[b]2spooky (Holiday Event Subplot)[/b] The fading summer air had a restless hum to it, an ominous stirring of divergence from the change of seasons past. The subtlety had been lost on most, even the Toran natives. The nights had become progressively darker. Colder. Restless. The Natrelmon could sense the impending chaos, at least the wild ones. Those with human companions often would miss the details, not out of a lack of senses, but out of a more focused concern for their trainers and not their own self preservation. The once active nights, when Xiao would occasionally skitter through the streets, chased by the few scarred Ocalia that had avoided capture were a remnant of weeks past - replaced by an restlessness with no living source. The natives were grateful for this, ignorant of what it truly brought. The streetlights that once battled with the darkness were now a part of a losing campaign, the unnaturally dark mist seemingly pulling all light into it and then into the nothingness of the Void. It was a foreshadowing of the chaos coming. And, in all chaos there is calculation. --- For those with access to television, the evening news would be dominated with reports of a brutal murder of a Toranese researcher that had been working with the Mage's Guild. "At this moment we have no leads on the case or who was behind it. We have called in additional investigators and forensics teams from Lifan to assist on the case as we examine the scene and the body for evidence," a woman spoke, her presence and tone exuding authority. A few tried to interrupt her with questions, "I'm not going to answer questions this early in the investigation, but we will keep the people of Toran informed of any dangers posed to them. We believe right now that Dr. Alexi Imin was the target of the attack and that no one else is currently in danger." With that, she stepped back from the podium placed outside the Toran Arena and a young, artificially blonde woman moved into the screen, the reporter from the local Toranese news agency with her prominent T1 News badge, "That was Officer Cat Koekje from Lifan who has been brought in on the murder of Dr. Alexi Imin. The Mage's Guild at this point has declined to comment on the nature of Dr. Imin's research in Toran, raising more questions around the already mysterious death. This is Janie Strom with Toran One News." --- Cat was glad to be out of the limelight. Even though she'd be in this kind of position for, as the lead investigator for a number of the most prominent cases in Lifan, she still would have preferred to be back out following leads. She never felt that these appearances did anything to help the cases or the people. "Koekje," another woman spoke, stepping out of the shadows cast by the Toran Arena. "Can we get a move on with this?" Cat just narrowed her eyes, "Violet, you know how this goes, especially when we investigate outside Lifan. We have to be the face of the investigation." Violet's grumble, and the crack of brick wall behind her, could be heard even at the distance between the two, "Couldn't they have sent someone else to do that part? It is a waste of our time." Cat didn't need to response, Violet already knew her position, one that she had vocalized on many occasions. Violet just liked to get these sorts of things out of her system and Cat was willing to let her fiery partner do so. "Here's your guns, I'm sick of holding them. They make me feel dirty," Violet growled, violently tossing the large rifle her way, stepping out beneath one of the few streelights providing any light, revealing her brilliantly pink hair. She was taller than Cat by a few inches, as well as having a bit more tone to her muscles. Her abnormally thick metal gloves were covered in various dials, with lines of intermittently crackling energy running up her arms, vanishing into the various body armor she adorned. She brushed the red dust off her hands from the crushed brick. Cat merely nodded again, slinging her rifle onto her back and holstering her sidearm belt. "Lets get to work."