>>4929917
>>Keep her out of this- it won't do to act pushy about your friends. She can handle it tomorrow herself.
>Ask Lori how are her lessons going.

>>4929929
>>4929917
Yeah I'm curious myself.

>>4929917
>Keep her out of this- it won't do to act pushy about your friends. She can handle it tomorrow herself

Writing!

>>4929595
>Ugh. You couldn’t even BEGIN to imagine that. “Ha. Ha.” ...although it WOULD be useful to get them all in at once and not worry about- gah, nevermind.

i'll just say this: the minivan is the perfect vehicle.

>>4929917
>>4929929
>>4929946
>>4929963
You’re not going to bother her so much with this kinda thing- she’ll have her chance tomorrow, and she can handle it plenty well herself. For now, you might as well relax a bit and keep things light. “Well, that’s fine. I know you’re a good enough actress to nail anything they throw at you.”

“Damn right!” she agrees- before checking back behind her to see if any of the kids overheard. You HIGHLY doubt it- they seem awful glued to that movie, whatever it is. A glance says that there’s something about them fighting a demon train now- and a princess? Ghost? Ghost princess? Whatever. “Still, can’t help but be nervous sometimes, y’know?”

“Yeah, nerves do that,” you agree. “But hey, look at it like you’re on assignment if that helps. You usually look like you’re having fun on those.”

“Yeeeeahh, but that’s different! Those cases if I screw up it doesn’t follow me around forever, y’know? Here, if I bomb it, I’m gonna haveta bother to remember!” You’re not quite sure things work like that, but you still aren’t the best at comforting. “Can’t apply all the time at one place, they’d think I’m annoying!”

You decide it best to not go for the obvious ‘but you’re always annoying’ crack, and instead decide to switch topics. “Well, you’re working on other stuff in the meantime anyway, aren’t you? Don’t you have lessons you’re still taking?”

Her face dips just a bit, but she nods. “Yeeeah. I’m doing...okay. I think.”

“You think?” That honestly wasn’t what you were expecting. “Something going wrong there?”

She shakes her head. “Nah, nah, more like, just...I unno. Folks get awful philosophical in there sometimes. I’m pretty sure I’ll be fine, but I feel like sometimes they get really heavy and I’d rather not think too hard about it.” She shrugs. “It’s no big deal. I might walk soon, though- originally it was ‘cause disassociating from my body was BEYOND uncomfortable.” She shivers a bit. “It’s STILL not a good feeling- don’t think it’ll ever be- but hey, I’ve stopped having nightmares and silent freakouts about being a weird mana ghost that can’t actually interact with anyone forever and ever so that’s good.”

...ah.

>...is there a REASON you didn’t tell me this? You know I DO care, right?
>Noooot touching that with a 20 foot pole. Time to get back to the kids.
>I’m glad you’re more comfortable about it, then. It’s too useful a skill to sideline.
>Other

>>4930159
>...is there a REASON you didn’t tell me this? You know I DO care, right?

>>4930159
>...is there a REASON you didn’t tell me this? You know I DO care, right?
Yes, let's probe our friend emotionally right before her job interview.

>>4930159
>Noooot touching that with a 20 foot pole. Time to get back to the kids.

>>4930159
>...is there a REASON you didn’t tell me this? You know I DO care, right?
Welp, here goes

>>4930159
>I’m glad you’re more comfortable about it, then. It’s too useful a skill to sideline.

>>4930159
>...is there a REASON you didn’t tell me this? You know I DO care, right?

>>4930192
>>4930159
Supporting

Writing!

>>4930159
>>4930185
>>4930192
>>4930222
>>4930995
>>4932876
You allow yourself a moment to pause and just...let that digest. There’s...more there to unpack than you’d care to. There’s a number of emotions that spear through you on hearing that, but out of all of them, you’re a touch surprised that there’s some indignance there. (And maybe a bit of shame at the surprise of the indignation, but that’s just getting recursive.) It’s that indignance that guides your response. “...is there a REASON you didn’t tell me this? You know I DO care, right? I mean, I know I’m a bit abrasive, but-”

“Oh, nononono!” Lorelei quickly interrupts. “No, I know you’d care in your own way, just...it’s like, what could you have done, y’know?” She says with a shrug. “It was a mental thing, not something you could beat up, and I was kinda already doing what I could on that front, with the lessons and everything. It was just kinda a thing I figured I’d work through, no big!”

...you’re not sure if you’d call that ‘no big’, but...well, you’ll let that go for now. You still don’t like it, though. “Just...I dunno. Let me know next time anyway?”

She just shrugs, grinning. “Sure. And honestly, you’ve gotten way softer lately, whether you want to admit it or not! Remember back in the day near when we first met? You were WAY more ruthless!”

You’re not sure what she’s talking about. “What about?”

“Remember! I had been here for like...less than a year? Not here-here, like, in the company,” she explains. “It was that one job that we both went on for a feeling out, remember? You-”

Oh yeah, now you remember.

> “...left you to deal with getting sick after you got food poisoning on that mystic boat job? I think? I told you to ‘sit down, shut up, puke your guts out, and let me do your job!’ Took most of your pay, too.”
> “Ended up knocking you out when you nearly screwed us over on a basic hunt and kill job against a mad scientist because you couldn’t stop giggling for some reason. Never told me why.”
> “Tried to pin the crime on you after I outed us by accident during an undercover job in a magic academy. Never did apologize for that. Was an easier way out of that debacle, but I was mad at you for ruining a lead.”
> Other

>>4937129
That's me, obviously. Just dropped my ID/Trip.

>>4937129
> “Ended up knocking you out when you nearly screwed us over on a basic hunt and kill job against a mad scientist because you couldn’t stop giggling for some reason. Never told me why.”

>>4937129
> “Ended up knocking you out when you nearly screwed us over on a basic hunt and kill job against a mad scientist because you couldn’t stop giggling for some reason. Never told me why.”

>>4937129
> “Ended up knocking you out when you nearly screwed us over on a basic hunt and kill job against a mad scientist because you couldn’t stop giggling for some reason. Never told me why.”

>you’ve gotten way softer lately
To be fair, Miranda and Izumi could deal with everything alone by themselves unlike all the other SES members (who noted how distant and withdrawn both of them are). The team has grown and Sal has dumped the role of it's leadership on 'Randa and now it's kind of expected of her to look out for them.

>>4937129
> “Ended up knocking you out when you nearly screwed us over on a basic hunt and kill job against a mad scientist because you couldn’t stop giggling for some reason. Never told me why.”

>>4937129
>“Ended up knocking you out when you nearly screwed us over on a basic hunt and kill job against a mad scientist because you couldn’t stop giggling for some reason. Never told me why.”

>>4937164
the kids helped too, even if she's had them for comparatively less time

>>4937179
why did we even agree on mentoring these kids?

>>4937193
i think because they reminded us of the lost kids we found at the start of the quest. the little kid and his sister

Writing! Ahh, the good ol' days when Miranda was an edgy angstfest.

>>4937129
>>4937142
>>4937146
>>4937155
>>4937178
>>4937179
“Right, I ended up knocking you out when you nearly screwed us over on a basic hunt and kill job against a mad scientist because you couldn’t stop giggling for some reason,” you finish for her. That had been VERY early in her career, and you weren’t of a mind to play well with others. She’d came within inches of giving the game away after she’d taken the place of someone over radio but just had seemed to catch a case of the giggles, causing him to get pissed and demand what was so funny- she couldn’t answer straight, leading him to think she was laughing at him, and...well, it would’ve been a whole mess. You’d gotten both panicked and pissed, and popped her one legit to get her to cut it out. She’d crumpled like a sack and you’d made up something about how her attitude was ‘unbecoming’ and that she’d be punished. Fortunately he’d been satisfied with that and the job was finished, but Lorelei...well, she’d harbored some anger for a minute, even if she knew why it’d happened.

All water under the bridge now, though. “Y’know, you never told me why you broke out in the giggles like that.”

She rolls her eyes, but you get the vibe that it’s not at you. “Pft. Nerves. That, and at the time I thought it was really funny what I was doing, and I couldn’t control myself. I think I was gonna make some excuse about some dude smacking his head on the doorframe but then next thing I know I was out like a light.” Her mock-glare does nothing to you, and you let out a huff at that memory. “I wake up, next thing I know we’re in transit and...well, you remember the rest.”

“Right.” It involved a lot of acid, you recall. Steel-melting acid.

“Anywho, c’mon, let’s go hang out with the tykes until that witch girl gets done with whatever she’s doing,” Lorelei offers.

“Fine, but not too long. I need to be back at the studio tonight, remember?” Still think it’s a bit weird, but whatever. You both go back into the room to cheers as you sit down- you think the movie's reaching its climax.

>Roll 1d100, FIRST THREE taken.

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>4937261

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>4937261

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>4937261

Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>4937261

>>4937264
nice.

>>4937261
Fairly interesting and...one very odd one.

Writing!

>>4937261
>>4937264
>>4937272
>>4937273

It’s around the tail end of the movie that the door is kicked open, and a near fight or flight response activates before you see that it’s Tami, looking proud of herself. “I FOUND IT!” Behind her is Suzie, still looking entirely bored, although you know that’s not the case necessarily. “I know what I’m good with using now!”

“It iz nozing so especial, it seems.” Suzie shrugs. “I thought perhaps she might be attuned to zome more ezoteric materials, but it seems simplicity is ze order of ze day. Silk an’ cotton are ‘er mediums of choice,” she explains, rolling a hand casually. “You can get zem anywhere, an’ while silk ‘as an intriguing property or two, zere is not much to it, really. Also dental floss.”

...wait, what? “Beg your pardon? What about dental floss?”

“She can utilize dental floss az a medium to control puppets.” The entirely neutral way she says this is what throws you off the most- like it’s…

...wait. “Is that common?”

“Not even remotely,” is the flat answer. “In truth, I find it baffling.”

That makes two of you. Although… “Wait, how’d you guess dental floss as something to try?”

“ ‘Appenstance. I keep a pack of dental floss on me whenever I step out of ze house.” She looks at you with another odd expression you can’t quite place. “Zere are many dangerous...disgusting zings zat can invade your mouth in my particular line of work. It pays to be prepared. I tested it on a whim, et voila.”

...Allllllrighty then.

Tami seems psyched regardless, and her and the others are already talking about things they could try to do with the skill. Although that does remind you… “So, you sure you can’t break some time into your day regularly to…”

“Non.” The response is quick, flat, and final. “I ‘ave much to do, an’ little time to do it in. I already spend much of my free time with ze witchling, and she is far furzer along zan the lamb. One iz enough. Two would be MADNESS.” Her eyes widen just a bit, as though the idea of teaching two kids is the only thing that would frighten her. “I will complete my lezzons once you have fulfilled ze task for me, and zat is it.”

“Okay, okay, no problem. Thanks anyway,” you offer. “So…”

(cont)

>>4937450
“Your zide of ze bargain, yes.” And there you see it- eeeeever so slightly, her mouth twitches up into what you’d call a fading shadow of a grin. It’s...honestly surprisingly eerie. “Your matter of zolving problems iz most direct, yes? Not zomething ze Guild is particularly fond of nor skilled in. In particular, zere is zomething I would like you to engage in on my be’alf.”
Huh. That sounds...odd. “Oookay. When and where?”

“Not now. Soon. Now zat I know zomeone will be taking care of it shortly, I must begin...preparations.” Wow, way to make that sound ominous...although you’re starting to believe that that’s just her thing. “Az for ‘where’...” and yup, that thin, thin smile again. “You must brave yourself for the ‘orror and voidic fright zat iz ze Lair... ze headquarters of ze Guild of Shadows.”

Oh...wait, what? “Wait, you want me in your HQ?”

“Of a sort,” she admits. “You will not be witness to ze full ‘orrible glory of ze Lair. But ze task I ask of you is of a part of it.” I will contact YOU come the time, yes? It shall not be very long…”

“...do I get to know what I’m doing beforehand?” you ask.

“Non.” Greaaaat. “Fortunately, yourzelve is all that iz needed.” She leaves not long after that, with some general advice to Tami to practice her control ‘puppetless’ for now. “I suggest doing such in places with many people and diztractions. Embrace ze horror of...ze public.” She grimaces. "Au revoir for now.”

“Buh-bye!” Tami grins happily, before turning to the others with a ball of cotton yarn. “Wanna see how far I can stretch it?!”

Oh no. “YEAH!”

Lorelei just sighs. “Kids, huh?”

Quite.

----------------------------------

The kids rather happily played with as many different types of string and rope as they could basically until they dropped and you had to get them to bed. Sooo much of your stuff was wrapped up, and you and Lorelei had a time unraveling everything before getting them to go to sleep. “Off to the set?” Lorelei says softly as you get your keys.

“Yup. Shouldn’t be too long,” you admit as you head out. Ideally, you could get this, and get back.

The ride is blessedly fairly quiet- most people are usually done aside from the ‘night-life’, so to speak, around these hours. It makes for a peaceable ride.

Once you get there, however, the quiet of the studio and set is...almost eerie. Before, there was at least ambient noise of chatter and things happening here and there. Now, though...it’s pretty much nothing around here. Still might as well call and- wait, damnit, you didn’t get their phone numbers. Gonna have to correct that. Well, maybe you can just look around...they mentioned something about the script and the trailer…and that a few people would still be around to do work. So...

>Make your way to the Cast Trailers.
>Make your way to the Admin Building.
>Make your way to the Studio Area.
>Other

>>4937507
>Make your way to the Admin Building.

>>4937507
Can't we just call Leona back?

>>4937536
If you want.

>>4937507
>Other
>Call Leona

>>4937507
>Make your way to the Admin Building.
>Call Leona
Ye olde call history.

>>4937545
support
>>4937507

>>4937507
>
on second thought, what abt going to the studio?

>>4937507
>>4937517
>>4937536
>>4937544
>>4937545

Thinking about it, you nearly slap your head. You could just check the call history and call back. That’d be a lot simpler than just fumbling your way around.

The phone rings a few times before, to your surprise, there’s an automated message: “Hello! You’ve reached Leona! If this is a call for business, please leave your message at the sound of the beep, and I’ll get back to you asap! If it’s a personal call, super sorry but please call me on my personal phone and not this one, thanks!” Hm. Wonder what’s keeping her. It’s awful late at night to be extra busy. Regardless, you leave a brief message on her phone noting that you’re here.

The Admin building is probably the best bet, if you’re being honest...might as well be on your way.

