House of M

[Yun Lee]

@Atomyk @Glostechk @Cromartie Sarkissian @Gands @Takumi @Minerva

This place was disgusting. Noembelu felt nothing but disgust here. As they became aware of a man trapped in a cage, she looked at the jars, before starting to open them all and dump out their contents on the ground. Maybe the key would be in one?​

 

[Kaykay]

"I was thinking of using T'Challa's claws in place of a hammer to mold the imprint. If you'd be so obliged?" Kyoko responded to Mason and Nono, before gesturing towards the Black Panther briefly and giving him a brief, waiting look, before glancing back at Rant.

"... Or the lighter would work just as well. Whatever either of you guys would prefer to use to melt down the finger into the shape that we need," she spoke.

When Toffee re-appeared, bolt cutters in hand, she graciously took them with a nod. "Thanks. We need these..." Kyoko began, before using them to cut the padlock on the dresser, "... for that."

As the dresser opened, two items of interest were found; a small box with a lock on it, a keyhole to be specific, and a small statuette of a tree sapling; it looked like it was meant to be put in some sort of imprint.

"Everyone, go ahead and still melt down the key anyway. We might need it for something else. And in the meantime... In the event that the key in the finger isn't what we need for this box, is there anything you guys think would be able to open this? It's locked, evidently."

@Jeremi @Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

Beatrice thought hard as she peered at the small locked box. There weren't any other keys left and the mold on the dummy hand seemed to already be in use. So the only thing left was...

"I could cut it open with my sword!"

...

"O-or we could use the bobby pin to try to pick the lock."

She scratched the back of her neck sheepishly as she thought of a slightly more reasonable idea soon after blurting the first out.

@Verite @Jeremi @Josh M @Crow @Krieg @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

 

[Jeremi]

"I was thinking of using T'Challa's claws in place of a hammer to mold the imprint. If you'd be so obliged?" Kyoko responded to Mason and Nono, before gesturing towards the Black Panther briefly and giving him a brief, waiting look, before glancing back at Rant.

"... Or the lighter would work just as well. Whatever either of you guys would prefer to use to melt down the finger into the shape that we need," she spoke.

When Toffee re-appeared, bolt cutters in hand, she graciously took them with a nod. "Thanks. We need these..." Kyoko began, before using them to cut the padlock on the dresser, "... for that."

As the dresser opened, two items of interest were found; a small box with a lock on it, a keyhole to be specific, and a small statuette of a tree sapling; it looked like it was meant to be put in some sort of imprint.

"Everyone, go ahead and still melt down the key anyway. We might need it for something else. And in the meantime... In the event that the key in the finger isn't what we need for this box, is there anything you guys think would be able to open this? It's locked, evidently."

@Jeremi @Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

"The lighter wont be necessary." T'Challa assured Kyoko making his way towards the kitchen sink of all places. "This house has thought me that the unexpected is usually the expected. Where in a normal situation we would recieve water..." Turning on the faucet T'Challa was hoping that the stove could finally be used and melt this finger and get its contents.

@Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen

 

[Mason Moretti]

"I was thinking of using T'Challa's claws in place of a hammer to mold the imprint. If you'd be so obliged?" Kyoko responded to Mason and Nono, before gesturing towards the Black Panther briefly and giving him a brief, waiting look, before glancing back at Rant.

"... Or the lighter would work just as well. Whatever either of you guys would prefer to use to melt down the finger into the shape that we need," she spoke.

When Toffee re-appeared, bolt cutters in hand, she graciously took them with a nod. "Thanks. We need these..." Kyoko began, before using them to cut the padlock on the dresser, "... for that."

As the dresser opened, two items of interest were found; a small box with a lock on it, a keyhole to be specific, and a small statuette of a tree sapling; it looked like it was meant to be put in some sort of imprint.

"Everyone, go ahead and still melt down the key anyway. We might need it for something else. And in the meantime... In the event that the key in the finger isn't what we need for this box, is there anything you guys think would be able to open this? It's locked, evidently."

@Jeremi @Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

"I know that a lot of this house has been puzzles and stuff, but for this box, can't we just let it open with the backside of a hammer? Or maybe just smash/cut it open? Heck, even break the lock with the ice pick?"

@Jeremi @Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

 

[Atomyk]

The lock seemed to require a key... which Six had so conveniently found on Josephine's body. Tossing the jars revealed nothing but a disgusting mess.

The door was soon unlocked, but the man continued to lay in bed, silently.

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage

---

"Gee, ask enough questions?" Billy turned his hand, as if he wasn't sure how to word something. "Okay, like, the tape was going backwards. That was weird, but I got it go forward now, so it's fixed. And by people, I meant, uh... people. More of the group?"

He paused as a group of people seemed to be on the move in the hall outside. "I guess another group might be on to something? Man, we're really all over the place here..."

@LuckycoolHawk9 @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @Leon Moretti @Ryu Keiko @LivingRoom

---

Captain America tried to assure the others they were almost done. "Hold on, boys. We almost have this figured out. In the meantime, let's try the bobby pin."

