Get a Clue [ANBU/Guardian Exam]

[Keigo Oen]

Souji would keep his pace up staring from his direction and not wavering at the moment. Each bite they would take he would make a note of it. The amount they ate and everything else that they did. This was something of a wildcard situation. The students.... what would they do in this situation? In this type of environment, it was judged by how off you tended to act. How people figured out what was what and how things were placed the way they were. Those things didnt matter. It was the tell tale signs of being able to keep a 'pokerface' or not. Souji knew what was going to happen next and once it did... he'd move into action. Frisking everyone involved and making sure they didnt have any sort of device that would allow them to know what was going to happen and how. Turning them off and recording silence over the few moments before the lights had turned off. Otherwise he'd get everything ready... and as the four hours would pass he would find himself taking a bit of food from the kitchen and eating himself. It was only a few steps away... and he merely grabbed a snack.

He hadnt eaten the entire day and with all the preparations and such going on he wanted to ensure the facts that everything would end up going smoothly. So with everything in him he would manage the time to a tee. Being done and ready to go thirty minutes before they would be scheduled to arise from their slumbers. Good. They all seemed to be doing perfectly thus far. So with that, he would stand in place remotely just idle with the cloth over his wrist and blood splattered on his suit. As if nothing happened. His nose turned up slightly, kind of snooty, and he'd chime out in an attempt to throw people off, "Anyone care for tea~?", looking down to Mizuno he'd be a bit shocked... he hadnt expected what happened to her to happen.

And with that Souji was acting as the shrewd butler. Did he like it? No. He hated it. Though this was for the students and his pride would be set aside for them. So nothing else mattered.

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]The sight of the married man pining over this woman. As he spoke Chi slid her spoon into the soup and poured it out a couple of times before taking some. The whole situation felt awkward, she still wasn't sure if it was all part of the ploy or not. The situation was strange, but whether it was real or not the thought was just foreign to her. Then again, if what she had found out recently was in fact true then her father had another partner while married to her mother. Still, as she ate the soup she couldn't help but feel strange… Then, it turned out to just be a burp. She couldn't stop it, she covered her mouth but a flame shot out of her mouth as it accidentally came up.
She looked around nervously for half a second but decided to look down into the bowl to avoid eye contact. It wasn't long before the clock struck 8 and the loud chimes broke Chi from her embarrassed state. However, the loud chimes came with a blinding darkness. Chi immediately set into defensive mode, standing suddenly from her seat. Suddenly the sound of footsteps disrupted her thought pattern, just as she was going to burst into flames to produce some light on the situation she was embraced by who could only be the crazed man pining after the countess.
"Get off!" She escaped him only to hear a voice giving some kind of command to begin. The real exam was starting. Chi attempted to do the first thing she could think of, burst into flames so she could see what was going on. She wondered if the proctors took her flames into consideration, they had to know about it from the tournament. However, her attempts at channeling her fire proved to be for naught. Thought she produced some flames she couldn't release the phoenix. She could only see patches of things in the room but she wondered if that would provide any evidence anyway. These were her last thoughts before joining everyone in a drugged sleep.

She woke up to the sound of the Kyoza guy running around presumably looking for the countess. Chi started moving limbs slightly as she started to awake, upon realizing where she was she opened her eyes and pushed her legs into the air to hop to her feet. She looked around, examining all the obvious strange things in the room. The blood was the first thing that came to her attention of course, and when the maid started stuttering about blood Chi thought about going over to try and assist but then she remembered it was an exam and she was most likely unharmed. Kimi had her in hand, Chi would leave her to it. However, there was something she couldn't ignore.
"Budeš držet hubu?!" Chi yelled, immediately covering her mouth. She didn't mean to shout, let alone shout in the ancient language. She was tired of the man, whether just acting or not. She couldn't let her bipolar tendencies resurface, she was doing very well with controlling herself. She was fearless, and it was possibly because of this that his frantic yelling and searching for the countess that annoyed her. She regained her composure, keeping in mind that emotional outbursts like that could cause her harm on a mission. Worse than that, it could cause harm to the ones she loved.
"What I meant to say was, calm your butt or you won't be able to find anyone. You're acting like a potato." Her tone was calm, her voice monotone. It was a strange sight for such a young girl. She looked at her burnt clothes and sighed, realizing that she had torched one of her best and most expensive dressed for nothing. It was no problem, however, as she had many which were…. Just as good. She grabbed the dress and tore it off, revealing the black suit of the phoenix underneath. She rolled down her sleeves and approached Kyoza. She noticed a faint smell coming from the door, which smelled like something burning. She hoped she hadn't caused something to catch on fire with the small flames that were produced.
"I will help you find her. Speaking of missing people, where is…" Just then Souji returned to the room, acting nonchalantly. He was good at what he did, acting like nothing had even happened. His question about tea amused her, but she showed no emotion. "Anyway… What was the last thing you remember doing during the blackout?" She would ask him and wait for a response, she would keep his response in mind but she was more interested in the burning. She moved to leave the room, headed towards the door that the burning smell was coming from while putting her gloves on. Just in case.[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 808|MFT[/size]"][/legend]

 

[Kei]

Kei took another bite of his food. He didn't want to let his guard down but he was utterly bored and listening to Kyosa's pining was starting to make him lose his appetite. Honestly, he didn't get how anyone could find that to be an appealing courtship method. The clock struck 8 without anything eventful happening, still it meant this dinner was that much closer to being over for which Kei was silently thankful. He counted the chimes. Five, six, seven, lights? He blinked, still no lights. A scream, and it clicked. The real exam was starting now. He was out of his chair before before he even finished the thought. He could hear a chair sliding across the floor and Kyosa's annoying voice. Someone needed to shut him up. Then they had to do something about the lights, they needed to, they... Kei was having trouble forming a coherent thought. He heard the word "begin" in the darkness. His limbs felt sluggish. Was he drugged? As Kei's body hit the floor he figured that he probably was.

Kei didn't wake up so much as fade back into consciousness. His head felt like it was full of cotton and his elbow hurt, presumably from when he'd fallen over. He pulled himself into a seat, trying to figure out what had happened. Things were coming back to him slowly, they were having dinner, then the lights went out... After that he couldn't remember. He vaguely recalled passing out, but for how long? What time was it? He was having trouble concentrating, whatever he'd been drugged with must have still been wearing off. Deciding to do something less thought-intensive, Kei settled for a head-count. Kimi was rummaging in her bag, Chi was apparently attempting to deal with the frantic Kyoza, who was scurrying about the room like an idiot. He spotted Ritsu, sitting at the table as if nothing had happened, and Misuno, who seemed shocked to find she was covered in what looked to Kei like human blood. His eyes followed the blood trail to the door. The only ones missing seemed to be the Butler and their host, Lady Shisu.

