[Day 8 - Early Evening] The Work Continues... (Closed)

[Kuni Junpei]

Despite the bit of excitement that Kitsuki Ichitaiyo experienced yesterday, Kuni Junpei wasn't going to let that cloud his judgment on having the Dragon prove herself as being useful. Sure, a kidnapping was thwarted, and a serial murderer was put down. Anyone walking off the street could do that without training or discipline. However, if they couldn't handle organizing and sorting cases, then they would be absolutely no good in this office. They would have to be at minimum an Eriko, by Junpei's approximate measurements, to qualify.

At the head magistrate's office, Junpei would continue with his work of going through the day's reports and incidents, almost tuning out the Dragon that now shared his office completely.

Ichitaiyo's paperwork did inch closer towards the second desk in the office, which was noted before to be completely clear of files, save for a few books, a bottle of Kinsenka Original, some glasses, a pack of cigarettes and an assortment of framed pictures.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Despite the bit of excitement that Kitsuki Ichitaiyo experienced yesterday, Kuni Junpei wasn't going to let that cloud his judgment on having the Dragon prove herself as being useful. Sure, a kidnapping was thwarted, and a serial murderer was put down. Anyone walking off the street could do that without training or discipline. However, if they couldn't handle organizing and sorting cases, then they would be absolutely no good in this office. They would have to be at minimum an Eriko, by Junpei's approximate measurements, to qualify.

At the head magistrate's office, Junpei would continue with his work of going through the day's reports and incidents, almost tuning out the Dragon that now shared his office completely.

Ichitaiyo's paperwork did inch closer towards the second desk in the office, which was noted before to be completely clear of files, save for a few books, a bottle of Kinsenka Original, some glasses, a pack of cigarettes and an assortment of framed pictures.

And Ichitaiyo didn't expect any less, from professional to professional. The report of last night's events were paired with deep apologies for the chaos, and preliminary written witness statements, all signed by the involved parties.

Her motions were robotic, her eyes down the text with careful detail and scrutiny. Even before they reached the second table, files were pre-sorted in sub-piles according to some macro-clasifications, with notes written next to each to mark their meanings, and to her right was a now-full notebook with her thoughts, questions and pointers about the text she was analyzing at the moment.

She didn't hesitate to ask questions about the office's organization, or minute details that could change classifications, as she said, 'she'd rather look like a fool than to stain the office's order'.

Whatever space was not filled with paper, was filled empty packets of cereal bars and the styrofoam cups of the closest dispenser of the black goodness.

She couldn't but avoid noticing the occasional mistake or inconsistency. It was how she handled paperwork on the regular- she didn't classify, she dug for dirt, material to blackmail or entrap under her Lord, seeking the thread that could be pulled to undo tapestries of plans and plots.

To simply classify was a relief.

[Boogiepop]

As she neared the other desk, the objects and pictures seemed to tell a tale about the other occupant. Or at least the former occupant. Would she be able to figure it out on her own without asking Junpei?


***
Make a roll using Investigation (Notice)/Perception

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

As she neared the other desk, the objects and pictures seemed to tell a tale about the other occupant. Or at least the former occupant. Would she be able to figure it out on her own without asking Junpei?


***
Make a roll using Investigation (Notice)/Perception

Oh, she more than would, threading each piece, each picture, each object. Forming a profile with scraps was the cornerstone to profiling criminals and liars. Name, DOB, life, relationships.. all could be bared in a desk.

[Boogiepop]

Oh, she more than would, threading each piece, each picture, each object. Forming a profile with scraps was the cornerstone to profiling criminals and liars. Name, DOB, life, relationships.. all could be bared in a desk.

It seems that Ichitaiyo was able to glean quite a bit of insight from her casual look over at the desk's contents without bothering Kuni Junpei in the slightest as he continued to shuffle his own paper.

The desk belonged to Kuni Asataka, who was the former head Clan magistrate, prior to Junpei's appointment a few short months ago. He also happened to be Junpei's sensei, the current magistrate being his first student. The former Clan magistrate served on the island for the better part of 10 years after he gave up a mobile duty around the Empire to remain on the Green Carp. Junpei only served alongside him for the first year of Asataka's position here before departing to do his own thing.

A few years later, after Junpei's departure, Asataka would pick up another student in Kuni Eriko. Kuni Eriko served as a doshin on the island, on and off again, as it seemed she would represent Asataka in matters abroad or see to her own cases. Just recently, it seemed that Eriko was shipped off to a miai, where she found an arrangement with Matsu Hide, marrying into the Lion Clan. Junpei and Asataka attended the wedding, judging by the pictures. That unframed picture of a downed stolen helicopter was surely unrelated to the wedding, right?

The 60-something Asataka would continue to serve as the head magistrate on the island even as the transition of power went from the former governor to Yasuki Ayame. He would meet his untimely end in a car crash off Mount Jinsei that claimed his life. It was deemed to be an unfortunate accident due to a technical failure of the car he drove, a Kaiu Motors Type 34 "Ishiko". Kuni Junpei would be brought in from his duties abroad to serve as head Clan magistrate just a few short months from today.

Kuni Asataka favoured Kinsenka Original. Quit smoking, but used to smoke Lucky Kogeki cigarettes.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

It seems that Ichitaiyo was able to glean quite a bit of insight from her casual look over at the desk's contents without bothering Kuni Junpei in the slightest as he continued to shuffle his own paper.

The desk belonged to Kuni Asataka, who was the former head Clan magistrate, prior to Junpei's appointment a few short months ago. He also happened to be Junpei's sensei, the current magistrate being his first student. The former Clan magistrate served on the island for the better part of 10 years after he gave up a mobile duty around the Empire to remain on the Green Carp. Junpei only served alongside him for the first year of Asataka's position here before departing to do his own thing.

A few years later, after Junpei's departure, Asataka would pick up another student in Kuni Eriko. Kuni Eriko served as a doshin on the island, on and off again, as it seemed she would represent Asataka in matters abroad or see to her own cases. Just recently, it seemed that Eriko was shipped off to a miai, where she found an arrangement with Matsu Hide, marrying into the Lion Clan. Junpei and Asataka attended the wedding, judging by the pictures. That unframed picture of a downed stolen helicopter was surely unrelated to the wedding, right?

The 60-something Asataka would continue to serve as the head magistrate on the island even as the transition of power went from the former governor to Yasuki Ayame. He would meet his untimely end in a car crash off Mount Jinsei that claimed his life. It was deemed to be an unfortunate accident due to a technical failure of the car he drove, a Kaiu Motors Type 34 "Ishiko". Kuni Junpei would be brought in from his duties abroad to serve as head Clan magistrate just a few short months from today.

Kuni Asataka favoured Kinsenka Original. Quit smoking, but used to smoke Lucky Kogeki cigarettes.

An accident... driving another person's car? That was odd. Why would a man with the means to have his own vehicle drive Junpei's car? Questions had to be had, but always glancing from the orbits of the core.

Ichitaiyo turned to the sub-stacks once again, reclassifying her work, an easy work that her loss of concentratuon wouldn't hamper, as she broke the silence they had held for the long long hours.

"Care for a little small talk as we speak, Magister-sama?"

[Kuni Junpei]

An accident... driving another person's car? That was odd. Why would a man with the means to have his own vehicle drive Junpei's car? Questions had to be had, but always glancing from the orbits of the core.

Ichitaiyo turned to the sub-stacks once again, reclassifying her work, an easy work that her loss of concentratuon wouldn't hamper, as she broke the silence they had held for the long long hours.

"Care for a little small talk as we speak, Magister-sama?"

To be clear, "Ichiko" was the nickname of the car model, rather than the name of the car owner. Type 34 didn't exactly have the same ring as a car with an actual name. The car was nearly as old as the late magistrate, due to its legendary performance. The Ichiko was Asataka's car, although it was more of a general work car between him and any of his students at the time.

Junpei didn't seem to even look up from his work as he flipped over a sheet of paper. A low number of jimen tori brought back from the hunt. Maybe those concerns about extinction were a bit exaggerated. Greatsharks, however. Every restaurant on the shopping street is going to have shark fin soup for weeks... "Sure, Kitsuki-san," he responded.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

To be clear, "Ichiko" was the nickname of the car model, rather than the name of the car owner. Type 34 didn't exactly have the same ring as a car with an actual name. The car was nearly as old as the late magistrate, due to its legendary performance. The Ichiko was Asataka's car, although it was more of a general work car between him and any of his students at the time.

