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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 21, 2018 3:09:55 GMT
The Botswright estate had fallen to a gloom the illustrious grounds had never known. It didn’t seem right that the sun shone bright on this day. The gloom centered on the master bedroom, again far too brightly lit for what happened there today. Nancy Botswright lay barely moving, gasping, drowning in sweat. Her once inky black hair had turned as white and frail as clouds, skin just as pale. Her skin had been rubbed away in multiple places where clothes, sheets, or even drops of sweat had made their marks, but the flesh below was as chalk. Machines surrounded her, of a sort that would make a hospital jealous. One of these machines stood and put a steel hand on another of dials and switches.
“You stay away from those dials.” The man who sat on the other side of the bed growled. He was tall, but hunched as he was he looked microscopic. His moss-green hair hung loose and uncombed over his dark face, glasses smudged with tears. “I can’t turn it off without your permission.” The response was low and calm. “And I don’t grant it! You know what it is and you can do nothing!?” The man in glasses jumped to his feet, shaking the bed.
Nancy screamed when the jolt scraped a sheet of skin from her shoulder. “I can make her death take another painful day. Or I can let her rest. But at this point there’s not a human being alive who could do anything more than that.” To the green-haired man he was a specter of death, standing pale and cold by a machine that could kill with the twist of a knob. There was silence in the room for an eternity. “Turn it off.” He groaned. His voice brought on silence, the hum of the machines gone. “I would talk to the HWIC agent outside. You’re a suspect.” The doctor pulled gloves over steely hands and walked to the door.
“Suspect!?” The head of the Botswright family's fist clenched around the headboard’s corner. “Ghost dust is a rare and expensive poison. It doesn’t show up in a wealthy mage’s mansion by accident.” He opened the door and paused. “You will have a few minutes to grieve while I give my results. I’m sorry for your loss.” The door swung softly closed behind him. Elliott Botswright stared at his wife’s face. Hours earlier she was darker than him. Now she was just a pale shape in the sheets, blending with them, a bloodless shape. “Durward.” He croaked, and a shaped stirred in the shadows. “My phone, Durward. Our family is under attack from all sides. You won’t be enough to guard us this time.”
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Post by othus on Oct 22, 2018 1:55:09 GMT
Hiring a Musashi was often expensive, even the regular agents cost a lot more than your regular HW security, But when someone requested the captain of the Royal Guards, the Musashi knew they meant business.
Gan was not the type to go on monster hunts, he usually left that to the heiress of the clan and her sister. It's not that he couldn't do it, its just that he firmly believed his sword should be used exclusively to protect others. he arrived at the Real estate of the Botswright, they were obviously wealthy, judging by the beautiful area and the details, the briefing said little, but Gan never asked too many questions. if someone wanted to be safe, he would make sure of it.
The Musashi agent walked towards the gate, wearing a formal black suit, black shirt and tie with gold cuffs that sported the crest of the clan. his long black hair, as traditionally used by the Musashi for generations, was well kept and groomed. he finally stood by the gate, waiting to be addressed by someone within the complex.
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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 22, 2018 7:33:10 GMT
Gan would find somebody already waiting when he reached the gates. Something, anyway. Its suit was tailored perfectly to an utterly inhuman body. It couldn’t be more literally barrel-chested, literally cylindrical in the torso. In contrast, its arms were unbelievably long and thin, capable of touching the ground even above the second elbow each contained. The thing’s hands were covered in white gloves, but they seemed to have an absurd number of fingers.
The legs were the opposite, so short they didn’t seem at all adequate for the oversized body. On top of the body sat what must have been a neck and head, guarded by segmented plates so it could move freely. All Gan could see of its face would be two dimly glowing eyes peeking through a gap in the armor. One long arm shot out and tapped a button, opening the gates for the visitor.
Its short legs scuttled to carry it back to the house, surprisingly swift in its movements. Gan would just have to follow it up the gravel driveway. The house threatened to surround Gan as he approached. It was a massive U shape, with a central courtyard decorated liberally with trees and a central fountain Gan wouldn’t get a good look at on his way in. The odd creature lead Gan to a grand door on the left arm of the building and held the door for him.
Gan would step into an entrance room made to impress. A fire elemental sat atop the chandelier, waving tendrils of flame casting orange specks of light through the crystals around it. Everything was of the highest quality. Rich, dark wood covered the floor and stairs, polished to a shine even now. Portraits lined the hallway Gan was lead down, all of them black men and women with fiery eyes and proud gazes.
