[Filtered from Shinoko]

[becomeanwarrior]

You ever just have one of those days where everything hits you all at once?

Sometimes I feel like life does that to me all the time.

[Filtered to SpecInv and Affiliates]

Shinoko Eusebius is to be put on the Persons of Interest list of the Number 96 Case, effective immediately. Any files regardng Dark Mist she has access to are to be left alone, but all updated documents are to be inaccessible and invisible to her.

Yes, this is about as bad as you think it is. This is the closest thing to a red alert this team gets.

[ General Eventan ]

[ If you frequent by the park, SpecInv offices, or the hotel, either the Penthouse or even just the lobby, you can find an Onni slumped against a chair or a bench of some sort. He looks wiped, on several levels. None of them physical. Do you engage? ]

Comments

[Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

Ancient Fairy, after the incident, was collected by "some guy in a pink shirt."

When I talked with Ancient Fairy Dragon a few days prior, we came to a conclusion that the rarity of incidents involving Dark Mist of recent meant that someone had to be keeping it on a tight leash, and that such a list of people who could was very, very short.

Add to that the fact that Shinoko's behavior strongly suggests trying to protect something or someone...

What kinda picture does this paint, Niyo?

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

Oh god fucking damnit to hell.

[Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

Yeah, kinda my thought process exactly.

That's not enough to start a manhunt, but that's more than enough to be concerned. If we were to try and say anything, it'd be circumstantial at best. Still. As loathe as I am to say this, given the target on our back this paints...

I think we need to operate on the assumption that Erland Eusebius is a primary suspect.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

Which makes no sense.

Since when would he be backing a massive crime spree.

[Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

...I don't know. I've never trusted Erland, but you're right in that he's always seemed the type to keep his hands out of stuff like this.

Either isolation in his own little world has made him lose his marbles or there's another facet to this we don't know about.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

I know the man.

It's the "face we don't know about", and we have a hanging and burning Judge. Shinoko seems very informed on Duel Spirits, probably due to her own research and Ancient Fairy.

I think I know what's going on.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

You think? Got a theory you can toss my way?

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

Shinoko doesn't want Erland being blamed for apparently his connections to Dark Mist.

And she doesn't want us held responsible for letting it run around.

She's hoisting herself up as the "problem" to deflect investigation on her father, and to give the 12 Dimensions someone to blame.

[Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

...Yeah, that sounds about right.

I hope you know that I expect us to not let that happen, right?

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

... Further problem.

She'd know we'd figure out she's playing us, unless she's that stupid.

Something else is going on.

[Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

...Yeah, that's a good point. Shinoko would definitely expect us to catch on, unless she's that blinded by trying to cover for Erland that she's overlooking the fact that she's trying to bluff a couple of detectives.

So what's her angle? Cover for Erland, cover for us, go down as some monster... but -why-? What does she - or anyone - stand to gain from that?

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

... What could she gain from acting as if she's a minion or thrall or herald of Dark Mist.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

...Mmm...

I have a theory, but nothing to back it. Could be a shot in the dark, but...

Maybe she's trying to play the whole double-agent role.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

Double agent how?

Re: [Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

Like trying to investigate stuff she couldn't if she was attached to us or the Spirit Foundation.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

I'm not following. Explain it to me more clearly.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

Okay, maybe she's trying to... investigate something on her own, but people likely know she's connected to SpecInv as an advisor, or Spirit Foundation as an employee. If she makes herself a scapegoat, that draws attention away from her from another antagonist's side of things, since we're all focusing on her.

It's just a theory, like I said. I've got nothing to really support it, but if she wants people to think she's a lackey of Dark Mist, she wants people to think she's on Dark Mist's side.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

Or she wants Dark Mist to think she's on Dark Mist's side, but I think yours is most likely.

But who...

There are two issues in the city right now.

A giantess who keeps appearing.

And Shadow Cosmisca.

She couldn't be trying to do something with one or both of those parties.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

...Oh, right, I never did report that, did I, must've slipped my mind.

Uh, the giantess you shouldn't need to worry about too much. She's staying at the hotel, and she's actually kind of nice. She's... relatively harmless.

Re: [Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

Including the fact she's been attacking and menacing Duelists?

[Private to Onni]

[becomeanwarrior]

She's bored, I'm gonna let her wail on me for a while.

Also she has some sort of poison curse thing going on, so I feel obligated to help.