Junpei didn't seem to even look up from his work as he flipped over a sheet of paper. A low number of jimen tori brought back from the hunt. Maybe those concerns about extinction were a bit exaggerated. Greatsharks, however. Every restaurant on the shopping street is going to have shark fin soup for weeks... "Sure, Kitsuki-san," he responded.

"So.. how was your mentor? Mine was... surprisingly easygoing, but it was an active exersice on honing Kitsuki techniques. He wouldn't pass any student who didn't call his lies." Ichitaiyo mused, passing paper around. "He is doing well as far I have heard. Changed his lastest act into being a drunken burnout."

[Kuni Junpei]

"My late sensei was a bit ornery and old-fashioned, at least what is considered old-fashioned. Someone who made up their mind on everything and wouldn't quite pivot unless he had the undeniable facts to move his opinions. He was sure to drill those traits into me, and I suppose Eriko-san, too. These are supposedly good traits to have in our line of work, especially when doubting your instincts might do more wrong than good. We can't let feelings get in the way when it comes to sussing out purities in people."

Junpei would flip a form to look over. "That said, I know that it has a way of butting heads when it comes to more mundane matters, like administration and day-to-day law. Not to say that we are less right in the matter but when you have to concern yourself with charging someone with a noise disturbance, but for some reason the disturbers with the governor or find yourself in the middle of some disagreement in something you're not entirely involved in, best not involve yourself in...things get more complicated."

"Eventually, my sensei and I did have some disagreements when it came to pursuing our line of work," he said, closing a file and picking up another. "He did show some signs of changing, or at least age made him change. I felt like our work was best kept mobile, scouring the Empire. So, that's eventually when we parted ways. Perhaps that was when the graduation happened, so to speak."

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"My late sensei was a bit ornery and old-fashioned, at least what is considered old-fashioned. Someone who made up their mind on everything and wouldn't quite pivot unless he had the undeniable facts to move his opinions. He was sure to drill those traits into me, and I suppose Eriko-san, too. These are supposedly good traits to have in our line of work, especially when doubting your instincts might do more wrong than good. We can't let feelings get in the way when it comes to sussing out purities in people."

Junpei would flip a form to look over. "That said, I know that it has a way of butting heads when it comes to more mundane matters, like administration and day-to-day law. Not to say that we are less right in the matter but when you have to concern yourself with charging someone with a noise disturbance, but for some reason the disturbers with the governor or find yourself in the middle of some disagreement in something you're not entirely involved in, best not involve yourself in...things get more complicated."

"Eventually, my sensei and I did have some disagreements when it came to pursuing our line of work," he said, closing a file and picking up another. "He did show some signs of changing, or at least age made him change. I felt like our work was best kept mobile, scouring the Empire. So, that's eventually when we parted ways. Perhaps that was when the graduation happened, so to speak."

"My condoleces for his loss. Past the disagreements, our sensei do form and mold us in the same forms and ways a parent might."

And she turned a fond smile. "My sensei says that a Magisters and Investigators rarely pass into Meido right away, as the one last case or the last one mystery forces us to come back and check."

And she visibly glanced to the picture of the late magister and his car. "Is that him?"

[Kuni Junpei]

Junpei would offer a low nod toward Ichitaiyo's direction. "Thank you, Kitsuki-san. The truth is that I've hardly had time to mourn him properly. They immediately thrust me into this role to fill a void left behind by my late sensei, and I've been running this treadmill ever since with the bid proceedings. If there's a mystery, well..."

"Yes, that would be him," he nodded to confirm the most recent picture of him. It seemed the elder Kuni kind of skimped on the face paint in his older years.



He looked up from the pictures and at the Dragon, "why do you ask?"

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

He looked up from the pictures and at the Dragon, "why do you ask?"

Ichitaiyo stared into the picture for a good while, letting her instinct roll and follow to decide her next line.

"I just.. well, I heard that his death was a car accident." She 'admitted'. To pay heed to gossip and rumors was a fool's task, but to hear the crowd's voice, sort and classify from the probable from chaff was a skill that detectives had to hone.

"And.. well, seems a bit strange. Off. He doesn't look like the type to be negligent with mechanical upkeep, let signals of strangeness on his vehicle pass by, and much less attempt to drive with dulled senses. Could it truly just age and stubbornness letting the machine best him?"

[Kuni Junpei]

Ichitaiyo stared into the picture for a good while, letting her instinct roll and follow to decide her next line.