Kei looked closer at the room food and dishes lay scattered, he figured that between that and the blood there was some sort of struggle. He wished he could remember what had happened. What time was it anyway? How much time did they lose?

At that moment Souji entered the room, asking if they wanted tea. ”Is that drugged too?” He asked, an edge of sarcasm creeping into his voice. Kei couldn’t quite tell but it looked like the Butler had some blood spatter on him as well. Kei looked down, inspecting his own clothes for blood, after all the maid seemed pretty surprised to find herself covered in the stuff. Speaking of blood, Kei wanted to get a closer look at that trail leading out the door. He stood and followed it, giving Souji a “you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do” look as he passed. There was still the mysterious tattoo issue to address. As Kei got closer to the door he started noticing an odd burnt smell. When he reached the door he realzed there was a blood swipe on it too, as well as what looked like fingerprints. He smirked, it was a good sign but Kei didn’t have any equipment to take prints with. Still, this clue could prove vital. ”Don’t touch the door. I think I found a partial print.” He looked over at Chi, who was heading towards the door. ”You smell that?” He asked, fire seemed to be her specialty after all. He looked back to Kimi, presumably questioning Misuno. Good, at least someone was. Comparing notes could be dangerous though. Who knew which among them was the killer.

”Once I take this print I suggest we find our host. He looked at the print again. If he had his drawing tools maybe he could make an accurate drawing of it. Then he could use some ink and take everyone else’s fingerprints for comparison. It wasn’t much but it was the best plan he had.

[MFT WC 692]

 

[Mienai]

Time: 12:05 AM​

[legend="Mizuno"]The purple haired maid seemed rather shaky, as she stared at the red substance dripping from her. She was in pain, and shock. Mizuno jumped when she heard the voice of someone speaking to her, though it was female and not hostile. Mizuno stared, as the young girl introduced herself. Mizuno had to pause a minute as she tried to contain herself enough to speak. "Hi. I...I dropped a glass when the lights went out. I th-think I cut my hand open. I stumbled towards the door, looking for the light switch, but I was dizzy. Then I woke up here on the floor." The blackout had caused much of her memory to be fuzzy, but she at least remembered that vague part. Looking at her hand, she didn't want to touch it, but she flexed it for a moment. It seemed maybe there was still some glass in there. Mizuno winced. "Ouch." It was unexpected, but the girl was a klutz after all. Mizuno looked around for the Countess. She was gone of course, as many of the other parties in the room had established. "My Mistress is gone...I hope she's alright..." Mizuno trailed off, as she felt slightly lightheaded.[/legend]

---

[legend="Kyoza"]Lost in his panic, Kyoza nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the fiery tempered girl yell at him in the language of this land he had failed to learn when his tutors told him it was important. Kyoza flailed for a moment, falling onto his butt and scooting backwards as she continued to berate him for his mannerisms. He stared, blinking. This child was scolding him for be worried over his beloved? But more importantly she had called him a..."Potato?" He questioned, quietly. What was that supposed to mean? He was not the round, unsightly food that the farmers pulled from the ground. But then the girl started to look as if she were going to rip her clothes off before her. He shielded his eyes, and covered his arm again over it. But, he peeked, and saw she was in something else. Close call. Kyoza sighed, sitting in his pity. But he stood, wrapping his arms around himself and speaking forlornly. "I remember caressing my dear sweet love, her curves so perfect and skin as soft as a delicate flower freshly grown in spring. I want nothing more than to hold her in my arms again." Well, she did ask, but he had no recollection that he had grabbed Chi and not the Countess. He was of no real use to anybody. And many seemed more interested in the door.[/legend]

---

[legend="The Door"]As Kei inspected the door, Chi would come over as well. The smell of burning was repugnant, and thick. Not the same smell as an open campfire or the burning of a building. This was something far more unpleasant. The closer to the door they went, the stronger the smell became. However, Kei would focus primarily on the blood smear and fingerprints. There was one that was distinctively half visible, enough to maybe even get an identifiable print to compare. If he managed to take it with enough care, he could use it on the guests. Which, so long as everyone was in the room, would have to match one of them.[/legend]

---

[legend="Ritsu"]The young boy sat looking at his food. It was strange he wasn't taking an interest in anyone else here, nor the fact that his mother was missing. But he wasn't needed, so he would just sit and watch.[/legend]

---

Time: 12:20​

Footsteps could be heard approaching the room from outside the door that contained the burning. The doorknob wiggled before turning. It opened slowly and in stepped someone the students probably least expected given the details presented to them earlier. The pink haired female stepped inside the room, before quickly shutting the door behind her. Her expression was set in a grimace as her eyes trailed slowly from Mizuno, to Kyoza, to Ritsu. "I realize this is unexpected. However, one of the three party guests have taken it upon themselves to abuse this situation. A simulation where no one was intended to get hurt, has turned into a murder. The Countess is dead." The pink haired woman speaking, was obviously Megami. Megami created a hand seal, and an image of a memory appeared before everyone. "As you can see here, the Countress left the room as expected, arriving in the lobby to speak with me. Shadow came shortly after, explaining the process to the Countess and helping stage the evidence of the crime scene. As we were preparing evidence in the rooms, we returned only to find the countess killed, stabbed to death. Meaning someone in this room has very convincing acting skills and knows how to get around without alerting the authorities on staff. This is now official business. Evidence is going to be worthless. We'll need to discover which of these three killed her. Shadow, please bind them. Then each of you students can take one to interrogate. Consider this your new exam goal." Megami stood, waiting to see how this would proceed. Someone was going to be locked away for a long time for this. And for having to make her fill out this paperwork.

Due to the drastic wait time, I have lost a lot of the original concept I had planned for this exam. I have decided that to avoid dragging this exam out for months so we're going to go in a different direction. Please be aware, this practically makes everything stated in prior posts almost completely irrelevant and I do apologize. But I believe this will be much less complicated for all parties involved. I am also enacting a strict 5 day wait. If you don't post you get a strike. 2 strikes will result in a failure. Questions, comments, concerns can be directed to me or Souji. Thank you and again, my apologies.

You can pick who you want to interrogate. First come, first served.

