Vesti and Lauren's Interdimensional Investigations (A CYOA)

This update is partially written from my goofy school laptop. Woe is me!




Present: Argenta Gold

Vesti crosses his arms and solemnly explains, “The truth is...we managed to identify the motive a while ago. Remember, when Cammy was first injured, the incident was labelled as a suicide. According to Cammy’s suicide note, she had done it out of guilt for causing the deadly blackout on the same day. With that, the two incidents were resolved neatly, and the investigation was closed.” “But now we know that the suicide note was faked,” Percy points out, “Which means the killer was most likely trying to frame her for causing the blackout.” “In that case,” Aura remarks, “Are you intending to accuse me for another crime?” “Of course not...” Vesti mumbles, “We already know the truth of that incident. We even have a confession.” All eyes glance towards Argenta, who was staring at the floor of the stairwell in shame. “...So then?” Aura says, “What was my motive?” Vesti slowly shakes his head. “I’ve already told you.”

The room falls silent as people reflect over what they’ve just heard. Eventually, Argenta speaks up. “A-Aura, you...you did this for...” Aura raises her hand to silence her. Then, she continues, “Argenta, do you remember what our father always said?” Argenta looks surprised at the question, but eventually replies, “Uhh... ‘Being a doctor means doing whatever you can to protect people...’ B-But Argenta, you-” “In the many years I have directed this facility,” Aura interjects, “I have never had a pupil as engaged, as motivated, or as passionate as you. I do not say that as a sister, I say it as a director, as objectively as I can. It would truly be a shame if your medical intuition was lost to this field... You’ve saved many people, and I know you would save many more. All those people would suffer without you, so as a doctor… it is my duty to protect them.” Argenta clasps her hands and stares at her sister sadly. “N-No... Aura...”

“I take it that that was a confession, then?” Percy asks, lowering his 3DS. “...No, I wouldn’t say so,” Aura replies, “I am merely explaining to Argenta that I could have had reason to commit this crime. However, it seems the rest of you are convinced of my guilt now, and there is little I can do to change your mind.” Aura places her clipboard onto the stairs next to her and then raises both of her wrists. “If you must... I will allow you to take me in.” “Well, that settles it, then,” Percy says, “Vesti, if you would, please arrest her.” “No!” Argenta shouts, “V-Vesti, please!” Vesti sighs and reaches for his handcuffs. “I’m sorry, but we can’t make exceptions... I have to do my job as well.” “In any case, I’ve prosecuted many people who left relatives behind,” Percy points out, “It simply isn’t an excuse. We have laws in place for people to follow them. No amount of your complaints will prevent justice from being carried out!” Vesti stops and glared at the prosecutor. “Percy... now really isn’t the time for one of your speeches.” “I believe the important matter here is the murder, not by mannerisms,” Percy remarks, “But since you seem to consider petty remarks more important than doing your job... Ms. Tehra, I must ask that you make the arrest in Vesti’s stead.” Lauren casts a sympathetic look Vesti’s way and then retrieves her own pair of handcuffs. “You may be right... Don’t worry, Vesti, I’ll take it from here.” Lauren brandishes her handcuffs and approaches Aura.



Everyone stops and turns towards the source of the voice. It’s Argenta. She points at Lauren, looking somewhat panicked, as if she hadn’t entirely thought through what she was actually going to say. “Argenta...” Aura says in an admonishing tone. “What are you doing?” “I-I’m...” Argenta hesitates, then steels her resolve and continues, “I’m confessing... t-to the murder of Cammy Tose!” “Y-You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Vesti shouts in exasperation. Percy leers at Argenta and adds, “I’d advise you to consider your choices carefully. As it stands, you are accomplishing little else but wasting everyone’s time.” “I’d hardly call it a waste of time,” Argenta replies, “All I’m doing is making sure you arrest the right person... I can’t let Aura k-keep covering for me any longer!”

“Argenta...” Aura says, sighing. “Please think about what you’re doing. You’ve always been far more impulsive than me. You know I don’t want you doing anything you’ll regret.” “I-It’s fine, Aura, you don’t need to worry about me.” Argenta replies, “I-I’ll fix all of this!”

Argument: Aura is Innocent!
Argenta: There’s no way Aura’s guilty!
Argenta: I-I’m the one who hurt all those people! She d-doesn’t deserve this!
Argenta: Like, Percy said earlier, I could have done it!
Argenta: Y-Yeah! M-Maybe I stabbed Cammy when she woke up! Using the scalpel!
Argenta: Th-Then... I blackmailed Dustin into finding the body while I was on camera!
Argenta: Then I did Percy’s weird screwdriver switching trick!
Argenta: Yeah, I’m a real nasty person! J-Just lock me up already!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(This is awful...but I know that Aura doesn’t want Argenta to go to jail in her place. For her sake, and for Argenta’s as well...I have to push on!)

Prestige: 85%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/12242

I kinda sorta forgot to read your action before writing the update Osh, please forgive me!!!


Press: Statement 5



“That sounds pretty fishy, Argenta,” Vesti says, “Could you be more specific? In order to blackmail Dustin, you’d have to have something on him, right?” “Well...” Argenta mumbles uncertainly. “Maybe I do have something on him! L-Like some old, embarrassing medical records!” “‘Maybe?’ You don’t sound particularly sure of yourself,” Vesti remarks, “Could you present these medical records for us?” “O-Of course not!” Argenta replies, “That would ruin the point of the blackmail!” “In that case, it’s hard to believe your confession...” Vesti mumbles.

“This is absurd,” Lauren says, shaking her head. She turns to Dustin and asks, “Mr. Panne, is there any truth to this?” “No, of course not,” Dustin replies, “At least, I’m pretty sure I’d know if I was being blackmailed.” “W-Well, he’s obviously lying!” Argenta says, “Otherwise, all that bad stuff is gonna get out!” Percy shakes his head and sighs in annoyance. “Oh, please. It’s blatantly obvious that you’re just making this all up as you go along. Why don’t you tell us what really happened?” “I-I have been!” Argenta shouts, “Well, maybe the blackmailing part might not have been true, but if it wasn’t, it was just cause I wanted to make myself look guilty, so you’d stop wasting time and arrest me!” “...Honestly, I find that even harder to believe,” Vesti says. “Well, what does it even matter?” Argenta asks, “The whole thing with Dustin finding the body isn’t even that important! It was probably just a coincidence! The point is that I stabbed Cammy in the chest. Everything that happened after that is irrelevant!” (Hmm... She has a point. There’s gotta to be a way to prove she didn’t commit the actual murder. Maybe there’s a clue somewhere within my evidence?) {{Statement 5 Updated}}

“Please, Argenta,” Aura says, clenching her fists. “This endeavor is doomed to failure. Just let it go!” Aura twitches slightly and then turns away from her sister solemnly. She looks to be on the verge of tears.

Argument: Aura is Innocent!
Argenta: There’s no way Aura’s guilty!
Argenta: I-I’m the one who hurt all those people! She d-doesn’t deserve this!
Argenta: Like, Percy said earlier, I could have done it!
Argenta: Y-Yeah! M-Maybe I stabbed Cammy when she woke up! Using the scalpel!
Argenta: I, uh...Dustin was, uhhh....Moving on!
Argenta: Then I did Percy’s weird screwdriver switching trick!
Argenta: Yeah, I’m a real nasty person! J-Just lock me up already!
PRESS a statement or PRESENT evidence.

(This is awful...but I know that Aura doesn’t want Argenta to go to jail in her place. For her sake, and for Argenta’s as well...I have to push on!)

Prestige: 85%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/12242

My apologies, Sir Osh, but I have yet to discern the meaning behind your riddle. Do the others have any ideas?


