isleofavalon | closed 💎 catch-all for april

from the end of the vine tdm prompts

[The month has, so far, been incredibly trying. The overgrowth that had come along with the equinox is still lingering in places, with the heavy rains causing inconveniences throughout the city, including flooding the lower floors of the hotel Balthier himself has been staying at. If he needed motivation to relocate, he supposes flooding would be more than sufficient, but in the meantime, he opts to do his part to investigate the situation in the Brociliande and join a few others in taking a trip to see the Archivist about current goings-on.

It is, simply put, a nightmare. He has two close calls with the intrusive vines that seem to have taken over the forest, and though he does manage to leave the Archivist's residents with extensive notes on how to deal with the current threat, the trip itself is exhausting and reminds him of just how much he hates doing everything on foot. What he wouldn't give for an airship...

As though being harried from such a journey weren't enough, he stumbles upon another rather nasty surprise upon returning to the city. After running a brief errand, he makes his way to a tavern he's come to frequent in the weeks since his arrival, intent on enjoying a drink before he heads back to his waterlogged hotel, but the moment he crosses the threshold, he spots someone sitting at the bar who simply shouldn't be there— namely, himself. Even from the back, there's no mistaking him, and Balthier frowns deeply as he quickly ducks into the shadows and out of line of sight of the bar in order to observe.

He leans against the banister to the stairs leading up to the second floor, letting a nearby pillar largely obscure him from view as he watches. The figure at the bar turns and gestures for someone nearby to join him, enough for Balthier to see his face and clearly recognize it as his own— and a moment later, he recognizes the young man who joins his double at the bar, as well, the very same man he'd encountered chasing down a common thief back at the Red Spring not so long ago.]

Well, then. Not how I had planned for my evening to go...

[This, he can only assume, is going to get terribly messy.]

[Perhaps, going forward, he ought to be a bit more discerning about what sorts of jobs he takes. He's not even entirely certain what it would take to be qualified for this one in particular, especially given the request that those involved make an effort not to cause the bees themselves any harm.

In his experience, a well-aimed Firaga spell is the best way to deal with giant insects of any sort, but clearly, that's to be a last resort— or would, if it were available to him in the least.

He exhales and folds his arms across his chest, looking to his assigned partner as they stand at the edge of the Red Spring, just outside of the area that's been infested. Honestly, the little tourist town has seen better days.]

Any ideas on how to relocate these without making things worse? I usually pride myself on being resourceful, but oversized insects are outside my realm of expertise.

[He might not have read the job offering very thoroughly before agreeing to it. He... may be at a loss for things to do, some days. It's a challenge.]

[Usually. Aerith has a well-improvised plan for most situations. She can't claim she can approach all of them with the same finesse or impressive nonchalance, but most of them. The bees, however...

This is one of the more challenging misadventures she's had the privilege of digging around in.]

Hmmmmm. Good question! [She begins as she thumbs at her chin with a thoughtful frown. The latter lasts only a few breaths before she pushes it aside.] They're probably territorial, so I bet the moment we start getting too close, they're going to wind up agitated.

[Thinking back to her adventure with the dragons, it dawns on her that she can use a somewhat... similar approach. Use him as bait. Maybe there's a way she can sweet talk him into it. Not... that she wants anything to happen to either of them, honestly.]

I'm going to guess you're not an alchemist or anything like that, right? [She gives Balthier a look over, realising that by look alone, she can't tell. No. Dressed too nicely to be an alchemist probably.]

[ACTUALLY...]

Admittedly, I'm rather new at it, but I do have some alchemy at my disposal.

[It's been a busy few weeks since his arrival, and while he's managed to quickly grasp the basics of the magic that this place had seen fit to bestow upon him, he has yet to fully explore its potential. Given alchemy's capabilities, however, it could have any number of uses, and her suggestion makes him curious as to what she has in mind.

She's not wrong, however, about his being dressed too nicely for it. Doesn't exactly look like the sort who likes to get his hands dirty, does he?]

