Group FMAD | Abel/Dexter/Melvin/Fenna | Island Investigation

Abel Lazarus

Don’t worry Melvin! Abel has arbitrarily decided he’s in charge even though there’s no particular reason for him to be. He’s just full of himself a little bit.

Abel takes a good look at the banged up coconuts and writes something down in his notebook. I keep forgetting they have these but BOY does Abel remember them! He probably has notes about everything in this thing. Those coconuts do look. A little familiar. Not EXACTLY these coconuts but more… What’s wrong with them.

“Yeah- I’m not sure anything else is up with this tree. We should check the shore next.” He gives Melvin one of the coconuts. Partially to keep the evidence to show people and… partially just to give him a task.

He thinks it’s a little funny. But honestly Abel…. Now is not the time for this.

Dexter Blanche

“Maaayyybbeee they were playing some kind of sport, or game! The hoop is vertical, so you could try throwing coconuts through it! Like the ancient ball game of Mesoamerica! I suppose its as good of a passtime as any!”

Cheery as he always is, he picks up a coconut and tries hucking it through the hoop. Its dark though, so he misses. Aw.

“Hmm… The shore’s a good of a place as any now. Maybe the killer tried throwing some evidence to the ocean to try and hide it? I doubt they’d have had the time to bury it; that fire was very conspicuous!”

He shakes his head, following the group to the beach.

Narrator

Melvin Greene Almost effortlessly, even being a bit further away than Dexter was, he tosses the coconut Abel just handed him though the loop of the tree’s trunk.

The ba– I mean coconut sails effortlessly through the loop and hits the ground with a thump and a slight crack.

Along the island’s western shore, the group finds little of interest on the beach or off it.

Dexter Blanche “Hmm… The shore’s a good of a place as any now. Maybe the killer tried throwing some evidence to the ocean to try and hide it?"

Following the shoreline, Dexter has yet to come across any discarded evidence, but he does accidentally kick a few rocks embedded in the sand.

Beach Rocks - Along the whole length of the beach are some corally rocks that more than one of you have accidentally stepped on barefoot. They’re all rather grey but vary in size from pebbles to chunks the size of a person’s hand.

As you head north, the more observant of you may have noticed something on the ground back towards the forest. Something smallish, low to the ground, and… white? It’s impossible to tell what it is from a distance.

Melvin Greene

Melvin looks rather confused and maybe a little bit nervous(???) when Abel hands him the ball- COCONUT IT’S JUST A COCONUT. Then again, Dexter not-so-clearly had the same idea. It takes him a moment to figure out what the little camera man is on about.

“… lotta words to say basketball.” he mutters under his breath, before Dexter fails to Ball. All apprehension falls off his face, replaced with something bordering on offended that someone could be that bad both at identifying and playing the sacred sport of Basket Balls. They’re probably saying something else important but in the name of Spaced Jams, this cannot stand.

Almost effortlessly, even being a bit further away than Dexter was, he tosses the coconut Abel just handed him though the loop of the tree’s trunk. Was he supposed to hold onto that for later? Too bad. Dunked now. Except not really, that was more of a… two pointer than anything.

“Probably more like that, don’t you think?”

… He’ll go pick it back up before they leave for the shore, assuming Abel tells him to.

Abel Lazarus

“Melvin.” He looks Disappointed.

“You Threw the evidence? Go pick that back up.” You’re getting bossed around Melvin. “Honestly…”

Dexter Blanche

Someone observant, you say…

Dexter, always at the back of the pack, stops for a moment. OwO? Wats Dis…?

Without bothering to verbally call out to Abel or Melvin, he approaches the weird white stuff, and bends down to inspect it.

Narrator

Dexter Blanche Without bothering to verbally call out to Abel or Melvin, he approaches the weird white stuff, and bends down to inspect it.

Well, at least it’s not alive or something.

Shed Fur - A semi-pile semi-halo of fluffy white fur. Enough to notice, but not enough to be mistaken for a small animal. Along the forest line on the north side of the island.

A look over the northern tip of the island reveals nothing unusual, either. Maybe you’ll have more luck along the eastern shore– that’s where the shipwreck is, after all.

Abel Lazarus

Abel notices Dexter walk off- which annoys him but. It is what it is. Besides. He found something it seems. Hopefully next time he Says Something.

He comes to look at the fur- before nodding and continuing on towards the ship wreck. Nothing too special about that it seems! At least as far as Abel’s concerned.

He double checks that Melvin hasn’t thrown the coconut again, though. Before they go too far.

Melvin Greene

“… not like it’s even important.” Joy Banished, he’s grumpy about being lectured now. Give a guy a BREAK. Sheesh. Dexter didn’t get a hard time for throwing evidence, grumble grumble. As much as it annoys him, though, he’s going to think better than to pick a fight with Abel about it. You’re the boss, yes sir, whatever.

