{Meanwhile}
{Detention Center}
...!
Guard: *not noticing* Ms. Fateor? Visiting time is almost over.
Er... Of course...
Goodbye, Mr. Prosecutor. *leaves*
...
(I probably should go find Blanche.)? ? ?: Вас там! ПРОКУРОР!
?
(Was that Russian...?) *breaks in* BOW DOWN TO MY GLORIOUS MOUSTACHE
Fateor already left.
There's nothing left to see here.
*a security camera is mounted on the wall*
... Am I being taped?
(Good... In case that moustachioed moron tries to kill me.) It's a door.
PRESENT YOUR BADGE
*remembers* ... I did have that badge-locked door once, didn't I.
... I forget where I bought it, but all I remember was that it envolved a gypsy and two men in cowboy hats.
(Maybe I can leave quietly...) Вернись!
!
Я должен поговорить с вами!
((Remain in current area.))
Talk to Stalinbot TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH
Talk- Malfunctions Weren't you malfunctioning earlier?
That was the past! This is the present!
It is like they say in America! "The early bird will live in the moment which is worth more than two in the bush!"
... What.
ANYWAY.
I am doing fine.
Talk- Report What do you want...?
The Robostache Brigade has located an open trapdoor which led to an underground hideout in GLORIOUS NEOPIA CENTRAL. The police department.
...
Also, WE FOUND THE RANCH DRESSING.
You found the ranch dressing?!
We found the ranch dressing.
...
(That was the stupidest outburst.) Maybe we should tell Blanche...
Here! *writes down a phone number*
... How do you have Blanche's phone number?
I shined my moustache flashlight in his eyes and then took it.
Oh... Anyway, I'll give him a call. You can go.
*rides off on a robotic horse*
*looks around* There's probably nothing else to find here, either.
~Investigation Complete!~
With that... *pulls out a cell phone*
_______________________________
{Meanwhile}
{National Neopian Bank- SDB Room}
*looks over*
Talk- Drew Skye Oh hey, it's you.
Yep.
...
What are you doing here?
What does it look like I'm doing here?
Trying to find something you stored...?
Yep.
...
Talk- Acy Have you seen Acy recently?
No.
You haven't?
I haven't seen Acy in a long time.
Why?
*shrugs* I left Neopia for a while, I guess. I haven't seen her around when I'm here.
(There's probably more to this story, but I'm not really sure how to ask...) This is my badge-
It's proof that you're a professional.
...
(How did he know?) Acy's gone missing.
Xue.
...?
The note said she's investigating. What's your problem?
I want to know where she went!
Whatever.
Wow, a grey Neopet.
Yeah.
...
Wow, a royal Neopet.
Yeah.
...
...
(I swear if he says "Wow, a ghost Neopet" when I present Acy's Profile...) Evilworth?
Yeah. Do you know anything about him?
Haha. I know everything about him.
...
(That's kind of creepy...) Louis H. Ero! I don't have anything to say about him, though.
How do you keep responding to questions before I ask them?
I'm psychic.
...
... No answer.
Talk- Leaving Neopia So, why did you mysteriously vanish from Neopia, leaving Acy behind?
... You've been talking to Acy, haven't you?
...
-TESTIMONY-
Vanishing
I didn't vanish from Neopia when I went to the NTWF.
I would still come to check up on things every so often.
I didn't see Acy around when I did, though.
My reasons for leaving aren't relevant to your case, Xue. Go home.
~~~
(He sounds sort of angry.)-CROSS-EXAMINATION-
I didn't vanish from Neopia when I went to the NTWF.
HOLD IT! When did you go to the NTWF?
A few years back or so.
I would still come to check up on things every so often.
HOLD IT! Your account said that you've been absent for several days at a time!
My account?
...
Fourth Wall: XUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE *explodes*
I didn't see Acy around when I did, though.
HOLD IT! How did you not see your own Neopet?
She just wasn't around.
But...
Xue, when's the last time you've talked to Detective Byrne?
Er... A while ago?
Do you know where he is and what he's up to at this very moment?
... No.
Just because you know them doesn't mean you know where they are at all times.
My reasons for leaving aren't relevant to your case, Xue. Go home.
HOLD IT! I-
Stop.
?
HAMMERTIME
what
(I don't know if there's a direct contradiction here...) (Is this relevant to my case?) OBJECTION! What do you think of this, Drew?!
That evidence?
Yes!
It took a while to sprite. Hunter made the evidence box, though.
What...?
I don't hear the fourth wall shouting because it's already broken. Instead, maybe you should be shouting because your objection makes no sense.
...!
Temporal Leak TEMORAL LEAK!