The man that greeted him when he entered the room at the end of the hallway was clearly a part of that lineage, but there was no fire in his eyes. He slumped in his chair, looking cowed by the scrawny man across from him. "Durward, that will be all for now." He sounded like he was much further away in a much larger room. The thing nodded and its limbs and head retracted into its body, leaving a giant can in a suit in the corner.
The young man turned, revealing a fresh face that couldn’t be much over 20. He adjusted his hat and stood, glancing Gan up and down. “Hammond Rosenberger, investigating agent of the HWIC. Are you aware of the details of this case?” He asked. There was a third person in the room, leaning up against the wall. Despite it being a warm, sunny day, he wore a full coat and woolen gloves. His face was was like crinkled paper in color and texture. He just watched, seemingly detached from the events in the room.
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Post by othus on Oct 22, 2018 9:50:45 GMT
Gan raised a brow upon seeing the creature, it was odd, having monsters as servants, but his perception was probably twisted, as the Musashi never took in pets or arcane familiars. He followed the creature all the way to the entrance room. an HWIC agent introduced himself, while the other man seemed lost in his own world. He responded to the introduction by slightly bowing and introducing himself as well before giving his answer.
"Gan Tengri, Executive Protection Officer of the Musashi Clan. I am yet to be briefed on the case"- He responded with clear honesty. he looked around the area, not losing track of the man leaned against the wall.
Learning that the HWIC was also involved made Gan believe that this case would be more difficult than originally thought, the HWIC wasn't prominent in Japan, as they did not invade JHWAB turf, but that hardly mattered, since they were still one of the largest HW organizations worldwide.
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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 22, 2018 17:06:52 GMT
“Alright. Doctor Malvus, can you explain the situation like you did to me?” Hammond waved to the man in the corner. “At 5:15 this morning, Nancy Botswright died. She was poisoned by ghost dust. It’s a rare poison, fatal when taken in through the mouth or nose. It can be treated, but only if acted upon quickly. Nancy was too far along when I arrived. I estimate she was poisoned at about 8:30.” He sighed and pushed himself off the wall to approach Gan. He was surprisingly short, Gan easily towering over him.
“I am Ludomir Malvus. I’m here in case more poisoning attempts are made.” He offered a hand to shake. Even under the glove, Gan would feel it was strangely cold. “I hear you’re captain of Orochi Musashi’s Royal Guard. That’s excellent.” The HWIC agent interjected. “A good bodyguard knows how to look out for poison. I’m going to the kitchen first, so I want you to come with me and look around.” He tilted his hat back and offered a friendly smile. “Of course, your charge will come. We’re going to interview everybody in the house anyway, so this is a good way to get them all together.”
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Post by othus on Oct 22, 2018 19:04:28 GMT
"Pleased to meet you" Gan responded as he shook his hand, apparently he knew who he was from the very beginning, so he confirmed Malvus' statement regarding his position.
"That is correct sir, I serve as Captain of the Royal Guard"
The HWIC agent seemed to be ready to get to work, so Gan wouldn't leave him waiting.
"Let's go, I need to meet my client as well"
If anyone was responsible within the grounds of the Botswright estate, his client was in immediate danger. The HWIC agent was in charge of investigating, so Gan would only act according to the intel he provided. The Musashi agent was not hired to solve a crime, but to keep his client alive. He stopped a second before moving on to the kitchen.
"Before we go, I have to inform my faction about your presence, do not worry, the Musashi clan will contact the HWIC directly to confirm your identity"
Credentials wouldn't suffice here, as anyone could make a counterfeit and Gan was not a forensic document analyst to tell the difference between a real one from a fake. He opened his virtual machine comms and contacted the intelligence branch.
"Yes, Hammond Rosenberger, HWIC investigator, Botswright case. return to me in five."
Gan seemed to go back and forth with whomever he was talking to before he finally closed the comms.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, I'm ready"
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Post by HungryHunter on Oct 25, 2018 7:12:21 GMT
"Your client is here." The black man who slumped in his chair sat up. "I am Elliot Botswright." He sounded ten years older than he looked, but his grip was strong when he offered his hand. "Do not worry, I won't let you leave me alone. This man-" He glared at Agent Rosenberger. "Has kept me from my children with his questioning, and I will see them." Now that he stood straight, he was a hair taller than Gan, but he still seemed shrunken by an unimaginable weight on his shoulders. "You can talk to them after I interview them, mister Botswright." Hammond opened the door and nodded to the master of the estate. He pursed his lips and stepped through.
"Durward." Elliot clapped and the creature unfolded to follow. It wasn't far to the kitchen, situated in the corner of the left wing. It wasn't quite as fabulous as the entrance. It was well-furnished; every appliance was top-notch, every instrument obviously selected carefully rather than grabbed off a shelf at Walmart. However, it was still just a kitchen, clearly a room the owners of the mansion didn't expect to see much of. However, one sat now on a counter.