The keyhole was small and easily worked, allowing the group to open the tiny box. Inside was the page of what appeared to be someone's diary...

I haven't had much time to write since the first entry. A part of me forgot why I even started this. Why now? I think a part of me wanted this documented, but I don't really know why.

They have a family here. There was another woman, but she disappeared. I am not sure what to make of it or why it doesn't seem to bother me. No, there's something else bothering me, and I want to reach out and take it. She wants me to be happy. Don't I want to be happy?

I started a garden today. Zoe kept watching me, staring as if she mistrusted me. I thought we got along, once. I was able to strike up conversation with her where she warmed up to me eventually. I think her and I will get along, regardless of our issues. I was thinking that we have to get her a better trailer. I know what's it's like to live in one from my youth traveling as a gypsie. A girl needs her own space. The larger the better.

Don't you think, little one?

@Verite @Jeremi @Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

 

[Yun Lee]

@Atomyk @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Cromartie Sarkissian @Gands

"Good job," Noembelu told Six. Throwing cans hadn't worked, hm... Putting a hand to her mouth to mask the smells, she walked inside the cage. "Sir? Hello?" Keeping her hand on one hatchet in case something happened, she turned her other so that the handle was towards him and gently poked his back.​

 

[Atomyk]

The man stirred briefly, before turning around to face the group. He blinked blearily at them before moving to move his feet off the bed so he was sitting up. He was a middle-aged man, well-built and sporting a shaved head.

"The hell...?" he murmured, blinking. It took him a moment to register Noembelu. "The hell... do you want? What do you think you're doing?"

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage​

 

[Yun Lee]

@Atomyk @Glostechk @Minerva @Cromartie Sarkissian @Takumi @Gands

Noembelu put her hatchet back in its holster. "We're getting you out of here. You're trapped in a cage. Were trapped. My name's Noembelu." She extended her hand to help him up.​

 

[Verite]

Beatrice thought hard as she peered at the small locked box. There weren't any other keys left and the mold on the dummy hand seemed to already be in use. So the only thing left was...

"I could cut it open with my sword!"

...

"O-or we could use the bobby pin to try to pick the lock."

She scratched the back of her neck sheepishly as she thought of a slightly more reasonable idea soon after blurting the first out.​

Captain America tried to assure the others they were almost done. "Hold on, boys. We almost have this figured out. In the meantime, let's try the bobby pin."

The keyhole was small and easily worked, allowing the group to open the tiny box. Inside was the page of what appeared to be someone's diary...

I haven't had much time to write since the first entry. A part of me forgot why I even started this. Why now? I think a part of me wanted this documented, but I don't really know why.

They have a family here. There was another woman, but she disappeared. I am not sure what to make of it or why it doesn't seem to bother me. No, there's something else bothering me, and I want to reach out and take it. She wants me to be happy. Don't I want to be happy?

I started a garden today. Zoe kept watching me, staring as if she mistrusted me. I thought we got along, once. I was able to strike up conversation with her where she warmed up to me eventually. I think her and I will get along, regardless of our issues. I was thinking that we have to get her a better trailer. I know what's it's like to live in one from my youth traveling as a gypsie. A girl needs her own space. The larger the better.

Don't you think, little one?​

"The lighter wont be necessary." T'Challa assured Kyoko making his way towards the kitchen sink of all places. "This house has thought me that the unexpected is usually the expected. Where in a normal situation we would recieve water..." Turning on the faucet T'Challa was hoping that the stove could finally be used and melt this finger and get its contents.

"I... think the bobby pin would suffice. More... subtle than breaking the lock. We don't need to be that barbaric. Yet," Kyoko said to Beatrice, before indeed picking the lock and opening the small box. As it opened, Kyoko took out the strange page inside and laid it out on the counter for everyone to be able to read, her eyes narrowing and her brow furrowed as she scanned through the strange letter.

"A family... A girl named Zoe..." She murmured, "Could Wanda have written this? Is this what she meant by the family she wanted us to meet?" Kyoko inquired, more to herself than anything else, finding herself more and more mystified the more she learned about this situation.

Meanwhile, as T'Challa moved to turn on the faucet, his guesswork had paid off, and the stove indeed turned on with that, the surface slowly warming up along with the pot with water in it on the stove as well. Soon enough, the water would be boiling, well enough to melt down the metal, and mold it harmlessly given T'Challa's suit.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @Kitchen​

 

[Cromartie Sarkissian]

The man stirred briefly, before turning around to face the group. He blinked blearily at them before moving to move his feet off the bed so he was sitting up. He was a middle-aged man, well-built and sporting a shaved head.

"The hell...?" he murmured, blinking. It took him a moment to register Noembelu. "The hell... do you want? What do you think you're doing?"

