[Last Time, on El WHAT?!: The next day dawned and fighters and guests were called to a general assembly, where three revelations were made. Amy was awarded a victory over Cara due to use of arcane magic, a fighter in another division had killed his brother accidentally and was disqualified, and a fighter had been subjected to MURDER MOST FOWL in the night. The group promptly decided to investigate, them being heroes and all.] [It's the same day, and the group had just decided that they need to question possible suspects.] [Allez Cuisine!] * Amy rubs Taro's bald head again. "So, any ideas whodonnit?" Nope. * Cara shakes her head. I don't have a clue. Sorry. ^^; Well, I don't know for certain yet, but I think it's that Mather lady... Mather lady? Who's that Taro? * Cara snickers slightly at Ichi's comment. Mather Froelich Is A Man, Great Detective. .... oh. ^_^;;; ... right. Anyway, Mr. Froelich fits the clues, and has the motive. But we can't count out the other guy yet You think he did it? Wow, you're smart. ^_^ So d'we split up and question them both then? * Shiho folds her arms in thought. Hm... * Daphne eyes Amy, then shrugs. Well, we should probably talk to referees for more information All we have is information gathered from the scene of the crime. About what? I doubt they'd know anything more than what they told us. And tell me whenever you want me to try to fix your hair, Taro. * Amy looks confused. "But.. I thought we didn't find anything." * Cara winks. "Unless you like the attention." ^^; * Daphne snickers. Well, we found that they went in through the heating vents. Or at least that the grating was scrubbed clean. And you said there wasn't enough blood. Yeah Just a few spots is very, very odd * Amy still looks confuzzled. Demeter was pierced through the neck. That should have sent blood spraying everywhere But there were just a few, small spots Maybe they used a special weapon? Hmm... that's a possibility. Like what? A giant syringe? I Have Heard Of Thoroughly Evil Weapons Called Bloodswords. Bloodswords? They Drink The Blood Of Those They Kill. They Appear As A Normal Blade, But Tinted Red. ... hm. Thanks * Ichi looks over at Tulpa and slowly nods. It was probably that, then. That'd work. We'll have tae keep an eye out for one. Icky. How creepy. Hm. ... hang on a sec. Has everyone been keeping a close eye on their weapons? Yep! My staff is always safe and sound. * Taro nods That's good What's that got to do with anything? Didn't it happen when I was a plushie? Ichi has a sword that's kinda tinted red.. Ichi is the murderer? @_@ Don't look at me. I've just got my sketchpad. ^^: No, no Ichi has also been a plushie for some time prior. * Daphne shrugs. "I have no weapons." * Taro nods * Ichi shakes his head, "No!" Hm. So his sword would have been plushified too A plushie sword? That's adorable! Heh. ^^; * Cara giggles, and smiles nostalgically. * Shiho sighs. "All this talk isn't helping at all. I'm going to go look for clues." Alright, let's head towards the judgets, referees, etc. * Taro heads off. Ichi, come with me? * Amy rides after Taro-sama. ^-^ * Taro blinks at Shiho. Where are you checking? Thought I'd question a few people. * Ichi nods, "I can't think of a reason why not to." Are we going to split up and question people, like in the books? That's the idea. * Taro nods. Looks like it. * Daphne shrugs. Okay, we need to question the judges, referees, and building administrators... We need to use the buddy system! I Will Take My Leave Now. * Tulpa exits stage left. * Taro blinks at Tulpa Odd fellow... Well, that leaves us with five. So we can only check two places at a time now .. Five? You, Shiho, Ichi, Cara, then me. .. oh, wait. * Amy counts. "Taro, Ichi, Daphne, Cara, Shiho and Me! That's six!" And Daphne. Six. ^_^;; * Rocky clears his throat loudly. Silly detective! ^_^;; Don't forget Rocky. ^_~ Okay, seven * Shiho sighs. "Amy and Taro, Cara and Daphne, Ichi, Rocky and myself. Let's go." * Shiho heads out. Alright. And Bear-chan, and Wolf-chan, and Eagle-san! Which area are you going to, Shiho? So we have ten? * Daphne shakes her head sadly. And Grandpa! Erm. Where do you want us to go, then? * Ichi looks a between Shiho's departing figure and the rest of the group before hurring after her. Hm... I'll go ask the judges, you talk to the administrators... Ask about the gratings, recent break-ins, building layout, that sorta thing. It's important to construct a picture of just what happened. * Taro heads off * Amy follows Taro-sama! ^-^ We meet back in our room after we're done! * Cara shrugs. "Okay." * Cara turns and smiles at Daphne. "So, shall we go?" * Daphne shrugs. "Sure. Why not?" * Daphne frowns. Well, we can't just go question Mather. Maybe we can ask