badfic_manor | 20 Star Ball || Dende || [video/in person]

Entry tags:

20 Star Ball || Dende || [video/in person]

[The feed starts with a little Namekian in the kitchen, sipping a glass of water. Those who remember him from his first arrival will probably recognize him as Dende, but he could also pass off as a tiny well-mannered Piccolo. It doesn't take him long to notice the video feed has come on. Well, since it was on already, he might as well address the elephant in to room]

Um, pardon me if I'm interrupting anything, but has this happened to everyone? As one of the author's plots?

[He looks around the kitchen]

Well, if it has I would very much be willing to help people acquire food and such, as I can still fly and materialize. I hope you are all well.

[And he bows politely and cuts the feed]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ms. Thropp ... an important figure in this Piccolo's life? Naomi, of all people, should know how emotionally susceptible to manipulation one can become when clouded by feelings one has towards someone important. Of course, for all she knows, Thropp herself could have been the mastermind behind everything. There were still loose ends. For now, however, Naomi's satisfied with what new, however little, information she's managed to obtain.]

Training? Like fighting? [Dende had mentioned that Piccolo's a warrior after all. Although part of this inquiry had been for investigation purposes, part of it also stemmed from genuine interest. Naomi had always been a moderate fan of the fighting arts herself.]

Yes, he's quite good. The strongest on my people in fact, granted that may be a number of years in his future. Still, he always seems to enjoy taking in pupils. He's trained me in the little but because of my clan it doesn't come naturally to me, so I'm not very good.

[He giggles and rubs his hand on the back of his neck. Well, he wasn't good by the insane standards of his world anyway]

I'm sure you're better than you think. I'd love to see a demonstration sometime, but I guess that might have to wait till later since this week, everyone's strength and abilities are reduced.

[She gives a melancholic sigh, but then something suddenly occurs to her.] I wonder, has something like this happened before at the manor? This whole ... de-aging thing?

All right! I would love to show you, though I'm afraid you'll be sorely disappointed. I'm rather clumsy.

[He chuckles thinking back on that week]

Yes something like this did happen. Only some members had actually been switched with their older or younger self. I had actually remained the same since when I first arrived here, I was this age, and the week prior to the event I was changed for my older self.

So the Author might sometimes reuse ideas in different ways ...

[But that wasn't her main concern at the moment.]

Do you remember how long ago this age-manipulation thing happened?

Goodness... that's a good question...

[He has to think for a moment. He remembered there wasn't any snow on the ground...]

hmmm I want to say sometime before December... but I could be wrong.

[If Dende couldn't even be sure whether or not it was before December, then the age change couldn't have occurred any earlier than November, most likely in late November or early December. "this kid grew up and...that's where it gets worse....and...." So the murder must have occurred somewhere between then and Naomi's arrival in early January. About a month's gap.

Damn. Usually when she's dealing with a case like this, Misora would backtrack her way through all of the relevant events, digging up information related to any of the parties or places involved and drawing conclusions accordingly. But this was not like home. People came back to life, some have supernatural abilities that can't be tracked down via scientific analysis, and even this place itself is supernatural, constantly changing and readjusting. If there had been any physical evidence left behind, they were long gone.

Besides interrogation, the only other source of information Naomi had was the the blackberry. There, she could study the conversations people had, analyze any sudden changes in behavior, any hints as to who knew whom, who was in a position to influence whom. Some obvious people to start with were Tom, Piccolo, and Thropp, and judging by what she suspects about the personality of the mastermind, it's very possible, albeit difficult, to match an identity to that personality based on conversations alone, but it would do little good considering the device didn't come preloaded with any of the feeds from before her arrival.

She could attempt to "borrow" a veteran's and look through theirs instead, but Naomi couldn't be sure that they didn't already delete their old messages. Blackberries, at least normal ones, could only hold limited information. Sooner or later, some had to be scrapped. Even worse, what if the Author took care of that for them?

Ugh, so frustrating. With a reliable time frame in mind and a good idea of the psychologies of the participants, including the mastermind's, Naomi had enough information to get started, but what good would it do if she had no resources to put any of that information to good use?

Useless ...]

[Realizing she's been zoning out, Naomi forces herself to discard the new source of her migraine.]

Ah sorry about that. I'm still trying to come to terms with how the Author works. I thought that maybe I could draw some sort of recurring pattern between these series of plots, but it's been inconclusive so far.

[There's only one thing she can do now, so no use ruminating over what she can't obtain on her own anymore.]

Oh right! I completely forgot about the tea! Are you fond of jasmine? [She grins, determined to stifle the negative thoughts for another time.]

[Dende ~~chuckles~~ giggles]

If there's anything I think I've come to expect from the author it's her sheer unpredictability.

[Dende tilts his head a bit]

Jasmine? What's that?

Oh, you've never tried it? In that case [Naomi shoots a small finger towards one of the top shelves] mind getting those boxes for me? One of them should say jasmine or jasmine green tea on it.

Of course!

[He smiles and points a finger to the top shelves, and the boxes lift themselves up and float gently down into Dende's arms]

I've tried a few flavors I think... not that many. I'm rather new to human cuisine.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

20 Star Ball || Dende || [video/in person]

[ In Person]

Re: [ In Person]

Re: [ In Person]

Re: [ In Person]

[ In Person]

Re: [ In Person]

Re: [ In Person] - 1/2 (in which she thinks FAR TOO MUCH, sry!)

Re: [ In Person] 2/2

Re: [ In Person] s-such a beautiful taaag~ <3 <3

Re: [ In Person] <3!

Re: [ In Person] <3 <3!