Maybe he’ll get paid again if he can resist the urge to Dunk That Coconut a second time (first time! The first throw was Not A Dunk!!!). Difficult as it is to resist the temptation, the threat of a second lecture wins out. Moving on…..

Where in the hell did Dexter go. Where’s Abel going. Oh. Over there. Okay. Nobody tell him anything unless it’s a demand or reprimand, sure. That’s fine. This is fine. That white fur feels like it should probably mean something, but the possibility of that being a train of thought dies in the back of his head. Like everything else, it’s just weird and he can’t seem to make any sense of it.

Part of him wants to just drop the damn coconut out of spite at this point. But nope! Best keep moving on to that funny little shipwreck shore. See what other wild and wacky nonsenses are going on and for the love of god hopefully not find a third dead body pleaaase.

Narrator

Melvin Greene Best keep moving on to that funny little shipwreck shore. See what other wild and wacky nonsenses are going on and for the love of god hopefully not find a third dead body pleaaase.

As they turn and head for the shipwreck, if Dexter is maintaining his search of the coastline, he’ll come across some relatively fresh footprints in the sand.

A few soaked remnants of personal belongings still litter the shore, but nothing looks particularly dangerous or out of place. In the distance, however, you spot a Treevee. It’s hard to tell much else in the darkness, but unlike the others you’ve passed on your journey so far, the screen appears to be on…

Abel Lazarus

Melvin Greene Dexter didn’t get a hard time for throwing evidence, grumble grumble.

That’s because Dexter didn’t throw The Evidence coconut! The Exact coconut Abel arbitrarily handed Melvin to give him a task and therefore doesn’t actually matter because there’s nothing special about this particular coconut except the fact Abel GRACIOUSLY decided to give Melvin something to do with his time.

So really you should be thanking him for this Melvin.

ANYWAY

Narrator footprints

Abel sees. With his (Nearly) all seeing eyes. The footprints don’t pull him over yet, though- instead he walks up to examine the Treevee, even at risk of there being a tape in there. He’s just a teensy bit nosy after all! He wants to know what happened to the other missing tapes. Perhaps this is one of them.

Narrator

Dexter Blanche Dexter was also looking over the footprints, memories of tracking in the woods or tundra flitting through his mind lightly.

There are two sets of (human) footprints, on closer inspection. They wind idly along the beach, in and out of the water, then return to solid ground.

Pair of Footprint Trails - Two sets of footprints along the eastern shore, occasionally dipping into the water. The print detail has faded, but they’re clearly from two different people. There’s no sign of running or any other odd movement along this stretch.

Abel Lazarus The footprints don’t pull him over yet, though- instead he walks up to examine the Treevee, even at risk of there being a tape in there.

As they get closer, the group can see a huddled figure subtly illuminated by the screen. By process of elimination, it’s not hard to figure out who this could be. But by the time you’re close enough to identify her for sure in the dark, the tape is impossible to ignore…

Dexter Blanche

“Hmm…”

Dexter was also looking over the footprints, memories of tracking in the woods or tundra flitting through his mind lightly. Just a reminder, there’s no time to get lost in a daydream of the past.

Speaking of, though… Dexter notices the faith glow of a Treevee. Could Fenna…? It would make sense, but who would be doing that at this time of night, anyways?

Dexter grips his camera and begins advancing, a more pep into his step. Don’t worry Abel, Dexter shares your nosyness. He wants in. Let him in.

Melvin Greene

In a completely shocking turn of events, Melvin is… still just sort of grumpily following the smart people here. They’re probably onto something. He guesses.

Fenna Van Daalen

(very mild emeto warning)

A young woman stands alone in the center of a dance floor, mop and bucket in hand. The clock on the wall reads 3 A.M., and the bar below it is a wreck– empty glasses, food on the floor, the smell of vomit coming from… somewhere. She sighs. If she wants this place ready for a new wave of glitzy customers at 6 P.M., she’s got a long early morning of cleaning up to do.

Theres a bottle of wine left open on the counter. She glances between it and the flask of vodka in her purse, contemplating which of the two will dull her senses enough to let her mop the floor. She chooses the wine.

Theres a skip in the tape and then the same scene plays again. Or, wait– no, not quite. The glasses on the bar are arranged differently, this time the smell is of cloying perfume. But Fenna Van Daalen stands there all the same. She repeats the same motion– whiskey on the counter, vodka in her purse. This time, she chooses the vodka.

Another stutter, another night. The footage switches faster and faster, and the woman in the nightclub grows older before your eyes. Sometimes, briefly, there are others there to help– a stern-looking woman with the same black hair, though she disappears not too long after. A handsome blonde with an odd taste in fashion. Some kid in a vest. For a stretch, there, she’s holding a child in one arm, singing him to sleep as she waltzes around the floor. But all too often, in the end, she finds herself alone.

