howdull | We the Lost

[Eliza drops off the DVD in Sherlock's mailbox personally, not wanting to get the Mailsloth involved. The cover shows several magical girls in various types of outfits posing happily with a small blob creature alongside them, with a title saying "Magical Girl Raising Project." A subtitle mentions that this is the final season of the show.

The DVD contains the full details of what happened during Eliza's time in Town A, although events happening in deadland, the traitor's room, and Zange's room are not shown. The appearances and names of all the people involved have been changed from their originals as well, but due to that being the only change he should probably be able to deduce who Eliza is among the characters at the very least. There's a sticky note on the DVD.]

Here's some mysteries for you to solve. I bet you can figure out the culprits faster than the people on the show. [She hopes it'll be enough to keep him entertained for a bit, at least.]

[(OOC: Also assume for the first case that Beyond Birthday's fake name still has "BB" as initials and that Edna's fake name still has a "d" in it.)]

[Sherlock glances at the DVDs with mild disinterest, though the note stops him from throwing them away immediately. He does put the disc into his player, but after noting the run time, he pens a letter in return rather than watch the whole thing.]

When enlisting the services of a consulting detective, you should come and speak to me personally. Details of the crimes will be needed, and at least a list of scenes relevant to watch. Bored, I might be, but I'm not bored enough to sit through that much rubbish.

SH.

[Eliza bristles a bit, at least partially because she didn't actually read the episode list. Still, just asking for the list might make him suspicious of why she doesn't know that...finally, she figures out a compromise.]

Can I just come over and show you the scenes myself?

-Eliza Owens

That would be acceptable, you'll be required for additional questioning anyway. Come when convenient.

SH.

[About a day later, Eliza knocks on the door.]

I'm here about that show I left in your mailbox...?

[It takes ages for Sherlock to come to the door and, when he does, he's dressed in fancy pyjamas and a silk dressing gown.]

I suppose you had better come in then. Sit down-- not there, over there, that's the client's chair.

[She's not sure whether that should make her feel under- or overdressed. Either way, she quickly scurries to take her place in the client's chair.]

So...should I just skip to the first investigation?

[He flops down into his own seat, and Berit jumps up into his lap not long after.]

Perhaps you should start at the beginning, such as why you want my assistance in solving this case and then move onto the particulars themselves.

[She looks a little put-off as she starts scrolling absentmindedly through the episode list.] The second case...wasn't solved. An innocent girl was scapegoated for it, and it took some serious interventions for them to figure it out later. I...I wanted to see you try it.

But they did figure it out?

[Was it solved or wasn't it? She's giving mixed signals here and he looks a bit confused.]

...eventually. With a coded hint from someone who had the full story. [Well, technically she didn't have the full story, but at least she knew the name of the guy who killed her. She pauses as she hovers over one episode title.] Um...there were rules about how much could be shared. The penalty for not following them was...your soul being erased completely. [Her voice is getting flatter as she speaks. She's trying not to show that she was personally involved in all this, but her attempt at detachment probably just makes it more obvious.]

[His tone does gentle just a little bit, though he still looks confused.]

Even though that can't happen here, the threat of it obviously still affects you so why would you risk that emotional distress by asking me to solve something that has already been solved?

[To be fair, she was just expecting to drop them off and have him deal with it on his own time, not bring her into it. Not to mention she was ready to accept the destruction of her soul to save everyone then, so it's kind of a surprise to her as well.] Well, I didn't mean- [Then she realizes the implications of what he's asking.] H-huh? Why do you think I was involved? None of these characters look like me! [The background of the scene selection has been scrolling through various characters, and that much is true.]

[He gives her a look that very clearly asks how anyone could be so stupid.]

Do you honestly need me to explain that? You'd be better answering my question, it's more pertinent.

[Eliza shrinks back from his gaze, still confused at how he was able to figure that out. She's already forgotten how when she first arrived she actually told him outright that she was in a place that encouraged murder and forced them to solve those murders.]

I thought it would be fine if you just watched it yourself without getting me involved. I just wanted to...give you a list of episodes and leave you to it, not answer all those questions!

Yes, but you still haven't answered why.

[He's not snapping at her, but impatience is bleeding through the gentler tone he adopted before.]

If the case has been solved, and there is inherent risk even in revealing that you have been a part of it, why pass it along to me? That seems redundant.

[She looks down at her own lap.] I...I wanted to know just how unsolvable that case really was. If there were any clues no one noticed that you would. [She sinks lower into the chair. There's something about all this that makes her want to be more honest about her innermost thoughts. As she says her next words, an image of a Chihuahua appears on her lap, its mouth moving along with hers.] And...I was hoping that even you couldn't figure it out, that it would mean my friends hadn't really made a terrible mistake. That there was really no way to solve the case.

[Of course he'll be able to solve it, that's what he does. He just watches her with a slightly furrowed brow for a few moments before clapping his hands together loudly.]

Well, let's get on with it, then. I'll take the case, give me the relevant pieces.

So... a bunch of us from different worlds suddenly found an egg-shaped phone that asked us if we wanted to become a magical girl...or boy, I guess, for the boys. I accepted right away, but apparently people who didn't want to accept got forced to anyways. We got brought to this really run-down place called Town A and told by this creature called Fav-that's the blobby thing on the box-that to leave we'd have to gather enough magical candy by improving it...but that was just the first week.

[Her voice gets quieter. The illusionary version of her Heart she's summoned snuggles against her, and she takes a deep breath and manages to continue.]

The second week...Fav [She spits the name.] said that it turned out he'd summoned too many of us, so we had to cut our numbers down. Through murder. And if one happened, we'd have to investigate and have a trial to figure out who the murderer was. If they got away with it...someone else would be scapegoated and they'd get all their victim's candy. [She pauses after that to see if he has any questions, and also to catch her breath a bit.]

[Despicable. The creature, of course, but also that the group of volunteers didn't refuse to kill anyone. Weak willed.]

I suppose you believe that the real murderer was never caught, and that is who you want me to determine? How many did they kill, and how many were scapegoated into execution?

We the Lost - Mailbox

October 1

October 3rd

no subject

no subject

Action

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject