Elec Daegana
"I'm glad that everything is sort of returning to normal now... I hate seeing everyone so stressed. I've been able to take care of my recent cases, so maybe I'll finally be able to face off in court against some members of the agency again. You wouldn't believe how much I've missed them... At least Daddy says that he's going to make us some cookies to celebrate all of this being over. I think that makes it at least somewhat worth having to spend so much time focusing on work... Here's to hoping that everything gets better soon, and while I can't say why I'm so sure, I'm positive that it'll all turn around now!"
Buddy Bradshaw (X)
"You would not believe just how worked up Neptune has been as of late... All of the recent activity involving the head of Interpol has caused a few issues within Gather Law, and Neptune has been even more on edge than usual. I think that it has something to do with the assault case at the agency. She's been holding out on details, but I'm confident that there's more to that than meets the eye... In any case, I'm glad that this has all been resolved, at least for the most part. I'm going to have to jump back into working at Interpol soon... This mess with the previous leader sure is causing a stir in the company..."
Clarith Blake
"I wish that there was more I could do to help Buddy feel better about all of this. It feels like I can't really do much of anything to take this weight off his shoulders, and while I know that isn't true, I still wish there was more I could try... I guess that I'm just going to have to support him in my own way! Maybe I can help by taking care of his matters within Gather Law... That should take at least a bit of weight off his shoulders... Or I could try to keep Neptune at least somewhat contained. That would probably be helpful to him in the long term too. Decisions, decisions..."
Neptune Mercure
"I don't think I could ever say just how happy I am that this is in the past. You truly have no idea how much of a mess this has been... I'm glad that Chrysalis is back to her old self, at least to some degree. The previous head of Interpol has been caught too, and now everybody is aware of what he's done. I can't say that this is bound to end well for him, but he was the one who made this decision, so he's the one that will have to live with it. I don't have much sympathy for him... No, I don't think I'll ever pity him for what he tried to do. He doesn't deserve that."
Shane Carmen
"It was strange getting back to performing without Saya around... Chrysalis wound up having to take over as her understudy for the show, and I don't think I realized how stressful a shift of actors like that was going to be until we did it! I'm glad that Saya's finally able to rest in peace, but I wish that none of this happened in the first place... We're going to do our best to keep pressing on though. After all, that's what we deserve to do, and nothing is going to stop us now! I'm hoping, anyways... Please tell me that this was the last murder with our theater group... Please."
Satoki Amaya
"It's a huge weight off my shoulders to know that everyone has mostly recovered from the scars left behind by that case at the theater. Hannah is going to be in prison for a long time, and her revenge failed in the end. I wonder how she came to believe that Oracle was involved with our little theater company in the first place... I guess it doesn't matter that much at the end of the day though. She was wrong, and she has to see that now. Saya's death has been resolved, and it seems like we're finally going to be able to see peace around here. Who would have thought that activity could be so exhausting?"
James Devine
"Filming has finally picked up again for my show. It's not going to be the same, filming it without the director that made it so special, but... We're all trying to get by even with that roadblock. The rest of the cast has been endlessly supportive regarding what happened, and it seems to me like others have started to praise the members of that agency... Morix Law Offices, I believe it was? Perhaps I'll be able to arrange a proper tour for the members of the agency... It would do little to fully pay them back, but it would be nice to offer. Perhaps Niamh could come along too... She truly is a sweet girl..."
Nevada Wood
"Niamh finally found out about me. I'm not entirely sure how she didn't know I existed before, but all of the pieces are finally sliding into place. She was absolutely mortified when she heard about what I did, but... I think that it's going to be okay. We're going to find a way to work this out. I'm sure of that much. I mean, I get along really well with our parents already, and... I'm glad that I have them in my life. Mama says that I'll be able to get to know the extended part of our family soon too! Imagine how much fun that's going to be for all of us! I can hardly wait!"
Ervan Frost
"The recent surge of cases involving the previous head of Interpol has been interesting, I must say. Well, it's been nice to see from afar, not exactly to experience. I don't know how to feel about him turning out to be a criminal, but at least the truth has come to light. That means that he can't cause any other problems from here on out. I wonder how his trial will go... It doesn't seem as if he's going to be granted any mercy. I'll have to go and see how it unfolds at the very least. Maybe I can drag my sister along... It's bound to be an interesting one for sure!"