Press: Statement 6



“The ‘weird screwdriver switching trick?’” Vesti asks, “Could you be more specific?” Argenta hesitates for a few seconds, then says, “You know, the thing Percy was talking about. Where I, uhh...like made the screwdriver all bloody...and then put in into the cart during the investigation when no one was looking.” “Hmm...” Lauren mumbles, “You don’t seem very confident about that, even though you claim to have done it only a few hours ago.” “Not to mention,” Vesti adds, “That I wasn’t even confident in that theory back when Percy first brought it up. I really doubt you could have pulled that off without someone noticing.” Argenta puts her hand to her forehead and replies, “Well...my thoughts have been in a lot of disarray after what I did, so it’s not unreasonable that I’d have trouble remembering, right?” “And what of Mr. Gates’s point?” Percy asks, “Isn’t that worth addressing as well?” “L-Look, I don’t know what to tell you,” Argenta stammers, “O-Other than that you should probably get more attentive patrolmen... Anyway, m-moving on...”

Press: Statement 4



“Hmm...Something bothers me about this, other than the obvious.” Vesti says, “A while ago, I pointed out that the bedsheets on Cammy’s bed had fallen off of its right side, perfectly obscuring the space beneath it. However, based on your account of the events, there was no reason for this to happen... So, why did you knock the bedsheets onto the floor?” “Oh, uhh...Well...I didn’t. Cammy was awake, so they just fell off wh-when I stabbed her!” “Really?” Vesti asks, “Because the placement of those bedsheets seemed very deliberate to me...” “W-Well, I dunno!” Argenta shouts, “Is it really that hard to believe that they just happened to fall off that way?” “Maybe not!” Lita adds, “But it seems more likely that they were moved there when Aura committed the crime!” “N-No, there’s no way! Don’t be ridiculous!” Argenta continues desperately. “There’s not even any reason to continue discussing this... Let’s just talk about what I did after I killed Cammy instead!” (Ugh...I know there’s something fishy about this statement...Maybe I should look more closely at the evidence involved?)

Present: Scalpel: Statement 4



“Ahh...now I’ve figured it out...” Vesti says, “The problem with your testimony, Argenta...lies in the murder weapon itself...” “Wh-What?” Argenta replies. “Well, it’s really quite simple. Take a look at this scalpel.” Vesti pulls out the scalpel and holds it up for everyone to see. “Notice anything odd about it? Regarding the bloodstain, in particular?” “Hmm...” Lita leers at the scalpel. “Well...it’s got kind of a...uniform edge, right? Like something blocked the splatter.” “Exactly,” Vesti continues, “So, because the stain on this scalpel came from the moment when Cammy was stabbed, it follows that what blocked the blood splatter was a hand. Or, more accurately in this case, a glove. But when I met Argenta in the lobby, her gloves were spotless! Therefore, she couldn’t have stabbed Cammy!”

Argenta’s eyes widen as Vesti’s argument sinks in. She glances at her hands in a panic and shouts, “Well, maybe I just washed--” “Impossible,” Lauren says, raising her hand. “Those gloves are made of fabric, so it would have been difficult to simply wash the blood out. And even if you succeeded, Vesti would have clearly noticed that they were wet.” “Well, maybe I prepared another pair of gloves I could switch with!” “That’s unlikely as well,” Percy explains, “The way you describe it, you would have only chosen to kill Cammy after seeing her awaken from her coma, and thus would have had little reason to bring an extra pair of gloves.” “And while it’s arguably possible you could have just switched the gloves for other ones later,” Lita adds, “It’s unlikely you would have had time... so really, any theory that involves switching the gloves probably isn’t even worth considering.” “Th-Then...I just took off my gloves before stabbing her!” “In that case, your fingerprints should have been on the scalpel,” Lauren explains, “However, I didn’t find a trace of them.” “And besides,” Vesti continues, “That blood would have just ended up on the inside of your gloves anyway, which would be easy enough to test with Luminol. In fact, if there was ever any blood on the inside or outside of your gloves, a Luminol test would reveal it straightaway. So, why don’t we just settle this now? Argenta, could you hand over your gloves?”

Argenta raises a finger, struggling to come up with a response, but eventually just sighs. “D-Don’t bother...There’s no blood there...” “In that case,” Percy asks, “How did you stab Cammy?” Argenta presses both of her hands against her forehead and looks at the floor. “I...I didn’t...That’s it.”

The others in the room let out a collective sigh of relief. “Thank goodness...I am glad you understand now, my sister,” Aura says, “Now, perhaps it would be best to pick up where we left off?” Before anyone can even move, Argenta shouts, “W-Wait! Vesti, you said something strange! I couldn’t have killed Cammy because my gloves and hands were clean...but what about Aura? Look at her - she’s not even wearing gloves!” “Oh...That’s true,” Lita mumbles, “Vesti, what do you think?” “Is this really necessary?” Aura says, shaking her head. “Would it not be far better to settle this in court?” “Perhaps, but I don’t think it should be a problem. This is all we need to close this case!” Vesti confidently shouts. “Figuring out what happened to those gloves should be a simple matter... I just need to think it over for a moment!”

Vesti closes his eyes and leans against the wall of the stairwell, thinking back over the entire incident...

Revisualization: The Missing Gloves

(So, let’s start from the beginning... Aura had just learned that Cammy had awakened from her coma, and was determined to silence her to protect Argenta. But to avoid leaving evidence on the ladder behind the sign, she had to wear gloves. Where could she have gotten them?)

---Her Office (Hospital-Assigned Pair)---

---The Storage Closet (Disposable Pair)---

Prestige: 85%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/12242

{{Hopefully I’ll be able to make daily updates until this last Revisualization ends, but things are kinda hectic so no promises. I’ll definitely avoid only doing one a week, cause we’re almost done.}}

It’s Sunday, I swear.


Hmm... Maybe it was...

Aura left the Gloves in the Surgery Room!

Aura left the Gloves in the Surgery Room!

(No... While that would be the perfect place to dispose of the gloves, it would have been pretty out of the way. Aura most likely would have been seen going from the fifth floor to the surgery rooms, and someone certainly would have noticed if she arrived before the scheduled surgery. In which case, lying and claiming she hadn’t been there would look suspicious, but Aura never said she went to the surgery rooms early...

I suppose she could have disposed of it during the surgery, but I’m not sure the hospital scrubs have pockets she could have carried the gloves in. And even if they did, it would have been dangerous to throw away the gloves there, as anyone who saw it would at least be somewhat concerned that she had a pair of bloody gloves she hadn’t used before.

I’m sure it had to be somewhere she could get to more easily... In that case, it has to be...)

---The Crime Scene---

The Surgery Room

---Aura’s Office---

Prestige: 85%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/12242

Outside the office?

I wonder how long this will be delayed.


At last, the truth was clear...

Aura Tossed the Gloves into the Storm Drain!

(Yes, that’s the only possibility. In fact, I might even have evidence to back it up...)

Vesti finally opens his eyes. He looks out at the people staring expectantly at him and steps away from the wall he had been leaning on, raising a finger as he begins to speak.

“The answer to this dilemma...” Vesti explains, “Is actually quite simple. After all, it was easy enough for Aura to get a pair of gloves. There were plenty of them sitting right there in the storage closet, right on Aura’s path to the crime scene!” “I believe that the question...” Percy interjects, “Was how Aura got rid of the gloves, not how she obtained them.” “Well, that’s true,” Vesti says, “But to answer that question, it’s important to establish one thing: the bloody gloves were a disposable latex pair.” “So you’re saying that Aura just threw them in the trash?” Lita asks. “No, not precisely.” Vesti says, “If she had put them in such an obvious spot, we would have found them. But she did dispose of them in her office...” “Well, there’s little use in waiting any longer,” Aura said, “Just get on with it. Where did I put them?” “While you did dispose of them in your office, they’re not in the office anymore!” Vesti points at Aura and shouts, “The truth is, you took those gloves and threw them straight out the window!”

“Wh-What?!” Argenta replies, “The window?! Wouldn’t someone have seen them?” “Normally, yes,” Vesti says, “But as it turns out, there’s a gutter right outside that window. This is the same gutter Aura climbed down five years ago. And at the bottom of this gutter was a drainage ditch. So when Aura threw the gloves out the window, that was what she was aiming for!” “The storm drain, huh?” Lauren mumbles, “We certainly would have been unlikely to check that...” “B-But that’s just conjecture!” Argenta shouts. “Not exactly,” Vesti says, “You see, when Lita and I were investigating your office earlier, we happened to notice something a little strange...”

