Chapter 32: Eternal Bonds: Act One
6:31 A.M Day Thirteen
Spookyland
Haunted Mansion
Fourth Floor (Vacant Room)
The Forensic Investigator stared at the morbid scene in front of her. "I-I can't believe I'm doing this again so soon… after Doctor Moon's death."
"M'lady, if you need to take a breather, just say so. You need not push yourself," Laris said with a somber expression while looking at the grotesque wax statue.
Annabelle shook her head and sucked in a sharp breath. "T-Thank you, but I'm where I need to be. With Lachlan gone, this falls to me now. I know he'd do his very best if the situation were reversed, so I gotta do the same and make sure the person behind this faces justice!"
"That is brave of you, Anna, but be mindful. We stayed up rather late talking last night, after all, so don't push yourself too far. If you need help, I will be glad to lend a hand as well," Seikatsu explained with a firm nod.
"Right. I promise I won't push myself too hard, but we still have to get to the bottom of this." The Investigator then stared down at the case file on her phone.
"Kuma Kuma Land Case File #5
"Victim #1: Lachlan Kenway"
"The Victim suffered extensive burns over his entire body."
"Cause of death is unknown"
"The time of death was approximately 12:07 A.M "
Annabelle's brow knitted together. "The first thing standing out to me is the lack of a cause of death. There must be a reason for that!" TRUTH BULLET
"From what I recall of the live broadcast at Hope's Peak Academy, there was a similar incident involving wax. The bodies were so badly burnt and obscured that it was difficult to determine what killed them. However, I think it's safe to assume that, in this case and in that other one, Lachlan was dead before being covered in wax," Laris suggested. TRUTH BULLET
"That would make the most sense, though I wonder why the killer went through the trouble of bringing him to this spot. I don't even know how they moved him," Seikatsu said while placing a finger against her chin.
The Forensic Investigator crouched near the wax-covered body. "It's hard to tell at the moment, but I can see drag marks on the floor. There are also globs of wax and blood along the floorboards. I didn't see much of that until we reached this room, though, which means he must have been transported to this room and set up like this." TRUTH BULLET
"Someone would have had to be busy for a great deal of the evening. If they had moved him before it hardened, we would have found a much bigger mess. Aside from a few cracks and bits of debris, the wax encasing him is fairly intact," Laris pointed out. TRUTH BULLET
"What was the point of going to all this trouble?" The Tarotologist mulled over her own question as she peered over the otherwise barren room.
Annabelle's brow furrowed. "There's only one solution I can think of. It's like Laris said. A similar method obscured the cause of death back at Hope's Peak, which means this could be the culprit attempting to do the same." TRUTH BULLET
Seikatsu's demeanor shifted to a more focused one. "Then our course of action is obvious. In order to find justice, we have to find what our killer attempted to hide from our eyes. This requires a more thorough autopsy!"
"So we need to try and remove the layer of wax to discover what lies beneath?" Laris looked at the body with concern. "Any suggestions to avoid damaging any potential evidence? I'd suggest the hilt of my blade, but I'm not sure how delicate that might be."
"Ahhh, that won't work at all! We need something that won't make such a mess!" Annabelle yelled. She slammed her foot down on a floorboard a nearly let out a shriek as it swung up, revealing a cavity in the floor. "Woah, that was like a seesaw."
"It would seem fortune smiles upon our noble pursuit!" Seikatsu exclaimed as she held her phone over the opening. Inside it was a small box. After pulling it free and setting it down, she pried the lid open to reveal what appeared to be a toolbox. A series of screwdrivers, hammers, wires, scissors, and a bottle of glue could be found in the compartment. "It's not what I was hoping for, but will this work?"
Annabelle stared at the series of tools intently before nodding her head. "Yeah, I think I can use the hammers and the screwdriver like a chisel. I just need to work quickly so we don't run out of time."
The Ultimate Knight nodded as she folded her arms. "I know you can do it, M'lady. You haven't let us down yet, and I know you won't now."
"Right, this is for Lachlan. I know he probably didn't think much of me, but I want to do right by him." The child gripped the screwdriver and hammer before hesitantly moving towards the body.
"Do you suppose that Tomoko will weather this storm?" Seikatsu asked as she eyed the Knight.
Laris offered a sad smile. "I-I wish I knew. When we found her… I'd never seen her so distraught. Of course, I can't begin to fault her for that. She puts up a tough face, but she's just like the rest of us when it comes down to it."
The Tarotologist offered a serene nod. "Indeed, I do hope she endures this mess. I would be a fool to deny that she has made mistakes at times, but she has saved us as well. We might just need all the help we can get."
