aterat | Clever subject line goes here

Entry tags:

Clever subject line goes here

Who; OTA
What; Pupper Shenanigans, Moving Day/Anniversary, Investigations
Where; All over
When; Early to mid-April
Warnings; None as yet! I will update if they come up and add the warning to the header of the tag

( I can also do personalized starters if you want! just let me know either on Discord: WhimsicalSpook#8219 or Plurk:

whimsicalspook You are also welcome to throw a starter at me if you want, I don't bite!)

A wrinkle in plans... - Open to all

A. Network Assistance Request?

[ Llewellyn wasn’t much for using the network, really. Tell-phones were something he tended to be more than a little clumsy with. It did help, though, that Enis had put his on a chain so he wouldn’t lose the darn thing so much. So there’s a light metallic rattle as he adjusted the phone and peered into the camera. ]

Er... Hello everyone. I hope you’re all... well?

[ That seemed polite, and he was trying to work up to asking for a favour. Somehow delivering news on a case was easier than this. Why was work always easier? ]

I’m just uh- looking to see if anyone would be interested in helping me out with a little project I’ve been working on. Some of you already know about it, since you mm... were around in the last world I was, as well. Pretzel’s particularly good at following scent trails, and we had thought he would be helpful in the event that people went missing back then. Seems as important here as it was there. Especially since this world has a lot more potentially confusing places to get lost, like the forest.

But! Anyway, I um... I’ve been spending the better part of the last year and a half training him in scent tracking. Rhy and I have mostly been working with items and making trails like that... But I think it would be beneficial for the little fellow to get experience looking for real people now.

Also... He’s very sociable, and because the last world we were in had very... few animals... [ Complicated in ways Llewellyn didn’t know how to explain, really. ] He doesn’t quite know what everything here is. He keeps trying to make friends with creatures that aren’t fond of dogs. [ A small amused huff. Pretzel really was as awkward as he could be sometimes. ] So if anyone has a particularly social pet that he might get along with, it might be nice for him to get to know them?

[ An awkward pause, then a nod. That was about it. ]

Uh- anyway, I’ll be going then. Thank you for your time!

[ The feed closes. ]

B. Open Log

Pretzel was a very energetic, growing ~~wrinkle~~ hound. It was important to get him out for walks so he didn’t get too housebound, and while the move was going to give the little guy more room to run around? It was going to be an adjustment, and Llewellyn was hoping to keep his routine as close to normal in all the excitement.

Especially since Pretzel had somehow gotten very good at slipping out without their notice to explore the city in search of friends. Neither he nor Rhy could figure out how the dog kept doing it, it was a mystery.

Llewellyn had decided it was just that the dog was rather intelligent, and he wasn’t being challenged or engaged enough. So the best answer he could come up with was to increase training and give him something a little more difficult. Challenge the clever little hound’s mind while they were out and about.

Afternoons where he wasn’t at the Gullwings office, Aerith’s garden shop, or with his husband were spent on very long walks around the market... Or running around the park with fake scent trails and dog toys as he tried to keep up with Pretzel’s training and exercise.

ooc: People could either run into them at the park (especially if you want to handwave them arranging to help with training) or bump into them around the market! Both Llewellyn and Pretzel are very ~~awkward~~ social!

Helping out a friend in need. - Closed to Lauri-Ell

Llewellyn adjusted his hat slightly, moving down a side street with Pretzel trotting dutifully at his heels. The detective had a somewhat concerned and definitely curious expression on his face as he took a shortcut to the forge where his friend worked.

Lauri-Ell didn’t tend to ask for assistance or favours much, in his experience. They had their weekly lessons for writing and sharing books... But this was a little different from that. She had sounded a bit frustrated and troubled, explaining that something rather important was missing...

It hadn’t taken more than a half second of thought to agree. He wasn’t fond of friends being troubled by things, especially if he could help.

So off he went with a quick note for his husband where he was going for the day in case he didn’t make it home till later in the evening, getting Pretzel’s leash on and making his way to their destination.

I know exactly what I want, and it's this life that we've created, inundated with the fated thought of you. - Closed to Rhy

This was it. This was moving day. Well... Moving week, really. They had been working for the last week or so to get their belongings moved from the red and blue building to the stonework house that was situated in a small neighborhood near the market.