"I just.. well, I heard that his death was a car accident." She 'admitted'. To pay heed to gossip and rumors was a fool's task, but to hear the crowd's voice, sort and classify from the probable from chaff was a skill that detectives had to hone.

"And.. well, seems a bit strange. Off. He doesn't look like the type to be negligent with mechanical upkeep, let signals of strangeness on his vehicle pass by, and much less attempt to drive with dulled senses. Could it truly just age and stubbornness letting the machine best him?"

Junpei opened his mouth at first, as if wanting to say something, but closed it with a pensive frown as he reconsidered or wanted to redress his words. "Well, not to speak ill of my sensei, but as I said earlier, he was always a stubborn man. This included him having a host of small health and bothersome issues that he seemed very intent on ignoring. He also let himself go a little, foregoing the traditions of full Kuni facepaint for something far easier. Granted, I will say that the designs we took on after following his tutelage are a bit complex, a bit of stencilling and laser-guided assistance is required...but he didn't believe in shortcuts, while using all the shortcuts he was comfortable with..."

He frowned more than straightened his jacket and checked his watch, small distractions to stop himself from rambling more about his former sensei. It was clear that they didn't see eye to eye, but the relationship wasn't so bad that he was going to speak ill of him. "Well...those are possibilities, yes. If you think we can handle it admist of this massive workload, you're more than welcome to look more into it. Please do, actually, because I don't have the time. I'm sure Kuni Ayaka-san has put a few stacks more outside my door in case you even think that you've run out of things to do."

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Junpei opened his mouth at first, as if wanting to say something, but closed it with a pensive frown as he reconsidered or wanted to redress his words. "Well, not to speak ill of my sensei, but as I said earlier, he was always a stubborn man. This included him having a host of small health and bothersome issues that he seemed very intent on ignoring. He also let himself go a little, foregoing the traditions of full Kuni facepaint for something far easier. Granted, I will say that the designs we took on after following his tutelage are a bit complex, a bit of stencilling and laser-guided assistance is required...but he didn't believe in shortcuts, while using all the shortcuts he was comfortable with..."

He frowned more than straightened his jacket and checked his watch, small distractions to stop himself from rambling more about his former sensei. It was clear that they didn't see eye to eye, but the relationship wasn't so bad that he was going to speak ill of him. "Well...those are possibilities, yes. If you think we can handle it admist of this massive workload, you're more than welcome to look more into it. Please do, actually, because I don't have the time. I'm sure Kuni Ayaka-san has put a few stacks more outside my door in case you even think that you've run out of things to do."

Ichitaiyo couldn't but avoid letting the electricity of success go up her spine before her mind began to fit some pieces.

This wasn't any case. The death of a Magistrate was high profile. Surely had to be investigated with comb and precision.

But Junpei wasn't there for that investigation. His instinct must have told him something was off, but duty demanded he didn't put attention on a cold case over a hunch.

She was an outsider, one that had just proved skill and order. He could have just put one of many other of his serving samurai, yet, she was the choice.

He didn't trust those he worked with.

She stood expressionless and cold for some moment and granted a firm nod. "I will search for the file after I finish with the new stack, magistrate-sama. At this rate I've understood well your archiving systems." she affirmed, turning back to her labor, granting him the knowledge that she would work without intervention of anyone else, to keep this secret from the rest of the office.

[Kuni Junpei]

She stood expressionless and cold for some moment and granted a firm nod. "I will search for the file after I finish with the new stack, magistrate-sama. At this rate I've understood well your archiving systems." she affirmed, turning back to her labor, granting him the knowledge that she would work without intervention of anyone else, to keep this secret from the rest of the office.

"Good, I would hate to hear that you've been only shuffling papers the whole time you were here, Kitsuki-san. Please get on that only after you're finished," Junpei would say when his attention returned to the paperwork in front of him, instead of the Dragon. He would give his watch another glance before reaching into a plastic bag full of various cans of coffee and bottles of energy tonics.

***
Please roll either Investigation(Search)/Perception or Etiquette (Bureaucracy)/Awareness

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

"Good, I would hate to hear that you've been only shuffling papers the whole time you were here, Kitsuki-san. Please get on that only after you're finished," Junpei would say when his attention returned to the paperwork in front of him, instead of the Dragon. He would give his watch another glance before reaching into a plastic bag full of various cans of coffee and bottles of energy tonics.

