Meet the Cakes

Meet the Cakes
Date of Scene:	28 June 2014
Location:	Divided Equestria
Synopsis:	Eliot calls Homura as security to investigate mysteries in the new Equestria.
Cast of Characters:	2, 264, 470

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Pinkie (470) has posed:
Saint Trottersburg. In these times of Equestria's factional splitting, this city in the northeastern part of the land is still just barely in that green zone where things are cool, settled by a river and the edge of the ocean, the ashen sight of the borderlands and snowy peaked mountains that soon become the territory of the Griffin Kingdoms is just in view.
It's getting colder in Saint Trottersburf around this time of year, but this is where that mysterious phone call had told Eliot two come for some new contacts to look into the matters here in Equestria and maybe give a new perspective on the events going on within.
The meeting place would, of course, be a shadowy back alley. It always just has to be, right?

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
How many times had he gotten calls like that in his career? A mysterious voice on the phone, telling him if he wanted answers to come to the alley beyond so and so. And how many times had his wife or his team told him not to? Ness figures he would have learned by now.

But the Noir Detective is a stubborn old dog, set in his ways and hard to sway. The most concession he'd been willing to make to his crew was to request aid from an off-worlder while his own team held down his office in case it was meant to ambush the place while he was gone. The point is... Ness is here.

He's standing outside the alleyway, a cigarette in his mouth. His hat is pulled low to obscure a lack of pony ears. His jacket is tight to obscure a lack of tail. Occasionally he gets stares from passersby, or a child that asked their mother about his 'condition'. He's waiting for backup before he heads down that alley, though.

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
Backup just kind of appears.
Eliot ought to be used to it by now.

Homura taps him on the shoulder from behind, so as to not make a noise. The downside is he might be hostile at such a surprise. She is wearing formal black pants and a white dress shirt, with a black vest hung over one shoulder which would probably be used to complete the suit. No tie, though, and no hat (though she can easily produce them if Eliot complains). Red ribbon in hair, hair loose, glasses with the occasional line or text or two scrolling on the lenses. Hopefully that doesn't inconvenience her too, looking like a normal person.

She is pretty glad not to be transforming. Whether or not she'd be susceptible to it doesn't change her complete uninterest in being a horse.

Pinkie (470) has posed:
Nope, no transforming here. This segment of the city is a little short on people and passerby, which means the hisses about Eliot's lack of Cutie Mark, nor is anyone looking when Homura just appears from nowhere. Which means no comments about HER either.
That just leaves the task of actually entering the alley. It's between two squat buildings of drab grey brick, and should the two get on that, it gets colder, and darker down the dead end pathway than might be normally expected.
Was that a giggle?
Two giggles.
Two separate voices, echoing in the gloom before a pair of figures appear on the roofs on either side of the alley. It's not long at all before they drop down to reveal themselves, on either side of the pair; one blocking the entrance back out, the other taking place in front of the dead end. They're roughly of Homura's height and apparent age, and if it weren't for some differing details in their brightly colored clothes, they would look almost exactly identical.
Their masks are the same. White porcelain smiles, though one has a hole through the forehead for her horn. The other, a male, has a pair of cream-colored wings sprouting from his back.
"Oh you finally-""-showed up."
It doesn't matter which one starts, the other finishes the thought, as Pound and Pumpkin Cake hold up empty hands to reveal they're not here for hostilities.

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
Homura does almost wind up with a judo chop to the neck, but Ness restrains himself. Still, he's clearly nervous. But he fills in Homura as they enter the alley:

"This world started contracting me to investigate murders through the Syndicate. At first it looked like the work of a bloodthirsty butcher, but..." He looks at the small girl, "Recently, I am less sure. Details are coming to light, there are discrepancies in stories, new individuals coming forward," He places his hands in his pockets, "Now I have doubts. Last night, the murderer herself, or I think it was, contacted me to meet..."

He's cut off at the arrival of two individuals into the alley. He finishes: "Apparently these two."

His hands slowly come out of his pockets to show a pair of gloved hands carrying no weapons, "Eliot Ness." He introduces himself without much formality, letting Homura do similar of her own accord, "I was told to come here. I am not unarmed, but I have little desire for hostility."

A hand comes up to take the cigarette out of his mouth, flicking some ash to the ground.

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
"I see. Well, the air here is certainly heavier than I thought a world like this would be like," Homura answers Ness, not meaning it entirely literally. Guess you can't judge a book by its cover, even in a place like this. All the talk about murder and tyrants-- well, the latter is a bit less surprising than you'd think considering even the other versions' histories-- certainly established that.

She follows along, just as unarmed, unless we count the coat she's holding over a shoulder as a weapon (which, with Homura, is not an unfair bet, although that's really more Kiyoko's style nowadays).

"And what are your guesses on why the murdered would be contacting you at all? They don't usually want to be caught, unless it's to put on a show." Talk is interrupted by the twins(?) and their creepy talking pattern. Homura likewise shows she's unarmed (the coat stays on her shoulder), before crossing her arms. "Akemi Homura. I'm just his bodyguard."

It probably looks backwards.

