Forum Thread

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Jace Mawer (Nora)

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"Ah, ah," Nora chided. "Starting small? Those are the words of a fool! You have to aim high in case you fall short, my dear." She grinned. "Hence world domination! If you just wanna win this case, rack up a promotion- well, goodie for you, but ol' Nora over here will be kicking ass!"

Stella reminded her a bit of Femi. The patronising and the worrying and just being so very set in her own head and ideas. She took things the way they were, accepted them and worked with it.

For just a single moment, Nora found herself hating the old Oracle. For her cowardice, for her foolishness, for her- everything that just stood there and lived with the way things were. As though she were Femi, back with his stutters and his defense of their already broken society.

Then it faded and the smile returned to her face. "I'm kidding, don't worry! World domination can go on the backburner for now. You just go on and keep ol' Nora grounded and we'll make the perfect team. The dreamer and the realist, besties forever! The greatest Detective duo!"

She thought for a second.

"Oh, and Buraddo. Them too."

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Abryn Soelare

what's he supposed to be doing again

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Cassidy Louvin

Hm. The place seemed lively today, not that it was unexpected but it was really just... Unsettling. Cass hadn't started the day off on the note she would've liked to have, and instead was on the verge of crawling into a corner, rolling up into a ball, and crying her eyes out. Even still, she kept her head high and her smile up, so it wasn't that big of a deal.

Anyways, she got the news that today would be somewhat interesting at least, but to start it off she would need to head to the office of someone's name I cannot remember. Aww man... Guess that means she couldn't get her other work done, or hang out at the forensics lab like she had hoped... Oh well, she couldn't pass this up, right? She made her way to the assignments board and peaked around for her own name, finding it listed under an assignment alongside two others.

Niwa Atsushi
Cassidy Louvin
Iliya Orlov Volkov

Interesting... One of the detectives and an intern, this should be alright. They seemed to already be in the room, so she looked over and gave them a little wave, stopping at that.

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"Remember though, if you aim too high, you end up short. It's like throwing a ball, the perfect arc makes the furthest distance." Stella laughs a little shy, Nora's excited nature did make it easy for the old Oracle to focus on her. "I never say don't dream for the world, take it and the solar system when you're at it! It's just best to build a reliable foundation first."

Hm. In hindsight, Nora does remind her of one of her android sisters... a dreamer. An optimist. While others aim to become lawyers, she'd aim for judge. Shame they haven't been in touch but... as the only "fleshling" out of five, they had their unity with just four people.

"Tell you what." Stella says, sounding a little more comforting than before. "If we're going to be the greatest Detectives ever, a sense of direction is always important! Do you think you know a lesser known path to the station? You never know when you need someone off your trail!~"

