[Journal Post]

[isdragonlady]

The Puppet Princess (whose actual title is some complicated foreign nonsense I refuse to engage with) has announced she'll be robbing the Domino Japan branch of the Church of Starry Wisdom.

This is being time with the Church will be performing a ceremony using the Church's central relic, "The Shining Trapezohedron" to honor an aspect of its chief nameless kami, "The Singer in Shadows".

The Church is... not a new age religion, and I am hesitant to call it a cult, as it's mostly gotten its act together but its membership is below 10,000 worldwide.

They are specifically requesting the presence of the head of Sector Security, or at least his involvement, to ensure the theft is prevented.

Other officers may get involved.

Comments

[daschillyone]

So... is it normal for thieves here to announce they are stealing things? Feels... well... arrogant is a word that comes to mind.

[isdragonlady]

She's a throwback or imitator of the Gentleman or Phantom Thief.

She sends letters and calling cards to her victims.

And keeps managing to steal things.

And yes it is arrogant.

The thing is she's that good.

[daschillyone]

Hmm. I suppose.

[becomeanwarrior]

Ugh, them.

If it wasn't the Puppet Princess I would have a mind to tell them that expecting me to show up is a bit overkill, so they're lucky my casework coincides with this.

At least they've gotten their act together a little bit, but I can't help assuming this is some sort of trap.

[isdragonlady]

Explain, sir.

[becomeanwarrior]

Something about their sect has always rubbed me the wrong way even after they got their act together. It's probably just the paranoia but.

Something about it gives me a sort of sixth sense Unease.

But I could be conflating it with the fact I expect another Otherworlder transgression to occur, to prove my theories.

But again, probably paranoid.

[isdragonlady]

I realize this might be somewhat hypocritical coming from someone who is not the picture of mental health:

You really should be less paranoid, Onni.

[becomeanwarrior]

I'll stop being less paranoid when the universe stops proving me right to have my hackles raised!

Not that I'm gonna deny the request because of it but I expect something pretty stupid to happen.

[isdragonlady]

Define stupid in this case, sir.

[becomeanwarrior]

Just some possibilities off the top of my head:

"We brought you in because we think you're central to the ritual we're performing and need you as a sacrifice"

"An Otherworlder has been running the church the whole time"

"The Puppet Princess is stealing nonmagical artifacts for some arbitrary and silly reason"

"A Horse-Headed Otherworlder shows up and traps me in the minotaur's labyrinth again"

[isdragonlady]

The Church says the Trapezohedron is mystical and magical.

[becomeanwarrior]

Maybe so, but barring a few bespoke items the Mudoji Estate's trinkets they were going to auction off were basically things that qualified as parlor tricks, so.

Again, this is the paranoia talking and I guess I'll figure it out while I'm there.

But also I don't do field tasks anymore that don't end up a complicated mess, so you might understand my reservation.

[isdragonlady]

Minor correction, it was the estate of a business partner of the Mudoji Family. After the incident it was sold to the Mudoji family which consists of Ms. Kyoko and her cousin.

Yes. I do. You really need to get more staff.

Suguru's preoccupied with special duties with The Empress.

Gina I think wandered off, likely on some thread of crimes that caught her fancy.

And I'm entirely desk work.

And not many of our staff are specialist tier.

[becomeanwarrior]

It seems like Suguru has things on her mind other than work lately anyway, not that I blame her...

Right, yes. I got the order of events in my head mixed up.

The only other specialist we have on hand is technically under the table due to legal reasons, and our in-house thaumaturge I think has slipped betwixt dimensions again.

So, yes, I'm our primary specialist field agent. Ideally the Knight Errant program brings in some fresh blood we can trust with more sensitive legwork.

[isdragonlady]

We do need to get at least one to two immediate police officers.

[becomeanwarrior]

I haven't heard from some of our reserve agents in a minute, no.

Do you have any immediate suggestions?

[isdragonlady]

No. Worst comes to worst, I'll pull someone out of the ether.

Do you need any further details about the Church?

[becomeanwarrior]

Give me a quick lowdown on what to expect from them so I don't trip over my own two feet. Most of my mental associations I think are from before they cleaned up their act and I haven't really kept personal tabs on them much in the New Age of Monsters.

[isdragonlady]

First off, have you interacted with them before, it sounds like you have?