Along the way, however, you see...a flash of white? Some sort of spir- wait, no. That should be Coordinator Nia. “Ah, you’re here?” She’s dressed in a...robe, of some sort, it seems. Purple, to contrast with the white. “I was told you’d be around late so we could actually get you the freakin’ script. Leona should have it; I told her to keep hold of it, or else she’s fired.”

“Right. I just tried calling her, but it was the machine that answered,” you explain.

Nia pauses for a moment, and then lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Forget it. You’re an Outgoer, you oughta have experience in tracking people. She should be somewhere around the Stages. Number 2, if I recall. She was supposed to fix an issue with it.”

“There’s an issue?” you find yourself asking. Wonder what it was…

“Nothing serious,” Nia dismisses. “Now, unless you had any other questions, don’tcha have somewhere to be?”

>>4940972
Well, now that she mentions it...

> None. Just head to Stage 2.
> “Is Leona always this absent?”
> Ask her who else is around- you might have questions for others.
> Other

I dunno HOW I missed actually posting the options.

>>4941068
> None. Just head to Stage 2.

>>4940972
> Ask her who else is around- you might have questions for others.
>Ask her number, just in case

>>4941068
Was just wondering where the second part was.

> None. Just head to Stage 2.
>Ask her number, just in case
No uses dallying here I think. We have her work number but not her personal one.

Moving on. Writing.

>>4941068
>>4941073
>>4941086
>>4941102
“None, thanks.” You don’t need to waste time with her. But you know where Stage 2 is, at least. “Appreciate the time. Can I get your number, just in case something goes wrong later?”

“...uggggh, fine. But don't contact me unless it's important. Usually it's the other way around." A quick exchange later, and you have Nia's work contact. "Just don’t stay here too late,” she grumbles. “I don’t need more after-hours idiocy to cause me to stay later. I got out of the warlord business to NOT work as hard as managing planets, thank you!” With that unnecessary addition, she floats off, likely to home. Now with that cleared up, you decide to head off to Stage 2.

The stage areas, to a one, are closed down- save for #2, clearly, which you can hear sounds coming from. Right, let’s see…

Ah. That makes sense. From what you can see here, the whole floor is indeed a massive Artificial Reality pit. You can set holograms and soft matter reconstructions of sets if you don’t want to use the real thing, and right now...it seems like you’ve just walked into an old-timey city block. Where, you’re not sure. But it’s impressive. Similar tech to the OTC, you imagine. Although, there’s something odd in the distance as you look on...almost like it’s curved up... “Hello?!” you shout out. “Anyone back there? I’m looking for Leona- I’m here for my scripts!”

There’s a moment of silence before someone responds. “What?! Hold on!” A few more moments, and suddenly everything seems to fade away in fizzles of light. Whoever that was, they sounded cranky. “Geez...keep gettin’ interrupted, I swear…” the voice mumbles before the door to the back opens, and...you think that guy looks familiar. “Leona ain’t here. Gone off somewheres. But don’tchu worry about her, she’s a mess anyways. What’s yer name?”

Hmph. Friendly guy. “Miranda Styles.”

“Riiiight, you’re the new girl,” he dismisses. “Well, we were supposed to have your script ready, but it’s not. Me and Leona are busy trying to fix this hunk of junk right now,” he says, thumbing to the holographic floor. “So she doesn’t have it. You can come back in the morning and ask around. So, yeah.”

Hm. That seems odd. “Where’s Leona now, then?”

“Tch. Who knows, and who knows how long she’ll take. Unless she’s as massive a screwup as I think she is. Now, off with ya.” You can’t help but frown at that.

>...fine. You’ll just complain in the morning.
>Hold on, Nia said something different.
>What’s broken that you’re trying to fix?
>Maybe you should look for her…
>Other

>>4941210
>>Hold on, Nia said something different.
>Threaten to call Nia and report about the broken equipment
What a bunch of fuck-ups. Just get us the damn script already!

>>4941210
>>4941215
adding this
>mention that Nia said that Leona will be fired if she lost the script

>>4941210
>Hold on, Nia said something different.
Usually it's the manager who's this bad, not the other way around.

Now wait a tic...

Writing.

>>4941210
>>4941215
>>4941225
>>4941230
>>4941224
Something isn’t quite right here. “Hold on, Nia said something different.”

The man frowns. “What, you callin’ Platty a liar?” THAT’S his name. You’d ran into him earlier- quite literally. “Look, she always ends up runnin’ off to do this or that; can’t hardly stay in one place, and it’s the most annoyin’ as piss thing. If’n you talked to her earlier today then that don’t mean nothin’.”

“No, I just talked to her maybe a few minutes ago, and she said she was supposed to be in here,” you explain. “AND that she was warned about that script- she said she’d be fired if she lost it. I can’t imagine that wouldn’t include being here to give it to me.”

“Well, that’s Leona for ya,” he says blithely. “No professionalism, no nothin’. She’s just goin’ and doing one thing after another, don’t understand the word ‘consequences’. I told ‘er to get something a bit ago from Equipment Storage, and from what she told me, I betcha she’s not coming back until she’s good and ready, and by then I’ll have fixed this whole thing by myself.” If she is that unprofessional, you can understand this frustration, sure. “In the meantime, though, I seriously DO have to fix this before the morning’s shoot, so…Iunno. Go bug the Director- he might have a copy. Should be somewhere around the Admin Building.”

Ugh. You were just there. But it might be the best idea...or you could just get her yourself, if she’s still supposed to be in the Equipment Storage. This is annoying, to say the least...

>Ask where Equipment Storage is- you’ll give her a piece of your mind yourself.
>You’ll just go to the Director and complain to him. Let him handle it.
>Forget it- you’ll just let her call you back whenever she gets back.
>Hold on, you've got more questions.

>>4941367
>Ask where Equipment Storage is- you’ll give her a piece of your mind yourself.
Alright, if this Leona's been screwing up this often, something weird is going on with her involvement. I just hope it's stupid life stuff and not some sabotage bullshit.

>>4941367
>Ask where Equipment Storage is- you’ll give her a piece of your mind yourself.

>>4941367
>Ask where Equipment Storage is- you’ll give her a piece of your mind yourself.
I forgot, are we allowed to use our powers in the Intersection outside of the training facilities? And how strongly are they diminished? I remember Xia floating around earlier, so maybe we can use some of our tricks to find that girl.

Writing!

>>4941367
>>4941377
>>4941379
>>4941391
>>4941415
Damnit. This incompetence is just baffling. At this rate, the only way something is going to get done is if you do it yourself. “Look, just tell me where Equipment Storage is. I’ll just go yell at her myself.” Maybe even report her if the situation calls for it- if there’s one thing you can’t stand, it’s being incompetent- willfully or not. “Could probably bring her back here without too much trouble.” You might be dulled in terms of magic, but Leona didn’t look like that much of a physical sort.

Platty just snorts. “Yeah, g’luck with that. Really, though, you should just head home. This place is a madhouse at the best of times, and this ain’t the best of times. Early as it is, the X Twins are holding this whole production together with spit and wishes at this point.”

You raise an eyebrow. “The X Twins?”

“Yeah, Xia and Nia Xanis. You met ‘em, obviously. Xia’s got the Producer’s ear personally, and Nia’s not far behind. In fact, wanna know something funny? Word is they got more pull around the entertainment biz than just movies. Sports, Music, all that sorta stuff, too. All connected.

“Fascinating.” And by that you mean irrelevant. “So, where’s the Equipment Storage area?”

He sighs. “Fiiine. Walk past Stage 5, hang a right, go down the alley, then a left, and it’s the big building on your left. Easy peasy.”

“Thank you. I’ll let you get back to it, then.” And without a word further (aside from his grumbling as he turns away) you both leave to do your respective tasks.

The instructions are simple, and so’s getting to the storage facility- a large warehouse, clearly. It’s actually nearly as big as a studio itself- possibly bigger. Stepping in is easy enough, fortunately- the door’s unlocked. Reckless to you, but you’re not going to complain in this situation.

As expected, there’s a massive number of aisles, many with smaller props- tables, chairs, more esoteric things like cars and strange devices that likely don’t actually do anything but shine and make noise...you guess that the stages themselves handle the major stuff while any dressing is actual matter. It’s a pretty massive warehouse. Which is kind of annoying, because if Leona IS here, it’s gonna take some time to search. Well, no time like the present…

…

…about 10 minutes or so pass, and you’re getting annoyed. You’ve searched almost every nook and cranny, and if she’s not in this aisle, then you’re going to have to just presume she’s elsewhere. You swear, if this has just been a-

*thump* Whoa! Hm? You nearly trip over something rounding a corner, and...wait. Is this Leona? Yeah, looks like- and she’s sprawled out on the ground…bleeding. From the head.

(cont.)

>>4941469
Mercenary instincts jump to mind, and for a second or two you’re actually prepared to call her dead. THAT would be...well, frightening. A dead body here, in the Intersection would be...mind-boggling. It’d cause for a SERIOUS investigation...probably even a Tribunal visit. And fuck you but the Tribunal was more frightening than anything else you’d EVER heard of.

Blessedly, from what you can tell after a closer inspection, she’s out cold...but not dead. Though her breathing is light, and labored...shit, that’s still not good. And The Intersection dulls magics, so you can’t just use healing hands...shit, you’re going to need to call an ambulance. You’re honestly sweating a bit- you DO NOT want a Tribunal visit. You’ve never been, but you’ve heard horror stories- EVERYONE has. They mandate it.

Not one, not two, but TEN Deal-Makers, along with an audience of your peers. You were forced to spill your guts on everything you ever did even remotely negative, even slightly sullied laundry out there for all to know. And ‘forced’ is quite literal. The Deal-Makers aren’t omnipotent- if they were, they wouldn’t have this massive scheme for Motes to build up The Intersection- but they ARE extremely powerful and would melt your (and almost anyone else here) mind in seconds. The idea of that, to be franky? Terrifies you.

And all you can do is wait for now.

Will continue tomorrow! This is a bit of a long one, so I'd rather do the rest in the AM.

>>4941470
Damn it, I thought we're on a light-hearted side-plot episode. Conspiracies aren't easily brushed aside when they're happening right under your house instead of another plane.

Good thing Miranda's experienced in being mind-probed.

File: multiversal medical supplies.jpg (87 KB, 1570x384)

87 KB JPG

>>4941470
Do healing potions work inside the Intersection? And does Miranda have her bag of holding with her right now?
Tbh I'm a bit baffled no one in SES has a first aid kit (or if someone has it's not listed in their pastebins). It doesn't even have to be made up from the top-shelf stuff from MMS and we can buy them with HQ funds instead of our personal stash of motes. Also I'm a bit surprised the kids have never got any cuts or scratches during their training.
Do our girls even know how to provide first aid? The post doesn't mention Miranda even trying to stop the bleeding or calling anyone in the studio to assist. Are vehicle first aid kits not mandatory for drivers in the Intersection?

Speaking of top-shelf stuff, the Phoenix Wing pills might help with strain from abusing Endomagic/Channel Overcharge or speed up recovery from Seither crash-out.

File: file.png (850 KB, 800x800)

850 KB PNG

>>4941470
>>4941569
I think it's obvious that the main three know how to apply first aid. It's just that:
- Healing spells are more effective on the job.
- The occassions when a first aid kit is needed INSIDE the Intersection for them is extremely rare.

Also adding to this, I'm suprised meal prepping isn't more popular. We know that the bag can stop time for the items' inside it, so the thought of stuffing months worth of MREs and water into it before going to a wasteland world should come up more than once right?
That reminds me, we still have to invite the nerds in for a meal. That Grand Octo isn't going to cook itself.

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>>4941618
>Healing spells are more effective on the job.
Only Miranda and Izumi have healing spells and both of those require mana, time and concentration. Gauntlets sort of trivialized this problem but now we know that they also have their own limitations. My main concern is blood loss - the missions will be harder from now on, and we might find ourselves in a situation where we wouldn't be able properly heal our wounds. It wouldn't hurt to carry some bandages and gauzes - these should be cheap even in the Intersection or could be procured on a mission. Actually, we DID pick up some medical tools back at the Drogan fortress' dungeon lab, although I doubt they're sterile.

>The occassions when a first aid kit is needed INSIDE the Intersection for them is extremely rare.
Are traffic accidents not a thing in the Intersection? The main three have bikes but I don't remember any mentions of helmets or other protective gear.

>I'm suprised meal prepping isn't more popular.
Miranda does carry a canteen with water but it seems to be a regular one, no hyperspace magic. As for food - it's usually much cheaper to procure it on the mission and an the trio probably know how to cook in the wilderness without any utensils. But it sure would be nice to have some. We did buy some 'camping supplies' in the Almina's riverside town, but aside from a bedroll we can only guess what else is included. Flashpoint's 'Heavy Scouts' team that we met (and played as for half a thread) had their own portable grill, tents, alarm systems and other stuff, but it's expected since they're supposedly always get sent as a team.
But yeah, we should probably start preparing emergency food rations before the missions. It would be really silly if we ran out of snacks on a derelict space station or some other place with no sources of food.

>>4941469
While you know First Aid well enough- you don’t get much far in this business without it, you have to admit, you’ve relied on magic for a lot of your immediate health concerns vis-a-vie injury for quite some time. The Intersection’s pretty good about response time, fortunately, and the occasional injury you’ve suffered around home doesn’t tend to last too long, with good medical attention being paramount. Considering it looks like an upper body injury, you’d rather not try to mess with her too much...

There’s sirens within the next few minutes, and you can hear loud voices just after that. “Over here!” You yell, and it’s only moments before the paramedics find you- along with what seems to be the Director, and to your surprise, at least four other people- Mavara, Director Langil, and ...someone else, who you don’t recall meeting before. But he’s a lean, long headed fellow, with small, almost bestial overbite. Agrest, the Art Director is here as well. You stand by as you let the medics do their work; it shouldn’t take but a few minutes so long as the injury isn’t serious…

...which is why you worry when their brow furrows after running her through a quick scan and an application of medigel. “Hmm…” he looks up at the surrounding crowd. “We’ll have to take her in. It seems like she may have some deeper mental damage.”

“Wait, deeper?” Mavara says worriedly as the others carefully gather her up and begin moving her to a levitating transport. “Like, how deep?”

“She’s not responding to stimulus properly,” he explains quickly. “It’s not like a coma, more like she’s brain dead. Possible mental wipe.” Your heart skips a beat at that. It’s death, for all intents and purposes, to you. “But that’s just a cursory guess. We need to get her to a facility and perform a more thorough scan for a proper diagnosis.”

