unknownseas | WEEK 4

Another trial, another week, and still you're probably running lower on answers than you'd like. And on people - you lost three since last Sunday. By the end of this week, you'll have been here for nearly a full month, yet still the days crawl on.

You wake up Sunday, again with no memory of Saturday, but this time with a simple message on your devices: You may resume requesting items, if you like. Enjoy. Guess it really was just a stealth motive after all, but at least it's being communicated that it's over! That's something, at least.

And when you leave your rooms on Sunday, there's another new area to explore! This one is... certainly more ambitious in its construction than the last one, to say the least. But hey, you have a pretty neat place to host parties, if you feel so inclined! That's... fun...

Hey, you gotta find the fun in situations like this where you can! Silver linings, right?

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 4! Remember to turn in AC here, threads for regain coins here, and if you feel so inclined you can visit Angel's office hours over here! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think the involvement of multiple people at the head of the operation seems probable, but multiple people claiming to be the same person? I wonder why they would need to go that far...

[He quickly scribbles a string of small letters after his uppercase Α.

Angel?]

At least one person behind that screen knows how to run a con. [Looks like Therion's been doing some criminal research of his own.] We may not be the only ones getting tricked.

[ Ema just nods and adjusts her glasses, hoping to relay that she got the message. ]

Heard. Moving forward, I think we should keep an ear out for the way he addresses us. Look for any discrepancies in the way that he talks from day to day. Even if we can't go by a voice, we can go by clues in his speech. It's a bit of a long con, but we only need to catch one or two slips.

...Ugh. Might be harder than we expect. Outside of the meeting room, the regular announcements, and the trials--and when that Damien guy attacked Angel--I think I've only heard of him sending print messages. Through the devices, I mean.

I'm really hoping that we won't have to deal with another trial, but, if we do...well, let's take care to note anything he says or any quirks in his speech that can't be easily replicated. After that, we can at least tackle it with a frame of reference. It's not much, but it's worth looking into, if the opportunity presents itself.

Guess I'll keep my ears open. You've got enough to do at the trials already.

You say that as if you don't contribute too, Therion. You're important to the team, you know...

[He... flinches? Recoils? Something.]

I doubt that.

You doubt it? You're a helpful investigator, and you've more than shown that you know how to quickly apply information you've learned to a task at hand.

[ She can't help but smile at him. ]

If I needed someone here to help me in a pinch, you'd be one of the first I'd turn to. You've got a good head on your shoulders.

Edited 2020-05-01 15:53 (UTC)

[It's the stupid kind of thing Alfyn would say, or Cyrus. Like it doesn't even matter how he typically applies those talents. Like it's a given he's part of something. Ema smiles at him and matter-of-factly praises his skills, and it sends warmth and dread in equal measure swirling through his gut.

She hasn't phrased it in a way he can easily parry, this insinuation she trusts his judgment. Or trusts him.]

I'm still a thief, you know.

That may be, but thief or no, I've never seen you as anything less than my ally. And you've never given me any reason to, on top of that. Your help is valuable to me. Your opinion, too.

[ She seems pretty firm on that, too. ]

And I'm sure I'm not the only one here who feels that way.

Edited 2020-05-01 18:07 (UTC)

[For a while longer, he keeps staring at her. Finally, he sinks a little lower into the cushions and pulls his scarf up almost all the way to his nose.]

...There's really no changing your minds, huh. That blind faith could get you killed.

Not until you give me reason to, at the very least. Like I said, so far, you haven't. I doubt you will. I consider myself to be a pretty decent judge of character, after all.

But it's not blind faith. I just don't like getting stuck in that loop of bad "what if"s. It's never done anything good for me, not when I've had to do the opposite to get out of all of my toughest jams.

[This time, he does pull his scarf up over his entire face. And groans.]

It's like talking to Alfyn damned Greengrass. Just... keep some guard up, all right? If that's even possible for you.

Hey now, I do work for the police, you know! And if you're comparing me to someone, they had better be cool, at the very least! I won't accept you saying that I'm like someone lame or boring!

[ Is that where her priorities are? ]

[He pauses meaningfully.]

...You'd like him, at any rate.

[Can't catch him calling Alfyn "cool."]

W-way to dodge my question!

[ She can't help but puff out her cheeks and turn away... ]

That tells me all I need to know, you know!

[He chuckles in spite of himself, barely peeking over his scarf.]

You would, though. And he'd like you. He'd have you talking all day about your science work, and he'd grasp a lot more of it, too. Though I'll thank you not to tell him I said that.

My lips are sealed. Though I will say, you grasp plenty. More than I think you give yourself credit for, in any event. Especially considering that I know I use a lot of tough terminology...

[ Maybe she should be a little more sheepish about that... ]

We travel with a professor of our own. Had to get used to sifting through his little seminars for anything useful or suffer the headaches. ...He'd like you, too.

Sounds like you have a ragtag little motley crew on your hands, Therion. It seems nice, though.

[ And she certainly does seem glad to hear that, because... ]

It's a pretty far cry from being lonely, huh?

[Hey, what the fuck. He freezes again, though this time he seems slightly better prepared to sidestep it.]

...Can never get any peace and quiet, if that's what you mean.

Speaking as the person who used to love disturbing the peace and quiet, back in my old living situation? That's just the price that needs to be paid, sometimes. Headaches, too. But I don't think I'd really like it any other way.

Doesn't surprise me to hear that from you.

[Ema Troublemaker Skye.]

When it's quiet for too long, you miss the noise. And scientifically speaking, smiles are absolutely contagious.

[ To call her a troublemaker might just be an understatement. ]

Don't think I haven't caught you hiding them, every now and again. An investigator has an eye for these things.

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