Flashback


“It seems that the gloves got caught in the drain cover rather than actually slipping all the way through,” Vesti explains, “Aura had probably washed the gloves, so we didn’t think much of them before. But the truth is, that small pair of disposable gloves we saw was actually a piece of key evidence!” “Wow, seriously?” Lita says, “Good thing I noticed that, then! And that means that not only did you and I catch a murderer, we also caught a nefarious litterbug!” “N-No, you didn’t catch either of those!” Argenta shouts, “You don’t even have any proof!” “It shouldn’t be difficult to find proof though...” Percy remarks, “We just need to send a few people to check the storm drain and then test the gloves for blood. Perhaps you can take care of that, Mr. Gates?” “Of course,” Vesti says, “I’ll send some people to--”



Everyone looks at Aura as she raises her hand and lets out a slow sigh, clutching her clipboard close to her chest. “...Don’t bother. I can’t take this anymore...” “A-Aura...?” Argenta slowly asks, “Wh-What do you mean?” Everyone looks expectantly at Aura as she looks at the floor, her eyes tightly shut. She lets out a shaky breath and tears a sheet from her clipboard. Then she crumples it into a ball and then lightly dabs at her eyes with it. When she opens them again, tears are still visible at the corners. “I-It’s not worth it. You were right...” She mumbles, “I...I confess.”

“You...confess?” Percy says, “To what, specifically?” Aura sighs and looks away. “Do I really need to specify?” She asks, “I did it...I did all of it. I killed Cammy Tose.” Quiet mumbling persists for a few moments before Argenta shouts, “Wh-What? No, don’t say that Aura! I-I did it!” “A-Argenta, please...” Aura says, stopping to dab at her eyes. “Don’t do this...I did it for your sake. I did it to save your reputation. If you just went to jail, the whole thing would be pointless. H-How could you expect me to live with myself?” “So...I was right, then?” Vesti asks, “You killed Cammy to keep her from revealing that the suicide attempt was fake...and to prevent the blackout from being reinvestigated.” “E-Exactly,” Aura explains, “All I wanted to do was let my sister live her dream. If she had lost her job...directing this hospital just wouldn’t be the same.” “O-Oh, Aura...” Argenta mumbles, tears coming to her eyes. “You d-didn’t have to do that. It was all my fault. I-I’m sorry...” “Argenta, don’t say that...” Aura adds, “That was just a tragic accident...N-None of this was your fault.”

“...Damn right it wasn’t,” Everyone turns to Sammy as he walks over to Aura, straining at his handcuffs. “This whole thing was on you. Your decision that your sister’s peace of mind was more important than my wife!” “Watch yourself, Mr. Tose,” Vesti says, “I don’t want to add an assault charge to your trespassing one.” “Well, can you really blame me! Hell, I’m not the only one she screwed over!” Sammy turns to Dustin and gestures to him. “She tried to get you arrested for it. What, are janitors just considered replaceable?” Aura sighs and slowly replies, “I’m not proud of what I did...and as I was only acting in the moment, I truly do regret some of it...However, please, do not blame my sister for it. She never did anything wrong. She just wanted to help people...If it means anything to you, I’m sure I’ll serve time for what I’ve done.” Sammy scoffs and adds, “I don’t know how you expect that to make a difference...It doesn’t make a difference, anyway. The truth about that blackout still came out.” “True,” Lauren says, “But I don’t think any of us intend to bring it public. I think it’d be best for everyone if those details were kept relatively quiet...” “Alright, fine,” Sammy says, “Not that that makes it much better. I guess I can only hope I’ll be called to testify at the trial, and then I can make my opinions quite clear.” “Leave her alone,” Argenta shouts, “Look, Mr. Tose, I know you’re grieving...but please don’t take it out on others...I-I think we all lost something today...” Sammy stares at Argenta for a few moments and looks as if he’s about to respond, but eventually he just sighs and shakes his head. He finally walks away from Aura and returns to where he was standing.

“This has gone on for far too long.” Percy says, “Will someone please just make an arrest?” “You’re right,” Lauren mumbles, “It’s about time we closed this case.” She reaches for her handcuffs and begins to approach Argenta, but she never gets the chance to cuff her. Vesti was already snapping the handcuffs around Aura’s wrists and locking them, his eyes tense and purposeful. “Aura Gold, you are under arrest for the murder of Cammy Tose. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law. ...Let’s go.” Lauren, Percy, and the others look at Vesti in surprise as he slowly escorts Aura out of the stairwell. However, he doesn’t make it far before Argenta speaks up. “N-No, please! Wh-What kind of justice is this?!”

Vesti stops in his tracks. Silence fills the room. Eventually, he slowly looks behind him, staring at Argenta with solemn eyes. “Argenta...I’m afraid that this is justice. Our laws are the foundation of our society. I can’t just choose where they apply or how they should be interpreted. If I did that, there’d be complete anarchy. So, no matter how painful it may be...I must carry out the law.” “B-But...” Argenta mumbles, “I don’t want to be alone!” “That’s a real shame,” Sammy snaps, “But thanks to your sister, I’m alone. It seems fair to me.” Vesti gives Sammy an annoyed glance and continues, “Aura knew the risks of the law. She knew the consequences. There’s nothing I can do.”

“Argenta...” Aura says, turning to her sister. “Please. I know you’re upset, but you can’t let it consume you...You can’t let it bring you down.” Argenta presses her hands against her forehead and responds, “H-How? How am I supposed to do that?!” “After our father passed away,” Aura says, “...You were always the one who cheered me up. You kept me going in the darkest hours...Even after everything, you still carried that positive outlook with you everywhere...You still had that joy for life that I feel like I sometimes lacked...” Argenta stares at her sister, tears forming at the edge of her eyes. “B-But Aura, I--” “Argenta, there are a lot of suffering people in this world,” Aura interjects, “They need a doctor committed to helping them. A doctor committed to letting them see life in the same optimistic, hopeful way she does...They need someone to provide energy to light up their darkest hours...They need you.” “A-Aura...” Argenta trails off, looking at the floor with a conflicted expression on her face. Eventually, she reaches up with a gloved hand and tries to wipe the tears from her eyes. She finally looks back to Argenta, and a smile appears on her face. “A-Alright...I understand, Aura. You’re right...It’s not enough to make up for my own mistakes is it...I need to make up for yours too.” Aura smiles back at her sister and lets out a relieved sigh. “Yes, I’d like that...Well, I suppose I’ll be going now, Argenta...I just want you to alway remember...that I love you.” Argenta slowly nods at Aura. “I...I love you too.”

Before Vesti even has a chance to make a move, Aura begins to walk away from the stairwell. He quickly follows, escorting Aura toward the front of the building. He looks behind him one last time, seeing Lauren, Lita, and Percy making their exit as well. Percy closes the door behind him.

Date: Tuesday, January 5th, 2016. Time: 6:30 PM. Location: Gold Clinic, Parking Lot.

The police cruiser backes out of the parking space, turning until it’s parallel to the sidewalk where Vesti is standing. He stands with his hands in his pockets, staring at Lauren, who sits in the front seat with her hands on the steering wheel. She waves Vesti goodbye and then gently nudges the accelerator, driving off down the parking lot. For a moment, Vesti can see Aura in the backseat, staring up at the Gold Clinic contemplatively. As the car pulls away and merges onto the road, Vesti follows her gaze to see where she had been looking. He finds himself staring at the hospital sign, behind which sits the hospital room Cammy had been resting in. It had only been a few hours ago that she was killed there, but to Vesti, it feels like a very long time.

