Fandom JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2.5: Hearts Unchained

[Minako]

Alright, so breakfast with the Nazis was now a thing.

It sounded like either the opening to, or punchline of, a really bad joke... But it was actually what was happening in front of Gerard right now.

The fact that it was happening in his friend's apartment sort of made the whole experience even more surreal...

If Gerard was honest with himself the sort of surreal setting helped him deal with everything going on at the moment, and made it a tad easier to hide he was still a little uneasy being a french doctor having breakfast with two Nazis. Despite this, he did accept the milk, boiled eggs, and grabbed some cookies to dunk in the milk.

"Uhm, Since there seems to be a common language among the three of us, as I study German a bit, I think it's safe for us all to talk in German, ja?" He asks in almost fluent german, trying to sound as natural as possible, adding, "Sorry, I probably should have opened with that so we weren't juggling languages... You'll have to forgive me... I'm still a bit disoriented from everything going on..."

Already he was seeing some red flags, and the look on his face when the female Nazi called Rosie "valuable" wasn't subtle at all with his (comically) pursed lips and raised eyebrows... There was something unsettling about a Nazi calling a french healer useful that made Gerard nervous...

Wait, but the male one, Max, intended on just thanking her and letting her go once she was confirmed innocent?

Before he could question them further, however, Max handed him some letters?

"What are--" He began to ask when the doctor saw they were addressed to him, raising a brow and shooting Max a displeased look while adding dryly when he saw the state the letters were in, "I see someone took the liberty to open them..."

As he read the letter he chuckled at the crude sketch on it, and smiled... He had a surprised look on his face for a moment as he read the end of it, and looked confused when there were some pages ripped out from somewhere, reading them as well....

He looked confused at first as he read the first one, and gasped and gaped in horror at the last one, his eyes clearly focusing on the dried blood on it as his finger went over it on the paper.

"Oh Rosie..." Gerard sighed to himself, filled with remorse and regret... Though over exactly what was unsaid.

"If there is a God, they've abandoned me...? Poor thing... She must feel she failed France, when in reality it's more like France failed her... She should be hailed as a heroine for her bravery, and instead she's hiding and running like a scared kitten because our country lost..." He muttered defeatedly while shaking his head.

While looking around, Max wouldn't exactly find anything too useful or out of place in the living room... Simply pictures in a frame. To an ordinary person, they would be ordinary photos... but to a stand user? A certain stand of a certain nurse could be seen...

The closest shelf to the table had several photographs: One was of Rosie without her hair bleached holding up a diploma triumphantly in graduation attire with her family all smiles... And a smaller, "younger" version of Keep celebrating as well...

There was a gap between that picture and the next... As if a framed photograph was missing...

The next group of photos was current-ish Rosie, bleached hair pinned up, this time with Keep looking more like in her sketch to Gerard, bashfully smiling and blushing while shaking Gerard's hand, the doctor oblivious to her feelings. Corneille was in the background with a goofy smile and both her thumbs up, as if encouraging something. Keep looked like she was over the moon.

The next, however, Rosie was sadly smiling and almost nodding to herself as she stood next to Gerard again, but this time a beautiful brunette with wavy hair was beside him... And he was happy and smiling with his arm around her waist. There was a ring on his finger...and the brunettes. Corneille was also in the photograph, but her attention was on Rosie and she looked very sympathetic. The gray-skinned entity couldn't look sadder.

The last photograph on the shelf was Rosie with all of the members of her team: Rosie was smiling happily with Corneille's arm on her shoulders, the pony-tailed nurse flexing like she was a muscular woman with the arm that wasn't around the tiny nurse. Gerard was beside them, covering his mouth and trying not to laugh at Corneille's antics. Chantal was flicking her hair and shooting Cornielle a disapproving look while Regine was folding her arms and glaring at the camera. Keep was looking happy, hopeful, and rather pleased.

There seemed to be room for another framed picture on the shelf.

"...So, you read these... That means you know she's a fugitive, right? Are you still planning on letting her go despite that?" Gerard asked worriedly as Max continued looking, then turning to the female one and asking, "You are both just going to let a war criminal go, then?"

He asked this, but it was almost rhetorical.

"I... I think I can help fill in some gaps you both might have... If you'll find her to help her, then..." He began muttering, speaking a bit more clearly while continuing, "Did Corneille tell you how Rosie activates this 'Keep Yourself Alive'...? Did she tell you the drawback to it?"

Assailant
Cyan Hide

 

[Assailant]

Alright, so breakfast with the Nazis was now a thing.

It sounded like either the opening to, or punchline of, a really bad joke... But it was actually what was happening in front of Gerard right now.

The fact that it was happening in his friend's apartment sort of made the whole experience even more surreal...

If Gerard was honest with himself the sort of surreal setting helped him deal with everything going on at the moment, and made it a tad easier to hide he was still a little uneasy being a french doctor having breakfast with two Nazis. Despite this, he did accept the milk, boiled eggs, and grabbed some cookies to dunk in the milk.

"Uhm, Since there seems to be a common language among the three of us, as I study German a bit, I think it's safe for us all to talk in German, ja?" He asks in almost fluent german, trying to sound as natural as possible, adding, "Sorry, I probably should have opened with that so we weren't juggling languages... You'll have to forgive me... I'm still a bit disoriented from everything going on..."

Already he was seeing some red flags, and the look on his face when the female Nazi called Rosie "valuable" wasn't subtle at all with his (comically) pursed lips and raised eyebrows... There was something unsettling about a Nazi calling a french healer useful that made Gerard nervous...

Wait, but the male one, Max, intended on just thanking her and letting her go once she was confirmed innocent?

Before he could question them further, however, Max handed him some letters?

"What are--" He began to ask when the doctor saw they were addressed to him, raising a brow and shooting Max a displeased look while adding dryly when he saw the state the letters were in, "I see someone took the liberty to open them..."

As he read the letter he chuckled at the crude sketch on it, and smiled... He had a surprised look on his face for a moment as he read the end of it, and looked confused when there were some pages ripped out from somewhere, reading them as well....

He looked confused at first as he read the first one, and gasped and gaped in horror at the last one, his eyes clearly focusing on the dried blood on it as his finger went over it on the paper.

"Oh Rosie..." Gerard sighed to himself, filled with remorse and regret... Though over exactly what was unsaid.

"If there is a God, they've abandoned me...? Poor thing... She must feel she failed France, when in reality it's more like France failed her... She should be hailed as a heroine for her bravery, and instead she's hiding and running like a scared kitten because our country lost..." He muttered defeatedly while shaking his head.

While looking around, Max wouldn't exactly find anything too useful or out of place in the living room... Simply pictures in a frame. To an ordinary person, they would be ordinary photos... but to a stand user? A certain stand of a certain nurse could be seen...

The closest shelf to the table had several photographs: One was of Rosie without her hair bleached holding up a diploma triumphantly in graduation attire with her family all smiles... And a smaller, "younger" version of Keep celebrating as well...

There was a gap between that picture and the next... As if a framed photograph was missing...

The next group of photos was current-ish Rosie, bleached hair pinned up, this time with Keep looking more like in her sketch to Gerard, bashfully smiling and blushing while shaking Gerard's hand, the doctor oblivious to her feelings. Corneille was in the background with a goofy smile and both her thumbs up, as if encouraging something. Keep looked like she was over the moon.

