The ground below felt of coarse grainy sand-like texture. Looking down, a tranquil wave sluggishly rises just before you but never quite reaching. The moon's illumination revealing that you currently stood by some shoreline. Was this some sort of dream?
It felt surreal, loney, and a tad bit off-putting. In an attempt to explore the surrounding you felt stuck in place, forced to stand where the ocean meets the land. Where the land extended a considerable distance, a ghostly silhouette stood ominously. A pit of anxiety swirls within you as the figure nears, identity becoming apparent when he stops right before you.
His tall sophisticated demeanor, pale skin, and elegant long hair... but, what was he doing here? Your lips part yet not a single sound slips out, as if your throat was too strained to speak. 'Neuvillette' looks at you in judgemental sillence with cold piercing eyes, his hand raises to rest on your head. The touch was a gentle caress that traveled down to the back of your neck where a sudden pinch elicited a wince. The stinging pain remained as his hand returned to hold his cane, it slowly rises from the ground only to be abruptly slammed down causing a splash of hydro element along with his disappearance.
A peculiar intraction you couldn't quite make sense of but the stinging only heightened. Thoughts pause when a wave manages to reach your footing, the tides were beginning to rise at a rapid pace and you were still unable to move. There was something strange about the water, your eyes widen noticing the purple hue... this was primordial water. The realization pushes you into a state of helpless panic at the thought of being dissolved. Your breathing erratic, heart palpitating as the level creeps towards your torso- leaving you to wonder if you would drown or dissolve first.
A truly tragic fate to be completely enveloped by the fatal primordial substance. As it reaches your chin with one final breath you wasted it on a cry for help to the empty void hoping for a miraculous savior. It made no difference now fully submerged in this completely diffrent plane of existence- one which you could not breathe. This had to be a dream, right? Then why was it actually so suffocating. Is this how it really happens? Pure utter loneliness until you lose yourself to be one with the primordial sea... your eyes shut from the strained sensations of drowning. Chest burning from the lack of oxygen, how ironic to practically burn underwater. Surely none of this is real, it just can't be.
-
In a cold sweat your eyes swing wide open as you heavily gasped outloud. Vibrant red eyes stared over your laid figure, startled by the sudden presence you sat up and yelled. The pastel blue haired Melusine jumps back, holding her ears down in slight pain from your abrupt shriek.
"Ow... humans have quite the vocal range"
she winces
"Sigewinne?"
you breathily muttered in confusion
"Were you having a nightmare?"
she asks with concern
"Um.. sort of- but, why were you watching me sleep?"
she smiles 'innocently' but glances away
"Your dinner had a high level of tryptophan, so I was making sure you were still um... able to wake up"
"Too much try-what-now?"
"It's an amino acid in foods that makes you sleepy"
"Okay... and why was that in my dinner?"
you crossed your arms at her
"Well, it's actually in most night-meals here to encourage proper rest for inmates. Yours just happened to have abnormally high levels of it- truly an accident in the kitchen."
you sighed, palming your head
"How long was I out for?"
"It's almost afternoon"
This was just 'great', wasting time over sleep instead of progressing on finding the perpetrator. From now on you'd have to be more careful with meals.. and around Sigewinne, her best health interests will only limit you. You were already so behind on the carefully developed schedule... your train of thought stops when you catch glimpse of water seeping in through the entrance. Blinking rapidly and rubbing your eyes to adjust the entrance looked normal once again, for second it felt as though your nightmare was a reality.
"I know it's probably not the best time to mention this but Wriothesley said you'd attend my tea party. I am hosting it late afternoon in my office, you will come- yes?"
right... you had agreed to take his place
"Yeah, I'll be there"
"Good, I have to get back to work and make sure things are prepped. See you later then"
she waves excitedly
In the meantime you'd have to look over the photo copies of your comic pages that contained random notes that may be helpful for this investigation. While you must admit that during the investigation you were overly excited, surely you wrote some serious and useful notes down. Of course as you looked into the notes disappointment stuck, turns out most of it were mundane comments because everything at the time felt like a useful piece of evidence. You noted how dense the sewer security gardes seemed, the lack of strong evidence against Rohrette, and slander of the surveillance team's manager for his infuriating attitude.
However, even from the nothing the notes provided you were still able to develop a solid foundation by combining your memories to the narrative. It's quite clear that the sewers weren't adeptly guarded but that did not mean open access, it has to be someone with the authority to enter. As for the surveillance, the perpetrator knew what spots to avoid and how to navigate around even in the dark, they must be very familiar with the system. That narrows down choices to security gardes, maintence crew, surveillance team, or anyone who enters often. Their fight skills suggested duelist but you were unfamiliar of the specific technique.