Vesti stands staring at the sign for a while, until he hears a voice behind him. “Ah, hello Mr. Gates. I’m surprised you’re still here.” Vesti turns around and sees Percy walking over to him. Or, more accurately, walking in his general direction, as he’s still paying more attention to his video game than the world around him. “Oh, hello Percy.” Vesti says, “Is there something you’d like to say?” “Yes, in fact,” Percy replies, stopping near Vesti. “Working with you has been an experience I will most likely never forget...unfortunately.” “Wow, I didn’t know I meant that much to you,” Vesti remarks. “Look, I know what you’re thinking.” Percy says, “You’re just itching to point out that you were right every step of the way and that all of my accusations were completely faulty, aren’t you?” “Well, you got me,” Vesti says, “I hope you take this as a learning experience. You spent this entire investigation assuming that the culprit was some criminal mastermind who planned everything to the last detail...but ultimately, the person who did it just acted in the moment for the sake of their sister.” “Yes, indeed.” Percy says, “You’re exactly right.” “Wh-What?” Vesti mumbles, surprised. “This was a very strange case,” Percy continues, “And it seems that my methods of solving it were not up to par...Perhaps in the future, I should be more careful before I make accusations...Perhaps I should consider things from multiple perspectives more often...However...” Percy looks up from his game and points at Vesti. “This case was most assuredly an exception. While I will strive to be careful in the future, the vast majority of criminals are cunning and malicious, and they’ll stop at nothing to accomplish their goals. I have to do what I can to make sure they never get away.” “Percy,” Vesti says, “If I may ask...why are you so passionate about this?” Percy falls silent for a moment and then slams his 3DS shut. “I’m sure you must know what happens when a case is left unsolved...Surely you’ve seen all the people left without closure...unable to move on, unable to find direction in their lives...I can’t allow that to happen to anyone.” Percy walks straight past Vesti before he can respond, shoving his 3DS into his pocket. He stops beside a car parked near the entrance and then turns back to Vesti. “The point is...arguing with you on this case was an eye-opening experience, and I must thank you for your perseverance in tracking down the culprit. But quite frankly...I hope we never work on a case together again.” Percy climbs into the car without another word and drives away. Vesti is pleased to see that he focuses quite sharply on the road while doing so, rather than his 3DS.

Vesti stands in front of the hospital for a little while longer and then continues on to his own car. Unlocking it, he climbs in on the driver’s side. But just before he can crank it, he notices someone in the passenger seat. He cries out in surprise upon recognizing them. “L-Lita? What are you doing in here? H-How’d you even get here?!” Lita, who had been staring at her phone, turns to Vesti and smiles. “Oh, come on, Vesti. I thought you knew I took your spare key.” “Wh-What?” Vesti stammers, “Of course I didn’t!” “Oh, well...you know now!” Lita shouts, looking back to her phone. “Point is, I didn’t really feel like going for a drive earlier, so I just took a cab here. But I figured it’d be easier if I just carpooled back! You can drop me off, right?” “Oh...yeah, sure.” Vesti says, shaking his head. “Let’s go.” Vesti cranks the car, pulls out of the parking space, and heads out to the road.

Trees and buildings pass by the window as a companionable silence envelops the car. Vesti weaves through lanes and across intersections, heading downtown. Eventually, he’s stopped at a red light. He calmly drums his fingers on the wheel as he waits for the light to change.

Eventually, Lita speaks. “Vesti...what’s wrong?” “Huh?” Vesti replies, “What do you mean?” “Well, you’ve been silent this whole time,” Lita says, looking up from her phone. “You just solved a case. Why are you acting so glum?” Vesti sighs and mumbles, “I can’t keep anything hidden from you, can I?” “Of course not,” Lita says, chuckling quietly. “What do you think sisters are for?” Vesti falls silent for a few seconds, just in time for the traffic light to change. He accelerates across the intersection, staring out at the road. Eventually, he continues, “I...just can’t help but wonder if I did the right thing...” “Really?” Lita asks, “You seemed pretty certain about it before...” Vesti falls silent once again. He slowly lets out a sigh.

“Look, Vesti, as a detective, you know that your job is to ensure that justice is handed down on those who deserve it.” Lita says, “But I can tell it must have hurt to have to take Aura away right in front of Argenta, huh?” “Well...yeah,” Vesti says, “I mean, what did she do? She didn’t commit any crimes today, but she’s still practically getting punished...” “That’s just how it has to be,” Lita continues, “There’s always gonna be people left behind. And all you can do about it is try to prevent that from happening. You know, get to the tragedies before they happen and put away the criminals before they can strike again. And you’ve always been very good at that, Vesti.” “I...I just wish there was more I could do...” Vesti says, sighing. “Look, Vesti...I know how you really felt.” Lita replies, “But I think Argenta will be fine. She cares enough about her sister that she won’t let her advice go forgotten. There’s little you can do to help her except let her try to move on...Besides, you finally brought closure to Sammy. That’s good, right?” Vesti smiles and mumbles, “Yeah, I suppose so...” “She’s be okay, Vesti” Lita continues, “And the way I see it, life is always more than willing to take strange twists and turns. I don’t think it’s necessarily over yet...You never know what could happen.”

“Now,” Lita adds, “If you’re thinking of preventing tragedies, there’s a good chance to do that coming right up.” “H-Huh?” Vesti says, glancing toward Lita in surprise. “What are you talking about?” “C’mon, you shouldn’t need me to tell you,” Lita continues, “It’s only a little over a month away.” Vesti’s eyes flash with recognition. “Oh...you mean...the day the ghost comes back.” “Exactly,” Lita says, smiling. “And I have a feeling that this is our shot. We’ll gonna catch him this time, Vesti. You and me together!” “Yeah...” Vesti chuckles, with a little more optimism. “Yeah, we will. I’ll make sure of it.”

The sun begins to set behind the buildings just ahead of them. It’s a grey, dreary afternoon, but the lights in the metropolis are bright. The road lies before Vesti, and he keeps driving. Dark clouds are broiling in the distance...but he keeps driving.

Turnabout Flatline: END

{{Cool, that’s finally over. The wait for the next case might be a lot longer than the others though. Hopefully shorter than the random, goofy hiatus in the middle of this one, but we’ll have to see.}}

A Simply Splendid Start


Vesti stares blankly at Seldon’s smiling visage, patiently awaiting his reply. The question appears to be too much for the detective, who finds himself unable to decide if he should tell the truth or engage in a lie. Not to mention, in the case of the latter, there was the matter of how deceitful his lie should be. With no conclusion in sight, the first idea to Vesti’s mind simply spilled out of his mouth.

“I, uhh...” Vesti stammered, “My name is Vesti Gates...a-and I’m king of the monsters!”

A dark look crossed Seldon’s face. “What did you say?” He clenched his fists by his waist, perhaps preparing to use them. He coldly awaited Vesti’s response.

Unfortunately for Vesti, it was too late to change his mind now. His only option was to attempt to diffuse the situation as painlessly as possible.

“Oh, uh...I said I’m king of the ‘Monsters,’” Vesti slowly replied, “That’s the name of my old, err...wrestling team!”

“Really?” Seldon said, crossing his burly arms. “I’ve done a little wrestlin’ myself in the past! I don’t mean ta’ be rude, but I hafta be honest...You don’t look like much of a wrestler.”

“You think so?” Vesti asked, “Well, perhaps I should prove it to you...with a, uh...manliness contest!”

“Oh yeah?” Seldon laughs, “Well, I never refuse a manliness contest!”

“I...Is that so?” Vesti asked. “Wait, uhh...”

Seldon tears off his green scarf and throws it on the ground. “Let’s do this!”

Vesti panics a little at the rapid of escalation of events. “Actually, maybe we should rethink this?” He shouts, “You know, I’m not a fan of the violent portrayal of masculinity that’s so common. Maybe we should talk about our differences instead?!”

Seldon, already caught up in the spirit of the competition, ignores Vesti. He instead charges toward him like a bull, feet pumping across the field. Vesti, desperately hoping to save himself, pulls out his police badge and shows it to Seldon.

“Oh, by the way, have you seen my ba-”

Vesti lets out a grunt as Seldon tackles him.

Date: ??? Time: One Embarrassing Fight Later. Location: Village, Main Road.

“Whew, that was great! You almost had me there!” Seldon exclaimed as he strolled through the archway leading into the village.

Vesti chuckled, a little disinterestedly. He was still trying to massage the horrible pain in his chest and fretting over a rather sizeable tear in his sweater vest.

“Trying to hide behind that little medallion thing was certainly a unique strategy,” Seldon continued, “It threw me off for a moment. But it looks like I was able to turn it around, huh?”

Seldon gave Vesti a good natured smack on the back, which fortunately served to knock his spine right back into place. Vesti stumbled up the dirt road, letting out a cry of pain. Though after a few moments, relief set in. Vesti straightened his back, staring at the village extending in front of him.

