evermoredazzling | insert creative title for murderlog here

[Spinel knows games. And she loves games. That seemed to snap Riley out of whatever she was doing, so... that must be helping. Right? She's helping! She wants to help around here.]

Oh, phew! That's good. [She wipes her brow. Gems don't. sweat?] I was spooked for a sec.

I just thought you looked a little strange is all. So if you're looking for a friend to play with, I'm your gal.

[It's so easy to slip into the same routine, just like she always had.]

Here in the garden, let's play a game...

Edited 2020-07-23 07:21 (UTC)

[ Spinel's so sweet. Spinel's so innocent. How can she do this?

Farrah was 15 and you fucking killed her, didn't you? Oh Riley wishes everything would stop. She wishes it would all shut up.

So. She lets the soft song take over her. ]

...I'll show you how it's done.

[ The hand behind her back starts to tremble again. ]

Here in the garden, just close your eyes,
And we'll have so much fun.

...How bout a smile? That's all I'm after.

[How Pink had smiled at her before she left, so light and cheerful. Before the game took over, and she never saw her again. She wanted others to smile like that. Better than that.]

Just a smile in your eyes, and the sound of your laughter...

[She shuts her eyes, and waits for the fun to start.]

Edited 2020-07-23 07:39 (UTC)

[ But she can't bring herself to smile as Spinel requests. ]

Happy to listen.

[ She brings the knife forward. ]

Happy to play.

[ And raises it, aiming for- for just above that Gem. Those are probably a vulnerable part, right? ]

Happily standing here, lead...astray...!

[ And Riley plunges the knife into Spinel's chest, halfway to the hilt. Unlike with Claudine, she can't bring herself to rip it out. Because... Because she just talked sweet Spinel into letting herself die. Didn't she? ]

Oh!

[It's a sound of surprise, less of pain. But that's what this is, isn't it? Pain. Sharp and stabbing right into her chest.

She wanted to follow the rules, keep playing. Because that's what spinels do.

Maybe just... a peek.]

...Wha?

[Thank goodness she hadn't aimed for her Gem, but now there was a blade lodged in her chest, and... it hurt. It baffled her, on top of that.]

...Riley?

[One hand finds Riley's arm, not pulling at it, but just holding on.]

[ This, this is far from anything Riley expected. Her face melts from distant, somber regret to horror, fear.

No. No, she doesn't want to be looking Spinel in the eyes. Riley lets out a shout of fright. It's a wonder she doesn't jerk away. But- no, she can't, especially now. ]

I'm sorry!

[ It's belated. It's what she wanted to say to Claudine oh god how could she just leave her there like that--

But it's also stupid and futile. Because as Riley screams that, she dives the knife in further, all the way to the hilt. ]

Guh!

[Looking into Riley's eyes is all she can do now. Spinel wanted to cheer her up, that's all, wipe away that look of fear and shock, the same that was painted across her own face.

Instead, she hangs on, even as Riley drives the knife in further.]

Riley... t-this game hurts-

[ POOF

And suddenly, Spinel isn't there anymore, right as the hilt of Riley's knife touches her chest. She's been replaced by a powerful rush of wind that fills the vacuum where the Gem once stood, and a cloud of dust.

At the base of Riley's feet, tumbling onto the earth, is a large, heart-shaped gemstone. Dormant, and quiet.]

[ Now Riley stumbles backwards. She lets out another shout, which she should really stop, because she's going to draw attention, but she's not. Thinking right now, really.

With her free hand, she reaches down but stops short of touching the lovely gemstone. What is this? She- all that's left is her Gem? Is that- did she- ]

I- I'm- I-i-i-is she- [ Stuttering to herself? Oh, this is a new low. Riley tries to wet her dry mouth, but she can't. She can see herself reflected in the gemstone, eyes wide and mouth open, a twisted, distorted version of herself.

Maybe that's more the real her. Maybe that little whispering voice, saying she did a good job, is actually Riley, the peppy go-getter and the scared little girl both facades.

She tries to calm her breathing. She takes a step back, and then another. And another. And another. This doesn't feel like the floaty, drifting haze she was in, when she killed Chess, killed Claudine.

