Somewhere Someplace

A wide and efficient space of a mid-sized room, with blue carpeting and greyish walls; largely empty, besides a dull table with two chairs facing each other down.

Nilia sat there, quiet and awaiting. That apparent 'undersecretary'—a different designation, it seemed—had guided her to this so-called 'room of interrogation'; however, after doing so, she had left to gather the 'necessary materials'.

In many ways, truth be told, Nilia could not help but be reminded of the last time she had found herself in such a chamber; when she had been interrogated by that receptionist all those many months ago… 'Lavender', right; that was her name. She…had not forgotten, it seemed, even if it often escaped her mind. 'Pear', too—that receptionist's…colleague of sorts.

She…remembered their names. Names were…important to these denizens. If only she remembered the names of the others whom she had forsaken in time; she could barely remember their faces, frankly, even those relatively recently encountered.

Wagoneer, shield adventurer, priestess, mage, denizen number…who even knew… All distinct yet their faces blurred, nameless beyond category. However, their voices… She remembered their voices. Sometimes she could still hear them.

Odd, really. Being in this room—being in this hall—was abruptly making her reflect somewhat, even if the feelings invoked remained ambiguous to comprehension. Perhaps, paradoxically to her, it has been a very long year.

In only a course of four or so months she had found herself in such a 'chamber of interrogation' only to once again find herself in, well, this exact chamber…even if under completely different pretenses and circumstances.

It was hard to forget the past, indeed, when the world kept remembering.

Nilia still could not comprehend, let alone introspectively understand, why her mind kept lingering on that particular soul of out all of many blank faces of nominally equal value. Lavender. Thinking about that one still made her feel weird in a way that discouraged further cognition.

Perhaps it was because of the circumstances of their last encounter—the last…impression she had left on that receptionist… Disgrace and betrayal. Such was strange, since when had troopers ever cared for abstractions such as 'grace' or 'honor', for the stars cared not for such things… Yet… Perhaps, in a way, it was because that receptionist had been an…'ally' of sorts—a collaborator. It was only from her guidance that Nilia had navigated her short time as an adventurer, and never mind that receptionist was the one who came up with Nilia's, well, 'Nilia'.

Or perhaps it was something else… Perhaps there was no reason at all.

But she was, perhaps, at least able to comprehend one thing… She still wanted to know what exactly had happened to that one—the circumstances of her death, and…whether or not she was even dead… Indeed, deep down within a piece of her entertained that possibility.

Such was strange, since she was one to usually accept the blunt reality. Death was an inevitability only delayed, yet… Perhaps Nilia deep down within 'wished', if that word could be applied, to speak to that receptionist again… To say what, she knew not; she comprehended not. Perhaps, maybe…'sorry'.

"Well, you're awfully quiet…" Suddenly, a voice.

Nilia snapped out of her thoughts as if returning to life. « Huih? » Her attention jolted as her mask-obscured eyes flung their sight straight to front…

Sitting at the chair facing her down was now that same security undersecretary, her cheek resting upon her palm as if patiently waiting while simply staring. She seemed awfully calmer from before, however that was not Nilia's question.

« Quando? » Indeed, when had she even returned and how did she herself not even notice? "When did you…"

"I've been here for, like, five-minutes now." the undersecretary so replied. Situated at her end of the table were of course the relevant documents, papers, and folders. "You didn't notice? Hm. Well, you were just sort of staring blankly without response but I won't ask about that."

"I see…" Nilia relaxed just a little… That was strange of her; she had not even noticed when, why, or how she had drifted so strongly that her basic sensory attentions faded… Surely, she would have been alerted as soon as that denizen stepped in yet… Or perhaps it was because there was no determinable threat emanating from this one. "I was…waiting for you to begin this…interrogation."

"Hmm?" The undersecretary so leaned forth with a slim smile; "Interrogation for those three, maybe… But not necessarily you, Nily—May I call you that?"

"It does not matter to me." Nilia was frank.