WC: 844

 

[Kimi]

</COLOR>

Kimi; The Siren's Calling​

The other two seemed to gravitate towards the door, leaving Kimi to feel as though she was missing out on something. Sure enough, Kei's voice soon made notice of a fingerprint on the door. That was useful to know. Of course, it did Kimi very little good. But if they were all willing to work together, at least for a little while, they could get far. Even if one of them turned out to be the murderer, weren't they supposed to figure it out together? At least, that seemed to make sense to her. It was then that the serving girl, Misuno, got a hold of herself, and began to speak. So, she was injured in all of this. That wasn't good. Of course, yet again, Kimi felt virtually useless in the situation. She couldn't see the wound, so she really couldn't help bandage it up. It was one thing to work on your own injuries, the pain and pressure giving notice of where it was, but on another? Not to mention, it was broken glass. There's a good chance that there was still glass left in the wound. <COLOR color="blue">"Hey. Kei. Chi. Can one of you come help me out here? Misuno here's injured, and I can't properly check if there's any glass fragments left in the wound." she hated that she had to ask for help like that, but when it came to helping civilians, it was better safe than sorry. She then turned back to Misuno. "As for your mistress. There's no worry. We will find her." she reassured the female. Once someone came over to help fix up the maid, she decided to move onward.

Chi had taken up finding out what Kyosa had been doing during the incident, so that was one person she didn't need to worry about. He claimed to be holding tight to his 'love' before they lost consciousness. Well that was potentially interesting, though not of immediate concern. The small child had yet to be talked to, and it was his mother who had gone missing. She walked towards him, a soft smile on her face, before kneeling beside his chair. "Hi there! Can...uh...I was just wondering if you could tell me what you remember about before everyone went unconscious." she inquired gently. She waited patiently, curious as to what he had witnessed. On one hand, Kimi felt like she was at a huge disadvantage. She pushed that aside, however, and began formulating a plan as she waited.

Those fingerprints could be really useful, but only if everyone stayed here. If they lost one of the people in the room for any reason, it would be even harder to figure out. In addition, the ever presence of Souji-Winston caused confusion. Were they supposed to treat him as another guest? Could they question him? That would be awkward. She half wished she could find a way to ask Kei and Chi what they thought about it without anyone else sticking their nose in the conversation, but that wasn't realistic. So she would have to figure that out on her own. It could be a good use of resources, though he may refuse due to his out of character part in the game. No matter what, nothing more could be done until the child had provided answers. Being a detective was harder than she thought it would be.

Before the child had a chance to respond, however, a rather unexpected interruption occurred. Lightning walked through the doors. Kimi stood, and tilted her head. Wasn't this all part of the plan? Why would she be here- oh shit! Kimi listened intently, taking in the entire scope of things. So. There was a real murder. Her once-cheerful nature turned strangely serious. One of these three was actually a killer. Well. That was unexpected. But wait. Wasn't the simulation that someone had been killed? What if this was all part of the plan...No. Kimi didn't know Lightning well enough to know, but she figured Souji wouldn't be the type to do that sort of thing to them. Either way, Kimi was determined to take this seriously. "I will interrogate the man, Kyosa." she stated. If this was real, then the child had just lost his mother. That was something Kimi could relate to all too well. She didn't want that sort of sympathy to cloud her judgement. Not only that, but she couldn't handle the idea that he could have done that to begin with. And Misuno. Well, Kimi felt bad for the girl. She really didn't seem like the sort to do somethin like that. Kyosa was the most likely candidate.

[Edit: cuz I'm a derp. I pick Kyosa]

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]Chi heard Kimi's call for aid from the other two students, and looked over at the maid from her point in the room. She didn't think much about the maid as she thought everything was staged, but it seemed she really did injure herself and Chi had medical jutsu to help with that. She should have checked her out to begin with, and in a real situation she would have. The whole planned, fake murder and planted clues made her feel out of place. She wasn't expecting this kind of exam, but at the time being she knew she needed to help the two.
"Please give me your hand, miss." If she would give it to Chi she would peer into the wound as best she could, and try to determine if there were any shards of glass. She didn't imagine there would be, but it was best to be safe. After she was sure it was clean she would do some handseals and gold chakra would wrap around her hands as she performed mystical hand on the woman. When she was ready Chi would leave them. There was a lot to do to finish this exam.
Kyoza wasn't going to be any help, though Chi should have seen that to begin with. His answer to Chi's question made her uncomfortable, she actually managed a shiver. She didn't shiver too often, she was never cold so she didn't have to. The way he described holding her, thinking it was the countess, was enough though. She would mutter some profanity in Bohemian before moving on towards the door. Kei had the same idea, he was interested in the burning smell as well. Just when Chi was beginning to wonder how this whole exam would place out the woman from earlier that night came in slowly. Chi's expression was puzzled for sure.
"Krásný ..." Chi would mutter, turning to the people still in the room. She didn't actually think the murder was lovely of course, her tone suggested that. It was sarcastic, but at the same time it let for a more accurate show of their skills. A real murder, a real situation. The three were the prime subjects but Chi couldn't help but wonder if it was even one of them… "I wish to interrogate the maid…" She would once again mutter, though loud enough to where she was sure she was heard. Then she would approach the maid with the bleeding hand. Chi picked her for a reason of course, she had some idea forming in her mind of why she would do it and why she thought she may have.[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 441|MFT[/size]"]Chi checked the maid's wound for glass, if there was anything out of the ordinary about the wound Chi most likely would have noticed it.

And it's obvious in my post but I picked the maid.[/legend]

 

[Kei]

Kei heard Kimi call his name and turned, the maid needed first aid. Apparently the blood covering her hand and apron was mostly her own. He cursed under his breath, chances were that print on the door was hers if what he overheard her saying was correct. That still didn't explain the choking burning order Kei had been trying to ignore. Kei took a glance at Misuno's wrist and examined the cut checking for the telltale glints of glass still stuck in the wound. He'd have to be quick taking them out if there were any, good thing Kei was good at quick. He didn't want her to be in any undue pain. "Chi, do you know any medical jutsu?" He thought he remembered her using one during their fight in the tournament. If not, Kei would tear off a bit of his sleeve to bandage the wound. Seemed it wasn't necessary as Chi performed the necessary jutsu. She could be a useful ally in a fight.

kei spun around as he heard the Doorknob turn. He relaxed as it was their proctor who walked through the door, he'd been wondering when she would show up. As she began speaking, however, Kei realized she wasn't there to check on their progress. If Lightning was telling the truth, then the Countess had been murdered for real and it was the student's fault. The simulated murder-mystery style of their exam had created a perfect assassination opportunity. Kei looked to his fellow students, trying to gauge their reactions. This could, after all, still be another part of their exam meant to immerse them further into the simulation. Kei didn't know and he had to treat this as the real thing. There was more than just his promotion hanging on this now, if the Countess really was dead there was a kid in the room who'd just lost his mother, possibly by his own hand. That meant most of the "planted evidence they'd already gathered was useless. It didn't mean that everything was useless, though, unless the conversation he'd overheard during the party was completely staged.

Now they each had to choose a suspect to interrogate, at least the students weren't suspects anymore. But who did Kei want for his interrogation. Kimi chose Kyosa, not a bad choice. He was too much of a tool to be completely legit. That left Ritsu and Misuno for Kei and Chi. Lady Shisu treated Misuno terribly, which could be adequate motive for murder. Ritsu hadn't said much, but there was something about him that Kei could relate too. Maybe he'd be able to get something useful out of the boy. "I choose Ritsu." He'd have to approach things tactfully, especially considering Ritsu's youth. This would be his first interrogation, seemed like just Kei's luck that his exam would take this kind of turn for the worse.

[sorry about the wait, the only other day I've had internet the site was down.]

 

[Keigo Oen]

And Souji was now very aware of the situation, well he had been for quite a while but then things would get a bit more intense. Souji himself looking on as things would be compiled together in his mind, but Lightning probably already knew who the culprit was. Souji had his doubts but he already counted out a few people in his mind. One person was... too obvious. One person was... not obvious enough. And the last... well he didnt know much about this particular person, but with that Souji would manage something... moving his gloved hand over his hair and pulling it back. "Oh this will be interesting..."

Souji would move to Lightning's side before rolling his shoulders, "I wonder how they'll do.", Souji'd already bound them to his shadow, so none of the culprits would be able to move until Souji allowed them an ounce of motion. Only talking would be allowed.

[Short post is short]

 

[Mienai]

Time: 12:25 AM​

The three dinner guests appeared to be startled as they were bound in place by the shadows. Megami moved over to hoist the two of them into seats, while Ritsu remained unmoving from the chair he was sitting in anyway. She moved them to separate parts of the room, a good distance from each other to prevent changing stories based on the other's responses. If they couldn't make out clear responses from others, they couldn't play the innocent part. The students already knew who they were doing to interview, and Megami was going to supervise them. There was no indication she knew or did not know who the killer was. She wasn't omniscient. But, that didn't mean that as a more experienced Guardian she didn't know how to handle tough cases. Still, real, or fake, the students had to treat it like it was real, because who really knew. She wasn't going to give assistance just because she was here. Interrogation was one of the easier parts of this job, if not the most annoying, due to everyone's tendency to lie.

The three clearly had different personalities. Ritsu, quiet and aloof, completely unfazed by anything. Kyoza, a swooning handsome man of nobility, lost in his own world of denial. Mizuno, the anxiety filled maid, clumsy in nature and shy in demeanor. All not directly playing into the stereotypical roles of threatening people, but all quite capable and perhaps all with motive. As soon as Mizuno had been bound, she struggled against it in panic. Her expression reflected one of a timid mouse, trying to flee from the cat's grasp. She saw the girl who had healed her hand say she would interview her. Mizuno started to breathe quickly. "I didn't do anything!" A lie? The truth? Who knows, no one asked a question yet.

Kyoza sat in his chair, examining the shadow. "Woah, release me now! For only I and my beloved would ever do such things in relation to bondage, sir! And to bring such things into this notoriously noble establishment only to slander it with your dark and twisted provocations of lust, and with young children? Have you no morals, sir? But perhaps I will partake... Kyoza of course was addressing Shadow. Even winked at him. The nerve of this guy, and the creep factor. Megami turned her head and chuckled subtly . "Your type?" Of course she was kidding. Souji didn't swing that way, not with the way he kept hinting things to her. Kyoza looked down at Kimi, who was supposed to talk to him. "You're a little young for me, but I shall give you my undying attention, my dear. Ask me anything and the answer shall be yours." He sat patiently.

Ritsu did not move, did not speak, did not even seem to do anything except for breathe. This kid almost seemed like a living doll. The other boy was going to talk to him. He didn't have any feeling on the matter. Someone was going to ask him questions about his mother. Did he want to answer them? No. Nobody else probably wanted to either. He wanted to go home. Ritsu looked up, his pale purple eyes staring, devoid of emotion. He was frowning. He'd wait for his questions. But it was unknown as to whether or not he would speak.

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]The interrogation hadn't even begun and this Mizuno, the maid, was already growing hysterical. Her cry of innocence fell on deaf ears as everyone was already set to be interrogated. She would have been better off not saying anything. Kyoza was being perverted, and gave Souji a wink after his statement. When Chi looked in the direction of the wink she spotted the man and blushed. She looked back at the man with a look of fiery rage but merely clenched her fists and moved on. Now wasn't the time for an angry outburst, especially not for that reason. A reason she still didn't fully understand.
As for the young boy she wasn't sure what she thought about him. He was the son she thought, but he didn't appear to be fazed by his mother's death. Perhaps she was wrong, but even still it seemed strange for him to not be at all conflicted by the situation. He was just sitting there emotionless. Chi was sure if he knew anything Kimi could get it out, or if not she'd certainly try. Chi ran a hand through her thick hair and moved towards where Mizuno was bound so she could start her interrogation. The other two were probably doing the same, this exam was serious now. Someone was dead.
"Hello again, Miz… Mizuno was it?" Chi would find somewhere to stand or lean while keeping an eye on the woman. Her eyes were sullen, unfeeling, uncaring. Of course she did care, she cared about finding out who killed the countess. She cared about finding the truth, and if it wasn't Mizuno she cared about clearing her name. "You need to stay calm, anymore outbursts will only make you look more suspicious." Her voice was calm, and she stared Mizuno right in the eyes as she spoke.
"I need you to be honest with me… Or don't, I couldn't care less. I'll get the answers I need one way or another." Chi would cross her arms and think for a second, never breaking her stare. "Earlier I overheard the Potato over there and the victim speaking to you. Mostly the victim is who I'm focusing on, because she treated rather harshly and spoke of giving some sort of transfer to someone else instead of you. Now I know this whole murder thing was… supposed to be staged, but what is that about? A transfer to another job, better pay and maybe some benefits of some kind. Then she threatened to cut it off in a harsh tone… Maybe made you upset. Maybe you've been upset with her for a long time and now that you were being transferred perhaps… Perhaps you thought you might take advantage of this opportunity."
Chi would note any expression changes, or statements expressed. She wasn't sure whether the talk she overheard was real or staged, but she thought if it was a real argument it could be a good motive. She would take a moment to let her speak but would begin to speak again, "The glass you said you dropped, how exactly did you cut your hand open with it? Did you try to pick up the glass in the dark? If you just dropped it then your hand shouldn't have been cut. Unless it was cut in some other way." Chi would move her finger to her bottom lip and let it topple over as she used to do when she was a bit younger, something she did when she was in deep thought. Right now she was in deep thought about anything and everything Mizuno would say in response to her questions, or lack of responses if that was the case. She had a backup plan in case she didn't give her what she wanted. She just wanted to try and be nice first…[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 640[/size]"][/legend]

 

[Kei]