The next, however, Rosie was sadly smiling and almost nodding to herself as she stood next to Gerard again, but this time a beautiful brunette with wavy hair was beside him... And he was happy and smiling with his arm around her waist. There was a ring on his finger...and the brunettes. Corneille was also in the photograph, but her attention was on Rosie and she looked very sympathetic. The gray-skinned entity couldn't look sadder.

The last photograph on the shelf was Rosie with all of the members of her team: Rosie was smiling happily with Corneille's arm on her shoulders, the pony-tailed nurse flexing like she was a muscular woman with the arm that wasn't around the tiny nurse. Gerard was beside them, covering his mouth and trying not to laugh at Corneille's antics. Chantal was flicking her hair and shooting Cornielle a disapproving look while Regine was folding her arms and glaring at the camera. Keep was looking happy, hopeful, and rather pleased.

There seemed to be room for another framed picture on the shelf.

"...So, you read these... That means you know she's a fugitive, right? Are you still planning on letting her go despite that?" Gerard asked worriedly as Max continued looking, then turning to the female one and asking, "You are both just going to let a war criminal go, then?"

He asked this, but it was almost rhetorical.

"I... I think I can help fill in some gaps you both might have... If you'll find her to help her, then..." He began muttering, speaking a bit more clearly while continuing, "Did Corneille tell you how Rosie activates this 'Keep Yourself Alive'...? Did she tell you the drawback to it?"

Assailant
Cyan Hide

Maximus continued his search, briefly looking over the framed photos as his investigation continued. Nothing so far that could give any clues. He pulled up couch cushions and looked under tables and seats just for good measure, but nothing. He hummed quietly in thought as he moved around to examine the kitchen, sure to give Odiel a wide berth so she could continue cooking in peace. As Gerard finally spoke up, Maximus listened carefully, although he did not turn to face him. He was glad her comrades were being so cooperative: he was beginning to suspect she truly was innocent. Still though: he had to follow this through 'till the end. Just to be safe.

"No, she didn't. Though I can guess the drawback is induced sleep, yes?" He spoke up, now in German, still looking through cabinets and drawers. He wasn't going to give up the search until he'd looked through every nook and cranny. "I also heard some singing last night before I was rendered unconscious. Is that how she activates it?" Strange... he had never met a Stand with an activation condition... but Stands were themselves odd. It didn't surprise him that such a thing could exist.

Minako Cyan Hide

 

[Cyan Hide]

The water began to steam so Odiel pricked tiny holes in three eggs and placed them into the water, watching them as she brought the water to a simmer and then checked her watch. She turned back to Gerard, grateful that he had decided to switch to German. He was good at it too. Max was searching the house. Odiel doubted he'd find anything. This hadn't been a well-planned exodus as there was food left in here. Rosie would have packed her diary and anything incriminating if such things existed. The best they would find is any clue as to where she would go, and Odiel felt she'd get that from Gerard himself instead of a search.

From what he was saying, Rosie had actually been helping the French army before France's surrender. That made her a fugitive. Odiel did not have love for the French army, but she was surprised at herself that she wasn't conflicted. At least not on whether or not to still help Rosie. Her face had soured, and she tutted. "I'd probably have done the same thing in her shoes if I were French. And she's not a war criminal, either. Whether she's a fugitive, I can't say. I'm just an administrative clerk. Still, I feel I have a personal stake and responsibility in seeing that she's safe, now. After the shock Corneille got put through, and your hospitality."

She further listened to Gerard and Max talk about Rosie's stand, as she turned back to her eggs and her watch. She couldn't contribute to this conversation but she could learn something.

Minako Assailant

 

[Minako]

Gerard was relieved to hear the female Nazis words... And he knew if Corneille trusted them there was good reason for it (first and foremost she was a pretty good judge of character and secondly they DID save her life)... But he couldn't forget he was talking to actual Nazis at the end of the day.

People who were slaughtering by the millions.

The female one may just be a clerk, so he actually had little problem with her and did believe her words... But Max was a soldier. There was good chance at least some people were killed by his hands.

And here he was telling this man everything he needed to get to his little sister.

Gerard massaged his temples and sighed, his internal conflict causing a headache quickly.

"Yes, as the letters stated, she falls asleep after her heals, and I personally saw it time and time again when she was tired when being alone with a patient after no doubt healing them," Gerard explained, following suit with Max and talking in english, adding, "I think it depends on the severity of the wounds? She doesn't always automatically go to sleep, but gets tired and drowsy if they're mild wounds. Heh, I used to think she had narcolepsy and wanted her to get tested for it... But she insisted she was fine, and I couldn't force her... Guess all this explains why..."

He looked at his letter again, and focused on the sketch of Keep.

"You're also correct in that she must sing to activate Keep's ability, the singing you heard last night was indeed her singing," He nodded, "Now it probably doesn't have to be loud, granted how she did this without getting caught for so long, but I'm pretty sure she's not going to worry about volume control when she's actively trying to start rumors of a healer AWAY from the Hospital."

He looked at Max and then the female Nazi, clearly hesitant, but there was nothing for it now, he supposed.

"So, Corneille told me that the description she gave you of this Ace fellow matched your assailant last night?" The good doctor asked, going deep in thought, "If you're positive, that's unfortunate... But if I'm honest, even if the slick-haired hollywood wannabe man who has probably seen so much american movies he probably IS American is good--"

Gerard was sort of passive aggressively insulting him for some reason... It shocked even him, but he played it off as cool as he could while continuing--

"I don't think she's much safer either way. She becomes a sleeping, sitting duck mostly after her heals, and if he's taken her to some hideout she might be hidden, but she also probably won't be doing healing. Even if Keep can heal mortal wounds, time is always of the essence. She'd still need to be with them before they died... That's probably why she was at the frontlines... To heal them before that. If he's utilizing her ability to help others, it will be in dangerous places. I don't think I need to tell you why I'm not comfortable with the idea of my little sister sleeping in some battlefield or alleyway where literally anything could harm her..."

Gerard then frowned to himself while thinking out loud, "What was so great about this Ace, anyway? She was very drawn to him for meeting him that night... She's a rather horrible judge of character because of her shyness, but even still, to be so attached upon just meeting him... Like they had something in common? Something-- Wait... Do you think Ace is like you? Standing or whatever?"

It sort of made sense. Max was the final straw to break the camel's back about her leaving... But was both of them having these "stands" the first??

Assailant
Cyan Hide

 

[Bowl of Sad]

​

Liam had thought that William would have understood him and his goals and accepted the fact that he doesn't want to put himself out in the open, though he clearly misunderstood him. Liam was offended by him, considering the fact that he was comparing him to a Nazis soldier just for not wanting to take to the front lines of the war effort. Liam assumed that William, being an intelligence agent, would have understood that. He was beginning to get on his nerves, talking as if what he does isn't as important to fighting that Nazis as going in guns blazing. What right does he have to criticize Liam for picking his battles? Liam sighed, ignoring William's outstretched hand.

"First, if I am, in fact, just someone who is complacent to the war effort and, indirectly, massacring Millions, then why would I go through all of the effort to build all of this from the ground up? Just to fill some desire to make my own newspaper? Risking my life every single time I go home, no, every second I spend trying to grow this group from the ground up puts me at risk. If I was so fickle as to want to write and manipulate for my own gain, without regard for those around me sacrificing themselves, then everything that you claim would be true."

Liam continued to stay calm and collected, though there is some frustration if you listen closely. Liam began walking away from Liam, as he was, he continued speaking to William.