From that deduction you were able to create a decent suspect profile containing specific and general traits the perpetrator might have. They must be someone of authority/power, frequent entry within the facility, and perhaps a dueling history. This was not enough to know who exactly did it. Framing you was likely not a personal attack, just a seized opportunity over your reckless timing.
It's important to take note of how these traits can apply to you, they are meaningless in proving your own innocence. Investigators were not there during the stakeout to know the extra information. Perhaps it is possible to commission someone to look into the entry logs for an individuals that fit your description. That would mean asking a lawyer or an organization like Spina di Rosula if you could gain the connections to them. You'd ask Wriothesley but that might be out of his capabilities or too costly of favor.
The time for the tea party was nearing and as you recalled Wriothesley warned it was Sigewinne's ruse to serve distasteful milkshakes. Melusines have a different perception than humans, a fact you'd gotten used to being an mps officer. Still, it was probably best to snack beforehand and the stinging pain that lingered only exhausted you further.
At the coupon cafeteria you noticed strange stares from others sat down reading the newspaper. They were murmuring about you- "Culprit in denial?" "Officer havoc" "Better not mess with the pipes down here". Appalled by these blatant comments being made, you walked up to the nearest gossiping group.
"Seems like you all have a lot to say about me, is there something you'd like to say to me?"
your tone full of irritated sarcasm
"We are simply discussing the latest news, wouldn't want our pipes down here to cave in and drown us because of your destructive tendencies."
"You don't even know me to be making such accusations, I haven't been deemed guilty yet"
"You're kind of proving this newspaper's point from that hostile enterance of yours"
"Give me that"
You snatched it from them to see what kind of nonesense was being speculated about you. It was some offbrand press company trying to profit off you by dramatizing the situation. They were painting you to be a wolf in sheeps clothing, "The seemingly harmless MPS officer [Name] turned out to be a hostile corrupt officer that used authority to their own personal advantage". They made it seem as though you were rampaging through the pipes due to anger disorders- mentioning the outburst that got you sent to the fortress of meropide as supportive evidence.
"This is baseless slander to make me look bad, I am not a hostile person"
you seethed
"You look kind of angry to us.."
the group muttered
"THIS IS PERFECTLY NORMAL ANGER!"
"Can we have our newspaper back... we haven't gotten to the crossword section yet"
"This isn't even steambird, why waste time or believe illegitimate sources?"
you sighed
"Hah, you think we have access to that? Only those rich in coupons read steambird, that or the head nurse and our grace."
Head nurse... perhaps Sigewinne had access to proper media representation of your situation. With reluctance you handed the group back their stupid newspaper and left without saying anything more. It was around time for her event anyways, maybe she'd lend you her copy of the official steambird paper to see if they covered this case properly. Arriving at her office you saw her decorating, the effort was adorable. Knocking on the wall to alert her of your presence she turns around excitedly.
"Sit sit, you're right on time"
she ushers you to the seat
"Nice set up"
you looked around to appreciate the effort
"Thank you! I worked really hard since it's your first tea party with me"
"Um, You what I really like at tea parties? Reading the current steambird newsletter"
you subtly suggested
she frowns
"I'm afraid I used mine as scrap paper while painting some of the decorations"
"Oh... Wriothesley has a copy, right? What if you asked him to join us?"
he won't be pleased by your suggestion to involve him...
"I believe he as a cold but maybe my new milkshake could help him feel better"
"Yes, the more the merrier- a proper tea party should have lots of company"
"Okay, I'll bring him and newspaper along"
she nods
After a few moments the proud melusine returns with the brooding warden, he looked at you in displeasure. You sheepishly smiled as he slumped down near you, Sigewinne excused herself to retrieve the treats and drinks. Awkward silence fell as he flipped through the pages of the newspaper, ignoring your presence.
"Uh... any interesting news?"
you asked
"Yup super interesting."
"Can I see? Just for a moment...please?"
"Oh, is that you asking me for another favor? Becauses, you're not good at holding up your end of a deal"
he crosses his arms with subtle seriousness
"Oh c'mon we're all friends here, Sigewinne's party should be enjoyed by all and you should share the daily newspaper with a friend too."
you tried to lighten the mood
"Friends? You turned that down last time I suggested it. Don't think i'm unaware you only brought me into this to have a look at the paper"
"Okay you caught me but really, the people down here shouldn't be misinformed by unreliable sources... steambird should be more accessible."