[becomeanwarrior]

Here and there. I mostly know they've got their roots in late-1800s, early-1900s American Occultism. The era of Crowley and Lovecraft. I think we've had to drunk tank their proselytizers a few times back when we were SpecInv? But I could be misremembering that, but they were the kind of thing the brass made us feel like chasing because they didn't want to make it their problem.

Pretty sure I remember I had to stop a summoning at one point, too. At the time they knew just enough occult theory and Actual Magic to do something really terrible and misinformed.

[isdragonlady]

Yes.

Their current leadership seems to be a moderate faction. Current Church Leader has filed for Permanent Residency status in the Empire and is working with a very small faction of the current Diet who are interested in modernizing the bureaucracy and government to actually use modern digital technology to make government proceedings and legislation readable for normies.

Otherwise benign but they have had contact with members of the Rosencrantz Group. No, not those five. More middle management types.

And have started donating to Duel Academia.

They are hoping to increase their membership soon.

[becomeanwarrior]

Sounds altogether too reasonable for them, but maybe the new age of monsters has had them turn over a new leaf. But consider me still skeptic.

...Hrm. The Rosencrantz group, huh? Remind me, did the Mudoji Estate or their business partners have any connection to the Rosencrantz group, Katie?

[isdragonlady]

...

Yes. Yes it did. Yes it does.

[becomeanwarrior]

Well, they've got their fingers in a lot of pies, so it probably isn't anything serious. At least nothing to worry about, right now. Make sure my visit to the Church is on the schedule. I suspect in one way or another it'll take up my whole day.

[Private to Katie]

I'm going to need you to dig up anyone that's been in recent contact with the Rosencrantz group regarding the possible transfer of magical artifacts. Especially magical or occultic texts. Cross-reference with the time we've known the Puppet Princess to be active.

Cross-reference her past burglaries too and see if any of those targets had previous dealings with the Rosencrantz Group, as well.

I give you leave to use your Special Task Force to do what you need to, here.

[isdragonlady]

Of course. Anything else?

[Private to Onni]
I'll get back to you soon on it.

[becomeanwarrior]

I think that's everything I can think of right now, although, yes, I know you're going to suggest a vacation. I'll probably take one in the summer since this case should be done by then.

[Private to Katie]
Thank you. Just got a really bad feeling about this. The paranoia isn't always right but it's rarely wrong in a good way.

[isdragonlady]

Of course. And you do. It's not like I'll be evil if you let me run things.

[Private to Onni]
Of course. Though if I need to actually be using The Girls, you're buying me a new gold dress and heels.

[becomeanwarrior]

Yeah, yeah, it's not that I don't trust you, I just get obsessively hands on when a case like this comes my way.

[Private to Katie]

I don't want to leave anything about this particular case to chance, so I think my wallet will survive the punishment you're about to put it through. I know using the Girls will get us results that should confirm one way or another what I'm thinking.

Besides, it does mean I get an opportunity to spoil you a bit, so I can't complain that much...

[isdragonlady]

Of course. Just remember you need help.

[Private To Onni]
Oh please, you basically never use your wallet, you miser.

[becomeanwarrior]

I don't plan to forget that, at least, not when you remind me so often.

[Private to Katie]

It's not being a miser, it's middle-class frugality!

I'm not the kind of guy who buys things I'll only use once and never again. Besides, I know you'll get plenty of use out of whatever you get me to buy.

[Private to Onni]

[isdragonlady]

Heh.

Still, I'll get back to you.

I have a really bad feeling about something, but I can't name it...

[imajin_all_the]

If they haven't, you're to call me and immediately back out, Onni.

You might be Mom's head Inquisitor of Heresy but I'm the one who deals with... unsavory details. Capiche?

I don't want you doing anything that gets you a guilty conscience.

[becomeanwarrior]

You know as well as I do how often trouble finds me, Akae.

But, yes, if they're doing anything that requires the Imperial Guard to... get involved, I'll pull out as soon as feasibly possible to allow you to do your work. You have my word.

[imajin_all_the]

Good.

You're the best of us. You deserve to stay that way.

[becomeanwarrior]

Shit, Akae, that's... really sweet.

Well, now I've got to keep my word. Damn.

[imajin_all_the]

Just don't spread it around, I have a rep to maintain as Nasty Murderbitch.