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage​

@Atomyk @Glostechk @Minerva @Cromartie Sarkissian @Takumi @Gands

Noembelu put her hatchet back in its holster. "We're getting you out of here. You're trapped in a cage. Were trapped. My name's Noembelu." She extended her hand to help him up.​

Damn, that kid going to do things her way and her way alone. Something told him that she would be a... Epine de son Cote for the duration of their journey. He was better off just leaving her be

While the other's searched for the key, Arno returned to the mouth of the tunnel, several jars in hand: One for his pistols, one for his bombs, one to keep his cloak dry and one to store the gunpowder from his musket. His greatest weapon would be useless for some time, with the water seeping into the deepest crevasses of his rifle. Waiting for it to dry out would take hours, perhaps even a day. What a damn shame

Upon returning to the laboratory, Arno addressed the prisoner.
"Can you walk?" After giving the man some time to respond, he continued "Can you shoot? Because at this rate you might. Your captor is still out there. We need to be prepared if we're going to get out of here alive. What do you know about this area? Anything that could help us get out of here?"

 

[Krieg]

"Holy sh-!!"

The teenager stumbled back, her baseball bat raised instinctively over her head, aimed towards cracking the skull of the mysterious voice. Registering it hastily as an elderly lady, Nancy narrowed her eyes harshly at the elder. Not one to give much respect towards adults lately, especially those of the creepy kind, the Wheeler gave a face of anger until the aged hag began to talk about her strange circumstances.

"Why would...Wanda try to help me? I don't even know her, I don't know anyone here! If anything, it seems like it is her fault for dragging me into this mess." Nancy argued, her gaze catching sight of some floating metallic monk with balls hovering and levitating around it. Using that to prove her point, the unusually normal highschool senior huffed and stomped to the further edges of the kitchen. Ignoring the hag, finding her words to be too mystic and beyond her, Nancy took it upon herself to guard the kitchen. Pulling out her .357 revolver cautiously, the girl took position upon one of the entrances to the kitchen.

Mostly watching Kyoko, Beatrice and that god awful mouse man (whose name she finally remembered as Rant), the suburbia highness shuffled about awkwardly. Wondering where Billy and Tommy where, the stranger looked around the house in partial boredom. The others were already fast on the riddles and mysteries of this abandoned hellhole- her contribution would slow it down more and more. Kyoko seemed smart enough and talented enough to do this all on her own, the others...helped.

"I would hurry up you guys. I swore I heard some, uhh, noises. I hope the others are alright." Nancy stated almost blankly, a sniffle escaping her nose as she comfortably propped herself against a door-frame. Letting a few other newcomers in, recognizing some faces like Toffee and others she didn't, Nancy kicked around and looked a bit aimless.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @kitchenbois
​

 

[CrunchyCHEEZIT]

The lock seemed to require a key... which Six had so conveniently found on Josephine's body. Tossing the jars revealed nothing but a disgusting mess.

The door was soon unlocked, but the man continued to lay in bed, silently.

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage

---

"Gee, ask enough questions?" Billy turned his hand, as if he wasn't sure how to word something. "Okay, like, the tape was going backwards. That was weird, but I got it go forward now, so it's fixed. And by people, I meant, uh... people. More of the group?"

He paused as a group of people seemed to be on the move in the hall outside. "I guess another group might be on to something? Man, we're really all over the place here..."

@LuckycoolHawk9 @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @Leon Moretti @Ryu Keiko @LivingRoom

---

Captain America tried to assure the others they were almost done. "Hold on, boys. We almost have this figured out. In the meantime, let's try the bobby pin."

The keyhole was small and easily worked, allowing the group to open the tiny box. Inside was the page of what appeared to be someone's diary...

I haven't had much time to write since the first entry. A part of me forgot why I even started this. Why now? I think a part of me wanted this documented, but I don't really know why.

They have a family here. There was another woman, but she disappeared. I am not sure what to make of it or why it doesn't seem to bother me. No, there's something else bothering me, and I want to reach out and take it. She wants me to be happy. Don't I want to be happy?

I started a garden today. Zoe kept watching me, staring as if she mistrusted me. I thought we got along, once. I was able to strike up conversation with her where she warmed up to me eventually. I think her and I will get along, regardless of our issues. I was thinking that we have to get her a better trailer. I know what's it's like to live in one from my youth traveling as a gypsie. A girl needs her own space. The larger the better.

Don't you think, little one?

@Verite @Jeremi @Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

"I... think the bobby pin would suffice. More... subtle than breaking the lock. We don't need to be that barbaric. Yet," Kyoko said to Beatrice, before indeed picking the lock and opening the small box. As it opened, Kyoko took out the strange page inside and laid it out on the counter for everyone to be able to read, her eyes narrowing and her brow furrowed as she scanned through the strange letter.

"A family... A girl named Zoe..." She murmured, "Could Wanda have written this? Is this what she meant by the family she wanted us to meet?" Kyoko inquired, more to herself than anything else, finding herself more and more mystified the more she learned about this situation.

Meanwhile, as T'Challa moved to turn on the faucet, his guesswork had paid off, and the stove indeed turned on with that, the surface slowly warming up along with the pot with water in it on the stove as well. Soon enough, the water would be boiling, well enough to melt down the metal, and mold it harmlessly given T'Challa's suit.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @Kitchen​

"Holy sh-!!"