"I am going to assume that you are about to argue your point on how because I don't work towards freeing those that have been captured or stopping them from dying that I am just wasting my time. If I am wasting my time, then what have you been doing? Attacking random Nazis soldiers on the street? Do you think that by threatening Tlow ranking soldiers you'll make a difference? Is that what you want me to do? I might as well jump off a building as that is suicide as well as useless. Picking them off one by one is not going to stop them from killing people."

No matter the reason for William to have been out last night, it was way too risky to just attack soldiers off the street. William was lucky that Liam was there and had seen him because otherwise William would gradually succumb to the bullet wound, either from infection of fatigue.

Liam had been rummaging through a small stack a papers as he was talking to William, looking for something in particular. He pulled out what looked like a file and some documents. Liam walked back to William and handed them to him.

"This is the reason I was out late last night, as well as why I ran into you both literally and figuratively, is because I had been retrieving those papers."

The papers William now held contained valuable information on one of the high ranking officers stationed in Locronan, Severin Denzinger. The papers and documents all contained information about him, his position, and his personal goals and ideals. He, among other things, ran the compound in Locronan. William would recognize it as where his unit had been taken. One of the last papers in the stack was handwritten notes about the infiltration and any plans on what to do next. One of them talking about freeing the prisoners. They seemed to be unsure of whether it is the right move and decided that if they were to even think of doing it, they would need knowledge of the place and the people there.

"I had infiltrated the compound in an attempt to gain more information one of the leading officers. We had been thinking about trying to sneak in and free some of the prisoners for a while now and decided that if we wanted to go any farther, we would have to get a good building plan as well as information on the guards and such. When I say that my goal is to reveal the truth, I mean that I want to shine light on this situation, be it the Nazis soldiers, the captured prisoners. Any of it. I don't want a target on my back because if I'm well known, people would be able to track me down and end this once and for all. As an intelligence agent yourself, you should know that you don't win a war with brute force alone, but with knowledge as well. That is what I hope to do. Now, if you still believe that I am blinded, that my intentions aren't good, or anything else, you can leave and do whatever you want. I will not become enemies with you or who you work for, but I will do what I believe is right. The only question is whether I do that myself, or we can help each other."

 

[Cyan Hide]

Odiel continued to listen as the eggs boiled and she was careful to make sure they were taken out after six minutes, which hadn't elapsed quite yet. In the meantime she gathered two egg cups from the cupboard. There were only two. Odiel would just have to make do. She took a sip of milk and a bite of a cookie in the meantime.

So, Rosie got tired after healing somebody, and sang to use her Stand's ability. Both were useful bits of information. But the shining jewel was that she was trying to start rumors away from the hospital. Did the letters mention this, or did Gerard know it himself somehow? It certainly hadn't come up in conversation thus far. So, Rosie wasn't going into hiding and unless she was being coerced by the Resistance, would actually be trying to attract attention elsewhere. Why? Odiel thought about this. The difference was location. Was she doing this just to protect the hospital? So that nobody would start to notice unnatural things occurring at the hospital and begin to attract malicious gossip? This Rosie was smart, and selfless. The more Odiel heard, the more respect she had for this woman.

Gerard began to talk about the man who had taken Rosie away. 'Ace', his given name was. Gerard would have seen him, of course. Odiel had never heard of a slick-haired Hollywood wannabe man in the Resistance. Standing out wasn't something they're known to do. Still, she couldn't be sure. And if he wasn't Resistance, who was he? It was also a good point well made that she had to have gone with him for a reason. Possible Stand user? Just more questions.

Odiel checked her watch, and swore in German, before draining the pot and running the eggs under a little cold water to stop them cooking, before serving the other two in the egg cups and eating her own, holding it in her hand with a fork. It was a little too hard-boiled for Odiel's taste but at least the yoke was still a little runny.

"Well, you've given me a lot to think about. If this 'Ace' was such a loud, dramatic, noticeable personality, it doesn't sound like a resistance member. Does it sound like the guy who attacked you, Max?" She asked, before carrying on."And if he isn't, and Rosie wants to heal people elsewhere, likely in the streets, then rumors will start surely enough. Honestly, I'm content to taken Max back to base after this breakfast and just....wait for the rumors. But there's still a possibility she could be in danger or otherwise somewhere dangerous. I'm not sure if I could rest easy....

Gerard, would it be okay for me to search Rosie's room?"

Minako Assailant

 

[Assailant]

Max listened closely to both Gerard and Odiel, thinking over what he was hearing. After Odiel and Gerard asked these questions, Max was silent for a bit. He was mentally sorting out everything: everything that happened to him, everything that he'd learned, and everything that he thought might be. After considering every possibility, he deeply inhaled and moved to do another scan of the apartment briefly.

"Regarding whether he's a stand user: I'm not sure, but it seems likely. If this Ace fellow is the person I fought last night and this morning, then he most certainly is. Otherwise, it's uncertain. However, I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out that he was: things tend to turn out that way, and he might have recruited her specifically because he knew about her Stand. Regarding whether or not he is the same individual I fought last night..." He considered everything he'd heard once more before sighing.

"If I'm being honest, it doesn't sound like it. My assailant certainly had a... flair for the dramatic, but it was a more subtle kind. I would never consider describing him as a 'hollywood wannabe,' especially given his British origin. It's still not impossible that they're the same person... but I wouldn't bet on it at this point. Even still though, we don't know that the man who recruited her isn't dangerous. If he knows about Stands, and he isn't working with us, there's a strong chance he occupies a resistance capacity. If that's the case, best case scenario, Rosie becomes an accomplice in acts of insurrection. Worst case, she gets used, wounded, or killed in these acts. I personally believe it's still in our best interest to find her."

Cyan Hide Minako

 

[Minako]

As Max talked and kept searching Gerard bit his lip a tad (but still nodded in agreement) while eating his boiled egg, actually a bit worried about a male soldier searching through his little sisters more... uh... personal items, so he couldn't really hide a sort of relieved look on his face when the female one wanted to search Rosie's room (it wasn't exactly like he could really say no, so he was also very appreciative she at least asked).

"Heh, of course you can. Thank you very much for asking, that's very sweet of you to ask when we both know you didn't have to, Miss... Oh, I'm afraid I didn't quite catch your name, I'm so sorry..." Gerard actually looked flushed and embarrassed, as he prided himself on being a gentleman and usually knew a woman's name before they knew his simply because he read their chart and name before introducing himself (he didn't get out much, so the only times he had to meet others in general was at work), then turning to Max and adding, "...So your assailant was British? Mm, then thank goodness at least this means she probably wasn't taken by who attacked you... But still..."

Truth be told, aside his now ex-wife, his team of nurses were really the only women he saw frequently and that he knew how to talk to (Except Regine... No one really knew how to talk to Regine...).

He couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness at the realization last night may have been the last time he got to talk to the nicest of them who he was very close with and had to battle a feeling of emptiness for a moment. There was another feeling as well, but Gerard couldn't even fathom what it was about.

Gerard got up and showed the two Nazis to Rosie's room, which was right across her tiny bathroom.

One look at this room and Gerard had to cover his mouth to hide a chuckle. No wonder Rosie was so adamant about not letting anyone in this room when she invited him and the other nurses over for Christmas: If you didn't know Rosie was 30 years old, you would think she was a teenager or younger based on the massive amounts of stuffed animals adorning the bed. Her nightstand was a pure white with a porcelain unicorn lamp, children's book about a cat, and box of perfume adorning it. Her dresser looked like something out of a storybook in the most childish way possible. Her closet door was open and the clothes there were mostly pinks, reds, whites, and yellows, with only one or two articles being blues or greens. The sheets on her small twin bed were floral and Gerard was fairly certain that they were meant for a child's twin bed instead of an adult.

