[PRP] Try Darlene's [America/Fox]

[demon_pachabel]

She'd always meant to go speak with America Jones first. In retrospect, she should have asked Sonny if she'd had the woman's number when she'd mentioned America was her friend. Now, Fox instead had to follow information given by associates who knew the woman's name.

'Try Darlene's' they said. Fox was vaguely familiar with the place, so it wasn't too awkward of an entrance - it helped that she wasn't in uniform. There was something about being in uniform in a public place that made people nervous, and if this young lady ended up not showing, Fox wasn't about to throw up nerves for no reason.

She ordered a drink and then waited patiently.

Lizbot

Sorry it is potato.

 

[lizbot]

A muted Later America! Came from the kitchen, and a girl in her late teens, early twenties stepped out, adjusting her coppery ponytail and leather satchel as she prepared to leave. There were two geezers at the end of the bar and they proceed to flirt and tease with the ease of familiar, if obnoxious, friends.

With a laugh she left them and passed by Fox's table as she made her way to the door. From outside came a muted bird cry that had the girl rolling her eyes, muttering something under her breath.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

She'd been given enough of a description of America to have an inkling that the ponytailed young lady passing her by was exactly who she was looking for. Turning in her chair, Fox faced America (the entire continent. It was intense.)

"America Jones?" she asked, "Officer Fox Bliskiss." she introduced herself, "I've been told I should perhaps ask you a few questions about an item that is in your possession and may have some relevance to a case I'm investigating."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

America's face was the picture of startlement. Then recognition. Then shiftiness. All followed by a wide-eyed and innocent, "Oh gosh! Well of course, Officer Blisskiss, I'll answer best as I can for whatever this is about."

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Liam Noor's book," Fox explained in three words. "It has come up multiple times in my questioning as to why Mr. Noor would have disappeared." Fox saw no reason for America to behave as though she had something to hide (DID she have something to hide?).

"What can you tell me about this book? Perhaps about a woman named Vivien who is mentioned within it."

lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"Oh! The Cagemaker's Conundrum. He lent it to me when we were talking about his class and me maybe enrolling in it. It was in December though," America added apologetically. "So I'm not real sure why it'd keep coming up. It's a book on magical theory and such, about cages. Miss Viv gave him the book, they were engaged you see, before she died."

Considering the fact that Liam was married to Renard and that they had a teenage daughter, the grief that passed over America's features was oddly fresh.

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Of cancer, in 1984." Fox confirmed. America's information matched up with what she had been told by Sonny. "What I'd like to know is if the book perhaps mentions...." she leaned back onto the table she was sitting at. "Miss Ascension Shore believes her Papa," Fox was careful on the verbage distinction between 'Papa' and 'Father', since it had seemed significant, "has gone to find a possession of Miss Vivien's. My curiosity is if perhaps the book's contents would have a hint of where such an item could be found."

Lizbot

 

[lizbot]

America's innocent smile faded into something more pensive. Leaning forward she asked in a low voice, "Officer Blisskiss, How d'you feel about magic?"

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Fox kept her expression neutral, mostly to match a very generic response: "If I had a problem with it, I wouldn't have been hired, I assure you. As for a personal take on it...." the smallest frown creased the corners of her mouth, "I haven't had enough experience to make an opinion on it."

Which was true.

"I'm willing to give all a clear slate to start on. Magic has been no different."

Lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"There's good to it, there's a lot of good to it. But the bad parts...they can get real bad. The book talks magic. If there's something Professor Noor was looking for, it's probably magic. If something's caught him up or hurt him? It's gonna involve magic, Officer Blisskiss," America's voice stayed low, careful not to be overheard by other tables.

The girl's gaze was firmly on Fox as she went on, "You need to be careful. Find someone more experienced before searching deeper, cause if you find a lead to any such item...whatever's happened to him might still be waiting for whoever follows."

demon_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

It was strange to think an item so innocent would be considered magic. Then again, there was a whole book series on how a mundane seeming item was actually magic and caused a few wars and ended up in a volcano. So perhaps Fox was a bit more willing to accept that yes, the thing that Liam Noor was looking for was perhaps magic.

Fox's chest tightened - mostly from nerves, she hoped as she considered the repercussions of this. Still, she took a deep breath and nodded. "I understand, Miss Jones. Never the less, I told Ascension Shore and her father that I would look for Mr. Noor. So my question stands: Would the book's contents tell me of any place Ms. Vivien would have left behind her possessions?"

Lizbot

 

[lizbot]

That was better than before, but still not an assurance. So America didn't mention a specific area of the cliffs or the Other Place, but she did eventually sigh and give a small nod. "It's possible. There's notes and such throughout the book. Both their handwriting, Professor Noor's and Miss Viv's, in it. I'll take a close look through and see if anything like that stands out. Maybe intent'll summon something up. If I find anything, I'll report it in. Do you got a card?"

It felt off, to not be fully open and helpful in this, but the weight of responsibility for this world made the girl careful. She wasn't going to throw someone alone and unprepared directly in the path of whatever happened to Liam, at least not if she could help it.

demoxn_pachabel

 

[demon_pachabel]

Fox pulled out a contact card, offering it to America. "Places and notes on if I should perhaps bring along either Detective Kuroda or Chief Mercer if I follow up on them would be much appreciated." Any mention of cliff areas probably would have gotten Fox's attention - Ascension had mentioned that Mr. Noor had been a rock climber solely with Vivien.

Lizbot

 

[lizbot]

"The answer is yes, bring someone along. Check in regular with your people. What if I wasn't nice, Officer? This coulda gone real bad, even right here in public." Pulling out her own phone, America sent a text to the number on the card.

Getting up from the table, she set down a silver dollar in front of Fox. There was a little hole punched in the top and a ball chain looped through it. "I gotta go, but keep this on you, just in case."

xdemon_pachabel

Text from: ???
if you get into trouble
hold it tight and think of a safe place
a safe dark place

Shadow Shield Pendant

This will hide Fox in shadows when used. When inside the shadows, she can still see, but it's a little wonky, think One Ring. It works best in OAD. The magic will leave with several uses and it'll just be a regular necklace again unless she gets a new one or asks America to renew the the glyph.

 

[demon_pachabel]

"Well, I'd like to think that someone Ascension called her friend wouldn't be the kind to keep me from finding her Papa." Fox stated firmly, though the point was established. "So shame on me."

Fox didn't immediately reach out for the necklace. In fact, outside of a glance at it, she didn't react to it at all. Nor did she check her phone. She kept her eyes solely on America.

"Very well. I've asked all I needed to. Have a nice rest of the evening, Miss Jones."

Lizbot