songerein | [Closed] Entry 006

[Gina isn't far behind. She soon makes her way down the stairs as well, dressed for the day in her usual outfit and adjusting her hat, while Toby trots down the steps beside her. She's now fully energized and ready to tackle this investigation.]

Alright then! Everyone all ready now? [She's raring to go! And trying to avoid any thoughts of potential disappointment.]

For a few hours, it'll be fine. 76 prepared us some sandwiches if we get hungry. [He looks up from the notes, holding up a bag with some sandwiches that had been prepared for them. He trust the crew can handle things until the lunch rush. ]

Where shall we start first, Detective? The home? [Fang's tail swishes about behind her. She has no idea what they're looking into, but she's ready to go wherever she's allowed.]

[ Oooh, sandwiches! Susato's face brightens, though it's much too soon to be thinking about that. Very thoughtful of him, though. Susato leans in a little closer while she waits for Gina's answer, peeking over Kazuma's shoulder.

The Mikotoba home definitely is the first place he'd written, but it sounds like Gina will be taking the lead. ]

[She eyes the sandwiches with a smile.]

That's real nice of 'im. I'll 'ave to thank 'im for that later! [It's only a matter of time until she gets hungry again and inhales one of those sandwiches. But first, they have work to do!]

Yeah, you got it right. That's our first stop! It's where 'e lived, after all. Another once-over there should tell for sure if there's any clues we mighta overlooked! For all we know, 'e coulda snuck on in after we left, even! There's plenty o' possibilities to look into, especially when we're dealing wiv Sholmes.

[Someone will probably need some sandwiches when the investigation concludes.]

Let's be off then. [With a nod, and a bark from Toby, they're on their way to the old Mikotoba home. It's been a while since he's been there, but he imagines not too much has changed since the recent departures. Just gloomier maybe.]

[ Gloomier, lonelier. When Eustace and Tifa walked her home that night, she lamented the fact that the lanterns were unlit. The house is so much less lived in nowadays, not at all helped by the fact that Susato had already been spending more time at the Harvest and Kazuma's home.

It is a quiet walk, at least from Susato. She doesn't know what they'll do if... when they don't find him, but as the house comes into view, she speaks. ]

...Let's start with the greenhouse.

[Gina just makes a little smalltalk along the walk back, quieting as they approach. It hasn't been that long since they moved, but it still feels odd returning to the house, now that it's empty and much less lived in. Almost like visiting a ghost of the past. But what she wants to find is the opposite of a ghost. Toby at least seems chipper to be on familiar grounds, while Gina frowns as she looks ahead. And she nods at Susato's suggestion.]

Good thinkin'. There's a good chance 'e mighta used it for sometin'. Let's 'ave ourselves a good butcher's over there then.

[He stays back slightly, just to give them a bit of space. He ponders for a moment if he should head inside and let the girls handle the greenhouse themselves.]

Do you want me to check the home while you two are investigating the greenhouse?

[ The fact that Kazuma is hanging back does not escape her notice. Susato, at least, won't let him fall too far behind, and she glances back at him at the question. ]

I can unlock it for you if you'd like, but we could always use another pair of eyes in there.

[ It's probably less efficient to stay together, but it's not like they are on a time limit. Plus, that sense of togetherness is... nice. It feels like home. ]

Lookin' to get yerself an early start there, eh 'Soggy? [She shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head while considering that.]

Sooze got a point. It'd be best to get it done like a team. We could still manage the greenhouse wivout you, but I'm gonna check out the 'ouse meself either way. I guess it don't make too much of a difference at the end of it, so long as everytin' gets checked out.

[They may not have a time limit, but Kazuma likes efficiency. He can sense the two of them would rather they all stick together though.]

I suppose, I don't exactly know what it is I should be looking out for anyway. [He doesn't know the detective as well as the two that actually lived with him.] I'll take a look in the Dawn flower section then.

[ Honestly, even having lived with him, what could there be? Remnants of those notes she was organizing, perhaps. Or maybe they'll find his deerstalker... Then she could keep it together with her father's hat. ]

...I can check the Lunar tears. There are those flowers that I brought back from the moon as well.

[ Spoken routinely, like something she's done a million times before. With him gone and Susato spending less time here, this is probably the most neglected they've been. Sorry, flowers.

She leads them to the greenhouse, unlocking it with a key. ]

[Gina's sure that if they find anything, Toby could use it to track the man down once and more all...! At least, it plays out perfectly in her mind.]

Right then. And I'll love over at... them other flowers. [She draws a blank at what other flowers are in the greenhouse, but it's fine. They'll divide and conquer and sweep through this greenhouse in no time.] Now make sure ya give a good shout if ya find anytin' outta the ordinary! There's no tellin' wot Sholmes coulda been doin' in 'ere.

[Hopefully not to destroy the plants. With a nod to them both, he and Fang wander off to a section of the greenhouse. From a mere glance, everything appeared to be in order. The flowers might seem a little more wilted, but still relatively healthy. There are a few gaps in the rows, presumably someone had taken the flowers for sampling?