You had a thought, I take it? I can't claim to have much experience with the actual brewing as of yet, but it does have other potentially useful applications.

Well, I was thinking of how we could get close enough to relocate the hive without stirring them up too much. Not long ago, there was a library archive filled with lots of books and when I was going through it with a friend, we found some pages of spells and enchantments and potions that were used in history here. These were probably made with local things.

[She has a point to this, really.]

I was thinking maybe we could make something that would put them to sleep? If they're sleeping, it could give us enough time to move their habitat somewhere that isn't here and maybe we'll have enough time before they wake up to exact their unbeelievable revenge.

[Yes. She looks very proud of herself. Perhaps Aerith is in a rare category of person who has the optimism to make puns while she ought to be working.]

[He follows her explanation with interest, the train of thought itself offering some insight— it makes sense, of course, that any spells or potions requiring certain reagents would have had to make use of what was available. It stands to reason that there should be plenty right here that they can make use of.

He folds his arms across his chest and gets halfway through a nod of approval before that pun cuts him short. Proud though she is, he withers slightly, and his eyes close for a moment.

Ah. Given his long history of exasperating his companions with his own remarks, perhaps he deserves this.]

There is beauty in simplicity. If I hadn't had to learn new magick from the ground up since finding myself here, a sleep spell would have certainly done the trick, but I think a potion could be arranged. No time like the present to start brewing in earnest.

[The idea is certainly a sound one.]

It makes sense that we ought to be able to find the ingredients locally, and what we cannot, we may well be able to transmute, though that won't work for the organic reagents. Do you know much about the local plantlife?

[OH BOY]

Edited 2021-04-20 23:02 (UTC)

[It's hard to tell what kind of reaction Aerith's hoping to get with stupid jokes. Whether it displeases or impresses him doesn't seem to be any less amusing, however. In the end, she doesn't push it.]

Most of the plants I'm familiar with have been flowers.

[She explains all of this rather easily. In fact, there's been almost no shortage of her interest in the flowers, if only for the sake of the citizens of Camelot. And her own personal way of trying to make her way through things.]

I don't know a lot about plants from a... from making anything out of them, honestly. My relationship with nature is a little more complicated than that. [Or would be back home.] But I might know about general properties. If you do alchemy-related work where you come from, we might be able to put the pieces in place by working together with what we know and what we have.

Most of my own talent is with machines, but I may have picked up a few things about potions and the like, regardless.

[He doesn't mention that one doesn't become a prodigy and a paragon of academic excellence without some variety— not that he isn't one to boast, because he most certainly is, but there are certain things that he considers to be part of a life that is no longer his. That said, all of those long hours spent studying at the akademy along with practical use of restoratives and other potions in the field give him some idea of what they're looking for.]

Between the two of us, we may just be able to suss this out, and, quite possibly, avoid being stung horribly in the process.

[He hopes. He's not sure his vanity would weather that particularly well.

He adopts a thoughtful expression once more, tapping a finger against his chin, colorful rings and all.]

People use plants— herbs and flowers alike— as sleep aids, do they not? In small doses, they may combat insomnia, but a much larger quantity could induce sleep. Combined with some sort of explosive capsule, it just may do the trick.

They do.

[She nods in reply to what seems like it could be a rhetorical question at both. He obviously has a place he's going with all of this. She's listening intently, curious about where he's going. And when he explains it, it... makes sense.

Make a sleep aid for bees. It would work.]

That's pretty clever. We wouldn't have to actually hurt them either. Annnnd, we could get out of the clear before they wake up. Sounds like a stingless operation to me. [Haha. Another funny. Maybe a little less intentional this time. She reaches for the phone she was given upon arrival.] Let me see what I can find on the local plants. My work with flowers so far has been purely decorative.

[It's almost too simple a solution, admittedly; given more time, he would be wont to overthink it, but without the usual resources and methods he would have at his disposal to deal with such problems, he must force himself to try something new.

Fortunately, his partner isn't here to make cutting remarks about any foibles that may result.

