Final Investigation

[grimgrinningghosts]

[Wednesday morning is unusually calm for the first few hours. Maybe you woke up and had a nice breakfast to start the day, or decided to hang out in the spa to ease off some stress from the weeks, or maybe you just slept in today because frankly, you all deserve it.

Until around noon, where Rod’s distorted voice calls through the entirety of the hotel, sounding unusually panicked.]

E̸͠ve҉r̸͢҉y̢͢o̵n͝è ̴̡ǹ̴e҉e͜d̵͡s t͡o̷͜ g̷o ̧̛b̨á́c͡k ̴t̀͟ó̴̸ ́͜͠t̸héi͝r̶ ̶̨҉r͟o҉̵o̴̢m̷̕͟s͜ ̴͞͞ńǫ̛w.̵͝ ҉̵͘ ͘͟ ̶̕I ҉́̀d̶̨̕o͟͡n̨͏’̸͠t̢́ k̶̨͞n̴̨͏ǫ͞ẃ ͝f̀͢͢o͘ŗ̷ ̡͢͞h͟o͘҉w̷҉ ̢͠ļ͜o͘͢n͟͢g͟,̡ ̵b̕͞u̶̢t̢̨҉ i͟͞t̢͠’҉̸s ̵̡̕n̢o̢҉t ͏s̶̕͏af͘e͜͞ ͏̨̡f̕̕ơ͟͜r̴͜ ̛̕͟a͟n͝͏y҉͡o̵͜n͝e̵ ̷o͏u̢҉t ̷̧͡ḩ҉e͡͡r̢̡e̡̢ ̧͜ŗ́͡į̢̛ght́͏ ̶͟n͞ǫ̵w̛͟͞.͞ ͢Į’̵̡͟l̀l̷̛ ́̕ǵ̡̕i͘͞v̶͞e̴̸ ̸̴ęv̨e̷̢͝r͏̨͜y̡o̵̡͞n̶ę̵̢ ͏a ̵͢ş͜i̢͜͟g̷͡͠n̴̨͘a̢l͘ ͠͡o͡͝n̶͟c̡̕e͘ ̨i̵͢͠t̛͢’̨̛͠s҉͝-͏̶̧

[He is suddenly cut off. No matter how long you wait, he doesn’t speak again. But, despite his warning, nothing dangerous seems to be going on, at least on the floors you normally have access to.

However, if you’re in the lobby at the time of the announcement, you’ll realize that the door that was open yesterday when Benny arrived is once again mysteriously open, seeming to beckon you. Whether you decide to all go as a group or go down alone, you'll find yourself going down a hallway splitting into two paths. And if you decide to take one way alone you'll soon find yourself in a group of three other people, going into the unknown.

Even with the apparent threat of danger according to Rod, it seems like if you have any hope of escaping, you have no choice but to investigate the one floor you haven’t looked at yet.]

Comments

[keyofimagination]

I̴͡ ̷͢d̨́͡i͟͠d̨͘͟n̛'t b̷r̡͝i̧n̢͞͠g͜͜ y͡ò͘ų̢́ ̡̧h͡e͢r̡e̢͜.̷̕

[nocasetoobig]

I'm not sure I should believe you! I'm not sure I should believe anything you've said to us!

[keyofimagination]

I̢҉ ̷̢̧ća̛͢n҉'t̵ b҉̵l͜a̸m͢e̶͏ y̵o̷u̷̢,҉ ̨͘b̴̡u͏̛̀t̷̨҉ ͜͠ṕ̢͘l̴e̵͝à͞s̸e͏͢ b̢͜͡è͠l̛͠i̸ev̵̷e̶ ̢me҉̷ ͘w̢h̡҉ȩ͞n͜ ̨̢I̡͡͞ ͟s̛a̶ý̛ I̶ ͏ḑ̷͘o҉͏n̢'̸̕t̛͠ ͏͡k͠no̕ẃ i̶f̸͘҉ ̧͘tḩe̸͞r̵e͝ ̴i͟s̕͟ ̵͢͟a͏n͏͢ ̶e͞x͟į͜͠t̴́.̧͜͝

[Then, more quietly as if he was talking to himself:]

G̴͞o͞d̡ ͏d͏̀a̛͜m̀͝n̷͟ ͞i̧͠t̷͞ ̷͘͏I̴̶͘ ͏̢w̸̧í̷s̕h̢ ͘͏I̷̡ ͘͠knę͠͝w ͘t̷͜he̴̷ŕ̸e̸̵ ̴̕͠ẁ҉͡a͢͢s҉ ҉a͟ ̵ẃ̕͝a̷͏͞y̧͠ ̢o̷ut̸͢ ͏̸͜m͢͝ys̛͘͡elf̡̡̕.̶̨.̵͝.̢̧

[tadaishi]

There should be a way. It's pretty difficult to make anything completely inescapable.