He was standing in a grassy thoroughfare, with an overgrown dirt path in the center surrounded on all sides by quaint houses of yellow brick walls and red-thatched roofs. Windows and doors were carved into them a little roughly, and the fences were erected in knotted wood. About two or three people with accentuated facial features walked about, staring at Vesti as they passed but not looking particularly concerned. They quickly disappeared into nearby buildings, while two women by a small stand gossipped loudly. More pleasant conversation could be heard in the distance, but all in all it seemed like a sleepy town.

“Welcome to Hateno Village!” Seldon shouted, strolling over to stand next to Vesti. “It’s usually a little busier than this, but it’s pretty late in the day now. Around 7, I’d say. So folks are just now tucking in for the night.”

“Th-That’s probably a good thing,” Vesti said, wheezing like a deflated balloon. “I think you might have crushed one of my lungs...”

Seldon laughed. “Exactly!” he cried, obviously having no clue what Vesti was talking about. “I’m sure the others would be quite pleased to meet you. But until then, feel free to ask me some questions about the place. I’d be more than willing to show you around. That’s my job, after all!”

(Hateno Village, huh? Never heard of it...but obviously there has to be some reason I was dragged all the way here. I should probably focus on getting some info from this guy...)

Investigation: Main Road
Examine:
General Store, Clothing Store, Dye Shop, Inn, Windmill, Gossipping Ladies.
Talk:
Seldon
Seldon
Hateno Village
Move:
There’s really no reason to leave right now...
Present:
To Seldon
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/13559

Sorry for missing last week, guys. I was up at my brother’s college doing stuff with him. I was hoping I’d at least be able to write an update on my phone somehow, but it just didn’t really work out. I do intend to get back into the usual weekly schedule soon, assuming the world itself is willing to let me (Fun Fact: the power is out right now. Luckily we have a backup generator).

also oops I forgot the least favorite color thing don't kill me

There’s actually some interesting stuff in here.


Talk: Seldon: Hateno Village

“What can you tell me about Hateno Village, Seldon?”

“Well, I’m glad you’d like to know,” Seldon shouted, “Though I am kind of tired after our little showdown earlier, so hopefully you don’t mind if I give you a bit of an abridged tour?”

“Oh, don’t worry, I understand,” Vesti replied, slowly rotating his shoulder in the hopes of returning feeling to it.

“Well, Hateno Village is a quiet little place,” Seldon said, “You’ll find of the most of the essential shops on this here thoroughfare, including the East Wind general store, the Kochi Dye Shop, and my own clothing store! Spread out behind the storefront are the many cottages that the villagers call home. They’ve been built by our very own construction crew: Bolson Construction!”

“They must’ve been hard at work to build all of this,” Vesti remarked.

“They certainly were!” Seldon continued, pointing to the other end of the road. “Just down there, you’ll find the inn they constructed, and a little above that is our largest windmill, towering over the surrounding farmland. And if you’re willing to trek all the way up the mountain, you’ll come across the Hateno Ancient Tech Lab...though most of us villagers steer clear of there.”

“Why? What’s wrong with the tech lab?” Vesti asked, “Does anything suspicious happen over there, like weird screams at odd hours?”

“You have quite the imagination, fella!” Seldon said, “But no. It’s just not a particularly fun place, and the scientists working up there don’t interact with us much. In fact, I haven’t seen the director show her face in quite a while...”

“But anyway!” Seldon shouted, clapping his hands together. “The buildings and attractions aren’t what Hateno’s really about! It’s the people! And it’s about time you met some of them. In fact, why don’t you introduce yourself to those women over there!”

Seldon turned and pointed toward the two gossipping ladies, who were still absurdly focused on their conversation. It must have been a very stimulating discussion, as one of them seemed prepared to smack the other with her basket of vegetables.

“Uhh...I dunno. They seem pretty...focused on whatever they’re talking about.”

“C’mon, don’t worry about it,” Seldon replied, pounding his fists. “Everyone here’s raring to meet new people!”

“Well...if you say so. I might as well give it a shot! I could even get some information out of it...”

Present: Police Badge: Gossipping Ladies

Vesti sauntered over to the two women. Their discussion only seemed to grow more vitriolic as he approached, so Vesti quickly began to fear his safety. However, he had gone too far to turn back now.

Upon reaching the women, he firmly planted his feet on the ground and stared at them. Smiling, he introduced himself. “Hello, my name is...”

Vesti pulled out his police badge and held it out a proudly. “Detective Vesti Gates!”

The two women whirled around, glowering at Vesti. The leftmost one pulled a cabbage out of her basket and hefted it menacingly. “Oy, whaddaya think gives you the right to come botherin’ us?”

“Yeah, what she said!” The other woman cried, “We happen to be having an important discussion right now, and it ain’t the business of eavesdroppin’ strangers!”

“H-Hey, I wasn’t listening in!” Vesti said, “I’m just new here, and thought the two of you might have an, err...unique perspective I could learn about the town from!”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?!”

“It seems to me that you are dearly lacking in respect, young man!” The woman tossed her cabbage in the air and caught it in a frightening manner. “I suppose we’ll have to teach you!”

“W-Wait! L-Let’s not do anything too hasty!” Vesti insisted.

“Get ‘em!” The women hurled their assorted vegetables straight at Vesti.

The detective was soon forced to flee in a panic as the ladies pelted him with edible projectiles grown right on Hateno Village farms. The produce burst into pieces on Vesti’s back, covering his sweater vest with all manner of ghastly stains. Fortunately, Vesti’s police training had made him quite skilled a running swiftly, though not even he could withstand the large cooking ladle chucked at his feet which sent him tumbling to the ground.

Once the dust had settled, Vesti saw Seldon looming over him once again. He smiled and remarked, “Well, that went well, I think. Seems like you’ve already made a few friends!”

“You...call those friends?”

“Oh, of course! That’s how the two of them treat all of us!” Seldon explained, “It’s like you’re one of the townsfolk already!”

Vesti sighed as he got to his feet, dusting himself off. He glanced toward the women, who were chatting once again as if nothing had happened. “...Maybe next time you can introduce me to some less aggressive villagers.”

Talk: Seldon: Seldon

“So...now that that’s over with,” Vesti said, picking a tomato slice off of his sleeve. “I’d like to know a bit more about you, Seldon. What are your interests?”

“I’d have thought we got to know each other well during our little tussle, eh?” Seldon replied, placing his hands on his hips.

“Unfortunately, I’m a bit more fluent in words than in fists...” Vesti sighed.

“Well, I believe I’ve been quite open with all of my pursuits already,” Seldon explained, “Like I said, I’m the owner of the Ventest Clothing Store over there.” He nodded his head in the direction of one of the buildings. “Though Sophie, my daughter, is currently in charge of the place. Besides that, I enjoy a good wrestlin’ match once in awhile, but my true passion is giving these tours!”

“Do you get a lot of visitors around here?”

“Perhaps not as many as I’d like!” Seldon replied, “Though certainly plenty, seeing as we’re the largest Hylian settlement left...what with the Great Calamity and all. A lot of travelers head through this town to stock up on supplies and meet new people. Most don’t stick around though. I couldn’t imagine risking my life in those plains all day, but I suppose that’s how some folks prefer to live.”

“Why do you give all these tours, anyway?” Vesti asked, “I mean, it must be a lot of work to go prancing along this road all day...”

“Well, it helps our local businesses make more money, of course, but I also want folks to get involved in our community as soon as possible,” Seldon paused for a moment and then smiled wryly. “Speaking of which, you aren’t the only visitor we’ve had today. Another lad came in about an hour or two ago. He was real excited to look around. In fact, he practically outran me for the whole tour!” Seldon looked aside thoughtfully. “He was a bit strange overall, I suppose...a bit like you!”

“Ah, thanks for that...” Vesti mumbled, “Though...a strange visitor? I might actually know who you’re talking about...”

Present: Seldon: Chronos Kale

“Was his name Chronos Kale?” Vesti asked, “He should have been pretty noticeable, considering the huge leaf-shaped tufts of hair sprouting out of his forehead.”