Eriko Frost
"I don't think that any of us expected the previous head of Interpol to be someone so vile. He was responsible for disgusting acts, and that cannot be underestimated in the slightest. Moving past his actions towards a new future will be far from easy, but people have endured in the past, and I suspect that the same will happen here. From the ashes of a darker past, a brighter tomorrow will be created, and if that means change... So be it. After all, the best path to follow is scarcely the easy one, and we will simply have to see where it leads us. May the winds of the future blow ever in our favor."
Ophani Diaphan
"It truly is incredible to see so many important cases solved by a single agency in such a short span of time. Morix Law Offices has been responsible for many quite important revelations, and it makes one wonder... Perhaps things truly are beginning to change for the better. It's a long and difficult battle to truly change that which has been broken, but with enough determination and hard work, it can be done. There is no way of saying yet, but this could be a time that is discussed in the future for generations to come. We will simply have to see where the whims of fate lead us."
Vito Cruz
"Deirdre and I have been hanging out a lot more recently. I can tell that she needs a break from her job sometimes. She's doing a lot to change the legal system whether others see it or not. I'm glad that I can at least do a little something to calm her down... She gets along well with Nikki too, and our dogs, Kiki and Diablo, absolutely love being able to romp around together. ...Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not blushing! I just like spending time with her, okay?! Ugh, this is an absolute nightmare... You had better not tell a soul about this! I can't have anyone thinking I'm romantic and crap like that!"
Roberto Shield
"Having Lily home at last truly is a relief. I was beyond worried about her while she was at the detention center. She never quite fully explained what happened with the case at the agency, but... I don't think that I care enough to push the subject. All that matters is that it's been resolved now, and I'm hoping that nothing like this will ever happen again. Our mother was worried about her too, but it seems like things are finally calming down... Plus, we were able to successfully prosecute the one responsible for the attack in the first place. All's well that ends well, I suppose, but I wish this never happened in the first place."
Aidan Hayes
"Mukuro and I have been spending even more time together lately. I really was worried about her when she was arrested, but... It seems like it's all been taken care of now. Who would have thought that the head of Interpol sent somebody to cause problems? I guess that we're going to have to change the way that we look at all sorts of things because of that case, though I suppose that a little bit of change is better late than never. I'm going to make sure that Mukuro doesn't wind up in that kind of trouble again anytime soon. It's the least that I can do for her, honestly."
Vera Wattson
"It's nice to be able to take a step back and relax after all of that. It feels as if the world has turned into an upside-down mess as of late with the constant string of intense cases, but hopefully, we're in the clear and nothing like that will happen again soon. For the time being, I'm going to focus on trying to kick back and enjoy myself. Toby and I are set to go out to dinner again soon... We've been doing that a lot lately. Mukuro keeps snickering whenever I bring it up... I do have to wonder what that girl is up to sometimes... I have no idea if I'll ever understand it though."
Mukuro Erikson
"I've been trying to set up Detective Wattson to go on dates with my father. He's too awkward to ask her himself, but I can tell that the two of them are really made for each other. They both deserve to be happy, and she's done a lot for him. Aside from that though, I've been doing great! I finally got to take the official tour of the set for James' show, and it was a ton of fun. I'm looking forward to seeing the show continue. It really does become a lot cooler when you know somebody who's behind all of the action sequences that you see on the screen each week!"
Toby Erikson
"I don't know what Mukuro is up to, but she keeps trying to set me up on evening excursions with Vera... D-Don't get me wrong, I do like going out with her, but...! I guess I'm working myself up over nothing. She's a mischievous girl, as I'm sure you can imagine, but I'm glad that she's happy. I'm also happy that the recent cases have finally been solved. She's been a lot perkier since returning from the detention center. I'm glad that she won't have any issues like that again for quite some time. She doesn't deserve to put up with that sort of burden... If I'm being honest, I don't think that any of us do..."