'Stingless,' at least, does get a brief chuckle out of him, and he proceeds to unfasten his cuffs with the intention of rolling them back and sparing them getting soiled.]

While you do that, I imagine I can find some raw materials or scrap that can be made into capsule components— if what I've been reading on alchemy is to be believed, touch should be enough to transform materials into something useful, though it may take a few attempts.

[Another too-simple solution for his tastes, but magick here is far different than the spells he would have made use of in Ivalice. Intent and intuition seem to matter far more than anything else.]

[It takes his chuckle for her to smile all over again. Oh, good. Nice to know he's not completely stone-faced. Aerith didn't think he was, honestly, but with the people here in Camelot, especially people in the same situation she's in, one can never know for certain.

Just slightly past her phone, she spies him fidgeting with his cuffs, thinking once again that he is dressed far too nicely for this excursion. But on the other hand, some might say the same of her in her little pink and red ensemble.]

This sounds like a plan. [She agrees, taking a moment to give him a more hopeful, optimistic glance.] It looks like the plants more local to Camelot are decently detailed in terms of appearance and use. I shouldn't have too much trouble finding out what might be best suited for us. [After a pause, she motions over to him.] Let me know if you need help, okay? Gathering plants will probably be a lot easier than what you're planning to do and I don't want you to have to put yourself out.

'Easier' is relative, I do believe— plants seem to be your specialty, and strange contraptions are mine.

[Even if the alchemy part is new, being inventive certainly isn't, and he imagines that will serve him well in this endeavor. Still, he smiles before offering a bow in thanks, bending at the waist with his arm tucked in front of him. Her offer will not be dismissed out of hand, either way.]

I will certainly keep your offer in mind and do exactly that should I have need. I should be able to manage without you for a short time, at least.

[He's an adult!]

I trust that you will!

[She looks between her phone and Balthier once more, wearing a confident smile.]

I'm going to see about gathering our needed supplies. You can call me when you've gotten what you needed and we'll reconvene. We'll put together what we need to do and those bees will be hizzzztory! Well. Of the sleeping kind, anyway. If you think of anything else you need, just give me a ring.

[There's a pause and then she points to her phone.]

It's 'pinkmemory' by the way.

[It's a little outside of his jurisdiction.

While he is usually the guy who goes looking for the murderer, that's because they've already been identified and are likely on the run. He doesn't get involved with the investigation part if there even is one. He appreciates the efforts of the New Republic in the Outer Rim, but that space has always been lawless at the best of times.

And yet, here he is. The things one does for money and to get back home.

He's looking over the lists of suspects and weapons, starting to feel a little overwhelmed.]

So, where do we even start?

[Looks like he's taking the Watson role for this.]

[ooc: hope this works, let me know if I need to change anything!]

[Curiosity had gotten the better of him, really. Historically, Balthier has often found himself caught up in all sorts of situations that weren't typical of a sky pirate, and it was so often curiosity that lead him there. This was no different, though he admits that the need for investigators willing to work outside the confines of the law had proven extra tempting— simply for the sake of it, if nothing else.

He has a reputation to maintain.

He, too, has been going through the lists provided, but ink and paper are hardly enough to go on. He sighs, setting the notes he'd been looking over back on the table in front of him.]

They don't know which room the murder took place in, nor have they identified the murder weapon. More information concerning the state of the body would be ideal, but we'll have to work with what we have. With the building locked down, we have free reign to wander, though I wouldn't disregard the idea that the killer may still be here. With such a wide array of suspects and open possibilities, we'll need to narrow things down— pick a potential murder site and investigate. The conference room upstairs, perhaps?

Seems as good a place as any.

[Truthfully, he's not too worried about a killer on the loose. That's what his armour is for, and well, it wouldn't be the first time someone's made that attempt.]

Are the suspects locked in as well, or is it just straight looking around?

The information left for us was a bit scant— I would proceed with caution. Lockdown implies no one in or out, and so our suspects may well remain on the premises.

[Or, he imagines, if the killer truly is among those under suspicion, what's to stop them from doubling back and doing away with anyone on their trail?