The undersecretary transitionally ahemed; "Well, then, Nily, let's get straight to then…" Yet she then so remembered. "Or, actually, first I want to show you something." She opened a 'folder' of sorts and took out…a strange sheet of sorts, which she proceeded to promptly slide over to her. "Looky, looky… Bring back any memories?"

« Quid? » Nilia stared down at what was now before her sight, needing to flip it around… It was…a depiction, yet neither an illustration or a painting. It was a picture—an image.

Extremely rudimentary and rustic in quality, being not only devoid of color but…clarity. She could discern the…broad details, however. A group of protective cloaked, goggled, hooded, face-masked, and armband-wearing volunteers, posing in a loose column in front of what was…a charred and burnt body. Yet the volunteer in the left most corner, however, was adorned with a…barely recognizable—but not unrecognizable—butterfly masquerade… That was her. And there was a red circle around her head—clearly drawn by ink post-rendering.

Hm. Strange to see an image of herself all of a sudden. Yet as if flashing into mind, she was able to remember that very day in detail… Those 'photographers' had them stand there in that exact pose for…too long of a prolonged waste of time.

"The Company included this in the report they sent us." the undersecretary began to say; "I've honestly never seen a thing like this before. It's no painting or drawing… They literally captured the light and…fused it onto paper—a 'lightgram' is how they translated it. I honestly had to stare at this thing for a while, like, 'what the fuck am I even looking at', right?"

It was weird looking at this thing for Nilia, albeit perhaps for different reasons. "It is a strange thing." she simply remarked, affect flat.

"You don't seem too affected, though." the undersecretary noted. "Everyone I've shown it to so far was astonished, but you… It seems mundane. Already familiar with this technology, mayhap?"

Nilia, however, looked at her. "You wanted to discuss my…discovery during that time, no?" She shifted the conservation back to the point. "Thus, let us discuss. I remember, this…thing helped."

"Glad it did, because I will be needing your memory." The undersecretary pulled the photograph back to herself, returning it to its folder which she kept open. "Now, then. Can you describe to me as best as able what you discovered that day?" And thus began the questioning.

Nilia did her best to answer, albeit leaving out certain details…such as following a Calamitous butterfly apparition.

-|-

"I see, I see…" The undersecretary had been nodding along, pinching her chin whilst tapping her other hand's finger. "Well, that was detailed enough." she sighed; "Looks like the Company did leave out certain things, particularly regarding the depths of your observations… You have quite the eyes." Her own focused on her. "So, according to you, you effectively managed to determine—or speculate—who was likely captive and who was probably culprit from the positions of their bodies…"

"And the bondages." Nilia added.

"Yes, and that…" the undersecretary continued; "The report did mention that, but did not specify your speculation of a missing fifth captive who may have broke herself out, stole a gun, and shot a man in the throat."

"Well… It as you said: it was speculation. It is very possible that I was or…that I am wrong." Nilia replied, frank.

"Oh, yeah… Without definitive proof, there is not much empirically separating logical observations from that of a foaming drunkard." the undersecretary acknowledged, before sighing yet again… "I wish I could say this cleared things for me, but it's honestly left more questions about the Coastfield case… We aren't any steps closer… Thanks, though." She smiled; "I have, like, every reason to trust your words more than the Company's, heh."

Nilia's sight, however, withdrew downwards slightly, a strange and mostly vague tension in her stature… Contemplating and reflecting… "I left Coastfield very soon after…that. So, I am not aware of any…new things. Do you have any…news of…new discoveries?"

"Well…" The undersecretary needed to think… "I only know what the Company's report told me… But, uhm, according to it—I guess going from what you didn't tell me to infer what you don't know—uhm, they did…search the sewers, according to the report, and found another receptionist's body… However, they concluded it was…an unconnected incident; she was likely murdered prior to the bombardment." she explained; "Honestly, the bulk of that report was the Company explaining how it itself was not responsible for these alleged murder-kidnappings, considering, you know, where the bodies were found—they are looking into who purchased that old warehouse, but…with their headquarters there destroyed, it might…take a while."

"I see…" Nilia's affect was…lowlier, even if only minutely expressed. "Those four bodies, those receptionists, they were shot in the head…"

"Yes, we know?" The undersecretary was perhaps a little confused as to why she was bringing up…already stated information.