Suspects were bound and moved out of earshot of one another. Kei watched them all, looking for any tell. It could have been any of them. He glanced at Lightning, did she already know who it was? How much of this investigation really hinged on their ability to interrogate these suspects? Still it was the student's job to get a confession. He wished they at least had some evidence to use as leverage but aside from the conversation overheard before dinner they were pretty much fliying blind. He supposed it could be worse. He looked again at the suspect he had chosen to interrogate. Ritsu, the victim's son- he didn't know much else about the kid. But... Kei still wanted to be the one to interrogate him. From what Kei had seen the kid seemed pretty hollow and his mother, didn't really seem like the doting type. Kei knew what it felt like to be ignored by his parents. Hell he was treated like a pawn, maybe what Kei was sensing was a faint kinship to the suspect. Maybe he could use it to get the kid to open up. He had to be careful though, he wasn't sure what was under that mask. The kid could be in shock, or he could have been the one to kill her. There was motive there before you even considered Lady Shisu's wealth. He ran a hand through his snowy hair as he approached, gathering his thoughts, before locking eyes with the boy, his usual half smirk contrasting the boy's dead expression. It would have been unnerving but Kei was pretty sure it was just a front, a facade. It was up to him to get through it.

"Man... This whole thing is messed up. You look like you're holding up pretty well, considering... My name's Kei, not that it matters much. You look like a pretty smart kid, so you probably already know that I'm gonna have to ask you some questions. I just need to get a clearer picture of what happened tonight. It was just you and your mom right? No father in the picture, no siblings? That would make you her only heir, wouldn't it? Still, it can't be easy losing her if she was all you had." Kei paused, he wasn't expecting a reaction but he wanted to give his words a chance to sink in, perhaps for Ritsu to spill some more information. He didn't think the boy's father was still in the picture but he could always be wrong. Kei decided not to mention the holes in his own memory, best to leave the suspect guessing how much he actually knew. He allowed himself to look sympathetic for a moment. Kei wasn't much older than Ritsu so maybe he'd let his guard down. Kei considered this as he worked out the order he wanted to ask his next questions.

"Can you tell me anything else about your mother? She seemed to be treating you distantly, were things different at home?" "Distant" was an understatement, she treated the kid like a doll to dress up, give the expected answers. Seemed like a common theme with Shisu to Kei, she liked things to play out according her plan, like life was supposed to have some kind of script. He looked into Ritsu's eyes, were they the eyes of a killer?

[MFT WC=563]

 

[Kimi]

</COLOR>

Kimi; The Siren's Calling​

Kimi was somewhere between laughing and punching Kyosa in the face for his comments. The thought of Souji doing anything with- no. She cut off that thought before it even finished forming. He was sick. Truly sick. Then again, one would have to be if he were to act in such a way. If his behavior was an act, it was surely a good one. Though, why would he be acting now, once the charade was up? Kimi couldn't allow herself to focus on that. There were more important things at hand. Like finding out who the murderer is, for instance. Of course, their method would be interrogation. It was going to be interesting, that's for sure. She took a deep breath, settling herself before turning towards the psycho. She brushed off his strangely sexual comments toward her 'brother', forcing herself to ignore the unpleasant mental images. She flicked her hair behind her ear, taking the time to pull it back into a loose ponytail before continuing. Her blue eyes were duller than usual, their child-like sparkle replaced with a hardened glare. She was getting down to business. No more nice Kimi.

<COLOR color="blue">"So. Kyosa." she stepped towards the man, forcing her hearing to hone in on him. The others were more than capable of handling their own suspects. There was no need to focus in on what they were saying as well. It made things a lot easier, knowing they were all on the same team. Just as it should be. "Now that we've got that rather unpleasant flirting behind us." she gave a pointed glare at him. There was no need to alert him to the fact she was blind, now was there. "Let's get down to business." she purposefully ignored his claim of answering anything she asked. Saying that was all well and good, but like hell she was going to blindly (no pun intended) believe that he would tell the truth. Then again, he never really said he would. "You obviously hold some sort of affection for the Countess. That much was made painfully obvious by your embarrassing display. But you were rejected. And from the sound of it, that wasn't the first time. That couldn't have made you feel too good. Maybe even a little resentful?" she tilted her head. It was obviously a question, though she would pause but a moment before continuing. "Tell me. What do you remember happening once the lights went out. In full detail, if you will." she knew that he had already answered to Chi vaguely, but it wasn't good enough. She wanted more.

[mft]

 

[Keigo Oen]

It was funny how this was going but Souji was definitely not excited with, KyoZa. The man as soon as Souji had shadow bound him would begin exclaiming nonsense as he continued flapping his gums. Though what struck Souji the worst, was the wink and the indulgence. Then Lightning with her coy-ness seemed to 'go along' with it but hopefully she knew that wasnt true. Either way, Souji's face turned beet red for a moment and KyoZa would feel the grip around him tighten as a shadowy hand would begin to poke out almost gripping at the man's neck. Taking a deep breath, Souji's eyes had even flashed red for a moment, Souji's mind woudl race for a moment before keeping cool, Chi and Kimi both shot glares at the man and Kimi for sure was going to raddle the man a bit with her snark and wit. He wasnt too worried, and he let the kids have their fun with the people. Though, this was definitely not something that Souji would take lightly if it was found that this man had killed the countess.

Turning his head back to Lightning and smirking a bit, "Tch, my type. . .", though he'd mumble under his breath, Knowing good and well you're my type...', shaking his head and standing up straight. Kimi and Lightning would likely be the only ones to hear him though. "...I find it funny you go along with that man... Even if you were joking, I know you know the truth.", that whole, 'You know that I know, that You know, that we know, that she knows, but no one cares to actually speak on the fact that they know' thing. Souji was sure his flirts were known by the woman standing next to him. Her body firm and toned. Sleek and smooth. Even though she was a warrior she kept herself very clean cut and with no scarring. Though it could be the light within her that he could see. Her very soul was vibrant and full of blessings and honor. She was a pride for the Gods likely. It was the power he had to be able to see the souls of man that he used to take in the feel of the people around him.

"By the way.... Dont know if I told you... but yeah, you look alluringly stunning as always." but she wasnt wearing anything special right? Wrong. She was always beautiful to Souji from the first day he met her he'd know there wasnt a chance in hell that he'd be with a girl like that. So was Souji daft? No one but Kimi and Lightning would be able to hear him but still, it was definitely something that he felt might be a lose-lose for him in the end. What did he have to lose though, if she didnt like him at all, then Souji'd keep it professional, he already felt like she didnt anyways. He was one of the harder workers in the branch so maybe thats why she liked him around. He wasnt the type to play around with the work they did he did his job, and saved as many people as he possibly could while doing it. But this was important... maybe this was the worst time to be doing this.. but then again when did they ever have time? Maybe this would turn out for the best... but Souji had too much doubt in him. His confidence was shot to the point he could give up... but he wanted to give it a try. Almost as if in desperation... but maybe not. Maybe that was just who Souji was... he didnt take many risks without thinking things through, 'Ugh, what a pain...' a pain to put it on the line... a pain that could come with having things be shattered instantly depending on what type of reaction he was given.

