The clock strikes twelve. The gong of the grandfather clock in the foyer tolls out the time in slightly unnecessarily obnoxious loud noises. The ambiance of this old mansion demands respect, care, awe --
Okay, no, wait, why are you even in this stupid dusty house?
No reasons are forthcoming, because everyone knows that people just end up in places like this sometimes. That's just how the narrative device works. The hows and the whys don't matter -- all that matters is that you're all here, so you'd better get cracking and start exploring, because it's not like you can leave yet.
Or ever, maybe.
 Good day, sirs and madams. Might I interest you in a nice glass of blood...y mary?
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PHASE I [ 02 15 ] All you see is white. The crash of thunder hits your ears next, punctuated by the piercing pitch of white noise in the background. After a few blinks, your vision comes back to you. Oh good, glad that you’ve joined us in the land of the living. Unlike the nondescript corpse at your feet – it looks like… a butler? Oh dear. You’ve already killed Murder Suspect Number One in most situations. How terribly ironic.
After all, who could’ve killed him but you? You might not remember, but there is definitely a murder weapon in your hand. It’s probably a knife or a poisoned glass of wine or-
Wait, is that a toaster? A full on toaster? Or maybe it’s a taser. Maybe you bludgeoned this poor guy with an entire encyclopedia. Either way, it looks like your murder weapon is a little unconventional, whether it’s a stranger’s pair of underwear or a hair curler. Are you really supposed to believe you committed a murder with these? (Yes.)
That said in the next second the double doors will be opening up. It’s pretty clear you’re not alone. Think quick!
PHASE II [ 0600 ] Exploring more around the compound, you’ll find plenty of those tall, oil portraits of people hung around the walls. When you start walking, they’re all strangers. However by the time that you feel like you’re wandering around for an hour, two hours, they might start looking a little bit more… familiar? Mom? Is that you?
You don’t have time to think about that, though. You were clearly framed! You don't’ have a motive for killing some random NPC –
“Or do you?” a portrait will ask.
Oh. Holy shit. Well it’d just be rude to leave, right? Whether you stick around for conversation or not, you’ll find that was just the beginning. The portraits are going to start grilling you. Welcome to CERES Central’s Roast of You. What was your motive? Don’t you know you should respect the servants? How would you feel if you were caught like that? Careful turning your back on them though, because if you ignore them for too long, the subjects in the portraits may just reach out and snatch you to join them in their portrait world.
At that point, the only way to get out is to swap places with some other poor, unsuspecting soul wandering around.
PHASE III [ 1045 ] You know what makes me hungry? Murder.
What’s the point of making a mansion this big anyway? Who’s even here? Either way, whether you’re looking for the kitchen to make a fine post-homicide sandwich or just trying to escape, you’ll eventually make it to a stairwell. The most finicky stairwell ever. Is that a trail of bloody footprints leading up the steps? What? No. Stop it, just climb.
Or well – don’t climb too quickly now. The staircases apparently have a mind of their own, swapping from one doorway to another. You definitely haven’t seen this before. It would seem that these stairs might even be interested in keeping you in a circle forever, no concern for whether or not you’re hungry or, god forbid, need to use the restroom.
However the portraits in the stairwell will provide a little tip: “The stairs are gossips, you know. Why don’t you tell us a little something about yourself? Make it good!”
Weirdly enough, sound advice – that is, if you’re interested in shouting out your most embarrassing secrets into the void so a mansion can keep talking shit about you. Oh well. Your alternative is just being a stair golem. There are worse fates.
PHASE IV [ 1430 ] This hall is oddly quiet.
Well, until you hear it – the soft sniffles coming from down the hall, the broken sobs. It sounds like someone’s crying. For one reason or another, your footsteps take you forward – there’s really no point in going back now after all, right? Yet as you continue to walk… walk… walk… the crying becomes louder and louder. More desperate, more despaired. In time, it’s clear that this person is wailing, screaming, “How could this happen?!”
Within the span of a breath, all the lights in the hallway go out, leaving you in pitch black.
It occurs to you then that you hear a second set of steps. When did you stop walking? A cold chill runs down your spine and you find yourself running then, despite the fact that it feels like this pitch black hallway goes on forever. The other footsteps pick up, remind you that you’re not alone. No, certainly not.
Best hope that you find some assistance soon – otherwise it looks like the Butler Association is going to ignite some righteous vigilante justice on your ass.
BONUS [ why o'clock ] You’re in the grand ballroom now, ready to present your case. Armed with a cob pipe (don’t smoke inside, it’s rude), a detective hat, and a single spotlight aimed right at you, you now have to explain how you came to the conclusion about the True Killer that is Obviously Not You. Rather, it’ll just be the character of whoever tags into this prompt – yes, you are suddenly so very sure that they’re the ones who are the ultimate mastermind of this entire game and… you’re just going to have to bullshit the reason why even if you know virtually nothing about them. It’s a dog eat dog world out there, you know?