Due to being evacuated in a hurry the room was just a tad messy, so it was easy to tell what was and wasn't out of place mostly...

But one thing that stood out instantly was, on the floor, a teddy bear and a ribbon on the floor near the entrance.

It had a sweet scent to it.

"Oh! Corneille gave this to Rosie last Christmas... She probably meant to take it with her," Gerard noted sadly while bending down to pick up the bear and ribbon, tying the ribbon back on the bear, then gasping after getting a whiff of the stuffed bear, "Ah, heh, she's also probably wearing the perfume I gave her for Christmas, here, I see the box on her nightstand, let me just give you the bo--"

Gerard began explaining as he reached for the box and opened it... Only to find it empty.

"Aw, she took it with her," Gerard blurted out loud while smiling bashfully, touched she deemed his gift important enough to take during this time.

It lasted all of a moment before he shook his head and sighed sadly, handing the box and the bear to the female Nazi, "I suppose you'll be needing this to track her down via scent...? I guess this nice scent will be such a contrast from the smelly garbage it should help... You'll still probably be better off trying to hear her singing, though..."

Assailant
Cyan Hide

 

[Cyan Hide]

"Don't be silly!" Odiel replied cheerfully. "Of course I had to ask. Somebody has to make sure manners, discipline and good grace are still adhered to. And it's Odiel. Odiel Krupps."

Odiel finished her egg in peace as Gerard and Max talked. Max seemed convinced that if this 'Ace' knew about Stands despite not being Nazi then he was Resistance. Well, he certainly didn't sound like a part of any organised underground movement. At least not a competent one. Odiel suspected he was a third party. Probably anti-Nazi but not necessarily. Still, it was likely he thought he had something to gain by staying besides Rosie. He was likely using her for something. Odiel would rest easier when she knew what was going on. Maybe Rosie's room would have more answers.

After they finished breakfast, the three of them headed to her bedroom and Odiel had to raise an eyebrow. This was the room of a child. But Odiel had her doubts that Rosie had lived in his room for more than a few years. Perhaps Odiel had been too quick to think Rosie intelligent. This room painted a picture of a woman-child.

There was a teddy bear which apparently smelled of Rosie's perfume, which she had taken with her and was probably wearing.Between this and Gerard's comment that was wanted to start rumors elsewhere, it was very apparent she wasn't going into hiding. If she was, she wasn't very good at it. She took he bear, and the box, trying not to touch the bear with her skin too much, until she could get back to the jeep and get her driving gloves.

"Thank you, and thank you for all your help," she replied with a genuine, gracious bow, turning to Max. "We'll have to get these to HQ. We'll need Dorn and his dogs. Well, I will. You on the other hand are wanted by the Officers for a briefing of last night's events. At least now you're armed with much more knowledge than you'd have if I would have picked you up straight from the hospital. Let's go."


Minako Assailant

 

[Assailant]

Maximus hummed in thought as Odiel spoke to him, considering whether or not they had any business left here. After some thought, he nodded.

"Yes, I suppose that's fair. Alright then, I suppose we should be off."

Maximus turned back towards Gerard and gave him a stiff but polite nod.

"Thank you for your time and cooperation. I apologize for intruding. Hopefully all of this unfortunate business resolves well for everyone. Good day, sir." With that simple farewell done, Maximus turned and left with Odiel for HQ.

It suddenly occurred to Maximus just how much had happened in the less than 24 hours that he'd been in this town. When his reassignment was confirmed, many of the people he'd talked to were jealous of the relaxation and calmness he'd likely get to experience in this scenic town. Lucky him, he supposed. Looks like things were far more interesting here than most had given credit.

Minako Cyan Hide

 

[Assailant]

Three Hours Later
​

"..."

The two officers sat across from Maximus in the questioning room. One sat there, baffled, holding a pen and notepad. The other sipped from a mug filled with a liquid Maximus couldn't make out, looking at him inquisitively over the brim of the mug.

"This... isn't believable," the man holding the notepad said. Both his tone and his face gave off the distinct impression that he couldn't decide whether to laugh or yell at the incredible story he'd just heard. "You're honestly telling me that you fought an invisible ghost, hid in a burning car, healed the next day, and have no scars to prove it?!"

"That is what I'm telling you, yes," Maximus responded stiffly. A light scoff came from the man with the notepad as he shook his head.

"We've been questioning him for nearly two hours," the other officer spoke, "and his story is airtight. No holes or gaps."

"Sure, except for the part where none of it is physically possible. Airtight or not, we're talking about downright magic here. If we are to believe this, then we are to believe everything."

"Not necessarily." The questioner placed down his mug gently and leaned in, looking at Maximus intensely. "This Rosie woman... you're sure she's not a threat?" Maximus shook his head.

"Not sure, no, but it's highly unlikely. More likely is that she's accidentally fallen in with some dangerous people, but that's what Ms. Krupps and I intend to discover."

"Hmmm... very well, you are free to leave." The man with the notepad appeared baffled, shocked at the strange declaration by his ally. Nonetheless, Maximus saluted, stood up, and left the room. The man with the notepad stood up and pushed his chair in, shaking his head as he walked after Maximus to the exit.

"You're the boss, but... I wouldn't have let him go." The questioner chuckled and began to stand up.

"Ah, I can understand why. But there's something you must understand..."

As the questioner began to follow suit, leaving the room, the chair he had just stood up from scooted back under the table, seemingly all by itself.

"There are forces in this world beyond comprehension."


As Maximus exited into the wide waiting room, he did a brief sweep and surveyed his surroundings.

Well then... now that that ordeal is over with... I should find Odiel and see if she's made any progress towards our hunt.


After about three hours of waiting, a man finally approached Odiel.

"Ms. Krupps. Mr. Dorn has arrived and is waiting to speak with you in the other room. He has brought some of his hounds with him, so you should be able to get to work quickly. Although, ah..." the man walked closer and lowered his voice so that only Odiel could hear it. "Between you and me, Mr. Dorn is a bit of a... twisted fellow. He speaks his mind and acts very freely, and often it's not very... polite... so I urge you proceed with caution."

Cyan Hide

 

[Minako]

In the alleyways of Locronan a tiny “girl” could be seen with a lucky and quick enough eye. She donned a red hood that covered her face, but wherever there was so much as a cough one could expect the red hooded tiny figure to at least pass by.

A homeless man, coughing up a storm and scratching their arm (that had a number of scabs and scratches on it from several instances) was walking around an alley, unsuspecting, being particularly loud in their coughing and not even covering their cough (why would they?)... When suddenly he was blindfolded and restrained?!??

“Aaaah! Aaaah! I swear, I swear it wasn’t me!” He cried almost on instinct as he was incapacitated.

From what he could tell... he was being held by... cloth? Thin cloth? Or was it paper?

Wait... Were these bandages?!

What the hell?!

“Don’t worry, Sir! You’re gonna be ok! I’m here to help!!” Came a... Child’s voice? A little girls?!


What was a little girl doing all alone in an alleyway filled with homeless people in Locronan?!

“Wha—!?”

“That certain night, the night we met
There was magic abroad in the air~!
There were angels dining at the Ritz
And a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square~!

I may be right, I may be wrong
But I'm perfectly willing to swear
That when you turned and smiled at me
A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square~!”​

Wha... What was going on???

