[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/nBgNtpQ.png[/img][/center] [Center][img]https://i.imgur.com/vwwAEXO_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/r3HwXnE_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium[/img][/center] [color=bc8dbf]"Ah, I see..."[/color] Justine spoke to Elizabeth with a somewhat disappointed tone, and nodded. [color=bc8dbf]"Very well. I'll see if I can help in some way. Goodbye,"[/color] she added politely, and left for the cabanas with a heavy heart. Though she knew it wasn't her fault that things had ended up like this, she couldn't help but feel responsible. Her mistress' negotiations seemed to have gone sour, yet she had no way to her. But there was someone she could talk to, and maybe even assist with looking into the missing mirror and the situation around it. Having reached the cabanas, she knocked on the door. [color=bc8dbf]"Finn? Are you there?"[/color] After a moment of silence, she slowly opened the door, and peeked inside, only to discover he was sleeping. [color=bc8dbf]"Hey, now's not the time for a nap! Wake up!"[/color] From his spot next to the aformentioned boy, Oliver gave Justine an unamused look. [color=faed27][sub]"Can't have shit in Detroit."[/sub][/color] He muttered. Though he didn't stop Finn from waking up anyways, ruffling his hair. [color=C41E3A]"Hm...?[/color] Finn sat back up, rubbing any drowsiness out of his eyes. [color=C41E3A]"Guess I passed out. Sorry, Oli."[/color] He apologized to the ghost, who simply shurgged in reponse. Then he looked to the one who woke him up. Oh. It was Justine. Oh boy... Subtly gulping down any dread he felt, he spoke up. [color=C41E3A]"Do I dare ask what happened?"[/color] Justine bit her lip as she averted her eyes, and nervously fiddled with her fingers. [color=bc8dbf]"So you didn't hear the announcement then...The mirror is gone."[/color] She grit her teeth. [color=bc8dbf]"There's no doubt that it was stolen."[/color] Finn's eyes widened. [color=C41E3A]"Stolen??"[/color] He looked away to think. [color=C41E3A]"So if someone stole it, does that mean we have a case?!"[/color] Surprisingly, instead of being angry, there was an excited glimmer in his eyes. But then in realization, he turned to pout at Oliver. [color=C41E3A]"And you were going to make me miss out, you idiot!"[/color] Oliver shrugged again, putting his laptop up. [color=faed27]"They've probably already started investigating, Finn. [Sub]Besides you needed a clear head for a while.[/sub]"[/color] He didn't say anything further, but that wouldn't sway the other boy. Finn shot up from his seat with an excited grin. [color=C41E3A]"That just means we gotta get there before they hog all of it up, COME ON!"[/color] He quickly said, grabbing Oliver's wrist and running out. ...Though just in case, he picked up Justine on the way out as well. [color=bc8dbf]"Ah!"[/color] Justine exclaimed upon being picked, a blush on her cheeks. [color=bc8dbf]"I-I can walk there myself!"[/color] Soon enough they were at the crime scene, where most of the party goers have already gathered to inspect the scene. And at the center of it all was the girl most affected by the apparent theft: Mariette. [hider=Mariette and Jelena's appearance in winter-land][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/YuzlPlL.jpg[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/inzUfLO.jpg[/img][/center][/hider] Mariette was standing on her own, staring down at the two puddles of water that for some reason were familiar to her. That and the wooden splinter, and the somewhat round, very thin scratch mark on the floor. Water dropping out of the box, forming the two strangely symmetrical puddles that looked familiar. Jelena's there, too, mostly because the mistress shouldn't be left alone in a time of crisis. Not that the girl with the mechanical limbs could do much to help right now. Jelena noticed the ones approaching and moved to be a good guard, though Mariette wasn't moving and just kept looking at the puddles. Spotting what seemed to be the center of the crime scene, Finn walked on ahead of Oliver and Justine, the former following behind a bit more slowly. Finn reached into his sleeves to grab a notepad and pen to jot down any clues, only to stop when Jelena barred them from approaching Mariette. [color=C41E3A]"Hm?"[/color] The boy looked up, unphased by the metalic girl. [color=C41E3A]"Easy there, I'm not a foe."[/color] He reassured them, holding up his notepad. [color=C41E3A]"More or less, we're here to assist with the investigation."[/color] Justine followed behind the boys with a sullen expression, and approached Mariette, briefly exchanging eye-contact with Jelena to acknowledge her role as bodyguard. Once she met with Mariette, she averted her gaze and hitched her breath. [color=bc8dbf]"It seems that nobody can keep their hands for long on that accursed glass."[/color] She spoke carefully. [color=bc8dbf]"First me, then you, and even Dan. Looks like I won't be getting to play against Freya after all."[/color] She paused for a moment. [color=bc8dbf]"However...It doesn't change the promise I made you. I'll help you get it back, Mariette...If you'll let me, that is."[/color] [color=b0817b]‘Heh, you think you'd do better than we did?’[/color] Jelena asked, chuckling to herself. Mariette, though, took the time to look towards them as Justine came over to talk to her. She said nothing as Justine said her peace, and sighed at the end of it. [color=077ae6]‘I'll allow it. I'm already risking everything, anyway.’[/color] With that said, she turned to the new arrivals as a group. [color=077ae6]‘We had a magical tracker on the mirror. Right after it vanished it briefly showed up in the middle of the Overcity, before vanishing once again. The manner of its disappearance suggests it was taken to a different dimension. If you're able to find anything from your investigation, then I am all ears.’[/color] That'll do for now. Finn gave Jelena an unamused look. [color=C41E3A]"I used to be an investigator, I know what I'm doing."[/color] He calmly explained. Then he turned his attention to Mariette. He wrote down the details she shared as she spoke. Though the mention of the Overcity caught his interest, moreso the possibility that the culprit went further than there. [color=C41E3A]"Do you have anybody searching the Overcity? Or someone who can hop through dimensions??"[/color] He asked. If anything, he can quickly shift there and help. But who of them could pass through dimensions? Amanda and Maribel had pocket dimensions of their own, but how far could they go? [color=b0817b]‘Heh. Good luck, then,’[/color] Jelena shrugged and stepped aside. For the next question, Mariette answered. [color=077ae6]‘I do. I'm able to open portals between dimensions. I've sent a couple people to investigate at the location,’[/color] she said, summoning Bunny back to her hands since she'd briefly deposited him in a dimensional pocket in the previous excitement. [color=C41E3A]"That should make things a bit easier then."[/color] Finn said with a nod. [color=C41E3A]"Once we get done looking around here I can meet up with the- Hello, what's this?"[/color] He paused at the sight of what remained in the mirror's place. A splinter, a scratch mark, symmetrical puddles. Odd combination. But something told him the water was magic in origin. [color=C41E3A]"Did you have any enemies here besides the obvious? Do you know anyone who specializes in water magic?"[/color] He asked, swapping his pen out for a camera to document the strange clue, then swapping back. [color=077ae6]‘... I can't recall anything that has to do with water, but I do have an enemy with reason to utterly hate me with the ability to warp instantly past dimensional bounds and could easily have swiped the mirror if she could pinpoint its location,’[/color] Mariette said, turning to look at Justine. [color=077ae6]‘I believe Justine should be able to tell you more about her identity and powers.’[/color] When Mariette pointed Justine out, she sighed. [color=bc8dbf]"Are you referring to Sonia? She would be someone who's capable of something like stealing the mirror. But...She wouldn't do that. She'd be painting a target on her back."[/color] As she spoke, she looked at the two puddles, her brow furrowed. [color=bc8dbf]"Hmm..."[/color] She stepped towards the puddles. She then re-oriented herself so she was standing behind them, one foot behind each puddle, causing her stance to slightly widen. [color=bc8dbf]"...It's...almost like..."[/color] Finn listened carefully as Justine told him about her past servant. Despite her doubts, he still jotted Sonia down as a possible suspect. No stone unturned. Though did she have water magic?? As if in tune with his thoughts, Justine stepped closer to the puddles, then behind. Once she appeared to have realized something, the investigator walked around to stand next to Justine. Was a change of perspective needed? [Color=C41E3A]"Huh. The puddles could've been used to warp into the box, but would it fit a person inside? Nah, they must've used it to grab the mirror."[/color] Finn offered up a theory. [Color=C41E3A]"But where did the water come from?"[/color] He glanced around, there wasn't any leaks or pipes anywhere. Hm. [color=C41E3A]"...Could there have been something that triggered a spell? An artifact or likewise??"[/color] Finn asked. [color=bc8dbf]"The puddles are definitely too small to fit a person inside,"[/color] Justine answered as she pondered. She lightly stepped on one of the puddles. [color=bc8dbf]"They're only about the size of my foot, give or take a few inches."[/color] She also took a look up, and then at Mariette. [color=bc8dbf]"Do you have any ideas, Mariette?"[/color] [color=077ae6]‘None,’[/color] Mariette told straight. [color=077ae6]‘I know no person who'd bring water by standing there. It would be if they teleported from somewhere with water, but if so, the winter landscape around us makes anyone a potential culprit.’[/color] Oh, and speaking of possible culprits... [color=077ae6]‘... Sally of Beacon came by and dropped a coin that was magical just as it happened. She rolled it under the box. It is highly likely she did something. I have a team pursuing her as we speak,’[/color] Mariette continued. Finn groaned. Of course a Beacon hopeful had a hand in this. He noted Sally as a suspect, as obvious as that may be, then spoke up again. [color=C41E3A]"I'll have to take a look at this coin. Do you know where Sally went??"[/color] [color=077ae6]‘Yes. She went here,’[/color] Mariette said, kind of unceremoniously opening a portal next to her into the general area of Sally, where the "hostage situation" was taking place. Of course Mariette had been following that with some tiny portals under her eyepatch. [color=C41E3A]"Huh."[/color] Finn looked into the portal, then nodded to Mariette. [color=C41E3A]"Thanks. Let me or Oli know if anything pops up."[/color] He then turned to Justine, and Oliver who's been quietly observing for the most part. Eh, he was more of a forensics guy. Field work was Finn's thing. But just in case, Oliver summoned a clone to help guard the scene. [color=C41E3A]"Let's go."[/color] Finn said, before they stepped through the portal.