[PRP] Unsolved Mysteries [Minerva?/Shun]

[shibrogane]

"Yeah, I don't know," she said. "I don't know that Melany would usurp anything from anyone unless it was a prime role in some performance we were auditioning for. Like, she's as cutthroat as any one of us, but not more cutthroat, you know?"

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

"I have seen now seen Melany as her fearsome self, and as... someone more along who you know, perhaps. Something must have changed her for the worse."

If magic was commonplace for Minerva, was it possible that the cage had not even been created yet?

"I suppose you have also never heard of Renard or Sunny either, then," he sighed. He had already gone through most of the big figures that were stuck in the middle of this, "It is possible you are from a cycle far, far before the one I am in."

Afterwards seemed less possible.

Shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I know Renard," said Minerva, laughing. "Renard Leroux, right? Who knows Jerry and doesn't know Renard? What's next, are you going to ask after Liam and Temperance? Or Shiloh and Jamie?"

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

"...Well I know all of those people you just mentioned. Or at least... a version of them. But yes, that is the Renard I speak of," he stated. before slowly asking, "The Jeremiah from my time has the surname of Mercer. But... does yours happen to be Tailor?"

Another pause.

"I heard word of a one timeline where Renard and Liam also housed Shiloh and Jamie. Is this true for you?"

Shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Wow, housed," laughed Minerva. "Oh my god, that's, like, an understatement. I think Renard would kill the man who looked at Jamie or Shiloh wrong. Stone cold. He wouldn't even hesitate."

She tilted her head at the other question, though. "Uh, no. Mercer. Jerry Mercer. He used to be a detective, 'til he retired."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

One out of two. The difference in Jeremiah's surname shook things, but it did not completely trash his line of thought. He could have had a name change. Even if this wasn't someone from the very beginning he was looking at here, it was likely that here was someone who was pretty close to the start of the 19 cycles.

"I think I have a better idea of when you are from. If I am right, then... you came way before any of this."

He was having difficulty wrapping his head around the thought of it, really.

"Do you know if Jerry used to live or work in New York? If I am correct, then presumably the Shun Kuroda of your era may still be there. May or may not be a bouncer at some bar," he started before muttering under his breath, "Possibly with a ******** buzzcut."

Shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Yeah," said Minerva. "Like, a long time ago. That's where he and Renard and Liam met. And I think the bar you're talking about is Andromache, but it was bombed in November of 1989, like before I even met Jerry, so I don't know why Jerry would want me to call you if you were there when the..."

She stopped and tilted her head to the side. "When Temperance and Algernon died."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

"...It got bombed?"

Well damn. He didn't know about that bit.

Shun furrowed his brow. A few pieces were fitting together, but not everything was in place.

"Wait. But over the phone, you mentioned Algernon. Not to tell him anything," he pointed out. He couldn't do that if he were dead. Was it possible that she was from the first cycle? Though, he wasn't sure if a different cycle would really have so few changes from the original when things had been quite a bit different thus far from what he could tell.

Shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"Yeah," said Minerva. "Renard almost died. Jerry had to close the place down, the structural damage was awful. The whole building went."

She said, "I'm not stupid. This place lives between times, and I didn't know if you lived in 1992 or whatever. If you lived before 1989, you might've met him. And I'd rather he not know, because then Jerry would know, and the two of them together are not a group I want to deal with."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

"That is... unfortunate."

Shun then shook his head at her, "Forgive me. Up until a year ago, I was not even aware that magic existed. A lot of this is still very new to me, and I did not even know this place was around before the cage had been created."

He took in a deep breath.

"Since your time, the world has reset about 19 times. Some big s**t is headed your way in the near future. Not sure of the exact date but..." he shrugged, "While I do not know where she is exactly, I do believe Melany is still alive where you are from. Just... take caution. Somewhere down the line, something will change her to be far different. And she will turn on you."

Most likely these words would fall on deaf ears. It probably couldn't change history, especially if this was somehow a closed loop or whatever.

"How much do you know about the use of sigils and seals when it comes to magic?"

Shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

Minerva half-smiled a confused sort of smile. "What do you mean? The cage has been created. Renard's been tangled up in it for like, hundreds of years."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

Every time he thought he had something, he'd get a wrench thrown at him.

"So... the Principals are already in play. But not necessarily Pax, Pride, or Noeh."

He tilted his head at her, "I thought the cage's creation sealed up magic, along with Renard."

Shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"It sealed up Renard's magic," agreed Minerva, "but not all of it. That'd be almost impossible."

Blade Kuroda

 

[Blade Kuroda]

"Are you saying that the magic in your world is the remnants of Renard's magic?"

Was that the case for the present too? He did recall the time Ascension started to go haywire. She was all of magic. Right then and there. And she was Renard's daughter.

Shun shook his head.

"I am not... entirely certain how you all seemed to have managed to retain memories of what came before in that case."

Shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"What are you talking about," asked Minerva. "Like, seriously. You're not making any sense." She paused, and held up her free hand, and said, "Okay, yes, the magic remaining in the world is what wasn't bound up with Renard's. He was tremendously magically powerful, you realize? Like, changing-the-magic-of-the-entire-world powerful? But what do you mean, what came before? 1989 was literally three years ago. Two and a half years ago."

Blade Kuroda