"That makes this worse… At least for me." Nilia thus said, before her focus sharpened. "I was told that…there have been incidents…in many other places? Including…here, no?" She looked at the undersecretary. "That is why your…'Security Office' is here, no?"

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"Yes, that would be correct." the undersecretary was forthright. "One of the reasons the Office issued a branch takeover of the Huckleberry branch was because of the…serial incidents. More than twenty, and by the time I was sent here, it became even higher—almost half the whole intermediate-level staff."

"…just like in Coastfield." Nilia remarked, recalling… "She told me—another receptionist, she said that…more than half of them were missing…"

"Except Grandberry wasn't bombarded and nearly destroyed." the undersecretary replied; "Most of the deaths could probably be attributed to the fire-tide; that's why my interest were in those four—maybe five—only, since it's the most obviously suspect. We've had similar reports from a multitude of branches of incidents which occurred in and around the same timeframe that seemed targeted against intermediate to upper receptionists; for most, it was five to seven. Hucklebbery happened to be the worst of them. But my higher eggs are convinced it's a coordinated plot."

"I was…thinking similarly. Coordination…" Nilia remarked… "Do you know…whom it could be that are potentially responsible?"

"I am not at liberty to tell you the full depths of our investigation, no offense… Sorry." The undersecretary was at least honest. "You should know how this works by now, surely."

"Hm…" That last remark had immediately 'flagged', so speak, something to Nilia.

"Now, then." The undersecretary closed that folder, written within which had been notes she had taken throughout this. "Business is concluded, now begins more of a…private matter."

"…private matter?" Nilia tilted her head.

"Yep…" She leaned in a little closer. "I think I should… Hm…" She poked her chin with up glancing eyes. "Come a little clean, yeah…" She looked at Nilia. "Maybe I knew just a bit more about you than I suggested out there or…well, even here."

« … » Nilia stared… "Ah… Of course." Frankly, she could not even be surprised by this reoccurring theme. "So, there is more to this, then?" Indeed, her posture straightened, her attention sharpening.

"In a way, yeah, but also not really." the undersecretary's voice still felt honest. "You've spent most of your time, I bet, surrounded by people who assume a complex bureaucracy operates like a beehive—You know how bees work, rightly? That we're all onedly conspiring as single will and blah blah blah… But, and I should stress, I am just secretary—a literal fucking bureaucrat." she bluntly explained; "Sure, the higher girls would probably care more about the politics, but I don't have their position or their pay."

"Uhuh…" Nilia was trying to parse and follow along. "So, then, why this? What do you want with me?"

"Well, the reason for your summoning is genuine: I wanted to hear directly from your own mouth of your discovery as soon as I had read that report." the undersecretary thus replied. "That was the business we just concluded. What I'm doing now is a favor for a…friend? Or… Alrightly, well, we slept once, twice…thrice? But we're just friends—kind of… I actually hate him—sometimes."

"Huh?" Alright, now Nilia was becoming confused.

"Honestly, I don't even know how to describe what that man-whore is to me or how I ended up in this situation, honestly." Losing her trail of thoughts, she ahemed; "Anyway, let's just say I know a guy, and he showed up here, like… Well, I probably shouldn't say. But he told me the basics about you, that you were heading this way, and to check on you—to see how you are doing and whatnot."

"Ehuh…" Nilia did not know how to interpret this information.

"Anyway," the undersecretary ahemed, "I'm running my mouth a lot. I won't prod into you too much—I have no commitment or investment in whatever the fuck is between you, him, and everyone else. But you seem fine and well enough, so I'll tell him suchly…if he bothers to show up again." She then pressed her finger on her lips. "Anyway, let's just keep all of this our little secret, aye? No telly-tell."

"You are very strange." Nilia simply remarked. In a few ways, some of her behavior was reminiscent of Novea's when she had overconsumed those so-called 'energy beans'. "Similar to as you said, I do not have the 'commitment' or…'investment' in this. I prefer it when I have tasks that need to be done. That is all."