But today, in particular, was special. It was moving in day. It was also, amusingly, their wedding anniversary. Which had felt rather fitting for their next step together.

There were other things, of course, that needed doing. The house was in livable conditions, but it did still need a little work here and there. Some painting needed to be done to freshen things, some small repairs here and there, and perhaps a little more cleaning where it had been vacant for so long...

But they were both rather eager lovebirds, after having been searching for the right house for a few months now. Especially since this one had been perfect, hitting most of the marks that they had agreed on for a home, which felt rather lucky.

Llewellyn had been... Well, he was up to something. Rhy would be able to tell that much as they got ready for the day. The detective had never been good at hiding things unless someone’s life depended on it (and if it was his life, then less so). So it was clear enough that he was keeping something to himself while they went over last-minute plans.

It was their wedding anniversary though, so what on earth did the man have up his sleeve today?

“So uh- we need to stop off at the shop to get the um...” He gestured at the windows lightly from where he was standing next to the closet, trying to button his shirt and get dressed for the day. “The materials you picked out for the curtains and your projects? And I have to get some paint to work in the kitchen in the next few weeks...” He tapped off the list on his finger, forgetting his task of getting dressed for a moment. “Should probably see if the carpentry shop has some of the things we commissioned finished, too. I think the note I received from the messenger said they had Pretzel’s bed and a few other things ready.” He added, piling a few more things onto the list while he tried to decide on a green waistcoat or a blue one.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Llewellyn smiled a little as he realized he had an audience. “We compare what I lift from the safe to those of suspects once we have things narrowed down. Everyone’s fingerprint is a slightly different pattern of mm… concentric circles and spirals. I’ll need samples of yours and Gili’s of course, to make sure I don’t mix them up.” He explained as he began dusting and lifting prints from the safe.

Well… He’d need Gili’s. Lauri-Ell’s would be rather obvious considering she had much larger hands than the average person. Still, it was something he could show her. “They won’t come in handy until after we narrow things down, of course. But it’s best to do this as fresh as possible, to avoid contamination. I expect Gili is going to need to make use of the safe in the meantime, after all.” Especially while they were off following Pretzel once he was on the trail.

"EVeryone's?"

Lauri lifted her fingers to her head to inspect them. Could that really be true? She wasn't seeing one. But this part of the forge was not as close to the fires and thus not as well lit at this early hour.

“Everyone’s!” Llewellyn confirmed, glancing up from his current task to see Lauri trying to see if she had finger prints. A small smile crossed his face at that. It was definitely too dim to see them right now…

So he dug around in his bag for the ink pad and a piece of paper to save her from squinting at her fingers. “Here, you can see them if you, um… press your fingers into the ink and then press them to paper. It will leave visible marks, easier to see than what I’m doing at the moment.”

It would also give him a chance to finish up so they could get to the next phase.

"I was not properly born. It is possible I was not designed with them," Lauri-Ell says. She does accept the tools though and tries to do as instructed, though it is nervous and awkward.

That gets a small pause, glancing up from his work again. “Mm… I suppose that’s true, if they didn’t want you to leave evidence of having had your hands on things. But finger prints are for more than leaving marks behind. They help one grip things as well.” He commented absentmindedly, moving back to finish dusting and taking prints off the safe.

Once he was done, though, he straightened and set them aside carefully. Taking a moment to stretch a bit from having been crouched for a little while. Instead, he turned his attention to Lauri as she tried to follow his suggestion, feeling a little bad that she seemed nervous about it. In hind sight, he realized he probably should have anticipated that considering what she’d said about her life… But he was pretty sure she must have prints of some sort.

"We wear gloves in the army," Lauri-Ell answered. So it didn't have that risk.

HEr life was, in strange ways, sheltered.

"Do we seek now?"

Gloves definitely made sense, he supposed. But her question gets a quick nod. “Indeed, we seek! Do you have the item for me?” He asked, adjusting Pretzel’s leash and guiding them back out of the forge. The hound seemed to get a bit excited, sensing the shift in his father’s tone. Yes, there was something fun to anticipate here! A game of seeking!

Because work to them was fun for him.

Lauri-Ell pointed to indicate a scrap of torn cloth. One with blood on it.

