Riz Gukgak (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
nightyorb) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
victory_road2022-02-07 03:50 am
nightyorb) wrote in victory_road2022-02-07 03:50 am
[Video]
[There is some shuffling as the gear camera turns out, pointed at a messy looking desk, strewn with papers and, for some reason, five coffee cups? Almost immediately, Riz zips into frame, tossing himself down onto his desk chair with enough force that it spins part of the way around.
Riz is looking... not good is an understatement. The bags underneath his eyes are even darker than normal, the suit he wears is rumpled, tie half undone, and hat is sitting crooked on his head, some of his curly bangs escaping from underneath. He also seems to be vibrating with an intense, manic energy.
It's also, like, four AM.
Riz slams his small hands down on the messy desk in front of him, leaning slightly towards the camera.]
Okay. Okay, okay, we really need to talk about the police force in this place, the so called Jennies.
I mean, full disclosure, I didn't trust them right from the start. They are-- they are all exactly the same. Just... fucking identical. I've been watching them, trying to find any difference between them, and there is just nothing. [Riz pushes the bangs that have escaped from his hat off his forehead though they bounce right back.] That's super suspicious! Magic is not supposed to exist in this world, so how can all these identical women exist? And even if you could somehow explain that, you've gotta wonder why the whole police force is made up of the some person. Like, there is nobody in this world that ever grew up wanting to be a cop? Not a single person? Instead we've just trusted law enforcement to, uh, one... family maybe? And we are all supposed to be super fine with that?
People, this is nepotism at best, and... well, a lot of different possibilities at worst. So, I decided to do a little digging, gather some more evidence.
[Riz absently gestures over his shoulder at... oh man, that's one of those crimes clue boards, isn't it? Complete with a web of multi-coloured threads connecting seemingly unrelated pieces of evidence all according to some system that seems somewhat chaotic, but Riz, presumably, fully understands.]
I figured, what better place to gather evidence than inside one of those stations, right? You know, not messing with anything, just to see what they were up to.
And you know what I found? I found nothing!
Not nothing as in nothing suspicious. I found literally nothing. They've got no case files, nothing they are working on. All their paperwork was just identical copies of standard police handbooks, but like, nothing indicating they were actually actively working on solving any crimes.
There's not even an evidence room. [Riz punctuates this with a jabbing, jittery gesture.] I searched that place top to bottom, and there was not a single thing. What sort of police force does not have any evidence? Even if they have some sort of central evidence storage off site, they should have some evidence of ongoing cases at the local precinct.
So, yeah, we should definitely talk about this. Because this is super suspicious and the further I dig, the more suspicious it gets! There's something going on here, and who knows, it might be tied into whatever or whoever brought us here in the first place. Or at the very least we have to ask ourself who is benefitting from a society with a singular police force that does no investigations.
Oh, and I'm not asking you to just trust me on this. [Riz starts digging in the piles of papers on his desk, pulling out a sheaf of them.] I recorded everything I encountered inside. I've got stills and camera footages that I'll share with whoever wants to see it.
And obviously, the same thing probably goes for the Joys. I just started with the Jennies cause that's what I know the most about and I figured there is no way these those things aren't connected. You know, solve one mystery and you solve them both.
[Having said his piece, Riz sinks into the chair, breathing a little heavily from rattling off that much information. Absently, he reaches for one of the coffee mugs, taking a sip from it and making a face. Ah, cold.]
Riz is looking... not good is an understatement. The bags underneath his eyes are even darker than normal, the suit he wears is rumpled, tie half undone, and hat is sitting crooked on his head, some of his curly bangs escaping from underneath. He also seems to be vibrating with an intense, manic energy.
It's also, like, four AM.
Riz slams his small hands down on the messy desk in front of him, leaning slightly towards the camera.]
Okay. Okay, okay, we really need to talk about the police force in this place, the so called Jennies.
I mean, full disclosure, I didn't trust them right from the start. They are-- they are all exactly the same. Just... fucking identical. I've been watching them, trying to find any difference between them, and there is just nothing. [Riz pushes the bangs that have escaped from his hat off his forehead though they bounce right back.] That's super suspicious! Magic is not supposed to exist in this world, so how can all these identical women exist? And even if you could somehow explain that, you've gotta wonder why the whole police force is made up of the some person. Like, there is nobody in this world that ever grew up wanting to be a cop? Not a single person? Instead we've just trusted law enforcement to, uh, one... family maybe? And we are all supposed to be super fine with that?
People, this is nepotism at best, and... well, a lot of different possibilities at worst. So, I decided to do a little digging, gather some more evidence.
[Riz absently gestures over his shoulder at... oh man, that's one of those crimes clue boards, isn't it? Complete with a web of multi-coloured threads connecting seemingly unrelated pieces of evidence all according to some system that seems somewhat chaotic, but Riz, presumably, fully understands.]
I figured, what better place to gather evidence than inside one of those stations, right? You know, not messing with anything, just to see what they were up to.
And you know what I found? I found nothing!
Not nothing as in nothing suspicious. I found literally nothing. They've got no case files, nothing they are working on. All their paperwork was just identical copies of standard police handbooks, but like, nothing indicating they were actually actively working on solving any crimes.
There's not even an evidence room. [Riz punctuates this with a jabbing, jittery gesture.] I searched that place top to bottom, and there was not a single thing. What sort of police force does not have any evidence? Even if they have some sort of central evidence storage off site, they should have some evidence of ongoing cases at the local precinct.