Sorry about that.
Should you actually provide enough of a compelling case or they take pity on you, having a villainous breakdown for the sake of the plot, you’ll be awarded with a coupon that’ll give you three free scoops at your local ice cream parlor! (Note: you must buy the first two scoops in order to qualify.) Of course, if you’re not able to nail them down as the killer, you are obviously the killer yourself (citation needed).
From there, you’ll be dragged off to face your punishment: for six grueling hours you will be tickled mercilessly.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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The answer is more complicated than she could keep up with, between the rubble and the sudden appearance of ice and the weapon Karl was swinging around. She wasn't sure if she was hindering his progress, but it wasn't a move she translated as aggressive toward her; she could see some of the debris knocked away from her in the combination of his movements and the sudden presence of another being over his shoulders.
It occurs to Chihiro that her best bet is to duck and cover, and so she does, after a fashion. Protecting her head with one arm and pressing close to both Karl and Felneus to minimize the amount of herself exposed to the onslaught. It helps, albeit imperfectly. She feels wood slam down across her elbow, but the bone was stronger than the wood itself, so aside from the brief flare of sharp pain and the throbbing that settled in after, she was okay.
You know, with a few dozen smaller bruises forming as thimble sized pieces of debris still pelt her, and she comes to the realisation that maybe balancing is going to be a problem for them both. She reaches out with the arm not still protecting her head and tries to grab hold of Karl, curling her fingers into a tight fist around whatever she can. Her legs have totally got this.
Her stick thin legs.
Totally got this.
Look, she's at least stubborn in how she clings on! The door seems startled by this response, and it stays right where it is for the moment. Not opening, not dodging, and looming immediately in front of them as the dragon goes careening straight toward it. (Apparently moving, possibly haunted stairs didn't account for dragons and ice wielders in their design plans. Who knew? There probably weren't even drains installed anywhere...) ]
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Next is the door, though. Karl's forced to turn his attention away from any remaining debris, swinging his halberd in the direction of the door. Masses of earthly and water energies form as he does so, before tearing through the door.
... Yeah, he wasn't certain if Felneus would just ram through the door, failing to take into account its passengers again, or if it'd underestimate the degree of its power. Karl would rather not send the entire building crashing down, even if it'd mean for a simple escape. Regardless, however, they make it through the door (or the doorway, seeing as how Karl blasted through the... actual door). Felneus slows into the hallway, before stilling altogether, all calm and majestic.
Karl, on the other hand, doesn't look particularly much like either. Adrenaline is still coursing through him, as he waits for it to drain, and the entire fiasco would've been almost exciting if it weren't for Chihiro's presence, meaning that Karl is really just concerned for her above all else.]
Are you all right?
[He raises a hand to brush his windswept hair out of his eyes (his knuckles sting from where rubble hit them; thankfully, it's hardly major damage), looking towards Chihiro.]
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He doesn't seem to be bleeding, which is reassuring, and he's talking, and Felneus seems fine, so... ]
I'm all right.
[ She even summons up a reassuring smile, marred by the look of concern she gives him. She appreciates that they've gotten away from the staircase maze, if that's the word for it. She runs a hand over her hair and attempts to brush off little pieces of stair detritus caught there. Her success is limited, and her hand falls away, tucking her bangs behind one ear. They stay put for now. ]
Are you injured?
[ He'd taken more damage overall, and she's not sure what to make of the extra person who'd been called on. Karl has quite the spirit family going on? ]
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He gets off of Felneus, before smiling at Chihiro.]
Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me—it'd take more than that to bring me down.
[And a lot more to overwhelm Felneus, though half of this is its fault anyway, so...]
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She sees this and shivers, not bothering to hide her reaction. ]
I'm glad you're all right.
[ Really glad, because she's feeling they need to keep moving. In fact, she's starting forward, glancing back up at Karl and Felneus and whomever else might still be hanging around (JAN WHAT IS PARTY) and then down the hall. ]
We should probably keep moving. We've got to find a door outside somewhere, right? Or else find the person who owns this house.
[ And hope they're not homicidal, but only one body that no one's talking about anymore isn't quite — ]
MURDERER!
[ When of course a portrait of a thin woman wearing a fur coat, pointing directly at the both of them. She then proceeds to faint.
Right into the neighboring portrait, across the lap of an athletic young woman in a toga. She looks irritated at first, then concerned, collecting the fur clad woman in her arms and peering out. ]
You... you are the fiend behind all of this!
