-Has made an ARI recording of the tape-

-Pops the tape out-

We need to talk to both of these men. Take me to your manager, now.

What's next, a cult taking vengeance because their white-furred idol passed away?

Spelunking through a Halo Ring is something else...

Ah, you don't need to do that. Agent Midoriya and I can pay our own way in just fine.

-Glances at him-

Right?

mario is red, i am green, i try my best, but everyone's mean

Mall – Phone Repair

(With some trepidation visible on his face, the gent hits the play button and...)

(...fuckin... holy christ...)

...wh—... N—... N-NORM— gh—...

(Has gone very pale and is now shaking, cowering behind Kintobor like a scared child. Covers her mouth, looking very much like she's about to faint or vomit... or both.)

...........

(The repairman is speechless for a while, just staring in horror.)

...........

(He takes a shuddering breath, steadying himself on the counter, and calmly asks Kintobor what the hell this is.)

---

Church

...Oh dear... Uh—... Please, go ahead. Should I—... go back into my office...?

(Is starting to look scared.)

---

Curio Rouge

...Sandwiches, huh?

(Raises an eyebrow.)

And you thought I was superstitious, ehehe...

(Turns to Neil.)

Now, to be entirely fair to our, uh... "friends" at the Sallow Lodge, I haven't heard anything about them deifying Prince... If they do, they're mighty quiet about it.

---

Star-Times Website

(Fairly nondescript little article, just a fluffy description of the trash pickup, followed by an interview with some of those involved... Those quoted include a Dr. Crispin Cracker and a Dr. Wallace Breen. Odd...)

---

Mall – Build-A-Bear

(Follows along, chortling with upper-crust glee.)

Mm... Do you suppose the thought of constructing such a thing embarrassed him?

(Is decking her kitty out with the laciest, frilliest shit they have.)

---

Wal-Mart

…

(Blinks.)

...Damn, uh—... Hey, just for future reference... You might wanna whip that out at the start, y'know? Heck, I was starting to worry that you were the Weaver...

(Sheepish grin, wiping a little sweat from his forehead.)

...Yeah, but since you're FBI after all— I actually met with some of your fellow agents yesterday, sir. I, uh... didn't do much all that useful, but I did get to show them a sketch I did based on some footage alleged to be of the Weaver.

---

Norm's Room

Just the one. Guess somethin' spooked him...

(BUNCHA COOL INFO AND SHIT, Plasmo is OFC the hero, apparently there's a Dark Empress Yarina or something... lots and lots of password fuel, so one must choose wisely...!)

---

Mall – Music Store

Heh, right this way.

(Strides to the back of the store, moving with eerie grace for such a plump fellow. Swooces into some little store room, returning quickly with... aw yea, THE METAL-STRINGS VERSION.)

Says here on the tag it's $25.

---

Mall – Dick's

...R-right... One second...

(one second later...)

(The young employee drags some crusty-looking fellow◊ (pls ignore the claws) out of the employee break room and leads him down the hall towards Jayden.)

Please, sir, it's— it's very important...!

Ye'd best explain yerself quick, boy, or this is comin' outta yer last paycheck...

---

Zoological Center

(Waves his hand at Shotaro.)

I insist, it's no trouble. It's the least I can do in return for you keeping the two of us safe on our outing.

(and the boy... he pay)

(and the gurl... she walk in, sniffling a bit to herself)

...Norm would've loved that bee... ohhhh...

Edited by MobileLeprechaun on Sep 8th 2018 at 11:32:09 AM

make it through this year if it kills you yet | 2001-2019

Hmm...

-koata starts thinking some more as he looks through-

Um... Hrm… This is going to be hard...

LOVE IS STORED IN THE AXOLOTL!

“Oh...oh dear...er, perhaps just move onto the rest of the notes...?”

“I’ll have to search your office too.”

"hey, hey, hold on, i'm going to have to try it before i commit to a purchase...has no one else, like, tried playing the instruments in-store?"