***
Please roll either Investigation(Search)/Perception or Etiquette (Bureaucracy)/Awareness

Ichitaiyo offered just a gentle affirmative smile before returning to work. It was not a little more than twenty four hours ago that paperwork was the only task he had politely assigned to him.

Now, she was onto something.

==

Rolled Investigation/Perception for 44. And there's a free raise in there too.

[Boogiepop]

Ichitaiyo offered just a gentle affirmative smile before returning to work. It was not a little more than twenty four hours ago that paperwork was the only task he had politely assigned to him.

Now, she was onto something.

==

Rolled Investigation/Perception for 44. And there's a free raise in there too.

When Ichitaiyo would return to combing through the closed case regarding Kuni Asataka's death, there would be a few more pieces of information would she would find regarding this investigation. The file was rather slim and concise, everything laid out neatly as a presentable report with all of the information.

• The Kaiu Motors Type 34 "Ishiko" car had broken down before and was taken to Tetsuo Auto Repair by Kuni Eriko for repairs. That was a year ago.
• According to records, the last that Kuni Asataka was looking into by himself was an 'insignificant' case regarding the disappearances and murder of various heimen around Tenjin Town. They were killed in gruesome ways involving traps and machinery. His progress into the case ended about 1 month prior to this death.
• The car went off a steep cliff on one of the roads and crashed into a fiery explosion. There was barely much of body remaining and it was deemed that the car had suffered a mechanical failure as the cause of death.
• The lead investigator behind the case was Kuni Ayaka.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

When Ichitaiyo would return to combing through the closed case regarding Kuni Asataka's death, there would be a few more pieces of information would she would find regarding this investigation. The file was rather slim and concise, everything laid out neatly as a presentable report with all of the information.

• The Kaiu Motors Type 34 "Ishiko" car had broken down before and was taken to Tetsuo Auto Repair by Kuni Eriko for repairs. That was a year ago.
• According to records, the last that Kuni Asataka was looking into by himself was an 'insignificant' case regarding the disappearances and murder of various heimen around Tenjin Town. They were killed in gruesome ways involving traps and machinery. His progress into the case ended about 1 month prior to this death.
• The car went off a steep cliff on one of the roads and crashed into a fiery explosion. There was barely much of body remaining and it was deemed that the car had suffered a mechanical failure as the cause of death.
• The lead investigator behind the case was Kuni Ayaka.

Early evening turned into late evening. The sun had long hidden beneath the mountains.

The one name, 'Tetsuo Auto Repair' brought fear to her. She feared her case wasn't for the worst.

She could investigate more. But time was not on anyone's favor. She had to grasp the case now, or let it die. From the archives, she strided towards the Magister's office, with a firm determination. She wondered if the yoriki would be there.

[Boogiepop]

Junpei didn't look like he had left his personal office, especially considering that he had almost practically lived at the magistrate's office since the start of the bid proceedings. The surrounding office would be going about their business, tending to smaller and unspoken crises to nobody seemed to care about, such as businesses not paying their taxes or reporting their tourist income properly, lost tourists that couldn't find their way back to their accommodations, yacht incidents, and people doing certain things without the rest licenses.

The yoriki in question was around.


Kuni Ayaka

She would cast a questioning glance at the Kitsuki before returning to manage the front office.

[Kitsuki Ichitaiyo]

Junpei didn't look like he had left his personal office, especially considering that he had almost practically lived at the magistrate's office since the start of the bid proceedings. The surrounding office would be going about their business, tending to smaller and unspoken crises to nobody seemed to care about, such as businesses not paying their taxes or reporting their tourist income properly, lost tourists that couldn't find their way back to their accommodations, yacht incidents, and people doing certain things without the rest licenses.

The yoriki in question was around.


Kuni Ayaka

She would cast a questioning glance at the Kitsuki before returning to manage the front office.

And on the same vein, Ichitaiyo would promptly ignore her on her way in- after all, she would have to come and go freely to sort the paperwork. Good fortune.

The Investigator would stand before the Magistrate's desk and bow to him in regard. "Magister-sama."

After her acknowledgement, she would stride forwards and set some files on the magistrate's desk. It wasn't just the case of the late Asataka's passing, but his wholy body of work, and the newly minted file regarding the recently-late Kaiu Takeo. She sat with a grave tone telling right away, she was the bearer of bad news.

"I'm afraid I've found.. inconsistencies regarding the accident, and other element within the archive."