songerein | [Closed] Entry 006

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...?

A single bar made all these footprints? [The detective sure is wasteful. He looks at the footprints, scattered about and going different ways. Even onto the walls...? Distractions. He should focus on any footprints the are leaving the place.]

Look for footprints leaving the clearing. We'll follow it from there.

[ On the walls? All this is definitely unusual. She would have never let this stand, and she would bet that not even Gina would leave things in such a state. (At the very least, she wouldn't leave chocolate around where Toby could get to it.) This had to have been recent.

But where, indeed...? Is it possible the great detective has pulled the wool over her eyes yet again? First, making her think Kazuma is dead, and now...

...... ]

Looks like they lead into the main house.

[ Which was their next stop anyway. Susato finds herself unlocking that door, too, and quietly creaks the door open. ]

It ain't like 'e was wearin' it or nuffin', but he musta been 'avin' 'imself a real big chew of it while 'e was walkin' around...

[In any case, it's time to follow the footprints! With Kazuma and Susato helping to find the way, she finds herself looking back towards the empty house. She braces herself as she looks towards it. Her opponent... her ultimate rival must be there, waiting for her.

She fears a chill run down her spine at the same time, a worry whispering in her ear. What if he isn't there?

But she pushes that aside. And she looks forward with determination, while Susato opens the door.]

Right then! This 'as gotta be place. [She storms right through the doorway.]

Alright then Sholmes, come on out! The game is up!

[And thus Kazuma takes up the rear, Fang following just behind them. Unfortunately she's too big to fit inside the home and must wait for them outside.]

It'll only be for a moment. [Kazuma reassures with a headpet before continuing inside. At a glance, nothing seems out of the ordinary. Although there are now chocolate handprints on various surfaces along with the shoeprints. He's aware of how messy the detective can be, but come on.]

He's been busy, apparently- [There's a thumping sound, coming from one of the rooms. Quick footsteps and shuffling. Hm.]

[ Hm. (Sorry, Fang; she'll get plenty of treats later to make up for this.)

Susato can't hold back a gasp at all the chocolate handprints and shoeprints everywhere, but before she can say much to protest, the shuffling and thumping clamps her mouth right shut, and her eyes go wide. There's a glance as she looks for the source...

...and then, after making eye contact with both of them, she'll point towards the kitchen, where she thinks it's coming from. ]

[She feels more uneasy as she sets foot into the house. Not only is it so eerily empty, but... there's chocolate everywhere. She knows that some people like to indulge in treats when missing someone, but this is ridiculous! Not to mention that something about the combination of Sholmes and chocolate gives her a tingling of dread, but she ignores it and refuses to consider what this would remind her of. She takes a moment to shoo Toby away from the chocolate, before she focuses on the noise. The kitchen...]

Alright then. Let me at 'im.

[That's enough fooling around! Gina rushes forward, right into the kitchen!

Only to stop in her tracks, horrified as she beholds a chocolate monstrosity only vaguely resembling a human shape at this point. Parts looking melted, parts that are iced over. And a chill fills the room in general, courtesy of an open freezer.]

N-no!! [She shouts out in distress as she faces the worst enemy imaginable!] Y-you ain't the Sholmes I'm lookin' for...!

[Hope the girls forgive him for gripping onto the hilt of his katana. Cause this is very suspicious, even for the detective. He comes up from the rear as Gina shouts out, aghast by the sight before him.]

What is that thing?! [Insert some chase theme or something as it tries make it's getaway. Toby barks at it, while Fang outside is trying to poke her head in through the window to see what all the commotion is. Well, that's one path of escape chocolate Sholmes can't use.]

[ SUSATO HAS SO MANY QUESTIONS. Though Kazuma's is a good one to start. It's not even recognizable as Mr Sholmes anymore, and yet there is something about it that distinctly strikes her as "him." While Kazuma grips the Karuma, Susato goes into a defensive stance. The chill that fills the air probably makes her legs a little more shaky than they otherwise would be, but then the chocolate monstrosity bolts.

They give chase. The path of escape may be blocked off, though that doesn't keep it from trying. When Fang sees the creature, she starts nudging hard at the window, trying to get it open. The glass proves sturdy, but the rattling noise that results is quite alarming. ]

S, Someone's dreamotion...? How long has it been here!?

Chocolate Sholmes!! [She cries out, brandishing her launcher and aiming it at the chocolately doppleganger while trying to corner him.]

That, that's that sculpture the real one made of 'imself way back when we first got 'ere! We were never able to catch the cove... 'e always slipped through our fingers! 'As... 'e been 'idin' 'ere...? Is that 'ow 'e got away from the 'eat?!

[The chocolate being remains light on his feet, while Gina pursues him.]

W-we can't let 'im get away!!

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