[keyofimagination]

T͢h̶͘e̸̴̢ ̴on͡l̶̕y̸̡ ̕p҉e̡͘r̢s̢͡ǫ͘n͝ I ̢͟k̨̀͜n̶͠o͏͜ẃ̸̢ ͝͠w̷h҉́́ò͟ ̸͠şe̶̛e̴ms҉ ̶̕t̸̴o̴͏ ͠͞k͡n͝ow̷͡ ̶o̧҉f̧̧͜ ͝a ͜p̶͞o͏s͡s̡í̸bl͟ȩ w͢͠a̵y͘ ̷͞͝out͘͜ i̢͏s҉҉ ̕͢͝m̛͝y̢̡ ̀̀b҉̡en͠͠e҉̵f̴́͝a̷ć͞t̴̨͟ó͜r͘͠.͏

.͠.̶̀.̢̛͢ ̀͠Ó̀͞r̕ ̵̸͞W̨a̶l̢͘t͝,͠͡ I͞ ͢su̴̸p̷p͝o̷͢͡s͡e̵, ̷́͡b̧͜ut̴̨ ̸͘͢I̢̛'̢̛m̵͠ l̛̛e̶͢ss̕ ̧̕şurę ̧́a͟b͜o̸̡͠u͟͝t̶͠ ̀͜t̴̶ha͘͢t͏͡.

[nocasetoobig]

[Chip looks visibly upset at this point. He grips his tiny fists, and abruptly smacks one on the side of the TV]

Why? Why should I believe you?!

[keyofimagination]

[There's a long silence, then...]

B̡͡e̴͡͞ca̢̡u̧͟͠s̢̕e ̨̢͢Į̵ ̵͡h̕͝áv͏e ̵͠n̶̨o͢͝ ̛͡re̶a̶͜͠s̀òn̶ ̛͝t̨͢o̶ ͠ḩ̸i̕̕d́e͏́ ̧̀a͏n̴͜y̨͏t͢hí͝n͢g ͝a̸͡n̢ym̡̛or͏͡é͢.͏

I̵̧.̵͟͠..̢ ҉̀͠I̵̸̛ t̢҉͠ḩ̕i̸n͟k̵ ́́͏s̶ǫ̨̕m͘̕e҉̵t̀͞h́̕in̨͠g͜ ͘ha̴pṕe͞n͞eḑ̷͡ ̢t͟͟o J̀̀̀o͢҉h̵̶n͢. ͘͡ ́͟Ẁ̸̕i̢̧th̕͞ ̨h̵i͞m̷̕ ̷͟͠g̨on҉͡e̡͡,̵̵ ̶͟͡t̸̡͞h͢er͘e̴̷'s ́͠ǹo̵ ̡̕͞r̸͞è͞͞a̵s̶ò͝n͏̀ ̶̛to̶҉̴ ̵c̕͘oń͠t͏̸́i̛n̕ưe͜.̀͏

1/?

[nocasetoobig]

You...

2/?

[nocasetoobig]

3/done

[nocasetoobig]

..is John. The person you were talking about, before? When we were talking?

[keyofimagination]

.͟.̢.̴̨ ̨Į͜͢f̧ ̨̛͞J̨҉o͞͠h͏̴n̵͞ ̢́i͟s̨ ͘҉ì̛n̴̢̡d̴́͠e͏ęḑ..̴̢.͢ ͝g͟o͟ǹ̨͏e͟ ̡̨̕fo͢r̶̴͜ go̕od̸͜͜,̴ ͘͠Ì̧̧ ͝s̷̛upp҉̸̧o̡͜sè ̶h͏͠e͏'͟͟͞ş̴ ̴́͡nó̷͞t̡̀ ̧͘͝a͢͡m̧͘͝o̧ng̢͟͢ ͢th̡̢͘o̴̵s͟e͝͏ I͏̶ m͘͡i̧̕s̀s̶͜ ̴n͘o̵͟w͠.͠ ҉͝A͘l͟t̀͞hó҉u͠gh̶́ ̧͜Į̸ ҉w͏a̸̕sn҉́͜'̷҉t̛ ҉҉̕l͟y҉ì̕n̷͡ģ҉ ̢͘w̧h̶e̴ǹ͜ ̷̧I̷̸ ͢s͠͠͏ąi̷̸̡d ̸̛͜I ̵w̧͟a̵͝s̀ ̧͟ç͝l̷̷͟ó̕҉s̨e̷ ͡t̷̡o҉ ̧͢h͘͘i͞s̢̨ f͘a̴m͠i͡l͘ỳ ̷̢͡i͏̧̀n̵ ̕͟͜g͡eǹ̡e̡r̀͠àl͢҉͏.̵̶

A̡͟n̨ḑ ͠a͝͝ s̕͝͏į͢c̴̢k ҉͡ṕ̴a̛͟rt͏ ̸óf ͞m҉̡̀é ̷s̴̕t̶i͞ļl̡ ̵̧misses̸̡ ͏W͡͠a̷͢l̸̡̕t̡͢͠ ̶t͠o͞҉o̷,̷̧͠ ̸͡s͘͜omeh̡͡o̸ẃ̵͡.͢͞

[lusito]

It's normal to miss people, even when it's someone that has harmed you in the past.