Before the Knight could respond, Annabelle spoke up. "Guys, I have some good news and some bad news."
"Let's get the good news out of the way first. I think we all could use that right now," Laris mused with a strained smile.
"The goods news is that I can make out a wound around Lachlan's heart. If I had to guess, it was the cause of death," Annabelle offered with a furrowed brow. TRUTH BULLET
Seikatsu returned a puzzled expression. "Then pray tell, what is the bad news?"
The Forensic Investigator frowned. "The damage from the heat and wax has made it hard to determine what caused the chest wound in the first place."
"So, even though we know the cause of death wasn't the wax, we still can't isolate it?" Laris shook her head with a frown. "You're saying it could have been anything, from my sword, to a knife, or anything in between?"
"I-I'm afraid so. I feel like such a joke, and not even the funny kind. Lachlan could have probably figured this out by now. If I can't solve something like this, what use am I?" Annabelle asked with a mournful expression.
"M'lady, do not put such a burden on your shoulders. I have faith you will arrive at the truth. You are a gifted and bright young lady. Just remember your training, and everything will be fine," Laris said in a soothing tone as she rested a hand on the girl's shoulder.
Seikatsu nodded before smiling slightly at the gesture. "She's right. We've been through a lot already, and I'm certain justice will prevail."
Annabelle sniffed slightly before wiping her eyes. "T-Thank you guys. Heh, I have to soldier on for Lachlan and for everyone else's sake."
6:48 A.M Day Thirteen
Resort District
Hotel
Fifth Floor (Room 512)
Tiana leaned against the sink and stared at the digital album in her hands. She examined every inch of it, from its screen to its two icon-marked buttons. One icon was a camera, and the other was a printer. The sound of the shower cutting off drew her attention back to the present, so she quickly tucked the iPhone-sized device into her purse. After that, she heard a sloshing sound. She watched Tomoko numbly crawl out of the shower and take a seat on the edge of the tub. The Shogi Player stared at the far wall with a distant look her eyes.
"Tomoko, I can only imagine what you're going through, but I need you to tell me what happened," Tiana said in a soothing tone as she approached the other girl. She then slowly draped a towel around her nude frame and awaited a response.
The Dominatrix, however, was met by silence for a long period of time. The other girl only continued to stare blankly.
After what seemed like an eternity, Tomoko gripped the towel. A shaky voice left her lips. "He was right with me. We were together… I keep waiting to wake up and realize it was only a nightmare, b-but there's no waking from this… He's really gone, isn't he?"
"I-I'm afraid so," Tiana responded as she pursed her lips. "We can't change that, no matter how much we'd like to. What we can do, though, is make sure the person behind this doesn't get away."
"Does it really matter?" the Shogi Player asked in an emotionless manner. "Even if we catch them, it won't bring Lachlan back. Did punishing Patrick and Sigmund bring back anyone they killed? It's only a matter of time till we all share the same fate. As blackened or victims, now I understand despair and why it's so potent. Ultimately, everything we're doing is futile..."
The Ultimate Dominatrix took a measured breath before taking a seat on the tub next to the other girl. "It matters because, while it isn't true justice, we can't let ourselves forget what it means to be human. We're going to fail time and time again, but the question is whether we surrender or keep rising to the occasion."
Tomoko gritted her teeth as she bit back a sob. "W-What would you know, huh?! The two people you care about most are still alive and well. It's really easy to offer advice in your position, but you'd be no different than me if it was Haruto or Annabelle!"
"You're right," Tiana admitted with a sad smile. "It scares the shit out of me everyday. The deeper our bonds grow, the more I have to lose. On the other hand, I'm afraid of dying without expressing how I feel. I'd rather live everyday like it might be my last. If the situation was like you suggested, I know I would be in just a bad place, if not worse. That's why I would need those who are still there to help me pick myself up again. Tomoko, I'm not preaching to you or acting like I'm stronger in anyway. We wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you. All I'm saying is that it's not a weakness to lean on other people. God knows I've had to lean on others many times since we awoke on that coaster."
"I-I've treated all of you like shit. I keep pushing people away, and despite that… Lachlan could see through my bluff. For the first time in years, I felt myself opening up to someone, and then it was over as soon as it begun. It was like life giving me the goddamn middle finger," the Shogi Player spat as she squeezed her eyes shut.
The Dominatrix gently wrapped an arm around Tomoko's shoulder. "Sometimes, it seems like life enjoys brutally fucking us without a safe-word. But you know what? After I've cried as much as I can, I think of how satisfying it would be to get back up and return the gesture."
