Case 1: A Metal Prank

[yxanthymir]

Case 1: A Metal Prank

At this moment a fierce gust of wind enters the bedroom by the sliding door left open. It is just enough for the skull to move the fraction of space required for it tumble from the shelf. At the last moment, Mia notices the skull falling and swerves her head to the side. The skull hits her shoulder, but she has enough presence of spirit to catch the skull in her hands, despite the pain.

Carefully she puts the skull on the floor and manages to reach the door of the apartment without more disasters. The key is in the lock. Mia doesn't waste time and leaves the apartment with one hand giving soothing massages to her shoulder. Mia takes the stairs to the third floor and soon she is in front of the the door of the desired apartment. There are some yellow and black police banners covering the door.

Mia carefully removes them. The door is open with the wood around lock splintered.

She finds inside a huge apartment, formed by merging two separate units. The luxury apartment boasts a spacious and opulent design. Upon entering, Mia is greeted by a grand foyer adorned with intricate marble flooring and elegant chandeliers dangling from lofty ceilings.

The living area is separated into two different environments. One is pristine, adorned with plush, designer furniture arranged tastefully around a contemporary fireplace, creating a cozy yet sophisticated ambiance. The other space, at the other side of the spacious room, is the epitome of chaos. It is almost completed smashed by a blue car, partially breaking the wall.

There are tire marks on the floor from the middle of the room until the car. The presence of the veil is particularly dense in the room. It blurs the vision and forces Mia to look away almost instantly. She has to force herself to return her focus to the scene. Whatever was at work here, punched a hole into the space continuum.

 

---

 

While Mia is adventuring inside the building, Lindsay is still deciding what to do. And Kenna and Myrtle are now at the speed limit at the road to Springfield. Vast fields of grass pass through the car windows on both sides of the road, with cows leisurely grazing. They will arrive shortly.

 

Mia

Mia suffers the Bruised Shoulder condition. Mia gains the temporary Story tag: Space Continuum Sensitivity 2. She has a +2 bonus in identifying and perceiving space continuum anomalies.

 

Edited March 16 by yxanthymir (see edit history)

[Morphling]

Relieved to have finally escaped the stranger's cluttered apartment, Mia goes down to the first floor to let Lindsay in.

[Angelic Crux]

It was, ultimately, just the kind of scene Lindsay was half-used to. Being somewhere you kind of weren't supposed to be, figuring out how to get into somewhere you definitely weren't supposed to be. And the only definitely-weren't-supposed-to-be-in-there places Lindsay went first were more... concepty. Like how she kinda thought she might eat her own hand if it went in a deep-fryer 'cause... well... if it wasn't useful as a hand anymore, at least it could be a snack.

These were the kinds of thoughts that she was left with after Mia, a little older, a little bolder, and WAY more physically fit, had gone up with a whispered I'll let you in. It felt good. Just the right level of conspiratorial, though, Lindsay's dumb blink, in hindsight, didn't feel like she was really holding up her end of the bargain.

And then there was the wait.

She thought of a poem to the spot where the drainage pipe was (The Places Between).

She peeked out to look for anyone suspicious (besides her).

She stretched (which she'd sooner die than get caught doing).

 

And then the door opened. Fwoosh.

Lindsay, up to that point, hadn't seen Mia so much as have an uncool moment. Like... you usually didn't think of exotic dancers as cool.  But Mia was. Confident, collected, level-headed. And, y'know, she still was, but...

She was limping.

"Are you okay?" The words blurted out, sincere but a little artless. She hardly noticed the bruised shoulder (after all, it wasn't like Mia was walking on her hands), but already was leaned down to have a look. "I... I might have some stuff for it. Like... if it hurts?" Lindsay offered, her voice low, tentative. She knew how to deal with a friend getting hurt (laugh, call him a little bitch for crying, fix it up), but not really how to do it with adults. Teachers tended not to get hurt around her and her mom got... got...

Lindsay didn't really know how to suggest someone like Mia might need help.