She was young, perhaps 12 or 13. She had green hair like her father, pulled into twin pigtails hanging straight down her back like floppy ears and eyes the same color but reddened by tears. A teddy-bear stood next to her, checker-patterned. It mindlessly walked back and forth across the counter, teetering on the edge every time before veering back, bumping into the girl and turning to make the same mistake again.
Across her, a maid was digging in the cabinets. "Fokken pan, where'd 'e get to, eh!?" She yelled, clattering pots and pans around aggressively. Finally she withdrew, holding the pan she had been searching for triumphantly. "Eh? 'Lo boss, I was just starten' dinner. Children still neen'a eat." She didn't seem to be one of the mourners, although it was hard to read an expression on her face. It was robin's egg blue with a nose like a shark's fin, bridge climbing halfway up her brow and so thin edge-on it might disappear. Wild tangles of purple hair framed her face, giving her the impression of looking out from some alien bush.
"Want to talk to your clients while I examine the kitchen?" Hammond clicked his pen and offered it to Gan atop his notepad. "Hm? Guests? Now?" The strange maid tilted her head and blinked, eyes changing from green to blue. "Aubrey, Madriel, these men have a few questions about... what happened this morning." Elliot leaned against the wall, but Ludomir stepped forward. "I will help you look. I know the chemical signature you're looking for." He pulled off a glove, revealing a steel hand. One fingertip popped open to show an odd little brush. He began running it over surfaces, Madriel watching him do so with bemusement.
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Post by othus on Oct 30, 2018 23:58:16 GMT
"Apologies, a pleasure to meet you, sir." Gan looked again at the HWIC agent as Elliot spoke about him, it was understandable that he wanted them separate for the questioning, so Gan did not intercede for his client. He followed them to the kitchen where he met another bunch of people, he quickly glanced at them as they moved back and forth. The maid made Gan somewhat uncomfortable, he grabbed the pen and note Hammond gave to him and headed straight towards the maid.
"Miss, It is ok, for the time being, the family will have to eat sealed foods only. This is for your protection as well, if anyone gets poisoned the responsibility would fall directly on you"
He got closer to the maid as he lowered his voice so only she could hear him.
"A personal favor, please do not curse in front of the children if possible."
He then walked towards the kids who were roaming around, kneeling to get their attention.
"Hello, my name is Gan, I will be protecting you and your family for a while...please, do tell me anything you remember about what happened"
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Post by HungryHunter on Nov 1, 2018 23:18:55 GMT
"Like... food outta cans? Gonna be an 'ard sell for this family." Madriel scratched a pointed ear. She perched on the counter hawk-like when Gan approached Aubrey. The young girl whistled and her teddy bear stiffened and robotically waddled to her side, moving more unnaturally than before. She tugged it into her arms and hugged it to her chest while she stared at her temporary bodyguard. "...I was eating breakfast with Freddy Teddy and Morton came and told me that mommy was sick." She began to rock back and forth.
"Mommy was all pale. I tried to talk to her but she didn't say anything back!" Her lip wobbled and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. "Daddy had us leave the room when the doctor came and... an hour ago, she died. She looks like a ghost." Aubrey gripped her teddy tighter and began to bawl. Madriel leaned forward and put a hand on the Musashi agent's shoulder. "That'll be enough. Yer maken' her weep." She growled.
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Post by othus on Nov 2, 2018 0:52:17 GMT
"It is ok, everything will be fine, I promise" - he got up the moment he felt the hand of Madriel on his shoulder, he fixed his suit before speaking again.
"Apologies, I know this whole situation might be rough, but everything I do is in order to keep the family safe," he said with a soft tone, understanding her reaction to some degree. He composed his voice back to normal and spoke to her again.
"Can I speak to you for a moment? I would like to know more about today, why don't you walk me through the things you did today, and your usual schedule...this person the little girl mentioned, Morton, you know him?"
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Post by HungryHunter on Nov 3, 2018 19:35:37 GMT
“Morton? E’s the eldest. E ain’t much with magic, but e graduated top of his classin everything else from that Gateway school las’ year.” Madriel crossed her arms and tilted her head back as if to make the thoughts flow into her brain. “Les’ see. Usual routeen. I wake up the first time about 4, dus’ed the stair things with Durward, and wen’ back t’ bed. Wake up again at 6 and start on breakfast. The kids all came through. Morton wan’ed me t’ look a’ a job applicater e got. Lucian, e just came fer an apple. E don’t eat with us much. An’ Aubrey jus’ like me. I made ‘er and Morton pancakes an’ sen’ Durward wit’ tea an’ muffins fer the masters.” Madriel recounted things slowly, clearly having difficult putting everything in order.