So, yeah, we should definitely talk about this. Because this is super suspicious and the further I dig, the more suspicious it gets! There's something going on here, and who knows, it might be tied into whatever or whoever brought us here in the first place. Or at the very least we have to ask ourself who is benefitting from a society with a singular police force that does no investigations.
Oh, and I'm not asking you to just trust me on this. [Riz starts digging in the piles of papers on his desk, pulling out a sheaf of them.] I recorded everything I encountered inside. I've got stills and camera footages that I'll share with whoever wants to see it.
And obviously, the same thing probably goes for the Joys. I just started with the Jennies cause that's what I know the most about and I figured there is no way these those things aren't connected. You know, solve one mystery and you solve them both.
[Having said his piece, Riz sinks into the chair, breathing a little heavily from rattling off that much information. Absently, he reaches for one of the coffee mugs, taking a sip from it and making a face. Ah, cold.]
no subject
[Oh... that hesitance- nervousness?- makes her pause a bit before her smile softens again.]
I'm afraid that's a bit of a hazard with me; I tend to worry about my friends, whether they need it or not.
[He knows the story of her home, how much has slipped through her fingers. Sometimes she holds on too tightly, she knows, but she wants to take care of what she has left.]
no subject
[Solving the mystery, helping people in broad ways. All more important than Riz not burning himself out.]
no subject
[Yup, another familiar song and dance; it's Allura's go-to number.]
We will... once I make sure that my friend takes care of himself so he can keep figuring this out.
no subject
[We are in the bargaining stage now.]
no subject
[She gives the power bars a LOOK- somewhere, Riz can probably hear Sklonda going "power bars aren't breakfast, sweetheart..."- before she sighs. Baby steps.]
Deal. After you.
no subject
Okay! Your turn.
no subject
To start... Is there a chance the Jennies are related by blood? I take quite a bit after my own mother.
[To prove it, Allura holds up a hologram of her parents. Even though the image is tinged blue, the resemblance is quite uncanny. Aside from Queen Melenor having a fuller figure, rounder eyes, and much curlier, MUCH longer hair, she looks almost exactly like a middle-aged version of her daughter.]
no subject
Plus, okay, say we assume their appearances are totally innocent and just cause of them all being cousins or something [it is clear in Riz's voice that he does not believe this] don't you think it is a little suspicious that just one family is in control of all law enforcement? What, nobody outside this one particular family who wants the job?
no subject
Hm, point... On the one hand, I am from a royal family myself, but on the other hand, there are certainly downsides to concentrating power in one group of people.
[Case in point: Zarkon and his family...]
Still... if the populace was dissatisfied with the Jennies' service... this is a world where almost everyone, even the most peaceful and humble civilian, has at least one super-powered creature at their side. An uprising would be quite easy, with enough numbers and planning. So it stands to reason that either the Jennies are doing a satisfactory job, or holding up the illusion of doing so.
no subject
no subject
Exactly. ... But perhaps Jane might have ideas for how to do so that don't involve blatant breaking and entering...
no subject
no subject
Riz!
no subject
And in my defence, every person who I've killed has totally deserved it.
no subject
I get that, Riz... I am also a soldier. That doesn't mean you need to be so blasé about it. Plus, really, how much further in your investigation do you think you'll get if you get arrested?
no subject
[He's getting frustrated now, running a hand through his hair and jerking on the ends a little. He is tired (even if he doesn't want to admit it) and everybody here is such... such Mumple folks.]
People who've got something to hide aren't just gonna tell you about their business if you ask them nicely. You gotta investigate them, and if that means breaking a few laws in the process, so be it. I'm not doing this for just a fucking laugh, Allura. [he throws his hands out wide.] These people could be dangerous. Someone has to make sure they aren't.
Private 1/2
I am aware.
[She's tired too, slightly more willing to admit it than Riz is, but she takes a deep, harsh breath through her nose. She is NOT getting into a fight this early in the morning. Still, she's going to switch this to private.]
All I mean is that you need to be more careful. Not only for your own sake, but for those attached to you. Whether you are right or not, you could end up putting Jane's reputation at risk. She is your employer, and a gym leader and private investigator. Your actions reflect on her now, and not only could she face scrutiny on whether she should keep those positions, but if the Jennies are as malevolent as you think, you could be painting even more targets on her back.
Private 2/2
And your other friends care about you as well. [A soft sigh.] I know it's hypocritical of me to advise any of this, but please take care of yourself. You need to take better care of your body so that you can think at your sharpest and get yourself out of trouble, and you need to plan. At least speak with Jane on how best to approach this. Please.
no subject
He doesn't care much about himself. This is what he does, it's fine. His body is used to the lack of sleep and the excess of caffeine. It's fine.
But he does care a lot about people, but the faceless ones, the people who live here, who is sure are getting tricked by these Jennies, but also people like miss Jane who was kind enough to give him a job and take him in. Allura is right in saying his actions can reflect badly on what she has created for herself, and Riz certainly doesn't want that.
Unfortunately, the conclusion he draws from this is that it is time to get out of miss Jane's hair. That if his behaviour is going to reflect badly on her business and gym, then he should separate himself from that.]
Yeah... yeah, I should talk to miss Jane.
no subject
[There... he's totally being reasonable and not misinterpreting her words at all. She calms down and gives him a soft smile and nod.]
Good. For now, get some rest. I'm sure Jane will have plenty of ideas for how you can go about this. ["You" being plural. "We are always stronger together" and all that.] I do wish you best of luck, Riz.
no subject
All right. I'll go do that. I'll see you later.
[He has things to think about. Normal and sensible things.]