Tanuki
Friend of All Chu
- Location
- Rhyme City
- Pronouns
- He/him/his
Dawn of the Third Day: Turtle Doves
Counting time since Dec 22, 2020. Showing days, hours, minutes and seconds counting up
www.timeanddate.com
The White Elephant in the Room Playground
- Thread starter Tanuki
- Start date
www.timeanddate.com
Tanuki
Friend of All Chu
- Location
- Rhyme City
- Pronouns
- He/him/his
The storm raged, lightning joining ice in its elemental assault. It grew louder, deafening, and the sound even began to pierce through the supposedly soundproof interior of the guest’s rooms. Of course, The Committee anticipated as much, and so had pre-prepared an elegant, soothing solution to ensure everyone got a good night’s rest.
“Good evening!” boomed the intercom, louder than the loudest thunder and localized to everyone’s rooms with discrete and indestructible speakers. “Quite the storm, isn’t it?” The voice, high and shrill, didn’t even bother changing its intonation for the slightest sacrifice in volume. “To ensure everyone is well rested, we have prepared a soothing soundscape to let everyone sleep peacefully.”
Perhaps they had designed it to deafen the poor partygoers. “We could think of nothing more soothing than Bingo Night! Please feel free to use the numbers for meditation or other sleep assisting techniques. If you get a Bingo, please wait until tge morning to exchange your card.
“Without further adieu, here are the numbers! N Thirty-six! That is N Thirty-six! November Three Six! N Thirty-three! That is N thirty-three! November Three Six! G Fifty-seven! That is G Fifty-Seven! Golf Five Seven! N Forty! That is N Forty! November Four Zero! Finally, I Twenty-three! That is I Twenty-three! India Two Three! Once again...” and the voice continued into the night. It never stopped, not even when the storm seemed to quiet down.
Although, whether the storm had actually quieted down, or if the intercom drowned it out, nobody really knew. Everyone did know, however, that this blaring did wonders for the quality of their sleep. The Committee certainly knew how to throw a party. Guests found that, no matter what they tried, they simply couldn’t block out the soothing sound of screeching bingo numbers.
“Good evening!” boomed the intercom, louder than the loudest thunder and localized to everyone’s rooms with discrete and indestructible speakers. “Quite the storm, isn’t it?” The voice, high and shrill, didn’t even bother changing its intonation for the slightest sacrifice in volume. “To ensure everyone is well rested, we have prepared a soothing soundscape to let everyone sleep peacefully.”
Perhaps they had designed it to deafen the poor partygoers. “We could think of nothing more soothing than Bingo Night! Please feel free to use the numbers for meditation or other sleep assisting techniques. If you get a Bingo, please wait until tge morning to exchange your card.
“Without further adieu, here are the numbers! N Thirty-six! That is N Thirty-six! November Three Six! N Thirty-three! That is N thirty-three! November Three Six! G Fifty-seven! That is G Fifty-Seven! Golf Five Seven! N Forty! That is N Forty! November Four Zero! Finally, I Twenty-three! That is I Twenty-three! India Two Three! Once again...” and the voice continued into the night. It never stopped, not even when the storm seemed to quiet down.
Although, whether the storm had actually quieted down, or if the intercom drowned it out, nobody really knew. Everyone did know, however, that this blaring did wonders for the quality of their sleep. The Committee certainly knew how to throw a party. Guests found that, no matter what they tried, they simply couldn’t block out the soothing sound of screeching bingo numbers.
Dawn of the Third Day: Problems A-pair-ant
Tanuki
Friend of All Chu
- Location
- Rhyme City
- Pronouns
- He/him/his
“Open it.”
Mewtwo glared at the present. He knew what would happen. He knew why they were doing this. But he didn’t know why he listened. He didn’t understand how something like that could pose any threat at all. Yet, here he was. A new sensation ached in his stomach, burned from his pores. Even the strongest of his psychic pulses did nothing against that monstrous weapon. “Weapon,” he could barely call it that.
But the mere sight of it sent chills down his spine. He had never felt fear before. He had never been anything but the strongest pokémon in any room, and here he was opening a present so he didn’t have to face that… whatever it was.