 

[Mienai]

Studying the behavior of each of the members in the room, Megami began to observe the students. It was their job to get a confession, and their job to see which did it. It was a team effort. Which meant if someone claimed someone was the killer, someone else could refute it based on information they had attained. Oddly enough, sometimes people stake claims to crimes they did not commit to protect someone else. A noble act, but not one that was considered right in the eyes of justice. People should face the crimes they commit. Hearing Souji speak to her after having teased him, she glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, and raised an eyebrow. "You are not upholding professional conduct while on duty. Please focus on the task at hand, or I'll be forced to request another's assistance." She didn't say it harshly, but she couldn't leave any room for question on what she meant either. Regardless of anything he might have felt, flirtation on the job was frowned upon. It clouded judgment and didn't keep your mind where it needed to be. If it hurt his feelings, she was only doing her job. This was an exam, someone was dead, this was not the time nor the place. And as a leader, she did her job first. So her attention would focus on the students and the people they were working with. All seemed to be asking good questions.

---

The maid looked up, and nodded when asked for clarification on her name. "Yes." She was still shaking, and extremely nervous. Her eyes grew wide when she was told she could look suspicious, and some part of her knew that, but she couldn't help it. She was freaking out. Mizuno took a couple breaths and nodded. Just be honest, and everything would be over quickly. But, Chi's suggestion of getting her to talk whether she wanted to or not made her whimper. She tested the restrains, but they didn't give. The questions were almost like a barrage, or persecution of her actions. She stuttered, and leaned back in the chair. "I...I...the transfer was to another noble woman. A friend of the M-Mistress, who lives far away. I was going to be a Lady's maid, in-instead of a house maid. The pay is much better, and my s-sister works for her as well. I h-haven't gotten to see her in...3 years." Mizuno tried to explain her situation as best she could, but not many could understand the life of a simple lowly servant. Many were free to find other work, but this was the only job she could really get. Her talents were rather lacking for a girl so clumsy. The accusation that she would have tried to kill the Mistress made her gasp. "But I would never have done something to jeopardize being able to see my sister again! I really needed this job! If she's dead, no one can validate my transfer...I....I might even be out of a job." Mizuno sat back, an expression of utter dejection on her face. What was she going to do now. But even in her saddened mood she responded to the allegation of the glass. "When I dropped the glass, I had lost my footing. It shattered on the ground. But the dark didn't give me much opportunity to find something to catch myself on. I fell forward, and landed on my hands and knees. I felt the glass, but I must not have registered the pain, because I tried to go to the door to turn the lights on. Then everything became fuzzy. When I woke up, it was bleeding." Mizuno continued to sit quietly awaiting anything else, or further inquisition on her answers.

---

After his light bit of joking around, nearly every woman in the room seemed to glare at him. Well! Such anger for simply trying to make a little humor in light of such dark circumstances. He rolled his eyes, and wished he could rest his head against his hand, but they were bound to this chair and he was sitting before a young girl, who was supposed to get some sort of information from him to see if he was the accused. He didn't think his flirting was uncalled for. It was harmless after all. He scoffed when his gestures toward the Countess were questioned. "I have only true affection for my wife. She is the other half to my soul. But as the son of a nobleman I find it my duty to make sure every single female of nonsubservient backgrounds feels as if they are the most flawless gem in our world. Every girl deserves to feel worshiped, do they not? If they feel they have my affection, perhaps I've made their day a little brighter, a little better, a little more bearable. But it's also quite fun. I have been rejected of this doting several times, but there are also indications of when someone is really saying the opposite of what they mean. Such as yourself. You do not want my affection, but you are still very pretty, and it is not my intention to make you feel special, because you do not want it from me. I do not expect you to understand." And there was a straight answer from Kyoza. No flirtation, no dramatic phrases, just simply stating his profession of making women feel special. Was this out of his nature? Perhaps explaining it, but he loved making their days better. Just a stranger walking by to hand ladies a flower, or pay them a compliment. The Countess of which, he believed, truly appreciated his compliments after her husband died, and she had locked herself away for many months in depression. But he just smiled at Kimi, maybe no one would understand. "When the lights went out, I did as I said before. There was the sound of a glass breaking and a scream, probably that clumsy maid again, but we can't all be perfect. And, hm, you know now that I think about it, I thought I saw a figure leaving the room. But it was dark, and I could barely see a thing." Well that much was obvious. They knew it was someone in the room and without the height or general size, it could still be anyone. Kyoza wondered what questions would come next. He had time to spare.

---

Now for the oddball. Ritsu looked up as Kai introduced himself. At least it wasn't a girl talking to him. He thought girls were annoying. Well, at least all the other noble's kids. Everyone kept looking at him like some sad case, but Kei was smirking at him. Ritsu nodded to his words, but said nothing. His expression remained blank as he was questioned about his mom, his dad, relatives. His duty, how he should feel sad. He didn't want to answer these. He was never paid any mind. He was an observer of the world, but he would say something. The first thing any members in this room would get out of him. Sadly, it wasn't necessarily the answer Kei may have been looking for. Instead, it was something a bit more shocking to hear from a young boy who has lost his mother. "She deserved to die." Ritsu's expression did not change. It was said so matter of fact and unflinching that one might question the boy's psychological state of mind. Maybe he was simply devoid of emotion, a medical condition or something. Or maybe he just truly did not feel any grief for the woman that he called 'mother'.

 

[Keigo Oen]

Managing to give the woman a nod, she was right. He could make time otherwise... but sometimes he just felt like, 'No day but today' was something he was beginning to live by. "You're right. It was wrong of me to put you in such a situation... I apologize.", and with that Souji would look on listening as best he could. Though he couldnt hear alot of the conversations going on around him. He didnt even glance at Lightning after her comment. And yeah, it did hurt he was brushed off... but they were in a serious situation... he'd just have to get over himself. Though, he couldnt help but frown at the thought. Maybe this was just a sign? Or maybe he was asking for too much... maybe this was still a waiting game. But how long could anyone wait in the end. Maybe it was impatience building within him... but maybe it was something else.