“Damnit,” Agrest grumbles. “She’d been doing well enough, and suddenly she gets scatterbrained, then all this happens. Was she coming down with something?”

“We’ll determine that after a better look at her,” the paramedic says quickly. “Now, if you’ll excuse us…”

With that, they quickly take their leave, silence reigning. Not sure what TO say in a situation like this.

“...just what-” Agrest starts, before a yell pierces the silence- and not a pained one, by your wager.

“I WAS GONE FOR LIKE, TWENTY MINUTES!” Nia roars as she swoops in. “WHAT IN ALL OF NULLSPACE IS GOING ON HERE?!”

(cont.)

>>4942311
"I found someone injured,” you say quickly. “Leona was out cold and bleeding when I tried to find her.”

“Why were you HERE in the first place?!” She asks. “You- nevermind. Look, a situation like this is going to cause ISSUES if it gets out. WHY did this happen?” Silence. “Seriously? NO one knows?”

“Might’ve just been an accident,” the new guy claims.

Mavara takes a look around. “Doesn’t look like anythin’ fell over, though…maybe she fell tryin’ to climb an’ get something?”

“Hmmm… she should’ve just used the lift, then, if it was so high up,” Agrest notes. “So this doesn’t make sense.”

“Of course none of you have any clue,” Nia mutters. “Fine. Then we’ll have to check the security cameras. Because forbid I don’t do everything around here…” muttering for a moment, she swoops off, and the silence returns.

A few minutes pass before finally, the new guy breaks the silence. “Soooo...I don’t recall you before, miss...?”

“Miranda Styles,” you introduce yourself. “I’m playing the revived Silva. And you are…?”

“Oh, I’m Rush,” he says, the ‘u’ a hard vowel. “I play Chase, the lead character. So I guess we’ll be working together a lot, huh?”

“Seems so,” you say. Might be good to-

“WHAT?!” Nia’s voice suddenly drowns out everything else. “THERE’S NO RECORDING! IT’S BLANKED!”

“Wait, what?!” Langil says in shock. “What do you mean, blanked?” he asks as she comes back, almost literally steaming red- and several other colors.

“I MEAN-” pausing, she takes a deep breath, trying to calm down. “...I checked the recording...and it was primed to stop, an hour ago. Manual override.”

A pause. “Why?” Langil asks. “This room’s never supposed to be off surveillance!”

“Damn good question,” Nia mutters. “I didn’t see any damage to the system. Just... a blank override, and no data telling who logged into the security controls.” She huffs. “This smells. I’m calling an investigator. If any of you try to leave, I break your legs.” And then she even glares at you. “You included, little miss Outgoer. I’ve tangled with more than one of your sort- here AND outside. Stay put.”

With that, she begins to head out, muttering to herself.

“...great,” the Director mutters. “As if we didn’t have ENOUGH issues…” No kidding. Now what to do? If anything, that is...delays would really mess up your schedule, but is this really your issue?

>Maybe you could investigate this yourself?
>Might as well talk to Rush a bit. Get to know the actors.
>Leave well enough alone for now. You’d rather not get too involved.
>Other

>>4942313
>Might as well talk to Rush a bit. Get to know the actors.
i know how producers are and it's for the best to let Nia do her stuff. specially since she was a galactic warlord in her past.

>>4942313
>Mention everything we know: she wasn't picking up the phone, that why we went to Nia, then we met Platty iside Stage 2 and he told us where Leona was supposed to be
>Might as well talk to Rush a bit. Get to know the actors.

>>4942313
>Mention everything we know: she wasn't picking up the phone, that why we went to Nia, then we met Platty iside Stage 2 and he told us where Leona was supposed to be
>Might as well talk to Rush a bit. Get to know the actors.
>"Soooo, does this mean the movie is being put on ice?"
I feel like investigating this stuff ourselves will put too much heat on us, enough to get slapped with a ticket to the tribunal. Miranda's not a detective, she's a (nurse) Watson who punches.

>>4942324 (back home)
we're gonna be involved in the investigation whether we want it or not, but we don't have to lead it.

>>4942345
>>4942313
We absolutely have to mention Platty since he was the last know person who saw Leona before we found her out cold.

>>4942313
>>4942330
Supportan'
>>4942345
This anon's right, we're going to the court room. We did discover her body after all.

>>4942324
Supporting

>>4942313
>>4942324
Just in case if I wasn't clear - tell this to Nia before she leaves.

>>4942313
>Other
Let Sal know what has happened as soon as we are able to. He needs to know that we were around the scene of a murder.

Hello all. Writing!

>>4942313
>>4942322
>>4942324
>>4942330
>>4942352
>>4942357
“Wait!” you call out, making sure Nia hears you before she gets too far away. “What does this mean for the movie?” You’re not horribly concerned, perse, but you’d at least like to know. “Is it being put on hold?”

She pauses at that, and then scoffs. “Ha! Unlikely. Not unless the Executive Producer’s feeling EXCEPTIONALLY generous. THAT’S why I’m going to get an investigator. NOW.”

“Well, then I’d imagine you’d want some information for him, right?” You ask her. Her continued silence tells you her answer. “I’d just gotten onto the set, and tried to call her about a half hour ago. She wasn’t picking up. Then I found you, then I talked to Platty, and he was who told me where she was, so-”

“Okay, okay, hold on a sec!” Nia half-yells as she turns around. “Look, I’ll keep that in mind, but even if I could use that information, I don’t have near as much authority for situations like this as you’d think. Calm down, I’m getting an investigator, that’s THAT.” With her say final, she swings around and heads out.

Well...at least you got that to her. As you approach the rest of them, muttering to each other, you find yourself curious. “So, Rush?” You could see that he seemed particularly distraught- his face was screwed up, and he looked a few moments away from hyperventilation. Might be a good idea to distract him...

“A- huh?” He shakes a bit, before he looks down at you in surprise. “Yeah? Sup?”

“You said you were the main character?” you ask.

“Yup,” he responds tersely, as he glances back where the body was. “Though, uh...not feeling so main characterish right now. Jeez...seeing her like that…” He pauses, likely remembering something.

“Did you know her?” you hazard.

He shrugs, trying to not show too much emotion, for whatever reason. “Oh, here and there. We, uh, we talked.”

Right… “So, you been in the business long?” NOW let’s try to distract him, huh?

“Oh, for a bit,” he says, his tone noticeably getting a bit lighter. “Wasn’t in the last Nightmare Run, but I got a good offer, so I figured why not?”

“Makes sense…” you admit. “I’m rather new to all of this. Any acting I need to do usually isn’t for entertainment.”

“Yeah, yeah, big Outgoer sort, right?” He says it with a tone of interest, at least, as opposed to snark. “Gotta imagine it’s probably weird doing all this play fighting and stuff. Really, I oughta be asking you for tips, though.”

“Tips?” you say curiously. “Aren’t you the experienced actor?”

(cont.)

>>4948288
“Yeah, but I ain’t really a fighter. Heck, I’m kinda noodley, honestly.” He raises one of his arms for emphasis. “Folks of my sort can’t really get a ton of muscle mass, to tell the truth. Part of the reason I took this role was ‘cause it was more gunplay and stuff, and not hard fighting. I’d crack a bone if I seriously tried to punch anyone!” he says with a self-effacing grin. “I mean…” He looks back at the crime location again, briefly. “Nevermind,” he shakes his head, grin gone. “Anywho, I just hope she’s alright. She doesn’t deserve this…”

“Right,” you agree. Not that you knew her, but…

“Hey, you two?” Suddenly, the director, along with Mavara and art director walk up. “We’re gonna stick around the building like Ms. Nia said, but we should likely steer clear of the area itself.” Langil sighs, looking around. “What a mess this is…” You could only agree.

There’s at least twenty or so more minutes of general chatter- mostly about potential script changes to account for the undoubtedly lost time. Leona was, apparently, originally vital to the old Nightmare Run movies. “She was quick. Efficient. A real model worker,” the Director claims. “But then, a bit before this movie got greenlit? She just...fell off a cliff.” He sighs. “Dunno what went on with her, but I was hoping she’d snap out of it. I guess now, though…” He shrugs helplessly. “I just hope the gal snaps out of...whatever THIS is.”

A few more minutes later, the door opens again; this time it’s Nia, along with someone who seems...very well dressed, is your first impression. You’re uncertain if they’re human or not- though they have sharp, black eyes and a square face, they look more like they’re ready for a business meeting or perhaps something like than a grizzled PI, with a sharp three-piece suit on. Maybe that’s intentional. Alongside them is what appears to be a catgirl- fairly standard, bipedal, somewhat furry, of a more red coloration. Large ears, too. What sticks out to you, though, is the kunoichi gear in matching colors. A ‘catsuit’ (ha ha), two tantos, and a large scarf that doubles as a facemask. She seems to have smiling eyes, strangely enough, though the man next to her has a serious frown on his face. “Then this is the location?” he asks bluntly.

“That it is,” Nia says. “Now, go do your job and find out what the heck is going on here.”

“Right. I’ll find out just what the truth here is…” he mutters to himself, before speaking aloud. “Ahem. I am Investigator Alired.”

“Aaand I’m his assistant, Emi!” the catgirl cheers. Awful perky for an investigator… “Pleased to meetcha all!”

(cont.)

>>4948290
“...And above all else, I am here to determine the truth sequence of events that led to one Ms. Leona Hartright’s injury. I’d like for all of you to remain in the vicinity for a while, please. I’d like to question you after I get an understanding of the crime scene...”

Nia suddenly interrupts. “We’re already behind task- that’s why most of us are here tonight. NONE of them are leaving any time soon.” The glare she sends around tells of the consequences.

“Understood. I suppose if it’s necessary, you can go about your business should it be nearby. But I WILL be around to ask questions. Now, Ms. Nia?” She grunts, nods, and shows them past you all, Emi looking rather interested, for whatever reason.

There’s a moment of awkward silence, before Langil coughs. “Well, then...what are you all gonna do?”

> “I’m gonna hang around. I should make sure to answer any questions he has.”
> “I still need my script. Do you have it, Director?”
> “Are we really getting let loose here? I thought we were suspect.”
> Other

>>4948292
> “I’m gonna hang around. I should make sure to answer any questions he has.”
> “I still need my script. Do you have it, Director?”
> Other
Analyze the crime scene with the investigator. Give him some of our Outgoer's insight.

This shouldn't be our first play with this kinda thing. Hell, I bet Miranda's set the stage herself a lot of times.

>>4948292
>Mention that Platty is still missing - he was the last one who saw her, yet he wasn't brought for questioning
> “I still need my script. Do you have it, Director?”

>>4948292
>>4948300
>Share numbers with the actors and directors
We don't know our way around and there are no assistants, so at least we'd have some way to find each other. Especially if there's some sort of emergency. And it'd be still useful later when filming resumes.
I think it'd be better to stay around others to keep them safe instead of distracting the investigators. They're probably letting us walk around to get a feel of our behavior. Which is why I'm very concerned why Platty wasn't brought here.

>>4948292
>>4948299
>>4948300
These. And yeah the numbers too.

Writing! I'll do my best to start earlier tomorrow since I wasn't so great at it today...

>>4948292
>>4948299
>>4948300
>>4948319
“I’m gonna hang around. I should make sure to answer any questions he has.” It’s not the first time you’ve dealt with suspicious circumstances- far from it, and generally getting witnesses to talk was the first thing to be done. Far be it from you to make their job just that much harder. Although, considering it looks like neither the Directors or the actors will be staying…best to get something out of the way sooner than later. “Director Langil? I still need my script. Do you have it?”

He frowns. “No, I’m afraid not. At least, not with me. I can head back to the temp administrative building and pick it up...I’ll be back with it as soon as I can, however.”

That’ll have to do. “Alright. I wanted to talk to the investigator anyway...Platty’s still missing, and he was the last one who saw her. And he’s still not here.” It’s a major oversight in your opinion, and you’d rather get that out of the way ASAP. “So I want to see if I can’t help speed things along, regarding this whole debacle.”

“You sure you don’t wanna-” he stops himself before he finishes. “Nevermind, Outgoer. Right, probably in your blood at this point. Alright, just come by when you’re done with things.”

“Sure. Oh- before that, can I get your number? All of you, for that matter?” There’s a few shrugs, but everyone trades contact numbers before long as Alired and Emi both do whatever it is they’re doing. You can see them head into the security room as you’re busy trading numbers and discussing possible further issues with the production briefly- none of your major concern, aside from the fact that there might be some pipeline issues for scripts, objects, and other things. Very annoying, and likely a delay, but it shouldn’t be too major...well, that’s the hope, anyway.

A few minutes later, Alired comes out, Emi behind him possibly deep in thought. Nia seems like she’s stayed behind for whatever reason. Maybe looking over other stuff? Regardless, the two seem to be talking to each other. “...nothing on the film as she said. There’s merely a gap- however, something about it yet doesn’t sit well with me.”

“Ya mean how it’s just blanked out before coming back on? Seems like mechanical failure to me.” Emi responds as you walk up.

“That’s the problem…” he admits, before cutting himself off as he spots you. “Ah. Just who I’d wanted to talk to.”

(cont.)

>>4948468
“That so?” This guy’s eyes are direct, and almost a little accusatory. Probably expected in his line of work. “Miranda Styles. Outgoer,” you say, meeting his eyes evenly. No flinch, no fear, no surprise from him.

“As stated, I am Alired Hemsly. Authorized Investigator, and I’m taking on this case,” he reintroduces. “Do you mind if we have a moment?”

You nod. “Go ahead.”

“Might I ask just what is it that you do, perse?” he queries. “What IS an Outgoer?”

You blink in surprise. That seems an...obvious question. “You...don’t know what an Outgoer does?”

“Humor me,” he inquires evenly. Hm. Well, then…

“Well, as an Outgoer, normally I take on jobs to various worlds and dimensions. For the purposes of getting more Motes to grow this place, y’know?” you explain.

“I see…” he hums. “Then, might I ask what you’re doing on a movie set? This hardly seems like a normal job call for one in your profession.”

True, but this seems like he’s barking up the wrong tree.

> “It’s a side gig. I’m taking some time off of major jobs right now.” True, and you’d rather not bring Sal into this.
> This is already annoying. Might as well point him elsewhere. “Are you thinking I’m a suspect? Because I'm not.”
> You can probably level with him- mostly. “It’s not the first time. It’s something my boss drummed up.”
> Other

>>4948469
> You can probably level with him- mostly. “It’s not the first time. It’s something my boss drummed up.”
> Other
Tell him about Lorelei.
Pretty sure her lie detection still works in the Intersection, and if we're lucky we can end this case earlier than expected.

