2 ♔ pranks exist, prove me wrong

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

[ Hey, see that on the ground? It's two tickets to that thing you love-- no, wait. It is that thing you love. Or that precious thing you thought went missing a month ago. Or something really valuable that you like or want, like money, or if you're a sensible islander, like soap. Let's just say it's something your character may really want.

WHATEVER IT IS, it moves slightly out of reach when you go to grab it.

And again.

And again.

What do you do? ]

Comments

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Hopefully I'll get to hear some hint to their nature.

Ah, I suppose that's a difference in opinion. A kidnapping doesn't quite seem to fit a 'calamity.' And it's always a bad thing, but it has more room to be different.

True, true. I'll start from the beginning then.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Maybe you'll pick up something useful? Hmhmhm.

Exactly. And this place isn't so bad! Intermissions exist for a reason, so I'll happily treat this as one.

... Hmn. All right. [ standing up from her seat ] Follow me, and I'll give you the second piece. Forgive me if it's a little dull, but every stage has to be set before the story begins.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

For a murder, there's a few more factors than just the facts of the case. The human element is very important too.

[He finished off the tea before setting down the cup and standing up.] So y were literal about the showing? [Grabbing the book and paper and will follow.]

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Human element...? Do tell me what you can pick up from these people, then.

Very literal. [ Walking to the center of the garden, looking around her, and at that, a pause. ] What I'm about to show you is phenomenal magic. That's why I won't expect you to try to explain this for whatever our second game is. Think of this as the big riddle you're given at the beginning that you give the answer to at the end. Much like the epitaph. [ cackle ]

Are you prepared?

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Yes. Evidence is good, but evidence can also be manipulated. Sometimes you have to look at the people to see through that evidence and if people are willing to buy a witch committed the crimes, there's likely to be quite a bit of playing with the evidence.

[Looking around the garden.] So this trick and the riddle is part of what I have to explain at the end? All right, I understand. [Looks at Beatrice.] I'm ready.

1/2

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

If you really believe that, you'll have to keep a very close eye on what happens next, and in all the pieces of Rokkenjima I offer you.

And just to clear things up ahead of time...



[ At that, after drawing a breath from her pipe and exhaling, she taps it a few times with her fingers, and seven colors of smoke spill out and completely obscure the surroundings and everything from sight. The only thing you can see momentarily is Beato next to you. ]

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

[ The scenery has changed. They're still in a rose garden, but it's a different one. A mansion lies at the end of the walkway. Chatter can be heard in the distance, approaching. ]

This is what I meant by letting you see for yourself. For the Witch of Endless, repeating anything is simple. Recreating a memory is just as easy. Welcome to Rokkenjima, 1986.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Well, that was....definitely extremely impressive. He actually looks notably stunned.]

...I see. [Looking around. This one will definitely be a challenge. Unless that Cocoon theory about the island pans out, but that's for another time. He looks over at the voices.]

So...I will get to see the relatives to Kinzo, I take it?

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Mmhm. They're coming right now. [ gesturing down the other end of the walkway to the relatives approaching ] I'm sure you already deduced this, but they can't see us and we can't interact with them. This is only a memory. Like a recording you can stand in the middle of.

[ Pointing them out as they pass by. ] Ushiromiya Hideyoshi and Eva. Their son, George. Ushiromiya Jessica. Ushiromiya Rosa and her daughter, Maria. Kumasawa and Gohda, two of the servants employed here.

... And that would be Ushiromiya Rudolf and Kyrie, and Rudolf's son, Battler.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Very, very impressive. Though he's gonna try to touch one of the people when they get close to see if they ARE real or not.]

....Rudolf's on. So Kyrie is Battler's step mother then? [Taking a longer look who he's supposed to be a 'chibi' of over the others.]

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

[ If he does, his hand'll pass right through them. Same goes for any object he tries to pick up, touch, so on. ]

You'd be correct. This is the Ushiromiya annual family conference. This is Battler's first time attending in six years. [ Enjoy watching Battler be generally cheerful! So far, no similarities to note as of yet. ...Seriously. ]

And the young man near the mansion is Kanon. Another servant.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Mentally acknowledging this will be a very, very hard one to figure out.]

Why hasn't he attended the last six years? [He is curious about those lack of similarities. Did he really remind Beatrice of Battler? Hattori was more like Battler than him.

Follows the family, wanting to catch everything going on.] How many servants are there?

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

He had a bit of a falling out with his father. After his mother's death, Rudolf married Kyrie. Battler went to live with Asumu's family for those six years.

[ also following them into the mansion, but taking note of how George marks a wilted rose Maria wants to take care of with a candy wrapper before going ] There are five serving today. Kumasawa, Gohda, Kanon, Shannon, and Genji. Also of note is Doctor Nanjo, Kinzo's attending physician. The remaining three pieces I haven't mentioned are Ushiromiya Kinzo, Krauss, and Natsuhi, the latter two being Jessica's parents.

