Dauntless Shield Security Office

[Dragonfree]

"I know Mean Look," Spirit said immediately, perking up - in Pokémon speech, though, thankfully. "I will be able to stop them from getting away."

"Yeah, if we found them in the first place." May peered back at Officer Jenny. Something was still off about her. That spiky-haired trainer was muttering that she wasn't lying, maybe she wasn't, but still.

She pressed her lips together and then looked away. Whatever. Somebody else could keep pressing the cops. As far as they were concerned she'd probably already given them cause to harass her. Why was she even still here?

"Fine. Let's go, Spirit."

She didn't breathe easier until she was well out of range, drying her sweaty palms on her jeans.

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[Shiny Phantump]

On the way back from the cove, Gladion and Hazel walked pat the security office.

Hazel paused to observe it for a moment. Who actually worked here? Did anyone do anything? She tried to perceive any signs of activity there.

@Flyg0n Hazel is performing Odor Sleuth

 

[Flyg0n]

On the way back from the cove, Gladion and Hazel walked pat the security office.

Hazel paused to observe it for a moment. Who actually worked here? Did anyone do anything? She tried to perceive any signs of activity there.

@Flyg0n Hazel is performing Odor Sleuth

There seemed to be evidence that Amara had been around. Her scent was distinct enough, perhaps she'd stopped by to check with Officer Jenny. She'd gone in briefly and exited a short time later.

Xavian's scent was also around, it seemed he'd likely checked in with the officers during the day.

Other than that the scents seemed normal enough. The Officers themselves of course. A lingering whiff of the Selfish!Wes, carried over by Jenny.

Everything seems normal.

 

[Flyg0n]

@unrepentantAuthor

Laura followed Sleet around the back of the security offices somewhat apprehensively.

Sleet seemed to having a good time, sticking to the shadows and moving quietly through the trees. "Time for Ssleeet to find ssome cluesss."

[[Foresight]]

---

Laura and Sleet investigated around the security office! What's this?

In the end, they both ended up spotting the clue. Gray flecks, near the edge of the outer windowsill of the office. Had the kidnapper been spying on the officers?

Other than that, there seemed to be no further clues of note, though the flecks themselves were chilling enough. Something was watching the trainers on the island...

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Another morning, another group assembly in the main banquet hall. Another notice of someone having gone missing. And this time it wasn't just one attack. One of the security officers was taken, and... Irene.

Steven had scowled at the ground as Mr. Montorzi relayed what had happened. The island staff hadn't known about the attack that almost took him. That the Latis had intervened and thwarted the attacker. Was this retribution for his and the Latis' interference? Did the security team let their guard down thinking that the disappearances had stopped because of his actions?

Aggron had given a low growl at his side, reminding him that no matter what the reason was, they had to keep pushing forward. Keep searching, keep trying. For their sake, and everyone's.

So that's why he and Aggron were currently waiting outside the security office for Officer Victor to return from his post at the main hall.

He'd read Odette's note again in the morning and learned about the investigation at the training arena. They needed to know where Jenny and Irene were that night. They needed to gather more information to get to the bottom of this...

He spotted the telltale fluff of an Arcanine approaching, and pushed off from the wall where he was leaning.


"Victor, good morning," he greeted solemnly. "I wish it were under better circumstances, but do you have a moment?"


"Mr. Montorzi understandably was light on the specifics but... is there anything you can share with us about your partner's disappearance? Did you know where she was last seen?"


"I know you're the officer in charge now, but for the safety of everyone on the island, we should investigate as a group."

 

[Flyg0n]

"Ah Mr. Steven, of course I have time." He flashed a bright and amicable smile that didn't reach his eyes and shook Steven's hand. There was an anger burning in his eyes. Officer in charge. The title stung, a stark reminder of the grim circumstances.

Pyre the Arcanine gave a soft whoof in greeting to Aggron, his gaze serious. Then he stepped forwards, sniffing Aggron first, then sniffing all around Steven, before pacing in ever widening circles around the area. Finally, he trotted back to Victor's side.

"Well?" Victor turned to Pyre, who gave a sharp nod in answer.

Victor turned back to Steven. "Well, it should be safe to speak. And Pyre trusts you, do I trust you." Plus, Champion Steven had the look in his eyes of someone trustworthy. "Plus an Aggron that strong looking wouldn't stand by a weak trainer."

After one last glance around, he spoe again, gesturing for Steven to follow as he entered the office. "I do have something, actually. I didn't tell Mr. Montorzi yet but I think Jenny was onto something. I believe she was taken from inside the office, for starters. And I think she was getting close to figuring something out... That's why she was taken. Or at least, thats our theory for now," he nodded his head towards Pyre.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Steven watched as the Arcanine sniffed around, first greeting Aggron, then him, in a business-like way. He couldn't blame Pyre or Victor; after everything that had happened, there was no such thing as too much caution.

Victor turned back to Steven. "Well, it should be safe to speak. And Pyre trusts you, do I trust you." Plus, Champion Steven had the look in his eyes of someone trustworthy. "Plus an Aggron that strong looking wouldn't stand by a weak trainer."

Steven hoped his smile didn't turn into a grimace at Victor's last words. The wounds were healing, but still raw from the day he'd had yesterday. He felt Aggron take a step closer to his side, and he knew his partner was aware of where his thoughts were heading and intended to cut them off at the pass. He let out a breath and relaxed as best he could. At least until Victor waved the two of them into the office...

After one last glance around, he spoke again, gesturing for Steven to follow as he entered the office. "I do have something, actually. I didn't tell Mr. Montorzi yet but I think Jenny was onto something. I believe she was taken from inside the office, for starters. And I think she was getting close to figuring something out... That's why she was taken. Or at least, thats our theory for now," he nodded his head towards Pyre.

"She was taken from here? And you think she had a lead she was following?"

Steven glanced around the office, hesitant to move much further in from the door, lest he disturb any kind of evidence. Jenny had been the one to trust the group from the Trousselin, so she was definitely looking into the case herself. Grimly, he wondered what she had found, and what was lost with her disappearance.

"What makes you sure of either of these things? Did you or Pyre find anything? Or smell anything?"

He hoped his question wasn't too leading, but an Arcanine like Pyre had to have a fantastic nose for things that were out of place.

 

[Flyg0n]

"She was taken from here? And you think she had a lead she was following?"

Steven glanced around the office, hesitant to move much further in from the door, lest he disturb any kind of evidence. Jenny had been the one to trust the group from the Trousselin, so she was definitely looking into the case herself. Grimly, he wondered what she had found, and what was lost with her disappearance.

"What makes you sure of either of these things? Did you or Pyre find anything? Or smell anything?"

Victor seemed to pick up on Steven's hesitancy. "Don't worry about clues. Pyre and I combed the area thoroughly already." Despite his casual tone, the slight haggard look in his eyes suggested they'd been combing for clues for some time. "Not much, unfortunately. Just these gray flakes... we found a couple elsewhere too, Jenny and I were trying identify."

The inside of the office was plain, just two desks, a back room, and bookshelf. Victor crossed the room to what seemed to be his desk, and kenlt down, opening a locked drawer. "I don't think the kidnapper knew about her notebook." He withdrew a small leatherbound journal with a metal clasp.

He nodded to Steven's final question. "Pyre and Bao kept picking up strange scents, all around the island. Especially after Reena vanished. But it's always moving around, teleporting I assume. The area where Nate and the Mightyena vanished from. The room where Franklin was taken. That's what she was trying to figure out, and I think she found an answer, except..."

He held out the book to Steven, his expression falling. "Except it's written in a code. You can take a look if you like. I was going to try to check the library to figure out what the code was. Only her and Bao knew it."

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Steven nodded along gravely as Victor spoke. Mysterious gray flakes and a strange smell were both consistent with the other disappearances. So Victor had been thorough... A little part of him wanted to conduct his own investigation, but the office itself appeared undisturbed. He wasn't sure what more there would be to find...


But then Victor reached into the desk drawer and held out the journal. "A code?" Steven murmured, as he eyed the small notebook.

He didn't know anything about codes, and if Jenny was gone...

Still, if Victor thought it was worth it for him to take a look, he might as well. Maybe someone of their group would know what to do with this...

He opened the metal clasp and thumbed through the pages, stopping when he got to the last one...

@Flyg0n

 

[Flyg0n]

View attachment 4105
Steven nodded along gravely as Victor spoke. Mysterious gray flakes and a strange smell were both consistent with the other disappearances. So Victor had been thorough... A little part of him wanted to conduct his own investigation, but the office itself appeared undisturbed. He wasn't sure what more there would be to find...

View attachment 4107
But then Victor reached into the desk drawer and held out the journal. "A code?" Steven murmured, as he eyed the small notebook.

He didn't know anything about codes, and if Jenny was gone...

Still, if Victor thought it was worth it for him to take a look, he might as well. Maybe someone of their group would know what to do with this...

He opened the metal clasp and thumbed through the pages, stopping when he got to the last one...

@Flyg0n

On the second to last page appeared to be a collection of symbols resembling unown text...