He couldn’t see a thing as the bandages covered his eyes, but he heard the child’s singing (which was nice for such a young voice?!) and he felt... warm...?

He couldn’t tell, but was there light? He swore he could see a gleam through the makeshift blindfold...?

Suddenly his scratched arm didn’t feel so itchy...?

“Here!” The young voice said while shoving... something... into his hands!

“This should help! I have to go now, bye!” It bid him farewell and he could hear the sounds of tiny feet running off.

His hands were untied now???

He took off the now confirmed bandages and saw— A bag with a container of some medicine, some sandwiches in baggies, and three bottles of water?!

His arm was now also scratch-less.

“What in hell—?!” The homeless man could barely muster to say in his shock.


Rosie and Keep couldn’t help but laugh and giggle to themselves as they ran from the homeless man. While she didn’t particularly like confusing others, she figured it was for the best they knew of her abilities but not her specifically anyway!

“Hee hee! That was great, Keep!” The little nurse giggled as she kept running.

“Iro Iroroooo~!” Keep singsonged happily while chuckling alongside her user.

“Ok, all we gotta do is keep up the pace and then we can get back to Ace!” Rosie beamed and stated while hiding behind a dumpster a few alleys away and slowing down.

She decided her and Ace should split up for a moment so they could cover more ground, though she took her belongings in a bigger backpack bag just in case. It was under her red hooded cloak, however, so it was hard to tell she was carrying such a bag.

“Hey, that rhymed! I’m a poet and I didn’t know it!” The small woman giggled to herself.

“Iro Iro~” Keep nodded happily.

Suddenly, she heard... something??

It was a sound unlike any she had heard before, so she really didn’t know how to describe it or what she was hearing... But it was the oddest thing: It was almost like something heavy was moving, but there was nothing large or heavy enough around or someone who could move it? Could one person even move it?

“What...?” The naive nurse asked herself while moving closer.

Something was compelling her to move closer... drawing her to it?

Like she was entranced she moved forward with Keep following, too curious to focus on much else...

Then she heard another sound, but this one was decipherable: It was a meow... But it was weak, and sounded off somehow??

She heard it again and this time saw something alarming: It was a trail of blood!

Rosie gasped and followed it, finding a poor orange tabby kitten! It was bleeding out and fast!

“Oh, innocent angel!” Rosie cried as she rushed to its side and scooped it up.

It weakly meowed while looking at her and Rosie knew if she didn’t start singing in the next ten seconds there wouldn’t be a point to sing at all...!

“Hnnngh, I-I—-! Darn it!” She cried, wanting to call or look for Ace, but there was no time!

“Dream Valley, at the rainbow's end
Dream Valley, land of let's pretend
A bit of heaven to wander in,
Where cares are ended and joys begin~!
In Dream Valley, when you're near my love,
I'm happy skies are clear above~!
The dreams we're dreaming will always come true
In Dream Valley, dear, with you~!”​

She looked around while singing, hoping against hope for anything— anything at all— when she saw it!

It was a huge cardboard box, one for a fridge! It was on its side and cut open, too! This was probably no doubt some other homeless persons shelter... but it would have to do to cover her for now!

She was tired as soon as she began singing but in her last moments of consciousness (for as tiny as the kitten was, the wound was mortal, and as such, took a great toll on her) she crawled in with the orange kitten in her arms, closed the box—-

And then everything went black...

 

[AvidElmV2]

A mile out from Locronan, in a tent pitched on the side of the road, Rockefeller was going through his daily routines. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and pulled his clothes on before breakfast - a half eaten granola bar - was out on the table. After several months of his current nomadic lifestyle, he had gotten quite comfortable with roughing it. Ditches had become just as comfy as the softest velvet sheets, ready-to-eat meals tasted as flavorful as caviar and filet mignon. "Sure, it's a bit inconvenient when it rains," the man thought aloud as he tied his boots. "Sure, wearing my britches feels like wearing an ant hive... Sure, everyone is incredibly wary around me." Standing to his feet, Rockefeller dusted his trousers and gathered the rucksack carrying his basic necessities, struggling to find his next words. "Sure, I'm incredibly lonely, but... What was my point again?" Rockefeller held onto the thought for a moment longer before he shook his head. "No, nevermind. Forward to Locronan." The man pulled his rucksack further up onto his shoulder and started forward.

The checkpoint came into view halfway into his walk, where Rockefeller slowed to investigate with a pair of binoculars. He established early on that it wasn't too farfetched that he would come across one, but that didn't stop him from hoping against it. Luckily, the checkpoint seemed small enough to just walk straight on through if he turned up the charm. "Gott segne..." The man tucked his binoculars back into his rucksack and continued walking towards the barricade, making no effort to hide himself. The sentries, numbering two as far as Rockefeller could see, maintained a modest sandbag blockade leading into the town. He figured, for a moment, that he could talk his way past them, until they raised their rifles to stop him about 15 feet from the blockade. "Stop." They were curt and serious and so Rockefeller did just that, raising his hand out to side. The two stepped forward, one moving to pat him down while the other watched with his weapon at ease.

"Those fatigues. You're enlisted?" Rockefeller nodded, waiting for the soldier patting him down to finish before he spoke. "You look... Young." Rockefeller managed to hold back a scoff, shifting slightly as the other solider gripped his rucksack. He let it slide from his shoulder and turned to salute the 'older' soldier while the other rummaged through his things. "Never too young to serve, Herr." A smirk broke out on the man's face, his shoulders slacking now. His colleague came back with the rucksack around this time, a glass bottle of soda in his other hand. "Nothing here. Just his undergarments." The man looked back at the bottle in his hand before tossing it to Rockefeller, who caught it much to the soldiers amusement. "You're quick with that arm of yours. Guess you have to be, eh?" He chuckled and walked away, leaving Rockefeller gripping the bottle tightly. The other soldier might have noticed but he said nothing, only directing Rockefeller to the blockade with a jerk of his shoulder. "What are you here for?" Again, Rockefeller scoffed, but it was much more lighthearted than before. He had taken a liking to this man over the other. "You could call it permanent leave," he said, gesturing towards his right arm, or lack thereof. "Er... Right. Sorry." Rockefeller offered him a nod and nothing more.

"Well, you're free to go through... Could I ask why you came to this town specifically though?" Rockefeller seemed to pause at that thought, partially because he was surprised to hear the man's first words. "I have... Family here. I'd like to stay close by." The soldier nodded in what appeared to be understanding as he pulled aside the barricades, ushering Rockefeller through. "Mind if I ask your last name? I might know them, could put a word ahead that you're here." Rockefeller stopped, turned to the man, and noticed there might have been something wrong with his face by the way he looked at him. He felt his own face grow hot and his features taught. "Kraus," he said with no kind of ease. "Kraus," the man repeated back, running the name through his mind. He turned back to his compatriot, who had posted up against the sandbags. "Do you know a Kraus?" The man shook his head and turned back towards the street, eating a granola bar he hadn't had before. "Tch... Useless bum." The soldier turned back to speak to Rockefeller again but by the time he did, all he could see of the stranger was back as the quickly retreated into the city.

 

[Cyan Hide]

Assailant

Three hours had passed since Odiel and Max had returned to Headquarters. The administrative office now had its other inhabitants, but they worked in silence. Enough had happened resently to keep them all busy. But Odiel was leaving the processing of last night's events to the other clerks. She was focusing of Rosalina Chandra. There was nothing she didn't already know available but she still had a job to do.

