The road to Frost! A path towards destruction?

[Tetsuya]

Casey walked around a bit, staying within the town square. He figured it would be a good idea to stay in one spot to at least increase the chances Captain Julianne and Lieutenant Mobius would find him quicker. As he was walking, he wandered close to market stall set up near an alley. "Wanderin' around like that's liable to get yer pocket pinched youn' man," he heard from behind him. He turned quickly at the threat, and spied an older gentleman wearing somewhat lighter clothing than him leaning against a post of the stall, and biting into some fresh produce; an apple. He had another in his other hand.

"Hah, you think so? Unfortunately, I'm kind of new here, and got a little separated from my friends," he replied, keeping an air of easiness to him. "Tha' so? Well, welcome to Frost then! Hope the town has been treatin' ya nicely then," the stranger said with a sly grin. "About as well as can be expected, especially with the trouble that has been happening lately. We were lucky to even be allowed to stay for a while," Casey said, veiling his reasons for really being in the town.

"Oh? I thought the uptight Capn' herself would have sent anyone away, what with the lock down in place. Must be somethin' about ya tha's changed her mind," the older man followed up, pointing at Casey before taking another bite of his apple. Casey's eyes tightened a little with suspicion, wondering where this sudden conversation was going. "I wouldn't know. She was quite stern at the gate, but my friends and I must have explained our situation well enough to gain us entry, he said. With a sly grin, the older fellow let a chuckle escape him before tossing the other apple to Casey, to which he caught easily in one hand. "Not easy changin' her mind. Go ahead, you look like you need it."

Casey looked at the apple, rubbing his finger across the cool skin. It seemed like an ordinary apple to him with a red, glossy coat. He looked up at the stranger, and, with a grin of his own, said, "Pay for it first, and I might consider it." This was a hell of a logic leap in his own head, one he was chastising himself mentally for. But why else would some random stranger start talking him up, and throw him an apple. He was betting this guy was a thief, and quite possibly in league with Jen.


The Captain made a point to keep walking in silence for a little longer, at least until the busier parts of the streets were behind them. Once they were out of hearing distance of anyone else, she whispered, "You're not the only one among the guard to feel that way. Nearly everyone feels uneasy about all of this, and they don't even need to tell me. The only reason I haven't risen my own suspicions is because they are only that. Suspicions. I have nothing concrete or any physical evidence to suggest some sort of farce behind everything lately. And until we do, we keep our lips shut, and commit to our duties."

[Lance]

Mobius frowned behind his helmet, his fist tightening ever so slightly. "Our duty, is to protect the kingdom from all threats, internal and external...if this farce is part of something bigger than it is a dereliction of that duty to just do nothing, even if it is a suspicion! I'll rescind my gods damned commission if I have to, but I will not let my home become a den of vipers just because the criminals in question hide behind the procedures meant to protect the innocent."

Mobius stopped and turned to Julianne as he spoke, his whispers becoming sharp and aggressive. He wasn't mad at her, the sad truth was that the higher your rank, the more stifled you became. Shit rolls down hill, as the outlanders say, but being helpless, and seeing his  commanding officer just as helpless...it rankled him in ways that cut to the core.

"...I'm sorry...I should not have been so aggressive in speaking to you. You are trapped by this just like me. But I meant what I said...if it means keeping you safe from reprisal, I will resign immediately, whether you approve or not...you and this town have done so much for me, I won't let this...this conspiracy, this bullshit go on if I can help it."

[Tetsuya]

Despite her stoicism, Julianne knocked the knuckle of her right hand on Mobius' chestpiece, making a dull thunk sound from the metal on metal hit. "That's why I made you my second-in-command. I know you'll keep fulfilling your duty to the people even if you're no longer part of the guard. You're my right hand, Mobius. Not a lot of people can claim to be worthy of that trust. Even so, I still need you as my right hand. So don't give up on me just yet," she said once they reached the main Guard Barracks. She fully turned to Mobius now, looking up at him with their height difference. "If this guild of thieves is real, and their camaraderie is true, then they won't stay idle while one of their own is put on....trial..." she said, losing her sentence at the end as she looked left, only to find someone was missing. She the put a hand to her helmet, and sighed, "Gods damn it all...."


A tense moment passed between the pair in the square, a cold sweat drop running down Casey's face. He kept his grin, unsure if he had just made a mistake or not. Then, after a minute of silence between them, the older man began chuckling heartily at Casey's comment. Casey like out a dry chuckle, feeling the tension leave his body a little. "Heh heh heh heh, boy, you are either bold or just plain dumb," the stranger said, then flicking a gold coin on to the stalls counter. "Go ahead, ain't nothin' funny 'bout it. "Sides, you need something after yer excursion with yer succubus friend."

