[Krone is in the armory, which is well stocked with spears and cudgels. She's looking over the suits of armor in their various sizes with a nostalgic look on her face.]
[This couldn't have been a shittier morning. Harriet never liked the feeling of being tricked into voting to end an innocent's life, but it's even worse when your poisoned mind plunges you deep into the cage of your memories as a result. She sees the other Strangers as people in the cat's game. She sees their anger as hypocrisy. They all came up with any reason to interpret what was obvious away from Eric, and then they cursed him all the same... how much was an act? How much was reactionary, and how much was real? In any case, she knew that at her next opportunity as guard, she would free Dupree. Maybe not to point at Eric, as he apparently desired, but why should one killer be allowed to "live with his guilt" while the other was in chains? She needed to do what she could to end it, end it, end the game faster.
But the next thing she knew, Dupree was dead, killed all at once by some monster, and then was another crumbling of reality followed by clarity. There was rot in this house - surely his - and it would prey on them starting from now.
White rooms....
Harriet enters the armory, a distant look on her face as she walks toward the bows and arrows. Never a good sign, especially when she doesn't really seem to notice anyone else is there. Krone is a pretty noticeable person.]
[At first when Krone hears the footsteps she assumes they're a hallucination and easily ignores them. Pattering feet haunt her consciousness a lot. Tiny feet... less weight than this... Okay, it's one of the many combative young women remaining in the mansion. They'll just treat her like a guard and launch right into what they want without a greeting. Except Harriet passes well into her peripheral vision, then, without the slightest hesitation. Krone openly pivots and still isn't noticed. Harriet walks towards the bows and arrows without coming back into a near mode of just looking at each item in an RPG world.
Harriet came in here with a purpose.
And it's Sunday in this clockwork game that Franciscus despised, but Krone has seen that hallucinations can strike at any time. She can't afford being seen to be passive about it. All smiles, she turns and calls out.]
[The good news is, she caught someone hallucinating! The bad news is, she caught someone hallucinating. Well, worst comes to worst, she can shield herself with the contents of her sylladex and keep Harriet from grabbing and nullifying her, so she has a lot of options.]
My word!
[All of which fade away at this terse announcement she's socially obligated to get in a tizzy about.]
But the scroll—
[Not a case murder... Then a minigame? Did she miss the whole damn thing even though there were plenty of webs in the—]
[That Harriet did not lead with the identity of the person who has died strikes Krone as incredibly odd. Her tenderness... Does she want to protect Krone from the knowledge it was Eric or something?! Well, Krone is a practical woman. She can't revive the dead. Harriet's reasons for caginess will benefit Krone more than closure a few minutes sooner.]
I'd kill to know how many such seals there are. Pardon the phrasing. Four seems like the most there could be, with the size of the suspect lists remaining constant, but now that two people have died outside that system...
[Who did die? Was it Malik again? No, no, she's been over this. That's why she's not wearing her leggings today.
But at any rate, Krone didn't ask, and she reportedly does not get attached, so why would she care who it was more than the fact that someone died at all? She's already moved toward staying on topic of the barriers.]
There's still the barrier on the outside, I suppose. I doubt they intend to let that one down until they get what they're after.
[She's slinging the bow and arrows over her shoulder, presumably for monster hunting, and now she's perusing the daggers.]
I wouldn't sleep unarmed either, if I were you. It killed Dupree right in her bed.
[And her eyes are sadly downcast at that, even as much as she's trying to keep this talk pragmatic. That may even be overcompensating to make up for appearing insane.]
[Krone pushes away the supposedly universal responses to tragedy precisely so she can keep herself together and do what actually needs to be done. Or at least, she leverages her social standing to come off that way. Regardless, she doesn't make the mistake of considering the other chess pieces interchangeable. And it's in this spirit that Krone can remember Harriet has a certain degree of affinity for that woman (had?) so the rush of relief is something she should only shiw on her face while Harriet is bent over the daggers. Wait, right, daggers, this is getting pretty morbid.]
I do have my ability to store things, so I doubt there's much more I could do that the Scratch couldn't... [You know, with her instant claws.]
That's horrifying. [Yeah, uh, both that someone died and that a monster is rampaging against them all.] Thank you for letting me know.
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But the next thing she knew, Dupree was dead, killed all at once by some monster, and then was another crumbling of reality followed by clarity. There was rot in this house - surely his - and it would prey on them starting from now.
White rooms....
Harriet enters the armory, a distant look on her face as she walks toward the bows and arrows. Never a good sign, especially when she doesn't really seem to notice anyone else is there. Krone is a pretty noticeable person.]
no subject
Harriet came in here with a purpose.
And it's Sunday in this clockwork game that Franciscus despised, but Krone has seen that hallucinations can strike at any time. She can't afford being seen to be passive about it. All smiles, she turns and calls out.]
Good morning, Miss Vaughn!
no subject
[Nailed it. No, not really. She can't even force a smile in return, but she thinks that can be excused given the circumstances.]
Not sure it's a good one. [She still did come here for a purpose. She picks up the bow even though Krone is looking at her.] Another death already.
no subject
My word!
[All of which fade away at this terse announcement she's socially obligated to get in a tizzy about.]
But the scroll—
[Not a case murder... Then a minigame? Did she miss the whole damn thing even though there were plenty of webs in the—]
no subject
[Rot? She shouldn't explain that concept to someone Eric made a public declaration of love to.]
... Probably something that got released when the new floor opened up. Just waiting for the seals to come down.
no subject
I'd kill to know how many such seals there are. Pardon the phrasing. Four seems like the most there could be, with the size of the suspect lists remaining constant, but now that two people have died outside that system...
no subject
But at any rate, Krone didn't ask, and she reportedly does not get attached, so why would she care who it was more than the fact that someone died at all? She's already moved toward staying on topic of the barriers.]
There's still the barrier on the outside, I suppose. I doubt they intend to let that one down until they get what they're after.
[She's slinging the bow and arrows over her shoulder, presumably for monster hunting, and now she's perusing the daggers.]
I wouldn't sleep unarmed either, if I were you. It killed Dupree right in her bed.
[And her eyes are sadly downcast at that, even as much as she's trying to keep this talk pragmatic. That may even be overcompensating to make up for appearing insane.]
no subject
I do have my ability to store things, so I doubt there's much more I could do that the Scratch couldn't... [You know, with her instant claws.]
That's horrifying. [Yeah, uh, both that someone died and that a monster is rampaging against them all.] Thank you for letting me know.