---
A flash of light consumed the night and its storm, louder than all of the thunder strikes combined that night. Nobody could sleep through it. Two turtle doves and a partridge fled the pear tree outside. Even the deaf could feel the seismic impact. All at once, the sky cleared and the morning came. “Good morning, guests! I hope you had a wonderful slumber. Welcome to Thirsty Thursday! Be sure to have a delicious drink with a friend! Remember, pairs of two make oceans blue!”
Eventually, everyone congregated around the same scene. A ball of yarn, fresh fish, a heavy blanket, and the box itself seemed large and sturdy enough to hold the missing psychic cat.
Mewtwo was gone. Had he succumb to the temptation of a Christmas present, or was something more sinister afoot?
Mewtwo glared at the present. He knew what would happen. He knew why they were doing this. But he didn’t know why he listened. He didn’t understand how something like that could pose any threat at all. Yet, here he was. A new sensation ached in his stomach, burned from his pores. Even the strongest of his psychic pulses did nothing against that monstrous weapon. “Weapon,” he could barely call it that.
But the mere sight of it sent chills down his spine. He had never felt fear before. He had never been anything but the strongest pokémon in any room, and here he was opening a present so he didn’t have to face that… whatever it was.
---
A flash of light consumed the night and its storm, louder than all of the thunder strikes combined that night. Nobody could sleep through it. Two turtle doves and a partridge fled the pear tree outside. Even the deaf could feel the seismic impact. All at once, the sky cleared and the morning came. “Good morning, guests! I hope you had a wonderful slumber. Welcome to Thirsty Thursday! Be sure to have a delicious drink with a friend! Remember, pairs of two make oceans blue!”
Eventually, everyone congregated around the same scene. A ball of yarn, fresh fish, a heavy blanket, and the box itself seemed large and sturdy enough to hold the missing psychic cat.
Mewtwo was gone. Had he succumb to the temptation of a Christmas present, or was something more sinister afoot?
- Partners
-
Darkwhite drifted out of her room, cracking her back several times. "That was a dumb nap," she said, looking around. The corrupted Mew scratched her nose and formed a bubble of a strange, black-white energy that she rested on top. "Feels emptier than before," she added. "Someone missing?"
With hope in her heart, she looked around in search of Jesse, but when she saw him, she huffed and pouted, digging until she was within her black and white bubble.
With hope in her heart, she looked around in search of Jesse, but when she saw him, she huffed and pouted, digging until she was within her black and white bubble.
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
"Yeah, yeah, fuck you too, Ma'am," grumbled Jesse in Darkwhite's general direction.
So, the mewtwo was gone. He guessed that cleared the bastard of suspicion, but there was still so much that remained unknown. One of them badly needed to discover and volunteer some real information to go on, and fast.
"Alright folks," he announced. "We have another missing person, presumably 'eviscerated'. Mewtwo's gone. Now, nobody here had much rapport with the fella yet as I understand, but nobody deserves that. We gotta find our killer or killers, and fast. Which means we need information. Evidence. And, if we must, a mite of conjecture."
He eyed a few guests with scrutiny.
"Let's hear it, folks. What do you have?"
So, the mewtwo was gone. He guessed that cleared the bastard of suspicion, but there was still so much that remained unknown. One of them badly needed to discover and volunteer some real information to go on, and fast.
"Alright folks," he announced. "We have another missing person, presumably 'eviscerated'. Mewtwo's gone. Now, nobody here had much rapport with the fella yet as I understand, but nobody deserves that. We gotta find our killer or killers, and fast. Which means we need information. Evidence. And, if we must, a mite of conjecture."
He eyed a few guests with scrutiny.
"Let's hear it, folks. What do you have?"
IFBench
Rescue Team Member
- Location
- Pokemon Paradise
- Partners
-
Gen was hyperventilating quite a lot, and shivering a bit.
No no no no no! Another person died! Who'll be next? What if I'm next?!
No no no no no! Another person died! Who'll be next? What if I'm next?!
Fusion
Oh knee on
Lee emerged from his room, with a uncharacteristically unsettled look about him. He walked into the room with the others, staring blankly.
"Last night..." he muttered, then shook his head. "Last night, I talked to... Squirt. I barely had a chance to talk to him." All the questions he wanted to ask still rang in his head. It wasn't reasonable for him to be so worried over a kid he just met, but he couldn't shake that worry away. "He wasn't killed by any of the gods here. Or legendaries, as some of you refer to them."
