The June Detective [Open]

[detectiveofthewest]

A: Everyone's a critic

The only negative thing about his promotion was that Heiji really only had a select few people he could even tell about it -- mention you weren't really a human in casual conversation, see how long till you ended up under psychiatric evaluation. Still, Heiji could hardly conceal his good mood. Thus he had rewarded himself with the latest moderately detective-themed airplane novel by a decent writer that he could find, and was rapidly making his way through it on the train, in the park, wherever.

"I dunno. I can understand likin' a writer a lot. I don't see why anyone would commit murder because of it, though. Ain't that goin' a little too far?"

B: I've just had a little fae experience

Provided they slipped through just the right set of trees, someone might just find the rest of London fade away -- the noise of traffic, the noise of the crowd. Dense forest would press in from all sides, but a stone walkway would lead up below a long row of brightly-painted red wooden gates of some ceremonial significance.

At the top of the stone steps: a small shrine, with two guardian fox statues on either side. How curious...

C Other! Open to suggestions and such; Heiji will also just be outright barging into the personal space of whoever he's friendly with and starting up conversations during the month, so that's a thing, too.

Comments

Perhaps a little of A but in the Other Realm?

[rules_winter]

A cool breeze preceded her, frosting the needles on the nearby trees as she made her way through the forest, only to hear the complaint off to the side. When she broke through the tree-line she glanced down at the man focused on his book, and tilted her head. "Sometimes it isn't a matter of making sense. If someone likes something they simply wish to keep it to themselves." Her voice broke the silence he'd lapsed back into as she looked down at him and his book, a little curve of her lip showing some amusement at having found him complaining about mortal literature. "Personally I find it a waste."

cool with me!

[detectiveofthewest]

"Yeah, maybe. He does seem like a pretty obsessive type..." Heiji looked up and spotted Mab, who to be fair was rather distinctive in appearance. He closed the book and gave her a proper bow; he did know his manners, after all, even if he didn't always choose to exercise them.

"Lady Mab, isn't it? Don't think we've had the chance to get acquainted."

[rules_winter]

To carry on a conversation without thought was impressive. But Heiji caught on quickly and he was respectably polite. Mab inclined her head in response to the bow, the cooling air seemed to settle into the quietness of the Other Realm naturally, though everything nearer to him was still summer warm.

"No, we have not." She had not had a chance to travel into Summer's demesne since he had joined the London Seelie court and therefore did not know his name. "I find myself at a disadvantage." She had heard that someone in the Seelie court had just become a knight, rumors flitted about the courts like leaves. Fae enjoy a little gossip.

[detectiveofthewest]

"I'm Heiji, a knight of the Seelie court. And I guess you've caught me at a hobby of mine." Namely, reading detective fiction.

"I know that our courts are technically opposed, but I hope you'll decide to make an appearance at the Litha feast! It's going to be quite an event." She did seem to have a bit of a chilly air about her, but that was part of her reputation as well.

[rules_winter]

"Sir Heiji." She filed his name away for reference and pronounced his name exactly as he had, inflections and all. "Reading mortal literature about murdering authors is a hobby?"

Litha was fast approaching, and the balance of Seelie power in the north would soon begin to wane. "I expect it will be." She agreed. "Perhaps I shall find a way to make an appearance." No promises but it would be stupid to miss a court event. Knowledge was power, after all and how could one gain such knowledge without observation?

[detectiveofthewest]

He nodded, but didn't push her on making an appearance -- fae did what they wanted when they wanted, and that went double for Unseelie.

"More like murders in general," he said in response to her question, setting the book down so that it rested in the cleft between a tree and its lowest-hanging branch.

"It's like a game. The basic rules were published in 1928 by S.S. Van Dine, the author of the Philo Vance series. Things like 'The reader must have equal opportunity with the detective for solving the mystery.' In other words, they take place in a universe with an ordered set of rules. Within those rules, the reader tries to deduce the identity of the culprit before the character in the story. Of course, not everyone follows Van Dine's proposal."

[rules_winter]

Well, he was fae, it wasn't terribly surprising he enjoyed reading about murder. Her eyes followed the book settling as Heiji apparently gave her his undivided attention.

"No, humans truly are terrible about rules. It can be most irritating." She agreed, mystified by the detailed explanation about Murder Mysteries. Games though, those she understood. Perhaps there were not enough current games outside books to keep him truly occupied?

"Tell me, do you often find time to take in a book?"

[detectiveofthewest]

No... not terribly surprising at all. And Heiji did enjoy games.

There was a bit of mischievousness to his smile now. "Not as much as I used to. But I still make a little time. 'Course, in real life, murders are a bit more straightforward. Human ones, anyway."