[ Spying the group of them, the woman changes her statement. ]
The fiends! Unless you are planning to make them your next victim. The inhumanity! The horror!
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Thanks, Felneus. Next time, I'll call you out for something more important, I swear.
[With that, Felneus disappears. For starters, it'd be kind of unwieldy for it to try traversing through the rest of the house.
He's about to reply to Chihiro, when he's so rudely interrupted by the portrait, at which he blinks.]
Umm... what?
[???]
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Chihiro blinks in her confused surprise, but it's both the dragon disappearing and the portraits chattering on nonsense that pulls at her attention. Along with a memory from earlier, and a portrait assaulting her in a different hall: this might be dangerous.
Karl's got that whole weapon and big, impressive friends thing going on. She takes her chances in stepping close enough to reach out and tug on a sleeve, looking down the hall past the portraits. ]
Karl-san, we should keep going. I don't think the portraits can help any of us.
[ They are in fact trying to frame everyone except themselves. ]
You! A life-stealing, devilish fiend, you handsome young thing! You who controls even the giant sea serpents of the air! We will not be so deceived! Your hair is as blue as your heart is cold. You will be judged for this!
[ Meanwhile the woman in the portrait who fainted has started to... snore. Oh dear. ]
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All right...
[And yeah uh his heart's probably cold because he's an ice demon?? Get with the program, portraits!! He is also most definitely devilish.
As long as the portraits are focusing on him and not Chihiro, he doesn't horribly mind. Having rumours constantly surround him back home and always being criticized by Lugina and Liomerg comes in handy! Mainly, being semi-desensitized to people saying not-so-nice things about him.
He reaches up to take Chihiro's hand, and if she'll let him, gently pull her along as he walks down the hall.]
It's too bad, since they might actually know a way out of this place. Looks like we'll have to find our own way out.
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even if she was thinking "he's part demon isn't he whoops.He's a bigger target, and as it turns out, this portrait just does not seem to care for him. Or men. Or probably anyone, as she's trying to shake awake the other portrait who fainted into her frame. Chihiro glances back to them once, allowing Karl to take her hand and surreptitiously holding his hand in return. It's chill, like he's just been working outside in winter. An odd detail, but paired with what the rude portrait had been saying, it has her stating in utter earnesty: ]
Your heart's not cold, you know. Your hands are, but that's okay. We can warm them up while we're looking for a door outside.
[ That said, she gives a resolute huff, bringing her other hand around to encircle Karl's as best she can. His hands are much larger than her own, and she's not going to try and warm them both at once, but it offended her that people, even stuck in portraits, are too quick to judge.
... Which is a lesson she may have been learning on her own lately, and might, perchance, be more aware of now than she'd been in the last ten years of her life. Nonetheless, resolutely warming his larger hand with her two smaller ones, Chihiro keeps pace and perks up as they find a line of windows looking out into an interior courtyard. Visible across this courtyard is a ballroom, with massive glass doors opening out onto a stone patio. ]
Karl-san, look!
[ She bounces up onto the balls of her feet to better stare out the window, still holding his hand between her own. ]
If we can get down there, we can get outside and find a way out through the gardens!
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... She really is a kind girl, isn't she? He can't remember if he's ever had this kind of innocence, and if he did, he's long since lost it. Such is growing up, he supposes—or such is facing the truth.
He smiles down at her, and softly:]
I'm not bothered by what they say. Don't worry.
[Is it the truth, or is it a lie? He's lied to himself so many times that he can't always tell. If nothing else, again, he doesn't consciously mind.
When she draws attention to the windows, he looks out as requested.]
Ah, good idea. Let's do that, shall we?
[It'd be nice if it's that simple. He can hope, at least.]
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Three days pass by in the blink of an eye. Three days were enough for Chihiro to start growing up in, and that's a process that doesn't end simply for having been told "things weren't as they seemed."
Her name is Chihiro. And she can figure out what she needs to, for herself, and for the people who are kind to her, and for those who believe in her. She can believe in them too. Which is what she decides to do with Karl; a simple process, because for all she's growing up, she's still living within a world that's painted in simpler shades of grey. She hasn't touched on enough of what underlies greed and egocentricism and an innate will or desire to do harm. She hasn't had to face true evil; only corporate aloofness, a world where each was on their own while absolutely relying on others around them. It's an odd dichotomy, but not unique. ]
I think we all worry about our friends.
[ It's simplistic, to claim him as one, and it's not a very deep emotion for all that it's sincere. But she knows it's simple; and she knows just as well that friendships come in different forms and matter in all their different ways.