*time slows down*
I didn't ...vanish from Neopia ...when I went... to the NTWF. I would... still come to check... up on things... every so ...often. I didn't see... Acy around... when I did, though... My reasons... for leaving aren't... relevant to your... case, Xue... Go home. (This doesn't seem relevant.) My reasons... for leaving aren't... relevant to your... case, Xue... Go home.Night Vision NIGHT VISION!
*several thoughts and memories become visible for a split second at a time, leaving the sound of thousands of voices speaking at once*
*one scene lingers*
AHA! ...?
I believe that this is tied into the case.
Where's your
evidence...?
Tell me. What are you searching for?
...
Would it happen to be a
notebook?
... Yes.
You're looking for this notebook because you know you've lost it.
You lost this notebook before you went to NTWF!
And I ask again-
Give me a moment.
This notebook isn't stored anywhere that you know about.
Oh?
It was picked up by someone that looked like the
victim.
Trying to take this notebook back... It would give someone a motive to commit murder if the victim got in their way!
What, you think I did it now?
Potentially.
If the victim picked up the notebook and then was killed over it... That would tie this into my case, wouldn't you agree?
No.
...?
I will repeat myself.
You have no evidence that any of this happened.
...!
(Is that true?) I don't think I have any evidence...
Okay. Leave me alone, please.
! ... Wait!
No Actually, I do have some evidence!
Let's see it, then.
TAKE THAT! What do you think of this?!
It's not relevant.
Grrgh!
Try again. We have time.
PRESENT: Disappearing Ranch Dressing TAKE THAT!
Drew.
Xue.
Did you know that a lot of ranch dressing went missing from the victim's office?
No.
Well, it did.
Why would someone want to steal ranch dressing...? It's usually cheap at Derpmart.
They weren't just looking for ranch dressing.
They were looking for the notebook you left behind.
So you think he had no better place to put this notebook in an old bottle of ranch dressing?
Perhaps it was put there in a hurry. Besides, trying to find the one bottle with a notebook in it in that huge pile of bottles would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
It doesn't make sense that the killer would just take the whole thing instead of finding the right one, though.
I'm sure they would have done that.
?
If they had the
time. But just after the crime had been committed, someone broke in.
Someone named Roy Al.
What if Roy Al killed him, then?
Unfortunately, we know that didn't happen.
...!
So, Drew.
*points* It turns out that this is quite relevant to the case after all! What do you have to say?!
...
...
Very clever deduction, Xue.
Er... thank you?
The reason I left Neopia was because of someone that had appeared.
Someone?
His name is
Not-Drew, apparently. He wasn't supposed to show up until later, however... I'm not sure how it happened.
...
-Reason for Departure added to the Court Record!-
Good luck in finding Acy. *vanishes*
Hm...
*breaks in* THERE YOU ARE
!
XUE, I HAVE SOMETHING TO-
*cell phone starts ringing*
...? *pulls out cell phone*
Sorry, I should answer this. *answers phone*
...
"Blanche. Come to the police department in Neopia Central." ... How did you get this number?
"Stalinbot." Oh, dear...*Evilworth hangs up*
... So, what were you saying?
I'm quitting the Robostache Brigade.
Oh. That's ni-
what
Since that UNGLORIOUS Chiaef is dead, the agreement is broken!
The agreement?
He was holding me to an agreement to not kick me out of Neopia if I helped with the HEINOUS crime spree going on.
...?
DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO YOU
... yes
How do you think Stalinbot AND HIS GLORIOUS MOUSTACHE got here, anyway?
IT WAS BECAUSE OF CAELESTIS
...!
But apparently I started FOOLISHLY MALFUNCTIONING, I forgot that I was working for them.
UNTIL THAT GLORIOUS BATTERY
(This is all my fault, isn't it.) After eating that battery which tasted delicious like the glory of Russia, I remembered! And now...
?
СВИДАНИЯ! *rides off on a robotic horse*
...
(This is bad. I probably should go meet up with that prosecutor, though...) *leaves*
________________________________________________
{Neopia Central Police Dept.}
*The police department is the same, though there's less Chia Cops running about now. Evilworth is standing nearby.*
*crosses arms, tapping one finger on sleeve*
*teleports up*
Blanche. There you are.
Yeah. Er...
Why did you call me here, Mr... Evilworth?
There's something to investigate. But first...
(How can I get him to believe his client is guilty?) ?
Let me tell you about my investigation.
-TESTIMONY-
I didn't know how to say this, so I'll say it through testimony
I was speaking with the defendant.
... I don't know how to say this, but Fateor's actually guilty.
As for her motive... I'm unsure.
~~~
... What.
-CROSS-EXAMINATION-
I was speaking with the defendant.
HOLD IT! When was this?
Just a few minutes ago.
... I don't know how to say this, but Fateor's actually guilty.
HOLD IT! Are you trying to trick me or something?