[yxanthymir]

 

Case 1: A Metal Prank

Before climbing the stairs to third floor, Mia decided to pick up Lindsay outside. She opens the door and, after a few lances of stairs later, they are at the crashed apartment. The first thing they notice is that the veil is particularly dense in the room. The scene beyond the veil is obscured, hidden behind a veil of mist that distorts and blurs reality itself. It is located exactly at the center of the room. The tire marks start at that location and proceed to the blue car smashed against the wall. Initially they have some difficulty staying in the room and remembering what they come to do at the place. With time, some persistence and a mild headache, they are able to remain focused enough to ignore the veil presence.

First they spend some time looking oblivious to the veil (more than they should), and then some more searching the car and the tire marks for clues. They don't find a lot to go on. The police and the rescue team probably removed some objects from the scene. They only find: a six-pack of beer, with one missing; a wrench; some old pictures of Adam Levine, with different people; and some used clothes, crumpled and sweaty.

The tire marks also don't reveal much. They appear out of nowhere, and they look like the car tried to brake, before the collision.

When they leave the room, the veil seems to be getting weaker and weaker. Or it is just their impressions?

 

---

 

They go outside and stop at the front of a cafeteria at the other side of square, near the police station. The name of the cafeteria is Crunchy Muffin. A sweet and appetizing smell comes from inside and attack without piety their nostrils. At the block, there are a set of other commercial enterprises: an occult store/ bookstore, a convenience store and a police department.

At the same time, Kenna and Myrtle arrive from New Dunkirk. They are tired, but unharmed. It is close to the lunch hour.

 

Lindsay

Lindsay also gets Space Continuum Sensitivity 2.

 

Edited March 19 by yxanthymir (see edit history)

[dunderklumpen]

"How'd you get on? Find anything interesting?"

Kenna is all business after the frustrating ride back in the car. Her cop-brain is in charge.

"We got some good stuff from the driver at the hospital: late night, he's driving too fast, a girl in a school uniform is in the street, he almost runs her down, but something, I'm guessing the girl, sends the car up into the apartment."

She pauses and turns to Mori (is her partner still there?)

"Did I get that right?"

How she did it (magic? psychic powers? brute strength?) is unknown. Did you find anything that might shed light on that?"

"I think we've got to find this girl, make sure she's ok, and make sure she's not a danger to anyone."

"She's a local, wears the local school uniform, and Mori here thinks that the local police's problem with youth might have something to do with her."

[Inquisitor D]

"Yeah, Officer Mori is... staying at the hospital for now. Taking statements or something."

It's hard for the tiny pre-teen girl that's following Kenna to have much dignity. Myrtle clearly isn't used to having to look up to address her peer group. Lindsay is now taller than her! This form is... not one she would've chosen. She'd get rid of it, but the little tag of torment she'd cast out onto the astral winds is still there for the moment. She baited that hook, she won't sacrifice the play until it's clear it'll bear no fruit.

For now, she gestures to her borrowed appearance, a dark haired pre teen girl, complete with the local uniform of a beige blouse with red skirts.

"This is the closest I can get. Levine had a fraction of a second to see her, and filled in the blanks himself. I don't know if anyone's going to recognize this mystery girl that Detective Blake 'just happened to find'. And since he doesn't know her name, I can't just check these clothes for a tag."

Even the Elevator Game has its limits. The young girl takes a seat in Mia's car doorway, hanging her head. "Still, she's probably not the only missing child. That's where the local police come in. The sheriff's investigating a case that involves kids. Plural. He's just ignoring other work to try and do this, so it's got to be important. We can't be sure they're missing, but the way he phrased it... it's at least implied."

She has one last thing to report. The facestealer holds up her right wrist. Around it, the group can see a pink bracelet, with a heart set into its centre. "The one additional clue I found is this. Handmade, so no purchase record. Still... it's a unique detail. I'm not sure if these socks are school regulation either. Right colour scheme, but plaid?" Myrtle sighs, her design loving soul withering a little. "Apparently the local area has one school that merges everything from kindergarten to end of high school in a pot. So we've got a school, we've got a rough age demographic and loose description. It's not the best starting point, but it's something."

Leaving the matter there, the young girl withdraws Myrtle's massive carry case from the trunk, resting it over her lap. While she doesn't point it out to the group just yet, one part of the story they just shared continues to puzzle Myrtle. The timing. Mystery kid is out in the middle of the night, in her school uniform? There's possible explanations, but the most likely one is 'she didn't have a chance to change out of it'. That opens up some... depressing lines of thought.