"There," she said, nodding to it. "I have not touched it."

“Excellent, that will do well.” Llewellyn responded, pulling on his pair of gloves. Taking it up and pulling a clean bag out of his satchel to transport it without contaminating the scent too much while they were on the move. “You up for the challenge, Pretzel?” He asked, crouching once they were at the doorway to the forge. Giving the hound instruction carefully, working from the signals he’d been teaching him before letting the dog get a good sniff of the cloth and watching him start to focus.

At first there was a bit of befuddled snuffling around the floor from the dog as he seemed to be trying to sort through it all. Then he started to look a little more focused, tugging on the lead as he caught the trail. “Off we go, then!”

"You believe it will work?" she said, hopeful as she strides after Llewellyn.

That tool was important after all.

"Has he recovered things before?"

Llewellyn keeps his eyes on Pretzel, letting the dog guide them as he trotted along with his nose and ears dragging along the ground. Lauri-Ell’s questions are good ones, though… And he had to be honest with her, of course. “I’m… quite confident in his ability, though I admit it’s hist first time taking on something serious.”

Serious as in, not a trail they’d set up for him or the hound catching the scent of someone he liked and following it to find them.

Still, he had a good track record with that much. “He’s excelled at finding both items I’ve hidden, and people he’s looked for, though. Even people that he hasn’t seen or been around in a long time- few weeks ago he somehow ended up on the trail of a friend who just arrived. I wasn’t even sure if he’d remember her.” He shook his head a little, clever dog had even somehow gotten out on his own and found his way to the woman on his own.

“So… I think we have a good chance, Lauri. It helps that you have something that belongs to the thief. It’ll help if he needs to refresh the scent on the way.” Which was why the cloth was kept carefully in something that wouldn’t contaminate the sent. They’d need it again if Pretzel found the trail got a bit muddled and he needed to find it again.

"Alright then. I shall put my faith in this scentbeast. Kree do not use creatures like them, so I am unfamiliar with how effective this c ould be."

But if he had faith, she would too.

“No?” He asked, dividing his attention between the conversation and watching Pretzel as the dog changed directions, leading them down another street after a moment or two. “I can’t say it’s an effective method all the time, but there has been a lot of success with scent tracking dogs. From the books I read in the last world, it’s something that endures through time? Even well into the future of my own world, from what I could tell.” So that said something, at least.

Watching as Pretzel paused, seeming to snuffle around in one spot for a bit as he tried to pick up the direction the trail went in, he moved forward and let the pup take another sniff of the cloth before he refocused and lead them off again.

“Mm… So are these rivals of Gili’s a problem often?” Llewellyn asked, wanting to get a better feel for the situation itself.

"That is interesting to hear, especially that you were able to determine this was true in your future."

She is definitely interested in all of what is going on actually. That Pretzel was happy to take a new sniff and set off again was exciting.

"They have not been before since I joined her."

“I did. There were some uh- unexpected perks when it came to the knowledge available in the last world I was.” He responded with a small shrug. It had gone a long way for figuring some things out. Some of it good for the future, some of it less good, but Llewellyn was the sort to take knowledge where he could get it. In times where there was very little to control, at least he could delve into something to focus on learning.

Still, turning down another alley, he watched as Pretzel picked up speed a bit. Llewellyn found he had to quicken his own steps to keep up, though he at least was a little more used to keeping a pace like this. Between spending so much time working on the go and jogging some mornings.

He hummed though, “So it’s a newer escalation...” He wondered what prompted the behavior… Well, jealousy and the business, probably. It was clear Gili was skilled, and that Lauri was improving her trade as well? Petty of these rivals, certainly, but people could be terribly petty when they couldn’t compete.

"Newer to my knowledge. But she implied it is old among them."

Perhaps Gili's rivals had been sick for a while. Or in Jail. Or something else.

Llewellyn listened thoughtfully. He could imagine quite a few reasons why they hadn’t instigated anything in a while. It wasn’t an answer they’d have until he worked out who the culprit was precisely, but it was worth finding out more. Might help anticipate future issues or avoid them. He might have to have a word with the guard to see if this was a pattern, if they’d picked the person up before.