[keyofimagination]

T̸͜h̨̡̛a͢n̕k҉͡s҉ ̛J͏o̸͘̕shua.͏ ͡ It̵ r͏͢ȩa҉l̛͜l̡̛y͢͟͝ me͟a̵n̴͜͡s̷̨͟ ̕͞͝a̧ ͜͠ĺ̨o͏t͟ ̵̨t̨ǫ҉̧ ̡̀m̵̴̡e̷

[lusito]

Happy to hear it.

[And besides, Josh understands that feeling pretty well.]

[nocasetoobig]

[.........

He looks like he wants to say something else. Do something else.

But in the end? He just walks back to his new flying machine. He may be shaking a little.]

[grimgrinningghosts]

[Do you want to do anything else in this room Chip? Or just deal with Sad Rod?]

[nocasetoobig]

[let's just instead see if the thing takes any fuel and/or if it'll need some. He's got a lot of feelings to sort out in his smol body rn]

[grimgrinningghosts]

[Nope, it's powered by ~imagination~]

[tadaishi]

[While Rod and Joshua are talking, Tadashi's going to examine the television to see if any of the smashed bits can be repaired. Probably not the screen, but maybe he doesn't need it to properly function.]

[grimgrinningghosts]

[Unfortunately it doesn't look like it's fixable with the materials we have here. But there is the rest of the room to look through!]

[tadaishi]

[Boo.

A thought, though.]

...Does this tape in here work in any other VCRs?

[keyofimagination]

P͏r҉o͡b̸a̴̡͡b̀ly͝҉.͏ ͝͞҉ ̵̢W̷a̵̕l̴̴̢t́ ̨tho̷͞u͏g̀͢h͜t́͜͝ ͟i͝t̛͜͞ ̵wa̵s̢̕ ̸à̷͞ ͠f̨͢͡à̀n̢ta͏̀҉s̵t͝͏̨i̴̛ç̷͜ ̴͜iḑ̷e͘͟a͏ ̡t̶́o n̕͝o̧ţ̷ ͟i̧nc͞l̨u͡d͢e͘ à̷͟n͟͟y̢͜ ̧̛͞o̢t̨̡͡h̴͢e̛͝r̀͜͟ ̢͘V̀H͠S̸̵ ̀t̵́a̴͘̕p̸̷͝e̵҉s̶̵ ì̶ń̕͠ ͝t͢͝h̷͟i̸̡ś͝ ͟͝h̴͜ot̢ę͡ĺ̶̕ ̀͡o̶͘nc̵e̴̶̛ ̢͠t͡h̵̨̀é̢͜ỳ̨̧ ̡b̧̨ec̕͡a̡͏̶m̴͢͡e̶͡͡ ͏o̴b̀͞͏s̡o̵̶͝l̡̕̕et̕͞e̴̴ s̸o Ì̶͝'̷͠m ҉n̵͝ò̸͏t̷̀͜ ͜͠è̛nt̷ì͡re͡l̷y̷ ̵̸̧s͢ưr͘ȩ.̕

[...]

I̛͟͠t̡҉͘'s̀ ͝͡r͞e͜͢͏a̡l͢l̷͠y͞ à ҉͘sma͡͏l͏̴͠l̢ ̧͢m̶í͜r̵͘a̶̢͘c̷̡͝l̢̧͝e tḩ͡á͝t̴ ̴͞҉wh̶o̴̶e̵̴v̷͜e̡͡r ̴̡ ́a̛͘tt̡́ą̶ć̛͞k̵e̴͞͝d ̷me͞ ͢s̛͘ęe͟m̸̨e̕͝d̵͢ ͜͞t͞o͘͝ ̴ḩ͠a͢v͜͟e̵͝ ͡n͡o҉͏ i͠҉d̴͞e͜a̴ ̴̕h̡̢͢ơ̶w͘ t̶èc͟͠h̸͟n͘͢o҉l̵͢͝o̷ǵ̡y̴̶͠ wơ͢r͏k̀̕s͘͡.͢

[forgottenfounder]

[Well, following the conversation with Rod, and seeing as everyone's gone to check out things, it's time for Oswald to do the same.

With the other bases being covered, it's time for Oswald to head over and check out that typewriter.]

[grimgrinningghosts]

[Near the typewriter, there are two stacks of papers.

One of the stacks might quickly catch Oswald's eye, though as he sees Amanda Lockheart's name on the first page]

[forgottenfounder]

[Honestly, anything that has to do with Amanda and her life sets off lights in Oswald's brain.

He quickly starts to check out that stack.]