[forum cryptid: it/it's]

I do not see why it would.

-dresses her lion in a very prim and proper business suit-

-with a cravat-

... I will name you... Junior Prosecutor Lowe.

UN JOUR JE SERAI DE RETOUR PRÈS DE TOI

-Flashes the two of them his badge-

Norman Jayden, FBI. Your store is currently under investigation in relation to one of the Weaver murders.

-Looks at the junior employee-

Take us to Mr. Breen, please. He needs to see this as well.

Wal Mart

Thanks. (puts this new info in his textpad) {Looks like I have to meet up with my fellow agents, soon.} Do you mind coming with me?

Hotel: Dia's Dysfuctional Door to the Answer

Machina blinked and turned her head to Koata, smiling as she saw his difficulties. "I thought you guys were supposed to be the detectives here" She sported a wide grin and laughed, turning around with her chair.

"Whatever this is fun. Alright why don't we all do it together. Both of you eh... Forgot your names, anyway get here, doubt we can find anything else in the room" Maxwell said before finally setting down a piece of paper on her lap and bringing down her pen on it.

"Alright, don't think about it, just bring me all the names, everything, and I'll rule out the possibilities, oh and mention any numbers ya see recurring"

Dia started making dramatic strokes with her pen as she wrote all her options, obviously very much on purpose judging by the doofy expression of pure joy and mischief on her face.

As the names poured down, the boxer started using her head, making notes of possible connections, impossibilities due to length and unlikely ones, too obvious or too small, she started crossing out until she came up with a more viable list.

Edited by LiorVal on Sep 8th 2018 at 8:23:58 PM

-INSECURITY RISES IN THSI LAD! is he really that bad at his job?...-

O—oh... Um... Thank you...

…

-koata looks through again, then at the phone, he thinks some... then adds one of the names of the characters in it-

-plasmo-

Edited by Lilqueendaisy on Sep 8th 2018 at 10:38:13 AM

LOVE IS STORED IN THE AXOLOTL!

Curio Rouge (Aichi)

-Deifying Prince... Would someone really do that...?-

-...-

-...Maybe... After all, there are some very strange people out there. Not to mention that Aichi believes that Planet Cray really exists.-

-Aichi reads through the article, and notices the names and quotes.-

-'Dr. Breen' and 'Dr. Crispin Cracker'...-

"The article about the clean up has quotes from Dr. Wallace Breen and Dr. Crispin Cracker..."

-Are they members?-

"What do you know about them, Mrs. Rouge? Do you know if they're members?"

-Aichi then goes to the article about the killings. He can't just ignore that...-

-...And he'll try to sneak in a look at the snapping turtle article. It's there and it's related to the creek...-

Midoriya

"Y-yeah! That shouldn't be a problem."

(too late, it seems)

(the eternal trouble of generosity, no one wants to be the one earning that generosity)

(not Midoriya's thoughts of course, just the writer's conjecture)

(although Midoriya does think that it's a little relieving to be spared that cash, as much as he doesn't want to admit it)

Bakugo

(Bakugo slams the articles he's reading closed)

(he really feels that he went down the wrong road)

(Beefus, if he was as clueless and moronic as his ancestors, wouldn't be able to conduct a series of killings this detailed... nor would he be so elusive)

(he finally decides to scrap this train of thought and go back to the beginning)

(but where to start again?)

(he recalls seeing articles about other zoning disputes other than the Curio Rouge... perhaps that)

(he's pretty sure the killings are tied to something about the town's institutes...)

(for now, he looks up examples of other zoning disputes)

"Shake the dust." - Anis Mojgani

-shotaro's professionalism, personally, feels quite damaged at a civilian paying for something while he's on the job-

-shotaro's sense of finance-keeping, however, is intensely relieved by this prospect-

Ah- well, alright. Thanks.

mario is red, i am green, i try my best, but everyone's mean

-IGNORE DAISY DID A DUMB SORRY!-

Edited by Lilqueendaisy on Sep 12th 2018 at 5:14:19 AM

LOVE IS STORED IN THE AXOLOTL!