Sal'll hear from this sooner or later, so might as well bring him in now.

>>4948469
>> You can probably level with him- mostly. “It’s not the first time. It’s something my boss drummed up.”
I'm not sure that bringing up Lori is a good idea. We're a suspect, he has no reason to trust us or her. Both him and Nia treat us with more caution because of our occupation, they'll probably will be looking into our bosses' businesses as well. We might end up leading his investigation in the wrong direction if we start bringing up more elements that have nothing to do with what happened here. He should be focusing on other people, not us.
Also Lori has an interview tomorrow, this might mess things up.

>>4948507
Eh, bringing it up to him can't hurt. We want this concluded quick so we can get back to acting and fighting in peace, for that we want to use all of the tools at our disposal. Besides Lorelei'll get involved eventually. I don't think we're misleading him while we're just offering assistance.

>>4948534
This interview is extremely important for Lorelei. More than this contract is for Miranda imo (we're here just for motes and clout). There've been heavy hints from the start of the quest that she's really interested in showbiz. We've already rattled her earlier today, and now you're suggesting we get her involved right now late in the 'evening'. If the investigation will go on for several days - sure, let's mention Lori. But only AFTER we've learned the result of her interview.

>>4948546
Still think we should get her in the know early.
Lori will be questioned eventually due to our connection, and if the investigators find out that we knew she can detect lies but didn't tell them, they'll give us both full attention. You said that he should be focusing on others but not us right? That will impede Lorelei's acting progress too.

>>4948552
And we can just ask him to see her after the interview. Then she won't be too rattled to pass it.

>>4948556
The Intersection is full of extraordinary people - I'm sure that if he's making a living as an investigator of all things then he has some skills, tools or abilities that would allow him to catch onto lies and other tricks up his sleeve. He and his assistant should be better equipped to handle incidents like this than us. He's the main actor right now, let him do his thing. He's yet to question everyone and examine the scene. We can mention Lori's ability later.
>>4948469
>>4948507
>Mention that the studio made the offer, we're on the set because they wanted us here
Can Lori even use her lie detecting trick inside the Intersection?

>>4948469
>Mention that the studio made the offer, we're on the set because they wanted us here
>mention Lori
>>4948584 is right this guys not a nornal civ. But I ain't risking it and I want to get into their good graces early

>>4948469
>> You can probably level with him- mostly. “It’s not the first time. It’s something my boss drummed up.”
>>4948507
>>4948546
Agreed, I see no reason to bring up Lorelei pointlessly this early when she's busy with her own stuff at the moment.
>don't mention Lori

I'm here to post, although it seems like we have a tie:

>>4948476
>>4948625
Mention Lori

>>4948507
>>4948848
Don't.

Those two are kinda mutually incompatible. So I'll wait for an hour, get something to eat, and if it's still tied, I'll roll for it.

>>4948469
> You can probably level with him- mostly. “It’s not the first time. It’s something my boss drummed up.”
Put me down for mentioning Lorelei.

>>4948469
>>4948476
>>4948507
>>4948848
>>4949014

You affect a sigh. “Yeah, normally not. But, can’t really help it, in this case. I was asked to.”

“Oh?” He seems curious about that. “You were requested?”

“In a way,” you elaborate. “See, this isn’t my first time. I ended up taking a request to show up on set for the last film- Nightmare Run 3? My company got wind of it; they needed basically a replacement and stunt double at the last minute. I was free at the time, so I took the job.”

“I see,” he hums again. “I suppose your performance was fairly good, then? I’m afraid I’m not much for such movies…”

“I’d never gotten around to seeing it,” Emi admits shamelessly. “I’m not much of a car gal.”

“Eh, fair enough. I’d never heard of it before I did this, either. But, point is: my boss posted the job. I saw it, accepted, so they called me in. Did well enough apparently to get a call back. This time as a more major role player.” You sigh. “So, here I am. I might not like it, but I’m a professional, so...”

“Hmmm…” Alired seems to take a moment to mull on this. “So, this was on your company’s behalf?”

A shrug. That was more or less accurate, really. Shouldn’t be any harm in mentioning it. “Pretty much. He’d been wanting to get some clout with some other local companies. We’re a small outfit, y’know? Never pays nearly as much as proper work, but Sal’s adamant the PR is worth it.”

“Wait, so you’re just in this as a kinda publicity stunt?” Emi asks, surprised. “Like a guest spot?”

“More like a cross-promotional role,” Alired corrects. “Hm...I can’t imagine that were this to go to Tribunal, it would make for a good PR moment for you…” he mutters. You can’t help but think similarly. “Ms. Nia informed me that you claimed to be in the building, earlier than the others.”

“Ah, yeah, I was the first on the scene. Also the one who called the paramedics,” you explain. You were also likely the chief suspect, if you were being honest. “If you’re worried about me being dishonest, I can bring in one of my workmates- her name’s Lorelei, and she can see the difference between truth and lies, so-”

“Interesting," he says, giving you a curious eye. "However, I can do that plenty well myself,” he affirms easily, with a small smile playing at his lips. “Else I wouldn’t be a very good investigator, no?” Well...drat. “Now then, I would like your testimony about how you found yourself in the situation.”

(cont.)

>>4949112
“Right, well…” you take a deep breath as you try to recall everything. “I first came in here because I needed to get my script. I was told it was with Leona, and she’d called me earlier to let me know it was done. I came to the lot, and I ran into Ms. Nia. She told me that Leona was with Platty, so I went there first.” This is when the suspect part comes into play, and you have to hold off frowning more than you already are. “...then, Platty told me she was here, so I came here to look for her. I ended up stumbling across her body. Obviously not normal, so I called the paramedics and waited, while making sure she was still alive.”

“Right…” he takes a few moments to absorb all that in, as does Emi, though she looks like she’s only half paying attention, instead looking around the building. “May I ask you a few questions about what you’ve just said?”

You suppose you should’ve expected this, although it’s a bit surprising. Really, the look in his eyes almost makes you feel like you’re under enemy fire. You almost want to shield yourself. “Alright, though I don’t think I had any holes in there. Fire away.”

“Hm. Then, about your contact with Leona...when was it?” he leads off.

“Several hours ago. I’d say it was around...4?” That sounds about right. “Yeah, 4. She asked me to meet around 8.”

“Hmm…” you notice Emi looks at him oddly. “That narrows down the time a bit…”

“I just know it was later than I expected,” you admit. When I got done with chores for the day…”

“You came down to the lot, and ran into Ms. Nia,” he recites. “She informed you Leona was with Platty, and so you went there first. That was at eight, correct?”

You nod. “I try to be punctual. Eight on the button, pretty much.”

“And so you spent little time talking to Ms. Nia, correct? Just to affirm Leona’s whereabouts?” he presses.

“Right. She seemed in a hurry to leave,” you admit. “So I didn’t want to keep her. Not very professional if I did THAT...”

“Indeed.” Alired says simply, absorbing the information.

“The place was dead quiet when I got here, so I figured anyone who WAS here had a good reason. Like Platty.”

Alired raises an eyebrow. “Oh? He was busy, then?”

“Yeah. Fixing something with the holographic emitters or something. Rude guy, but he pointed me in this direction, although I have to say, I think HE was acting really suspicious, considering he never came here or anything.”

“We’ll get around to that later,” Alired says calmly. “So, you came upon Leona? Stumbled upon her, I believe was the phrasing?”

“Yeah, near literal,” you admit. “It wasn’t the brightest in here, so I didn’t see her until I was on top of her.”

“Indeed...” he admits as he looks around. “Thank you, Ms. Styles. That was quite useful.”

> Leave him alone for now. No need to press the issue on your own opinions.
> You still think Platty’s at the least suspicious! Why not steer him in that direction?
> Ask him who he thinks might be suspect. And will this go to Tribunal?
> Other

>>4949116
> Leave him alone for now. No need to press the issue on your own opinions.
> Other
Ask him if he has gotten involved with the Tribunal before.

So he HAS some sort of lie detection. Good to know, and I'm going to assume the catgirl's muscle.

>>4949116
>>4949134
This one. He has this covered.

>>4949116
>> Leave him alone for now. No need to press the issue on your own opinions.

>>4949116
> Give him your number in case he needs to interview us again, in case this gets deeper, IE starts going into Intersection Shakeup stuff.
> Leave him alone for now. No need to press the issue on your own opinions.

>>4949158
Think everyone traded numbers judging from this post>>4948468

>>4949116
> Give him your number in case he needs to interview us again, in case this gets deeper, IE starts going into Intersection Shakeup stuff.
>Other
Mention the things we've heard about Leona:

>>4948290
Director's opinion
>“She was quick. Efficient. A real model worker,”
>>4941367
Platty's comment
>“Well, that’s Leona for ya,” he says blithely. “No professionalism, no nothin’. She’s just goin’ and doing one thing after another, don’t understand the word ‘consequences’.

>>4949116
>>4949166
Oh yeah this looks crucial too. Put me down on mentioning these, the Director and Platty have near conflicting opinions on her. Unusual unless he's a new hire for this movie.

Writing!

>>4949116
>>4949166
>also mention how some people noted a change in her work efficiency and that Nia even threatened to fire her if she doesn't have the script earlier this evening
damn I hope I'm not too late

>>4949116
>>4949134
>>4949151
>>4949152
>>4949158
>>4949166
Well, you’re not going to press him on your opinions. Just because you think he’s the culprit doesn’t actually mean Platty’s the culprit. It’s best if the guy whose job it is to puzzle this stuff out does it, you suppose. “No problem. Although the way you’re talking...have you been involved with the Tribunal before?”

To your surprise, he grins. “Madam, just who do you think the ‘authorization’ in ‘Authorized Investigator’ comes from? It will be from my recommendation that the Tribunal is called upon- and it will only be called upon if I cannot determine the true sequence of events here and now.” Oh. In short, this guy is MAJOR.

“Yup!” Emi unknowingly confirms. “We’re kinda a big deal when it comes to stuff like this...I mean, so long as they agree…which they might or might not...” she trails off at the end. Good to know they aren’t universally listened to, at least. Still, no wonder he doesn’t seem to flinch at anything. If he can point at a problem and go ‘this needs a Tribunal’, there isn’t a soul in the Intersection that would want to cross him.

Yourself included. And here you’d thought he was just a PI… “So, in that case...could I get your contact number? Just in case we need to speak again?”

“Hm. That’s rather appreciated. I do suspect that we will be speaking to you again in the near future. Here, then. My card.” He quickly passes you a card, which simply reads ‘Alired and Emi - Authorized Investigators’ and a number. “However, I ask that you do not contact me frivolously.”

“Right, of course. And as for my number…” your contact details are given, and with that, he bows, as does Emi, and they both leave for now. It’s only after they leave that you figure it might’ve been an idea to mention what Platty and the Director both said about Leona...but, if he’s half as good as he claims to be, he’ll likely figure it out himself, or be told in due time.

With being the last out of the Equipment Storage warehouse, you still have other things to worry about. You’re not allowed off the premises yet, either, so...well, you still need your script- though the director was supposed to be here by now. Still, you know where he is- the admin building. Could just go and meet him…

>Wait here for the Director. Probably best.
>Go and meet him in the admin building.
>Other

>>4949279
>Go and meet him in the admin building.
oh well, guess the mention of ominous 'consequences' Platty was talking about wasn't crucial

>>4949279
>Go and meet him in the admin building.
So Nia has enough connections to call in a bigshot like this. Good to know.

Let's get that script and rest.

>>4949279
>Go and meet him in the admin building.

>>4949279
>>4949294
>>4949297
>>4949305


Probably better to just go to him. Worst comes to worst, you’ll meet him on the way, you suppose.

The walk isn’t short, but you notice that there still seems to be lights on as you pass Stage 2. You hope Platty’s being questioned sooner than later. Everyone else...well, you can gather Ms. Nia was still in the booth when you left, liking pouring over anything she can for any clues. The Directors are likely in the admin building. The actors...probably in the Stage? Well, if they’re out of the area of investigation, then it’s not your problem, is it?

You end up in the admin building with little fanfare...now, you just need to find the Director. Might’ve just been held up...shame you don’t recall where the Director’s office was- you’re not even sure you passed it earlier. Well. At this rate, might as well just start looking…
"Ms. Styles?" Oh, well then. You turn to see Agrest looking at you. "Looking for the Director, I take it?"

You nod. "Figured he was taking a while to get my script."

Agrest sighs. "Yeah- that...I guess that makes sense. He got a call from Xia earlier. Before I left, he was still on the phone with her." He grimaces. "She ain't happy. At all."

You can't say you're surprised. "How much longer do you figure it'll take?"

"Not sure," is the response. "She gets like this, she can go on for a while. But if you just go up there and knock you'll probably at least get a response."

"Good to know." Might as well give it a shot…

After a quick and helpful set of directions, you’re off to the Director’s office. It’s not much longer before you find it- and you can already hear the Director trying to placate the angry Line Producer. “-finds out whatever happened, it’ll all be on schedule, I promise. We’ll work late shoots if we have to, but you don’t have to worry about anything- this’ll just be a minor hiccup. I know you still have designs on- yes. How IS that coming for you?”

(cont.)

>>4949520
...you can’t hear the response, but a knock on the door seems to silence him for a moment. “I- look, this is probably Styles. Yes. Yes, she’s here. Yes, I- it’s fine! Your sister- ah!” That was a yelp. “No no, it’s fine! It’ll be fine. Watch, you’ll get here tomorrow, nothing out of the ordinary!” Another pause. “Okay? Okay, great. Bye!” A moment before he opens the door, all nervous smiles. “Sorry about that. Upper business talk, you know how it is. Right then, script! Got it right here, come in!”

You walk into his office; it’s rather simplistic, although it does have a nice burgundy carpet and a decent sofa. “Sorry about the delay, I’ve been on the phone and- well mostly that, but a couple other things. An issue like this is no small matter,” he insists. “Nia’s gonna be in a bad mood for a while,” he hazards. “Nothing compared to her big sister, though. Woof. Anywho...” With that, he reaches under his desk, and finally pulls out a wreath of what looks like traditional paper. “We still do some things a bit old school around here. One of the only places that CAN, really.” He seems proud of that. “At any rate, since you can’t really leave the area, my suggestion is you get to know your trailer for a bit. Since I have your number, I’ll call when we get the all clear or if someone needs you.”