The Shogi Player began to tremble as a choked laugh and sob caught in her throat. "Jesus Christ, I never imagined you talking like that. Is that part of your normal routine?"
Tiana managed a weak smile. "Sometimes. People and their kinks can be strange, but really I just figured you needed it."
"Tch, just don't kiss Haruto with that mouth. He might just scold you or put you in time out," Tomoko said in a halfhearted jest.
"Glad to see our normal Shogi Queen is still in there. Let's just keep this conversation off the record, alright?" Tiana suggested.
Tomoko shook her head. "...I'm not sure if there's any going back, not when you've seen the wizard behind the curtain. Look, for what it's worth… thank you for this. I'm not sure being alone right now… I don't know if that would have been for the best."
The Dominatrix smiled slightly. "You don't have to thank me for anything. There's not enough of us left, anymore. We all have to pull our weight if we're ever going to bring this to an end."
"An end? ...I wonder if it's even possible at this point," the Shogi Player mused quietly.
"Everything comes to an end eventually, even nightmares like this. At this point, I'm just too stubborn to roll over and admit defeat," Tiana joked with a strained smile.
Tomoko offered a dry chuckle. "Lachlan was probably the only person here as stubborn as I am, and I know he wouldn't have given up on the investigation. In fact, he seemed confident he was on the verge of cracking all of it." TRUTH BULLET
Tiana's eyes widened slightly. "Do you think that's the reason he was attacked, then? Because he knew something or was on the trail of learning the truth?"
"It's just speculation at this point, but considering it's the first murder without clear motivation… I'd say it's plausible. We'd cased the entire house and were on the verge of checking the final rooms on the fourth floor, and..." Tomoko trailed off with a distant look in her eyes.
"You were attacked at that point?" the Dominatrix suggested as she stared at Tomoko.
The Shogi Player merely nodded, before reaching up and gingerly touching the sore spot on the back of her head. "The last thing I remember was seeing the horror in Lachlan's eyes after something hard knocked me out." TRUTH BULLET
"So you were knocked unconsciousness and left behind, and that's the last thing you remember before awakening this morning?" Tiana asked.
"Yes, though we were in the hallway and I found Lachlan in an empty room. What I don't understand is, if someone was bold enough to attack both of us, why leave me alive in the first place?" Tomoko reached up and wiped a few errant tears from her eyes. TRUTH BULLET
"That's an answer we'll have to find out for ourselves, but it means facing this head on," Tiana said as she patted the other girl's back.
Tomoko swallowed the lump in her throat before forcing a smile. "That idiot would laugh at me if I sat around like a blubbering mess. I won't give his phantom the satisfaction..."
6:54 A.M Day Thirteen
Spookyland
Wax Museum
Naruhiko rubbed the back of his neck irritably as he and Kaizoku made their way into the museum. "Seriously, what the fuck is going on here? Why the shit would anyone kill now of all times? There wasn't a motive, and there sure as shit wasn't any other good reason. This just seems random as hell..."
"It's hard to say, Naru. Whatever the reason is, it's beyond me. Hell, for all we know, the bears could have made a move without any of us knowing. It's not like they have Shiho to use anymore," the Sailor muttered while briefly shaking his head.
"Jesus, that's right, and we still don't know who killed the Komaeda dude." The Musician stopped as he noticed dried splotches of blood dotting the linoleum floor. "Jackpot, baby. I think we're onto something big. We'll get down to the bottom of this mess and make the asshole behind this pay!" TRUTH BULLET
Kaizoku chuckled and patted the man on the shoulder. "Guess the poor lad was taken here, after all. Let's follow the trail."
The Punk Musician nodded in agreement and strode forward, trying to avoid the bloodstains as he and the Sailor made their way past the various galleries. They soon arrived in the storage room in the back of the museum. Almost immediately, the smell of iron mixed with wax wafted to their nostrils. "No doubt about it, this is the place." His eyes narrowed when he spotted a wheelbarrow resting several feet away. It was covered in blood and wax. "Shit, I think we know how he was moved." TRUTH BULLET
"If he was transported here and back, there must be a good reason for it. It must have been to cover the cause of death," the Sailor mused as he examined the wheelbarrow. Not too long afterwards, something caught his attention. Lodged beneath the wheel was what appeared to be a photo of some sort. He wasted no time in leaning down and removing the picture, but his eyes widened upon seeing its contents. "Lad, you'll want to look at this."
Naruhiko's brow furrowed. "What did you find?" He walked over before peering over the Sailor's shoulder. Almost immediately, his jaw went slack. He saw a young child who was smiling ear-to-ear next to none other than the Ultimate Parental Figure. "You don't think… could it really be that simple?"