"Hm. So, no promises is what you're implying?" The undersecretary seemed amused. "Anyway, you seem fine, and you told me what I wanted to know. I think we're done here." She stood up, smiling professionally. "We might not ever speak again, Nily, but it was nice talking to you… I can see why he's taken an interest in you—he always goes after the weird ones, kinda like me. But I have to move on to more important matters now."

-||-

Nilia stepped out into the main hall, the door shutting behind. Those three had been waiting, idling by. There was no talking amongst them.

"Hey!" Novea, seeing, went straight to her. "That took longer than I thought.. Everything finely alright? What did…"

"It is fine." Nilia replied; "She wanted clarity with the details of…what I had found in Coastfield; the Company's report was insufficient."

"…is that all?" Novea naturally asked. "She did not… Was there any implication—"

"Even if I could say, I would not be saying it here." Nilia was blunt, reminding Novea of what she herself so constantly remind her of. "But, I can say… She 'knows a guy'. I will leave this to your speculation."

"…knows a guy?" Novea repeated… "Hm…" She began to wonder…

"So," Red meanwhile abruptly inserted himself, "madame du masquerade, do you know who's going next? I am sick of this waiting…"

"I concur…" Blue, having followed, concurred.

Nilia glanced at them… It was perhaps strange to have these two directly address her for once. "She wants to see you two firstly, then it will be her." She turned to Novea. "I believe that my business here is…done. I should return to the Company." She opted to retain the perceived separation even if such felt redundant.

"Wait, alone?" Novea more blurted than not; she needed to control herself. "I was supposed to… They wanted me to…take you. You should wait."

"I do not know for how long this will drag, and there is a possibility she wants more with you." Indeed, as indicated by her own summoning. "I was told that I had to…return as soon as I was done here, and I am now done here."

"Yeah, that is true, but…" Still, Novea did not like this… Although… Right, she had means to…talk to her no matter where at least.

"I can handle myself." Nilia stated.

Novea ultimately sighed… "Alrightly, yeah… I understand. Fine. Go to Outer Grandberry… You should be able to find the building yourself."

"It will be the most obvious one, no?" Nilia could already guess…

"Oh, yeah… Once you see it, you will know it's Company." Novea replied.

Nilia proceeded to so bow, a gesture that still felt rusty to do. "I shall take the leave, then." With these words, she thus made her departure and promptly exited the building…as she began to make her way to far away.

And as soon as those doors shut closed, Red once again glared at Novea… "So, we're just gonna keep pretending or something? Is that deal?"

Novea nearly groaned… "Red… Just use your fucking head."

"Pretending?" Blue, meanwhile, tilted her head… "Pretending what? I still have yet to be told what happened to our other masked companion; that violet mystery." Either she was genuinely naive, or she was simply following her contractual obligations. It was difficult to ascertain.

-||-

Time had passed. Red and Blue having had their 'turns', it was now Novea who so sat upon this chair within this 'room of interrogation'. Snarkingly smiling her down, of course, was that Security Office undersecretary. Both lacked any sense of formal cordiality, the Raven more particularly so.

"You've got a fancy shooter…" the undersecretary so remarked, glancing at the revolving rifle leaning against the corner.

Novea, however, was not interested in friendly banter. "So, madam secretary," indeed her tone was mocking, "having fun here being the duke's mercenaries for hire? Don't think I am stupid not to have noticed why there were so many crows near the walls; your people have done this before."

"Huh…?" The undersecretary was confused. "Going straight for the antagonism, I guess…" She sighed; "To contrary, we don't take credit for the…decorations at the walls. Admittedly, we suggested that the duke make an example out of the rioters—I mean, did you see the damage to the city? We can't have that again, now can we?" she thus spoke, almost trying to justify, though then changed her tune. "Though, that said, of course we're not being paid for any of this, sweetie. We are supplementing the guard in exchange for being allowed to station our guardsmen and conduct our investigations, and Grandberry has been the opposite of helpful. We offer our suggestions, but it's the duke's prerogative to execute justice his way; we have no control over that."

"Hm." Novea just stared, arms crossed.