> ”Guess I’ll do that, then.” Might as well.
> ”Impressive.” But you’re going to stick around to see this through.
> Other

>Roll 1d20, best of three regardless.

>>4949521
> ”Impressive.” But you’re going to stick around to see this through.
I’m beginning to think that this might have something to do with the recent shakeup in the Intersection. Maybe if we help with the investigation, we might get some more of that “Clout” Mab said we’d need for the Grand Pavilion.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4949533
>of course I forgot to roll

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4949521
> ”Impressive.” But you’re going to stick around to see this through.
Ewww trailer beds.
Also rolling.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4949521
>> ”Impressive.” But you’re going to stick around to see this through.

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>4949521
> ”Impressive.” But you’re going to stick around to see this through.
>>4949533
What time did she start to get incompetent again? And I forgot when we started investigating the shakeup.

>>4949540
>>4949537
>>4949536
>15
>15
>15
uhhhh

>>4949521
Methinks we can lock this one. >>4949544
Rare event incoming?

>>4949543
>What time did she start to get incompetent again?
>>4948290
>“She was quick. Efficient. A real model worker,” the Director claims. “But then, a bit before this movie got greenlit? She just...fell off a cliff.”

>And I forgot when we started investigating the shakeup.
In thread #89, when Cylica got fired from Crystalock. We got our first clue right after the hiatus, before the last mission.

>>4949557
Also the note with the list of small-time Outgoer teams that Delilah found was made of paper when most folks in the Intersection use data pads.
>>4949521
>With that, he reaches under his desk, and finally pulls out a wreath of what looks like traditional paper. “We still do some things a bit old school around here. One of the only places that CAN, really.” He seems proud of that.

>>4949536
>>4949537
>>4949540
Nice

>>4949561
actually, this gives me an idea
>>4949521
>>4949540
>ask why are they still using paper and who else even does this

>>4949521
>>4949705
+

>>4949521
Good catch.>>4949705

>>4949521
>>4949533
>>4949536
>>4949537
>>4949540
>>4949543
>>4949543

”Impressive,” you admit. Paper is at a premium in The Intersection- the fact that they can afford it is...something else. “But I think I’m going to stick around to see this through.”

“See what through?” he asks curiously.

You shrug. “This whole investigation. It’s a concern, isn’t it?” At least, it certainly SEEMED like it was a concern.

“Ooooh yeah,” he agrees. “The BIGGEST. We still haven’t gotten a report back from the medical- or at least if we have, I haven’t been told about it. It’s not even that she had any major duties- it’s the issue of the image of security around the set. This’ll be terrible for production if it goes much further!” Right, that makes sense. “We’ve got a fair bit of cash for this, but if the studio is held up with repayments...or worse off, a TRIBUNAL gets called because of something that happened here?” He shivers. “We’d be smoked! It’s no wonder Ms. Nia is up in arms. I can’t imagine how badly Ms. Xia is thinking of the situation...heads might roll over this. No, no, heads are GOING to roll over this...”

Ouch. That’d suck. “You can’t bounce back from this?”

“Oh, no, we’ll be able to jump back financially, at least…the studio’s kinda loaded,” he admits. “Why they stick to this action shlock, I don’t know.”

Well, you never paid attention to their specific output… “Not a fan?”

“Eh, it pays the bills,” he shrugs. “But I’ve always wanted to do something a bit more...profound, I guess? But that’s a whole thing you don’t need to worry about.” Hm. Well, if he says so…although, wait…

“I’d guess this place is rolling in it, considering you can afford natural paper. Why even do that?” you ask.

He shrugs. “From what I was told? A combo of ‘authenticity’, whatever that means, and security. The sheer fact that natural paper’s hard to come by means that only certain people can get to it- if something gets leaked, it’s easier to trace than over digital transmission. Gets out to less people, too, and way easier to dispose of.”

You guess that made sense...somewhat. The idea of simply taking a picture is always an issue, but maybe that’s what he means. “I see…”

He nods, grinning. “Yeah. Honestly, wasn’t always like that. But once the X Sisters stepped in, they managed to clean things up with productions, I’m told. Had a bunch of talks with the Execs, did some restructuring here, some snipping there. Dunno what all they told the big guy, but it worked out, and of course the Nightmare Run series took off, so! We were able to grow and splurge here and there! They even got us the whole paper thing.”

>Huh. That sounds...curious. Maybe you should ask more.
>Well, good for them. In the meantime, you should head elsewhere.
>Other

>>4956177
>Huh. That sounds...curious. Maybe you should ask more.

>>4956177
>Huh. That sounds...curious. Maybe you should ask more.

>>4956177
>Huh. That sounds...curious. Maybe you should ask more.
Paper being premium is NOT what I'm expecting.

>>4956177
>>Huh. That sounds...curious. Maybe you should ask more.
There was an off-hand mention about the X sisters being involved in multiple arenas of entertainment, sports being one of them. Now we're being told they seem to be experts at "restructuring" based on how they approached productions. Wonder if they (and/or people they align with) are involved in the cuts being made at various agencies, and if the invites for the movie and the derby were an indirect way of keeping tabs on us.

>>4956177
>>4956233
>>4956310
>>4956530
>>4957032

You have to admit, something about that pings the back of your head. It sounds...particularly curious. “Hold on there,” you interrupt, as he starts to lean under the desk to do something else.

At that, he looks at you oddly. “Yeah? What else is it? I kinda wanna get done so I can get some sleep…”

Right, of course. Meaning, you’re going to have to keep your questions likely somewhat basic, and to a minimum. The question, though, is what to ask him? There’s a number of aspects you could probably bring to attention, if you really cared to- or not.

>What did you want to ask him?

>>4957337
> Ask if he knows some of the X Sisters' previous works/connections before getting involved with the studio.
They can call in major investigators at will. This will give us a at-glance scope of their influence.

>>4957337
>>4957355
I'll back this, with an add-in of
>Why did "the big guy" bring in the sisters? Or did they just waltz in unbidden?
as a follow-up to the story.

I'm wondering if we should attempt to bring him into the investigation circle on the basis that he wants to do something more "profound". Cracking an outgoer conspiracy and turning it into a later film would certainly qualify. But it seems overly risky.

Maybe at the very end, we can toss in
>What do you mean, "profound"?
with an off-hand comment about being able to work with him on that if he's really interested. It ought to have some weight given our position as an outgoer, we work in very different circles from him normally.

>>4957337
I got nothing boss, so I'm backing>>4957355>>4957400

>>4957337
We shouldn't ask too many questions. Keeping it to a minimum >>4957355

>>4957440
Mab warned us not to dive too deep. I should've pointed this out yesterday.

Well enough. Writing!

>>4957337
>>4957355
>>4957400
>>4957414
>>4957440
“Well, I was just curious,” you say carefully. “What all HAVE they done before they got here? I mean, they seem like big deals…”

“Tch. Ain’t that the story?” he says, an expression of mild annoyance frustrating him. “Listen, fact is? Not too many folks know just what’s up with ‘em as a whole.” Really? “Like, there’s a few things folks have seen an’ heard, but most of the time if they ain’t workin’, they keep to themselves. I know at least Nia has connections...somewhere else. A couple places.” He snorts. “Damnit, I knew at one point. It’ll come back to me. But anyway, we know her and her sister actually came here by choice. Like, choice choice. They ain’t sayin’ WHY, but they’ll let that much go if you ask ‘em. I’m pretty sure Xia does, too- some lab stuff. I forget what, I think she’s got something with the hunter sorta Outgoers on the side. That’s a rumor, though, don’t quote me on that.” It’s then that he brightens up a bit, however. “Oh! I DO know that before this Nia was in the stage play business for a good spell. And before that they BOTH did work with the Pavilion. Never figured out what, though.”

“Well, most people work in the Pavilion at some point or another,” you note.

But to your surprise, he shakes his head. “Nah, nah, not in, with. They had a thing going on there. Some kinda major high end shop, I never cared. But sometimes if Nia gets pissed off enough she’ll let slip a line about how it was easier ‘under the damn tent’, or how she’s dealt with ‘clients that’d swallow you’ if it’s a pissy actor.” He grins at the memories. “Funny stuff! When it’s not aimed at you, I mean.”

“Oh. So why’d he bring them in? It doesn’t seem like they had much of a background, aside from maybe Nia,” you point out. “I don’t get how Nia’d be able to call in someone like that in a snap…”

He shrugs. “Who knows! Maybe he just liked their smarts. But as far as I’m aware, they applied for the jobs, they got ‘em pretty much on the spot. Aside from the occasional anger issue, they’ve been doin’ good work, sooo...can’t complain!”

“Aside from not letting you do anything ‘profound’”, you point out.

He chuckles a bit at that. “Yeaaaah, but, what can ya do, y’know? Kinda gotta just take your lumps and keep on rollin’. I figure I’ll get my shot someday. Now, if ya don’t mind?”

(cont.)

>>4957544
You huff lightly, turning to leave. It was interesting, you suppose. “Right, then. I’ll-”

“ROLLER DERBY!” he suddenly shouts, and THAT freezes you. “THAT’S what it was! She knows one o’ the bigwigs in that biz- think they came from the same place. That’s just me guessing, though. But I know she knows someone because at the wrap party for 3 she said something about getting tickets but no one bit.”

“Oh. That’s...nice,” you say, unsure of how to take that. However, before you can say anything else- the door opens. To your surprise, you see none other than Alired once again, with Emi right behind him. “Ah. Mrs. Styles. Apologies if I’ve interrupted a meeting. I simply need to discuss a few things with the Director here.”

Huh. “...right, then. Sorry about getting in your way.” you say as you slip past them. “I’ll be off.” The door closes behind you as you hear the muffled voiced- the room isn’t soundproofed, but it DOES seem to be muffled.

>Of course you’re try to eavesdrop anyway. This might have information about your OWN investigation. Of course, if you’re caught, that...wouldn’t be great.
>Time to head somewhere else. You’ve got your script...so maybe the stage? Platty might still be there, who knows.
>Maybe it’s time to try and catch back up to Nia. You’d hope to ask her a question or two yourself, really…
>Other

>>4957546
>>Of course you’re try to eavesdrop anyway. This might have information about your OWN investigation. Of course, if you’re caught, that...wouldn’t be great.
I can't think of many questions for Nia that wouldn't make her suspicious, and Studying the script seems like wasted effort right now. And if we do get caught, we can always admit we were eavesdropping since we're curious how they do things. They have an interesting job, after all.

>>4957546
>>Time to head somewhere else. You’ve got your script...so maybe the stage? Platty might still be there, who knows.
Eavesdropping is extremely suspicious and not only investigators but the director would also take note of that. Also they could've been eavesdropping on our chat with Langil. Better to keep a low profile.

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>>4957546
>>Of course you’re try to eavesdrop anyway. This might have information about your OWN investigation. Of course, if you’re caught, that...wouldn’t be great.
Normally I don't want to test Miranda's stealth skill agaisnt a seasoned investigator buuuuuut.

She can enhance her herring, so let's do that. Even if it's less powerful it's still a boost.

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82 KB JPG

>>4957562
>the director would also take note of that
While he might not be involved with those responsible for this mess he's very chatty and might spill what we were doing. Also our stealth skills are shit.

>>4957546
>Time to head somewhere else. You’ve got your script...so maybe the stage? Platty might still be there, who knows.
No eavesdropping. That's a really bad look for a situation like this.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4957546
I'm fine with either options so
1-sneakan and thieving
2-practice acting somewhere else

>>4957593
Welp just remember to turn on our hearing boost

This is so bad. You think these investigators who can cast lie detecting and sound muffling abilities inside the Intersection don't have a way to notice someone eavesdropping?

I'll be resuming running tomorrow at about 2 PST.

>>4957546
Ya know what, no reasons to risk anything rn so let's go with a random encounter. At least there won't be any bad outcomes (I think)
Changing>>4957593 to
>Time to head somewhere else. You’ve got your script...so maybe the stage? Platty might still be there, who knows.

>>4957546
>>Time to head somewhere else. You’ve got your script...so maybe the stage? Platty might still be there, who knows.
We already got a good amount of info, let’s not be so suspicious

>>4957546
>Time to head somewhere else. You’ve got your script...so maybe the stage? Platty might still be there, who knows.

Writing!

>>4957546
>>4957562
>>4957583
>>4957627
>>4957701
>>4957946

While you’re sorely tempted to attempt to eavesdrop, you have no idea how good their senses are, and if you were found out? Likely would get more than a few questions, if not punishment outright. Best to just leave it be for now. In the meantime, you can head elsewhere.

And by elsewhere, you mean the stage. It’s probably not really feasible to try and do any recital or study at the moment, but with the restrictions still in place, you don’t really have much else to do at the moment. Hopefully, things’ll be resolved sooner. The trip over isn’t much interesting, fortunately...until you get up to the door, and nearly stumble into someone leaving- kinda quickly, at that. A quick glance upwards shows it’s Mavara again, who looks...almost agitated. “Agh, sorry, sorry. Just...one side, huh?”

You’re about to ask what’s going on, before he moves out of your way and continues on his own. Peering inside, you can see that the place has been transmuted into what looks like a park; on the bench is Rush, who’s...crying? Yes. Softly, but he’s clearly looking despondent. You give a look around- you’re not sure if he’s practicing, or if it’s sincere. You can’t see anyone else nearby, though you wouldn’t know if anyone was in the back right now anyway. There’s no major lights or anything…

>Try to swing around and towards the back. If Platty’s here, you want to talk to him…
>Might as well see if something’s off. If not, you’ll just apologize.
>Best not to interject yourself if he’s really emotional. Might want to try to catch up to Mavara after all.
>Other

>>4958412
>Might as well see if something’s off. If not, you’ll just apologize.

>>4958412
>Might as well see if something’s off. If not, you’ll just apologize.
Looks like he got hit hard by the lion girl's absence.

>>4958412
>>Might as well see if something’s off. If not, you’ll just apologize.
"One side" as in "one side of a story"?

May as well hear what's going on if we don't think we'll be able to get much practicing in.

>>4958412
>Might as well see if something’s off. If not, you’ll just apologize.

>>4958412
>>Might as well see if something’s off. If not, you’ll just apologize.