Eventually, a solder entered the office and came to her desk. He told her that Dorn had arrived. Odiel was glad of this but at he same time she sighed and put out her cigarette, before getting up and heading to the door.

"Thank you. I've heard the talk, but I'm sure I can handle him," she replied, before giving a Nazi saluting and entering the other room. She looked around for Mr. Dorn. Not that she thought he'd be hard to spot.

 

[Vsland]

'It's been five days since I acquired this new power. While I haven't mastered it yet, it has allowed me to be the hero this cit-town needs.

Rain...how fitting and on time. The tears of God fall down to try and wash the dirty sins of man. The blood, the pain, the suffering...the hotels that are too expensive for me to stay in and end up kicking me out, but that doesn't matter. No...what matters is that I, Ryan Livius, am here to protect this town. Though it would be nice to have a discount every now and then, but again, I digress...

I've been sitting on this rooftop for five hours now, scanning the area for any suspicious activity. So far...a rat and a cat sitting next to each other. Strange...but not strange enough to warrant the...uh, the super... awesome... I'll think of a vigilante name later. Me...

The grey clouds cover the warmth of the sun above, almost as a punishment to his people below... I wonder how it feels? To be free. Happy. Powerful. To not have to worry about a thing in the world. The only thing we have in common is being alone, really, but even then at least the sun has its planets...what do I have?

I have a duty. A mission. To free this town much like how the sun is free right now. To grant happiness to this town, to make this town powerful. That is my mission. And if any of the beautiful French women here want to reward me, who am I to turn them down?'


Ryan let out a sigh and sat backward, leaning on his arms while he stared up at the sky. So much for the rain. There was a few drops that he felt earlier but it all seemed to fade away so quickly. Perhaps it was foreshadowing rain at another time. The same went for the clouds. One small blotch of grey fluff floated away from the sun, once again casting a bright warm glow down on to the French town.

"Sure am happy I thought that..." He mumbled to himself. "If anyone knew what I just said I'd sure as hell be embarrassed." He sat upright, cross legged and rested his chin in his palm. "I really do need to think of a vigilante name." Tapping his chin, his eyes furrowed as Ryan went into deep thought, squinting his eyes before throwing himself on to his back and beginning to pull at his hair.

"Why is it so hard?!" He asked himself before pouting softly. He jumped to his feet with a 'huff' and looked down at the town below him. To the west he saw...well, nothing. Same with to the north and south. But to the east there was a visitor approaching. There was something... different about this man. Something that felt familiar yet oh so alien.

Ryan smiled and began waving to the man. "Good afternoon?" He shouted down, running over to the ledge of the building. "I see you're new here! Welcome! I can show you around if you'd like?"

Ryan turned away so he was facing towards the building and stepped backwards, catching himself on the ledge. He then lowered one foot down onto a nearby yellow wall, that was crumbling with old age. He then swiftly pushed himself off of that wall and landed in front of the foreigner, a wide grin stretching across his face.
AvidElmV2​

 

[Bowl of Sad]

​

After Liam's misunderstanding with William, they both laughed it off, Liam slightly embarrassed. Afterwards Liam contacted someone who could help William with his bullet wound, but they wouldn't get there for another day or two, so William had been resigned to lay at the couch. Liam also radioed another member to come look over the information he had gathered last night.

While they were waiting, Liam decided to cook up a little breakfast over a small oven, eggs and toast. It only took a few minutes before the other member showed up. She was only a little smaller then Liam. She was dressed head to toe in plain grey clothes, forgoing the fancy dresses for a plain jacket. She gave off a serious air wherever she went. Her only distinguishing feature was a pair of prescription glasses. She walked towards William, inspecting the man half asleep on the couch. "So this is the guy? He's a lot scrawnier then I thought. You sure he fought against a Nazis Soldier?" The women gave William a disapproving look and turned to Liam. "Not everyone has to be made of muscle to be useful, I should be a shining example of that, Adelaide. Breakfast" The women, Adelaide, sighed and shook her head. She sat down in a nearby chair. "Sure, but don't you think we should look over the papers you pulled last night? That is why you called me hear in the first place, right?" Liam got another plate out and made another set of eggs and toast. Once finished he placed the three plates on the coffee table in front of the couch and brought a nearby chair to the table.

Once the three of them had finished, Liam grabbed the stack of papers he had showed William and brought them out for Adelaide to see. She looked through the papers and as she scanned through them, her expression had become more and more surprised. "And you got all of these yourself last night? I thought you would have picked up on rumors or maybe got something from a lower ranking officer, not all of this! I... wow... and you're not going to tell me how you got this?" Liam gave a little chuckle. "You know I have some secrets that I cannot share." They looked over the papers for a while, planning and thinking about what their next move should be. Adelaide believed that with all of this information they should attack the station as soon as they can, while Liam argued that they should at least talk with some higher ups about it before anything else.

They had gone over this, for a few hours, scanning the information and making plans, they were interrupted by the radio in the back of the room. Liam quickly walked over and answered it. He was informed that there was someone out on the roads who has been "attacking" anyone with any type of ailment, blinding them and such, and when they come out, they were miraculously healed. Adelaide looked over towards Liam as he was talking on the radio, curious as to what was happening. Eventually, Liam hung up and walked back to where he was sitting previously. "Apparently there has been rumors of a person running around town and healing anyone she comes across. If this is what I think it is, then we may have finally found the thing we need to turn this to our favor." Adelaide was shocked. A person running through town healing anyone and everyone? That certainly is something to check out. Liam told her that she should stay in the station and look over more in depth the papers he had stolen the night before. Liam was going to go out and see if he could find this mysterious women.

Liam packed his bag, specifically grabbing some lemons from the fridge, and ran out of the station. Liam thought that this women could possible be someone with a power like William and Liam and that if he found her, she would surely swing everything in their favor. After a few minutes he slowly exited the station, hoping to blend in with any crowds. Liam would wander the small town for looking for any signs of this mysterious women. He had been searching for a while when he heard someone coughing on the side of the rood. They appeared to be one of the homeless population and seemed to have caught a cold. Liam assumed that by waiting around this man, he would eventually run into the women and, after waiting for about 15 minutes and no women, abandoned this idea. He decided that he'd rather walk around town instead of just standing near this man. Plus, he was beginning to get suspicious of him.

Meanwhile, back at the station, Adelaide was looking over all of the papers, specifically the floor plan. Seeing for any secret entrances or anything like that. She had tried to make small talk with William, but as he was in pain and very worn out, barely said anything comprehensible. "It's like talking to a corpse" she muttered under her breath.

 

[AvidElmV2]

Rockefeller carried on with his head low, deep in thought. He had expected to feel relief after the encounter at the checkpoint, but he only felt more anxiety than ever before. He was in the belly of the beast now, with no further plans or ideas. "No, no, I always have a plan," he thought to reassure himself, fist clenched at his side. "To exact justice..." The man nodded and continue walking, but the trembling in his core was growing too strong... He stopped to rest his legs, hands held up to his stomach. He hadn't eaten any real food in quite some time. "But first I'll get breakfast. Real breakfast. Hot cocoa, bread and honey... Smoked fish! Meats! Ah, but I hear French breakfast is so delicate. I need a meal fit for a man! I will have it!" Rockefeller whined as he attempted to coax the roaring beast in his gut with promises of food, not noticing Ryan's sudden approach until he was falling from the sky.