Lee looked every other mortal Pokemon in the eye, although he could look directly at Jesse. Even with the knowledge he was given, Lee couldn't bring himself to suspect the fox. "I place my trust in Squirt's words, and I would hope you all would place your trust in mine." He looked to Palkia and Darkwhite. "I suggest you two watch your backs, as I will my own."
"Last night..." he muttered, then shook his head. "Last night, I talked to... Squirt. I barely had a chance to talk to him." All the questions he wanted to ask still rang in his head. It wasn't reasonable for him to be so worried over a kid he just met, but he couldn't shake that worry away. "He wasn't killed by any of the gods here. Or legendaries, as some of you refer to them."
Lee looked every other mortal Pokemon in the eye, although he could look directly at Jesse. Even with the knowledge he was given, Lee couldn't bring himself to suspect the fox. "I place my trust in Squirt's words, and I would hope you all would place your trust in mine." He looked to Palkia and Darkwhite. "I suggest you two watch your backs, as I will my own."
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Jesse nodded, and stroked his cheek fur thoughtfully.
"I suspected some of us might be afforded... interestin' advantages in our investigations. I myself have one, though not one that provides me with any insight into the killer's identity."
He gave Lee a sympathetic look as he paused for a moment to think.
"I reckon this is some kinda elaborate moral testin' apparatus. We gotta cooperate as best we can under the conditions, and though I'm without my telepathy to tell deceit from truth, I'm inclined to believe Lee. Lee, I know you may not know how your ability works, and it's evidently disturbin', but...perhaps you can glean more information tonight from Mewtwo? Please do try, fella. We need everythin' we can get in the way of knowledge."
"I suspected some of us might be afforded... interestin' advantages in our investigations. I myself have one, though not one that provides me with any insight into the killer's identity."
He gave Lee a sympathetic look as he paused for a moment to think.
"I reckon this is some kinda elaborate moral testin' apparatus. We gotta cooperate as best we can under the conditions, and though I'm without my telepathy to tell deceit from truth, I'm inclined to believe Lee. Lee, I know you may not know how your ability works, and it's evidently disturbin', but...perhaps you can glean more information tonight from Mewtwo? Please do try, fella. We need everythin' we can get in the way of knowledge."
For the first time since arriving, Palkia's cheerful air had darkened somewhat. Of course, it made sense that with Mewtwo's power and presence he'd be an obvious target (alongside Palkia itself, of course.) Still, the spatial one couldn't deny that it had been looking forward to cracking open this oh-so-interesting case alongside him.
Palkia listened to Lee's account with intrigue. "So this one," it said, gesturing to Darkwhite, "she had no hand in Squirt's demise, if your word is genuine. I suppose that says nothing about any involvement in the departing of our dear Mewtwo, but it is at least something to go off." It tilted its head. "How did you speak with him, anyway?"
"Myself, I briefly considered pursuing some course of action last night, but ultimately decided it wouldn't be in the party's best interest at this time."
Palkia listened to Lee's account with intrigue. "So this one," it said, gesturing to Darkwhite, "she had no hand in Squirt's demise, if your word is genuine. I suppose that says nothing about any involvement in the departing of our dear Mewtwo, but it is at least something to go off." It tilted its head. "How did you speak with him, anyway?"
"Myself, I briefly considered pursuing some course of action last night, but ultimately decided it wouldn't be in the party's best interest at this time."
Fusion
Oh knee on
"That depends on whether or not I survive tonight," Lee chuckled. "Under normal circumstances, that wouldn't be an issue but this...is anything other than normal."
Lee crossed his arms and hummed. "It was... one of those black gifts I was given. A door, believe it or not. Seeing how Mewtwo turned out, I was fortunate enough to not meet the same fate. When I pushed my ear against it... I heard his voice." He didn't mention how his heart skipped a beat, simply from believing the squirtle was alive, for a moment at least. "I couldn't open it, however. And I... do not believe whatever is on the other side is something I would want to see."
He shook his head. "I only had the chance to ask him one thing before his voice faded away and the door went back into its box."
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Jesse blanched a little. "Well, as ominously supernatural as that is, perhaps it at least means death here does not result in evisceration of the soul..."