around with someone else from his school. Or a rival school, if we happen to discover they have one. * Cara nods. "Okay...what about talking to some of the officials, like Taro said?" * Daphne nods. "That could work, too. Maybe the school has a history of this sort of thing, or somethin'." * Cara nods. * Daphne goes in search of an official! * Cara heads off with Daphne. * Daphne and Cara wind off into the labarynthine hallways of the arena looking for the officials. Before long, they're completely lost. Cara? Yeah? Do you have any idea where we are? Nope. You? I can honestly say I don't. Well...maybe we should look for someone to get directions from instead. ^^; That or a map, yes. * Cara goes to look for either of those objectives. * Daphne looks for one of those 'run this way in case of fire' maps. Or for someone who looks like they know where the hell they are. * Cara and Daphne are in a fairly well trafficked area of the arena, and it's nto long before a referee shows up. * Daphne heads for the referee, trying to get his attention. Hey! Refman! * Cara smiles and heads after her. Huh? Can I help you? Yes, as a matter o' fact you can. What can I do for you? How long have you referee'd this tournament? Oh, I just started recently, this is my first run of _this_ tournament. I was also at the last Make A Wish tourney, though. * Cara stands a bit behind Daphne and smiles pleasantly at the ref until she's sure of what Daphne's strategy is. * Daphne frowns, then nods. "Alright. Reffed any fights with someone from the Raging Dragon school in 'em?" Oh, yes. I think there's one in this tournament, and there was a Master in the last. * Cara 's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. A Master, ey? What was he like? Nice guy? He tended to be a little angry. It's not the Raging Dragon school for nothing. Do you know much about the Raging Dragon guys in general? What sorta school is it? * Daphne nods. "Right. Did he tend to keep the anger to himself most of the time, or was he loud and violent outside the ring?" Oh, he was a tad boastful, but nothing really bad unless you got up in his face. * Daphne nods. "And then?" * Cara wisely shuts up. Well, then he started slinging fire like there was no tomorrow. Raging Dragons never back down from a challenge. * Daphne frowns, nods. She turns to Cara. "You were askin'?" Oh. Um. I was just wondering, d'you know much about the school in general? Oh, not a whole lot. A passing bit of knowledge, general theme, stuff like that. * Cara nods. Know anyone who'd know more? Well, most fighter's'd know more. Any specific schools that'd maybe know 'em better? Well, they've got a standing feud with the Raging Sea school. I think there was a fighter from there, but he got eliminated, so he might not be around. * Daphne frowns and nods. Mmhmm... * Daphne nods. "Any refs who've been around for a long time and might be more familiar with the school?" Oh, most of the older ones are walking encyclopedias of fighting knowledge. * Daphne nods. "Alright. Where could I find some, y'think?" She grins. "you got a ref-only lounge somewhere or somethin?" Not really... mostly we wander around taking care of equipment, doing maintenance, and keeping the peace. * Daphne nods. "Alright, then. Oh, and one more thing. Can you, uh, tell us how to get back to the main area?" * Cara smiles a little sheepishly. No problem. Follow *points* that hall. DOn't take any turns. You'll come to one of the main lounges. Thanks! ^_^ Thanks. ^_^ * Daphne heads that way, looking for more experienced refs while she's at it. * Cara follows after Daphne, waving to the ref as she goes. * You encounter no referees on the way, despite passing several turnoffs. Before long, you enter #EW2 [Log Cut] [Go to EW39a.txt and EW39b.txt] * Shiho arrives at the arena floor, quickly followed by Daphne and Ichi. * Shiho glances around, bow already drawn. * There's no body, no scorch marks, and no fighters anywhere on the arena floor, let alone around any of the rings. * Daphne frowns. * Shiho dashes there anyhow, 'cause there wasn't any blood, either. I don't see him anywhere. ...no blood. How'd Amy go all that way without gettin' blood on the floor? * Ichi shakes his head, "I don't know." Wait. Did you find something? * Daphne frowns and runs. "Back this way! C'mon!" * Shiho runs back that way. She makes sure to go the right direction this time c.c * Ichi runs that way * Following the blood trail is simple, and it leads back into the nether reaches of the arena. Shortly, you arrive at the head of the trail, a large storage room full of spare fighting rings. * Daphne looks for people, scorchmarks, Taro, or anything else important. * Ichi does the same as Daphne. * Shiho does too! * There are several scorch marks on one ring, and then an immense smear of soot and blood leading from a point on the floor all the way to one wall, describing a circle on the wall. * Daphne scowls. Shit. * Shiho inspects it. * Taro's magical rod is lying on the floor midway through the streak, apparently the only thing powerful enough to have survived the inferno. * Ichi stares at the rod, "Taro..." * Shiho inspects that, too. For any markings or such. * Daphne frowns. "That rod still work?" * There's a small button on the side of the rod, probably used to activate it, and a small smear of blood on the area that was touching the ground. 