...And a little depressing, honestly. An angry, overgrown boy beating his wife. A squabble over the family inheritance. A million other mundane variations that could really strip away one's faith in humanity, if you let it.

[rules_winter]

"Is that so? Sometimes the human mind can be a baffling thing. But yes, generally it is for Money, Power or Love, I have found. It is when the three are woven together that things become complicated."

Mab had no concerns about losing her faith in humanity. They were useful sometimes but for the most part, very little of her concern. "Less time due to affairs of this Realm?" Fae politics could certainly take over one's life. And the annoyances of some of the other creatures that roamed London had become more interesting as of late from what she'd heard. Ways blocked between worlds, Fae hunted by vampires.

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji could hear the capital letters, there, but wasn't sure exactly why they were present. Maybe Mab just didn't spend a lot of time hanging out in the human world. Or hanging out in general.

"More like the affairs of London. There's been a lot goin' on recently. Most recently the Redbright takeover of Barnet. They're pushing hard on those dark witches, and it's makin' me wonder when those same witches are gonna start pushing back."

[rules_winter]

There were the seven deadly sins of course, but the reality was most things humans did could be chalked up the the big three. The deserved capitals. But it was true, Mab was really not current with the times.

"Is that so?" She asked, mildly curious. Witches could be both vastly annoying and sometimes quite useful. Her eyes gazed into the distance for a moment as the imagined the implications. "It might be interesting to keep an eye on that." She murmured as much to herself as to him. "And who is it that put the barrier between the worlds?"

[detectiveofthewest]

"Depends on who ya ask. Technically, there's two factions actively at it right now -- Circle Daybreak and the Night Council. But the common denominator between the two is Sylvia Redbright, the 'Mother of Witches' and Chancellor of Redbright Institute. Sounds like she's been keepin' herself pretty busy."

Mab, at least, seemed like a pretty dyed-in-the-wool Unseelie. ...she kind of reminded him of his dad. Not the Unseelie part, more the traditional note in general.

[rules_winter]

Heiji gave remarkably unencumbered information for a fae. Mab found it useful. "So this Sylvia Redbright is likely the instigator. That won't do at all." It wasn't like Mab particularly cared about getting into the human world. But to have someone lock her in like a naughty stepchild rankled. And it needed to be dealt with one way or another.

"Do you believe the dark witches will be able to push back properly?" She asked him and genuinely seemed to want to know his opinion. He'd clearly spent more time than her in the human world.

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji didn't really believe in withholding information from people who asked in the bounds of civil conversation... at least so long as he could answer, in any case.

"No." Well, that answer was... unhesitating. "Least not any I've come across so far. One was dead, a couple I saw defected to Daybreak. And one kinda went into hysterics and lied when I was investigating the death of the first one. None of the ones I've met so far have the determination or numbers to mount any real resistance. That's probably why they're in the the state they are now -- incognito or pushed to the fringes."

He paused for a moment. "But it doesn't have to stay that way. And there are other factions that Redbright ain't too friendly with, too."

B

[mensrea]

Hood pulled up over his head, he makes the trip across London to visit the shrine. While the weather isn’t particularly dour this day, it’s cool enough for a Californian like Stiles to feel chilled. So he donned his favorite sweatshirt before following the directions Heiji had given to him via text message. The request to meet had been vague, but after the Blackthorn Mansion incident, Stiles’ trust in Heiji is fairly strong. He even leaves behind his precious lacrosse stick.

Once he reaches the shrine itself, he pauses to spin on a heel and soak in the sight of the place. The architecture is fascinating, though the statues kind of give him the creeps.

“Hey, Heiji! You there, dude?”

[detectiveofthewest]

"Hey! You're right on time!" Heiji stepped out from behind a shelf of stone, grinning brightly at Stiles.

"So, how d'you like your first trip to Faery? Kinda unreal, ain't it?"

[mensrea]

Returning the grin, Stiles offers a wave before closing the space between them. The statues are given a wary look, as if he half-expects them to jump out at him any second.

"Wait, are we...? Like, right now?"

He'd noticed the difference, yet hadn't assumed the source. His mouth drops open as he reevaluates the immediate area in amazement.

"I just thought it was some kinda warding spell! Dude!" This is cool beyond words. In fact, all he can do is repeat the endearment in shock. "Dude."

[detectiveofthewest]

"Pretty cool, huh?" As he walked toward Stiles, he shifted to his fox form, complete with his shiny new tail. He turned and presented his back to Stiles.

"I figure since you been pokin' around so much, I might as well show you around a bit before you ended up wandering in on your own. How about it? Feel like a lift?"