“Well, we’ll have to see what we can figure out once we know more… I’d hate for this to be a regular occurrence for you both to deal with. Oh- looks like we’re going this way now.” He commented, tilting his head and hurrying along. Llewellyn might have been a little more concerned about this, given it was Pretzel’s first official job. It was a little different from the ones they’d planned. He wouldn’t want to let Lauri-Ell down, after all.

But then, the dog drew to a short stop. Snuffling around the ground, his ears dragging around his face as he seemed to trying to find the trail again. Llewellyn tilted his head slightly, “Need another sniff, bud?” He crouched to offer up the bag again, only for Pretzel to shoot off towards a building. The detective very nearly stumbled a bit as he straightened to catch up. It seemed like they might be closer.

Well now that was interesting. Lauri-Ell was quick to race after the pup. That Pretzel was going fast was a good sign, yes? And a building was helpful.

"I just hope this is where it is. I wish to have this day over. Perhaps I shall put Kree security over our things."

The building was definitely a good sign. It narrowed the search down to specific rooms and perhaps their culprit. Llewellyn only hoped they wouldn’t be hindered once they were inside. Not everyone was particularly fond of people bringing in animals off the street.

Well, there was only one way to find out. Especially as Pretzel bounded up the steps as quick as his awkward little legs could carry him to paw at the door to be let in. Llewellyn leaned forward to avoid stepping on the little guy and knocked on the door. It seemed to be a private building, and he wasn’t really the sort to just let himself in.

“Kree security?” He asked with some interest, was it like a kree built security system of some kind? He recalled seeing a few security systems in place at the Sphere, and even Murdoch had been working on something of the sort in his world.

"I suggest keeping a tight leash on him," Lauri-Ell said. If this potentially grew violent, she would wish to see him safe.

"There are some things my hammer may allow me to do."

“Good point. Wouldn’t want him to pull free.” Llewellyn responded, double winding the end of the leash around to tighten his grip and secure the hound a little better. Pretzel could get a bit excited after all, and too friendly when there were plenty who were less so. It would do well when they were looking for a missing child, less so when tracking down a thief.

He raised a brow a little, though. “Your hammer has an uh- security feature?” Well, that was convenient, at least by the sound of it. Llewellyn was starting to think he didn’t quite understand how the hammer worked and that it wasn’t exactly a normal hammer.

"It is tied to my biometrics," she answered. To touch it would mean being shocked. Quite badly.

It wasn't her forge hammer but the one she carried in battle.

“Biometrics… Right, that means it can only be used by you, right? I recall similar locks in the last world that only opened when those of us who it was assigned to touch it.” He commented thoughtfully, he didn’t full understand it… But he understood enough.

Finally, though, the door opened, and he considered how to introduce them. He wasn’t with the guard or anything… But he offered a polite duck of his head, reasonably sure the person who answered was in charge of the building. A landlord, presumably. “Pardon, we’re uh- here on an investigation. We’ll be discrete, if you don’t mind. We’re looking for… I believe one of your tenants, or someone visiting one.” He commented carefully, not about to offer details beyond what was necessary.

The man looked at the dog questioningly, to which Llewellyn awkwardly shrugged. “He’s with us, and he’s house-trained. No mess, I promise.” He added, as they made their way inside.

"Correct," Lauri-Ell says. "It knows my DNA. It sings to my blood."

And sings of her blood. And justice. It was a very awkward thing.

Oh, but there is the door opening. Lauri-Ell could see that the owner looked... unnerved, and she stood up straighter.

"Sir, I am the Apprentice of Blacksmith Gili Truestrike. If you were to allow us in, you would be doing a true favor to our smithy, and I would happily see some discounts on work."

The man still looked a bit... nervous about it all.

"Alright," he said at last, stepping himself aside more.

Llewellyn couldn’t help but admire the clever offer. It at least got them in the door without causing a commotion. That was key, after all, not alerting the thief to their presence. Not exactly an easy thing, given they were… a unique-looking trio. Anyone outside that might be an accomplice could warn the thief if they were seen coming.

But, so far, so good, as he nodded politely to the man as they passed him by. His tone lowering slightly as he let Pretzel lead them down the hall and past a series of doors, apartments presumably. “We should be close now… At least, I think so. Pretzel seems quite keen. The scent trail must be stronger in here.”

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