"Look, I get it: I am a terrible person, but don't pretend you are any better." The undersecretary was candid. "In many respects, you are way worse."

"Hm. So, who's the guy you know?" Novea abruptly skipped straight to that one without any forewarning.

"Wow, alrightly, swapping right to that now…" And the undersecretary was slightly caught off guard. "She couldn't even it make out the door before blurting, huh? Funny…" she sighed, being simultaneously surprised but also not really. "Anyway, Raven. Order of least importance. You are the last one, which means you are, in fact, the most important." She did not answer.

"Did you fuck him?" Novea, however, continued.

"Three times—probably. I was drunk. I don't remember." the undersecretary actually answered, to her slight surprise. "What? You know him too?"

"I don't know…" Novea…still did not know with any certainty if things were connecting the way she had been deducing.

"Well, neither do I, then." the undersecretary simply replied. "I'm not your enemy, Raven."

"But you are not my friend either." Novea was blunt.

"No… But we are going to be cooperating. Trust me, especially after I tell you the juiciest part you'll find most interesting." the undersecretary so said; "So, let's keep things professional."

"I am being professional." Novea replied.

"Hmm?" The undersecretary so peered… "You're a character, alright." she just remarked, before simply moving on and not entertaining this moment even if it certainly would have been…entertaining.

Promptly, she slid a paper upon which was an illustrated depiction towards the Raven. Novea's demeanor shifted slightly as she looked down at it.

"I have already interviewed the other two and have read Grassberry's report multiple times over. All I need now is a confirmation from you." the undersecretary stated, her finger tapping at the drawn depiction. "Did you or did you not see this symbol? And is this or is this not the emblem of the Fallen?"

Novea was looking at the illustrated depiction on this paper… X-eyes, frown, an arrow, and crown. She knew it. "Yes." she answered. "I did. There was no mistaking it. That is Fallen's emblem; we encountered them."

The undersecretary sighed, leaning back. "And with that, our, I guess to be generic, worst fears are confirmed. That's all I needed, thanks."

"Seriously?" Novea looked at her. "You subpoenaed us just for me to confirm the fucking symbol?"

"Well, it's not like so many things happened since I first sent that thing out, and it's not that I haven't received even more reports." the undersecretary was blunt; "Besides, Raven, your words have far more worth on this matter."

"Yeah, I suppose that's true…" Novea simmered a little…

"There have been multiple corroborating sightings and incidents throughout Huckleberry. Yours is just one of them; however, since a Raven was involved, I wanted to see you personally." she thus specified.

Yet why did Novea feel there was more to this? "Why is the Security Office even interested in the Fallen?" she abruptly interrogated. "Your jurisdiction is internal to the Guild? The Bureau is usually—"

"I cannot tell you anything. Sorry." The undersecretary was blunt. "But there are reasonable suspicions that make this the Office's jurisdiction."

"Vague…" She had no right to be talking, frankly.

"But that's only secondary…or tertiary… Quaternary? To my job here, which is, no thanks to the duke's forcing, ensuring this city's safety." the undersecretary continued; "And a few weeks ago a…Protector of Smiles…appeared in Outer Grandberry frantically yelling about something."

That certain title being heard, there was a sudden flip to Novea's attention. "Wait, what? A Protector of Smiles??"

"Ahah… Interested? I knew you'd be." The undersecretary leaned in. "Yes. Of course, nobody could understand her, so she was beaten up by the duke's men and thrown into the dungeons. But in her first holding, she kept carving"—her finger tapped at that depicted illustration—"this very emblem on the walls… The Grandberriens might be, but we aren't obtuse. She's obviously trying to tell us something, maybe a warning; we don't know. She refuses to speak our tongue, and nobody here knows hers… Raven followers, however, are taught the legendary tongue."

Novea could tell from the sudden smirk…where this was going.

"This wasn't my original intention, and I tried requesting the proper way but the Bureau gave me ghosts, so…" Indeed, the undersecretary looked straight into her… "I am going to be…borrowing you instead, and it is in my authority, per your subpoena, to hold you here indefinitely. I just need you to talk to the elf and tell us what she knows; that's it."