Niamh Wood
"I-I finally learned the truth about the weird gaps in my memory... It wasn't easy to hear about all of that, but I think that we're finally getting somewhere. Nevada is... She's unique, but she doesn't seem to want to fight with me anymore. Work is difficult since she doesn't have much interest in it, but I'm happy that I finally understand. I've been kind of worried about my weird memory gaps lately, but... It all seems fine now, at least to some degree. James and I have been getting closer too. I just hope that nobody finds out about that... I feel like the magazines would have a party over getting a picture of the two of us together..."
Sora Lin
"Our family has really changed as of late since Nevada feels confident to run around without any issues, and I'm glad that she's able to be comfortable in her own skin. I've had to make all sorts of cookies lately to keep up with her demand. I don't know how she can stomach so many sweets... It's been a learning process, but I'm happy with how it's going. I'm also happy that the case at the agency has been resolved... You have no idea how nice it is to see Cotoli not panicking constantly. He deserves a break every once in a while... Here's to hoping he finally gets it soon."
Anton Burke
"I-I think that something has been wrong w-with Chrysalis and D-Daddy lately... They've been a-acting kind of w-weird, but... I-I'm just happy that they're o-okay. They were r-really stressed for a l-little bit there... O-Our family is doing its b-best right now! Nevada is... She c-can be kind of s-scary, but... W-We're making it w-work! I h-hope that Chrysalis s-starts feeling better s-soon... I think that s-she's been anxious as of l-late... I'm g-glad that E-Elec is back to w-working on normal c-cases too! I really m-missed being able to s-see him around the P-Prosecutor's Office... I-I guess that everything is g-going pretty well n-now! That's a g-good thing to me!"
Polly Burke
"I swear, you have no idea how tiring it is to have to find a way to keep Cotoli calm when times get tough. He's doing his best to make it seem as if he has everything together, but I can tell that there's more than meets the eye. I wish that he had told us about what happened at the agency with that Cade Green man, but we can't change it now. I'm glad that case is finally solved as well. He deserved what he got and then some. I don't know how he can say with confidence that he felt bold enough to do all of that, but it's not my job to understand that. I'm just glad he's gone."
Ghastly Bespoke
"I never expected for the previous head of Interpol to show himself in the way that he did, but then again, I don't think that any of us saw it coming. I'm glad that he's been taken care of though... Anybody who upsets the people at the agency that much is bound to be bad news. It really does leave you to wonder about the recent string of corrupted figures in the legal world within the past five years though... First, it was the previous chief prosecutor, and then, it was Cade Green... Life truly does work in mysterious ways sometimes, wouldn't you agree?"
Anthony Umber
"I'm not trying to say that I think there's anything suspicious going on here, but... Abilene and I faced minimal consequences after what happened with our father. Perhaps everyone decided to go easy on us because we were being used, but I have a different theory. Part of me wants to believe that there's a chance that Oracle might have been involved. It's ridiculous given that I don't have any evidence to root this concept in, but it's still something that I find to be notably odd. I suppose that if that is the case though, I'm never going to find out the answer. Oracle works in strange ways no matter how you look at it though... Hm. It's something to consider."
Abilene Umber
"It's been nice to finally be able to start to get to know Yuri... I wish that we had been able to meet Venus and Cassidy while they were still alive, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Prosecutor Lin is an experienced medium, and she's tried to channel them a few times, but it hasn't ever worked... Weird, huh? Anyways, I have to say that I'm happy with how things have gone. I don't know if I'll ever truly be able to escape my thoughts about how my father acted, but this is progress, and I think that it's just the piece of hope I need right about now."
Sky Amaya
"I have to say that I certainly prefer working at this agency in comparison to Blocker Law. This place feels much more like a family, and I would be more than satisfied carrying out the rest of my career here. I hope that we aren't involved with as many large cases in the future though; seeing everyone so stressed is not an enjoyable thing, let me tell you. Still, I'm glad that I was given the chance to work here so that I could meet everyone. It seems like Felicity and I are going to be the newest members of the team for quite a while... Look at us with our lovely little circle. It truly is incredible."
Felicity Amaya
"After the case involving the assault at the agency, Sky and I heard the truth about Oracle. I never would have guessed that it would be a secret within the agency... I'm not going to even think of sharing it with anybody else though! After all, we've got a job to do now, and it would be awful of me to sell out the people that I've come to care about so much. I wonder what's going to come next for us... Whatever it is, I'm sure that it's going to be interesting. Until then though, I'm going to do what I can! It's the least that I can do to make my own change in the world!"