Getting a little paler, Casey asked, "How did you-" "Pft, that sorta thing is obvious to anyone in the know. You been drained recently, and yer skin's showin' it, as pale as it is. 'Course, nothing of shame at all. Most of them are right purty lookin', but I digress," he interrupted, assuaging some of Casey's fears. He pulled the sleeve on of his arms, noting he did seem a little paler than before. He then looked over the apple, making sure this stranger hadn't tampered with it in any way. Satisfied, slightly, Casey too a small bite of the apple, and started chewing on it as the man continued, "Reckon you got me pegged already, so I'll just introduce m'self. Names Justin Thyme, and I head the little group what Jen might have told ya about." Casey nearly choked on the chunk at the admission, having pegged the guy as a thief, but he wasn't expecting the leader of the whole damn guild to be talking to him. "Hey, don't go dyin' on me. I don't need another body on mah guild's good name."

[Lance]

Mobius looked around when he saw Julianne's sudden shift in demeanor, his eyes widening when he noticed what she had. "Gods damn it! Where could that boy have gotten to!?"

The Ice Lieutenant whipped his head around, scanning the roads for Casey, only to find nothing. "Ugh, of all the..could this day become any more infuriating!?"

[Tetsuya]

Captain Julianne sighed heavily as she let her arm fall. "I leave finding our visitor to you Lieutenant. I have to get started immediately on all this paperwork before Casey can be given his impromptu bar exam before the middle of the night. Start your search in the town square. With any luck, he might have actually wandered there," she said before turning and marching into the building.

Casey coughed several times before he dared inhale deeply, in case anything had gotten stuck in his throat or his windpipe. Once he caught his breath, he said, "W-Was... Was not expecting t-that... S-Sorry." He took a moment to gather himself, and to trail an analyzing eye over this Justin person. If he really was who he said, this chance meeting would benefit him greatly. He got out his notepad, and went over everything he knew so far. "Sorry about this, but I am on something of a time constraint. I'd like to dive right in to some questions," he said, getting a silent nod from the man before he continued, "Okay, so how long have you known Jen?" he asked.

Earning a soft chuckle, Justin answered smoothly, "Must be six or seven years now. She was just wee thing at the time, her arm in a brace to keep her from movin' it. She'd broken it shortly b'fore I found her in the sewers. Certainly no place child with an injury like that to be, disease and whatnot." Casey flipped a page back in his note pad, and scribbled the new information down next to what Jen had told him. "Dare I ask what you were doing in the sewers?" he asked, only to receive slight laughter. "Oh, I'm certain you know what I was doing before I found her. She was lucky thing that night though. If I hadn't been...out, she'd have never been found, and likely died in that maze of damp ick."

"Right, that was silly of me to ask. Hmm, what do you know about her from before her joining your group?" Casey asked. "Enough to say with confidence it ain't gonna help ya none. And only she'd be willin' to tell ya anythin' when she really trusts ya. Took me long enough to earn that trust m'self."

Casey made a side note about that, though he wasn't quite sure how he might pull that off. He then tapped his lip with the end of his pen, wondering what he should ask next. He then looked up at Justin, and asked, "What kind of person is Jen like around people she's familiar with?"

Justin only chuckled at the question. "To those she doesn't know or distrusts, she is quite distant. But to her friends, she is a little cheerful, and very loyal. Don't let her cold demeanor fool you, she is a likeable person once you get to know her," he answered while smiling.

[Lance]

Mobius nodded and turned around, trudging through the snowy streets back to the town Square. He looked around as he examined the area, his eyes scanning for any sign of Casey, and after a few minutes of searching, he found him. The Lieutenant cocked his head when he saw the young man apparently interviewing somebody, a notepad in his hands as he seemed to be having a back and forth with whomever the man was.

Mobius was silent for a moment before quickly banishing his armor, leaving him in a full body cloak that only exposed his eyes, which were a soft purple color, and nothing else. He walked through the town square, examining some wares on a stall near Casey and his mystery interviewee, hoping to listen in as much as he could.

[Tetsuya]

While Casey was writing down the answer to his latest question, Justin caught a glance of something abnormal in the crowd of the square. A hint of a sly grin marked his features before giving Casey his full attention once more.

Once he was finished jotting in his notes, Casey figured now was the time to ask the big question that was on his mind. Carefully, and while trying to keep it somewhat hidden, he pulled out the handkerchief that hid the poisoned needle. "I have one last question. It's about this needle," he said while pulling a flap back to show the needle point, "It was found at the scene of the crime. I accidentally pricked myself with it, and fell asleep for a while after. Does your "group" really use these needles, and, if so, what is its real purpose?" he asked.

A short moment passed as Justin looked at the needle. He tugged the flap on one of his chest away to pull out a similar looking needle. "All of us have one, just lettin' ya know, but they ain't used for killin'. The needles themselves are ordinary, but we coat them in a sleeping poison that's completely harmless. If anything, these are used on light sleepers in the dead of night to ensure our..."business" goes by without interruption. If ya found that one, then it might be Jen's. She'd have been stripped of her possessions, so I suggest ya and yer guard fellah look through a small pouch that belongs ta her. My group only ever carry four, because we should only ever need four at a time. Used needles bein' used again typically mean someone ain't staying asleep for very long. Freshly coated can leave someone asleep for at least an hour though." he answered, his tone a little quieter now, as if he was passing on information that was guarded rather closely.

