stringmods: (City)
Destiny Strings Mods ([personal profile] stringmods) wrote in [community profile] destinystrings2014-05-16 08:53 pm

Turnabout a la Mode! Day 1 Investigation

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!))
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-20 01:59 am (UTC)(link)
The mustaches continue to quiver as Otto is caught in the excitement of the moment that only he views as a moment.

"'Who is the murderer?!' Yes! I ask myself the very same and all inquiries lead down the same road!"
thirdarrow: (neutral smile #4 - great with books!)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-20 02:05 am (UTC)(link)
Takakage decides to play along. Perhaps he would get more answers out that way. He is unused to speaking in a less mature way, but still manages to pull it off. It helps tremendously that his age puts him at the border between looking like an adult and looking like a teenager. So he could do both.

Right now, he gives the impression of being a slightly timid but compliant boy.

"Oh, really? Well, who do you think it is, sir?"
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-20 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
"The murderer is..."

Otto thrusts out his finger again!

"The one who removed the vital sprocket from the flange!"

...
...
...

Crickets chirp in the background. Perhaps Takakage should try to redirect the conversation somewhere worthwhile.
thirdarrow: (thoughtful ♒ Tetrastes bonasia)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-20 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
While Otto's words made no sense to Takakage, he could infer what the foreign terms roughly meant. A vital component of something... Hm. He ought to ask someone what the technical jargon was exactly referring to. (He assumed it was technical, anyway.)

He nodded attentively, appearing thoughtful. "I see... sir, how was the trick supposed to go, then? I arrived too late to see it."
Edited 2014-05-20 03:15 (UTC)
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-20 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
"Without a body at the end."

The chief inspector eyes Takakage as if he were the unhinged one.

"I would have thought that was quite obvious."
thirdarrow: (oh?)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-20 03:20 am (UTC)(link)
The strategist shook his head. "Yes, but.. the trick itself? I heard they performed it at the contest. I.. was wondering.. if you knew what it was supposed to do?"

He had no idea what the contest was, only that it existed.
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-20 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
"Ah! You wish to know the secrets of the marvelous Curtain Trick!"

The chief inspector shakes his head ruefully.

"It is impossible to describe! Beyond mere words! Why, the opposing forces should by all rights reduce the whole of the stage to rubble!"

Either Otto hasn't ever seen it himself either or the trick really is indescribable.
thirdarrow: (concern ♒ let me take your hand)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-20 07:11 am (UTC)(link)
Takakage nods slowly. He was obviously not going to get any answers about that.

"Then... the poor lady... she should have gotten off the stage, right? It's quite dangerous..."
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-20 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Otto emphatically shakes his haed.

"Messieurs Tic & Tac are masters of the art! It is preposterous to suggest that Mademoiselle Anise should have feared for her life. The trick is dangerous only when sabotaged! As a chair is dangerous only when the leg collapses or a knife dangerous when plunged into a beating heart!"

The analogy might have gotten away from him a bit.
thirdarrow: (thoughtful ♒ Tetrastes bonasia)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-21 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
Ah. Sabotage. Now the key was to figure out where the whole act was sabotaged.

"Then... the falling contraption shouldn't have hurt her, right? Or was it the timing..." The strategist frowned, his second sentence trailing off into a half-mutter. It was just loud enough for the inspector to hear, however.
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-22 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
"...The details are what we still require to uncover at this time."

Otto speaks gruffly, though it may be to cover up his slight embarrassment at not being able to say.

"Messieurs Tic & Tac are most obstinate about keeping their secrets."
thirdarrow: (action - resting)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-22 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
".. I see..."

He frowns slightly before changing the subject.

"Hmm... Are the gentlemen siblings? I've heard rumors that Madamoiselle Cachou might be related to them..."

A wild guess here, but perhaps the Inspector may know something.
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-22 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
"What?! Preposterous!"

The Inspector indeed does.

"Tic & Tac are twin brothers! Mademoiselle Cachou was their assistant, nothing more. ...Of course, when a lovely young creature works with a, uh, gentleman of a certain age, there are always the rumors."
thirdarrow: (Default)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-22 04:04 am (UTC)(link)
Takakage nodded again. He was starting to have a strong suspicion now.

"Ah.. yes, there are those rumours too... but they are unfounded, yes?"

Paparazzi tend to jump at every chance for a juicy story. Even the mere suggestion of romantic emotional attachments seem to be prime bait.
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-23 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
"Certainly not. Mademoiselle Anise had a romantic partner of her own. ...And before any silly ideas enter your head, he was well away from the scene of the crime tonight."

Otto sniffs at the thought of such tawdry imaginations.
thirdarrow: (doubt ♒ Gavia pacifica)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-23 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
The strategist shook his head slightly, but his tone still remained neutral.

"... I see... well, I was unaware of that. Is he on good terms with the magicians, though?"
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-23 10:47 am (UTC)(link)
"Mademoiselle Anise kept private and public affairs quite separate." He stops for a second realizing the word he used, and quickly corrects himself. "...If you'll pardon the misuse of that word."

He looks at him like he has no choice.

"My point is, he had his line of clothing that she had started to model for him. We looked into it, and the brothers have their own tailor, a man more popular with world-famous magicians than the elite."
thirdarrow: (smile ♒ Ixobrychus eurythmus)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-23 04:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Hm. Different tailors. Business rivals? Perhaps. But it didn't seem too relevant at this point.

The Inspector didn't answer his question, though. And it would be revealing too much for him to ask more pressing ones.

"I trust the magicians and Madamoiselle Anise have been working well together? They are partners, after all... but I wonder if there may have been disharmony."

He flips open his book to a random page and pretends to consult something.

"I did some reading up before I came to the show... and there are rumours. It's hard to tell what's really true."
turnaboutnpcs: (Otto Gaffe)

[personal profile] turnaboutnpcs 2014-05-27 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Disharmony? Pah! Perish the thought, even our gossip columns could not stop talking about what a beautiful trio the three of them made. Where did you hear about that? From the message boards online, perhaps?"
thirdarrow: (Default)

[personal profile] thirdarrow 2014-05-27 05:58 am (UTC)(link)
Takakage had no idea what the Inspector was talking about, but he decided to roll with it.

"Yes, around there." He closed the book with a snap. "Though it certainly seems I am mistaken."

... the questioning seemed to reach a dead-end, though he was reluctant to leave just yet. Perhaps the Inspector had something else to add?