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คภ๔гคєɭ ςครร๏ฬคгץ

~~~
קг๏Ŧเɭєг

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Andry trailed behind the exuberant pair of Mawer and Stella, the hallway echoing with obnoxious enthusiasm and Stella's subdued responses. The stark contrast between Mawer's relentless chatter and Stella's meek demeanor grated on Andry's nerves. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at being dragged along like an unwilling participant in their ridiculous parade. Stella's lack of assertiveness, the absence of a commanding presence, was a constant reminder of the stark differences between them. And her deference to Mawer's exuberance only pissed her off more.

Buraddo, stalwart and silent, walked beside them, a presence that did little to alleviate Andry's irritation. The seasoned detective, usually a beacon of wisdom and experience, appeared lost in his thoughts. Andry found herself almost wishing for the usual stoic reassurance that Buraddo's words often provided. It would shut the other two up. No such luck.

To make matters worse, Mawer persisted in addressing her as "Andy," a misguided attempt at camaraderie that only intensified Andry's annoyance. If they were going to insist on uncomfortable familiarity, the most Mawer could do was get her name right. How many red cases had they worked together? It was a grating reminder of the superficial nature of their interactions, the facade of friendship that Mawer attempted to construct.

Andry, despite her external composure, seethed internally. The mismatched quartet moved through the corridors like a dissonant orchestra, and Andry found herself yearning for the comfort of solitude. The morbid excitement that bubbled within her at the prospect of examining the killer's work was a darker aspect of her psyche—one she acknowledged but seldom allowed to surface. The allure of dissecting the macabre intricacies of a crime scene, the twisted artistry of a murderer, fascinated her. She knew by the end of the case she'd end up scaring a few more interns, her complete adoption of the killer's personality inevitable and terrifying. No one else in the department could walk around with another's face so easily. No one could. Except for Lana. Lana had given her a run for her money once. Inside a lovely little safe house, her breath hot on Andry's cheek as she cleaned the bullet wound in her shoulder-

Ahem. Andry was off topic. Listen to the stupid chatter. Pretend to take it in. Make some fakey-fake response in return. "Let's just go..." she muttered, brushing past Stella.

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Niwa Atsushi

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"Oh! There- she is." Wow, he really was good at sticking his foot in his mouth, wasn't he? Goddammit. He withheld a sigh as he approached her, trying to smile.

"Hey... you're Cassidy, right? I'm Niwa Atsushi, the- well, your Detective, I guess. We're on the same case, though you probably already knew that so I probably should shut up now and- oh boy." He sighed. "Okay. We're on the same case together. Do I call you Cassidy, or does Cass work?"

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Jace Mawer (Nora)

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Someone off our trail? Nora perked up. What an interesting thing to say. Was it possible that Stella...?

Too late, then. She kept the smile on her face regardless. "Of course~! I know everything after all. Just stick with me and we'll be down there in no time!"

"Let's just go..." Andy, grumpy as always, pushed past them to take the lead. It was, quite frankly, rude and Nora briefly considered stealing her hat, but then she discovered that Andy did not have a hat, which was frustrating as it would've been very aesthetic.

"Hey, Andy, how come you don't have a hat? I figured it'd go real nice with that whole 'middle aged divorced lawyer with an estranged son who doesn't love her' kind of vibe you've got going on."

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Stella raises an eyebrow and shakes her head, sighing. The issue with a detective squad isn't just that their chemistry has to be right but also each other's "insights". She just went with the flow, less because she had no backbone but rather because, with someone as energetic as Nora, fighting against her would just be pointless.

"Personally, I like their get-up." Stella replied, shaking her head a little at the bluntness of her fellow detective. "But let's slow things down, okay? I think you have more life in you right now than us four combined and it's the early morning hours. Some still have to boot up." She finally frees herself of Nora's grip and puts both hands in her pockets. "All in favour of a slower start?"

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Cassidy Louvin

Huh. Did he really not know her? Well, it made sense, Cass was sorta new here and didn't really know all of her fellow employees well, so she really couldn't expect them to know her either. She heard about Niwa and all, but not much about the other guy... Oh well, guess this would be the perfect time to do so then.

She made her way over to the duo, giving a bright smile as she continued to wave. "Hellooooo~! Yup! Cassidy Louvin, at your service! Nice to uh-" She held her hand out for a handshake, letting out a sheepish chuckle while doing so. "Formally meet you, Niwa."

"We're on the same case, though you probably already knew that so I probably should shut up now and- oh boy."

Cass gave him an amused smile while lightly laughing to herself, finding his fumble humorous. "Don't worry about it, honestly. And yeah, Cass'll do juuuust fine. Cassidy, Cassi, Cass, Dee..." She began to trail off, "Y'know, any sort of whacky name you can come up with will be a-ok for me!"

Oh. Right. She was supposed to be more put-together than this, she was at work for christ's sake! Talking to someone who was technically higher up than her too... Oh god, this was going great. Hopefully she didn't seem too... Unprofessional. "Ahh sorry! Getting a little too worked up about this, aren't I-" She muttered quietly, her entire demeanor seemed to recoil and constrain itself.

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Jace Mawer (Nora)

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Uh oh, bore alert. Couldn't Nora be mean to Andy in peace?

"Slower start!" she cheered anyway.

They exited the Clockwork Detective Agency and started down the road for the nearest LRT. The sun had risen by now, and the morning was well off, people of all sorts scurrying about the streets. As she walked, she skipped over the cracks in the sidewalk.

I don't want to fall into Middle Earth.

Sometimes, the city of Trydanfaid looked as though it were constantly plagued with earthquakes or some giant monster that liked to leave a few claw marks in the concrete. But no, it was only plagued with an aging population and a city council that didn't care about the human part of town.

Femi had been mad at her when she brought it up, even as a joke.

One day, he said. Humans and androids will be equal. And we'll all live in harmony.

But what if there aren't any humans left when that day rolls 'round? she asked him.

He didn't reply, but she got the sense he wanted to say something... just didn't see the point in talking to someone who wouldn't listen. At the time she was smug, happy to have 'won', but now she wished he'd said something. Anything, if only to soothe over the emptiness in her memories.

Sometimes, she tried to talk to him, but like the crevices and cracks in Trydanfaid's roads, there were also pieces of her memory that'd worn down, cut away by time. She'd start up a conversation with imaginary Femi and rip it to shreds in her frustration, because even in her dreams he never said anything he really meant. She supposed the whole time she'd known him, she'd never really known anything. He was a mystery now and with each passing day, that mystery lost its colours and its sharp edges, fading into a soft, dim memory.

"Lookee, guys! We're here, and-" She checked the screen. "Five minutes to the next train! We're making great time!"

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Niwa Atsushi

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"Oh no, oh no!" Niwa squeaked. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you feel bad. Here!" He fumbled through his pocket and put his wallet in her hand. "Buy a coffee! Or wait, no that's weird-" He snatched it back. "I'll buy you a coffee! On our way to..."

He checked the address.

"Er... 21 Stryd Neidio? Yeah. There. Er... Cass."

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คภ๔гคєɭ ςครร๏ฬคгץ

