putting together puzzle pieces [late week 3]

[finalizes]

[Laughs speaks up on the network very abruptly and sharply.]

What does everyone here know about Yakumo's overlay Edward?

[After moment, he adds: I have nothing definite yet, but as I said earlier, Phillip saw someone who looked like me try to post a batch of letters that looked like the letters of complaint sent to newspapers from various different people.

Edward's merlin sometimes looks like a nightjar, and humans have no sense of scent to speak of.

A guy [and he's lifestreaming the scent that will be recognizable as that of Utsusemimaru to anyone who can scent people as he says that] told me that Edward can imitate other people's writing.

So. What do we know about him?

[He might be overly suspicious because Edward now didn't just insult his poor toad baby, his pet tried to eat Saffron. But that's besides the point clearly.]

Comments

[razorblade_empress]

Well, I've been to his room, but not for that. Honestly, I think he mostly wants someone to talk to.

[highsteaks]

Huh.

Anything interesting in there? ... which is a weird trying to ask about I know, but if we can't figure out the mystery of the Dark Sabotager yet, maybe we can at least figure out what's up with people trying to pretend they're Laughs to mail letters... and I guess if they're this Edward guy or not.

[razorblade_empress]

It probably goes without saying that it is very, very, very British, but there's not really a lot of personal touches - or maybe it's more accurate to say that there are personal touches, but they all revolve around being Very British. There's nothing in there to indicate otherwise - if we're right about him being an immigrant, he's determined not to acknowledge it.

[highsteaks]

Hm.

Okay. But I guess the question is, why would he pretend to be Laughs to mail letters? If Laughs is right and it is him.

[razorblade_empress]

Assuming it's him doing it... no idea. Unless he's looking to avoid getting blamed for sending those letters himself maybe, but that wouldn't explain why Laughs specifically.

[It also doesn't really sound right to Yukino, but she's having trouble articulating why.]

[highsteaks]

Maybe it isn't him, then. Maybe it's the Dark Sabotager.

[grimjeaper]

We-- uh, well. Might be worth checking out anyway, right? He sounds like he's gotta be hiding something.

A-and I know people keep saying turning invisible isn't a thing people here can do, but I sure can. Maybe I could give it a check-over...?

[highsteaks]

You can?

... maybe you should, then. And anyone else's room that seems suspicious. That's a really good idea, Barold.

Oh yeah, and livestream it to us too!

[grimjeaper]

Heh. Invisible and intangible, too, so I can't leave any fingerprints. [He doesn't know if he'll leave a scent trail but he doesn't think so.]

A-and, uh. Just Barry's fine. But, um. How do I... livestream, was it?

[highsteaks]

Barold is what your friend called you?

... oh crap. Please tell me you're not a ghost.

[grimjeaper]

That's just Taako's nickname for me. Which is fine, I mean-! It's just, kind of weird hearing other people say it.

I am not a ghost.





...technically speaking.

[highsteaks]

I thought it was your real name.

... technically speaking?

[grimjeaper]

[there is so much to unpack there quick let's not]

Nah.

Technically speaking, the main distinction that's relevant right now is that I have True Sight, which means I can see through illusions and stuff.

...which is actually also a spell I can cast, if anyone else was up to it. Since, uh. I don't exactly know what's going to be different if I go looking alone.

[razorblade_empress]

Maybe. Although that raises more questions about their goal for all of this.

[highsteaks]

I'm starting to wonder if the Dark Sabotager is just crazy or something.

[razorblade_empress]

Maybe they're trying to make Majesty's specifically look bad.

[highsteaks]

Well, if they're the person who writes those nasty letters about the school, that makes sense.

[finalizes]

He is the only person who has taken issue with me here so far.

[He discarded that connection at first, but Phillip did ask very pointedly about it and he keeps circling back to it.]

[razorblade_empress]

Yeah, but that raises the question of why you over anyone else he's taken issue with - or whether you're the only one he might be imitating.

[finalizes]

There could well be more people he's imitating. I might just be the only one who noticed. If he's good enough at lying, he might be able to not let anyone notice with the others.

[razorblade_empress]

And most people right now are focused on the competition - or on the saboteur, assuming he's not them.

[finalizes]

...Even if they discover someone else. If he can imitate people, anyone they find out to be the saboteur might not have been that person but him in disguise.

[razorblade_empress]

True.

If he is disguising himself, I wonder if that includes his scent.

[finalizes]

If he uses the same technique that he uses for his bird, then he either doesn't care to disguise the scent, or he cannot.

[razorblade_empress]

So that's one point in our favor, at least.

[For those of them who can take advantage of it, anyway.]

Wonder why he's disguising his bird.