Kaizoku frowned. "I-I'm not sure. I know that Haruto had a digital book that he carried around everywhere. What's more troubling is the date stamped on this photo. I think most of us were kidnapped towards the beginning of 2018, and yet this photograph is stamped near the end of that year. If that's right, he wasn't taken at the same time as the rest of us. That's highly suspect." TRUTH BULLET
"Fuck me, man, I just realized something," Naruhiko said as he paled considerably. "What if… what if Haruto is the real traitor? What if everything he's doing is just to protect these kids? I mean, think about it for a second. If he killed Komaeda, he could have done it to protect Annabelle and those other kids that were turned into abominations. Last night... him agreeing to go on a date... what if it was just a way to have some sort of half-baked alibi?"
"Naru, we shouldn't just jump to conclusions like that. There could be another explanation," the Sailor said, though it was clear his tone held some worry behind it.
The Musician shook his head. "Look, I hate thinking that way too, but it makes too much sense. Don't you remember him even saying that he pitied Saishikuma? If all these kids were behind these bears, they must have been through real shit before all this happened. Maybe Haruto feels like he's doing the right thing by protecting them?"
"I just don't seem him resorting to violence like that, Naru. It doesn't seem in his character," the Sailor. His voice made it clear his resistance was beginning to deflate.
"Bullshit. Don't you remember his tirade after Tomoko's failed plan to capture Komaeda? He went ape shit, yelled at Laris and slapped Tomoko. What if it wasn't the first time his temper had boiled over? If he's not the culprit, he's got a lot of answering to do!" Naruhiko growled as he shoved his hands into his jacket.
The Ultimate Sailor's shoulders slumped as he finally offered a weak nod. "Lad, I'll admit there are some troubling points you raise. We just have to approach this carefully. The last thing we need to do is have a repeat of the second trial. We may not be as fortunate a second time around..."
7:09 A.M Day Thirteen
Resort District
Hotel
First Floor (Lobby)
The Ultimate Femme Fatale raised a hand to stifle a yawn as she peered around the small group seated nearby. "Zut, it's hard to believe how few of us are here now. Whatever the case might be, we still have a job to do. Let's cover alibis to the best of our ability. We know that Tomoko was with Lachlan, but I think we can safely say the knot on the back of her head wasn't self-inflicted. She's showing signs of a concussion, too. If this is her work, she was committed to the act." TRUTH BULLET
"Hmph, well it wouldn't the first time a killer tried to con us. The Doctor maimed himself just to keep up his alibi," Becky pointed out from where she sat in Dolly's lap.
"But hitting the head is a different matter entirely," Haruto said with certainty. "Too much strength, and she would've died."
"T-That, and nothing that matched the blow was found, right?" Shiho asked as her head tilted slightly around the room. "Maybe the killer took that with them." TRUTH BULLET
Dolly nodded softly. "I think they're right, Becky. There's no evidence to suggest Tomoko did this to herself. So, uh, maybe we should get to going over where everyone was while we still have time?"
Chloe rubbed at her eyes as she slowly crossed her legs. "I would normally use a bit more tact, but I'll get straight to the point since this pertains to the investigation. Lari and I had a wonderful night of passion and romance. We spent the evening with one another before falling asleep in each other's arms." TRUTH BULLET
"Heh, least someone is getting some action around here. What time did you two zonk out?" Becky asked with a mischievous grin.
"If you must know, it was sometime after eleven." Chloe snapped irritably.
The Ultimate Ventriloquist pursed her lips. "Lachlan wasn't killed till after midnight, so it's possible one of you could have snuck out, isn't it?"
"I'm not so certain about that. I'm pretty sure if they were together… it wouldn't have been very easy for either of them to have left and returned without drawing some attention," Shiho pointed out.
"I agree," the boy said. "As for Tiana and I... neither of us have an alibi. We returned to the hotel sometime after ten, but we went to our own rooms after that." TRUTH BULLET
"Or so you say," Becky snickered before being silenced by Dolly.
"I-I guess it's a good thing Annabelle invited Seikatsu and I to a sleepover, then. We stayed up talking and playing games till nearly one, so I think that puts all of us in the clear," the Ventriloquist offered quietly. TRUTH BULLET
Shiho timidly twiddled her fingers. "Oh, I guess that just leaves me, huh?"
The Fashion Designer offered a halfhearted chuckle. "Yes, darling. By process of elimination, that leaves you."
"Well I-I… I was with Naru and Zoku all night. We, um... slept together," the Runner said as she felt her face heating up. TRUTH BULLET
"At the same time?" Dolly questioned with a surprised look and a single raised eyebrow.
