Afterparty 5.0

[forcegalactic]

[There's not much that can be believed about that trial. Or that execution. Still, like before, two hours after everyone leaves, they'll find a note slipped underneath their doors.]

We have to stick together. The dining room is there for anyone that needs a quiet space, and I cooked dinner.

Hibiki made some coffee and dessert for all of us.

-Mordecai Benmont Jiminy and Hibiki Ganaha

[Today's selection includes potato pancakes and a light coffee cake. Hibiki has lit two more candles in the dining hall. It doesn't take long before Mordecai lights a third.]

Comments

[ninehundredlives]

You all right?

[You look like shit.]

[perpend]

[He nods.

It's a poor lie, but it's all he can do.]

I'll be all right. We... we need to focus on getting out of here, before anything like this can happen agaaain.

[ninehundredlives]

...you look awful.

[Susan's not going to bother saying that she believed in him all along or any such tripe. Obviously she did. He wouldn't be stupid enough to leave that much incriminating evidence, or cold enough to target children...and besides, she really does think he wouldn't kill any of them.]

We ought to have Giovanni leave his bee out again, and see if that thing comes back. And if it looks like someone else now. [Dio's a fucking bastard and she's glad he's dead, but she kinda does buy that it wasn't him. Mostly because he seems the type to have just admitted it.]

[perpend]

[He forces a smile-- doesn't try to make an excuse for it, because he's well aware that he looks and feels horrible.]

I wonder what it is, the thing that had disguised itself as Dio.

Whatever it is-- some kiiind of shapeshifter, we can't let it get away.

[ninehundredlives]

Could it be the shadow thing? We don't know anything about what it does, other than...

[Execute people]

[perpend]

....You know, I'm sure it's going to end up being something like that.

The creature can change its shape-- it is just a shadow, after all.

[ninehundredlives]

I'd honestly rather believe there were only one mysterious, terrible monster stalking the halls.

I don't know if it could have done color or if it'd just be a Dio-shaped shadow. But I'm also not sure how well bees see in the dark.

[perpend]

...The only question is, if it's not the shadow, what the hell is it?

I don't believe the Conductor has more than one of those creatures under his control.

[ninehundredlives]

Who knows? Maybe he likes to become Dio and strike poses in the halls.

[She's joking. Even though fuck, the guy could be a shapeshifter for all anybody knows.]

But it probably is the shadow. If only we had some kind of video camera to leave in there instead... [Bees aren't the best spies]

[perpend]

[Shit, that's almost funny. Almost. Too bad the situation is so serious.]

...maybe that's exactly why the Conductor wouldn't put anything electronic in this place.

[ninehundredlives]

That sort of thing would be easy for us to take advantage of. Some of us, anyway...I'm not really into computers and things myself.

[KIDS THESE DAYS]

[perpend]

I don't know much about them, to be honest.

[It's not like cell phones exist where he's from, after all.]

That's more of the Professor's thing.

[ninehundredlives]

The Professor?

[perpend]

Someone I work with back home.

[And have a full name since Ghost Trick never actually gives us one, thanks, game.]

He's a technical genius-- probably makes most of the technology he works with.

[ninehundredlives]

[Like Ghost Trick ever gives anyone a full name.]

Oh, like on TV. Police always have some kind of expert hacker there. [Like Susan really knows how any of that works.] I don't know that any of us are that clever, but I'm sure someone could do something if we had the tools. Maybe Rick...

[Normally Susan's pretty open with her disdain towards Rick, but today she just trails into silence. His grandson just died. She can sympathize with that.]

[perpend]

Something like that, yes.

[He'd give anything for the pigeon professor to be here right now.]

....We might have to give Rick some space. I don't know if he'll want to help anytime soon, but... We need everyone's help.

[ninehundredlives]

Yeah. Didn't really expect he'd want my company.

[They haven't talked much, but it's really all been fighting. Susan shakes her head.]

Poor old man.

[perpend]

I... feel terribly.

[But there's nothing they can do about it, is there?]

[ninehundredlives]

Yeah...but it can be easier to be alone after something like that.

[Nothing at all, really.]

[perpend]

Yeah. Aaall we can do is give him time, I'm afraid.

[ninehundredlives]

I'm afraid he's not going to get much. Not peaceful time, anyway.

[Even if Rick manages to avoid getting killed or killing himself (and she remembers even now how Morty alone held him back), this is Graceside. There's never a lot of time and space for mourning.]

[perpend]

....We need to end this as soon as possible. It's the only way.

[ninehundredlives]

Yeah. Yeah, we really do. We've been here so long already...

[And come on, it's not going to go uphill from here.]