'...I think it might be Mizuno...', thinking about what he heard about her story, maybe this was a ploy. Maybe she was just throwing them off with her 'act' but maybe she was telling the truth. Maybe this was going to be the start of something amazing and fresh. No one could really say for sure but Souji was going to take the world differently soon. Maybe he would be able to change the stars for his future. Maybe he would amount to something that no one would think to be possible. Maybe... But now from the corner of his eye he would just glance at the woman. Lightning. Her aura was so powerful, so bright. It made him feel small sometimes. Though he had only seen her once outside of work... maybe twice.

"Should we step in?", Souji'd look up over to Megami wondering what was forming through her mind. This was racking his brain, who could it be. At this point it was fair game for all of them.

 

[Chikara]

[legend="[size=4]This Is It, Yo[/size]"]Mizuno seemed like an awful mess. She stammered her words and seemed to be trying to test the strength of the binds Souji had placed on her and the others. Chi felt like she could laugh if this situation wasn't so serious. She kept her composure, keeping herself composed was very important to her because of how she used to behave before she started pushing herself to the extreme in order to become the very best. Like no one ever was. To become the Tsuchikage was her real quest, to stop all evildoers and stupid potatoes from ruining this village was her cause.
"Y-y-you sure th-th-that's your story, Mizuno?" She was mocking her, not out of bitchiness but for the purpose of pushing her. Chi still wasn't sure if she believed her story or not, or whether it was her or one of the others. She looked around and wondered if anyone else was making better progress. "Why can't the mistress's friend take care of that? I don't see her being the only person who could do that. There had to be someone else. Otherwise why would you kill her? Unless your sister isn't real and it's all a fictitious story. Or maybe you didn't kill her. Who knows? I don't. I'm just a little girl." Chi would cross her arms. She had a plan to make her talk but wasn't sure if she should pull it out. She was a civilian after all, it could scare her into a false confession. She tugged at her bow a little, thinking about it.
"I might need to validate that information you gave me about your sister, and the mistress being the only one who could validate your transfer. If it's true then I guess your story checks out. Though that still doesn't mean you didn't kill her." Chi would place the finger back on her bottom lip and looked the girl over. "I don't know about you, Mizuno." Chi walked closer to her and tugged at her bow some more. "I need to know." She would walk around the girl and pull at the bow, a piece of paper coming off. It was one of the explosive notes that she used to make it, without charging the note it was just a piece of paper. Mizuno, however, would think it had been charged because she'd make her believe so. "I charged this piece of paper… You're a maid… You know what this is right? It's an explosive note, charging it means it'll blow up." She would take the piece of paper and go to stick it to her face.
"Tell me the truth, dear. I'd hate to get blood all over my clean suit." She would wave down the length of her body in order to gesture towards her suit. "You see, I'm just a little girl… But I mean business. I'm not going to stop until the person who killed the mistress is brought to justice. So either tell me what you know, the whole truth, and be sent to prison if it does turn out to be you… Or get blown up…" Chi didn't get scared, not anymore, but she could feel her heart beating. She wondered how the proctors thought of the display she was putting on, and whether they knew the note wasn't primed to explode or not. She thought they would know somehow, or at the least be able to assume she wouldn't blow the head off the maid without knowing if it was really her or not. She would give them a quick glance, though, just to see what they looked like. If they looked like they thought she was mad she would give them… some kind of look to assure them she was not.[/legend][legend="[size=4]OOC; 630|MFT[/size]"][/legend]

 

[Kimi]

</COLOR>

Kimi; The Siren's Calling​

So. He wasn't just a shitty person, he was a notorious flirt who would react that way towards anyone without regard for the person. At least he wasn't dumb enough to try it with her. There was something else about him that really bothered her. He seemed to have a sort of a better-than-everyone attitude. He definately held to the idea that people of higher class were somehow more important, more worthy of attention and affection. Kimi forced her attention away from Souji and his senseless flirting with their Sennin - of course he would have her in his sights as well. It's such a predictable action for him. Leave it to Souji to find an attractive female to flirt with. She forced herself not to smirk at Lightning's response, and turned back to him. At least his answer was direct. She didn't have to like what he said to be grateful for the no-bullshit answer. <COLOR color="blue">"So you're just a careless, casual flirt then. You seem to have no regard for what any of the women actually say, preferring instead to go off these 'indications'. How rude." she stated passively before moving on. He claimed to have seen a figure moving in the dark. Kimi wracked her brain to try and remember what she heard, but she couldn't remember. She must have really been out of it by then. Cursed Souji. He was really gonna get it after this was all over. He goes and drugs them, and then expects them to be at the top of their skills when something actually goes wrong. Great. "You say you saw a figure?" she took a deep breath. "You can remember nothing else about this figure?" she tilted her head, hearing some sort of commotion from the corner. Seems Chi was going to more extreme measures to get answers. Kimi could tell by the flow of Chakra that the note wasn't charged, but it wasn't like everyone could read chakra signs the way she could. She didn't think such means would need to be employed with this guy.

"Anything you can remember about the figure would be extremely beneficial." Kimi didn't eliminate Kyosa as a suspect, but she figured that treating him as though he was no longer suspected of the crime would be a good way to get a little more out of him. "And what else can you tell me about the countess? Did she have any enemies? What was the state of your relationship with her?" she continued piling on questions, knowing full well that they would all be answered. She was going to ask something more, but an unfamiliar voice broke her concentration. 'She deserved to die.' if the unknown voice wasn't enough to catch her attention, the claim certainly was. She didn't have to turn to realize who it was. The child. Kei certainly had his hands full with that one.

[mft]

 

[Kei]

Ritsu's response was only one sentence, short and to the point. She deserved to die. Kei knew he should have been surprised by the response but instead it just made him believe his suspicions were correct. This kid could have been him if it weren't for the shinobi academy. he wondered how he would have felt, what he would have said, in the same situation. Probably not much. He could empathize, but believing someone deserved to die and being the one to end them were to different things. The question remained as to whether or not Ritsu was the one to actually commit the crime. He glanced across the room at his fellow students. What stories were they hearing? They would probably have to discuss their finding at some point, look for holes in the stories. Still Kei had a lead, he could get the kid talking maybe even get him to open up more. Kei still needed to know what Ritsu was during during the blackout.

"Okay." Was his only response to the boy's claim. He nodded, there was no pity in his eyes. If anything he tried to show that he understood, he understood how neglect could make you empty. His half-smirk never left his face. "Why don't you tell me about it?" He looked into Ritsu eyes, tilting his head slightly as he loosened his tie. It was time to switch paces. He just hoped he wasn't tipping his hand too early. "She ignored you didn't she? Not just her, everyone. They ignored you because of her. She treated you like some sort of decoration. It couldn't have helped that people like chucklehead suitor over there kept her attention even further off you. Eventually you just try to become numb to it. It not as easy as that though is it?"" He couldn't tell how deep this kid's emotions were, but he hoped this would get some more out of him.