He paced, frowning. "I got a couple questions. Each of us sent a gift, and oughta remember doin' so even if the memory is planted. Can any of y'all verify that a spooky door is among the gifts sent?"
He gesticulated at Lee, vaguely. "And has anyone received a gift that would allow them to protect Lee tonight while he gathers more information? Not that I don't care to preserve the lives of Palkia, Darkwhite and myself, but Lee's gift provides a means of identifyin' the murderer. We need that."
He paced, frowning. "I got a couple questions. Each of us sent a gift, and oughta remember doin' so even if the memory is planted. Can any of y'all verify that a spooky door is among the gifts sent?"
He gesticulated at Lee, vaguely. "And has anyone received a gift that would allow them to protect Lee tonight while he gathers more information? Not that I don't care to preserve the lives of Palkia, Darkwhite and myself, but Lee's gift provides a means of identifyin' the murderer. We need that."
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Jesse snapped his fingers in agitation. "Second thought, don't let on if you have a protective gift. You'll just make yerself a fuckin' target. Shush."
DawningWinds
Ace Trainer
- Partners
-
Nilam exited their room and joined the group. Where was Mewtwo? Dead, provided their mind. They didn't want to listen. Unfortunately, with everyone else saying the same thing, it was hard not to. But- Lee could talk to the supposedly dead, which meant they might actually be alive! If he wasn't lying, which Nilam didn't think he was. That was good news, if Nilam's interpretation was right. So maybe not a killer, but a kidnapper? Which was obviously bad, but not as bad.
"So, the killer isn't a god?" Nilam said. "That's good! Narrows down the pool of who it is. As long as-" it's something Nilam had only considered overnight. And it was hard to believe that someone would. "-as nobody's conspiring with the killer. ...Maybe not actually killing alongside them, but scheming behind the scenes."
Of course, it also threw a wrench into Nilam's suspect list. Which was fine. From the times Luna had talked about a mystery book she had been reading- not too often, but enough- Nilam knew that when evidence changed, you had to change your suspects with it. Though, Nilam didn't think waiting forever for evidence was a good idea, since, well, people were really dissappearing. Possibly dying. But it seemed like the killer/kidnapper only struck at night, so Nilam had a bit of time to consider which of the guests they hadn't been very sure on yesterday was most likely guilty.
"So, the killer isn't a god?" Nilam said. "That's good! Narrows down the pool of who it is. As long as-" it's something Nilam had only considered overnight. And it was hard to believe that someone would. "-as nobody's conspiring with the killer. ...Maybe not actually killing alongside them, but scheming behind the scenes."
Of course, it also threw a wrench into Nilam's suspect list. Which was fine. From the times Luna had talked about a mystery book she had been reading- not too often, but enough- Nilam knew that when evidence changed, you had to change your suspects with it. Though, Nilam didn't think waiting forever for evidence was a good idea, since, well, people were really dissappearing. Possibly dying. But it seemed like the killer/kidnapper only struck at night, so Nilam had a bit of time to consider which of the guests they hadn't been very sure on yesterday was most likely guilty.
IFBench
Rescue Team Member
- Location
- Pokemon Paradise
- Partners
-
What to do, what to do? They barely had any leads! And if that person was right, there could be multiple people orchestrating this!
"We still barely even know each other," Gen lamented. I don't even know many people's names...
"We still barely even know each other," Gen lamented. I don't even know many people's names...
Fusion
Oh knee on
Lee straightened out his back a bit and exhaled. "Basically, there's little we can do until tomorrow morning. I don't know what the rest of you are going to do, but as far as I care, I'm going to drink this... feeling away."
He had given up on not showing weakness. If it was anyone other than Squirt that died, or if he just didn't try to talk to him, Lee would have been the same as the day before. Of all the shit he had to deal with here, a dead child had to be one of them. The one thing he hoped to never face. He had the idea of a bar in mind and closed his eyes, and took a step forward.
He had given up on not showing weakness. If it was anyone other than Squirt that died, or if he just didn't try to talk to him, Lee would have been the same as the day before. Of all the shit he had to deal with here, a dead child had to be one of them. The one thing he hoped to never face. He had the idea of a bar in mind and closed his eyes, and took a step forward.
Mia frowned at Lee's information.