"... Isn't this against the law? I don't think we're authorized to do a search here..."

Norm's Room

Logan, and that's Koata. Let's see what this dork's got in his stuff, eh?

(Dia, Koata and Logan, between the three of them, manage to compile and narrow down solid list of names and numbers. They are as follows:)

• Plasmo
• Parsty
• Nik-Nik
• Bruncho
• Coredor
• Kirk Littleman
• Tish O'Neil
• Dark Empress Yarina
• 413
• 2101
• 77

("Plasmo" doesn't work to unlock the phone, unfortunately... Maybe something else will, tho...! Don't give up, little Koata!)

---

Mall – Phone Repair

(The next decryption produces not a sound– but a cryptic and nigh-incomprehensible image◊.)

Mhh... ngh... Th-that was Norm, in– in the recording, I heard his voice over the other guy and– and fuckin'...

(Manages to clench her fist, a primal fear and rage in her eyes.)

...Sick bastard must've recorded himself killing him... Wh-what the fuck...

---

Church

…

(Sober nod.)

Please, go right ahead. This is a house of God, and someone of our own congregation—... and one of my dearest friends, too... was killed here. If you think this is related to the murders, then please, do whatever you need to do.

(Looks really sad and solemn now, not quite as nervous.)

---

Mall – Music Store

…

(Slowly gets a big smile, nodding and producing a guitar pick from his jacket pocket... and a cheeto falls on the floor from said pocket too. Gnarly...)

Heh! By all means, lay those sick jams down. Haven't heard anything livelier than a funeral dirge in this store for quite a while now.

(Plops his fat self on a cardboard box packed full of items to clearance, kicking back so as to hear... the jams.)

---

Mall – Build-a-Bear

And mine shall be Duchess Graciella D'Ardonisto, a noblewoman of troubled mind, yet fair face.

(Beams.) My soul has needed this, dearest of my acquaintances. Did yours yearn as well?

(one Miss Cher Bordeaux's increasing dismay might be heard faintly from outside the store, a bit across the hall...)

---

Mall – Dick's

…

(The crabby old man's eyes widen.)

Wh—... Well why didn't ye say so...?! Eheh— I'm not about t' obfuscate a federal investigation, an' I definitely don't have any tax fra— err, I mean, anything t' hide from ye. Argh har har argh argh...

(SWEATS as he chuckles nervously... Scuttles towards the front of the store and the exit, motioning for Jayden to follow him.)

Old Man Breen oughtta be in by now, I'll show ye t' his office...

(Looks very nervous and troubled as he follows, still shaken by that freakish footage.)

---

Wal-Mart

Uh... Not at all! Didn't have much planned, aside from getting this pepper spray.

(Ponders a moment before looking back to Gesicht.)

...Say, uh... Weird question, but are you guys planning any sort of stakeout? I know you've just been here in town for a day tops, but... God, I really wanna bag that creep before hurts any of my other friends.

---

Curio Rouge

...Oh, uh... Breen's definitely one, yeah. He tries to act like he's above it all, but I know that old weirdo's involved. He's probably just cranky that he has to attend while in Texas and put up with people who aren't as educated as he is. Smug old creep still hasn't paid down his layaway...

(Grimaces down at a dusty old invoice before remembering herself and peering back up.)

...Now Cracker, they're, uh... I honestly didn't know the doc was part of that club. Guess this means they're not a lady after all...? They're kind of strange, but good at what they do. Definitely prescribed me some good stuff when I was laid up with pneumonia... Kind of a shame to hear they're involved.

...Ah, goodness fellows...!

(Park Sung-chul finally scuttles in from the back, gently carrying a large agate◊ in his arms.)