Casey's hand was a blur on his note pad as he wrote every detail he considered important. "Hmm, I had a feeling that was the case. If she's telling the truth, Jen may really be innocent. Something's missing though, but I can't figure out what..." he said to himself. He hardly noticed Justin moving closer to the alley. "Well, 'fraid that's all the time I have. Not good if I stay out in the open like this much longer. Much luck tomorrow, young'in. I really hope you prove her innocent of this crime,'Mr. Lawyer.'" Justin said. With no flash, no peculiar show to signal his departure, Justine was gone down the alley with nary a trace of him to see. Casey didn't even know how he disappeared like that. "Whoa. Guess you don't mess around then. Hmm, so now I know the intended purpose of this needle. I wonder if was used on someone before I pricked my finger on it?"

[Lance]

Mobius listened carefully to the conversation, his eyes widening when thief mentioned a small pouch with similar needles to the one used in the Mayoral Mansion murder. He kept listening in until the man Casey was speaking with left, waiting a few seconds more before summoning his armor again and turning around, walking up to Casey. "There you are, Julianne and I were concerned that you'd gotten lost...or worse."

[Tetsuya]

Casey nearly jumped out of his own skin when Mobius suddenly spoke up behind him. He almost dropped his pen and notepad. "Jesus Christ! Don't sneak up on me like that! You almost gave me a heart attack, Lieutenant!" he said with a raised voice. He started patting his chest over his heart, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. With an exhale that sounded more like a sigh, he then said, "I didn't mean to get separated from you and the Captain. I was doing my best not to eavesdrop on your conversation with her, and ended up a little distracted by the town. Also, Julianne?"

[Lance]

Mobius chuckled softly at Casey's reaction, a small smirk curling at the edge of his lips. 'Petty as it is, we're square for giving me and Julianne a heart attack earlier then.'

"You're fine, just be more mindful of your surroundings, with killers roaming about we cannot be too careful, especially if they're aligned with the thieves guild." Mobius didn't respond to Casey's questioning regarding the Captain's name being used so freely, he hadn't noticed it himself until after the young man had brought it up actually. "Let's get back, J-The captain has been kind enough to assist you with the paperwork, not many have that privilege."

The Guard Lieutenant turned and ushered Casey on, his boots crunching against the snow as he walked.

[Tetsuya]

Casey nodded as he walked next to Mobius, keeping pace with the Lieutenant. "If I had to guess she has to sign a bunch of them before I need to sign them too," he said as they walked. He waited until they were out of the square before speaking up again. "At least this distraction wasn't a complete lost. I ran into one of those thieves, and he was generous enough to answer some questions, namely about the needle I found. Seems like the poison on it is only meant to either keep people asleep, or put them to sleep to keep their activities at night uninterrupted. Sounds like a last resort honestly if you ask me."

[Lance]

Mobius nodded when he listened to Casey's explanation, his tone grave. "Such a tool could only be used at melee range, and is certainly more useful as a preventative measure than a killing device...but how can we be certain that this needle did not belong to the girl?" The guard was playing dumb, wanting to hear Casey put everything together. He was quite impressed with the young man so far, and he wanted to see how well he did.

[Tetsuya]

"I'd have to see Jen's belongings. From what he told me, they seem rather strict on the amount of needles each of them have, and probably have to keep them for some reason. If there is one missing from her belongings, I'll know and can question her about it," Casey informed Mobius, "Of course, I don't think I have that sort of permission. I can't just ask to inspect her belongings, and expect that go along very smoothly."

[Lance]

Mobius nodded and looked at Casey, "I can grant you that access, or failing that, The Captain can. But for the moment, we must focus on the Bar Exam, then we can get the evidence you'll need."

[Tetsuya]

"I hope I have enough time after I to talk to Jen again. I'd rather not have only minutes to talk to her before visiting hours are over," Casey said as Mobius lead the way into the guard barracks/jail hold. As he stepped into the warm building, he looked around a bit before following Mobius once again. "Who knows, maybe the Bar Exam won't be that ba-"


Three Hours Later


Casey stepped out of Captain Julianne's small office, his hair looking a little more disheveled than it usually was, and the rest of him seeming a bit haggard. Almost as if he'd experienced a harrowing trial. He placed a hand over his eyes, which glowed slightly, as he caught his breath while feeling exhausted. His other hand hung limp, a throbbing pain in wrist from the amount of signing he had to do earlier into his exam. "Murphy's Law just kicked my ass..." he muttered.

"Gather yourself, Talquin. You're going to be rather busy soon so I suggest you hurry up," the Captain said as she left her office. She then dug into one of her pockets, and produced Casey's handkerchief still folded over the sleeping needle. "I must admit, you performed rather well considering both your world and my own are obviously different. You have my apologies for doubting you had studied law in your world." Casey turned and leaned against the opposite wall, trying to rest up as quickly as he could. After accepting his the evidence back, he became a bit surprised the Captain was complimenting him, not really expecting she'd give credit where it was due. "Thanks. Give me a minute, I'll be good to go. Starting to reach the end of today's investigation. After my next talk with Jen, I'd like to head back to the Governor's home. I'm not satisfied that I couldn't complete my investigation before I nicked my finger with the needle."