[mensrea]

Heiji is pulling out all the stops today, and Stiles is going to have sensory overload from trying to take everything in. He abruptly abandons his inspection of the shrine to stare openly at his friend's fox form, which he's only ever seen once—and he doesn't think that time really counted, honestly; the lighting in that dungeon-esque room had been terrible. Fingers itching to touch, he stuffs his hands in his sweatshirt pockets and makes the appropriate "oooh" and "ahhh" noises of appreciation in regards to the tails. Stiles, at least, has done some basic research on kitsune to understand the importance of the tails.

"Um, yes." It then occurs to him what Heiji is offering. Only just barely restraining himself from bouncing in glee, he nods furiously and approaches. "Oh my god, dude, this is so cool. You're so cool. I'm so glad you covered me in oil that one time."

Out of context, that sounds...really weird, but Stiles totally doesn't notice. He's too busy trying to climb up on Heiji's back.

[detectiveofthewest]

If there's one thing Heiji loved, honestly, it was compliments. When Stiles started making impressed noises (oh my god), he might as well have started preening. Totally worth it.

Heiji knelt down a bit to help Stiles climb up. What are friends for, right? Best of all, his fur was as fluffy and soft as before. "Yeah? Me, too! I don't get to show folks around every day... but when I do, it's a real treat. Hold on tight, alright?"

Once Stiles was safely secured, he'd leap up along the tree branches toward the forest's edge. As they ascended, the thick blanket of emerald leaves cleared, revealing a wash of warm twilight. This was sunset in the Other Realm, a time of growing quiet and the barest hint of loneliness. There were several directions they could head in: there was a small town, what looked like a lake, and of course there was the rest of the forest.

"So where to?"

[rules_winter]

One had to wonder if it was a difference between Summer and Winter or if freedom of information was more on a fae by fae basis. Mab horded it like a dragon some days unless it was useful to divulge.

"Hmm." Her mind was working but her face was impassive. If the woman in charge of the white witches was intent on closing off acess to the Other Realm the dark witches would be their best shot at opening ways back up if the need arose. But it probably said something that Mab's first solution was, "If they are so weak, it would be little difficulty to convince them of the benefits in swearing loyalty to a Fae."

That's right. Mab's first instinct is to enslave them. What? "Other factions?" Mab is so out of the loop right now. It's disconcerting to her.

[detectiveofthewest]

Well, I mean. How did you argue with logic like that, except that he was pretty sure that very few modern Londoners would consider it an honor... then again, he hadn't met a lot of dark witches. Hmm.

"The werewolves, for one thing. Apparently, they're unrepresented in that Night Council, and they've got a longstanding tiff with the vampires. Who have an agreement with the Night Council, of course." Heiji made a slight face; he didn't really like vampires as a general rule. It was hard to be enthused at the idea of someone who'd love to sink their fangs into you.

"I've got a bit of a question. You've been around these parts longer than me, haven't you? Have you ever been summoned?"

[rules_winter]

There was no reason in her mind anyone should turn down such an offer. Certainly it took away a good deal of free will, the fae could trap you tighter than a chinese finger trap, but it also meant gaining power. And who did not want power?

"Werewolves?" She looks displeased with the thought of dealing with werewolves. She knew a flighty fae who loved turning men into dogs, hellhounds really, but Mab had never acquired that taste. One had to made due with options available though. And if they were willing to work in tandem against Vampires and witches that thought it was their duty to police the ways between worlds Mab would simply have to suck it up. And perhaps invest time in creating a deodorizing spell. "You believe they would be amenable to assisting? They do tend to be touchy about other races, no?"

Her eyes widened a little at the question. "Certainly not." She wasn't going around giving witches her name. They must owe her a favor first. It would keep them careful about abusing the summoning. "Not in London, no."

[detectiveofthewest]

"They definitely do get a bit touchy. But it's an option. I think it's best to keep several on hand. At the very least, maybe we can put together a nonaggression agreement. They might not be willing to work with us right away, but at least that's one front we won't have to worry too much about." ...Heiji really was starting to see this like a game board, someone stop him.

He nodded. "I don't much like the idea myself. Still, that's what dark witches do, don't they? Try and summon fae."

[rules_winter]

Trying to imagine a wereworlf sticking to a non-aggression pact was difficult, but if there was a proper alpha in place it was possible. "Do you know if they have an alpha?" She asked mildly. It was dangerous to show an interest in an alpha because if you could get their loyalty you tended to get the loyalty of a whole pack. Which was a delightful thought for someone like Mab who was very interested in such things.

"Mmm." Well, the witches thought it was something only a dark witch would do. Splitting hairs really. "A summoning is one spell, dark witches employ." Her agreement was offhanded and she touched her tongue to her teeth thoughtfully before adding to her response. "It can be terribly inconvenient. And yet, it can prove to be worthwhile, a quick way to test a witch's strength." And to begin to put them in debt.