Seldon shook his head. “Nope, never seen anyone like that round here. He sounds like a bit of a weirdo though...”

“Wait, what am I thinking?” Vesti exclaimed, comically slapping himself in the face. “Not Chronos Kale! I was actually talking about this person!”

Present: Seldon: Chronos Krate

“His name’s Chronos Krate...or at least that’s what he calls himself,” Vesti explained, “He’s always decked out in white, and he’s got this ring of orange hair orbiting around his head...so he’d be pretty hard to miss.”

Seldon gives Vesti a puzzled look. “Where do you meet all these weird people?”

“Uhh...Just don’t ask.”

“Well, if you say so. Just thought you could invite a few of ‘em to visit!” Seldon replied, “Anyway, the guy I’m talkin’ about didn’t look like that at all. Though I guess I didn’t get a good look at his hair, since he had some sorta weird...cloak on.” Seldon looked aside and crossed his arms. “I guess he’s still around here somewhere. I sorta lost track of him.”

“Could you tell me more about him?”

“Sure, whatever you want to know,” Seldon said, “It’d be good to have you two meet up anyway, seein’ as you’re both new here!”

(This other visitor showed up at around the same time I did. That can’t be a coincidence. Perhaps they could even tell me where tell me where Lauren or Chronos is!)

{New talk option added.}

Investigation: Main Road
Examine:
General Store, Clothing Store, Dye Shop, Inn, Windmill.
Talk:
Seldon
Seldon
Hateno Village
Strange Visitor
Move:
There’s really no reason to leave right now...
Present:
To Seldon
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/13559

AAAAAAH I MISSED THE COLOR QUESTION
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--*bricked*
Present Police Badge to both of these nerds now that you're here. Also examine the journal.

Figured this would be quick enough that I could get it out this week. I’ll be gone next week, so I probably won’t be posting, but after that I oughta be able to update this regularly for a while.

No time to come up with anything here!


Examine: Window

“You look a little shaken up, Seldon,” Vesti said, walking over to the window. “What out here’s bothering you so much?”

Seldon glanced at Vesti as the detective looked upon the gloomy view outside. “O-Oh, nothing at all!” Seldon said, “I-In fact, this happens to be one of the few places in Hateno Village without anything to talk about!”

Indeed, there was nothing of any interest outside. It was already well within the evening, so the typical dusk shadows were intermingling to produce an impenetrable sea of darkness. Even the lamplights could only provide vague silhouettes of the street below. Either Seldon simply had better vision than Vesti, or the object of his concern had already disappeared.

“Hmm...” Vesti said, “Seldon, I hate to doubt you, but your expression makes it very clear that you saw something strange out there. Why are you keeping things from me?”

“Oh, well...” Seldon sighed, scratching his head. “I just didn’t think it was worth getting everyone worked up over. I-It was probably just my eyes playin' tricks on me anyway!” Seldon looked down and continued under his breath. “Besides...no way it was one of them...”

“One of whom?” Percy asked, “Do you mind being a little more specific?”

Seldon remained silent and looked out the window a little longer. Then he turned to Vesti and shuffled away from him. Looking between the two strangers, he slowly asked, “I...don’t suppose either of you are members of...the Yiga Clan?”

Obviously Vesti and Percy were both dumbfounded by this question, but for totally different reasons.

“The What-A Clan?!”

“Do you really think I’d tell you if I was?”

“Well, I mean, it’s all adding up,” Seldon said, “Your simultaneous arrival, the weird rules of your society, the weird figure outside...I try to keep an open mind, but when you take it all together, I’m sure you can understand how weird it all looks!”

“I can certainly understand your suspicions,” Percy said, reaching beneath his hood to scratch his hair. “But neither of us have any affiliation with the Yiga, and we never would. I suppose you can think of us as our own separate clan, completely removed from the entire conflict.”

“H-Huh? Percy, you know what he’s tal...” Vesti trailed off and mumbled, “Oh, yeah. Of course you do.”

“You don’t even know about the Yiga Clan, Vesti?” Seldon asked, “I guess there’s a good chance you’re innocent then. Not even one of them would pretend to be that ignorant...”

“Exactly,” Percy nodded, “All in all, Vesti lacks the mental acuity to be a Yiga clansmen.”

“Okay, you know what? I resent that!” Vesti shouted, throwing a fist in the air. “I still have no clue what it means though! Mind filling me in?”

“Well, sure...but it’s a lot to explain,” Seldon replied, “But whenever you’re ready to ask, I’m ready to answer.”

{New Talk Option added.}

Examine: Bed

“You know, all this nonsense is making me awfully tired,” Vesti remarked, “I think I’ll take a nap.”

“It is getting awfully late,” Percy admitted, “But I think the three of us have a lot more to discuss.”

“Well, I’d just like to make sure this whole thing isn’t some bizarre nightmare. If I wake up and I'm still here, we can keep talking.”

Deciding that his reasoning was flawless, Vesti walked over to Seldon’s bed and rolled back the covers. The mattress beneath, just like the rest of the bed, was fairly average. Gently testing the springs with his hand, Vesti deduced that the bed probably wouldn’t be that comfortable, but for Seldon it must be very satisfying.

Vesti was about to climb in when Seldon started shouting. “Hey, get away from there! See, this is the kind of behavior that makes you two so suspicious! Folks around here just ask to take a nap; I even have a guest room you could use!”

“Don’t lump me in with his tomfoolery,” Percy said, “I take pride in the effort I put in to appearing sane.”

“Okay, geez!” Vesti replied, backing away from the bed with his hands in the air. “L-Look, I admit I may be a little impulsive. But that doesn’t mean I’m part of whatever group you two are talking about!”

“Hmm...If you say so,” Seldon mumbled uncertainly.

Talk: Seldon: Strange Visitors (Part 2)

“Alright, Seldon, I think I understand what’s going on here well enough, so I’d like to ask you something now,” Vesti said, turning to the tour guide. “I know you’ve had a bunch of visitors here, so have you had any other noticeably strange ones before the two of us? Maybe people who might be prone to skulking outside windows in the dark?”

“Well, no one quite as strange as the two of you,” Seldon admitted thoughtfully. “I do remember a sorta weird fellow comin’ by one or two times recently though.”

“Really? What was his name?”

“I’m afraid I’m not certain what his name was, seein’ as he hardly ever spoke!” Seldon said, “He’d respond to questions, sure, but that’s about it. He’d just sorta pop in with no warning, purchase a few wares, help out a bit, give everyone the impression that he was a nice guy...then he’d just go crazy!” Seldon seemed to pale a little at the memory. “It was real weird stuff too. He’d just set grass on fire, drop these weird bombs all over the place, and run around swingin’ at folks with a pot ladle. And just like that, gone!”

“Wow, sounds crazy...” Vesti mumbled grimly, “Hopefully we don’t run into him. He sounds dangerous!”

“Absolutely. No doubt he’s some kind of scoundrel,” Percy muttered, though he seemed to look off to the side and chuckle to himself. Vesti would have pressed the matter had he ever heard Percy laugh before, but for the moment he assumed it was just a loud cough.

Talk: Percy Graham: Epic Duel

Vesti slid over to Percy, leaned in, and whispered, “So if we’re in a video game or whatever, does that mean we can grab swords and have a duel? And if either of us dies, we’ll just come right back?”

“As much as I’d love to beat you to an utter pulp...” Percy whispered, “I’m willing to bet you’d just perish forever, and that’d leave far too many questions.”

“Yeah, I guess. I certainly wouldn’t want you to end up in jail.” Vesti put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe I should ask Chronos about it if we ever meet up...”

“Perhaps dueling with sticks would be less risky, albeit irreparably embarrassing. The whole idea sounds completely pointless though; I certainly have nothing to prove.”

“H-Hey! Are you two conspiring to kill me over there!” Seldon suddenly cried.

Vesti sighed and crossed his arms. “No! We’re just having a friendly discussion! Geez, don’t be so nosy.”

(I guess I should get to asking about this Yiga Clan stuff before Seldon blows a gasket...)