The teenager stumbled back, her baseball bat raised instinctively over her head, aimed towards cracking the skull of the mysterious voice. Registering it hastily as an elderly lady, Nancy narrowed her eyes harshly at the elder. Not one to give much respect towards adults lately, especially those of the creepy kind, the Wheeler gave a face of anger until the aged hag began to talk about her strange circumstances.

"Why would...Wanda try to help me? I don't even know her, I don't know anyone here! If anything, it seems like it is her fault for dragging me into this mess." Nancy argued, her gaze catching sight of some floating metallic monk with balls hovering and levitating around it. Using that to prove her point, the unusually normal highschool senior huffed and stomped to the further edges of the kitchen. Ignoring the hag, finding her words to be too mystic and beyond her, Nancy took it upon herself to guard the kitchen. Pulling out her .357 revolver cautiously, the girl took position upon one of the entrances to the kitchen.

Mostly watching Kyoko, Beatrice and that god awful mouse man (whose name she finally remembered as Rant), the suburbia highness shuffled about awkwardly. Wondering where Billy and Tommy where, the stranger looked around the house in partial boredom. The others were already fast on the riddles and mysteries of this abandoned hellhole- her contribution would slow it down more and more. Kyoko seemed smart enough and talented enough to do this all on her own, the others...helped.

"I would hurry up you guys. I swore I heard some, uhh, noises. I hope the others are alright." Nancy stated almost blankly, a sniffle escaping her nose as she comfortably propped herself against a door-frame. Letting a few other newcomers in, recognizing some faces like Toffee and others she didn't, Nancy kicked around and looked a bit aimless.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @kitchenbois
​

Zenyatta gave Kyoko and T'Challa their space, allowing them to put their potential on display. Zenyatta has vivid memories of Kyoko cracking mysteries and confusion in Bright Falls as if they were walnuts-- a set of skills befitting of the title "Ultimate Detective", of course. When she retrieved the diary from behind the locked door, Zenyatta listened with intent and raised a cybernetic hand to his "chin", holding it in thought.

"There is an ill-intent behind that letter, not something that Wanda would've written. Perhaps she is the 'other woman' that they described, the one that disappeared. This home is. . .not something that Wanda would willingly live in, after all."

"One does not choose to live in a place like this."

During the monk's analysis, his gaze fell upon the young girl who had promptly retreated from the conversation. Her confused, nonplussed expression reminded the monk of another child he had interacted with back in Bright Falls, the one who feared the 'wolf'. Though, someone like this girl wouldn't let fear be painted so obtusely on her face. . .or, at the very least, she'd do a good job of letting it become diluted in confusion and frustration.

The omnic approached her, making uncannily human movements as it stepped over the rubbish on the floor. The orbs circling it's neck weren't too crazy, though they did slowly orbit around it's head like planets around the sun. Zenyatta leaned against the wall next to her-- not too close, not too far.

"I. . .suppose it's obvious enough, but I sense these things that have happened appear very jarring to you. If you do not mind me asking. . .you've never seen these things before, have you?"

Zenyatta looked off in the distance as if it was a bright horizon-- despite it being a gross, moldy wall sitting just a few meters across.

"Magic, witches, robots, detectives. . .all in a very, very. . .crusty house."

The monk looked back to Nancy. It's 'face' wasn't super creepy, but are his eyes always closed like that?

"You seem as if you don't belong in this turn of events, miss. Am I true to believe this. . .?"

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @Krieg @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @kitchenbois
​

 

[Jeremi]

"I... think the bobby pin would suffice. More... subtle than breaking the lock. We don't need to be that barbaric. Yet," Kyoko said to Beatrice, before indeed picking the lock and opening the small box. As it opened, Kyoko took out the strange page inside and laid it out on the counter for everyone to be able to read, her eyes narrowing and her brow furrowed as she scanned through the strange letter.

"A family... A girl named Zoe..." She murmured, "Could Wanda have written this? Is this what she meant by the family she wanted us to meet?" Kyoko inquired, more to herself than anything else, finding herself more and more mystified the more she learned about this situation.

Meanwhile, as T'Challa moved to turn on the faucet, his guesswork had paid off, and the stove indeed turned on with that, the surface slowly warming up along with the pot with water in it on the stove as well. Soon enough, the water would be boiling, well enough to melt down the metal, and mold it harmlessly given T'Challa's suit.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @Kitchen​

It appeared that his hunch had been correct. The stove came to life and T'Challa could do what needed to be done to finish the molding. As he tinkered the robot called Zenyatta spoke up.​

Zenyatta gave Kyoko and T'Challa their space, allowing them to put their potential on display. Zenyatta has vivid memories of Kyoko cracking mysteries and confusion in Bright Falls as if they were walnuts-- a set of skills befitting of the title "Ultimate Detective", of course. When she retrieved the diary from behind the locked door, Zenyatta listened with intent and raised a cybernetic hand to his "chin", holding it in thought.