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Post by othus on Nov 3, 2018 23:36:35 GMT
"hmmm, It seems I need to talk to him as well, thank you for your cooperation"
Gan was reflecting on the situation, this wasn't his investigation, but he knew who to keep an eye for. The Musashi agent headed towards Rosenberger in order to have a word with him.
"The eldest son, Morton, was he here when you arrived? it seems he graduated from Gateway, it would do us good to speak with him"
Gan sighed, noticing this was like a rabbit hole, being formal was kind of taxing for Gan, but he had to do it, else what kind of professional he would be?
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Post by HungryHunter on Nov 4, 2018 6:35:28 GMT
Agent Rosenberger was sorting out the tea boxes when Gan addressed him. “No, I was informed he got into an argument with his father and left the room while his mother was dying. I spent my time interviewing Mr. Botswright and Mr. Malvus before you arrived, so I don't know where he is. However, I doubt he's left the property. There's space for 6 cars in the garage, and 6 cars right there." Hammond smiled. It was the first thing he had checked when he heard Morton had left in a bad mood. "Anyway, I have an update. Madriel said Nancy and Elliot had tea and muffins, right?" Behind Hammond, Ludomir rummaged in the trash and dug out a discarded muffin box. "I want to know what Elliot did and didn't eat and drink this morning." He pointed to the head of the household, drawing an irritated scowl from him.
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Post by othus on Nov 12, 2018 8:25:33 GMT
"Well, I guess We'll have to talk to him later, he should not be alone, though" The swordsman sighed, knowing there was no way of protecting all of the Botswright by himself unless they were in the same room. He then turned his head towards the discarded muffin box, not particularly concerned but willing to hear what Lucian had to say for himself, Gan was not known for his patience, not if his own client was refusing to cooperate, growling at every question the HWIC agent had to make. He was known as the God of War, not the God of patience.
The sole idea of someone in their own family murdering that woman made his stomach turn, whoever was responsible, it better had been an outsider. Nothing more despicable than having someone from your own family murder you, especially if they were really close.
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Post by HungryHunter on Nov 12, 2018 22:51:18 GMT
"Gan's right, we should have everybody together. Ludomir, could you-" Hammond was about to ask the cyborg to find the remaining children when Aubrey raised her hand. "C-can I help?" Aubrey asked, fixing her eyes on Gan. Hammond shrugged. This was up to the bodyguard. "I found it." Ludomir waved him over. "The poison was in this." Ludomir shook a box of tea leaves. "So that's how this was done. That makes everybody who was in this kitchen a suspect." Hammond rubbed the bridge of his nose. That was everybody in the family. This was going to be a rough investigation.
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Post by othus on Nov 13, 2018 1:38:34 GMT
Gan couldn't answer Aubrey in time, as Ludomir happened to find the source of the poison. He frowned immediately, something was off. He quickly spoke to the girl before moving back there.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be of help, stick around and I'll tell you how"
As he moved inside, he looked at the box one more time. In a low voice, he whispered to the HWIC agent so only he could hear him.
"The entire box of leaves was poisoned? something is off, the maid said Elliot had tea as well, so why was he not poisoned?"
While everyone had gone to the kitchen at some point, not everyone was equally suspicious, someone tampered with the tea, but why the entire box and not just Nancy's drink? whoever poisoned the tea intended to kill both apparently, or perhaps, Elliot himself knew the tea leaves were poisoned and decided not to drink it? maybe the maid used a different batch for both.
"Speak with Mr. Elliot again, why did he decide not to drink tea on that one occasion? I need everyone in the same room, and away from your investigation, if the murderer is here I don't want him to know what you find out"
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Post by HungryHunter on Nov 13, 2018 7:23:28 GMT
"I mean... I was going to have Durward get my brothers." Aubrey clapped and the creature went stiff, moving off at a sharp tilt to find the Botswright. It moved more robotically than usual. "That and your bear. They're both golems?" Hammond observed. He recognized golems well. His own community had banned their use due to long-ago disasters, but there were still craftsmen he knew who made and sold them to outsiders. They were even relevant to one of the loftiest cases in the HWIC; one of the Arachnes was presumed to be a golem, based on descriptions given of the creature seen with known Arachne family members. This girl being able to command them directly was worrisome.