"Wh-What!?" Rockefeller sprung backwards, his weak legs suddenly finding new life in face of a threat. "What is this? A robbery!?" The man scoffed and bared his teeth, his good arm turned to Ryan. He seemed to take on a stance by instinct as he prepared for a fight, legs tensed and his arm held in front of him like a shield. "You'll have to take your spoils in battle, you wastrel! And it won't be easy! I swear on my name and honor as a warrior of all that it is righteous that you'll rue the day you decided to take up your life of evil deeds!" The man was silent for a moment after his long-winded speech, shifting uncomfortably as thought he'd forgotten something. He found it suddenly and blurted it to the heavens, face reddening slightly. "Rockefeller! My name is Rockefeller... If you care!"

Vsland

 

[Assailant]

As Odiel entered the room, two dogs immediately ran up to her, snarling. German Shephards, by the look of it. An intimidating bunch, their finely toned killing machines they called bodies only interrupted by a black collar around their neck. They snarled defensively at her for a few moments before stopping and sitting, watching her moves closely. A man, presumably Dorn, kneeled down on the far side of the room, rubbing and petting the head of what appeared to be a bloodhound. As the German Shephards sat down, he stood up and turned to face Odiel.

He hadn't even spoken yet, and Odiel would be able to tell he was quite the personality. His face was somewhat stretched and gaunt, as if someone had pulled the skin on his face flat against his bones in places. His hair was a flaming red, wild and yet tamed all at once. His outfit did not even remotely resemble the Wehrmacht or even the SS. A finely pressed grey suit over blue pants, tucked neatly into brown boots. A gaudy cane rested casually in his right hand, although as he walked towards Odiel and flipped the cane to his left hand, it became obvious that the cane was merely for show.

He spread his arms out wide in a welcoming gesture. "You must be the lovely Ms. Krupps, correct?" His voice was somewhat scratchy, although Odiel got the distinct impression that it wasn't because he was sick. His voice carried with it a...not haughty, but perhaps... cocky inflection. The man was full of it, no doubt. However... his hounds were known to be reliable, so perhaps he had reason to be? Many often wondered where the other men of the K9 unit were, but Dorn always assured inquisitive minds that they were hard at work, and that he'd carry on any messages.

Dorn eyed Odiel up and down, carefully considering her, before grinning. "Rose. Oooh, this should be interesting. I always get a thrill out of your type." His words were complete nonsense, but he seemed satisfied with whatever he'd gained out of that, as he walked closer, stopping at about two feet away, before leaning on his cane with a grin. "So, my dear ms. Krupps, what can Attila Dorn do for you today?"

Spoiler: Attila Dorn

Cyan Hide

 

[Cyan Hide]

It was worth noting that Odiel looked down at the dogs , giving them her full attention, but she wasn't scared at all. She turned her attention to Dorn. His appearance wasn't exactly usual but she found herself more bothered by the fact he wasn't in uniform than anything else. She supposed, as a specialist and expert in one singular field, he didn't need a uniform. He might even have been third party, but if he wasn't it weas clear that when it came to dogs, he was an authority unto itself.

Odiel responded to his gesture with a salute. Flattery wouldn't work on her even if it was genuine. Though she was just a clerk, there was an unwritten rule around her that Odiel was also an authority unto herself. Oh, she knew her place, and obeyed orders. There wasn't even anybody under her. But the way she acted was like she was herself an officer stationed here. You got the impression that a commanding officer could try to intimidate her and she'd give an unphased reply that his orders would be followed. She made no attempt to reply or react, nary even a change of facial expression, until a question was asked of her.

"Herr Dorn. There's somebody out there who is a person of interest for...let's just say multiple and secret reasons. We have no current location. The only lead we have is her scent. But, and I feel I should stress this now. I want her unharmed, just located. Also, please enlighten me. What exactly is 'my type'?"


Assailant

 

[Assailant]

"Ah, tracking? I figured as much. Lucky for you, dear, that is my speciality," he responded quickly. Whether he didn't hear her question, or whether he was simply ignoring it, was hard to tell. The bloodhound walked up to Dorn and sat at his right side as he stroked the dog's head slowly. "Now, I assume he or she can be safely considered to be within the city limits? My dogs are quite exceptional, you'll find, but they are still bound by the laws of nature." He grinned as he looked her up and down. "Furthermore, I don't suppose you're hiding something carrying their scent, are you? If not, a location they've been to in the last day or so would suffice, but an object would be easier. A perfume or cologne bottle, a bar of soap, blankets or towels, things that would either alter their scent or be covered in it."

As Dorn stroked his bloodhound's head, he gave a loud and noticeable sniff of the air. "Hopefully, if you have such an object, it hasn't been covered over by your own delectable scent." He grinned once more and chuckled to himself as he turned around briefly and pulled something out of his bag. From the brief glimpse of it, it appeared to be some kind of red meat. He fed it to his bloodhound before tossing a few chunks to his German Shephards, each catching their chunk before it hit the ground.

Cyan Hide

 

[Cyan Hide]

"Don't worry, I've been careful," was her answer, completely ignoring the slightly creepy flirtatious flourishes to Dorn's language. She'd trust him to stay professional and so far he wasn't letting her down...much. She went to the window, opened it and took a clear plastic bag that had appeared to be floating in midair. Inside the bag was a teddy bear.

"This teddy bear is scented with the perfume the target wears. I believe it's a rather unique one. I've made sure not to touch the bear with an ungloved hand, and the bag should have kept the scent fresh." she explained as she handed it over to him.

"The target is not to be harmed, so I will accompany you, and we will stay with the dogs at all times. They do look well trained, but they don't look trained to take a mental note and return to base, if you'll pardon me. They look like they've been trained to drag a criminal back to base by the stumps that were once their legs."

Assailant

 

[Assailant]

Dorn gave a curious look at the seemingly floating bag, but he actually seemed to move past it fairly quickly. There were more interesting matters to attend to, after all. Out of the pocket of his coat, he pulled out a small box containing two silk gloves. Sliding them on, he took the bag, opened it, and pulled out the perfume.

"Perfume, hmm? That'll do nicely. Hopefully it's as unique as you say, otherwise we may follow some false leads. Nonetheless... it's the difference between twenty minutes and an hour. She will be found regardless."

With a grin, he passed the perfume bottle in front of the bloodhound's nose, allowing him to get a good sniff of it. After a few moments, he went around and did the same to his German Shepherds. With the rounds made between his dogs, he placed the perfume bottle securely back into its bag and into another coat pocket, returning his gloves to their original spot as well.

"It will be but a moment. This town is rather small, so there's every possibility she's close enough for my dear dogs to pick up her scent immediately. If not, we will begin making our way towards her last known location and work from there." As he allowed the dogs time to pick up a scent, he smiled and walked a circle around Odiel. His motions carried a hint of predation, although all he actually seemed to be doing was stretching his legs.

"My, ye of little faith? Admittedly, my dearest dogs are more than capable of tearing a person to shreds if I so desire them to. However, they will do what I tell them and nothing more. If I tell them to leave her unharmed, unharmed she will be. But, if it so pleases you, you may accompany me. I do so rarely get the opportunity to work with those outside my unit, and I most certainly don't mind your company."

As he finished, he perked up and turned to his Bloodhound, who seemed to be looking out the window. "Oh, lucky us. She's been close enough by recently that we have picked up a scent. It should not be long now before we have our catch." He walked over and swung open the door, gesturing with his hand for her to follow.