[yxanthymir]

Case 1: A Metal Prank

While they change notes about what they did or discovered, they decide to enter Crunchy Muffin and grab something to eat. They enter the small cafeteria invited by appetizing smell.

Stepping through the door, the aroma of freshly baked goods envelopes the adventurers instantly. The interior is a fusion of rustic and modern elements, with exposed red brick walls adorned with pictures of different types of muffins and other delicacies, and sleek wooden tables and chairs arranged invitingly throughout the space. Soft jazz tunes play in the background, creating a soothing ambiance for clients to unwind.

The focal point of the Crunchy Muffin is undoubtedly its display counter, brimming with an array of delectable treats. From oversized muffins bursting with seasonal fruits to flaky croissants filled with savory delights, there's something to satisfy every craving. Vibrant salads, hearty sandwiches, and piping hot soups are also on offer, providing wholesome options for those seeking a light lunch or midday pick-me-up.

They choose a table and seat.

 

Everyone

Everyone can make an investigate roll to listen to other clients' conversations or even make small talk with other customers.

 

[dunderklumpen]

Kenna orders a black coffee, no food. She calls the waitress "doll" without realising it.

She hangs at the counter longer than she needs to, listening to the patrons and hoping to hear something that could be of use.

 

Investigate

I figure that its time for Kenna to get in the game, roll-wise.

I'm going to apply the tags Junior city detective, A hunger for answers, Natural detective if any of them seem unsuitable, we can remove them from the roll. I figure there's a chance that she might hear something unpleasant or that justifies her dim view of the city denizens, so I'm adding the weakness Images of the city's seedy underbelly.

Power = +3 tags, -1 Weakness

Investigate

Edited March 23 by dunderklumpen (see edit history)

[yxanthymir]

 

 

 

Edited March 23 by yxanthymir (see edit history)

[yxanthymir]

Case 1: A Metal Prank

After some time, where each one of them tries to do their own thing, and let their minds wander over the matter of the day or over the snippets of information they get at the cafeteria, they return to the table and finish their meals or thoughts before trying to engage into a conversation.

They need to decide about their next step. They will try to find the missing children? Or find the child involved in the car accident? Or discover where the car disappeared for more clues? Or maybe even investigate ghost stories?

 

Kenna

Kenna uses her sagacity and her cop instincts to hear the conversations around her table.

 

• Two men were talking about how they had a fight with their wives. Out of nowhere, they just had a weird urge to start a fight.
• She also hears a conversation about the ghost of Springfield. It seems some people reported already seeing it.

 

Lindsay

Lindsay is not very interested in hearing other conversations, but they reach her ears anyway.

 

• When she goes to the bathroom. She hears a woman crying convulsively. And while crying she is a having a conversation on her phone and trying to apologize to someone.
• Near the counter, she hears people talking about the children's disappearance. One of them mentions a weirdo that lives outside of town.

 

Myrtle

Myrtle is not interested in hearing other conversations. She is more concerned in being attacked at any minute, but they reach her ears anyway.

 

• She hears from a child with other family that she claims to have seen a ghost at her school.
• One person mentions that the bookstore nearby has an awesome collections of books, specially at the occult section.

 

[dunderklumpen]

Kenna takes her coffee back to the corner booth. She bends over to her co-investigators.

Oh man, look at this. How'd I end up being a baby-sitter?

"Ok so I just heard some ghost stories. Rumors won't get us very far, but if that's connected maybe we can try and get a solid lead on that."

"People getting the sudden urge to fight also jives with the 'youth' problem the locals have been having."

"So what's our next step? I can't go strong-arming the locals on every little rumor. That chief will run me out of the suburb."

"Maybe it's worth doing some snooping around the suburbs at night? Ghosts don't generally turn up in the middle of the day, and we've got one confirmed sighting late at night."

OOC

Sorry for the lack of the normal Kenna pic. I'm doing this at work and the firewall is blocking imgur. Will fix when I'm back at home.

 

 

[yxanthymir]

Case 1: A Metal Prank

They need to decide about their next step. They will try to find the missing children? Or find the child involved in the car accident? Or discover where the car disappeared for more clues? Or maybe even investigate ghost stories?