FINAL INVESTIGATION

[grimgrinningghosts]

[It’s Wednesday morning, and when the 8 remaining guest wake up, they’re greeted to a soft song playing in the distance. Even with the stress of the past few months, the song helps puts the living guests at east, a beam of hope in the dark times.

As the guests go to investigate the noise, they will find themselves heading to the casino. On a nearby card table, there is a pigeon with a key in their mouth, they’re docile enough to let you pet them if you want, but don’t expect them to stay around for long. As soon as all either guests enter the room, they drop the key and fly away.

A small note is attached to it, reading:]

I wish I could help more, but this key should help aid you on the journey that lies ahead of you. I believe in you all.

-Walt

[When they look for the door the key works on, they’ll quickly realize that there’s a locked door near the back of the casino, the key is a perfect match for it. When they open the door, they are greeted by a stream of moving carriages, Doombuggies, as it were, heading towards an inky black tunnel. It’s not exactly the most… normal way to investigate the mansion, but according to Walt this is the best bet you guys have.

As the remaining guests get inside the Doombuggies, they’ll find that the dark tunnel seems to stretch on forever, and you can feel them slowly go down, down, down. You might start to wonder how this tunnel even fits into this mansion, but this mansion never fit into normal reality, has it?

Eventually, as the Doombuggies take you further and further down, the guests will start to notice a branching path in front of them, either through sheer coincidence or some presence guiding the guests, they will find that no matter what they do, they’ll find themselves evenly split, going through the separate forks in the track.

It keeps going until soon, the ride comes to a sudden stop. A voice is heard through the halls.]

Playful spooks have interrupted our tour, please stay seated in your... Doombuggy. We will proceed in just a moment.

[But no matter how long they wait, the “ride” doesn’t start back up again. While it’s still dark down here, there’s enough light to make out a passageway besides the buggies, no matter which path the guest ended up taking.

Investigate?]

Comments

[defyingfrigidity]

... So the host was the one that wrote all those letters.

[She'd thought he wasn't the owner of the house. That he was just employed by the owner. But knowing how this all links up now...]

This ritual... it. It can't be what we were forced to go through, can it?

[sixfingeredstan]

It seems that way.

[Ford's expression is grim, and he gives her a questioning look.]

I don't see why not. It explains why the Host even let it happen in his house at all, considering how unhappy he seemed about it all.

[defyingfrigidity]

But the host wanted to help us. He protected all of us, when that man tried to meddle with the trial. Why... why would he do that if he was just planning to use us like that...?

[She'd believed in him, in the end. Was she wrong to do that...?]

[sixfingeredstan]

I know. I know. [Ford shakes his head. He'd wanted to think that, too.]

All I can say is...people do strange things for love. Not that it makes it right, but...he sounded like he really missed this Emily woman.

[defyingfrigidity]

... You're right. I... I know how that feels.

[Yeah like how she completely ruined her chances at handling social situations well and did nothing to help deal with her anxiety and depression all because she wanted to focus on keeping Anna safe for all her life, even if it meant locking herself away. Ha.]

I wonder if she was a ghost in this house. If she was, though... I don't think it would make much sense for him to put us through all of that. He was a ghost as well, so they... they could've been together that way.

[amadeusrockette]

She was the attic ghost, I think.
[At least that's the assumption Julia's been working off.] And I don't think she was . . . in her right mind, as a ghost.

[sixfingeredstan]

Julia. [Time to bring out the Scolding Grandpa voice.] You shouldn't speculate like that. You don't know that for certain.

[amadeusrockette]

I guess, but I don't know why else he would let her stay here.

[Like, she's not saying all the ghosts are good but when you have to keep one locked up in the attic away from all the other ghosts that's maybe a little past "this ghost is a jerk."]

[sixfingeredstan]

He said himself, he wanted to provide a refuge for spirits. Perhaps he didn't want to turn anyone away.

[defyingfrigidity]

[... Geez did the temperature drop a few degrees here? It definitely got a little chillier at the mention of the attic ghost.]

Hm. Well I hope we're not expected to help her as we proceed with this escape plan.

[outsidethecircle]

Did you get a look at her?

[Anna brings over the photograph.]

If the man is Ghostave then the woman must be Emily. If that ghost looks like her...

[sixfingeredstan]

No, I don't think any of us did.

[He takes the photograph, looking it over with interest.]

It certainly does look like him. But as for the woman...I can't say she's familiar to me.

[outsidethecircle]

She's pretty.

[sixfingeredstan]

Objectively, sure. If you're into that.

['That' being women. Ford Pines isn't opposed to women, generally, but they're not his primary draw by any stretch.]

[outsidethecircle]

There's nothing wrong with saying someone's pretty.

[That elegance...that high classiness... She's a looker. Ford might not be into women but.]

Right? Julia? Elsa?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Ah, yeah, when Anna says that...]

I-I don't think there's a problem with that, no....

[sixfingeredstan]

I didn't say there was a problem! [Ford huffs.] Just that she's not my type.

[outsidethecircle]

You don't have to think someone is pretty and like them like that.

[You forget she's twelve.]

[sixfingeredstan]

Well—of course not.

[He has no concept of differentiating between talking to adults and talking to kids, Anna.]

But even if you did—well, that would be just fine, too.

[Look he's helping.]

[outsidethecircle]

[What. What are you saying Ford? Is this the time for this? Tarzan just died.]

Um. What?

[She just thought the lady was cute???]

[sixfingeredstan]

Ah—never mind. When you're older.

[BACK TO THE INVESTIGATION AT HAND.]

[outsidethecircle]

Okay?

[That was weird. Wasn't that weird, girls? Um. Time to get investigating stuff other than Anna's sexuality.]

[sixfingeredstan]

It's easy to be blinded by your feelings, however true and just they might be. [Ford's voice is surprisingly gentle.]

Something tells me that's not the case. Perhaps she had no unfinished business keeping her behind. Perhaps that's why he missed her so much...