Chrysalis Starr
"Recovery from the previous case has been... Slow-going, to say the least. It feels like I can barely sleep at night without thinking about what happened, but... It's going to be in the past soon enough, I'm sure of it. Felicity and Sky know the truth about Oracle now for better or worse, but I can safely say that I don't want to trust anybody else with this for quite some time. I've had more than enough activity to last a lifetime. I just don't know how I'm going to explain the bruises on my neck to anybody who doesn't know... That's sure to be a pain that I don't want to deal with."
Victoria von Graye
"Being able to leave all of that messiness in the past sure is a relief for me. It's such a huge weight off my shoulders... I'm glad that Lily is back, and business is going on as usual. Everything's been kind of difficult lately with the constant stress of the recent cases, but I know that we're going to be fine. We've been able to power through up to this point, and I know that we can keep pressing on! I do have to say though... I wonder if my boyfriend would be interested in all of this... I bet that he'd really like to meet everybody at the agency one of these days..."
Lily Shield
"I don't think I can say enough how happy I am that I'm home from the detention center now. Robbie seems to be doing much better now too, and I think that the entire agency has been practically consumed with relief that this whole ordeal is over. I wish that it didn't have to come at Yuri's expense, but... She keeps on telling all of us that it's going to be fine. She's a resilient young woman, and I know that she's going to be able to conquer anything that comes her way. And if she ever struggles... We're going to help her through it. It's the least that we can do, if you ask me."
Yuri Rinko
"You know... I still have a lot of thinking to do about what happened with my father. I don't think that I'll ever be able to forgive him for what he did. He may have thought that he was acting in my best interests, but... He was out of line, and he hurt the people that I care about. He can go and spend all his time alone for all I care, but at least I have Abilene and Anthony now. We're not exactly in the perfect sibling routine yet, but... I know that we're going to get somewhere one of these days. I wish Venus and Cassidy could see me now... I bet they'd love to be here..."
Deirdre Brigit
"It certainly feels nice to be able to relax every once in a while. Vito and I have been becoming close friends as of late, and spending time with him makes it much easier for me to kick my feet up and try to calm down. ...I am not blushing. You're being ridiculous for even implying such a thing... We're simply two people who just so happen to have quite a bit in common and found each other through work. I mean it. Besides, I don't think I have time to focus on love now anyways... Times are still chaotic in the legal world, after all. Oh, well. Maybe one day..."
Cotoli Morix
"Once again, we're back to every member of the agency knowing the truth about Oracle and all that is involved with that. Felicity and Sky were shocked when they learned the full story, but we're all honest with each other these days. I believe that our agency is going to be staying at its current size for quite some time. Chrysalis agrees that this is the best course of action... I'm so glad that she's alright, but I wish that she hadn't been put in danger this way in the first place. At least she's doing better now. That's the one thing that I'm considering positive for the time being."
December 1
Morix Law Offices
5:30 PM
Chrysalis Starr
A few weeks had passed since the previous case where everything slipped out of our control involving Cade Green, Carson Rinko, and Collack Strann. It had been a tame couple of weeks, not that I was complaining in the slightest. In fact, this was certainly what I knew would be for the best as far as my health was concerned. I had seen more than enough activity in such a short span of time, and I needed some time to relax and then some.
All of us members of the agency were gathered together along with a few others. I wasn't sure what had prompted this, but I had a theory that it was Cotoli's idea. After all, I had been forced to spend quite a bit of time indoors because of my recent injuries. He didn't want me going out anywhere if I was just going to be limping, and the bruises on my neck only made things worse in his eyes. Inviting over a handful of guests certainly seemed to help the situation, and I was glad for the extra bit of company.
As it stood, the members of the agency were there along with Sora, Niamh, Polly, Anton, Elec, Ghastly, and Neptune. Sora had been pretty bold in saying that she would do anything to make sure that her younger sister was alright, and while I had chuckled at her protective attitude, I appreciated it much more than I was willing to let on openly. Neptune was here on her own because apparently Clarith and X had other business to take care of, though I wasn't at all complaining over the fact that she was here.