"If Squirt was behind the door, then he's not really dead," she said. "Why wouldn't you open it?" Of course, this was a game where a lot of things didn't make sense. Dave in his game had been able to talk to ghosts, even though ghosts weren't real, and made no sense because people are just the activity in their brains and if the brain isn't functioning anymore you can't still have the person exist independently of it. "If the people who die just go behind the door, we should check and figure out how it works. Then it doesn't matter if anyone dies."
She supposed the game went on regardless. People behind the door probably counted as dead for the purposes of the game, even though if they were still there and could still answer questions they weren't dead in any meaningful sense.
"Why didn't you just ask who killed him, instead of asking if it was one of them? Did he know who killed him?" Actually, Dave had (not really, but in the memory) told her that in his game the ghosts couldn't answer questions properly, only say 'yes', 'no', or 'don't know'. "Was there a rule that he could only say a few things?"
"If Squirt was behind the door, then he's not really dead," she said. "Why wouldn't you open it?" Of course, this was a game where a lot of things didn't make sense. Dave in his game had been able to talk to ghosts, even though ghosts weren't real, and made no sense because people are just the activity in their brains and if the brain isn't functioning anymore you can't still have the person exist independently of it. "If the people who die just go behind the door, we should check and figure out how it works. Then it doesn't matter if anyone dies."
She supposed the game went on regardless. People behind the door probably counted as dead for the purposes of the game, even though if they were still there and could still answer questions they weren't dead in any meaningful sense.
"Why didn't you just ask who killed him, instead of asking if it was one of them? Did he know who killed him?" Actually, Dave had (not really, but in the memory) told her that in his game the ghosts couldn't answer questions properly, only say 'yes', 'no', or 'don't know'. "Was there a rule that he could only say a few things?"
Fusion
Oh knee on
"Yeah. Nothing told me, but I knew how it worked, I think. Surprisingly, not the first time I've dealt with magical doors," Lee said.
unrepentantAuthor
A cat that writes stories.
Jesse was sorely tempted to join Lee at the bar. Gods knew he needed a drink, and the wolf felt like a kindred spirit on some level. But instead he concentrated, trying to find what he needed... there. A chalkboard.
He wheeled it into the main lobby and started scrawling on it.
"Just gonna try and keep track of shit on this fuckin' thing," he muttered, as a table of party guests took shape.
"So," he said, "here's how I see it. This brings the probability of any random vote hitting the right target up to fourteen percent, if Lee's honest. Seventeen, if y'all trust me. Twenty, if'n we take Gen at face value. That's still really fuckin' low. I need more goddamn clues."
Jesse sighed. "Of course, we haven't even got hard evidence that Lee is telling the truth. My gut says he is, but we might not know for sure if the person who gave him his 'door' is already dead."
Jesse scratched behind his ear as he mused.
"Plus, I note that the Nickit has been absolutely dead silent this whole fuckin' time. The rest of y'all notice that yet? 'Cause I did. What's yer deal, critter?"
He wheeled it into the main lobby and started scrawling on it.
"Just gonna try and keep track of shit on this fuckin' thing," he muttered, as a table of party guests took shape.
"So," he said, "here's how I see it. This brings the probability of any random vote hitting the right target up to fourteen percent, if Lee's honest. Seventeen, if y'all trust me. Twenty, if'n we take Gen at face value. That's still really fuckin' low. I need more goddamn clues."
| Dead | Not Cleared by Lee | Cleared by Lee |
| Squirt | Jesse | Lee |
| Mewtwo | Nilam | Palkia |
| Gen | Darkwhite | |
| Blue | ||
| Tabitha | ||
| Beldum | ||
| Nickit |
Jesse sighed. "Of course, we haven't even got hard evidence that Lee is telling the truth. My gut says he is, but we might not know for sure if the person who gave him his 'door' is already dead."
Jesse scratched behind his ear as he mused.
"Plus, I note that the Nickit has been absolutely dead silent this whole fuckin' time. The rest of y'all notice that yet? 'Cause I did. What's yer deal, critter?"
Mia narrowed her eyes at him in irritation. "So what things could he say? If he couldn't say if he didn't know, then he would've said no even if it was one of them."
She glanced at Jesse's chalkboard. "Why aren't I on the list?"