Investigation: Main Road
Examine:
There's nothing left to examine!
Talk:
Percy Graham
Where Are We?
Catching Up
Seldon
Strange Visitors (Part 2)
Yiga Clan
Move:
There’s really no reason to leave right now...
Present:
To Percy Graham
To Seldon
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/13559

I’m not salty, you are!!


Talk: Seldon: Reede

“Hey, Seldon...” Vesti began, “This Reede, person...who exactly was he?”

“W-Well...” Seldon turned away from the windmill and looked down solemnly. “He...w-was a good man...Reede’s been the head of Hateno Village for a while now, and he’s done a lot of work to help our village prosper in recent years. But he cared most of all for his wife a-and...h-his daughter.”

“Ooh, speaking of which, where is Karin?” the fashionable man asked, “Someone should be with her...”

“She’s back at the house,” a burly-looking man replied, “Her mom and a few others just left to check on her.” Indeed, Vesti noticed that the large crowd of bystanders was already thinning out, though many may have left of their own accord.

“Ah, excellent...” the fashionable man turned backed to Vesti and continued, “Yes, while Reede spent most of his time working for the sake of our village, he loved his family above all else...Ugh, this is simply awful.”

“Do you have any idea why he might have been targeted?” Vesti asked.

“Seems obvious to me!” the suspicious man added, “Reede was the figurehead of our little village - our most honored and venerated leader! If this was the work of the clan, they were surely tryin’ to send a message. You know, make us emotional so we’re unprepared for their next move!”

The fashionable man shook his head. “This village already feels completely different without Reede. Everywhere I look I’m bombarded with some memory of a good deed he did...It really is dispiriting...”

“Well, they’ve made a grave error,” Seldon snapped, “All they’ve done with this plan is guarantee that we’ll strike back even stronger! We’re gonna chase ‘em down and make ‘em pay, because now this is personal!”

“We should get to identifying the culprit then,” Percy remarked, facing the others. “I think the two of you claimed you’d seen who was responsible?”

“Certainly!” the suspicious man added, “I must say, if the Yiga were trying to pull this off stealthily, they really bungled it up!”

(Now that that’s settled, I should talk to the two witnesses. It’d certainly help to have names to refer to them by as well...)

Talk: Suspicious Man: Your Account

Vesti approached the suspicious man, who was busying himself by pouring colored liquid between the flasks on his belt. “Uh...you! You were one of the witnesses, right? What’s your name!”

“Ah, hello! You’re one of the new fellas who fancies himself a detective, huh?” The man cackled somewhat unnervingly, then he stuck out a hand and looked at Vesti slyly. “The name’s Sayge. It’s great to meet ya’!”

“Err...likewise,” Vesti hesitantly shook Sayge’s hand. “Forgive me if this sounds rude but...what exactly are you?”

“Why, what kinda question is that?!” Sayge ripped his hand away, clearly offended. “I know I may look a little strange, but I’m a Hylian, just like everyone here! Well, except you two...” Sayge glared at Vesti suspiciously. “You’ve got some funny-lookin’ ears, y’know that? Did ya’ have a run-in with the bad end of a Yiga soldier’s sickle?”

“Wh-What? No! L-Look, I think you’re confused,” Vesti frantically replied, “I mean are you the village’s alchemist? Healer? Some kinda weird scientist?”

“Ohhh, my job, of course! Why didn’t you just ask?!” Sayge chuckled, quite amused at the silly misunderstanding. “Yes, allow me to formally introduce myself!” Sayge took out two of his bottles and gently swirled the liquid inside. “I’m Sayge, proud owner of the Kochi Dye Shop! If you’re lookin’ for a new splash of color in your life, I’m your man!”

“Oh, dye? Like, for clothes?” Vesti scratched his head. “Sorry, I just expected something a little more...dangerous.”

“Oh, don’t be fooled by the somewhat mundane wares. My work’s risky! My son has almost drowned in my vats more times than I can count!” Sayge laughed, “But yes, I have an extensive collection of pigments at my shop. Perhaps you could swing by? Most of my revenue is from tourists, seeing as the folks here are quite content to wear the same old clothes every single day.”

“Uhh...maybe later,” Vesti said, “I’m more interested in what you witnessed! So, you saw the killer? Who was it?”

“Allow me to enlighten you!” Sayge turned toward the crowd and raised his voice. “In fact, listen up everyone! I’m prepared to reveal the culprit.”

The crowd quieted down as the fashionable man directed their attention towards Sayge flamboyantly. The dye seller smiled and then stepped in front of Vesti. “The hidden Yiga clansmen iiiiis...” Sayge poured two bottles of dye together, causing a puff of green smoke to briefly burst into the air. At this, he shouted, “Beedle, the traveling merchant!”

A collective gasp emerged from the crowd. Percy in particularly seemed slightly shook up. “H-Him, of all people? Are you serious?!”

“Am I ever not?” Sayge laughed, “I admit, I didn’t catch him in the act. But while I was out searching for ingredients in the forest, I happened to catch him sneaking about all suspicious-like. He seemed to be heading here, towards the scene of the crime!”

“Yes, I caught him too. And we’re not alone! There were other witnesses, in fact...” the fashionable man did a quick jig and then struck a pose. “Put it all together, and it’s decisive!”

“S-So it was Beedle, then?” Seldon mumbled, “I’ll admit, he did always seem a bit suspicious...walkin’ around with that huge backpack all the time...”

“Now hold on! Before we jump to conclusions, let’s establish all the facts first!” Vesti said pleadingly.

(Perhaps it’d be worth it to learn more about the suspect as well...)

{New Talk Option added.}

Talk: Fashionable Man: Your Account

“Alright, you’re up next,” Vesti continued, approaching the fashionable man (and Seldon, who was also standing there). “I have to say though...you’ve got a really nice outfit...very fashionable. Are you the tailor?”

“Why thank you, sir!” the man said, cocking his head to the side and running a hand down his boa. “However, I’m afraid I’ve never touched a needle - though I do work with my hands. The name’s Bolson, and I’m head of Bolson Construction. We’ve built most of the houses here, as well as this windmill!”

“Ah, right! Seldon, told me about you earlier!”

“Yeah!” Seldon shouted, thumping a fist on his chest. “I did do that!”

“I must say though, you look quite fine yourself!” Bolson replied, waving in Vesti’s direction. “It’s quite bold, wearing a sweater vest like that in plaid. But you really pull it off!”

“Oh, thank you!” Vesti exclaimed, “No one I know seems to grasp the versatility of the sweater vest, but it’s that splash of color that really completes the whole ensemble! It’s certainly better than wearing some drab work uniform, anyway.”

“Absolutely. There’s no reason you shouldn’t look fabulous on the job! Way I see it, if a client can’t handle that, then surely they can’t handle my excellent craftsmanship. The boys and I will take our business elsewhere - usually two doors down so they wake up everyday to what they missed out on!”

“Do you two mind settling down over there?” Percy interjected, “Bolson, we’ve already heard from Sayge, but what did you witness tonight?”

“Oh, of course!” Bolson said, “Well, my team was out working when we spotted Beedle entering the windmill. Lines up perfectly with Sayge’s testimony, doesn’t it?”

“So this Beedle dude’s lookin’ even more suspicious,” Vesti said, “Do you know where he is now?”

“Certainly,” Sayge added, “He’s holed up in the inn. The innkeeper’s already there looking after him.”

“Then I need to hurry down there and gather more information,” Percy turned to Vesti. “Let’s check out the body, then I’ll go make sure Beedle stays at the inn.”

“Uhh, alright. Suit yourself.” Vesti glanced up at the windmill, where the corpse was slowly making its way downward. “Might be a little bit longer though...”

Talk: Sayge: Least Favorite Color

While waiting for it Reede’s body to come within reach, Vesti approached the dye seller once again.

“Hey, Sayge?” Vesti asked, “Seeing as you work with dyes, I’m a little curious. What’s your least favorite color?”

“Oh, it would have to be grey,” Sayge answered, “Such a dreary color...I run my dye shop to make the town vibrant and lively, not to watch a storm front roll onto the streets!”

“I can understand that...but I mean out of the real colors! Give me some information to work with here!”