"There is an ill-intent behind that letter, not something that Wanda would've written. Perhaps she is the 'other woman' that they described, the one that disappeared. This home is. . .not something that Wanda would willingly live in, after all."

"One does not choose to live in a place like this."

During the monk's analysis, his gaze fell upon the young girl who had promptly retreated from the conversation. Her confused, nonplussed expression reminded the monk of another child he had interacted with back in Bright Falls, the one who feared the 'wolf'. Though, someone like this girl wouldn't let fear be painted so obtusely on her face. . .or, at the very least, she'd do a good job of letting it become diluted in confusion and frustration.

The omnic approached her, making uncannily human movements as it stepped over the rubbish on the floor. The orbs circling it's neck weren't too crazy, though they did slowly orbit around it's head like planets around the sun. Zenyatta leaned against the wall next to her-- not too close, not too far.

"I. . .suppose it's obvious enough, but I sense these things that have happened appear very jarring to you. If you do not mind me asking. . .you've never seen these things before, have you?"

Zenyatta looked off in the distance as if it was a bright horizon-- despite it being a gross, moldy wall sitting just a few meters across.

"Magic, witches, robots, detectives. . .all in a very, very. . .crusty house."

The monk looked back to Nancy. It's 'face' wasn't super creepy, but are his eyes always closed like that?

"You seem as if you don't belong in this turn of events, miss. Am I true to believe this. . .?"

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @Krieg @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @kitchenbois
​

"The indication of her traveling around as a gypsy implies Wanda Maximoff is the author of this journal." He replied to the monk. "It is quite clear that someone or something is controlling her actions. When we find the source of the madness we can end this nightmare."

As Zenyatta went and spoke with the teenage girl about her predicament the molding was finished and T'Challa removed a key from inside the mold. "I believe we now have the necessary tools to continue on wards." He too then turned around to address Nancy. "If you are afraid, rest assured your are among men and women who value your safety. As King of Wakanda I shall put you under my personal protection." Despite his menacing look, T'Challa hoped that his words would assure the girl.​

@Verite @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @Kitchen

 

[Crow]

"I... think the bobby pin would suffice. More... subtle than breaking the lock. We don't need to be that barbaric. Yet," Kyoko said to Beatrice, before indeed picking the lock and opening the small box. As it opened, Kyoko took out the strange page inside and laid it out on the counter for everyone to be able to read, her eyes narrowing and her brow furrowed as she scanned through the strange letter.

"A family... A girl named Zoe..." She murmured, "Could Wanda have written this? Is this what she meant by the family she wanted us to meet?" Kyoko inquired, more to herself than anything else, finding herself more and more mystified the more she learned about this situation.

Meanwhile, as T'Challa moved to turn on the faucet, his guesswork had paid off, and the stove indeed turned on with that, the surface slowly warming up along with the pot with water in it on the stove as well. Soon enough, the water would be boiling, well enough to melt down the metal, and mold it harmlessly given T'Challa's suit.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @Kitchen​

"Holy sh-!!"

The teenager stumbled back, her baseball bat raised instinctively over her head, aimed towards cracking the skull of the mysterious voice. Registering it hastily as an elderly lady, Nancy narrowed her eyes harshly at the elder. Not one to give much respect towards adults lately, especially those of the creepy kind, the Wheeler gave a face of anger until the aged hag began to talk about her strange circumstances.

"Why would...Wanda try to help me? I don't even know her, I don't know anyone here! If anything, it seems like it is her fault for dragging me into this mess." Nancy argued, her gaze catching sight of some floating metallic monk with balls hovering and levitating around it. Using that to prove her point, the unusually normal highschool senior huffed and stomped to the further edges of the kitchen. Ignoring the hag, finding her words to be too mystic and beyond her, Nancy took it upon herself to guard the kitchen. Pulling out her .357 revolver cautiously, the girl took position upon one of the entrances to the kitchen.

Mostly watching Kyoko, Beatrice and that god awful mouse man (whose name she finally remembered as Rant), the suburbia highness shuffled about awkwardly. Wondering where Billy and Tommy where, the stranger looked around the house in partial boredom. The others were already fast on the riddles and mysteries of this abandoned hellhole- her contribution would slow it down more and more. Kyoko seemed smart enough and talented enough to do this all on her own, the others...helped.

"I would hurry up you guys. I swore I heard some, uhh, noises. I hope the others are alright." Nancy stated almost blankly, a sniffle escaping her nose as she comfortably propped herself against a door-frame. Letting a few other newcomers in, recognizing some faces like Toffee and others she didn't, Nancy kicked around and looked a bit aimless.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @kitchenbois
​

Zenyatta gave Kyoko and T'Challa their space, allowing them to put their potential on display. Zenyatta has vivid memories of Kyoko cracking mysteries and confusion in Bright Falls as if they were walnuts-- a set of skills befitting of the title "Ultimate Detective", of course. When she retrieved the diary from behind the locked door, Zenyatta listened with intent and raised a cybernetic hand to his "chin", holding it in thought.