A ball laid abandoned from a previous playtime beneath the shelves. He could see shoeprints beside them. They do not appear to be made by any of them, larger feet, not as fresh but still recent.] I found shoeprints!

[He's not sure if they're Sholmes, but maybe Toby could sniff it out, or the others can confirm.]

[ The greenhouse isn't large, but certainly large enough to keep them busy for a while. There's a crystal that hangs overhead, and creatures that look like hummingbirds flutter about as Susato searches. She is occasionally distracted by the snakes that still make their home here, and already she's overcome with nostalgia.

She remembers finding Kazuma out here; the weight of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in her hands, and the difficult conversation that followed. Then, as she's checking along the vines of the moon-shaped fruit that are draped decoratively on what looks like a picnic table, she remembers something different. ]

Did you know I... Hm? [ Kazuma calls just then. Shoe prints? She turns her head, first towards the source, and then towards Gina, who she'd been addressing nearby. ]

Oh. Let's go see.

[Gina starts to look around and examine the plants for any kinds of clues, while Toby curiously sniffs around. Nothing out of the ordinary so far!

Once Susato starts to speak, Gina glances towards her curiously, but then Kazuma shouts out. She's immediately filled with excitement.]

Blimey, that was quick! [She rushes over to take a look at them, with Toby excitedly running beside her.] Let's 'ave ourselves a look! Sholmes, wot ones an' twos are ya sportin' these days? [Some simple loafers? Crocs? Heelies? It could really be anything when it comes to him!]

[It could be crocs considering there's a pattern in the shoeprint.] I cannot confirm these are the detective's. But they aren't made from us and it seems recent enough.

[Sholmes or not, they certainly took a stroll in the mud as the prints are very clear, moving through the Dawn flower section and off to another part of the garden towards the back. Perhaps taking the a back exit?

There's a bit of shuffling among the plants as the snakes gather nearby to observe.]

[ Susato, the Sholmes fangirl, has probably already determined at a glance whether or not they belong to Sholmes. Her expression doesn't seem to betray this one way or the other. She seems content to quietly go along with what Kazuma has found. ]

We can follow them. It seems like they are heading towards a small clearing I created, closer to the back.

...I was just thinking about that actually, but that was some months ago. [ So... likely unrelated? It earns a nostalgic smile from Susato though, nonetheless. ]

[Gina grins optimistically. Of course it's Sholmes, it's got to be. Already, they have the breakthrough clue they've been looking for!]

It's gotta be the ol' fool! Who else'd be creepin' around 'ere like they own the place? Let's see where this leads us.

[She starts to match alongside the footprints! She pauses at the snakes rustling, but quickly regains her composure and just makes sure to keep her distance from them. She also litens to Susato's words.]

Oh yeah? Wot's that clearin' for, Sooze?

[He nods to the both of them, letting Susato lead the way. Fang comes up from the rear, taking a sniff at the footprint.

And licking said footprints.] Fang. [That's evidence you're licking! Stop that.]

[ Is Fang a fan of chocolate? Despite Kazuma’s scolding tone, there may be some happy chitters from her, if so. Susato watches with concern; the footsteps are along a stone path, and it’s unlike Susato to leave it unattended for that long without tidying. Has she really spent so little time here after their departures…?

At some point, she snaps out of it and finally hears Gina’s question. ]

Ah. It was… for their date, once. Him, and my father. It didn’t seem like they were getting much time to themselves, so one day, I took matters into my own hands.

[Gina listens as they move - and makes some shooing motion to help keep Fang's nose out of the footprints, and Toby too. There could still be valuable clues in them, after all!]

So you made that, just for the two of 'em ol' lovebirds...? [She's impressed, and surprised. She might not have firsthand experience with having parents, but it's not often one is so on top of helping their parent out with a different partner. Then again, Susato has always seemed to adore Sholmes too.]

You're really supportin' your pa an' the great dee, you are.

I'm sure they must have appreciated it. [He is just as impressed as Gina. But then again, she's put herself out there for him. He ponders if she has given time for herself. Something to put in the back of his mind for now.]

Perhaps the detective has been going out there to reminisce.

Edited 2022-11-10 21:06 (UTC)

[ She gives a small nod to both of them. She can feel Kazuma's gaze more intently for a moment and looks his way, but once he tucks that thought away, the moment passes. She looks back down at the footsteps. ]

You may be right. I could see that... Particularly after father awoke.

[ The loss was hard on him, too. She still remembers coming home that day to check on him... ]

Let's follow them.

[ The footprints lead to the clearing, but after further searching, she finds that there are more subtle ones all throughout the greenhouse. Even closer to the entrance where they came in. Some even seem to be heading back out again... Perhaps he went back inside the house? ]

[Susato really does seem to go the extra mile for pretty much everyone... It can leave Gina in awe!

And so they continue onwards, checking the footprints and finding no other clues. Well, while examining one footprint, she does pinch a small bit of something that she sniffs at.]

...Chocolate. O' course, the man's always carryin' around some bar to chew on. It's gotta be 'im! [She goes around the greenhouse, trying to make sense of what footprints she could find.] But where is 'e now...?

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