Get down with the sickness [open]

[showsnopiety]

Who: Caren and you!
When: After Intro and beyond!
Where: Caissa, Capablanca
What: Catch all with Caren, including More clue #4!
Rating: None until things happen



A: Independent Action

[For those who were interested in tea or various supplies, this was the place to go to! Caren has been doing brisk business, and has been hiring the local help, as well as some of the local heroes. There is one thing that might be remarkable, other then the fact that it's clean and quiet: the small sign saying that there is currently no infamous algae in stock.

If asked, Caren will shake her head, if not her employees:]

It's too likely to give an allergic reaction. I can't sell something that'd give someone an adverse reaction. Same with anything grown in Petrosian.

[Otherwise, she might be willing to recommend tea to drink in the store, supplies that can be used for alchemy, tea to be taken away, and suggestions for future products. Or she might be cleaning or something.

Who knows? Anything could happen in Independent Action.]

B: Rook Problems

[She's had some problems with her Sound powers before as a Rook before but...usually it's inflicted on everyone else but her. Loud noises, things turning silent.

Instead, Caren finds herself silenced by her own power. She tries to speak. Tries to even scream at one point, and all that comes out is the tiniest of sounds. Like a kitten squeaking.

It's good to know that her mana is working, but this is frustrating. And likely a way for some people to get revenge. For all that she works, and can be found in various places...she's herself.

Just silent.

Which drives her nuts, even as she works, and in the halls of glory, she can be found abusing the practice dummies. She has to exhaust herself somehow.

Because This Is Rude.]

C: Clue Four

[This could be just after she's left the manor, or later on. If still in Capablanca, she's likely to be found outside at a table at a cafe or a restaurant, with a thoughtful expression on her face.

But seeing a hero or someone else approach, her arms lean against the papers, obscuring what's written.]

Did you want to join me?

[Her eyes sweep over the hero, her gaze distant. Distracted. Her mind is half elsewhere.]

I'm willing to pay for a drink or a meal, if you have information to share.

[And only if they have information on the investigation. Well...unless you charm her.]

D: Wild card!
Job stuff, catching up with Caren, learning at Pigeon's Blood or training, it all goes under this label here! If you have ideas, go ahead and pm me or ping me on plurk!

Comments

Clue Four

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya offers her a warm smile as he stops on his path, standing by the table.] You don't have to pay me to ask any questions... what information are you looking for? Eric's disappearance, or something else?

[showsnopiety]

[She shrugs once, her fingers interlacing.]

Things relating to Eric's disappearance. Anything about runes, or the woods, or other disappearances-I'm looking for all the pieces I can find.

[chronosynthesis]

I did come across some things in the forest. [He pulls out the opposite chair to sit, mulling over where he wants to start with it.] It's been quite eerie for around the same time as Eric's disappearance has been and it is rotting strangely.

Have you seen the forest yourself?

[showsnopiety]

[Her eyes narrow. The forest...it goes back to the forest.]

I have not, but I've heard reports of decay and rot. I've heard that it's full of death, unnaturally so.

[chronosynthesis]

It's definitely unnatural. [He wrinkles his nose.] There are also strange carvings in the trees. Runes I believe, but I could not tell what they were exactly--but I presume they are linked with the rot.

[showsnopiety]

Runes.

[That is interesting.]

But that could be an assumption-there could be something else that's the cause of the rot. For all we know, the runes are preventing the rot from spreading.

[chronosynthesis]

Oh! You're right, I should have asked the witch about them... [He rests his chin on his hand.] You wouldn't happen to know someone who specializes in reading the runes of this world, would you?

[showsnopiety]

[She makes a face. Whether it was the opportunity missed with the witch, or thinking about the runes, it's difficult to say.]

Not exactly, no. But I can tell you something.

Noir are known for using runes. We've seen them with a mercenary, and in battle before.

[chronosynthesis]

Ah. [Syrlya's eyes widen slightly. Sure, that isn't proof what the runes are for... but it realigns his suspicions to what they were.]

Have you heard anything else that would make you suspect this is the doing of Noir?

Rook Problems

[twosidedsword]

[Shin-Ah is just coming here to train a bit when he sees the familiar figure. Pausing nearby he watches her for a bit before coming closer. Of course with how quietly he moves and how he really hasn't announced himself this means she's likely to find him suddenly there next to her.

