"What Col..Miss Vargas?"

Shaken out of the last of the residual memory-scape, George focuses on Lysette, and what she just said.

"Yeah...And I think theres other things as well." He glaces at Dalion.
"And I reckon I might be able to smell them if we come across spore, at least, now we maybe know what they are." He sits up, getting excited at the idea.

He twists in his chair to wink at her.

"So....Up for a Monster Hunt Lysette?"
Then coughs. "Ah..Everybody?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:17, Wed 10 Mar 2021.

Still within the memory-scape, Reese runs a hand through his hair and peers thoughtfully at the rubble, "Well, I don't know that you flying over there would do any good. I couldn't see it and, since this is a memory... I suppose it would just show up as a blank spot? Or blurry? Or something."

Looking to Ryan, he answers, "No. I think the stairs were the only way down. He did have a set of wider doors in the back for bringing in the big furniture, but it opened into a back room. And the stairs were at an angle from there that I couldn't really see."

The officer turns oddly blind eyes towards Lysette when she asks her question, his eyes still seeing the alley and not the room around them, "They're done, for the most part. The investigation is still ongoing, though. Last I heard, they had ruled out a gas leak and mundane arson. But, they're still poking around the magical side of things."
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:17, Thu 11 Mar 2021.

"I-I meant of the real building..." Solstice mumbled softly.

"Oh! Oh, sorry. My mistake. I just misunderstood. I was too focused on now and wasn't thinking about later," Reese chuckled at himself. "Sure! We could go back after we're done here and you could take a look, that way. I'd certainly appreciate you doing that. I doubt the floor is very structurally sound, anymore."

"If it wasn't arson or a gas leak, then it was to cover up something else," Ryan said. "Perhaps someone took something from the shop and blew it up to hide the theft?"

"I don't think anyone would destroy a building to cover up a theft...A bit like using a sledge hammer to crack a Peanut..." The fae mumbled.

Thinking on that, George turns to the still memory blind Solstice.

"Yeah. Definitely not just a theft...but...maybe also a message? Or retrieval? You took my thing, and now revenge explosion?"

"Perhaps... But what beast could be so vengeful...?" He muttered, starting to feel a bit drained now.

George gets up, and digs a bottle of water out of his rucksack. He puts it in front of Solstices hands.

"Hey..theres some water in front of you in the real room." He takes off the lid and pushes it to touch the small mans hands.

"Vengeance, yeah, maybe a bit over the top.I reckon its more about the message to other people. Warning rather."

"The point of misdirection is so you're not looking at what actually happened, your attention is on the misdirection: the waving hand, the bright flash, the loud noise," Ryan said. "Consider that the police are looking at the explosion and what caused it, and that the floor may be so damaged as to be unsafe. If it weren't for Master Solstice offering to take a look, we wouldn't be seeing much of anything."

"So, yes, perhaps a bit over the top, but it's doing a good job."

"Yes, I'm familiar of how humans use lies to pretend to use magic... Rather boring actually,once you figure out how they do it..." The fae mumbled, mostly to himself. He was starting to feel exceptionally light headed but didn't dare move to take the water in case he broke the spell. He remained still and stiff as a dead tree.

Ryan notices the offered and refused (?) bottle of water, as well as Solstice's distant demeanor.

"Detective, have you seen everything you wanted?" he asks, while keeping an eye on the fae.

Reese nodded, "Yeah, I think that's all we're going to get from this. But, we got a lot. Thank you all for the assist. You've given me more insight into the scene and I think I have a new lead to chase."

The detective withdrew his finger from the bowl and blinked as the memory-scape faded from his view. Once again, there was the distinct crackle-crack sound of him lightly biting on the pop in his mouth. His brow was furrowed, his gaze thoughtful and distant despite his apparent carefree personality.

After a moment, he smiled and looked to Solstice, "If your offer still stands, how about you get some rest and then we can revisit Abe's?"