Maximus opened the door to the base and entered into the main lobby area. This wasn't the primary naval base they had set up, simply a sort of meeting area within the city to allow for more efficient policing and processing of the local populace. It had its own barracks though, so as far as he was concerned, it was the reason he was here. Besides, the actual naval base was pretty secure and remote. Maximus wasn't even sure he had clearance to go there in the first place, which meant Odiel almost certainly didn't. And given that this was where most of the clerical tasks for Locronan were handled, she was most likely to be here.

He began walking towards the front desk to ask if they'd seen her recently, but just then a nearby door opened and an entourage of six dogs exited the room. Behind them was a strange, somewhat unnerving looking man, as well as-

"Ms. Krupps," Maximus spoke up as he approached her. Dorn afforded him a quick glance, but did not slow down his pace. It seemed Maximus did not really interest him. Returning the glance, Maximus turned back to Odiel, keeping pace alongside her. "I... assume this is a lead we're following? May I?" He gestured forward, asking if he may join in on the hunt.

Cyan Hide

 

[Cyan Hide]

Odiel admitted that despite getting warnings about Herr Dorn, he seemed harmless so far. Just a creepy weirdo who liked dogs. Odiel would prefer this to an officer who let it go to his head and would expect his subordinates to clean his boots at his command. And Odiel had dealt with a couple of those. The news that Rosie was close by was interesting. Looks like this will be an open-and-shut case, though Odiel was wondering what would happen once she reached Rosie. There was no use planning for that. Anything could happen. But Odiel had made a promise and she'd keep it.

So they started to head out, but before they could make it through the door, Maximus called out her name and she turned. So he would be coming. A complication, but one she might need.

"This is indeed a lead. You man accompany us. So, the questioning is already finished? I didn't think it would be over already."


Assailant

 

[Assailant]

Maximus chuckled slightly. "Well, it took 3 hours to convince them, but eventually my story got to them. For all the unbelievable elements it contained, it seemed airtight enough for them to accept it. One of the questioners seemed unconvinced by the time I left, but it seems I at least managed to get through to one of them. Eventually." He turned away from her momentarily to eye up Dorn's back. "Is this that Dorn individual you mentioned? I only arrived in town last night, so I am not quite familiar with the others stationed here yet."

"I am Hurr Dorn, yes," the man spoke with a frustrated sigh. "I am right here, you know. You could speak directly to me if you so wished, Venus."

"Venus? My name is-"

"Don't bother, I won't care to remember. After all, you're not dear Rose. She and the target are all I am concerned with at the moment. However, if the lady so desires you to stay, I will not take issue with this." Maximus frowned, but ultimately did not say anything to him. He disliked Dorn already, but if he could help complete their task, he would tolerate him until they finished. The three of them walked behind, with Dorn's dogs a solid 10 meters in front of them, at least. At times they went even further, before slowing down to sniff out a trail. This continue for about ten minutes before Dorn held up a hand for them to stop. "We've arrived, you two. She's down this street. Now then, Rose and Venus, to inform you of how this will work. The three of us will stay here while my dogs go forward and subdue her. If she or anyone else happen to be armed, the last thing we need is to be shot at the moment we turn the corner. And my dear, I'm sure you can handle yourself, but no need to take the risk and harm that beautiful skin! Hehehehe." He chuckled to himself as he turned back to face down the street. "When my dogs have assured that there is no harm, we can go and collect her personally. Once more, Rose, I assure you she will not be harmed unless it is absolutely necessary for self-defense." His last sentence was said with a great deal less enthusiasm than his earlier soliloquy.

Without a word, the dogs went forward. A few storefronts were passed, and though some civilians gave confused and, mildly, concerned looks at the dogs, no one did anything about them. After a few moments, the dogs stopped to sniff once more before turning into an alleyway. Smelling her scent, the dogs began growling and moving forward towards the end of the alleyway. They came to a stop by a box where they found their target...

soundly asleep in a box.

One of the German Shepards bit the collar of her shirt and began dragging her out of the alleyway and into the afternoon street. Even more civilians gave concerned looks, but... well, they knew better than to try and stop German business. Max stared intently at the child being dragged towards them through the street.

"Are you... quite positive that's-"

"I'm sorry, are you doubting my dogs? Perfume or not, at this distance, there is no doubt that is her. Did you not even know the description of your target before looking for her. What is this military coming to, that such cretins as you could have a position in it."

Maximus was quite sure he was older than Dorn, and had been serving in the military longer. But whatever.

Then again, as the dogs came closer, Maximus began to recognize the woman from the photos. Even having seen pictures of her, he didn't expect her to be quite so... short. But as she got closer still, there became no doubt. This was the person he saw as his consciousness was fading the night before. It was her. She... she...

was asleep and being dragged by wardogs through the streets by her collar. Somewhat less... glorious than he'd imagined.

A grin spread across Dorn's face as the girl was deposited at his feet. He nodded very briefly before pulling some more red chunks of meat out of his pocket and tossing them to his dogs. He kneeled down to get a closer look at the young-looking woman, gently stroking her face with the back of his hand and chuckling.

"Well? Well? Yet another flawless performance by my wonderful dogs!"

Minako Cyan Hide

 

[AvidElmV2]

Maybe it was the silence after Rockefeller's address. Maybe he saw something in Ryan's eyes that wasn't really there. Maybe it was just that after staring at each other for what felt like an eternity, Rockefeller came to the conclusion that...

This probably-most likely-definitely wasn't a robbery, and in the face of the knowledge... He blushed.

"I... I..." The younger looking man struggled to find his words between the embarrassment. He turned on his heels and took of the way he'd come, howling obscenities' at the top of his lungs. How could he have threatened a civilian in such a way, stained their honor, besmirched their name? Even worse...

"How could I ruin my first human interaction in months like that!?" Rockefeller cried out, his hand gripping the side of his head. "I'm ashamed! Ashamed! Stupid! Die!" He kept up his pace until he was sure to be as far away from Ryan as possible without leaving Locronan… Unless, of course, he was followed. As he was gearing up to run again at the thought, something caught the man's attention. Above his own ragged breathing and the wind in his ears, he heard something scraping against the concrete, and under that, meowing. "What...?" His earlier thoughts of retreat seemed to vanish as Rockefeller started in the direction of the noise, which seemed to be coming from every which way, until he finally located the source going down the street. A pair of dogs dragging a heap of clothes down the street. No, not clothes... A person? That was strange to say the least, and the man had to stare for a bit longer to be sure that he was really seeing it. "Hey... Hey, stop. Stop!" Rockefeller's voice started out low but commanding at first and eventually escalated into a shout if he saw the dogs weren't going to listen. He jogged closer towards them, gesturing for others to join him but... No one. Not a single soul stood, even though they all had to be seeing the same sight. They turned the moment he locked eyes with them and that only encouraged the man.

"I said stop!" He stooped low to pick up a rock as he ran and tossed it over the dogs heads, swinging his arms wildly. "Aaaaah! Aaaah! What are you going to do, eat them!? Stop it, you stupid mutt!" He followed them down the road and further if they kept pulling the box, as keen on getting them to stop as they were on bringing the box back to... Wherever it is they were going. When, or if rather, Rockefeller spotted the trio of uniformed officials waiting at the end of the road, he had some idea of where they were headed. He slowed to a walk, looked around for more, and then stopped some ten feet away from the group. "Are these your dogs?" He asked no one in particular, feeling more than a bad feeling in his gut.

Cyan Hide Assailant Minako