"I'll lend it to you"
he shrugs
"Really?"
your brows raise in surprise
"If you drink all the milkshakes she's prepped so I don't have to"
he sniffles
"Maybe you should try one, it might help with that cold"
seeing him narrow his eyes, you sighed
"Fine, I'll drink them"
"Good, it's the least you could do. I mean, I got sick from that favor of yours and instead of resting i'm brought back here for horrible taste testing"
"You're right I'm sorry"
you remembered how he was drenched when returning
Sigewinne returns to set the table, placing three milkshakes and a plate of pastries... hopefully not containing any try-whatever it was that made you sleepy. She tilts her head noticing how you chugged down the milkshake. Your face was a bit scrunched from the awful taste but then softened when the stinging pain from earlier had numbed down.
"Woah, this is actually a really good milkshake"
you muttered to their surprise
"I noticed you looked in pain earlier so I extracted some opium from a poppy plant to make a pain relieving milkshake"
she smiles innocently while once again admitting to subtly drugging you
"Sigewinne... you're kind of scary"
however feeling a smack to the head from Wriothesley you rephrased,
"That is very impressive though"
"What's wrong Wriothesley, aren't you going to drink the milkshake?"
she turns to him in expectancy that he will finally drink it
"Well if [Name] seems to like it so much they can have mine"
he slides it over to you
She pouts,
"You never drink anything I make at these tea parties"
"Well I would if you actually served tea instead of misleading me"
he looks at her impassively
"Oh that actually reminds me, Neuvillette sent a package this morning for you"
She retrieves a box from her desk and slides it on the table towards Wriothesley. With curiosity he opens it and is pleasently surpised by the high quality tea bags it contained, there was also a note attached.
Apologies for the improper rain warning, it was simply a hunch that I could have voiced better to prevent you from leaving all drenched. I hope these quality product tea brands suffice to your tastes as a proper apology and a remedy if you have contracted a cold.
-Best Regard, Neuvillette
"A hunch huh? That man enjoys the rain so much it's almost like he has a special connection to it. Ah well, suppose I should accept this apology so the tea does not go to waste"
His mood lightened up as he already began prepping a cup
"Monsieur Neuvillette is so considerate"
Sigewinne grinned, all the melusines had respect for him
While Wriothesley was preparing his tea and Sigewinne reading over the hand written letter by Neuvillette, your gaze fixed on the floor as you began to dissociate. Though the pain was gone you still didn't feel right, was there water seeping into the room? A finger flicks your head and you're brought back to the present,
"What's got you spacing out?"
Wriothesley sat back down with tea
"It's probably nothing"
you muttered, taking the other milkshake to chug down
"You are getting proper sleep right?"
he interrogates
"Yeah, mainly because of Sigewinne though"
your lips smacked from the after taste
"Seriously, don't over do it down here. I know your biggest concern is the case but Neuvillette sent another list of lawyers you might want to try contacting"
"I don't know..."
"Well think it through, anyways here the newspaper you so desperately wanted"
He hands it over and you waste no time to skim through the pages, Sigewinne peaked over to see what it was exactly you were looking for. So far you hadn't made any headlines yet but in the corner was a note from steambird publishers.
We are working on gathering objective sources to write about the notorious Pipe Case, interviews are being set up to understand all side. Please be patient as we will cover the pressing matter. Journalist Charlotte will uncover the latest scoop and lay the objective truth out for the public to see.
"Charlotte... she gave me her card, it's still in my pocket. I could arrange an interview with her so my voice is properly represented through the media... surely they'll want to hear my perspective"
you began to plot outloud
"Is that why you wanted the paper so badly?"
Sigewinne asks with curiosity
"Some jerks were feeding into slander a journalist published about me"
you admitted with a irriated sigh
"[Name], it seems as though you're excessively obsessing over the matter to an extreme point"
Wriothesley carefully suggests
"I'm not obsessive... just the right amount of interest"
you defended
"Disappointment will impact much harsher if you let it consume you like this"
"Is this tea party over? I have some letters I'd like to send if you'll excuse me"
You didn't want to sit there any longer with him probing your investigation, of course you were taking it seriously... your dignity is on the line. Not only did you have to be cautious around Sigewinne but it seems Wriothesley was getting too involved in your business in a counterproductive way. They simply don't understand the lengths you must take to prove your innocence through the identification of the real culprit.
To focus your mind and efforts onto something more productive, you drafted a letter addressed to Charlotte. You expressed interest, practically begging, for an interview to voice your personal thoughts about the accusations. It only fair the you get a chance to represent yourself without random assumptions being made. She didn't even have to meet with you, sending a questionnaire would be enough. Using the contact information on the card you were able to have the letter shipped.