Pinkie (470) has posed:
"Patty Cake!" Says the girl. "Patsy Cake." The boy.
The Cakes aren't going to give their real names, it's as close an introduction the two will be giving. Heads cock aside in unison at the introductions they get back. A teen girl guarding a man like Ness does look pretty backwards, but they don't seem to question it too hard.
"That's okay-""-We're armed too!" Then both in unison: "Not that we're here to fight."
So then what exactly were Ness and Akemi called for? They get right to that. "We were told-""-to pass along a message." "The Archmagister has-""-A little pet project in Stalliongrad."

"We thought you might like to have a look."

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
"If I had to take a guess, it's either to rub me out or to change my mind. Either way, it's worth looking into," Ness says with a shrug. He thens his gaze to the two of the masked figures in front of him, "Stalliongrad?"

"Does this have any relation to her strange project she talked about the other night? Reshaping reality for the better?"

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
Homura knows better than to question the names.
At least that part is still the same.
She nods to Ness, idly, about his theories.
She wouldn't know, really; he's the cop. He'd know best.

"The Archmagister is Twilight Sparkle, correct?" Just catching up. Making sure she's got the names connected to the right titles. It'll help! "What's her story, anyway? I'm not familiar with this world at all, but you don't just rise to power overnight."

Pinkie (470) has posed:
"It might be!" "It might not." Thee twins give vaguely, with identical shrugs.
"Cupcake?" In unison they each produce one in offering. For Ness and Homura. "Yes, Archmagister Frown-""-Face McGrumpsalot." The two confirm for Homura. "We were very young when it happened." "But the prophet said she's good at being manipulative." "And with the princesses gone there was a power vacuum someone needed to fill."
This little pastry-and-history based sidetrack however is only a second or so long before they return to the main topic at hand.
"We're everywhere." "And nowhere." "We hear things." "We see things."
"But not everything."
One of them produces a pouch and a map and dumps them on the alley floor at the pair's feet. The pouch has a slew of bits, the local gold-based currency. The map is marked with a city just a little southwest. "Stalliongrad is Moon and-""-Star's industrial powerhouse."
"It might have something to do with that."
"It might not."

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
Ness takes the offered cupcake, but does not eat it immediately. He stares at the pastry in his hand, taking a long moment before HE is the one who answers Homura, "The Archmagister is the victim of a noble, but flawed ideal, I think. I don't know for sure."

"If one person can achieve the power to better the life of everyone, is it not their duty to achieve that at any cost? If they achieve that power, is it not THEIR choice for what to fix or whom to better?" He lifts up the cupcake, inspecting it while holding it in gloved fingers, "A cage of nobility in purpose, a darkness in execution."

He smiles faintly, "Sorry. I can relate to such a dilemma, being one who enforces an unpopular, but necessary law," He smoothly covers up his ponderances, "I have yet to fully claim a side, but I fear I may be drawing you into opposition with those from your own faction, Homura Akemi. I will understand if you wish to disinvolve yourself of my investigation here."

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
"I don't believe we have anything resembling an affiliation yet. If the Archmagister is neutral and so is her opposition then we'll have freedom to do whatever comes out to be "the right thing". I do hope your right and our right end up lining up, though," Homura says to Eliot, apparently completely uncaring. This situation isn't one she's familiar enough with to say anything about yet.

Whatever happens happens.

"Either way it can't hurt to go take a look at whatever this big project is. It might shed some light on the situation and give a definite answer."

Pinkie (470) has posed:
'Noble but flawed' gets something of a look from the Cake twins before they look to each other in wordless silence for a few beats.
"We think you'll find that in Equestria-""-things aren't always as they seem."
"But we might be a little biased."
For the record, the twins won't seem too disappointed if the cupcakes go uneaten, now. Or just plain un-eaten. However checking them later will find them to be perfectly safe. And really delicious. They're yellow cake with rainbow frosting, and look like they were made completely from scratch.
"The right thing-""-always goes horribly wrong." They let that hang for a beat. "What you do-""-is on you."
"Just don't pick the un-funny choices. The Prophet might not like it."
"Have a peek at Stalliongrad." "It might be enlightening."
It looks like with a pair of simultaneous bows, they're getting ready to go, unless the two hold them longer. They've gotten their message out.

Eliot Ness (264) has posed:
Eliot bows back slightly out of politeness before nodding to Homura, "I will check out Stalliongrad tomorrow, I think." He muses to himself, adjusting his outfit and then placing the cupcake in his pocket, wrapped in a hankerchief.

He looks to Homura next to him, "I won't turn down help for this. But dress lightly if you are going to come."

Homura Akemi (2) has posed:
The cupcakes will probably go eaten once Homura can be sure they're okay. Shady masked potential murderers in a dark alley are not a legit source of cupcakes, usually!

She nods to Eliot, as the twins take their leave. "Sure. By lightly, do you mean... more than this?" She glances down at her clothes, just to be sure. If you can't tell she is not good at fashion so if someone is suggesting she change her wardrobe she is basically going to be completely lost.

"And should I put a call out or do you prefer to handle that yourself?" The latter would arrange her and the player very much, admittedly.

Pinkie (470) has posed:
And with that, the twins take their leave, the male spreading his wings, apparently powerful enough to lift him and his sibling up as they latch hands and acrobatically flip up onto the roof and out of sight, leaving the federal agent and Puella Magi alone in the alley once again.