Third.

[trustmods]

This week has been eventful for the lot of you, if a bit political for some; another resistance meeting, petitions everywhere, group dinners, and the new addition of a bunch of chickens to the group have ensured that at the very least, you've all had reason to keep busy. Of course, there's still that incentive to keep in mind, as well as the fact that there's been a murder every Friday since everyone arrived. Either way, the clock chimes in the morning, as it always does; the doors to the kitchen and the mail room unlock themselves, and all seems quiet. Thankfully, today the ballroom is blessedly corpse-free, as is the rest of the first floor. Maybe it would be good to move upstairs, though, just to make sure the rest of the Academy is likewise. >Explore?

Comments

LIBRARY

[trustmods]

[openterrain]

[ The library. Right. There'd been something off about the library. Jean finds himself headed that way without giving it any thought. When he gets in there he stops and looks around, a vacant expression on his face.

He's been here plenty of times, though, looked through it over and over again, and he can tell that something is off. It's just a matter of figuring out what it is. ]

[trustmods]

[You won't have to look too hard, it looks like someone was in here last night. There are some things on the table and the chairs set up around it. What will you look at first, the table or the chairs?]

[openterrain]

[ Let's check out the table, first. ]

[trustmods]

[There are two mugs on the table as well as one tea cup.]

[openterrain]

[ Damnit, doesn't anyone know not to drink tea around the books? Jean reaches out to touch the mugs and cup. He's focused on two things. First, are any of them still warm? Second, do any of them have more or less liquid in them than the others? ]

[perpend]

...People were drinking in here last night?

[He wishes he knew if it was possible to tell if one of them was Ashley.]

[openterrain]

Looks like it. [ He's mostly focused on the mugs' contents right now. ] Why are there three, though...?

[perpend]

Three people...

Ashley used to..... used to come in here. I wonder if she was drinking with people.

What's at the bottom there?

[Detective here. What's the residue look like?]

[forcegalactic]

[Mordecai walks over to check on the mugs.] Two or three, either's a possibility.

[He's trying so hard to remain stoic, unaffected by another murder investigation, but it's hard. This isn't like the other times. He knew Ashley. He liked talking with her, and now she's gone.

It's hard not to feel sad about that.]

[perpend]

It could be that someone didn't like what was in the mug, or....

[How could any of them want to harm Ashley?]

Or we're dealing with two suspects.

[trustmods]

[They are not warm, no. In fact, the mugs are empty... well, mostly. There's something in the bottom of them.]

[openterrain]

[ Jean picks up on of the mugs and peers at the bottom. What are we looking at? Anything Jean might recognize? ]

[trustmods]

[There's some chocolate residue in both mugs.]

[perpend]

[Like it might come from hot chocolate or something similar?]

[openterrain]

[ Passing one of mugs in question to you, buddy. This is beyond Jean's expertise. ]

[trustmods]

[Correct! Though it's no longer hot.]

[openterrain]

[ Huh. Someone had hot cocoa? He offers the mug out of Mordecai and Cabanela - whoever wants it more - and then turns his attention to the chairs. What's up with those? ]

[forcegalactic]

Jean? [Mordecai has come up empty in his search, unfortunately, but it looks like the boy's found something.]

What is that you got there?

[openterrain]

Looks like someone was having tea here last night. [ In fact... ] ... three someones, unless one of them was really thirsty.

[forcegalactic]

[Mordecai is really mad at the moment. He liked Ashley, and now one of the few people he genuinely cared about is dead.

He stops by the first room he can think of on the second floor.]

Don't stop me, I'm gonna do whatever I can to find the murderer.

[He's going to check by the couches. Anything suspicious there?]

[trustmods]

[Nope! The couches are clear! It looks like Jean might have found something though.]

now under the right header

[perpend]

[For once, Cabanela can't investigate a body.

What's the library look like? Is it a mess, books strewn everywhere?]

[trustmods]

[Nope! There are a few things off that Jean is investigating.]

AREA CLEAR

[trustmods]