>>4958412
>>4958413
>>4958416
>>4958417
>>4958417
>>4958418
>>4958451

Hmm...well, while it’s really none of your business, you have to admit you’re curious. Concerned? Not sure. But you do have an urge to see what’s going on, although you draw the line at trying to comfort him. You wouldn’t know the first thing about comforting a grown man like that. But still…

“...Hey?” With a slow realization, he turns to you. “...you okay?” You’re not sure what he was expecting, or otherwise what to say, either. You realize that it was a stupid question as soon as it comes out. “Well, I guess I should say ‘do you want someone to talk to?’”

His eyes seem...distant. For a moment, you’re genuinely curious as to just what caused this- he’s in serious pain. Although, thinking about it, it doesn’t take a lot to guess. Before you can bring it up, however… “Y’know what’s worse than losing someone you care about?” You stay silent- it’s got to be a rhetorical question. “Having to watch them suffer.”

“...so Leona?” you hazard.

“We...well, we used to date,” he admits. “It wasn’t for TOO long...we broke up later, but...well, I. I was hoping to give it another shot. She was thinking about it, too. Now…” he sighs, “Now I don’t know how possible that’ll be. We’re still waiting on the results, but the fact that it’s taking so long…” Right. Can’t be good.

>Just sit there with him. Let him get it out.
>Ask what was going on with Mavara. He seemed distraught.
>...you can’t talk about your own issues. Those aren’t for anyone but you. But maybe another story...
>Other

>>4958626
>Ask what was going on with Mavara. He seemed distraught.

>>4958626
>Ask what was going on with Mavara. He seemed distraught.

>>4958626
>>Ask what was going on with Mavara. He seemed distraught.
Talking things out never seems to help much when it's about something happening at the moment yet completely out of your power to control. Distractions work better.

>>4958626
>>Ask what was going on with Mavara. He seemed distraught.

>>4958626
Adding in

> Ask him what she was like before
> Ask him if he thinks she has ran afoul of someone

Rush is the closest to Leona in the crew. He'll give us some more insight for this whole thing.

>>4958626
>>4958628
>>4958631
>>4958632
>>4958634
“Yeah, but I’m sure we’ll know as soon as someone gets word,” you say. It’s really the only thing you can think of to say. There’s a moment after he grunts in agreement, before you decide to continue on. “So...what was going on with Mavara?” you hazard. “When I ran into him, it seemed like he was kinda distraught, and then here you are, so…” you trail off, allowing the implications to finish your sentence.

He gives a slight huff, but turns away towards the door. “He’s...opinionated. He-he’s a good guy, but…” He trails off, clearly unsure of something.

“Something wrong with him?” you push gently. Rather not have him clam up.

It takes him a moment to start speaking, however. “He...well, he thinks that I was too aggressive. Trying to see her again, I mean. He doesn’t get it. And she was trying, too. We were talking about it from time to time, so...but it’s nothing to worry about. We just have differences of opinion. Y’know, whether to ‘let go’ or stuff like that. I guess...really, this is all just messed up.” He sighs. “I just wish I knew what was happening to her right now.” You suppose you can’t blame him any.

“Hey!” you hear a familiar voice come from the distance. “You all done there? I still need to do some recalibrations- if you finished the scene then get outta the way!” Wow. Platty’s horrible at reading the mood. Frankly, you still think he might’ve had a hand in whatever happened.

Still, Rush doesn’t seem to take too much umbrage with it, huffing slightly before getting up. “Well, he’s not wrong- I can’t just sit here. All I can do is...well, wait. Although maybe I should go and see Nia. Maybe she’s gotten an update by now or can get one...she’s usually pretty on the ball.” Hm. Not a bad idea, but then, Platty’s right there…

>Maybe you can ask Platty some questions- if not about this issue, then perhaps about your own.
>Go with Rush- maybe he might know a few things about Nia that would be good to know.
>Other

>>4958822
>Go with Rush- maybe he might know a few things about Nia that would be good to know.
I will seriously doubt the investigators' competence if Platty isn't questioned by the end of tomorrow, let's not rush.
Poking around Nia will give us status on Leona's current condition early among other things.

>>4958822
>>Go with Rush- maybe he might know a few things about Nia that would be good to know.
Well, now we have a decent excuse to see her.

>>4958822
>Go with Rush- maybe he might know a few things about Nia that would be good to know.

Reading back on it, when we met Platty before heading to Equipment Storage, he mentioned he kept getting interrupted. I wonder who else he met before us? It wouldn't have been Leona, he mentioned he was working with her to fix the equipment.

I'm half wondering if Nia doesn't have a hand in this. She sent us in the wrong direction for Leona (the stage), and was wondering what we were doing in Equipment Storage when we found Leona unconscious. She was also the one to check the recording, alone as I recall.

Maybe the goal was really to get a tribunal called? It'd give reason for the Deal-Makers to step in and extract information out of everyone, and some of that material could inevitably used for blackmail later if one of them is involved in setting all this up. This could have even been timed so we'd be present at the studio when she was attacked, and we'd inevitably get questioned by authorities/the tribunal. A dead body wouldn't have them cutting corners!

If all of this is true, the main consolation I could take out of this plan probably only stretched back so far. They were looking for an Outgoer for the previous film, and we happened to be the Outgoer they used. The fact that we're part of an outfit of interest and we did well means they probably figured they could use it to their advantage (whoever "they" are) and started setting up the pieces around the time this sequel was greenlit. If it falls through, no biggie, the director admitted the studio could afford a flop like this.

This is all, of course, shadowrunning of the highest degree. But maybe it'll get Miranda off the "Platty did it, of course" bus and start treating suspects more equally.

>>4959022
I suspect deep shadowrunning paranoia will be warranted with this situation, there's a high likelyhood of a tribunal, and it will go better if we know what is actually at stake.

That and the fact the X twins are seemingly tied in to other activities that Miranda has been getting invited to is highly suspicious, if they turn out to have a hand in ice-cream parlors it'll be the last straw.

>>4958822
>Maybe you can ask Platty some questions- if not about this issue, then perhaps about your own.

The abrasive aggressive suspect always has the juiciest evidence. Doesn't even have to be about this case.

>>4958822
>>Maybe you can ask Platty some questions- if not about this issue, then perhaps about your own.

>>4959022
I think almost everyone is forgetting about Nini, the suited rabbit girl who showed us around the set.

Coincidentally she was not at the set when the knock-out happened?

>>4959022
It is extremely unlikely that this accident was set up just to catch us. It certainly isn't a 'no biggie', the director said that heads might roll just from the investigation alone, and Tribunal would not only make things worse for their business but would also traumatize everyone who's been questioned - damaging their sanity and reducing their work productivity, something that would be extremely noticeable. So whoever behind this would be responsible for a hundred large motes lost on the time the studio spent on the movie, hundreds of expected revenue would also be lost, the studio certainly would undergo some restructuring and several citizens would not be able to contribute to the growth of the Intersection as much as they used to.
The studio 'can' afford a flop like this but it doesn't mean it 'should'. Your theory also assumes that the hypothetical deal maker who's involved in this is in cahoots with the deal makers owning the studio in the first place instead of infiltrating them, that they can can take on Sal and his bosses and also are a permanent member of the Tribunal who wouldn't be checked or questioned as well. All this for a plan to blackmail a rando Outgoer. Miranda is not even that important or influential, she's been a broody recluse with no connections until recently. SES is still seen as a small-time group and big companies think even less of us.
tl;dr This is an incredibly inefficient, messy and risky way of getting someone blackmailed and the target isn't worth the effort and motes spent. You didn't have to come up with such theories just to justify treating suspects more equally. I guess you're just bored from the lack of missions or any action this summer.
Personally I think that whoever was behind this incident is not related to the bigger conspiracy and Nia was surprised to find us in the Equipment Storage because she thinks it is possible that we're either investigating the studio without authorization or we're involved in corporate espionage.

Crazy that Monday will be the 5th anniversary on MGFH

Writing shortly!

>>4958822
>>4958872
>>4958874
>>4958893
“Alright, then,” you decide as you rise up with him. “Mind me tagging along?” You’ve got a few things you could ask him about her- as well as ask the lady herself if possible. Platty will have to wait- fortunately, it seems like he’ll still be busy for the foreseeable future.

He shrugs, as expected. “Sure, why not? Come on.” With that, you both head off. After a few moments of quiet travel, however, he resumes talking. “I...well, thanks, actually. Gotta admit, I’m kinda nervous.”

“Why’s that?” you ask. He didn’t seem like he was on bad terms with anyone, but…

“W-well...Ms. Nia can be harsh. She does a really good job, but she’s pretty snippy sometimes. Really hates it when things don’t go her way. Or her sister’s, but you didn’t hear that last bit from me.” He has a grin when he says it, which makes you wonder. What’s so bad about that? And what else might he know about her?


>What questions to ask him? (Up to 3)

>Do you know where she came from?
>Have you heard she's got a few other connections?
>Do you think she actually likes this job?
>How long have you worked with her?
>Other

>>4966555
>Do you know where she came from?
>They have their hands in any side businesses around here?
>Do you think she actually likes this job? She seems like she’d prefer to be a bit more direct, in a hand-to-hand combat kinda way.

>>4966555
>>4966559
Can't think of anything this early so taking this one boss, even though the questions sound like something a typical corporate espionage would ask.

I prefer digging around Leona's past at least, but that'd make him depressed again.

>>4966555
>>4966559

>>4966555
>>4966559
+ pushing things along

Writing!

>>4966555
>>4966559
>>4966579
>>4966590
>>4966591
“Say,” you begin as you walk, “do y’know where she came from? She seems...well, it’s hard to describe.” You’re not quite sure how to phrase it, but…

“You mean how she constantly acts like she’s fed up with the place?” he finishes. Yeah, sure, you could go with that. “Yeah, she acts like that, but honestly? I dunno too much, just that wherever she was from, she ran, like...planets. Multiple.” Yeah, you gathered that much. “So she probably wouldn’t say she’s from one specific place, but she was from somewhere high-tech. Enough for casual space travel, at the least. No clue what got her here, though. Probably the usual. She and her sis have been real tight-lipped on THAT front.”

Huh. Curious. “Well, do you think she actually likes this job? I ask ‘cause she seems like she’d prefer to be a bit more direct, in a...hand-to-hand combat kinda way.” She’d given you a VERY particular threat before, after all, and claiming that she’d fought- and repelled- multiple Outgoers is no small feat. “There’s plenty of stuff for her to do like that if she DIDN’T like this job.”

“Yeah, I think so too- which is why I think that deep down she enjoys it,” he admits. “I just think she’s hard on everyone plus herself. Goodness knows she’s running herself ragged most days, too. But yeah, I know she knows how to fight, at least- she’s done at least a couple of fight scenes before, I know that.” He pauses to look up as he thinks. “Uhhhh...Cryo Fear, it’s a movie that got released a little ways back? I was in that as a side character; she was helping run it like now. But I remember there was a fight scene that they couldn’t get right between the main character and one of the big villains? I forget his name, just that he was a cyborg. She ended up playing his part because he couldn’t do like the director asked in the fight scene. Went through makeup, did the lines and everything. Nailed it, in my opinion. It was the scene in cold storage, if you wanna look it up. When the guy’s supercharged because it’s so cold. She was kinda like you- all natural skill, no special effects.” Huh. Interesting. “But afterwards, she said she didn’t wanna have to do that too often. So...yeah. I never said this, but I think her bark might be worse than her bite nowadays. She and her sister are more concerned with keeping everything running.”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense,” you admit. “Especially since I hear they’ve got more interests than this.”

“Yeah, I think they’ve got some kinda investment in the roller derby biz and some other stage stuff,” he says as you both near Equipment Storage again. “Or at least Nia does- she’s got connections to one of the higher ups in Extreme Roller Derby, think they were pals. And she worked a while in the stageplay scene.” Right, all things you know already… “I think she did some work with Outgoers for a lil’ bit, too.” Wait, what?

(cont.)

>>4966781

That stops you cold, which stops him in turn as he looks back at you in surprise. “What? You guys have that clinic thing, right?”

“Outgoer Training Clinic, yeah,” you mention idly. You need to start walking again…

“Yeah, she mentioned doing some consulting work for combat scenarios there for a bit when everyone was gushing over her bit in Cryo Fear.” He grins. “What, thought you might’ve known her?”

You don’t think so, but…

“Hey! What are you two doing?” the voice of Nia comes as she floats out of the warehouse. “Actually, scratch that, doesn’t matter. Was about to come deliver the news. After I finished checking over the security footage, I got a call from the hospital.”

And just like that, the mood sobers. You’d almost forgotten why Rush was coming here. “Y-yeah?”

She scowls at the both of you...and to your legit surprise, her face suddenly...contorts. It’s a moment before you realize that she’s actually wearing an expression of remorse, rather than the perpetual scowl you’ve seen her with so far. “I’d rather not say it more than once, but I know you were close, Rush. There’s good news and bad news.”

“The bad news?” he says quickly. Guess he’s that kinda guy.

“Right. Bad news is that Leona...well, she’s probably not coming back in- at least for a while. They did some deep scans, tried a few other methods…” It’s impressive how she could look regretful yet softer at the same time. “She’s mindwiped. Memory of the last couple months, gone. Entirely. Last thing she recalls is getting breakfast and being excited at seeing the set for the first time.” Ooooh...that sucks. “Tried a number of memory-retrieval techniques. They’re still trying, but it’s not looking good.”

“...and...what’s the good news?” Rush asks, his mood clearly shattered. Guess their attempt at restoring their relationship was recent…

Nia shrugs. “She’ll be in shape to return to work shortly regardless if this doesn’t work. 3 months is a lot of time, but not exceptionally horrible. Filming hasn’t started, after all, which means she can be brought back up to speed.”

“R-right…” Yeah. Poor dude looks shattered.

> “What about the investigation? I didn’t think you’d bring someone who could call a Tribunal…”
> “Have you made any progress in terms of figuring out what happened, then?”
> Stay quiet. Probably not the time to be asking other questions. You can wait.
> Other

>>4966788
> “What about the investigation? I didn’t think you’d bring someone who could call a Tribunal…”
>Other

>When exactly did Leona start going down in work efficiency?
If it's within the last 3 months or so, it matches.

Also damn this lady is major league.

>>4966788
> Other
Though this may be more of a Miranda question than an out-loud question,
>What sort of techniques exist for mind wiping and memory retrieval here?
Anything that prevented the hospital from retrieving her memories must have been both pretty powerful and pretty focused since she isn't a vegetable right now, and magic is greatly weakened here. I'd guess that'd leave technology as the main culprit, but wouldn't stuff like that be highly regulated.
Could it have been a long-acting agent of some sort, tying in with her decrease in efficiency around the time the project was greenlit?