"There is an ill-intent behind that letter, not something that Wanda would've written. Perhaps she is the 'other woman' that they described, the one that disappeared. This home is. . .not something that Wanda would willingly live in, after all."

"One does not choose to live in a place like this."

During the monk's analysis, his gaze fell upon the young girl who had promptly retreated from the conversation. Her confused, nonplussed expression reminded the monk of another child he had interacted with back in Bright Falls, the one who feared the 'wolf'. Though, someone like this girl wouldn't let fear be painted so obtusely on her face. . .or, at the very least, she'd do a good job of letting it become diluted in confusion and frustration.

The omnic approached her, making uncannily human movements as it stepped over the rubbish on the floor. The orbs circling it's neck weren't too crazy, though they did slowly orbit around it's head like planets around the sun. Zenyatta leaned against the wall next to her-- not too close, not too far.

"I. . .suppose it's obvious enough, but I sense these things that have happened appear very jarring to you. If you do not mind me asking. . .you've never seen these things before, have you?"

Zenyatta looked off in the distance as if it was a bright horizon-- despite it being a gross, moldy wall sitting just a few meters across.

"Magic, witches, robots, detectives. . .all in a very, very. . .crusty house."

The monk looked back to Nancy. It's 'face' wasn't super creepy, but are his eyes always closed like that?

"You seem as if you don't belong in this turn of events, miss. Am I true to believe this. . .?"

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @Krieg @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @kitchenbois
​

It appeared that his hunch had been correct. The stove came to life and T'Challa could do what needed to be done to finish the molding. As he tinkered the robot called Zenyatta spoke up.​

"The indication of her traveling around as a gypsy implies Wanda Maximoff is the author of this journal." He replied to the monk. "It is quite clear that someone or something is controlling her actions. When we find the source of the madness we can end this nightmare."

As Zenyatta went and spoke with the teenage girl about her predicament the molding was finished and T'Challa removed a key from inside the mold. "I believe we now have the necessary tools to continue on wards." He too then turned around to address Nancy. "If you are afraid, rest assured your are among men and women who value your safety. As King of Wakanda I shall put you under my personal protection." Despite his menacing look, T'Challa hoped that his words would assure the girl.​

@Verite @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @Kitchen

"Voices? If this place isn't haunted by ghosts... then could it be that actual people aside from us are here?"

Nono asks Nancy in a frightened manner, her eyes swirling and churning with nervousness.

"We should all head out of the kitchen if there's nothing else to do here," Nono adds, before having a peek at the diary.

"I've got nothing, but maybe if we look for the other entries, we could find some semblance of a link... that's how diaries work, after all... though, Morikubo is more interested of heading out of the house than finding more entries... unless both of these actions are one and the same..."

@Verite @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Jeremi @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk​

 

[J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X]

The lock seemed to require a key... which Six had so conveniently found on Josephine's body. Tossing the jars revealed nothing but a disgusting mess.

The door was soon unlocked, but the man continued to lay in bed, silently.

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage

---

"Gee, ask enough questions?" Billy turned his hand, as if he wasn't sure how to word something. "Okay, like, the tape was going backwards. That was weird, but I got it go forward now, so it's fixed. And by people, I meant, uh... people. More of the group?"

He paused as a group of people seemed to be on the move in the hall outside. "I guess another group might be on to something? Man, we're really all over the place here..."

@LuckycoolHawk9 @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @Leon Moretti @Ryu Keiko @LivingRoom

---

Captain America tried to assure the others they were almost done. "Hold on, boys. We almost have this figured out. In the meantime, let's try the bobby pin."

The keyhole was small and easily worked, allowing the group to open the tiny box. Inside was the page of what appeared to be someone's diary...

I haven't had much time to write since the first entry. A part of me forgot why I even started this. Why now? I think a part of me wanted this documented, but I don't really know why.

They have a family here. There was another woman, but she disappeared. I am not sure what to make of it or why it doesn't seem to bother me. No, there's something else bothering me, and I want to reach out and take it. She wants me to be happy. Don't I want to be happy?

I started a garden today. Zoe kept watching me, staring as if she mistrusted me. I thought we got along, once. I was able to strike up conversation with her where she warmed up to me eventually. I think her and I will get along, regardless of our issues. I was thinking that we have to get her a better trailer. I know what's it's like to live in one from my youth traveling as a gypsie. A girl needs her own space. The larger the better.

Don't you think, little one?

@Verite @Jeremi @Josh M @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Crow @ShiroKiyoshi @Krieg @Kaykay @Otto @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Kitchen​

"We can always rewatch the tape if need be, yes? I don't see the need to wait for the others." Adam stated, growing a tad impatient, having followed the group that headed into the living room.He stood behind the rest of the group, arms at his side with his stake in hand. "We should watch the tape now."