Solstice removed his finger from the bowl and visibly slumped, wings dipping. "Yes... We can go now, if you like... I'll be alright." He mumbled, one hand going to cradle his aching dizzy skull and the other pawing for the water bottle.

"Very well," Ryan says. "First in, last out."

When everyone has withdrawn their participation in the scrying, he murmurs a brief thanks to Lord and Lady, and ends the spell. Then he looks again at Solstice.

"You look a bit unsettled," he says. "Perhaps Detective Reese can have someone drive you home?"

Glancing over at Solstice he sees how clearly wrung out he looks. And yet prepared to go digging around under rubble.

George stands, stretches, and announces to the room.

"Dunno about you lot, but I need a good feed and a nap before traipsing off after monster robots. Maybe after lunch?" Yawning, he continues blithely. "It was a late night after all."

Then, laughing and grabbing up his bag, he shoots a toothy grin directly at Solstice.
"Not to mention...if you look and smell Too tired...You might seem tasty, and I might forget what I'm supposed to be hunting."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:58, Mon 15 Mar 2021.

Reese chuckles and scratches at his stubble a bit, "Uh... well. I'd give you all a ride. But, I don't think the Lichmobile can carry all of us. We can try! But, it'll be a tight squeeze."

Lysette owns a car. A classic 1956 BMW 507 roadster.

"Anyone want to ride with me?" she asks. "I can take only one. I'm afraid."

"SHOTGUN!"

Broadly griming at her, as he remembers her ride.
"We can get drive through food burgers on the way."
All thoughts of sleep, and giving the fae a chance for rest, gone in the excitement of fast cars, a possible hunt, and lingering effects of the phase of the moon.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:54, Tue 16 Mar 2021.

Solstice smiled politely but some of his resolve was slipping."Honestly whatever you want is fine. I'm more than prepared to go out now or tomorrow. Whatever works best for all of you." He half insisted.

"Looks like I'm riding with you, Detective," Ryan says.

"I would also like to ride with you... If it isn't to much trouble, sir..." The fae man spoke softly to the cop.

"Nobody eats in my car, hon," she frowns at him. "Or sheds, either."

She handles the manual shift with practiced ease and steers with lightning-fast reflexes. They are doing sixty as they leave the parking lot of the police station and she slots the little roadster into a narrow opening between a glossy pickup truck and a delivery van, with scant inches to spare fore and aft. The van jams on his brakes, but she is already down-shifting and accelerating past the jacked-up truck.

"No-neck," she mutters as the fat driver flips her the bird and honks his horn. "If he had a real dick, he wouldn't need a toy truck."

"How about you?" she smiles sweetly at George. "Got a truck?"

It's not very far to the scene of the fire, and she picks a parking spot quickly, swerving the little sports car into the space in a bootlegger's turn that brings the vehicle to a rocking stand hard against the kerb.

"Don't scratch the finish," she grins. "Or you'll have to buff it out by hand."

"Ahh man! Im starving." George mutters as he folds his frame into the passenger seat.

"Whoo yeah..Go Girl!" He just resists putting his head out the window....way too stereotype.

"A truck? Nah...hardly moving motorhome. I mo..LOOK OUT!!!" He yells as she just misses clipping an svu as she overtakes.
"..uh..I mostly walk."
Catching on, he laughs. "Guess thats a great sign huh?"

When they arrive, and with a smile that couldn't be wider, he hops out of the car.
"After that ride, I'm prepared to buff it in the nude, for more!"
He pats the cars hood, then trots off looking for the others. "Come on..mysterious mystery's to solve.."

Detective Reese takes his 'posse' round to the parking lot, and his car. Loading everyone in, they make their way to the crime scene. Its a much more sedate drive, not a single horn is sounded in anger. Reese makes small talk in the car. Nattering about the weather, the festival, and the like. Not wanting to prejudice his investigators possible insights he refuses to be drawn on any more information about the incident.

They arrive about 10 minutes after Lysette and George, and meet up with them.

"Lets see what we can see then shall we, Lady and Gents." And gestures them forwards.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:35, Thu 18 Mar 2021.