"What were you doing during the blackout?" He added, almost as an afterthought. Only his eyes belied the seriousness of his question. He wanted information and, while he was patient, Kei wasn't prepared to wait forever.

[OOC: Sorry short post is short]
[MFT WC=360]

 

[Mienai]

The exam was processing well. She could safely say she was moderately satisfied with everyone's approaches. Chi playing a sort of one sided good cop/bad cop, Kimi going for a false sense of security approach, and Kei acting like the relatable best friend. All good tactics, though the question and passing result would be to see how well they can work with the individuals to get enough information to make a definite identification of the culprit. Justice would be brought today, one way or another. The life of another was taken unfairly, and without due cause, even if the woman was being a total stuck up snob. A life never deserves to be snuffed out before it's time. Megami knew this above all other things, and it was part of the defining factor of why she upheld this job. She raised a hand to halt Souji, as he hadn't caught on yet that they are spectators. "This is their job. If they cannot do it, they don't deserve to carry a badge. That's how this has to be." She lowered her hand, eyes gazing to see what would happen next.

---

The developments with the maid were...harsh. Mizuno sat cowering in her chair, poor dear sitting dull and silent trying to keep her breathing in check, less she hyperventilate from sheer panic. At Chi's mockery of her stuttering, Mizuno's eyes shut, shaking her head, her face scrunching in shame. Tears started to stream down her face, her hold body shaking. Loud sobbing started to come from her as Chi progressed further with her onslaught of interrogation. Suddenly Chi drew closer, and stuck something to her face. Mizuno noticed the markings on it to mean something explosive. She suddenly sucked in air, and Chi confirmed it's purpose. Mizuno snapped and started struggling against her bonds, flailing wildly. Tears were streaming down her face and she was physically starting to put herself at risk for injury. "Please I don't want to die! I'm telling the truth I swear. I didn't kill her. I didn't. Don't kill me. I just wanted to get to my new job. They told me this wouldn't happen. I just...My sister...she means everything to me. They have her hostage, said they would let her go if I put some sort of sedative in the Mistress's drink. But I didn't know they were going to kill her I swear! I was threatened. I have a note if you don't believe me. C-Check my pocket!" Mizuno was sobbing still, any anything after that became lost in half delivered sniveling. If Chi were to reach into the pocket on her apron, she would find a small folded up piece of paper. The letters were made from a typewriter, in red ink. All that was written was 'If you want to see your sister again, you'll put this vial into the Countess's drink tonight. If you defy these orders, or inform the authorities, your sister will die, then you.' Mizuno sat scared. It seemed either way she was going to die, so why keep anything quiet anymore.

---

Kyoza tapped his chair with a finger, one of the actions he could still do. This was growing to be boring. He sighed, rolling his eyes. "Not careless, quite the contrary. All of the care is put into my expressions of admiration. I cannot control how the women respond. I can only control myself. If It's not hurting anything, and women of good breeding love flattery. Perhaps you are unaccustomed." Well, no one said Kyoza was polite. He said what he wanted to and most of it was quite obnoxious and rude. Continuing further he droned on. "It was a vague outline. There was just indication of movement. I was preoccupied trying to hold my beloved." Kyoza smiled charmingly. Everyone knew this to be true. Kimi had more questions for him though, as expected. He continued to keep up his poetic dramatic air that many questioned as to whether it was real or fake. "We of noble blood all have enemies. But we are too stunning and exquisite, made from the purest of genes and most desired importance. Many envy our perfection. We all walk around with a bounty on our head every day, but it often comes from unforeseen places. As for our relationship, we were children together. Many of us are introduced as children, surrounded by one another. We arrange our marriages, and learn our social circles, learning who we can gain the most from. As you can see, we are nothing more than friends, as I have my wife. As she had her husband. It is our way." Kyoza had said all this matter of fact, as if reciting from a handbook. Nobles were almost an entirely different culture of people altogether. These customs were tradition. He needn't say more. He hummed, wondering if there was more of if someone would finally speak up. By the sound of the hysterical maid, perhaps she did it.

---

The person that seemed to have attention on him now stared. But this other kid wasn't shocked by his statement, not like he cared to have much of an expected reaction in the first place. Ritsu looked at him, unmoving, unwavering. He felt like some sort of charity case. Poor Ritsu, sitting here under speculation, being analyzed and psychologically profiled even as he sat in silence. But he didn't care about any of these people. He had to take care of himself. He didn't have to say yes or no to prove any assumptions correct. They just wanted to know who killed his mother, not his sob story. Everything was always the same, but that was ok. He had been alone for a long time. Ritsu would only answer questioned he deemed worthy of a response. "I was taking note of others around me. Vision was poor, you remember. My mother stood, and left. Then nothing." Ritsu kept things short and simple. He wasn't a child of many words, or much care. He answered what was required of him, probably more so out of his own want to rather than the necessity. He seemed to not have much care for anything, let alone communication.




[I want to apologize to you all and thank you for your patience. Posting will resume as best it can.]

 

[Kei]

Kei still couldn't tell if the kid was withholding anything. Kei wasn't sure how to proceed. He'd been trying to earn the kid's trust but he couldn't tell whether or not it was working. He was contemplating switching tactics. The threat of physical violence could be a powerful motivator, but he wasn't sure that it would work on Ritsu. In fact it could just make the kid shut down completely depending on how badly he was treated. Still the temptation to just charge up chidori in front of his face was definitely there. Kei still hadn't had a chance to test it in combat but letting that slip just might increase the intimidation factor. He might just have to leave that open as an option but until this point Ritsu had been fairly cooperative. The main problem Kei was having was that Ritsu seemed determined not to be forthcoming with the background information Kei sought. There was still the question of what happened to Ritsu now that his mother was dead, not to mention his inheritance.

"I'm not entirely convinced you didn't stand up and follow her, taking advantage of the poor visibility to murder your mother. If you didn't I'm gonna need a little more to go on so I can find out who did, or else that previous comment of yours sounds an awful lot like motive." Kei gave that a moment to sink in before switching tracks. "Now... Were you particularly close to any of the staff? Perhaps one that helped take care of you? What happens to you now that your mother is gone? Do you know who gets custody?" These questions would help Kei frame the picture of what did or did not happen, if Ritsu was sensible he'd realize this, but Kei had the suspicion that the youth simply wouldn't care. There had to be a way to at least make the kid realize that this was serious and that it was up to Kei to determine what information was relevant- not Ritsu.

"I may as well go and say that if you're responsible for your mother's death it would be better if you just confessed. Things will be much less unpleasant that way. Kei's aqua-colored eyes were hard while the outline of his body started to blur- letting the boy know that the implied threat was indeed potent. There wasn't much else to do but wait for a reaction as he maintained the subtle field of reality bending energy around his form.