No!
How can I trust someone named
Evilworth, anyway? Your name may as well be Stabby McPsycho!
OBJECTION! Don't bring my name into this!
As for her motive... I'm unsure.
Press HOLD IT! You have no proof that she's guilty at all, then!
Oh, I do.
?
I'm just not sure of her motive...
Also.
What?
... Fateor isn't the real killer.
(That sounds like a useful statement...) OBJECTION! This proves my client is not guilty!
OBJECTION! Despite what you think... That proves nothing!
Agh!
(That only proved Maybe Guilty...) (This is all very... odd.) (I should Press the truth out of him.)((Return to beginning of testimony.))
... I can see that he spoke to Fateor, but I can't hear their speech.
I can't see anything on her 'motive', either... I just see a Kacheek sitting somewhere. ... Plotting.
... It's kind of creepy, really.
(After pressing statement 3) Fateor isn't the real killer, though.
HOLD IT! You just said she was guilty!
She is. She just made
someone else do the killing.
Fateor isn't the real killer, though.
PRESENT: Killer's Blade OBJECTION!
!
Hypothetically, let's say Fateor is guilty.
If she didn't kill the victim herself, how did this knife with Fateor's fingerprints get there?
... That piece of evidence is a
fake. Huh?
We know that this weapon matches the wound.
However, is the weapon the actual cause of death?
... Yes?
It's possible that this piece of evidence is either the murder weapon, and Fateor's fingerprints somehow got on it...
Or this isn't the actual murder weapon.
...
*crosses arms* Court resumes tomorrow.
I believe that most of the questions here should be answered by then...
... What was that thing you wanted to investigate, again?
Oh, right. There's an alley nearby here. There should be a secret hideout with the, er...
Stolen ranch dressing.
Alright, let's go. *walks off*
*follows*
... Are you following me.
I'm in this case also!
What's this thing you've created.
That's a
Partner Button. You can talk to me during your investigation if you need help.
... What?
I don't know, Portsman created it.
Fourth Wall: *has been shattering* AAAAAAAAAAA
Whatever, let's just... investigate. *walks off*
*follows*
{Underground Hideout}
*descends down ladder into hideout*
*follows*
... This must be the place.
~Begin Investigation~
Partner Button: Evilworth Yes, Blanche?
Do you notice anything around here, Evilworth?
Well... That door looks too sturdy to break down. I believe there's a
secret passageway around here.
Hm... Thanks.
This is my badge. It is proof that I am a professional.
... I already knew you were an attorney.
...
(Couldn't we just have a friendly badge discussion?) Can you believe that this is actually... blood?
... I've seen a lot of things.
Oh?
When you've fought a pig dictator and a jester on top of a tower in a city that got blown up, you've seen it all.
... I don't think I want to understand.
I'm still unsure of what this is.
Patience, Blanche. The truth will be revealed in time.
I don't see any ranch dressing around here.
Perhaps this isn't the room it's in, then.
I'm sure that acara is fine. Calm down.
Say, you know 'Drew', right?
... Yes.
Well, he knows everything about
you...
He's a Writer. What could you expect.
I know you're having trouble believing that your client is guilty... But it's the truth.
It seems that Stalinbot has left.
A shame.
I have nothing else to say about that.
~~~
A door!
...
?
*presents badge*
*nothing happens*
... Worth a shot.
A ladder.
Incorrect. It's a stepladder.
It doesn't look like a stepladder.
Ah, but things aren't always as they seem.
A single light bulb is hanging here.
There's nothing special about that.
Examine- Bookcase Aha! We'll just push this out of the way, and like in the movies... There will be a secret passageway!
Allow me. *pushes the bookcase aside*
*a secret passageway is revealed*
Move to the secret passageway Moving on, Blanche?
Actually, let's check something here first.
((Remain in current area.))
Yes Yeah. Let's go.
Alright.
{Underground Hideout- Room 2}
*The room is the same as earlier. Acy is laying on the ground.*
~Investigation Complete!~
!! Acy!
... It seems that she's unconscious.
...
? ... There's something sticking out of her pocket.
Don't just go through her personal possessions like that!
I'm not
stealing them.
Besides, we wouldn't have found this otherwise.
What is that?
It's the calling card of an infamous
assassin, Shelly de Killer.
...! Of course.
You think Fateor hired him?
It's possible. He would have left this calling card at the scene if he did, though...
Perhaps he did leave it at the scene.
?
Let's just fit these together...
Voila.
Hm...
-Scorch Mark updated in the Court Record!-
We should get your assistant some help immediately.
I'll also take this and hand it over to the police in case it reveals anything.
Understood.
*picks up Acy*
... I'll see you at the trial tomorrow. *vanishes*
*also vanishes*