'Cause I think we're gonna need it. * Shiho picks the rod up. "Keep looking," She says, and does that herself. * Daphne keeps looking. For anything. * Ichi looks at the wall, and then tears his eyes away. * Amy and Cara walk purposefully into the room, followed by Mather Froelich. * Mather stares at the huge smear of blood and soot that leads to one wall and describes an immense circle of scorched stone there. I'm not sure I could make a flame that big if I tried. * Amy looks. "D.. did you find Taro? Is he okay? Say he's okay... please?" Well, someone did. * Cara stares at the mess. "How awful..." * Ichi shakes his head. * Shiho looks at Amy. "What happened here?" Y.. you fo.. ound him and.. and saved him, right? * Ichi shakes his head again. ...not yet. * Cara looks at Amy. "Who was it who did this?" T.. th.. that pyro that.. that burnt off all of Taro's.. Taro's.. * Amy breaks into tears again. * Cara scowls. "THAT guy?" Figured. * Shiho clenches her fists. "Where is he?" Let's go find this sunuffabitch and do untae him. I don't kno.. know. * Ichi shakes his head again, "Where do we look?" Do you have any idea where he was going? N.. no. Uhm, follow the charred floor tiles? Maybe? * Daphne looks to see if the guy just happened to leave a fiery wake. * Cara lets out an uncharacteristically vile curse. * Daphne nods approvingly at what Cara says. * There is no firey wake. D.. do you think he.. he ki.. ki.. * Amy sobs. * Nope. No way. He couldn't. Not Taro. We will find them. Pawprints? ...huh? Huh? From the bear? From Bear-chan? Well, maybe. They're close to the right size. I think. Where? * Daphne points to the sooty prints leading away from the head of the cone ot soot. Leadin' away from where the blast came from. ...hm. * Ichi looks at the prints. * Daphne frowns. Shiho? Don't suppose you can tell an animal from it's tracks? Or anyone else, for that matter? Amy? * Shiho looks at the prints. * Amy peerepeers at the prints. They look kinda like Bear-chan's. Maybe she made them by accident. * Daphne frowns. On on purpose. Let's follow them. * Cara nods. * Daphne nods. D.. do you think they lead to Taro? We'll see. We can only hope. * Shiho follows them. "We'll see." * Daphne follows them! * Amy follows. * The pawprints lead for a few steps and then the trail of Amy's blood starts, and the pawprints change to bloody ones, and then are mostly washed out by the sheer quantity of blood that was spilled. * Cara follows the group, sketchbook and pencil at the ready. I.. guess.. Bear-chan made them by ac..ac.. did all that really come from me? * Daphne frowns. A lot. * Cara winces. "You...were hurt pretty bad." * Amy sobs. "T.. taro could be hurt and alone.. and.. and" * Daphne keeps frowning, and glances at Shiho. We will find him, and we will not stop untill we do. * Cara puts an arm around Amy. "We'll find him. Don't you worry." * Shiho looks over at Amy. "It was Mui, wasn't it?" * Amy sobs and nods. * Shiho heads out of the room. * Ichi follows Shiho...(to the lounge?) * Daphne follows, scowling. * Amy follows. * Cara follows. * You pass through two separate lounges and are rewarded with no results. You're near the main entrance now. * Shiho keeps looking. Dammit. * Shiho heads to a registrar. * Ichi looks around the entrance hall. * Daphne follows, grumbling. * Cara is pale and tightlipped. She keeps following Shiho. Can I help... oh my, that's a lot of blood on your clothing. * Amy is sobbing, but silent. * Shiho evades the question, instead asking her grimly to page Mui. Er... if it's that important, sure. * Shiho nods. Very. * The registrar picks up a microphone, pushes a button, and says "Paging Mui Melosora, Mui Melosora to the main registration desk, please." The call echoes all over the arena. * A few minutes pass. * Cara stays with Amy, though she looks like she wants to pace impatiently. * Ichi does pace. * Shiho hides the flame-dousing rod. * Shiho puts it in her pack, and has Rocky follow, in fact. * Another few minutes pass and Mui Melosora appears from one of the hallways. You! Where's Taro? What did you do with him? * Cara tenses (further), and glares