smashacademy | oo6; a dire announcement.

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oo6; a dire announcement.

[ Just a small text this time, but everyone in the academy better listen up. It's serious. Absolutely serious. ]

A former staff member of the academy, Miss GLaDOS, was found dead in Ferrothorn Park on Saturday, March 9th, at 1:13 AM. Signs of decay are imminent, suggesting that she has been there for some time. Her body has since been removed from the property and has been sent for autopsy.

There will be no further details given.

[ That's it. He's not about to drag any personal feelings into this, no matter how much it makes his gut wretch. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Sorry, Copy X, but that'd make you seem just a few feathers shy from a perfect angel. ]

I am not sure. Keep in mind that she was still partially mechanical, even in her human form. She may or may not be recoverable.

Even if the damage were too severe for her to be recovered, if we could even get something as small as sensory logs, it could give us some kind of clue as to who did this to her.

What can you tell me about the condition of her body? She was killed, but how?

Of course. That is a very fine idea. [ He kinda didn't think of something like that... ] At the very least, justice can be served.

I can't be completely sure what of the attack killed her, but there were burn and claw marks all along her body.

I imagine whomever carries out the [...recycling] autopsy will be able to answer that, as well as verify if any data can be recovered.

It seems unlikely that the general public will be privy to that sort of information, though, doesn't it?

Not quite. This is information I would rather allocate to certain sectors. We wouldn't want the murder to cover up their tracks, would we?

[ If they're made aware of every detail, that's exactly what they'd do. Well, they're already doing so, to be sure, but this would do nothing more than help them out. ]

That's certainly true, but information can be a useful weapon for our side, as well.

I suppose there's no use in getting too far ahead of ourselves, though. I feel like so little is known for certain. Are you fine with the assumption that this killing and the previous one are the work of the same culprit?

It heavily depends on the circumstances. We can't naively give our information out either. Of course, you should already know that.

[ I mean, this isn't just X. This is ~~the faker~~ future!X. Surely he has a lot less naivete by now. ]

As for that assumption, it is incredibly likely, given the presence of lollipop sticks on the crime scene, but it isn't solid yet. I fully believe they were the killer, but it is still not beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Naturally. There's far too little to act on just yet, but if you leave out bread for the mice, you'll often find a trail of crumbs back to their hole. Just something to keep in mind, I suppose.

But for now, if we continue to believe tne killings are connected... I wonder, just how many of the similarities between victims were coincidence, and how many were relevant to the killer? Both, I understand, were female, nonhumans, effectively immortal in their normal state, and living at this school. There may be more I'm not aware of, too.

Sounds fair enough to me.

[ he didn't really see it from that angle. A+, faker X. ]

The similarities between victims also may lie in drug involvement. That Drifblim was addicted to them, no doubt. What GLaDOS had to do with them, however, is still uncertain, if she had anything to do with them at all. They may be less related to the victims and more related to the killer.

[Faker X might not be good at the whole "likable traits" thing, but at least he's crafty.]

It seems unlikely that the killer would be careless enough to leave behind the sticks accidentally. If they weren't the victim's, then could they have been left there to send a message...?

The killer has been sharp enough to avoid being caught so far, so your point is valid. Those sticks also could have been left to throw us off-road.

[ It's actually pretty ingenious. ]

Yes, that seems entirely feasible. It's not like candy-making supplies are hard to come by.

Then it seems we're once again stuck with the problem of far too few facts. Where do you intend to go from here, Shadow, if you don't mind my asking?

I have a few more investigations planned of the death site and then some. Once the forensic and autopsy reports return to me, I'll move on from there.

What of you? Do you intend to do anything, even if it's simply to keep the school safe?

Of course I can't just sit by when innocent lives are at risk, Shadow. If I can lend any kind of aid to your investigation, then you can call on me anytime, but I don't intend to get in your way if you have no use for me.

I think I'll see what can be done about protecting the students and staff here, for the time being. The last thing we want is another victim.

I thought so. [ Otherwise, that just wouldn't be very X-like, now would it? ] That is the most you can do. I have no use for you now, but should I find one, I know who to call.

...

Thank you.

You don't need to thank me, Shadow; protecting living things is what I was built to do.

Keep me posted, though, if you don't mind. Being this open about pursuing the killer is admirable, but it may be a little dangerous. It'd give me peace of mind to hear from you every so often.

That is perfectly fine, but let me make one thing clear:

I don't care if I'm targeted. If they dare to attack me next, they'll sorely regret it. If they were to somehow kill me, then...

Hmph. At least I'll go out fulfilling my duty.

[Unwavering dedication to a cause, to the point of a blatant lack of self-preservation... Honestly, Copy X is almost reminded of Phantom. Almost.]

Your life means that little to you? It's not my decision to make, but what good's an investigation if you die before you can finish it?

That's not quite it. Think of it this way...

My life is centered around my duty to protect. I was created to protect. If I cannot protect, my life is meaningless. I am investigating, yes, but if I can take the chance and survive an encounter with the murderer, that is more than enough.

If I manage to do that, there will likely be no more deaths from here.

There are smarter ways to go about your duty! You won't be protecting much of anything if you get yourself killed in some dramatic gesture of heroism. I speak from experience, Shadow: martyrdom is nothing but a pretty word.

[There is one little thing that catches his attention, though. It's not especially big, but Copy X's capacity for concern begins and ends almost entirely with organic life, after all.]

This... maybe isn't the best time, but... what do you mean when you say you were created?

Martyrdom? Is that what you want to call it? Oh, no. You simply don't understand. I was made to fight to win or die. If I don't fight, who will? If I don't fight, will I be satisfied? Hardly. I feed on that adrenaline. Otherwise, life would be far too dull. I'd lose purpose and direction.

I've already done this before. I know what I'm doing.

Yes, I was created. I am as artificial as you are, albeit in a different sense.

...Nothing I say will change your mind, will it?

[Normally, Copy X would be a lot more stubborn about things being done his way, but... ah. There's that word. Artificial.]

Then... are you a reploid? Is that what you mean?

Finally, you see it. No, nothing you say will.

[ That's just that. Shadow is also far too stubborn for his own good. He listens to himself and himself alone, for the most part. ]

No. I am an artificially born hedgehog. I have nothing mechanical in my name, but I am far from natural.

Edited 2013-03-20 01:40 (UTC)

[Not mechanical. That's the part that counts. There's the fleeting, half-formed impulse to point out his own creator was born from a genetic manipulation program, but... no, of course he can't say that. As far as anyone needs to know, he was built by Dr. Thomas Light, some long-dead roboticist.]

You can call yourself that if you want, Shadow, but try not to forget: a living thing isn't quite as easy to put back together as a machine. I'm not going to argue with you, but I expect you to keep in mind that an organic life is irreplaceable.

Tch.

I have to ask you this one last question. X, your behavior is... admirable, kind, perhaps too kind. For that reason, I have to wonder...

In what way do you think I'm irreplaceable? Do you take the selfish route of yearning for a protector for your own lives, or are you selfless enough to care for the hedgehog you're talking to now?

Before you ask, no, this is not a manner of garnering sympathy. I have reasons you'll soon be privy to.

oo6; a dire announcement.

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