vatheon | Life's no fun without a good scare

It starts some time around 3am, Tuesday morning. Thin whispers of fog start appearing all throughout Vatheon, creeping through the narrow, winding streets, up the steps, and over the park. It starts in the lower district, but as the night progresses and daylight approaches, it spreads to the other districts as well, growing thicker and thicker as it does. By the morning rolls around, the mist is thick enough that visibility has been compromised greatly, and the temperature seems to have dropped a few degrees, an odd chill filling the air.

And on the walls, there are stains.

They are infrequent at first, just a odd ruddy brown smear and a oddly bright red drop here and there, but the closer to the Plaza, the more numerous they become. There is a large smear across the steps leading up to the Plaza, as if something big was dragged up them. In one place the blood -- for it is blood, there is no deny it at this point -- pools thickly as if whoever was responsible took a casual break there, leaving the poor victim to bleed out on the steps.

On the plaza, the mist is thinner, but that is no relief. Rather, it just functions to make the gruesome scene all the more clearer.

A woman is draped upside down on the coral. Or, well, woman. It was once a woman, certainly, but now it is nothing more than something straight out of a nightmare. The flesh seems to have been torn carelessly from her limbs here and there, showing the white gleam of her bones, her nurse outfit torn as if raked apart by giant claws and her head...

well, it isn't there anymore.

The ground in front of her is smeared with blood as well. But where the previous smears had been accidental, these are deliberate, long lines curving and meeting to spell out

hel pm e

But no help had been forthcoming, clearly. No, it seems that this murder, this brutal murder, was nothing more than a game to whoever did it. The walls of the buildings surrounding the plaza are coated in bloody, spelling out a long string of mocking 'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA's and directly in the center, behind the coral.

Who is next?

The notice board seems to have been hit too. The killer did not tear down any of the notices on the board already, but they did cover the entire board with blood-stained sheets of paper, each adorned with the same text over and over and over again.

Chop chop, sweet Charlotte Chop chop till she's dead Chop chop, sweet Charlotte Chop off her hand and head.

For those brave enough to check, no, the poor girl still has both her hands. Was the killer just sloppy, or does this mean this is not Charlotte? So many unanswered questions, more born every passing moment.

Who had done this? Why? Where they going to strike again? And why had nobody heard anything?

[ooc note: Consider this your mingle log. Have fun, go forth, threadjack.

And as a further note, the fog does not seem to be clearing up as the week goes on.

]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This is Minato actually leaning on the side of a building a little away from the crime.

He spies Tiir, but for a long moment, he doesn't actually move towards him.

He's not meant for this sort of thing--death upsets him, and it always will.

So he just watches for a moment.

...:c]

[... Well.

After examinin the corpse, Tiir notices Minato, so he heads over himself.]

You do realize that nothing's forcing you to stay here, correct?

[Minato pauses, glancing at Tiir before looking down again, looking more out of place than he ever really does.

Death and...life...don't really mix.]

I...

I want to make sure nothing like this happens again.

[... It strikes Tiir as yet another difference between Minato and him—that while Minato seems so uncomfortable here, he himself is practically at home amidst the blood and death.

Is Minato's reaction the 'right' thing, then...?]

Well, I doubt the next incident, if it occurs, will take place here. This area is a canvas that's already been painted on, after all.

[Minato's just a little uncomfortable and out of his depth to notice anything from Tiir beyond what he shows, this time; it doesn't help that he looks a little ill around the edges.]

That's...true. I just want to understand what happened here.

That way, I can stop it from happening again. Nobody deserves this.

[That much he is steely, unyielding on. He knows it's impossible--but that won't stop him from swearing to protect everyone.]

Is that so? Personally, I'm not concerned as long as none of my friends are targeted, but I can't imagine how you'll accomplish much by standing right here.

[... It's callous, he knows, but he's never been one to hide his opinion.]

[He blinks at Tiir.

And then he nods quietly, accepting the criticism just as quietly.]

You're right. I'm not doing much good here, huh?

[He pushes himself up to a standing position off the wall.]

Maybe it's silly to be concerned over everyone...But it's hard to say that they might not be someone precious once you really get to know them. They deserve protecting too.

If you can't handle the scene, then perhaps you should assist elsewhere. [...] However, if you need further examination of anything here, I myself have no problems.

[He just smiles wryly at that.]

Perhaps. You'll have to pardon me if my circumstances mean that I've developed a different mindset, though.

[... Though he knows he can't apply the same view here, he's used to caring only about his kind—who aren't here—or, put in another way, his immediate circle of friends.]

[Good leadership is delegation.

...A pause and he smiles slightly, despite himself.]

You would do that? ...Then I would appreciate the help. I trust you.

[He considers the next bit as he turns away from the scene, already pondering what he has to do next.]

Sometime, Tiir-san, you'll have to describe these circumstances to me.

But thank you for the help.

... There's no need to thank me for something like this.

[It's a bit awkward, even, given that Minato is human.]

And I doubt it's nothing you haven't already figured for yourself.

[Minato just tilts his head, tucking his hands into his pockets and glancing over his shoulders.]

Let's assume that I don't--but I'll ask another time. It's a bad time right now, I think.

[A glance at the blood again and--]

I give thanks where it's due. So thank you, Tiir-san.

[And he turns and begins to walk, because there is a great amount of work to do, and he trusts Tiir to handle things there.]

Life's no fun without a good scare

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject