"Yes," said Eden simply, not willing to elaborate. They held out a huge scarred hand for a handshake, hood slipping a little with only one hand to hold it closed. "You aren't like most, I can tell. You're… kind," they nodded, smiling a sharp, sharp toothy grin.
"Don't be strange, I can't handle strange from you." Victor sighed. "The tall one is Eden, and my name is Victor. Victor Frankenstein." he said, cocking his head without looking at the newcomer. He was studying the building, looking to see if this was a trap.
(Victor and Eden moved to Soul for safety reasons, since a few people put two and two together about Eden's whole schtick. Also the murders. The murders were a factor.)
Lo's smile was friendly, bearing no hint of malice or any of the calculation in her mind. She accepted the hand without more than a simple glance, her grip just firm enough to make it a decent hand shake. "I would hope to be kind. The world seems to be too full of the opposite." She looked over to the man, lifting a hand in a small wave. "Call me Lo. Everyone does. Now, not everyone sends out a suspiciously mysterious text like that, so I'm very curious to meet this 'Moriarty' man."
((i'm on a zoom call lmao so i'm gonna be wonky, expect a lot more writing later))
(Character quirk: Eden tends to avoid using people's names unless he knows them well enough to trust them, or at least tolerate them. So expect some weirdness.)
The Monster shook her hand, gratefully. "Surprising, too. Most don't attempt to reach Victor and I. We will see if this Moriarty is a good man, however. We certainly will see." they said.
"Yes, most don't attempt to reach us. Strange… I wonder how this Moriarty fellow knows us, and why he even wants us here at all. Any hypothesis, Miss Lo?" he asked. "Or do I have to do all the sleuthing myself?"
"The text message mentioned stopping someone, did it not?" Lo asked, tilting her head slightly. Her blue eyes flickered around the space with curiosity, but only a minimal amount of wariness. "I'd call that a job opportunity, but maybe it means something different to you." She stated simply, not bothering to explain much on that particular statement. Instead, she lowered her bag to riffle through it, pulling out a bag of brightly colored wrapped candies.
"I'd offer you all cookies, but I'm pretty sure that would come off as a bit sketchy. So, candy instead?" She was already unwrapping one, popping the candy into her mouth and crumpling the wrapper before placing it somewhere in her drawstring bag. "If this is a job, I wonder if we're getting paid. That is, if it's legit at all. Seems like a lot of work to gather people who don't know each other, simply for a trap, though."
"That follows. And no, I don't particularly like sugar. So if it isn't a trap, if it really is a job opportunity, it certainly is a strange one. And a strange way of gathering us all. Do you know about the Clay Man? I certainly haven't heard much." he rambled, barely pausing for breath.
"Perhaps we should ask? When this James Moriarty arrives. Or is that beyond even as scientific a mind as yours?" Eden deadpanned.
Lo arched a brow at the comment from Eden, biting her bottom lip to keep from smiling. After a moment of making sure she wouldn't laugh at all, she spoke again. "My…boss, calls them 'one of those newfangled criminals, who think they're the shit and don't understand the politics of crime', so I don't know too much that isn't biased. Maybe her bias is warranted, though, if someone else is also annoyed enough with them to take direct action." She mused, putting away the bag of candy.
As she looked around, puzzling over the circumstance of their meeting and the place, she couldn't help but feel…calm. Any criminal worth their salt, especially one with an end goal, would have never gone about this the way this Moriarty had. At least, any criminal intending to harm any of the people gathered. They would have been called, to different locations. Told a loved one was being held captive, promised money or something if they showed. So unless this Moriarty had some sort of bomb planted here, and a way to keep them all there, there was no reason to be afraid yet.
Eden had no reason to worry. They could easily fight their way out of here if needed, create some sort of escape, whatever was required for a fast getaway. What they were worried about was the Clay Man. They only knew their criminal history, from rumors and public records, but that wasn't much to go on. "I don't believe Moriarty is the one we should be worried about, for now at least."
Sherlock had listened silently for a while, before stepping forward to introduce himself. "I am Sherlock Holmes." They introduced, holding out a hand to be shaken. "And the Clay Man is one of the most notorious crime bosses here on Soul. I would guess by your words that you're new here; I grew up here, so it would stand to reason that I have some more clear ideas of who the Clay Man is. James Moriarty I don't know, though his name sounds familiar." Sherlock reasoned, not seeming to realize that they were, perhaps, talking too much. "I do not know why he would bring us all here, though. That I am still trying to deduce."
Lo brightened at being addressed by someone else, taking the man's hand and giving it her trademark shake. She listened to him speak, nodding along. "I wouldn't say new, personally, just somehow simultaneously sheltered and not. I understand what he his, just not much about what he does. I'm a bit more wrapped up in following other criminal's activity." A weird way to say 'I'm a criminal who works with other criminals and is a bit more focused on that', but to each their own.
"I think I've heard of you somewhere." She said suddenly, furrowing her brows just slightly as she studied him for a moment. "Ah! Detective work, right? I can't remember if you were specifically working for the police force or not, but I do remember hearing about an escapade of yours. The Hounds, I heard about it on some radio station." Clapping her hands together excitedly, she smiled brightly. "If we get the chance, you'll have to tell me about how exactly you piece together clues in such an efficient way."
"Good to meet you, Mx. Holmes. Victor Frankenstein, at your service, and this is my Mon- associate, Eden." Victor introduced. "So, detective work, eh? What's it like, seeing the lowest of humanity day in and day out?" he asked.
Eden was uncomfortable. That's all they could say. Too many people in too little time. But something about Sherlock made it easier to tolerate, at least more than usual.
Sherlock cocked their head a little. "Yes, detective work. I am affiliated with the police force here, though I am not strictly on their payroll. They pay me per case." they replied, looking between the other three people near them. "As for that…I do not quite know that, well…" they trailed off, squinting faintly in thought. "It is not necessarily the lowest of the low. And…I do not quite know how to answer your question."
(Please excuse my lack of response. I went to church, and the WiFi there isn’t ideal. Hopefully I’ll reply later tonight or tomorrow)
(Alright, no rush! I've got to go to bed soon anyways)
It had been another day at the orphanage when Mina got the message. Everyone was eating lunch, and Mina had been doing a routine check of any emails, messages and things.
James Moriarty… interesting. The name wasn’t familiar, but it’s possible he knew her parents. That seemed to the only explanation for how he could’ve contacted her. Why now? That was the question.
Would you like to stop the Clay Man? Well, she would certainly like to keep her friends, family and the children safe. She would certainly like to live in a city without fear. She supposed that meant stopping him- this man who had taken her parents and perhaps her friend from her. She’d like him to be stopped. Though, this seemed to imply that she’d be doing the stopping, but why her? Another question.
Thoughts concerning the message plagued her throughout the day, until at last she was able to discuss it with her family.
“I don’t think we’ve heard of this Moriarty person before, have we Lizzie?” Her aunt Charlotte muttered.
Aunt Elizabeth sighed. “I don’t know, hon. It was a long time ago. I think my memory’s getting worse. But of course we’ll take care of the orphanage while you’re gone, Mina.”
Her husband Jonathan was worried out of his mind. “It only said to meet you there? How do I know when you’re coming back? If you’re going to do this, of course. Ah, and the Lanis Building is quite a distance away… Mina, you must let me come with you! If you’re going…”
“Jonathan, I must.” She pecked his cheek. “It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And if it turns out to be a waste?” A grin creeped into her features. “I can always kick him where the sun don’t shine and run away! And of course you’re coming, darling. Why would I do otherwise, considering what happened three years ago?”
He pecked her cheek in return.
They were late.
Mina was afraid they’d miscalculated the distance, or it was simply that traffic was to blame. As they pulled up to the Lanis Building, the clock ticked 5:09. They got out of the hover car, and Mina could see other people up ahead. Well, it was nice to know they wouldn’t be alone.
Jonathan stayed close to her as they approached.
Aleksander had been staying hidden in the shadows, but as it grew closer to five o'clock, and none of these people seemed like the type to have been sent to hunt him down, he drew out of the shadows, approaching them cautiously. There were dark smudges beneath his blue eyes, and his blonde hair was tousled and unkempt. He was thin as a rake, and the dark clothes only made his pale skin look even paler. He looked, well…like a madman, in some respects. But he didn't really care.
((lo: more people!! aleksander: ugh, people))
((lo: more people!! aleksander: ugh, people))
(Honestly yes, that's exactly it)
(I can't wait for our characters to get to know each other and have fun character dynamics! Personally I think Eden and Aleksander might get along well and be good friends. Also off topic but I am not sure if/what I should be posting.)
(:D same! Ooh they definitely would. You can post now, if you like! There's no set order. I was going to wait for a few more people to post before having Moriarty show up)
Victor spotted the man from the shadows, but said nothing as he came out from them. He seemed like the type of person an esteemed gentleman like himself might want to avoid at all costs. "Hmm," he hummed, watching and waiting as more arrived.
Mina walked up to the group, her face bright. “Good evening, everyone. Am I right in saying that you all got the same message I did, saying that I should come here?”
She pushed her glasses up on her nose, and Jonathan tugged nervously on the collar of his shirt.
"You would be," Eden said, staring at Mina for a bit too long. "Moriarty sent yours, correct? Then you would be in the right place." they affirmed.
Lo beamed at the new people, the man and woman who had approached, and the person who had finally come forth from the shadows. "We're a whole group now, how weird is that?" She said, offering her hand to everyone. "My name's Lo, for those of you that just got here. I'd tell you my last, but that doesn't seem super important right now." Her eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement, having always been a social person who loved meeting people.
"This is all kind of fun, in a mystery-type way. Like going to one of those murder mystery theaters, or dinners. Though, unfortunately, I've encountered actual dead people at those." She frowned, pursing her lips and looking down at the ground. "Only one was murdered there, though. Anyway, where do you think our mystery summoner is?"