Riley turns in a frenzied panic. She has to get out of here. She has to go, she- she has to-

In her terror, the only coherent thought that comes through is a strange one, but... Riley's thoughts haven't really been making sense, for awhile now, have they?

(In about thirty minutes, curled in her bed, in her room that she's completely trashed, it'll sink in just what she has to do next. She'll remember the next part of this process, and-- Well. It won't be very fun.)

All she can think is, she has to light some candles. She has to honor their memories. ]

[There’s something happening back there. Angus stands up from the crypt he was sitting one, and grabs the Hammer to-

It’s easier now, isn’t it?

That’s right, he can focus now. He feels better than he has all week. Trying not to rush and alert the other party of hi presence, he walks steadily towards the garden, head clear, hand ready.

He halts when he sees no one. The garden is not disturbed, but are they hiding? He makes a quick round of the place and quickly finds the massive heart-shaped gemstone just lying there.]

Is this Spinel’s? [Is she nearby, then?]

[Oh, she is nearby, but she's not all there.

The gemstone lying in the dirt was eerily reminiscent of the one normally protruding from Spinel's chest. A perfect likeness, even.

Whether it's at Angus's voice, or anything else, the stone seems to... shift? No, it's moving. Floating, actually. Floating off of the ground and into the air before Angus. Trails of light extend from it, warping and taking various shapes. Of arms and legs. A head with a familiar twintail style.]

[Angus has never seen this form of revival - no robot has grown their own body, no organic being matures this quickly. The idea of some sort of magic stone comes to mind, but The Phantom quickly dashed all hopes of allowing something so powerful in this building.

Then the shapes become familiar. A person. Spinel.

This is my opportunity.

The hammer is raised without his noticing. That soul, that person that will not matter, is prime for the taking.

He doesn’t have to focus on swinging it as hard as he can right in this center.

Feels good, doesn’t it?]

[Reforming is typically a special moment; it's a tiem for reflection, to change yourself to your liking, so you can come out the other side reborn, sporting a fresh new look if you so wished.

It's also when a Gem is at their most defenseless. Nothing is stopping that hammer from coming down on that gem. It may as well be passing through light.

The hammer slams down on the gem and the light vanishes in a instant.

The next instant, the gemstone hits the ground and shatters.

All in the span of a few seconds. The garden is suddenly empty again, save for Angus, and some colorful splinters in the grass.]

[For good measure, he strikes it again. It can’t have been that easy. But it is easy. The gem has shattered, and the light is gone. Spinel is dead.

Nothing is stopping me.

He reaches for a handful of colorful gems. He wants to keep them for himself, but he knows he cannot, not if he wishes to return to his realm. No, everyone must see that Spinel is gone, and after a period of grieving, everything will come to pass.

A horrible idea comes to mind. Why not have a bit of fun? This is your chance to embrace what you have done.

There are only five that he is able to take hold of, but that will suffice. Split up the gems, that can throw them off the trail. His first thought is of the many empty coffins, and if she will rest there eventually, why not get a head start?

Then the barn catches his eyes. The barn. The last place they could find her body. It’s a quick walk to peek in and toss in two shards into the hay. Let them find it with the horse. The next stop is the cemetery. It almost comes naturally, how he moves the cover to an empty crypt and tosses two in there. It’s like he has lost all inhibition.

That leaves one shard left. Now...where to put that? Indoors it is.

There’s not obvious room that would make this...interesting. No single location that feels meaningful. Walking through the first floor hallway one last time, he notices that the dance room has somethings spilled all over it. A quick peak and-

Oh.

Now this is an interesting turn of events.

Slowly approaching the figure, careful not to step on the blood, he takes hold of the last shard.

Claudine. She was rather pleasant, wasn’t she? It’s a shame she won’t be around to solve her own murder. Whatever. Now it’s his problem, thanks a lot. For making his escape more difficult, he decides to give her killer one last gift.

Her hands are stiffening, but he manages to get them open enough to stuff one shard in her non-bloody hand and close her fingers over it.

It’s funny, isn’t it. I should be enjoying this.

The start of a laugh bubbles inside him, but halts. It’s not ready yet. He can’t be happy about this. Yet.

Before that train of thought reaches anywhere, Angus turns around and marches straight to his room. If he is to make it through the day, he needs his sleep.

Whatever happens in the morning will happen.]

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