Nothing traumatic happens on the screen. People are there, and then they’re gone. But cannot sheer monotony break a mind just as easily?

This was the tape that Abel, Dexter, and Melvin would find Fenna to be lost in when they arrived at the eastern-most Treevee. She looks haggard, and the flask from her purse lies empty on the sand. If she’s going to escape her tape, she’s going to need some outside help…

Abel Lazarus

((CW: Emeto and downplaying trauma (It’s him doing it to himself but yk)))

Abel’s response to the barrage of smells seems borderline violent. Which must be strange with how… Uh. Put together? He usually is?

Well at the very least he finds himself retching without being able to stop himself. Ugh. Okay Cool. Does he usually get that weak abt alcohol? Ish. It’s been a minute since it’s been so Strong and mixed with all of these Scents and happening while he’s already having a weak constitution from being injured and forced to relive his trauma so. Actually! That’s never all happened at once. Wow! New Moment 🤪

He’s able to pull himself back together Harshly after the first retch but there’s a moment people might notice him shaking if they’re looking closely.

Okay! He gets it!!!!! People drink!!!! Come on Abes!!! Get it together. You’re okay. Deep breath! NEVERMIND. Less deep. Less deep.

He needs. He needs out of here. He needs out. Oogh he needs out please.

A lot of feelings are sort of. Attacking him at once. Frustration. Anger. Guilt. Regardless he. Fights it. Fights it to get to Fenna and Hopefully get her out of here so he can get out. The most he can do is. Pat her on the back and look Green at the moment but. Certainly his attempt at comforting her is Bizarre for her at least.

But you know.

If he’s this deep in old memories.

“F-Fenna?” His voice isn’t. Completely together like usual. It’s watery and Weak.

If he’s this deep. Why not treat her like he Actually treated the person she reminds him of?

Fenna Van Daalen

It takes… longer than it should for the huddled-up “real” Fenna to realize someone’s even physically touching her, let alone that multiple people have intruded on her vision.

Abel Lazarus “F-Fenna?” His voice isn’t. Completely together like usual. It’s watery and Weak.

“What…. where am I? Abel… but… dis is the…”

Dexter Blanche “Ah… miss Fenna?”

She looks up slowly. Abel, Dexter and Melvin. Three-piece suit, cold weather gear, pizza delivery uniform. None of these outfits belonged in her club– well, of course they’d be welcome, but– you know. Three boys she’d known for just a few days, that she’d met on… the train…

There’s another jumpcut as she watches herself mop the floor.

“Dat stupid fffuckin’ tape! Is dat what dis is–”

They snap out of the projection, and Fenna starts to swim back to her senses. It’s pretty obvious that she didn’t just dump her flask out into the ocean.

“Gahd dammit… how long have I fuckin’ been here?”

Dexter Blanche

Dexter was, much like Abel, also buffeted by the strong smell of alcohol. He’s drank sometimes, but it’s been a long long time since he’s been in a place like this.

He had his camera up at the ready, just in case some juicy scoop or scene that needed immortalizing was here, but this was… just sad, honestly. Depressing, yet mundane. Just a woman having a rough go of it. Life sometimes punches you down like this… but Dexter isn’t the best at picking people back up.

“Ah… miss Fenna?”

Dexter kept his distance. Abel seemed to be taking the more physical comfort approach… which was fine. Dexter wasn’t a very touchy person.

Still … he’s getting a bad feeling. Some sort of connection in his head, but what does it mean? Well, he can bring up his concerns later. For now, he just pulls his scarf a bit tighter over his nose, and is on standby in case Abel needs any help.

Abel Lazarus

Hhhh of course. Of Course She’s drunk. His face twitches. How strong can this little brat be… lets find out!

“… Fenna.” He’s. Thinking. A lot. Remembering things. He doesn’t really… Have the things he’d like to have with him With him but.

He looks towards Dexter. “Can you get her a coconut? Since it’s the only food we have on this stupid Island.” Food. Food and drink help to sober someone up. He remembers his mom having to down cup after cup of coffee.

The cups he got her were always just. Left there. Even when she needed them.

She still smells of alcohol and it’s… Extremely difficult for him but.

Ugh. Okay. Okay. What’s… Gonna lessen that scent on her-

This island gets cold at night and Abel knows drunk people aren’t Actually as warm as they usually feel like they are. He shrugs his coat off his shoulders and wraps it around her and temporarily the scent of his own cologne helps him to slow his processing down. Focus Less on the alcohol.

Feel less. On Edge.

But Fenna isn’t going to hurt him. She isn’t even ignoring him.

It’s okay.

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