Hi, Caren. How's it going?]

[showsnopiety]

[She's just...unnaturally silent; even her panting after beating up the dummy is silent.

But when she looks up she jumps. Jumps, and trips over herself, causing her to fall onto her butt and silently swear.

Hello Shin-Ah, it's nice to see you too.]

[twosidedsword]

[She's...so quiet. Shin-Ah blinks a few times before reaching out to offer his hand to her.

...is she broken? He can't tell yet.]

[showsnopiety]

[She'll silently sigh, and take his hand, pulling herself up to her feet.

She might always be broken but...she's grumpy, and she hasn't made a comment yet. Weird huh?]

[twosidedsword]

[Um. She. Really isn't talking. He's not sure what to do about that.

This is going to be the quietest interaction ever.

Oops.]

[showsnopiety]

[It is. It is truly going to be very, very quiet. Caren grimaced, and seems to sigh, though it was inaudible.

She touches her Rook rank badge, her throat, before making a motion for silence. Maybe that will explain!]

[twosidedsword]

[Her badge. Messed with her throat. And now she's quiet.

....

Nooooo. Her Rook powers?

He blinks then nods. Okay he understands. She can't talk right now or make noises.

Forgetting that he's the one who actually CAN make noises here, he points to the dummy then to himself. Want to spar with him?]

[showsnopiety]

[Yeah, he Rook powers! He gets it, he really does!

But...she does give him a look for not speaking-he could do it, even if he wasn't used to it-but she silently sighed, and nodded.

Sure, she needed practice with fighting against someone, silent or not.]

A /walks in with Starbucks

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede's shoulders were slouched until she entered the door, straightening only when she had passed through. The sign on the door merited a small glance, but she had more pressing concerns at the moment.

She stopped just inside with no apparent regard to whoever followed after her, scanning the room for—ah, there was Caren. She made a beeline for her, ignoring any traffic jams she might have caused.]

You wanted to talk to me?

oh starbucks...

[showsnopiety]

[Caren didn't seem to mind. There was brisk business going on, and she handled off a parcel to a customer, before glancing to Kaede's face.

I did. Come with me.

[She didn't know when Kaede would arrive, but she knew she'd come. There's a discreet door, and through a stock room, another. Lucky Kaede. She's the first person to officially be welcomed to the Back Room.]

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede followed with only a slight incline of her head; a storeroom she had expected, though it wouldn't be entirely free of potentially prying ears when employees flitted in and out.

The set of doors made her eyebrows raise a bit, though. One she had expected, but the second she didn't see. It looked like a wall to her, let alone something that concealed a whole room behind it.

Her steps didn't echo here; the sound seemed to stop dead when it hit the walls, rather than bouncing around.]

Soundproofed?

[showsnopiety]

[It's much better then trying to go for the storeroom. Standing around, whispering? That was too obvious. Better to go into the Back Room.

Especially if there was talk about bricks.]

Yes.

[She could say something, brag a little, but instead, she waits, watching Kaede for her reaction. For all she knows, Kaede might disapprove of being in a room like this.]

[long_live_the_queen]

I suppose you were serious, then.

[Kaede seems...pleased! She didn't have many doubts about Caren being serious in that letter. Or what she said herself. 'Enhanced interrogation' didn't exactly seem like something Caren would joke about.]

[showsnopiety]

Quite. I do like my privacy, more then people may suspect.

[She goes to sit on the couch, an elbow coming up to rest on the crook of it.]

And I like to have control of the environment when it comes to certain situations. It's easier to keep things under control that way.

[long_live_the_queen]

[Kaede didn't sit yet, pacing from one corner of the room to another. She glanced at Caren, but mostly studied the walls and corners of the room where echoes should have gathered like spiderwebs. There were none.]

What did you want to do first?

[showsnopiety]

[Well look at that, a caged tigress. Caren watches her quietly. The room is clean of dust and echoes, too clean even to feel lived in. But it was what it was.]

That depends on what you mean, Kaede.

[She didn't move, simply watching the other woman with her eyes heavy lidded.]

Because I have a variety of things I'd like to do, but some of them need time to set up.

However-I assume you're interested in bricks and answers?