Better to be careful, though from the look of him, his current partner can certainly handle himself.]

Keep an ear out.

Of course.

[His guard's been up the moment he arrived, and granted he rarely has it down. It takes a lot to recognize a situation as safe.]

Are there any other clues to go on, or are we just starting from scratch?

The evidence is, unfortunately, very meager so far. The crime was committed by someone in the building.

[That much, the client seems to be sure of. He trusts the armored man to follow him as he walks towards the stairwell, eyes searching as they go, looking for any details that might stand out.]

I assume the list of suspects was given to us with solid reasoning, though to trust it entirely would be foolish. That said, it's all we have to go on for now. A list of names, a list of possible locations. Better than nothing at all, at the very least.

It is a start.

[But not much of one, he thinks, until they can start narrowing those lists down.]

Was there anything about the body? It's condition might help us determine the weapon.

The only visible wound seems to have been caused by blunt force, though that doesn't rule out internal factors if someone were trying to frame another individual as the suspect.

[With how little they have, he knows he can't afford to go dismissing what does pass for evidence, but he's wary.]

For now, a blunt instrument or blow to the head is what we have to work with.

Might as well go with it then, until it can be ruled out.

[He's checking the list of weapons, and if one could see his brow, it would be furrowed.]

It doesn't look like there's a weapon that could cause something like that, unless they bludgeoned the victim with the mug or pushed them out the window. So it might be worth finding the rooms that have that.

I believe we can rule out the window, as well.

[At least with the present evidence, though they might feel differently once they see the body itself, should someone actually allow them to.]

Any fall long enough to do that sort of damage would have left the body in far worse shape than was reported, but that doesn't mean there aren't other fixtures which might have been used.

[Slamming someone's head against a mantle or a light fixture, for instance. Humes are fragile creatures, in many respects.]

Looking at the options we've been given, we won't have to spend a lot of time in the conference room or the executive office. Both of those have large windows.

[That leaves four rooms to check, which is something. And they can always go back if anything changes.]

[They're starting to narrow things down, at least, which is better than the 'nothing' they'd had to start with. He nods, even as he continues to make his way towards the conference room and they find themselves quickly approaching the double-doors.]

A quick sweep, then, just to be certain. It's too soon to write off any possibility entirely, but you make an excellent point.

[Maybe he can do this.]

Assuming nothing's going anywhere, we can always come back if there's something else to check.

[Without much preamble, he'll open one of the doors and start doing a glance of the room. It's pretty straightforward for a Conference room. A large table, moderately comfy-looking office chairs, large windows to let in light, screens for projection, a couple of tables off to the side.]

[Balthier nods before he proceeds to enter, following his partner inside and quickly scanning their surroundings. Nothing here stands out in particular, but he does note that there are a few scattered items on the tables and the mantle that might be of note— a couple of lamps, a clock, a statuette of some figure he doesn't recognize. All potential weapons, if blunt trauma was truly the cause.

He lets out a soft 'hmm' as he approaches the mantle above the false fireplace beyond the projection screens, reaching out to lay a hand on the clock there and turning it over to examine its bottom. No blood, but it was worth looking.]

The room seems largely undisturbed.

Probably not the site of the murder then. There'd be more signs of a struggle.

[Assuming the death wasn't by poison but even then, the victim might have had more time to react. He glances over the tables, looking for anything that might be of note but it mostly just looks like financial documents, spreadsheets and the like.]

Was there anything about motive?

My best guess is 'money.'

[A common enough motivator in cases like these, for better or for worse.]

The victim appears to have quite a bit of it— influence, too. Difficult to think of someone who wouldn't find such things to be of great value.

Would make sense. I'm guessing someone stood to inherit?

[All the more reason to speak with the suspects, he figures.]

Guess we'll need to find out who the victim was to all these people.

closed 💎 catch-all for april

claude: the answer is no

aerith: not-so-humble bumble

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Let's do a murder (investigation)!

works great, sorry for the delay!

no worries

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