"Well, we can ask Mr. Botswright these questions together." Hammond approached the surviving head of the family. "I'd like to ask you a few more questions. Did you drink any of the tea served to you today?" He asked. "No. I was distracted today. I set my tea down and when I came back, Nancy looked sick so I was preoccupied with her." "Who brought you breakfast and tea?" "Durward." Elliot showed no clear signs of lying, but Hammond knew that was no guarantee. Still, this confirmed that Durward had indeed brought the poisoned tea. As a golem, he had no capacity for betrayal. Somebody else had to have poisoned the tea first, or at most ordered him to do it.
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Post by othus on Nov 15, 2018 9:30:41 GMT
"This won't get us anywhere"- Gan said as he shook his head and exited the kitchen.
Lucian could say anything he wanted basically, making up excuses as to why he did not drink poisoned tea was easy. Madriel in turn now looked a lot more suspicious, considering she served the tea. with how things were, it could even be possible for them both to have cooperated in the murder, but there were still no clues that directly proved their guilt. If the true murderer was not discovered soon, Madriel might end up getting a trip with no return to some HW prison.
As he exited, he looked at the kid again, signaling her to come closer
"Let's have Durward get your brothers now, ok? You stay close to me while we are at it"
poison was a coward's weapon in Gan's view, it would be much easier if the hitman was some sort of gunslinger, he could just slice and dice him into bits the moment he tried something, but this? this required the HWIC agent to do his job first.
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Post by HungryHunter on Nov 17, 2018 5:32:38 GMT
"Okay." Aubrey sniffled. "She's safe wi' you I take i'?" Madriel studied the bodyguard for a long moment before nodding. Whatever standards she had, he seemed to have met them. When Gan lead the child out, Hammond took the opportunity to approach Madriel. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few questions. How did you come to work for the Botswrights?" He flipped open his notebook. "Was abou' 50 years ago now. Ellio's gran'father was wanderin' the Sidhe and me' me. I was a righ' hag back then, an' I challenged 'im to an eatin' contes'. I win, I ea' 'im." Madriel grinned, showing off just how inhuman her teeth were. Hammond was certain he spotted four canines in her upper jaw before her lips closed.
"I loose, I work for 'is family for 200 years or until the head of the family releases me. E asks if one of 'is servants can be champion, I say "sure, why not, I'll beat 'em all the same. And then e makes this giant snake outta nowhere and it eats the whole table!" Madriel threw up her arms in frustration. "I liked that table." She mumbled, pouting at the ground. "...I see." Hammond finished with his notes and walked out to meet Gan. "Elliot's still a suspect, but I'm keeping an eye on Madriel now. Do you think you can figure out what Aubrey's relationship with her is?" Hammond whispered to the royal guard so the child didn't hear him.
As he spoke, Durward came back into the room, leading two young men. One was a young adult, likely somewhere in his early 20s. His green hair was cut so short it was nearly shaved, making it look like a thin layer of paint. His sharp eyes cast about everywhere, taking in the strangers with suspicion. Behind him was a teenager, barely older than Aubrey by the looks of it. Unlike everybody else in the family, his hair was blue, with a set of dreads tied on the back of his head. His oversized glasses seemed totally at odds with his band shirt and ripped jeans and especially the skateboard in his hands. He had oddly light skin, standing out among the others. "That's Morton and Lucian." Aubrey pointed at each in turn. Morton crossed his arms. Lucian shuddered, gripping his skateboard tight.
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Post by othus on Nov 22, 2018 1:51:47 GMT
"Of Course, I won't let anything happen to her"- He replied to Madriel just in time to meet the sons of the family, Lucian was just a kid, nothing particular about him seemed threatening. Morton however, was a different story as he had a gateway background. If anyone knew how to kill it was him. Gan walked towards the two as he introduced himself.
"Gan Tengri, Pleased to meet you both, I'll be in charge of the security for now. please, follow my instructions at all times"
The Musashi agent then went on to the task Hammond had suggested him to take
*Aubrey it is*
Gan walked next to the HWIC agent, letting him know he left the rest of the family gathered in his care. He walked towards Aubrey as he knelt, gently smiling he spoke to her
"Let's have a little chat shall we?" He wasn't particularly good with kids, he never had any, and his childhood was that of a warrior and a hunter. However, he knew kindness and understanding, he was not ruthless all the time, just on his enemies.
If She accepted to speak with him Gan would take her to another room, just so that she wouldn't feel pressured by anyone else
"How are you holding up, little girl?"
He did not want to jump straight to something like an interrogation since she had a hard time already. After some back and forth Gan decided he would indeed ask about Madriel
"So, what do you think of Mrs. Madriel? is she good to you?"
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