Amongst the other inmates you heard of the Rag and Bone shop, in which you could exchange coupons for items they have in stock. There was a certain book you were interested in that they might have. The man running the store is named Alvard, his establishment seemed legit and reliable enough to others so you weren't too worried about getting scammed. After circling around corners you saw a man stood by lot of crates.
"Hello, is this the Rag and Bone shop?"
"Yes. anything you need, we got it!"
"Do you have architecture books about Fontaine's construction"
If you outright mentioned the sewer system it would only cause more suspicion
"The structures of the city? I could get that to you in one to two days"
It was a gamble to reserve the book. You hoped it had blueprints and diagrams of the sewer system, to analyze how the culprit was able to escape you that night. That could be supportive evidence to your stakeout story, it's likely people would think it's some elaborate made up excuse if not credible.
Back in your room you worked on the investigation board until evening. Before anything could leave your memory you wrote disorganized thoughts into a book. Since you'd slept in this morning you'd have to stay up late into the night to make up for lost time. Trying to recall any sketchy individuals or a sort of motive for your suspect profile. It was honestly the most trickiest part, what motive would anyone have to do such a thing? It affects everyone including themselves. Your thoughts then wandered to Rohrette, where and how is she doing? Surely there was no one on the maintenance crew that had it out for her right? They seemed genuinely supportive of her presence in the crew.
As the night developed further your eyes lids began to droop but you shook your head to snap out of the drowsiness. You simply couldn't waste another night but the exhaust was heavy. On the verge of passing out you heard a strange dripping sound from out the hallway.
Out of concern you investigated the sound, following its echos. The fortress has its own autonomous pipe system and it seems like the dripping was coming from them. Walking out into the main area your eyes widen as the familiar purple hued water was leaking from a rattling pipe... it's about to burst... you'd all drown- no you could all dissolve!
There was hardly anyone around, how could no else hear it? It's rattling loudly, like the rickety bolts were loosening up. You ran towards Wriothesley's office, banging on the door frantically until he'd open it.
With sleepy eyes he opens the door
"[Name]? Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"The pipes.. they're leaking! You have to do something or we are all going to drown! We-"
he covers your mouth to keep you from shouting,
"Shh, don't talk like that or you'll create mass panic"
you brushed his hand off your mouth
"It's primordial water... it's seeping in"
your tone was more hushed
"Alright alright, I'll have a look"
He retrieves a flashlight before you drag him out to look at pipes. He shines the light, inspecting them thoroughly but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He glanced back at your paranoid expression, just what were you seeing?
"The pipes are fine"
he says
"No- no you don't understand I saw- I heard it. This place is unstable"
your breathing began to shorten
"Maybe you should just go back to bed"
"No, I don't want to sleep... something bad is going to happen if I close my eyes"
your vision blurred from forming tears
with a tired sigh he looks back at the pipes one more time but there was still nothing visibly wrong. Seeing as you were resistant to sleep he assumed you were freaking out about some nightmare. Seems you were on the brink of a panic attack. No one can be properly reasoned with in a state like that.
He took on a softer tone
"How about you come to my office and i'll make you some tea"
"No, you're in kahoots with Sigewinne... you're gonna sneak some trywhatnot into my tea"
your voice was shaky and accusatory
"What are you talking about? It's just tea."
he exclaims in confusion
"You're not gonna put anything in it to make me sleep?"
"Uh no? Tea is very relaxing though"
With reluctance you sat down at his office as he begun to prepare the tea. You watched him attentively to ensure he didn't add anything peculiar- you couldn't trust anything here. He sets down the cup and you inspect it skeptically.
"What kind of tea is this?"
you asked
"Chamomile"
It seemed as though you were in a state or the verge of complete hysteria. Chamomile is often used to sedate anxiety along with remedying insomnia or other sleep disorders. Nightmares tend to cause a lot of panic so this tea should help calm you down. He felt relieved seeing you try the drink, noticing your breathing begin to regulate. It was all natural herbs, he did not need to add anything out of the ordinary.
"You really have nothing to worry about, this place is air tight sealed. Maintenance would alert me if the pipes were weak"
he tries to reassure
"It's just scary... when you realize we are literally in the deep depths of the ocean"
you felt a tad bit claustrophobic
"It's safe here and besides you'll get to go up soon when your trial comes, just hold on until then"
he couldn't have you spreading panic to the inmates
Your eyes began to droop again as you felt relaxed
"Why do I feel... so"
"Well it is rather late and you just drank some tea, doesn't sleep sound nice?"
you yawned instinctively
"Don't let me... fall... asleep"
You muttered sleepily as everything fell dark and you finally nodded off. Face pressed against the table with slow and steady breaths. There was nothing wrong with the tea, you simply couldn't fight off the exhaustion.