And that she needs friends, just as much as anyone, which means that Karl needs friends too. Even if she's all of ten and has only worked hard exactly three days in her life. (School doesn't count. She had, frankly, mostly been coasting along comfortably in the sanctuary of her pre-adolescent friendships.) ]
Do we want to try and walk all the halls to get there, or do we want to try climbing out the windows? There's that balcony outside. Doesn't it wrap all the way around?
[ Maybe they're all of three levels off the ground, maybe more, maybe less, but there is indeed an outside balcony barely wide enough to shimmy across sideways, if one is an adult. It does wrap around toward the halls and windows over near the ballroom, ending abruptly before the ballroom itself. In theory, if the windows open, they could take that shortcut to minimize the number of stairs they have to use.
Chihiro mostly sees it as a more direct line between two points. Much like the crow flies, she simply wants to get to where she's aiming on going. Though with her suggestion and her question, she's looking back up at Karl, waiting for a sense of his own decisions. He's clearly got more experience in handling the adventure side of this escapade. ]
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He examines the outside for a bit, thinking. He could probably make the climb easily enough, seeing as how he'd make for a rather sad Summoner if this is what bested him, but...]
How good are you at climbing?
[He supposes he could call Felneus out again, but he did promise that the next time he summoned it, it'd be for something important. Then again, he has other units; Sergio could catch Chihiro if she fell, maybe.
Though this is all assuming nothing external happens outside. Inside is clearly a mess—would that extend to the outside of this place as well? Hmm.]
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Much better than I used to be. Heights aren't scary anymore.
[ She's gained confidence in her coordination enough to handle something like this, and there's no rush, either, and a simple enough focus. Which means they're going to try, considering what he asked. Right? She gives his hand a squeeze: ]
See? Warmer already.
[ Before just as adroitly letting go and presuming he'll do the same, since the next step in this plan is seeing if a window will even open for them. ]
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[Again, he blinks—when she squeezes his hand, that is. He's... really not used to physical affection, sometimes. Saying nothing, he follows after. May the god of windows be on their side, or something...]
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Move aside for a bit, Chihiro?
[It might work better if the adult (and guy with shoulder plates) does it.]
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... Down to not working much better, alas. Karl frowns for a moment, before deciding that hey, he's already used his summoning for somewhat frivolous purposes today, so why not his weapon too?]
You might want to move away from me for a moment.
[Assuming she does—with one hand on the latch, he uses his other hand to stab the blunt end of his halberd at the window (the movement of which was why, frankly, he wanted Chihiro away). Or rather, at the frame of the pane, mind you, as he doesn't feel like breaking the glass and potentially placing sharp and pointy objects that aren't his polearm near Chihiro.
Finally, the window budges open a few inches.]
Ah, there. Got it! Kind of, anyway.
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Karl-san, please step to the side.
[ Considering if he does or doesn't, she'll make a run at the window and throw her side into it; if she's not stopped, she'll succeed in getting the window open wide enough for her to fall through, feet up in the air as she lands on her back and has one arm thrown over the outside ledge. If, on the other hand, he stops her, she'll probably only get the window open a few more inches before her running leap is stopped.
Either way, that window is slowly opening. ]
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He doesn't stop her, and so that sure is a little girl falling through the window—immediately, he reaches out to grab her and make an attempt to pull her to safety.]
Whoa! Chihiro!
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I'm fine!
[ She blurts out, one elbow throbbing, but it's not bad and she's feeling scrappy enough. She lifts one hand to wave, giving a light kick of her uncaught foot. See? ]
Thank you. Uh... If we push it a little wider, it should be big enough for you to fit through too.
[ One hand now on the window, she leans into it to demonstrate. Slowly, creaking, it complies, unoiled hinges protesting their abuse as it opens, little by little. ]
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[He's making sure he has a steady grip on her—just the ankle, unfortunately, since his other hand is still holding his halberd—because please do not fall out, Chihiro.]
Do you wanna get into a safer position first?
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[ It's safer because then she's not sprawled? With a hammering heart and a slow drop off from the adrenaline that'd coursed through her with her fall, she shoots him a small smile. She hopes it looks reassuring.
Should he comply, she'll regain her feet, using the frame of the window for balance. She'll then push and pry it open, figuring he'll either be standing guard (look someone's roaming those halls) or help as he's able. ]
Can you fit through? It's wider than I thought it would be.
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It might be a bit awkward, but hmm... I think I can. [The bulk of his armour and carrying his weapon with him at the same time won't make it easy, but it should be doable.] You go on ahead a bit, and I'll see if I can make it.
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Be careful, Karl-san! The leaves out here are slip—
[ With a startled noise, she slips and catches herself against the side of the house proper. Blinking and breathing through her accelerated heartbeat, she finishes what she'd been saying beforehand. ]
Slippery!
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