Spoiler

Surely this was some important message, a critical clue... Perhaps even everything they could ever need!

Perhaps the most intriguing, however, was the final page of the journal. For all intents and purposes, it appeared to be nothing more than a collection of dots. Random, as if doodled absent mindedly. But if Victor was right... A closer examination reveals a pattern, but what does it mean?



"I haven't seen anything like it, and she never brought up this code to me before," Victor said, shaking his head. "I trust you, so if you know someone who can decipher the code..."

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Steven's brow knitted as he leafed through the pages. There didn't seem to be much other than the fact that Officer Jenny was as big a fan of Rick Gastly as she was coded messages. But then...

Perhaps the most intriguing, however, was the final page of the journal. For all intents and purposes, it appeared to be nothing more than a collection of dots. Random, as if doodled absent mindedly. But if Victor was right... A closer examination reveals a pattern, but what does it mean?

Steven quirked a brow as he saw the dot pattern. Something about it felt familiar, but he couldn't be sure without double checking...

"I haven't seen anything like it, and she never brought up this code to me before," Victor said, shaking his head. "I trust you, so if you know someone who can decipher the code..."

He pulled out his pokenav and snapped a picture of the coded page, before closing the journal and handing it back to Victor.


"I'm not one hundred percent certain, but I have a hunch where we might be able to find a way to decipher this. Thank you for keeping this safe. If Jenny really was onto something with her coded note, we'll make sure the culprit wasn't able to keep her silent with their cowardly attacks."


Steven paused, uncertain if he wanted to breach this particular subject, but he gave a sigh and said, "I know you've had your hands full with Jenny's disappearance, but... Have you found anything about Irene's?"

Two disappearances in one day was unusual. They needed to investigate both as thoroughly as they could.


As Victor was busy with the journal, Steven gave a nod to Aggron. They wouldn't snoop around, but from Odette's note, there were signs of different move types at the scene of their own attack. Maybe they could find something new here, too.

[[Aggron used **Aura Reading**]]

@Flyg0n

 

[Flyg0n]

Steven paused, uncertain if he wanted to breach this particular subject, but he gave a sigh and said, "I know you've had your hands full with Jenny's disappearance, but... Have you found anything about Irene's?"

Victor sighed wearily. "We found her scent all around the dorms and the main hall..." Arcanine let out a soft whine and nudged Victor's arm.

"Right... I suspect maybe she was trying to investigate on her own... The last place Pyre found her scent was in the forest neard the dorms. I need to check the scene again, but the first time around I didn't find anything else unusual." Of course, he needed to patrol the island again, check in with the other trainers, and keep up with training... he resisted the urge to sigh.

"The best I can suspect is she was taken by surprise, as I suspect Jenny was. An ambush..."

As Victor was busy with the journal, Steven gave a nod to Aggron. They wouldn't snoop around, but from Odette's note, there were signs of different move types at the scene of their own attack. Maybe they could find something new here, too.

[[Aggron used **Aura Reading**]]

[[Aggron used Aura Reader!]]

Aggron managed to detect a faint chill in the air, a tingle down the spine that lingered. Ghost-type energy, very distinctly. Psychic as well.

 

[Panoramic_Vacuum]

Victor sighed wearily. "We found her scent all around the dorms and the main hall..." Arcanine let out a soft whine and nudged Victor's arm." Right... I suspect maybe she was trying to investigate on her own..."

Steven felt his chest squeeze at Victor's words. Did Irene decide to go out on her own because of what he'd said to her? That she didn't care?

Why did what happened to her, someone who admitted she'd preyed on the weak, affect him so much?

Probably because deep down he knew she did care. And he couldn't see past his own failure to forgive her.

He could only hope she was able to find Reena, wherever the two of them ended up.

"The last place Pyre found her scent was in the forest neard the dorms. I need to check the scene again, but the first time around I didn't find anything else unusual." Of course, he needed to patrol the island again, check in with the other trainers, and keep up with training... he resisted the urge to sigh.

Steven recognized that weary look on Victor's face. The look of someone who thought they had to bear the weight of the world on their shoulders. He'd seen it in the mirror often enough.


"We can take a second look in the forest for you. Jenny trusted us to help her when Reena disappeared. Please trust us to help you now. Sometimes fresh eyes can make all the difference."

"But first, I need to crack this code so we can know what Jenny had found. I'll be in the Lounge with the rest of the group from the Trousselin. Together we'll get to the bottom of this."

Steven exchanged a look with Aggron, who nodded, confirming the same auras that were discovered at the arena, and together they turned and left the office.

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