>>4966788
These>>4966794>>4966801
It might be an agent/parasite thing that can be activated remotely, but that doesn't explain the camera footage blanking. Maybe the activation is loud/noticeable?

>>4966788
>Pat Rush on the shoulder. Learning that the girl you dated won’t remember the times you had would be pretty rough.
>After Nia talks to the rest of the crew, call up Lori and ask her if her psychic help group has any people who would know about memory wiping.
>Additionally, talk to Nia about that anti psychic hair-clip we have, and look into finding out where to get or create more of them for the crew.
>Finally, check with Nia to see if there’s any correlated things that were happening on set during the start of those three months.

>>4966809
Could be. But if the memory wipe activation is remote and is what the camera footage wipe was supposed to hide, why not just wipe her somewhere without cameras? It could even have been done at her home, she's single so it's even less likely someone would have stumbled on her there.

Thinking back on it, it seems like her problems did relate more to memory than anything else. The very first argument we overheard was about her not delivering documents, and it didn't seem like her work ethic was in question. It could be that someone has been doing mini-wipes on her that affected her day-to-day and one last wipe in the warehouse did her in. That'd suggest something was there that she wasn't meant to see, and I guess the camera wipe may have been done to cover up something else that she just happened to stumble in on?

We never did find out who has access to the camera room. If Leona was one of them, someone could have been "borrowing" her keys.

>>4966814
I'd honestly prefer to keep mum about the hair clip. We don't know who the culprit is, and even if it isn't them there's a non-zero chance they could bring up it unintentionally to the one behind this.

Writing!

>>4966788
>>4966794
>>4966801
>>4966809
Well. You can understand that, at least. But all the same, all you can do is offer a pat on the shoulder. That’s a fair bit of work gone without a trace...he can’t be feeling good about that. But nonetheless, you still have questions that need answering, which is why you turn to Nia. “What about the investigation? I didn’t think you’d bring someone who could call a Tribunal…” That seemed a bit excessive, to you.

“I’m PLENTY aware of the possibility,” Nia grumbles, her scowl reasserting itself. “But he’s one of the best, and he won’t call a Tribunal if he can determine the cause of this himself. It’s a pride thing with him. Which is why it’d be in your best interest to help him however you can.” She says this while eyeing the both of you specifically. Why she thinks YOU’D be reluctant, you’re not sure. You DID already answer questions from him.

“I have to admit, I’m wondering about her circumstances myself,” you admit. “When exactly did Leona start going down in work efficiency? It sounded like she used to be good.”

“She was,” Nia confirmed. “She was a loudmouth, annoying, and WAY too cheerful- but she was good at gettin’ to places fast and was kinda surprisingly organized.” She pauses, closing her eyes to think. “As for when...hard to say. Couldn’t tell you when EXACTLY it started happening, but for at least the last two months she’s been messing up more than usual, I’d say. At least, that’s the first time when I noticed she’d screwed up big- back to back.” She opens her eyes. “Had one incident where she flat out forgot to run checks that meant Stage 1 wasn’t ready to get the setting data. It’s why we ended up using Stage 2. Right after that she screwed up when an order for some natural props didn’t come in on time- turns out she’d sent the order to the wrong company, and THAT cost us a lot of time and money. If she hadn’t, we’d already be ready for filming by now.”

“Huh. Two months, then?” Maybe…

“Yeah, I was wonderin’ if something was connected, but I’m not sure,” Nia admits. “I plan on telling Alired the same thing, so I guess this is good practice for makin’ sure I have enough details.”

(cont.)

>>4966994
Well, that makes sense. But if maybe there was a slow-acting agent or some kinda trigger or mechanism, then it’s hard to prove. Mind-wipe tech was...well, you knew it existed; there was literal mind bleach in the form of an ingestible pill for particularly traumatic experiences, but that didn’t blank out three months worth of memories- at most, the pills you were aware of did up to a week. There were also mental recombination devices that’d cause a similar effect, but that also had the effect of scrambling other stuff about them- going by a different name or changing preferences for one thing or the other. She wouldn’t know who she was and have solid memory otherwise. Not that you had any way of knowing for certain, of course, but they didn’t say anything about the usual symptoms, like panic or other memories lost. Not to mention the camera footage going out. That doesn’t make sense unless there was something to visibly hide- if it was something else purely internal, then the camera wouldn’t have mattered.

Nia huffs, her own annoyance taking back front and center stage. “Look, I say you leave this to the professionals, Ms. Styles. I get you probably got investigation experience, buuuut we need a bit more delicate of a touch for this. Besides, his authority overrides yours.” Hmph. Kind of a snippy way to put it, but she’s not wrong. Still. “We’ll get this resolved in due time and everyone can go home.” Hm. Well, all things considered...

>Might as well follow HER around now. See if she spills anything.
>No, you've done enough for now. Any further investigation can happen later.
>Ask her about her contact with Extreme Roller Derby.
>Ask her what's her issue with Outgoers? She seems a bit aggressive...
>Other

>>4967023
>>No, you've done enough for now. Any further investigation can happen later.

>>4967023
>Might as well follow HER around now. See if she spills anything.
So, I’m confused by this option. Does it mean we’ll be following her around and asking her questions, or is it more sneaking around and eavesdropping on her?

Regardless…
>Ask her what's her issue with Outgoers? She seems a bit aggressive...

>>4967023
>Might as well follow HER around now.
Stay close to prevent anything weird happening to her. So far she's the most knowledgeable around here and she keeps assisting the investigators. If something happens to her it would not only complicate Alired's investigation but ours as well.
Just tell her we want to see Alired as well to see how things are going.

>>4967070
She's collecting details by herself in a dark place where someone else has already been assaulted. That's just asking for trouble.

>>4967023
>Might as well follow HER around now.
>Ask her what's her issue with Outgoers? She seems a bit aggressive...
Yeah can just say that we're following her own advice

>It was the scene in cold storage, if you wanna look it up. When the guy’s supercharged because it’s so cold. She was kinda like you- all natural skill, no special effects.
Her power is something related to temperature/electro?

>>4967023
>Might as well follow HER around now. See if she spills anything.
>Ask her what's her issue with Outgoers? She seems a bit aggressive...
>Other, who had access to the camera room. Was Leona one of them?
>Other, Anybody notable who joined the crew around the time the movie was greenlit?
Like >>4967106 suggests, we're following her own advice on prepping the details for Alired.
The director mentioned Leona fell off the cliff right when this was greenlit, which seems earlier than Nia is mentioning. Inconsistent, but probably fine since she doesn't appear as close to Leona.

Also, they'd be filming already if it weren't for Leona? Does fuel suspicions this was meant to be held up until an outgoer joined, but I'd feel better about that theory if we could figure out who wiped the camera.

>>4967023
>>4967060
>>4967070
>>4967106
>>4967221

Thinking about it, the answer is obvious. As she walks- or rather, floats- away from the both of you, you end up taking a few steps in pursuit- Rush doesn’t seem to notice, or care. Poor guy probably needs a bit of time to really register it and get used to things as they are. As you catch up to Nia, she gives you a… well, you think it’s a raised eyebrow, but she doesn’t actually have hair on her head to inform that. Best guess. “Hey, I’ve got to ask; what’s your issue with Outgoers?” She’s been aggressive with you all day, and if she knew what they were nowadays, she’d realize it was less personal and more a job.

“Issue?” she says loftily. “Oh, no issue, unless you count being super annoying in my daily life for decades. I thought that most of you were just annoying ‘rebels’ from worlds I used to rule actually trying to put up a fight. Imagine my surprise when no, the VAST majority of those idiots damaging my ships, factories, and sometimes planets themselves were just MERCENARIES. Especially when at least two I swear I’d killed waltz up to me after I get here and suddenly ‘hey, no hard feelings?’ ” she mocks. “Ugh. Really, it’s just wild. But that history ISN’T your concern. That it?”

>Well, I heard that you know someone in Extreme Roller Derby…?
>Actually, I heard you were in the stageplay scene for a while? Asking for a friend…
>What do you think happened, personally?
>Other

>>4967859
>What do you think happened, personally?
That reveal though.

>>4967859
>What do you think happened, personally?
>Actually, I heard you were in the stageplay scene for a while? Asking for a friend…

>>4967859
>>What do you think happened, personally?

>>4967859
Getting real strong Cylica vibes from her now...
>Actually, I heard you were in the stageplay scene for a while? Asking for a friend…
Going off on a tangent. Maybe we just take our minds off the investigation for a bit and see if she drops any other nuggets of info while her guard isn't (as much) up.

>>4967859
Yeah let's add in
>Actually, I heard you were in the stageplay scene for a while? Asking for a friend…
Manager types, especially on this scale tend to be cranky. I don't blame her.

Writing!

>>4967859
>>4967869
>>4967879
>>4967889
>>4967950
>>4967958
“Alright, alright.” You can tell when someone doesn’t want to talk, and it doesn’t get much clearer than that. But that doesn’t mean you’re done talking to her as you both head down the road. “Then what do you think happened in there?”

She pauses briefly, before glancing at you. “Personally? Not sure. But it wasn’t sabotage.”

Huh? “Not sabotage? What makes you figure that?”

“Too limited,” she says blithely. “If this was done by someone, they didn’t want the production to be stopped- otherwise they’d have gone after someone much higher profile. I don’t think they would’ve been stupid enough to try me or my sister, but one of the directors or something. This?” she shakes her head. “Leona wasn’t important enough to stop filming. This was a personal issue, if it was intentional at all.” Huh. Good points. You were thinking perhaps similar, but the logic was slightly different. Still… “Wouldn’t be the first time an issue between actors or workers spilled over into the production.”

“Right, I’m sure you’ve had to deal with that, whether here or on a stage,” you mention idly. That gets another look at you. “I heard you were in the stageplay scene for a while?”

Her eyes narrow. “You’re pulling up an awful lot of history on me. Any reason for that?”

“Actually, asking for a friend,” you shrug.

She snorts. “Actually, I DID hear about that. You’re barely on set a day and already trying to get friends parts. Shameless, eh?”

You shrug. “She’s my bestie. And you didn’t answer the question.”

“Tch. It’s not a massive secret, I guess,” she grumbles. “Fid background work and some small roles in stage plays for a bit. It’s how I got interested in film production work. I liked still having some control without all the risks.” She stops, looking around as you’ve gotten nearer to the stages. “Now...where’d he get off to? My sister’s going to kill me if this ISN’T resolved tonight…”

“She knows about this?” you ask in light surprise.

(cont.)

>>4968258
“Of course she knows!” Nia fixes you with an unimpressed look. “You really think I wouldn’t tell my own sister about this screwup? Especially when she’s lead?” Point taken. You both look around- and there he is. In the distance you can see Alired and Emi walking with purpose to...Stage 3? Huh. You hadn’t expected that. In fact you hadn’t seen anything going on with Stage 3 at all.

You look at Nia, who’s already squinting. “Eh? Why there…?” she mutters. So, she’s got no idea, either? You get there not long after they’re already in. “Hey!” Nia shouts, and the two of them jump slightly, before turning around. “What’s the big idea here?”

“Ah! Ms. Nia. Ms. Styles. Good to see you again,” Alired says as he bows. “I thank you for your patience. Have you any new information to share?”

“Yeah,” she says, as she repeats the information she told you- Leona’s memory issues, the time she’d been acting odd, all that. “What about you?”

“Well, your information was most helpful just now,” he says. “And with that, I in fact I believe I might be closing in on solving one part of the mystery that faces us- what, exactly, caused her to lose her memory. If my deductions are correct, that is,” he says as he turns back to the empty holostage and begins walking to the back.

“And what would those be?” Nia asks. “If you’re trying to get to the back, then-”

And she’s shut up, however, as the back door to the control center is opened easily. “As expected,” he murmurs, before walking to the controls- at least, before Emi shoves him out of the way. “Ah-ah! This is MY time to shine, a-thank you. Now, if my eyes don’t deceive me, what we have here means…” she begins to start working at the terminal, inputting variables and data, you suppose...you’re not entirely certain what all it means in this context, and you do your best to decipher it. “We might be able to SHOW you. Sorta!”

After a few moments in suspense, however, she pressed a button. “Alright, brace yourselves- this might get funky!”

You’re not sure what that means, but-

>Roll 1d100, best of three.

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>4968258
>>4968260
>You shrug. “She’s my bestie."
i would have never expected miranda to say or even utter that sentence.

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>4968260

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>4968260

>>4968260
Happy 5 year anniversary!
https://aidn.jp/wowa/542023147

My guess is that whoever wiped Leona's memories didn't intend to wipe out 3 months - it's just that she coincidentally suffered a head injury around the same time so something went wrong in her brain and she lost way more than she was supposed to.

No idea who the culprit could be though.
I suppose either Xia or both X-sisters would be the most likely culprit since they might be connected to that whole behind-the-scenes conspiracy. Maybe they're having Leona do something she's not supposed to do and to keep her from leaking info they regularly wipe her memories. They or a Dealmaker accomplice. Leona forgetting about her actual job could just be unintentional collateral damage.
The motive could be to get power over the Dealmaker who owns this movie company.

But if we ignore the whole Intersection Conspiracy thing then I like the idea of Rush being a mentally unstable super hacker who can get into the place's security system and has an advanced memory wiping device on him. Fixing his relationship with Leona would be the motive. I know, he's a very unlikely suspect but I just had to mention him.

>>4970276
>>4970276
>either Xia or both X-sisters would be the most likely culprit
Why would they call authorized investigators then? Why would they keep sabotaging their own work for 3 months straight? If they had issues with Leona then they'd have solved it much earlier. This doesn't fit their characters.

>They or a Dealmaker accomplice
Whoever is wiping cameras and messing with data can't be a Deal Maker since they don't use doors but warp from place to place, leaving no traces of their presence>>4968260
>And she’s shut up, however, as the back door to the control center is opened easily. “As expected,” he murmurs, before walking to the controls-

>>4970408
The behind-the-scenes conspiracy would be more likely to get the tribunal called on us, on the basis that SES is of interest to them and whatever is going on to cut the ranks of Outgoers probably isn't in the general interests of the Dealmaker in charge of the organization (Sal) so very indirect methods are needed. Miranda is the captain of SES, so she'd be a good target to have leverage on.

It's convoluted, but the idea of axing Outgoers is economically self-defeating as they're the ones bringing in motes that help the Intersection grow. Throwing away money on a bet that doesn't pan out clearly isn't a red line for the group.