~~~
קг๏Ŧเɭєг

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Andry's irritation simmered beneath her veneer of composure as Mawer's playful jabs grated on her nerves. The deliberate misnaming, the persistent attempts at camaraderie—each utterance fueled the smoldering fire of Andry's disdain. Yet, she maintained her icy exterior, her gaze cutting through the facade of Mawer's forced cheerfulness.

"Of course~! I know everything after all. Just stick with me and we'll be down there in no time!" Mawer's words dripped with misplaced confidence, a boast that Andry found both laughable and infuriating. The audacity to claim omniscience in the realm of investigation was a display of ignorance that bordered on absurdity.

As they inquired about Andry's nonexistent hat, she could see a smug smile playing on Mawer's lips, a sly attempt at needling the profiler. The mention of a hat, an aesthetic choice that Andry did not indulge in, irked her ever so slightly.

"Hey, Andy, how come you don't have a hat? I figured it'd go real nice with that whole 'middle-aged divorced lawyer with an estranged son who doesn't love her' kind of vibe you've got going on." The comment hung in the air, a moment pregnant with the unspoken tension between the trio. Andry's cold gaze met Mawer's, her response poised on the edge of scathing humor and outright insult.

"Hats are for those who need an accessory to distract from their lack of substance," Andry retorted, her voice laced with an acidic edge. The words dripped with disdain, a calculated verbal strike aimed at puncturing Mawer's facade. They were a puffed up windbag, useful for only turning their annoying attributes on the targets Andry manipulated them into attacking. She had always been good at absorbing their attacks. It didn't matter if she caught a bullet or two in the crossfire. Unlike many of her comrades, she'd caught literal bullets.

And... Stella. The detective who was going to probably lose her lunch when she saw the body. "Besides, I'm not the one who's forty-something and still a simple detective." She inclined her head at Stella, who was indeed a middle-aged, dead end detective.

The crime scene awaited, a canvas of darkness that beckoned Andry to immerse herself in its shadows. The morbid allure of the investigation overshadowed the petty dynamics of their interactions. In this realm of darkness and revelation, Andry found a solace that transcended the superficial banter of the world outside. Thank god they were here. Maybe her companions would shut up.

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Stella's eyebrow went even higher, the sudden jab from Andrael was surprising. Not really hurtful, just out of nowhere. She could retort... let her in on her backstory and this being her second detective career, not her first. There were numerous things she could say to smite down the cockiness of her "colleague" but, no, no. They don't need to argue and then have the awkward silence over the entire train ride, that would be foolish. And weird... but with Nora's energy all over the place and Andrael acting like a superior being, she just could not resist. A simple jab would not hurt and she wouldn't need to tell about her former career.

