Turnabout a la Mode! Day 1 Investigation

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The journey is far less painful than might be expected. After arriving in the Champ de Mars in Paris, the arriving strangers go unnoticed by the crowds all around, the people too busy whispering to each other in horror. Several are crying and others are carrying their children away from the Eiffel Tower which stands high above in the dark Paris night.

The area is hauntingly beautiful, with lights covering the trees of Paris's park and banners talking about the great Tic and Tac's final Parisian tour before going worldwide. So why is the entire place so somber?

The fact that the police are scrambling about is the first clue that something is very wrong. As the Visitors were warned, their powers are completely gone, leaving only their mundane skills. With no Persona to call on, it will make this entire journey far harder... but thankfully Minerva can be spotted close by.

But before anyone can do anything, she's being carried away by the policemen, put into a car, and carted off.  The police bar the perimeter, looking at you in annoyance.

"Mesdames et Messieurs, the show is over, and this area is a crime scene. Please move back so as not to cause issues with the investigation."

It seems something terrible has happened...

But just as you're pondering your next move, another car screeches up beside the yellow tape, and a man with a fervent expression and a rather alarming mustache leaps out of the car.  Gesticulating wildly, he descends upon the scene like a storm of extravagantly expensive cologne.

"Get back, get back!  A terrible crime has occurred here!  And I, Chief Inspector Otto Gaffe, swear that I shall not rest until justice is served!"

A flailing arm barely avoids breaking a nose as he impatiently pushes you out of the way.

"Who are you?  ...Is that an attorney's badge?"

Perhaps this would be a good place to start.

((There will be no tag order so as to speed things along!  But each group should only respond to the portions marked for them (A, B, or Defense).  When all the necessary clues have been discovered, we will initiate Day 1 Court. You may respond!))

Comments

[jonathandammit]

OH NO PLEASE DON'T CRY MISS...

"Oh- dear, are you alright?" Law heroes are Not Good at comforting people. But he's still trying. If you need another, Dear NPC Girl, he'll hand you his own handkerchief.

"I'm sorry to trouble you further, but... what did you see, then?"

[thirdarrow]

Takakage had finished looking around the scene, and exited the taped-up area to look for his friend. Perhaps a second opinion would clear up some of his doubts -

- and then he noticed the sight of Jonathan and the crying girl.

The strategist managed to catch a snippet of their conversation, his expression modulating itself to become one of concern and worry. Jonathan wasn't exactly very tactful with regards to this - you do not simply ask traumatized people about their experience. It was very gory, especially for a girl unaccustomed to bloodshed...

He took up a position beside his friend, careful to keep his tone as gentle and calm as possible. "Dry your eyes, miss. We'll find out who caused such misfortune to befall her."

There was a measured pause.

"In order for us to do that, we need your help, okay?"

[turnaboutnpcs]

"I'm not crying about miss Cachou monsieur!" she doth proclaimed. "Well...a little bit about her, oui, but Tic and Tac! Without her, the show will have trouble going on! And it will forever be tainted by this tragedy!"

Gentlemen, please meet a real-life fangirl.

[jonathandammit]

...Well, that's actually incredibly rude, girl. Takakage's appearance is welcomed, though. And he seems better at talking to her than he is.

He always tries to say things right, but never does. Life is so hard.

"Who is 'Tic and Tac'?" He does want to heckle her for details on the murder. Just a bit. But. It's good to be nice to girls.

[thirdarrow]

"They're the magicians, Jonathan." Takakage answered without missing a beat. His voice was still pleasantly calm.

"Well... you could tell us about them - and their assistant. They ought to be an effective team, right? Are they siblings? Or friends? Or maybe... something else?"

He had several theories already. Time to verify them.

[turnaboutnpcs]

"They are the greatest show on earth!" she replied, hearts in hear teary eyes. "They are brotherly duo! She is...was I guess, a rising fashion model and media darling! She was more on tv and programs than the brothers were, and her boyfriend, oh!"

Idly, she messes around with one of her pockets.

"I know for a fact that the brothers are not dating so that every girl can dream about being with them! But madame herself, she had a very cute boyfriend! He's one of the elite fashion designers in the country! So, oui, everything was going good for the three of them."

[jonathandammit]

Is anyone taking notes?

He's trusting you're taking notes, Takakage.

"I see..." This is all even more confusing, but Jonathan's mostly trying to sieve out a murder motive from all this. "Does she have any family?" Who the hell would benefit from her death?

[turnaboutnpcs]

"I don't know much about her except...except she is an orphan, much like the brother's themselves. Oh how very tragic!"

[thirdarrow]

Of course he's taking notes. A lot of notes, in fact.

From what he had gleaned from other sources, quite a few motives have been crossed out. This was proving to be more of an enigma...

"Hmm, I see." He nodded. "Well... do they have any rivals, perhaps? Such talent must be greatly envied..."