything to hide. You might want to look around. >Explore?

Comments

[trustmods]

[Unfortunately it's just a black scrap of fabric. It's not very distinctive aside from the scent.]

[charcoalfeather]

[Points for trying?]

I don't know, but, I think I've smelled something like this before... [Hmm, might as well peer back into the incinerator.]

Is that all that's in here?

[trustmods]

[Nope! Now that you've got the door open you can see the smoldering remains of something. It's impossible to make out what it is, but something was definitely burned in here.]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Well, okay, awesome, at least we have the best smelling evidence in the world.]

...There's something else, but I can't tell what. Looks like it's been burning too long.

[charcoalfeather]

It looks kind of like something else was burned. [Rakka's slowly slipping into deductive mode now. She turns back to Ashley, eyes falling on that cloth again.] Maybe it was a part of that?

[hashtagafreakingghost]

If someone... Hmmm. [She needs to think on this, but that does sound like a good idea.] We'll have to ask during the- ...the trial...

[THERE'S GONNA BE A-GODDAMN-NOTHER ONE OF THOSE, GREAT.]

If- if we find out who had that perfume- that's what this smells like, the really, really good blueberry perfume.

[Oh no...Miss Fish...]

[charcoalfeather]

....Another trial we have to go to. [Just what Rakka didn't want to go through again: that.]

The... [Oh, that perfume.] W-well, maybe it's just... uhh...

[She has no idea.]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

...It's that someone who got that perfume killed someone else. That's what it has to be.

[...]

You...didn't see...did you...?

[That was bad enough last week.]

[nankurunaisa]

[Guess who's walking by the incinerator on her way back to her room to think before the trial?

It's this girl who is still trying not to cry.

She almost walks past, but she hangs out just outside the entrance. She didn't see them near the body, did she? Maybe...maybe they don't know?]

[charcoalfeather]

.... [Rakka gives Ashley a slow shake of the head, looking anxious.] No...? I was in here... since the announcement.

[...Whoops. they weren't alone anymore.]

H-hibiki? [Those sure are tears.]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Huh? Oh. Oh no. Ashley keeps hold of the cloth with two fingers and hurries over to Hibiki.]

Oh no. Hibiki, did- you saw, didn't you? Ohhh. [Hey. C'mere. Do you want a hug?]

[nankurunaisa]

[SHE DOES WANT A HUG. REALLY BADLY.

But before they can hurry out into the hallway entirely, she's going to walk into the room, rubbing at her eyes.]

They did it again! They...they killed Hijiri-san!

[charcoalfeather]

[Rakka is about to join in one that hug, cause seriously. But that gets her to freeze up.]

Hijiri... [Oh. Oh no.] You mean that... Byakuren... s-she's...?

[No. No, no no no no...]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[It's shameful that it takes Ashley a moment to place, there are so many, but--] Ohh... That nice woman, with- oh...

[There's no way this could have come out well, but a bit of her sinks...partly because it seems both of them were particularly close to Byakuren.

She just squeezes Hibiki tight with one arm (the cloth bunched in her hand) and holds her other out to Rakka. Come on, come on in. ...She's going to keep an eye out for anyone approaching in case- well- there's a killer on the loose, isn't there?]

[nankurunaisa]

[Even Hibiki wasn't that close to Byakuren, but she seemed nice. That was irrefutable. Maybe quiet? But she seemed polite, and she was just playing truth or dare and everything, and...

Yeah, there's definitely a group hug going on, though Hibiki's going to keep talking.]

I...I didn't see the body, I couldn't look at it, but I saw her hair, and...and it looks like someone hit her head, I think...it's really awful!

[charcoalfeather]

[You know what, Ashley? Rakka is going to take you up on this offer of a group hug. At least one of them was going to be on the lookout for any further threats - especially since Rakka's, well, not doing so well herself. So she'll close in on that hug, arms going around Hibiki and Ashley.

Yup, there's the tears. Dangit.]

I... I knew her. She was so nice to me when we talked, I don't know why anyone...

[What's about to be said just dissolves into a messy sob.]

[hashtagafreakingghost]

[Ash keeps an eye out. Both eyes out. She holds both of the younger girls close - thank goodness she's healing enough so this simple act doesn't hurt.

They're both crying, and she's not. Surprisingly, she's the relatively calm one in this little group hug, but- well, after you've seen one of your oldest friends literally sawed in half, some things don't phase you as much.]

B- because there are some sick people out there. [Just holding them both. Thank goodness Hibiki didn't see...] It- j...just... It's- [not okay] I'll st-stay with both of you.