"If hats distract from substance, perhaps glasses suit you. They distract from your inadequacy."

Stella wasn't usually the one to insult others but if there is one thing she dislikes, it's false superiority.

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Abryn Soelare

he's rockin around the christmas tree ig

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Cassidy Louvin

Cass stood in silence for a bit, blinking rapidly out of pure befuddlement. What... Just happened?

Or rather, what did he say?

She stared at the wallet in her hands and opened her mouth to reply, only to be too utterly confused to follow through. "I- Uh..."

"I'll buy you a coffee! On our way to... Er... 21 Stryd Neidio? Yeah. There. Er... Cass."

"A-alright... Thanks...?" Was all she could get out, at least, not until she recovered and was able to actually process it all. "Oh, no it's fine, Niwa! Didn't do a thing, really, don't worry about it! 'Preciate the offer but you don't need to-"

She paused, figuring this was probably leading to nowhere. Well, now she actually felt bad, it was just a back and forth and Cass wasn't doing much to clear the situation at hand. "Well... If you insist-... I'll uh-"

She perked right up again, seemingly getting rid of that nervous and flustered air that plagued her. "I'll pay you back! But uh..." She looked over at Iliya and sighed. "Guess we should get goin' then, huh?"

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คภ๔гคєɭ ςครร๏ฬคгץ

~~~
קг๏Ŧเɭєг

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"If hats distract from substance, perhaps glasses suit you. They distract from your inadequacy." Stella's counter was swift, a retaliatory strike that aimed to shift the balance of their verbal sparring. The mention of glasses, an accessory Andry did not wear, demonstrated Stella's willingness to engage in the exchange on her terms. What the heck was this woman thinking? A subtle smirk played on her lips, a nonchalant acknowledgment of the attempted jab. The insult, lacking accuracy in its application, failed to pierce the armor of Andry's self-assured demeanor.

"Glasses, my dear Detective De Caelo, are for those who need a clearer view of the world," Andry replied, her tone dripping with sarcastic nonchalance. "As you can see, I don't need them."

Stella's choice to engage in the banter, to fling insults in return, was a departure from her usual meek demeanor. Andry observed the subtle shift, a crack in the facade that hinted at a willingness to play the game on her terms. The challenge intrigued Andry, and beneath her composed exterior, a flicker of amusement danced in her cold gaze. Of course everyone was hiding something. Andry didn't hate Stella. She just found her boring until proven otherwise.

But they were a team. She couldn't just insult them all day. Oh well. Back to the case.

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"Shame." Stella replies, smiling and putting both her hands into her pockets. She simply enjoys the banter, it was better than being dragged around by Nora. And Buraddo was... well, the most passive he's been so far. So, she concludes with one last line.

"They would suit you. And they would look good on you as well." With Andrael being witty, she should pick up what she actually meant. "... alright, enough of this back and forth. I've been a detective and higher for the past thirty-odd years, it's not like you're the first overperformer I've met. But I do believe you'll do wondrous work on the crime scene... I'm looking forward to it, Detective Cassowary." Stella gives her a little smirk, insults were her forte but it was too early for them. And, in her opinion?

Andrael wasn't really deserving them either.

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คภ๔гคєɭ ςครร๏ฬคгץ

~~~
קг๏Ŧเɭєг

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Andrael's lips curled into a faint, sardonic smile at Stella's parting words. The banter had run its course, and beneath the surface of their exchange, Andry sensed a subtle shift in Stella's demeanor. The detective's smile and hands in her pockets betrayed a genuine enjoyment of the verbal sparring, a sentiment that echoed Andry's own appreciation for the dance of words.

"They would suit you. And they would look good on you as well." Stella's parting remark was layered with a subtle acknowledgment, a veiled admission that beneath the facade of banter, there existed a shared understanding. Andry caught the nuance, the unspoken truth that hinted at a depth beyond the superficial exchanges. A fleeting moment of introspection crossed Andry's mind. The woman was twice her age... Andry assumed the comment wasn't flirtatious. But everyone could always use a bit more perspective. Fair enough.