@LuckycoolHawk9 @Atomyk @Leon Moretti @Ryu Keiko @LivingRoom

 

[Leon Moretti]

"We can always rewatch the tape if need be, yes? I don't see the need to wait for the others." Adam stated, growing a tad impatient, having followed the group that headed into the living room.He stood behind the rest of the group, arms at his side with his stake in hand. "We should watch the tape now."

"VHS tapes are delicate enough as it is, imagine how fragile it is in a crappy place like this." Leon states trying to rationalize with Adam. "It's best to wait until others who haven't seen the tape come and hopefully connect things together," implying that there could possibly be a connection to the call and the tape."

@LuckycoolHawk9 @Atomyk @Leon Moretti @Ryu Keiko @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @LivingRoom

 

[thatguyinthestore]

Zenyatta gave Kyoko and T'Challa their space, allowing them to put their potential on display. Zenyatta has vivid memories of Kyoko cracking mysteries and confusion in Bright Falls as if they were walnuts-- a set of skills befitting of the title "Ultimate Detective", of course. When she retrieved the diary from behind the locked door, Zenyatta listened with intent and raised a cybernetic hand to his "chin", holding it in thought.

"There is an ill-intent behind that letter, not something that Wanda would've written. Perhaps she is the 'other woman' that they described, the one that disappeared. This home is. . .not something that Wanda would willingly live in, after all."

"One does not choose to live in a place like this."

During the monk's analysis, his gaze fell upon the young girl who had promptly retreated from the conversation. Her confused, nonplussed expression reminded the monk of another child he had interacted with back in Bright Falls, the one who feared the 'wolf'. Though, someone like this girl wouldn't let fear be painted so obtusely on her face. . .or, at the very least, she'd do a good job of letting it become diluted in confusion and frustration.

The omnic approached her, making uncannily human movements as it stepped over the rubbish on the floor. The orbs circling it's neck weren't too crazy, though they did slowly orbit around it's head like planets around the sun. Zenyatta leaned against the wall next to her-- not too close, not too far.

"I. . .suppose it's obvious enough, but I sense these things that have happened appear very jarring to you. If you do not mind me asking. . .you've never seen these things before, have you?"

Zenyatta looked off in the distance as if it was a bright horizon-- despite it being a gross, moldy wall sitting just a few meters across.

"Magic, witches, robots, detectives. . .all in a very, very. . .crusty house."

The monk looked back to Nancy. It's 'face' wasn't super creepy, but are his eyes always closed like that?

"You seem as if you don't belong in this turn of events, miss. Am I true to believe this. . .?"

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @Krieg @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @kitchenbois
​

"Voices? If this place isn't haunted by ghosts... then could it be that actual people aside from us are here?"

Nono asks Nancy in a frightened manner, her eyes swirling and churning with nervousness.

"We should all head out of the kitchen if there's nothing else to do here," Nono adds, before having a peek at the diary.

"I've got nothing, but maybe if we look for the other entries, we could find some semblance of a link... that's how diaries work, after all... though, Morikubo is more interested of heading out of the house than finding more entries... unless both of these actions are one and the same..."

@Verite @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Jeremi @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk​

With the revelation of the diary, Toffee decided to add onto this by describing his phone conversation to the kitchen group.

"It appears that Wanda wasn't the only one to fall victim to this family either. I spoke with a woman on the phone not too long ago. Strangely enough, she also spoke of someone named Zoe. She talked about how they wanted to give her a gift, that gift being to make her one of them. This is no doubt the so called "gift" that Ms. Maximoff wanted to give us earlier. It also appears that there are more than just the father and Ms. Maximoff. They even have a "ninja." Toffee would then gesture to Mason before continuing. "Now, as our friend Mason so generously pointed out, this ninja is most likely that Genji fellow we encountered earlier. I must also note that this woman I talked to appeared to be in a situation similar to ours. She said that she was kidnapped by this family and was hiding from them before she was presumably found. I didn't catch her name, but this does beg the question: How many others are there?"

With that out of the way, Toffee would remain silent as he waited for the group to decide where to go next.

@Verite @Mason Moretti @Crow @Jeremi @Krieg @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Otto @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Kitchen​

 

[Takumi]

The man stirred briefly, before turning around to face the group. He blinked blearily at them before moving to move his feet off the bed so he was sitting up. He was a middle-aged man, well-built and sporting a shaved head.

"The hell...?" he murmured, blinking. It took him a moment to register Noembelu. "The hell... do you want? What do you think you're doing?"

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage​

Damn, that kid going to do things her way and her way alone. Something told him that she would be a... Epine de son Cote for the duration of their journey. He was better off just leaving her be

While the other's searched for the key, Arno returned to the mouth of the tunnel, several jars in hand: One for his pistols, one for his bombs, one to keep his cloak dry and one to store the gunpowder from his musket. His greatest weapon would be useless for some time, with the water seeping into the deepest crevasses of his rifle. Waiting for it to dry out would take hours, perhaps even a day. What a damn shame

Upon returning to the laboratory, Arno addressed the prisoner.
"Can you walk?" After giving the man some time to respond, he continued "Can you shoot? Because at this rate you might. Your captor is still out there. We need to be prepared if we're going to get out of here alive. What do you know about this area? Anything that could help us get out of here?"

