trick oo2

[themystery]

[ When did that desk get there? It's a very nice desk. Sturdy and with plenty of cabinets on the backboard as well as drawers along the legs. It has seen much use in the years, although the rolling chair accompanying it doesn't seem to be as old or well-loved. Currently, the desk is covered in lots of papers, folders and an empty takeout container declaring itself to be from the Chicken Kitchen.

The papers, if anyone cares to take a seat and look, all seem to be along the lines of the same subject: a man named Yomiel, recently released from a ten year prison sentence, has disappeared and left his fiancée, Sissel, behind without a trace. Authorities are on alert due to the nature of his arrest, although only digging further into the files would reveal that it was abduction and threatening a police officer with a deadly weapon. Several handwritten notes sit in the margins declaring how it doesn't make sense while trying to piece together the nonsensical motive for going on the run.

That's all well and good, but... where did this desk come from? There doesn't appear to be anyone here. Just a desk, some cabinets, and a perfectly innocent and very comfortable rolling chair. ]

Comments

[grip_on_reality]

[if there's one thing that's liable to catch Menzies' attention, it's a mystery. and perhaps a mystery desk is even better, considering how much of her life she devotes to mindless paperwork. she does glance around to see if anybody is in the area to explain this sudden appearance, but when it appears that the vicinity is deserted, she decides to help herself. striding over to the desk, she begins to peruse the papers on top of it]

Hmm...

[themystery]

[ If Menzies starts digging, she'll notice some pieces of articles clipped together speaking about the fiancée. Only one outlet got an interview with Sissel before she refused anymore, and it appears she's been inconsolable about Yomiel's disappearance. There is a police note underneath that she's been put under surveillance with no reason specified.

Are you sure you wouldn't want to sit down while doing this, Menzies? That chair is just waiting for you. ]

[grip_on_reality]

Seems like somebody else is investigating a case here...

[now that she's been drawn in by the interesting notes, she does in fact take a seat as she continues to dig through the papers]

[themystery]

[ Someone certainly is! Checking the signatures on some of the police documents and the surveillance order would reveal that they are the same handwriting, belonging to a Detective Jowd.

As soon as Menzies moves to make a seat... well, where did the seat go? Oh, it's back there? How did it roll away like that, I wonder? ]

[grip_on_reality]

[she very nearly falls over backwards, but she just manages to steady herself by grabbing the desk] Damnit!

[turning, she sees that the chair is no longer by the desk. frowning, she eyes it. she knows the surface of the Plane can be slick, but it didn't seem to be rolling before now. so, reaching a hand forward, she gives the chair a gentle, experimental push]

[themystery]

[ The chair rolls at the push, slows to a stop.

Then the seat swivels around twice, the wheels start to roll again and the chair practically scoops Menzies up while it places itself near the desk. ]

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies lets out a shout of anger when the chair, to her mind, grabs her, and you'd better she's pushing it back while getting out of it] What the hell!?

[themystery]

[ The chair is still now, being pushed back by her force and not doing anything to retaliate. A moment later, time seems to have frozen and there's the image and impression of a cat in Menzies' head. ]

Calm down, would you?

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies stays standing, as she's had quite enough from the chair. but she freezes at the sudden sensation of everything stopping--and that strange feeling of a cat, of all things, being present] Who are you?

[she's not afraid--just guarded. but that question is definitely more of a demand than a request]

[themystery]

Sissel. Who are you?

[grip_on_reality]

[she's skeptical, to say the least, of the cat's answer] What, the fiancee? Or was that name just convenient for you to borrow for the moment?

DI Menzies. [and since the cat isn't elaborating, she doesn't elaborate either]

[darkercalling]

[That's... new. It is also very pointedly there, and Riku is just suspicious enough of this place that he has to wonder if there is a specific point to the desk's presence, the papers that have apparently come with it, everything else about it...

He makes his way over, studying whatever he can see as he approaches. Once he's close enough, he picks up a few of the papers, glances over them. Yomiel, Sissel... an arrest that clearly went poorly, some notes that point out inconsistencies...]

Did someone bring this here to work on?

[Because he knows that sometimes, Menzies will bring work to the Plane, to give herself more time. Maybe someone else has done the same? (He would peg this whole thing on her, but he's pretty sure Menzies wouldn't bring case information here and then just wander off. And since she's nowhere to be found, he's ruled her out as a possibility.)

He doesn't sit down in the chair just yet, but he does lean against it, bracing one hand on an armrest while the other reaches for some other papers.]

[themystery]

[ Those notes contain a whole lot more personal information if Riku digs. There is an interview with Sissel, and a very old casefile going over Yomiel's first arrest when he was (falsely) accused of sharing secret governmental technology while working on a new type of computer hardware.

The chair wobbles, then seems to flail at the weight and out, away from the hand underneath it. ]

[darkercalling]

[Well, he would continue digging, but...

He stumbles a bit when the chair rolls away, and he blinks at it. He probably should have expected something like that, but on the other hand, he didn't think the floor was that slick. ... Not that it matters.

He reaches over, pulls it back to its original location, but doesn't lean on it again. He does pick up another piece of paper - about that false accusation... (he's nosy, okay?)]

[themystery]

[ The chair sits patiently once it is placed. Nothing interesting to see here, just a chair that likes to roll around. Doot do doo.

Files on the false accusation appear to be incomplete. They only go as far as Yomiel is concerned: when taken in for questioning on suspicion of foul play, then new-detective Cabanela pushed far too hard. He also left his service pistol within reach of the suspect. The distressed suspect took the weapon and ran for it, where Cabanela's partner took chase. Yomiel was arrested for his actions that day, but was later proven innocent in the original crime and his sentence reduced to only ten years. ]

[darkercalling]

[He winces, shakes his head.] I guess it could have been worse.

[And now that he's back into reading and being nosy, he figures he may as well get comfortable and moves to have a seat in that chair...]

[themystery]

[ What chair? You mean that chair rolling a few feet away? That one? Oops. ]

[darkercalling]

[fjdkdkjal WELL, at least Riku has quick enough reflexes that he doesn't unceremoniously fall on his ass! But he does overcompensate when he corrects himself and ends up dropping to his knees.

He casts a glare over his shoulder at the chair, stands slowly and turns while he keeps his eyes on it.]

I guess I'm just having an off day...

[themystery]

[ As if it were possible, the chair seems almost... amused. The seat is still twirling a bit from the motion even after the base has stopped rolling. Looks like it was just an accident, because this is obviously just a very rolly chair. Who'd let themselves get beaten by a chair? ]

[darkercalling]

[Yeah, no, he's not gonna get beaten by a chair, especially one that he swears is being smug. How can a chair be smug? He has no idea. Maybe he's been working too hard lately and has finally cracked. Doesn't matter!

He walks over, grabs the back end of it... and with as much force as he can put behind it, sets the thing spinning on its base. Take that, chair! Just how spinny are you...?]

[spiritofadventure]

Sheesh. I'm mentioning this to the next person who calls me messy!

[Oh look it's Castor...who is now attempting to tidy up the mess of papers on the desk without more than a passing glance at their content - she is not so immediately nosy, after all.]

[themystery]

[ This tag really got me confused for a second, jsyk

The papers are easy enough to organize, especially if she tries to sort them by type rather than content. Many of them are news articles, others are police reports and some of them are just plain filled with notes and photographs, supplementary material to the facts presented elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the seat of the chair swivels as if someone had just gotten up from it. What? ]

[spiritofadventure]

[I'm a little bit sorry. but only a little bit

A few of the photographs catch her attention, but before she can find or read any of the supplemental information for them, the movement of the chair distracts her completely.]

....Is someone there?