I'm still hopeful for a mundane explanation, proving a conspiracy is hard and I'd like to have a solid chain of what happened and why by the end.

>>4970502
Then why are you still pushing these extremely convoluted ideas about larger conspiracy? We haven't even done much to get targeted like that. If we were targeted for real it'd not be so messy.

>>4970520
Right now, our choices for motive are conspiracy, Rush wanting to start over with Leona, or "Platty is an asshole". Slim pickings at the moment, y'know?

I did notice something interesting while looking to even remember who else we're here with (the director being the only unmentioned one I could remember, and I see I overlooked Mavara, Agrest, and someone else) from Rush:

>Well...at least you got that to her. As you approach the rest of them, muttering to each other, you find yourself curious. “So, Rush?” You could see that he seemed particularly distraught- his face was screwed up, and he looked a few moments away from hyperventilation. Might be a good idea to distract him...
>“A- huh?” He shakes a bit, before he looks down at you in surprise. “Yeah? Sup?”
>“You said you were the main character?” you ask.
>“Yup,” he responds tersely, as he glances back where the body was. “Though, uh...not feeling so main characterish right now. Jeez...seeing her like that…” He pauses, likely remembering something.
>“Did you know her?” you hazard.
>He shrugs, trying to not show too much emotion, for whatever reason. “Oh, here and there. We, uh, we talked.”

But more recently:
>He gives a slight huff, but turns away towards the door. “He’s...opinionated. He-he’s a good guy, but…” He trails off, clearly unsure of something.
>“Something wrong with him?” you push gently. Rather not have him clam up.
>It takes him a moment to start speaking, however. “He...well, he thinks that I was too aggressive. Trying to see her again, I mean. He doesn’t get it. And she was trying, too. We were talking about it from time to time, so...but it’s nothing to worry about. We just have differences of opinion. Y’know, whether to ‘let go’ or stuff like that. I guess...really, this is all just messed up.” He sighs. “I just wish I knew what was happening to her right now.” You suppose you can’t blame him any.

It's a bit weird he lied outright about being close to Leona to us. I'd expect more of a "look I don't want to talk about it" instead. There's a chance something else about all of this had him shocked at first and off-balance, and he's currently asking like his concern was for Leona all along? He is an actor, after all, and we only have his word he was working to patch things up with Leona to explain his reactions. She can't exactly back up his story anymore given the memory loss either.

Worth keeping in mind. Maybe he is involved with this after all, though what his particular motive would be if it's *not* to get back with Leona isn't something I can figure.

>>4970541
Despite that it's been almost a month IRL, the investigation itself didn't last that long yet. We ourselves only managed to meet half of the suspects - we didn't forget about them, it's just that the quest got extremely slow. I'm still mixing up film director with art director (Langil and Agrest).
You're trying to solve this case right from the get go. We're also not on a mission, we're not being paid for solving this crime. I'm starting to regret picking the option of seeing this through and it seems you're making these wild assumptions and speculations out of boredom as well.
>"Platty is an asshole"
He's the last known person who saw her, his opinion contradicted with others and some remark about "consequences" was kinda ominous.

5 years...

Time flies, kinda. Feels like just yesterday I'd started on this, and lookit how far we've come. Over 100 threads, a hiatus or two, and we're still kicking. I'm not running as often as I'd like to, but real life is a bastard like that. Still, it's still going, and I'm happy about that.

I'll be honest- I want to do more with this setting, and you've already seen some glimpses of it. I'm still working on that, and likely will be for a while. I enjoy this, though, and have no intention of stopping until it's at an end. That sounds...well, kinda hokey, but it's also true. It's become a major part of my life, and it's not something I regret in the least.

I intend to run hopefully on Friday and Saturday, as has been the case lately. I'm glad to see people have remained with me even through the Magical Girl boom and bust of quests, and I'm hoping people stick around longer. Those early days were very enjoyable. I'd offer questions or the sort, but we're kinda in the middle of something, after all. And we just had a round of Q and A.

I'm not sure what I'd do for the quest for the 5th anniversary, so I decided just saying thank you was as best I could do for now.

See you all Friday!

File: leo-toast.gif (3.94 MB, 870x367)

3.94 MB GIF

>>4970707
Congratulations for five years of magical merc work, Handler. Here's to however many more there'll be.

>>4970707
Have been here for a while and will continue to do so. Keep on trucking boss.

>>4970707
Congrats on 5 years Handler, I just recently finished reading through the archives and it’s been a damn fun to read, good work man

>>4970408
>Why would they call authorized investigators then?
While they both could be behind the earlier short memory losses Leona had, I'm leaning more towards Xia being the sole culprit of what happened in the equipment storage.
Nia, being unaware of the culprit being her sister, called in the best investigator she could find and accidentally screwed herself in the process.
>Why would they keep sabotaging their own work for 3 months straight?
Not really sabotaging their own work but that what they did on the side had the unwanted side-effect of sabotaging Leona's work.
>If they had issues with Leona then they'd have solved it much earlier.
It's not that they had issues with her but that they used her as a pawn for their schemes. A pawn with a disposable memory so that she can't sell them out. Knocking her out like this was never part of the plan.

Oh how fun, my ID changed again

>>4970707
Congrats on the five years, Boss

>>4970871
There's zero evidence backing any of your wild theories. What plan? Are we playing the same quest? Are you going mad with boredom?

>>4970915
>There's zero evidence backing any of your wild theories
You're right, I have no evidence. It's all guesswork based on some other anon reminding us about the piece of paper Delilah found.

>Are you going mad with boredom?
Not really. I just felt that this was the last chance to attempt to figure out what happened in the equipment storage because Alired is about to show us what happened.
Like I mentioned in my original post, I have no idea who the actual culprit is. The main focus was on what I believe caused Leona to be knocked out cold and lose 3 months of memories. A coincidental head injury making a routine memory wipe go wrong.
Based on how I interpreted it, Alired doesn't yet know the culprit either so I don't feel like I should be able to figure it out either. The theories about Xia or Rush being the culprit are there to explain why I think this is what happened.

>>4970707
Happy five years, Handler! I think I joined sometime through one of the mob runs with Izumi, but even running through the archives was fun. Looking forward to more MGFH!

>>4968260
>>4968264
>>4968268
>>4968276
What’s shown is, from what you can tell, an incomplete version of some sort of indoor area, but it’s as a glimmering blue facade, without any real details, save for that it’s clearly indoors judging by the mock door, and high roof, along with some oddly placed, long blocks of featureless matter that stretch about halfway up. “Drat,” Emi mutters. “I was hoping to get the full playback, but it seems like there’s some missing data from the internal memory.”

“Full playback?” Nia asks in surprise. “Stage 3 was never supposed to be in use. What IS there to play back?” She squints, looking out as she tries to place the location, as do you. “What am I looking at here?”

“If I may be so bold…” he coughs. “I suspect we are, in fact, looking at the TRUE scene of the crime.”

“WHAT?!” Nia half-shouts. “Whaddya mean, ‘true scene of the crime?!’

“Exactly that,” Alired says calmly. “The logic fits. You claimed that there was no sign of any struggle whatsoever, correct? Nor was there anyone intended to be inside the area at that time?” His voice is clear and measured, and it’s almost like he’s walking you through the steps himself. “The chances of there being absolutely no struggle or evidence of roughhousing aside from the injury in question is near zero, even if one was caught by surprise. There’s no blood, no loose hair, no nothing. Therefore, it is my deduction that she was, in fact, not assaulted in the storage room at all. Rather, her attacker did the deed elsewhere, and then she was carried to the storage room. Unless there were any witnesses to deny this?”

Nia frowns, considering. “...no. I was in my office for quite some time.”

You shake your head as well. “I didn’t see ANYONE on my way to Equipment Storage.”

“Neither did the Directors,” Emi fills in. “So they’re out, too. That leaves Platty, Rush, and Mavara as the only suspects.”

(cont.)

>>4974292

“So why haven’t you questioned them yet?” you ask.

“I try to get my investigations done with minimal conflict,” he explains, looking away as though he's annoyed by the fact somehow. “I’m not afraid of it, but it tends to make things go smoother when I can offer incontrovertible proof. Not to mention, false accusations, especially in a setting with public witnesses, tend to be looked upon...unfavorably by my superiors. They prefer that such things are done with a minimum of fuss and public relations issues. If someone falsely accused starts to spread the word about the fact, my good name and status as an Investigator is in jeopardy."

“Smooth or not, as long as it’s DONE!” Nia says, still riled up. “Who’s your top suspect right now?”

“...unfortunately, I cannot say. There are yet some...concerns of mine,” he says with a slight grumble. “However, I may be able to answer that soon enough. Especially considering the question this construct answers.”

“And what question is that?” Nia mutters.

“Simple. You asked it earlier, in a form. ‘Why does this history exist?’” Oh. He’s got a point. “Something that should not exist, clearly does. So then. What, or who, caused it to exist? I have my suspicions...but the question of ‘why’, I believe is clear.” He pauses again- whether for dramatic effect or to get his thoughts together, you don’t know. “This was utilized for the attack in some way.”

Nia scoffs. “It SOUNDS like we have some questions to ask Platty. He’s the only one on set that knows how to manipulate the controls.” You look back at the incomplete holographic setting. Something about it’s nagging at you…

>Take a guess?
>Remain silent.
>Other

>>4974297
>Mention that when we met him on Stage 2 he was fixing hologram projector there, there were glitchy as well >>4941210
>Ah. That makes sense. From what you can see here, the whole floor is indeed a massive Artificial Reality pit. You can set holograms and soft matter reconstructions of sets if you don’t want to use the real thing, and right now...it seems like you’ve just walked into an old-timey city block. Where, you’re not sure. But it’s impressive. Similar tech to the OTC, you imagine. Although, there’s something odd in the distance as you look on...almost like it’s curved up...

>>4974297
>Take a guess? >>4974306
>Mention that before we came to the studio Leona was already not answering calls >>4940972

>>The phone rings a few times before, to your surprise, there’s an automated message: “Hello! You’ve reached Leona! If this is a call for business, please leave your message at the sound of the beep, and I’ll get back to you asap! If it’s a personal call, super sorry but please call me on my personal phone and not this one, thanks!” Hm. Wonder what’s keeping her. It’s awful late at night to be extra busy. Regardless, you leave a brief message on her phone noting that you’re here.

>Mention that the only person who we met in the studio before discovering the body were Nia and Platty.
>Mention Nini, the suited rabbit girl who showed us around the set.

>>4974312
Nini isn't even present at the studio right now, why should we mention her? It's likely her shift ended before we even got here.

>>4974318
That's it, she's the only named employee we know that wasn't at the studio. Might be too paranoid, buut we never know.

>>4970541
>It's a bit weird he lied outright about being close to Leona to us.
It's likely he didn't want to open up about his relationship to a complete stranger, clamming up from shock. And he's revealed it only after whatever Mavara did to make him spill the beans.

>>4974297
>>4974312
Yeah, we can tell him the exact time of the call as well.

>>4974292
>Take a guess?
Is it actually the warehouse? "Long blocks halfway up" sounds like they could be racks. Miranda should be able to recognize if the blocks correspond to where the shelving was.

Leona was supposedly helping Platty with the projector when we first got here. Is it possible she decided to come here to retrieve some of the equipment to avoid the hassle of the warehouse and saw something she shouldn't have?

Final question, since Leona failed to answer her phone earlier when we were arriving she may have been knocked out by someone who managed to leave before the area was locked down. There's no guarantee our suspect is with this.

>>4974297
Just dump everything on him >>4974306
>>4974312

Right, there's a couple of things...

Writing!

>>4974292
>>4974332
oh right
>long blocks, high roof
it's the hologram of the warehouse

>>4974297
>>4974335
Let's also mention that it's the hologram of the warehouse too. Don't want to lose face in front of them methinks.

>>4974297
>>4974306
>>4974312
>>4974327
>>4974333
>>4974340
>>4974346
“Wait,” you mention as something clicks in your head. “Before anything else...that hologram looks kinda like the warehouse, do you think?” At least, maybe. You went around it, sure, and even if it was dark, you could at least tell the general shape of things...

There’s a pause as they consider this. Nia looks at the scene again, tilting her head as she considers it. “Hmm...I dunno, actually. I mean, it’s a possibility, but it don’t quite look like it matches up.” You have to admit, that was a factor. “Whaddya say, you two?”

“Hmm…” Alired seems to consider the possibility- then you see his eyes light up. “Actually, Emi? Could you perhaps rotate the scene? Clockwise, slowly until I say stop?” Oh? Emi seems to get the idea and does so. “No...no...n-aha! There!” He points visibly, and you immediately feel more confident in your guess as well. “The layout was reversed. The back end was in the front, and the front was in the back. I wonder why…?”

“Dunno. Maybe there was a mistake with it?” Emi guesses, though she pauses as she considers her own statement. “But then again, why would the person making this make a mistake about it like that?”

“...maybe because the general building layout is the same?” Nia guesses. Upon everyone looking at her, she elaborates. “The soundstages and the warehouse have the same basic layout- one extra room in the back. Originally, it was going to be a fourth stage, but we decided we only needed three.”

“I see…” Alired mutters as he considers this. “So then...perhaps it’s likely that the criminal saw no need to adjust the setting since the layout would be the same regardless.”

“That actually reminds me,” you continue. “When I was talking to Platty earlier, he was complaining about Stage 2 having some issues, right?” you turn to Nia. She WAS the one who told you about that.

“Yeah,” she confirms. “Stage 2 had some alignment issues that they were saying they’d handle. Wasn’t entirely accurate, but it should’ve been a quick enough fix...at least, until all this crap happened,” she grumbles.

“Huh. Well, I called her when I got here, and she didn’t answer, so she was likely out by then…” you say as you consider this as well.

“Right, you mentioned that…” Nia notes. “But that doesn’t much mean anything when as far as we can tell, there weren’t any witnesses anyway!” True.

“Well, for now, perhaps it’s a good idea to investigate this scene, and check to see if there’s anything else out of place,” Alired says idly as he steps out. “Emi, keep an eye on the control panels and make sure nothing goes wrong.”

“Roger that!” she salutes. Hm...then, well, what might be...an issue? You step out to look, as does Nia.

“Ugh,” she scowls. “This really is screwed up. Our projectors seriously need an upgrade if they’re breaking like this and ending up this...base.” You can’t exactly refute that, no...

However, almost immediately something catches your eye.

(cont)