@Atomyk @Glostechk @Minerva @Cromartie Sarkissian @Takumi @Gands

Noembelu put her hatchet back in its holster. "We're getting you out of here. You're trapped in a cage. Were trapped. My name's Noembelu." She extended her hand to help him up.​

"What do you last remember?" Amir asked, after a moment of silence, she said nothing more. She didn't want to bombard him with anymore questions, so the one she asked was enough for her.

@Atomyk @Yun Lee @Glostechk @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian

 

[Glostechk]

The lock seemed to require a key... which Six had so conveniently found on Josephine's body. Tossing the jars revealed nothing but a disgusting mess.

The door was soon unlocked, but the man continued to lay in bed, silently.

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage​

@Atomyk @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Cromartie Sarkissian @Gands

"Good job," Noembelu told Six. Throwing cans hadn't worked, hm... Putting a hand to her mouth to mask the smells, she walked inside the cage. "Sir? Hello?" Keeping her hand on one hatchet in case something happened, she turned her other so that the handle was towards him and gently poked his back.​

The man stirred briefly, before turning around to face the group. He blinked blearily at them before moving to move his feet off the bed so he was sitting up. He was a middle-aged man, well-built and sporting a shaved head.

"The hell...?" he murmured, blinking. It took him a moment to register Noembelu. "The hell... do you want? What do you think you're doing?"

@Yun Lee @Glostechk @Takumi @Minerva @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian @SecretPassage​

@Atomyk @Glostechk @Minerva @Cromartie Sarkissian @Takumi @Gands

Noembelu put her hatchet back in its holster. "We're getting you out of here. You're trapped in a cage. Were trapped. My name's Noembelu." She extended her hand to help him up.​

Damn, that kid going to do things her way and her way alone. Something told him that she would be a... Epine de son Cote for the duration of their journey. He was better off just leaving her be

While the other's searched for the key, Arno returned to the mouth of the tunnel, several jars in hand: One for his pistols, one for his bombs, one to keep his cloak dry and one to store the gunpowder from his musket. His greatest weapon would be useless for some time, with the water seeping into the deepest crevasses of his rifle. Waiting for it to dry out would take hours, perhaps even a day. What a damn shame

Upon returning to the laboratory, Arno addressed the prisoner.
"Can you walk?" After giving the man some time to respond, he continued "Can you shoot? Because at this rate you might. Your captor is still out there. We need to be prepared if we're going to get out of here alive. What do you know about this area? Anything that could help us get out of here?"

"What do you last remember?" Amir asked, after a moment of silence, she said nothing more. She didn't want to bombard him with anymore questions, so the one she asked was enough for her.

@Atomyk @Yun Lee @Glostechk @Gands @Cromartie Sarkissian

Six gave a smile at Noembelu and shrugged at Arno. She was just glad to have found the key that everyone was looking for. The child went back into the medical room not really caring for the smells that the busted jars produced. The same smells would remind her of the ship that kept her from the outside world. Since Six was barefoot, she tried to step away from the glass found on the floor and carefully approached to the others with the strange man in the cage.

"Should we trust him?..."

@Yun Lee @Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Gands​

 

[Krieg]

Of course, out of all the individuals in the room, the one that appeared the most alien to Nancy spoke up to her.

How some metallic monk that crawled, or rather hovered, out of one of those crazy sci-fi movies was here was beyond the Wheeler. Granted, many things were beyond the honor student. Resting her hands inside the pockets of her scarlet jacket, she let her baseball bat rest on her right shoulder. Propping her left foot up against a wall of mold, Nancy took one deep breath.

"I guess Halloween parties don't count, huh? No, I haven't." Nancy attempted at some twisted humor, the soft-spoken individual forcing a fake smile. Occasionally leaning over to peak at the claustrophobic hallways of this mundane house, the Wheeler looked fidgety and anxious. "I...I am not sure. I saw Wanda in my dreams, I saw her in that dark place. I remember running from a monster, and th-then I woke up here. My friend, she has to be here somewhere. Not here, b-but also here." Nancy tried to explain, her own mind either playing tricks or hinting at something greater and terrible. How the rest of this group had not descended into madness was beyond the suburbia princess.

"Hey, they aren't any ghosts here kid. Just...chill, yeah? We got you. I'll beat em' up for you." Nancy tried to reassure the youngest of the group, despite wondering if there were any phantoms lurking in the shadows. Being reminded of her baby sister and brother, Nancy kept her vigil, secretly hoping her family was okay.

"Kyoko, how goes it? Anything important?" Nancy tried to ask above the fairly crowded kitchen, always feeling as if they aren't alone in this hellhole.

@Jeremi @ShiroKiyoshi @Kaykay @Crow @Otto @Verite @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M @Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk @westilldemkitchenbois​