at Mui. * Mui walks towards the desk and is brought up by Amy. "Wha?" * Mui looks confused. What're you talking about? * Daphne eyes Mui carefully. Did you kill him? Did you kill Taro? Give us Taro back! * Amy sobs. Didn't you get into a fi::gets verbaly run over:: * Cara gasps, and stares at Shiho. "Killed?" I didn't kill anybody! BAck off! I'll burn you all! * Shiho holds a hand over her shoulder, and Rocky slips the wand into her grasp. She points it threateningly. "Tell us, or I'll silence your flame powers forever. What did you do with Taro?!" * Cara recovers to glare at Mui. "Try it and I'll make you wish you were never born." * Mui cringes away from Shiho. "I didn't do anything! I haven't seen him since I left the meeting!" You're LYING! I saw you! Give us Taro back! GIVE HIM BACK! * Daphne frowns. * Ichi blinks, "But Amy said you fought her." And him. * Daphne eyes Amy again. I haven't seen him! Not since just after burning him bald! * Shiho frowns fiercely. * Rocky hops over to Daphne's shoulder and whispers in her ear. * Daphne listens. * Amy sobs. * Daphne whispers back to Rocky. * Shiho keeps the wand raised as she thinks this over. * Rocky whispers back. * Cara frowns, looking perplexed. Why the hell do you think I killed him? * Mui thinks about that for a minute. Okay, you've got a point. So what happened? * Daphne whispers back. How am I supposed to know?! * Amy glares daggar at Mui. If I had killed him, there wouldn't be a body to tell you he was even killed! * Shiho grinds her teeth. "There wasn't." * Mui pales. Just this big scoarch mark. * Mui pales further. * Rocky whispers more to Daphne. * Daphne stops whispering just long enough to say to Mui "He was burnt completely to a crisp, and about a third of the room with him." * Daphne listens to Rocky, nods, and whispers back. * Mui gapes. * Cara goes white. "...you...you mean..." * Amy pales. "W..what do you.. T.. Taro is.." That's... amazing. A flame that size... He...you found... I MUST know who did it! ... Well, that's makes another of us. Yeah. * Ichi looks confused. * Shiho frowns a bit. B... but it was him. I sa.. saw him. * Daphne whispers something else to Rocky. You couldn't have seen me! When was it? A few minutes ago. No way. I was talking to that crazy samurai dude. He seemed to think I'd done it, too. * Shiho frowns even deeper. * Rocky nods to Daphne. * Amy looks crestfallen. "But..if you didn't.. then..?" Someone...who can change their form? * Daphne frowns. "Samurai? Not Mather, I assume?" * Shiho lowers the wand. "All right. I'll believe your story for now. But if you're lying, you'll regret it." No, no. The Guy Who Talks Like This All The Flaming Time. He'll vouch for me, I know it. Tulpa? Yeah, that's it, I think. 'sgot the twin katana over his shoulder. Real evil looking. Oh, him. * Shiho nods. "We'll ask him." He thought I did it too, and he was trying to recruit me. ... * Amy rubs her hair. "But if.. I.. I saw.." * Daphne chuckles. "That sounds about right." * Shiho grits her teeth. And lowers her gaze. "Damn. Back to square one." I wonder how he found out. Looks like it. * Daphne shrugs. "We could ask him." We'll have to. * Rocky blinks twice and whispers at Daphne again. Would you put that thing away? Please? Or we could page 'im, too. * Cara nods very slowly, still looking like she's in shock. * Amy looks broken. "Taro is.. dead and... it wasn't him and.." she sobs again. * Shiho nods and puts it away. "Fine. I apologize for being so rash." * Shiho looks at the others. "Come on, let's go see if we can find Tulpa. Somewhere else; I'd rather not page him." * Mui visibly relaxes as the rod goes out of sight. * Daphne nods. "Works for me. Mui, you comin' with?" He stayed in the lounge on the other side of the arena. The one that's right above registration. * Daphne nods. "Alright, thanks." You'll know it by the wonderful smell coming from the eatery there. * Daphne chuckles. * Rocky grins. "Mmm. Food." Now THERE'S a chef that knows how to use fire. Hmmm. Wonder if they got beer. Somehow I'm not hungry... Later. Let's go. * Shiho heads to the hall. Alright, let's go. * Amy looks sick. "H.. how could you ea..eat?" * Daphne follows! * Amy follows. * Ichi tags along. * Cara follows. * A couple minutes later, Shiho leads the group out onto the floor of the arena, taking a shortcut across the main fighting ring. * Shiho pauses in the center. * Shiho looks up at the sky. Amy? * Ichi stops, and waits, and tries to figure out what's going on. * Daphne rolls her head from one side to the other. * Cara comes to a stop. "Shiho?" * Amy blinks and looks at Shiho. "What?" * Shiho says without turning. "I just..." How did you feel then? * Shiho turns around quickly. "When you killed him." [Session END!]