“Well, I suppose if I had to choose...perhaps green.” Sayge raised his eyebrows at Vesti’s sweater vest and laughed. “I mean no personal offense, of course! That color’s just everywhere around here, as you can tell. I’d prefer a little more creativity.”

“Oh, uh...sorry,” Vesti mumbled, “Trust me, if I’d known I was gonna be frolicking through nature today, I would’ve dressed more appropriately...”

Investigation: Windmill
Examine:
Reede’s Body, Lantern, Windmill Spoke, Crowd, Door.
Talk:
Seldon
Reede
Beedle
Bolson
Your Account
Sayge
Your Account
Move:
Windmill Interior
Present:
To Seldon
To Bolson
To Sayge
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/13559

Hey y’all, watch this!


Talk: Seldon: Beedle

While waiting for the windmill to finish turning, Vesti re-joined Seldon and Percy. “Alright, so what can you guys tell me about the suspect - this ‘Beedle’ fellow?”

“Oh, right, him,” Seldon looked aside and rubbed his chin. “Well, he was no member of Hateno, that’s for sure. I guess you’d call him a traveling salesman. He dropped by every once in a while, luggin’ his huge rhinoceros beetle-shaped backpack around, and tried to sell us selections from his bug collection. I guess he seemed nice enough for someone who treated everyone like potential customers...” Seldon trailed off and glanced up at the mayor’s body. “Never would’ve expected he’d be one of those Yiga scoundrels though...”

“I find it a little unlikely as well,” Percy replied, “I’ve, well...ran into him numerous times...but he’s always been fairly amiable. Maybe a little strange and bug-obsessed, but never evil.”

“Well, the Yiga specialize in hiding their sick and twisted nature behind a harmless disguise,” Seldon said, “Beedle could have simply been actin’ this entire time!”

“That’s definitely possible,” Vesti admitted, “Still, I know less about this guy than you two, so I want to meet him before making any judgements. Though it is pretty decisive that at least two people saw him, I’ll admit.”

“We can both talk to him ourselves later,” Percy said, “For now, we should finish our cursory check of the crime scene.”

Present: Police Badge: Bolson & Sayge

Unfortunately for Vesti and Percy, they still had to wait a little while longer. So Vesti headed toward the two witnesses, who were now standing sort of near each other, and said, “Hey, Bolson, Sayge! Check this out!” He quickly whipped out his police badge and held it in front of him.

“Ah!” Bolson looked on with interest. “And what might that be? Some sort of broach, perhaps?”

“Essentially,” Vesti replied, “It’s my police badge, but I don’t usually wear it. It mainly serves to prove that I’m a detective to the general public, but I think it’s quite fashionable too!”

“Oh, I agree!” Bolson nodded, “It seems an absolute waste to just keep it stuffed in your pocket!”

“Sorry...but I can’t say I agree!” Sayge exclaimed, “The bright yellow color would clash with that sweater vest, you see! It wouldn’t look appropriate at all!”

Bolson crossed his arms and glared at Sayge. “Sometimes that’s the point, you know? I’d rather clash than blend in!”

“Oh, no no no!” Sayge shook his head. “It simply wouldn’t do. However, if you took that badge to my dye shop later on, I’d be more than inclined to fix it up for you! How about it?”

“Hmm...Well, I was thinking about investigating there later, so...” Vesti mumbled, “I’ll think about it...”

Examine: Reede’s Body

Around this time, Reede’s body finally made its way within arms reach. Percy caught Vesti’s eye and beckoned him closer. As Vesti approached, Percy turned to Seldon and asked, “Do you suppose you’d be capable of helping us get him down?”

“Of course,” Seldon replied, “No man deserves to be hung up there so brutally like that...”

“Good, let’s go,” Vesti said.

The group pushed through the small crowd that had gathered near the body and stopped to take in the gruesome sight. A quick gasp escaped from Seldon’s lips. “S-Sweet Hylia! We were right...”

Reede’s limbs hung limply from the windmill blade. His head was cocked to one side, his long hair hanging in cords over his pale face, a sad frown framed by his beard. A large wound was slashed in his stomach, but the primary subject of the group’s attention was the object stabbing through his chest and the leather windmill blade behind him. It was a steel sickle with a hilt wrapped in blood-red ribbons.

“There’s no doubt about it,” Seldon continued, “That’s a Vicious Sickle - the weapon of a Yiga Clansman!”

“So does this prove there was some sorta Yiga involvement?” Vesti asked, “Is there any other way the killer could’ve gotten one of those sickles here?”

Seldon shook his head. “Not likely. Maybe someone coulda stolen one from a footsoldier, but I don’t see why they’d hide it from us...unless they were planning this murder all along. Point is, these things are only made by the Yiga, so they must’ve at least been in contact with one!”

“Well, we should get him back on the ground before we continue discussing it.” Percy glanced back at the crowd and shouted, “Everyone step back and make room, unless you’re willing to help us!”

It turned out that a few of the townsfolk were willing to lend a hand, and before long Reede was resting on the ground. Seldon knelt next to him and gently pulled the sickle out. He held up the bloody weapon to closely examine it. The symbols carved into the blade made it clear that it was a genuine item.

Meanwhile, Percy paced nearby. “There appear to be two main wounds on the body: one slash wound in his stomach, and a stab wound in his chest. The second wound was of course used to pin him to the windmill.”

Vesti ran his fingers across Reede’s skin. “It looks like he’s covered in these minor bruises though. Reede might have gotten into some sort of scuffle before he died...though none of these look anywhere near fatal.”

“Well, he woulda been fightin’ off his killer, right?” Seldon asked.

“Most likely,” Percy replied, “But as for these other wounds...unfortunately, we can’t be certain of which one killed him...or when he received them. It’s possible he didn’t suffer the stab wound to his chest until he was already dead.”

“Yeah...without Dr. Istheesa or even Lauren here, there’s no way to know for sure,” Vesti said, “He could even have been killed by something entirely different - something we can’t even see!”

“Does it really matter though?” Seldon asked, “Once we know who pinned him to that windmill, we oughta have our killer!”

“Perhaps...we’ll have to see how it plays out,” Percy said, “Though that brings up another issue I have. Why did the killer pin him to the windmill in the first place?”

“Those Yiga clansmen are filthy!” Seldon shouted, “It’s no doubt some sort of warning. They’ll do anything to try to scare us!”

“That does seem to be the most logical conclusion,” Percy mumbled, “But it’s not necessarily the correct one.”

“Yeah, the killer might have had some ulterior motive for putting him up there...” Vesti said, “It’s something to keep in mind, at least.”

(It’ll be tough solving this mystery in such a technologically backward land...I should file this info away for later!)

{Reede’s Body Noted added to Evidence} {Vicious Sickle added to Evidence}

“In any case,” Percy stopped in his tracks, “I think I’ve seen everything I needed to see here.” He turned to Vesti. “I trust you’ll investigate the rest of the scene in a satisfactory manner?”

“Yeah, definitely,” Vesti replied, “Oh, and good luck with Beedle. Just try not to go overboard, okay?”

“I’ll just pretend I didn’t hear that.” Percy pulled up his new hood and swiftly departed with his hands in his pockets, heading down the hill toward the inn.

Once Percy was gone, Seldon stood up and brushed off his overalls. Bolson and Sayge stepped over to the body and, along with some other townsfolk, lifted him up and started carrying him off.

“H-Hey, where are you guys going?” Vesti asked.

Bolson turned his head and called back behind him. “We’re gonna put ‘im somewhere more dignified. You’ve already done your thing, so there ain’t no need to leave him out here.” Bolson and the others continued onward, not waiting for Vesti to respond.

“Well, that should be alright,” Vesti mumbled, “Not like there was much more we could have gotten from the body anyway...”

“What’s next, detective?” Seldon asked, “Are we gonna look around here a little more, or head inside of the windmill?”

(I don’t think there’s anything else particularly valuable around here...though I suppose I could examine a few things anyway.)

Investigation: Windmill
Examine:
Lantern, Windmill Spoke, Tiny Crowd, Door.
Talk:
Seldon
Reede
Beedle
Move:
Windmill Interior
Present:
To Seldon
What will you do?

Prestige: 100%

Evidence: kun.boards.net/post/13559