Stella's purported vacant expressions were dismissed as a carefully constructed facade, a calculated choice to present an unassuming front. While the detective's demeanor might lean toward the meek and, in Andry's eyes, still a tad mundane, the profiler couldn't ignore the undercurrent of shrewdness that lurked beneath. The sharpness in Stella's responses hinted at a deliberate strategy, a conscious effort to navigate their banter while concealing a more astute intellect. Andry, perpetually cynical, recognized the nuances that spoke of a subtle strength in Stella, an unassuming sharpness that contradicted any initial assumptions of dullness. In a world where appearances often deceived, Andry found a begrudging appreciation for Stella's quiet acumen, a quality that added a layer of complexity to their evolving collaboration. She was marginally less boring now.

"Overperformer. Hardly. I'm just a bit of a specialist. Thank you, Detective De Caelo," Andry corrected, her tone carrying a hint of amusement. "And I hope you're prepared to put in the work. No junior detectives means everyone's doing their fair share of leg work and research."

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Jace Mawer (Nora)

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"Aww, Andy's so mean." Nora laughed, swinging her arms back and forth. She paused to jump up two steps a time, stopping at the top and spinning around to face them, her hands clasping behind her back. She smiled. "Honestly, you'd look a lot cuter if you just dressed up a bit. Caring about the way you present- well, people are very visual. You could learn a thing or two from me."

She leaned down towards them. "After all, first impressions go a long way. If you look cute enough, people tend to underestimate you." She grinned. "Just some friendly advice from a future Head Detective!~ Oh!"

Nora yelped as she stumbled down a few steps. She looked behind her and spotted the rando who'd bumped into her and was now hurrying away.

Her eyebrow twitched and a grin slowly grew on her face. Think you can just run ol' Mawer over and get away with it, do you?

"Hey!" she yelled. "Get back here!" She ran after them, waving her fist and they yelped, breaking into a run.

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Niwa Atsushi

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"Yeah, going, going..." He fumbled with the wallet and finally jammed it into his coat pocket. "Alright. We'll take the red line down to the LRT in Central. Then we... can probably walk. I think?"

Wait! Pretend you know what you're doing. Like, immediately. Or at least look like you're pretending you know what you're doing so you're doing something and they think you're a soft boy if you can't make 'competent superior who's guiding you on this mission.'

"I know, actually! Let's go, guys, hurry, hurry..." He ushered them towards the door. "We don't want to be late! Times-a-wasting!"

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"Don't think I can't put in the work because of my age. But I appreciate the reminder, Detective." Stella laughs a little, shaking her head a bit and her eyes dart around the train station again, picking up details. Train departures, snippets of conversations, before going back to Andrael.
Her initial assessment of Andrael was wrong but she was glad that it was. Better to have a slightly cocky but competent person than a nervous wreck with no expertise whatsoever. So, as they wait for the train, why not ask a simple question to warm up the craniums?

"No junior detectives... hmph. Do you think-" Stella's question is interrupted by Nora dashing behind the random person. A part of her wants to shout after her but another part thought differently. "With the energy she's displaying all morning, she could probably tackle him and still make the train..."

"Should we assist?" Stella turns to Andrael and Buraddo.

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Jace Mawer (Nora)

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They were fast, but no match for Jace Mawer, once quarterback of the University of Trydanfaid! She tackled them to the ground and they yelped as the two rolled over, over and over again and-

The hood fell off their face. Nora's mouth opened in an 'o'.

It was impossible of course, but-

"Are you," she ventured hesitantly. "A Volkov by any chance?"

Then they kneed her in the stomach. She was still sputtering on the ground by the time they'd vanished into the early morning crowd, no one any the wiser. God that hurt. He was most definitely a Volkov- that kid hit her right in the solar plexus, for god's sake.

Ow. She supposed she deserved it after jump-tackling him to the ground, but...

She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. That face- it was too eerily similar. There was no way that Alexei had a kid who looked so much the spitting image. That had been Alexei- just a decade and a half too young.