Terribly sorry, I got distracted right when I walked in... I trust you've found some interesting information?

---

Star-Times Website

(Not much to glean from the article about the murders that Aichi doesn't already know, aside from that everyone in the city is both pretty bummed and pretty frightened, and that there will be a candlelight vigil for the victims this weekend by Gray Creek.)

(Now the turtle, that's definitely fluff piece... But an interesting one nonetheless. It's the largest recorded alligator snapper in Texas history, and it's said to be more than a hundred years old. Cooter Jones, a resident and restaurant proprietor, is very fond of this damn turtle, and was interviewed about it.)

---

Zoological Center

(Just gives them a curt little nod as he hands out the tickets and pockets a little brochure/map.)

(There, in the center of the informational building, is a taxidermy specimen of a white lion◊, just kinda lyin'... heh, on a rock, and he's got a big informational plaque about him and shit. According to the sign, this is "Prince".)

I'm always amazed at how alive they made him look...

---

Archives

(Hm...! There was a bit of drama when the restaurant "Cooters'" was first established, though that may or may not have been legitimate, seeing as the building in question is a bit rinky-dink.)

(There was also a strange case related to one Ms. Leah Yardley and whether or not her bizarre little house◊ should be condemned for being so unsightly. Ultimately, it seems to have panned out in her favor.)

(Finally, and perhaps most saliently, the kibosh seems to have been put on many prospective developments and new additions to the city slated for 2018 and beyond, including a large waterpark under the Schlitterbahn franchising flagship, expansions to the mall and its associated tram system, a German restaurant and a laser-tag arena. These debates were hot and heavy, but there was just too much resistance to the developments...)

Edited by MobileLeprechaun on Sep 17th 2018 at 3:32:22 AM

make it through this year if it kills you yet | 2001-2019

"don't get too excited." Carmine said dryly as he sat down with the guitar, refusing the pick.

"i don't exactly play the beach boys, you get me?"

He checked the tuning on the guitar and quickly dove into a haunted set of chords.

Edited by ImmortalFaust on Sep 17th 2018 at 1:20:51 AM

[forum cryptid: it/it's]

Curio Rouge (Aichi)

-So Breen is definitely a member of the Sallow Lodge and Cracker is apparently involved...-

"Ah, all right."

-Aichi gets to messaging in the group chat.-

"I've learned that Dr. Wallace Breen and Dr. Crispin Cracker are members of the Sallow Lodge. It might be a good idea to speak with them."

-...And a vigil...-

"There's going to be a candlelight vigil for the victims this weekend..."

-...He actually wants to attend that. Pay respects.-

"Maybe some of us should attend?"

-He doesn't want to be rude and ask questions, but at the same time there might be a small chance to pick up a tiny bit of information...-

-...But Aichi truly does want to pay his respects as well.-

-Oh, Park! Aichi hadn't even realized that he slipped away.-

"Oh, um... Well, what we've learned so far..."

-Aichi proceeds to explain everything they've learned so far to Park, hoping that he didn't screw anything up.-

-Then he looks over at Mrs. Rouge again, with a smile.-

-He's not really sure what to ask now though...-

-He looks over to Neil and Dirk.-

"Um... Do you guys have any questions?"

-oof… YOU CAN'T GIVE UP THO KOATA!-

-try 2101-

LOVE IS STORED IN THE AXOLOTL!

One last question - what's the scent of this room; it is incredible, is that cinnamon or ginger...

What if there’s no better word than just not saying anything?

-Shadow goes about searching the office-

"Miss, I promise you that I will do everything in my authority to catch this...this maniac. That I swear to you...this image makes no sense..."

Wal Mart

Excellent. (dials up Breen's Uber.) We'll do your suggestion as soon as we can.

(skims his text on his Blackberry.) Huh. Didn't know that.

Text to Aichi

Thank you.

-Follows Old Man Krabs to Breen's office-