My head was resting on Neptune's lap, and I was stretched out on the couch. Cotoli had insisted that I be given the chance to do that, and I appreciated it. He truly did care too much for me and my needs in my opinion, but I supposed that it wasn't a bad thing. He just wanted to make sure that I was feeling alright after all that had taken place. He had been stressed beyond imagination during that disaster as well, so it was probably for his own peace of mind as well as mine. I certainly couldn't fault him for that.
Ghastly reached out and took a bite of a cookie that had been sitting atop a stack of sweets on the central table of the agency's primary space. Sora had been the one to make all of the cookies before coming over, claiming that it seemed like all of us could use a bit of cheering up. I hadn't complained at all, of course, because of how great her sweets were. In fact, I was glad that she had made plenty, because we were already nearing the lower side of the supply, and she had come with nearly three containers full. I didn't know how she had managed to make so many, but then again, my sister has always worked in mysterious ways. It was best to not question her if it could be avoided.
"Today sure has been fun," Ghastly drawled on after he finished the cookie in his hand. He brushed off the crumbs that had stuck to his fingers before he leaned back, allowing his head to find a cozy home on the backrest of the couch. "I think that all of us could use a break like that. Of course, I'm praying that this isn't necessary ever again... This has been too much..."
"You're going to fall asleep if you keep eating so many cookies and then laying back like that," Polly pointed out with a sigh and a shake of your head. "I know how you work, Ghastly. We've known each other far too long for me to not be aware of all of your little tips and tricks." Ghastly didn't dignify her with a full response, instead simply humming and closing his eyes. Polly shook her head once again, and her fingers rose up to pinch the bridge of her nose.
"Thank you again for coming," I said carefully, slowly easing myself into an upright position. I was careful to make sure that the scarf wrapped around my neck remained in place so that Anton, Elec and Niamh didn't see the injuries there. After all, the three of them were still unaware of my work as Oracle, and I thought that it would be for the best if it stayed that way. I didn't want to wrap them up in things that could place them in premature danger. Maybe they would hear the truth one day, but for the time being, that didn't matter as much.
In fact, within the agency's primary room, everyone who knew about the project could be found. Obviously, Venus and Cassidy were exempt from this because of their deaths, but all of the others were still within the space. The other exception to this rule was nowhere to be found either, but I didn't know if that would even matter at all. It had been more than four years, and that meant-
Suddenly, a high-pitched ringing sound pierced the air, and I recognized it as being the bell to buzz into the agency properly from the downstairs entrance. "Who could be here at a time like this?" Cotoli questioned with a quirk of his eyebrow. He went to get to his feet to get the door, but Victoria wound up beating him to it, so she happily skipped out of the room to take care of whatever it was that had yet to be resolved involving the appearance of this unknown new figure.
For a few moments, I waited with held breath and confusion in my heart. I didn't know what it was that could have prompted something like this. Perhaps it was a new client that needed defending. That would make sense, wouldn't it? Granted, it wouldn't be ideal, but that would be more sensical than a random visitor appearing to speak with us. The confusion on everyone else's faces made it clear that they hadn't invited any outside figures to this little meeting of ours either.
When the door to the room did finally open again, Victoria was the one who walked inside. "There's somebody that I'd like you all to meet," she explained. She returned to her seat, though her grin was endless as she did so. "My boyfriend finally decided that it was time for him to introduce himself to all of you."
I was about to question what could have made him change his mind, but all of that fell away as soon as another figure appeared in the entryway. He was tall with deep brown hair that fell easily over the upper half of his head. He had a visible red eye, though his other eye was covered by an eyepatch that acted as the primary source of color to his dark ensemble. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt and matching dark trousers. His shoes were black and beyond shiny, a sign that he had prepared for this encounter. A katana hung from a sheath around his waist.
The man's expression softened as he turned to face me, and I could have sworn that he had tears in his eye. He took a step closer to me as everyone in the room watched in silence. "It's been too long, Chrysalis," he murmured, his voice choked in a heartbreaking way.
I felt something wet slide down my cheek. "P... Pieter...?"
WEB OF MISTRUST
END