"My, that is quite progressive of you. I didn't know you had it in you." Chloe smirked slightly as she rested a hand against her chin.
Shiho nearly bolted out of her chair with a flustered expression. "N-No, it's not like that! We just slept in the same bed together. They've become really protective of me recently. We were like that until the announcement played this morning..."
"Which means you have two people who can support your alibi." The Parental Figure gave a warm, sincere smile. "Even if that wasn't the case, I'm sure you didn't do it."
"Thank you, Haruto." The Runner responded with a bright smile as she tilted her head in the boy's direction.
Chloe pinched the bridge of her nose. "This, however, creates a problem for all of us."
"A problem? How so, exactly?" Dolly asked with a curious expression.
"It all comes down to simple numbers. If the other eight of us have concrete alibis, it means that the only two possible suspects are either Haruto or Tiana, I'm afraid. However, that doesn't sit right in my head," Chloe replied.
"That... seems to be the case... but I'm positive that neither of us is the killer." The boy's face turned slightly pale, but he kept his composure. "Tiana is not that kind of person."
"Bahaha! You say that, but your face says something else entirely, bucko!" Kurokuma snorted as he waddled into sight with a microphone in his hand. "Face it, you all can play nice as much as you want… but when the chips are down, who can you really trust?"
"I trust her!" the boy shouted. He then took a deep breath and combed a hand through his hair, before speaking normally. "I'm just... confused, and a little anxious. Anyone would feel the same when they learn they're the only possible suspect left, but I know that Tia and I are innocent."
"He's right, so stop with your mind games! You're not going to trick any of us to falling for that!" Shiho yelled as she balled her fists up.
Kurokuma snickered. "Oh right, because you're one to talk, aren't you, Miss Mole? Face it, with the right leverage, any of you will turn on one another. It's just human nature, after all!" He then howled in laughter before tapping his mic. The speakers crackled to life as his voice could be heard echoing through the room and in the distance.
"Alright, boys and girls, you know how this works by now. Saishikuma will be taking care you idiots. Yours truly has preparations to make. Hold onto your butts, cause I get the feeling this will be a wild ride!" the bear snorted wildly. His gaze flitted around the room before he unceremoniously dropped the mic on the floor.
"If I don't see you losers again, it's been nice knowing you… NOT!" Kurokuma cackled loudly as he waddled out of sight...
"Kuma Kuma Land Case File #5
"Victim #1: Lachlan Kenway"
"The Victim suffered extensive burns over his entire body."
"Cause of death is unknown"
"The time of death was approximately 12:07 A.M "
TRUTH BULLETS
Postmortem use of Wax
Trails of wax and blood
State of the Wax encasing
Chest Wound
Tomoko's Account
Lachlan's mysterious theory
Tomoko left alive
Trail in the Museum
Pictures and timestamp
Missing Murder Weapon
Chloe & Laris' alibi
Haruto's Account
Dolly/Annabelle/ Seikatsu's Alibi
Shiho/Kaizoku/Naruhiko's Alibi
11 Survivors Remain
OMAKE
*AN* I wanna take a moment to thank my betas for staying so busy lately. You guys rock and I really appreciate all the effort you pour into these chapters. Also a major shoutout to Petty and Fee5h for helping with this latest chapter. Finally I'd like to take another moment to promote Bellatrixshine who has a new SYOC set in the LoD universe called The Beast's Maze. Bella is a sweetheart and I know that she'll pour 110% into this story, so please give her the love and support she deserves! Thanks =)
Review Section:
Solrac XD
Here's a headline. Journalist get too curious and bites the big one. Read all about it :P
NSPunny
Yeah I definitely put plenty of foreshadowing on Lachlan's death. Anyone claiming to have cracked a case or be on the verge of it and not spill the details, well they're not usually long for the world.
MudkipOfDespair
From cute to downright despair inducing, that's how we roll around here =)
doomqwer
Yeah I had to balanced the scales. Despair with Love this time around :P
bellatrixshine
That's a question you'll have to answer on your own isn't it? *GRINS*
pokemansuperallstar
To be fair, you have a good reason for being suspicious of that damn house after seeing HoH Lol
Yamomo
Yeah I thought it had been a while since there was a death without a proper motive in place.
BirblordAlmighty
Everyone loves the taste of despair in the morning. Mm so gooood!
SootyThunder
Yeah the foreshadowing was over 9000! I do appreciate you submitting Lach though. He has consistently been in my top 5 favs of this story since the beginning!
Fee5H
You know you really spoil all the fun sometimes man =(