Nora finally managed to push themself to their feet and trudge back to their group. "Don't say anything," they muttered venomously, shooting Andrael a glare as they fell back in step with them.

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🧣Eloi Torres's POV🌧

Niwa had disappeared. Probably... off to do his own things. Yeah. That was... fine, right? He couldn't blame him for that. Maybe they could catch up later.

He looked at his own assigned case, taking deep breaths to steady himself. This was going to be fine. He headed towards the exit of the agency. He'd figure this out, like he always did.

Hopefully.

📚SAWYER LAURENS'S POV🍭

"That makes ✨nothing clearer at alllll!✨" Sawyer exclaimed, somehow gaining a similar ability to Saeko's in which they could use emojis in their speech. "But okay! Sure!" They hopped along with the supposed Head Detective.

♟Laurence Walton's POV📖

He watched the detectives filing out, off to their own separate cases. Okay. It wasn't like this wasn't important work as well. But... it still felt shameful. His talents were being WASTED on mopping and sweeping and scrubbing.

Still, he didn't let any of his disdain show. His face was one of utterly composed neutrality.

Just one month, just one month.

The worst part about all this was undoubtedly the fact Andreja had just run off. Stolen his hat, and wasn't even helping with the work. She'd probably get in trouble again... and, so help him, if she DID get herself in trouble, he might wind up blamed for not keeping her under wraps.

She was the reason child leashes were invented. Undoubtedly.

If there was one good thing about humanity dying out, it would be that there would be fewer people like her. The thought almost made him feel a little... guilty, for a moment. But no. Obviously, it would be best if people weren't like her. Because they would cause nothing but trouble and do all the things they weren't supposed to do otherwise.

Hopefully, my fellow intern is faring better than this.

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Oh, gosh- Uh, okay-"

Iliya fumbled with his camera, as Niwa ushered them along.

He looked over at Cassidy, smiling sheepishly.

"I, uh, nice to meet you? I'm Iliya."

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"...Chika? Who's Ch- Wait. Boss. You sure that wasn't you?"

Even Aleks went serious for a moment, concern very clear in his pale blue eyes.

"I'm assuming that's not good?"

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คภ๔гคєɭ ςครร๏ฬคгץ

~~~
קг๏Ŧเɭєг

---

Andry smirked at Nora's relentless cheerfulness, her eyes narrowing slightly as the younger detective offered unsolicited fashion advice. "Oh, forgive me for not adhering to your style guide, Detective Mawer," she muttered under her breath, her tone dry and clipped. The notion of appearing "cute" held little appeal for Andry, who preferred the unadorned efficiency of her own presentation. Stella's inquiry about assisting Nora garnered a dismissive shrug from Andry. "Let the quarterback handle it," she quipped, a smirk playing on her lips. It wasn't her fault that she did research on her compatriots. Nora's energetic pursuit might have been amusing, but Andry had little inclination to involve herself in the impromptu chase.

However, as Nora returned to the group, winded and nursing the aftermath of the encounter, Andry's amusement shifted to mild concern. She watched as Nora muttered a venomous directive not to say anything, shooting a pointed glare in her direction. Andry met Nora's gaze with an arched eyebrow, a silent acknowledgment of their request.

As Nora fell back in step with the group, Andry decided to play along with the charade. "Well, Detective Mawer," she drawled, adopting an exaggeratedly innocent expression, "I must say, that was quite the spectacle. Just trying to maintain your cutesy appearance, I assume?" Her tone held a hint of mockery, a subtle dig at Nora's earlier advice on first impressions.

Circling them and brushing dirt from Nora's coat lapels, Andry continued the jest. "You know, appearances matter. Can't have an esteemed detective looking anything less than adorable." The sarcasm dripped from her words as she rolled her eyes.

Setting aside the teasing, Andry's tone shifted to a more genuine concern as she asked, "Are you okay, Mawer? Taking a hit like that can't be... pleasant." The cynicism momentarily gave way to a brief flicker of genuine inquiry, a subtle acknowledgment of their shared humanity beneath the veneer of detective personas. If they got hurt, that would be an insurmountable setback to the case. No matter what she might say, no one could doubt Nora's competence.

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