[ Stopping to watch Battler freeze upon seeing her portrait in the main hall ] --And that's the painting I told you about.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Asumu being his mother? [Notes the flower's location and Kanon's...interesting view on servants.] If they all think like that. maybe they wouldn't go for the gold...

So that would make...eighteen people?

[Stops at the painting.] ...why do they have such a big painting of you? It seems a bit much, even for gratitude.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Right. ... And kihihi, indeed. Genji, Shannon, and Kanon in particular are rather... resigned to their fates as furniture.

Right.

Kinzo has a bit of an obsession with me. No matter what the cost, he wants to see my face again. I think it's a nice homage.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

How long have they been here?

[Raises an eyebrow at that.] A fact Battler want to confirm then?

He fell in love with you, huh? [Pauses.] Wait, when did you meet him exactly?

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Kanon has only served for three years. Shannon has been here quite a bit longer, since she was young... and Genji is Kinzo's most trusted servant.

The Battler you'll meet later on will want to prove the exact opposite. He doesn't want to pin the crime on anyone here, so he believed firmly in the 19th Visitor - Or Culprit X.

Many, many years ago. After World War II. Really, he's a stubborn old fool-- but that's a story for another piece. Let's join the adults in the other room, shall we?

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Three years and for him to think like that... [Almost terrifying, really.]

Of course he does. To say it was one of the eighteen would imply it was family or very close to the family. It's not easy for someone to hear something like that. It probably puts me in an unfair advantage over him.

...right. [Filing away that fact and goes to follow the adults.]

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

He just knows his place.

Of course. If he pins it on some unknown culprit, he can save the honor of his family. However, that possibility doesn't exist. Of course, he could always accept the fact that witches did it and that problem would be erased, but...

[ Just will be watching as the adults discuss the inheritance scheme, Krauss getting cornered by his other siblings for the possibility of embezzling Kinzo's funds, Eva and Natsuhi's little spat, all that good stuff. ] ... Annoying. They can really go on forever, can't they?

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Servants are more than furniture.

Well, maybe it exists. You just said there are no more than eighteen people. Not that everyone is who they say they are. I'm just more willing to look at all possible angles instead of excluding a rather big one.

[Watches, looking just a bit bored, but still noting the details. He shrugs.] It's how it always is with these sort of families in this scenario.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Not in this household. Like a chair or a dresser-- they provide a service for you, and their existence is solely for that purpose. Kanon accepts that rather well.

-- Kihihi! First game, and you're already picking up on things Battler took ages to realize. I won't confirm any more in red for a while.

Especially rich ones... [ strolling out into the main hall, where Battler and the cousins are discussing the epitaph, with Battler denying witches for the first time and Maria insisting that Beato exists. ] She's not that much older than you, is she? Yet she believes.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

...really? [Files away a thought for later. Just gonna watch before he asks how she sees the servants too.]

I'm more used to these situations. People say there's another person because a trick gives everyone an alibi or they just don't want to believe it's one of them. At times, it can be another person. At others, not so much. And then there can be a mix of both.

It's the rich ones who have the most to gain to try and argue. [Looks over at Maria.] She also has clothes that look like they've got a goth lolita style to them. It wouldn't be a surprise if she's interested in the occult and would think a witch is real.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Really. Observe for yourself.

Hmm... so this game really will be easier for you than it is for Battler, who desperately searched for a way to figure in Culprit X. You have no emotional ties to these people, so it's alright for you to cruelly pin any of them as the culprit so long as the evidence points their way.

Another correct guess. Maria inherited Kinzo's love of black magic and witches, even though the other cousins didn't. She's a delightful girl-- not a prodigy like you, but I'm sure she'll surprise you later on. [ Watches the cousins agree to go on a picnic and leave the room. ]

I'll leave the decision to you. Would you rather listen to the rest of the adult's discussion, or shall we follow the cousins?

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Now, he's not completely wrong. There's plenty of cases where the evidence points one way, but if you discount the human element completely, the type of person the people are, you might not make that extra step and see the clue that reveals the true culprit. Cruelly is just a bit harsh for what I can do. [Just a bit. Ultimately, for someone involved, it'd be be harsh, but he made sure he didn't have a doubt in the culprit.]

Kids often surprise people. It takes a kid forever to ever prove themselves.

[Thinks for a few moments.] The cousins. [What might happen with the adults would more than likely be brought up later. However, the mundane would likely not be, but be the bigger clues. Those were the things people missed.]

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Whatever you say, detective. There are many forms of cruelty. Truth itself is cruel. But in this case, Battler is completely wrong. There is no 19th person on this Rokkenjima. ... Then again, I haven't challenged him fully on the first game yet, so he has yet to break through the mysteries it has to offer. He only challenged me after this one was finished.

I can assure you ahead of time Maria is no exception.

Fine, then to the beach. [ Following the cousins out! ] What do you think so far? This miracle illusion of Rokkenjima. I'm sure you don't know any magicians that can pull something like this.