Prophecy
"This performance is over!" Neuvillette called out, startling the audience with his sudden command and authority. "Medical staff, with me. Gardes, secure the scene and detain all the performers. Seal the exits, no one is allowed in or out at this time!" Two Gardes appeared on stage to investigate what was going on, whilst another two Gardes ran up to Lyney, who held his hands up.
"Y-Yes, th-that's right!" Furina, the Hydro Archon, called out from her VIP seat. "If this was just an accident, then we must-"
"Keep it down up there!" Lego shouted up at Furina, cutting her off and silencing her. Lego sighed afterwards as he sat back down in his seat, getting looks from everyone in the audience, as well as the Gardes.
Izuku looked at Lego with a deadpan expression. "Sometimes I question why I stick around you."
"Because you're the strongest and are the only one who could therefore stop me if I decided to snap," Lego stated. "And besides, would you rather be babysitting Evil?"
"Actually, what is going on with him?" Bardock questioned, feeling a bit concerned as he realized that left easily the most dangerous person with everyone else, with it being well established that Evil could kill everyone on the ship if he so much as chooses to.
"You think he's killed anyone?" Raiden asked as he looked at Lego.
"And risk dying again? Nope," Lego said as he sat back in his chair, pulling out a laptop to scroll on YouTube while he waited for Neuvillette and the guards to be done with their shit. "Ooo, Lythero uploaded Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 Lobby Shenanigans Sev- HE HAS RUSSIANBADGER WITH HIM?!" Lego started visibly shaking rapidly as he looked at the video, with the group rolling their eyes over his mood swings.
(Note, this part of the chapter was written during the timeframe that said video came out on Youtube, subscribe to Lythero and TheRussianBadger)
Eventually after the Gardes and Neuvillette were done investigating, Neuvillette stood on stage. "Unfortunately," Neuvillette began, "the person who was in the magic box has been pronounced dead. His name was Cowell, one of the assistants in Lyney's magic troupe. Apparently, the fireworks on stage ignited the ropes that were suspending the water tank, which then caused the tank to fall onto the stage." Glancing at Lyney with a hint of suspicion, Neuvillette added, "As of now, we are still not sure why we wound Cowell in the box rather than the guest from the audience."
Izuku's head perked up. "...this is suspicious," the young villain said as he looked at everything.
"After an initial search of the area, the Gardes have confirmed that the girl is nowhere to be found," Neuvillette continued. "It appears that this incident was not merely some mishap with the performance, and there are many indications that it is connected with the case of the serial disappearances of young women."
Izuku put the pieces together almost instantly, his villainous mind already suspecting what was going on here. "He's being framed," Izuku accidentally said out loud, catching the attention of Neuvillette and the audience.
"Oh?" Neuvillette replied, with even Furina catching what Izuku said.
"Your naive human mind might just believe he is being framed," Furina called out to Izuku, making the audience and Lego's group look at her. "However, I see the truth of the matter. In fact, I say that our powerful magician, Mr. Lyney, is now the prime suspect for the serial disappearances case."
"We know nothing of the situation so far other than a woman disappearing and what looks like an accidental death, and you're trying to claim that he's guilty?" Izuku questioned as he looked at the Hydro Archon.
"This all occurred during his magic show, did it not?" Furina asked. "The missing girl disappeared after being chosen, did she not? The deceased is one of his assistants, is he not?"
"You can't be serious," Izuku stated as he looked at the Hydro Archon.
Before Izuku could continue talking, Neuvillette tapped his cane on the stage's floor. "Save discussion for a later time, please," Neuvillette said to Izuku, before turning to look at Furina. "Lady Furina, may I assume your comments just now constitute an accusation against Mr. Lyney and his associates and that you are pressing charges?" This alarmed Lego's group by how quickly this was proceeding.
"Hey wait a minute, isn't this too soon to be pressing for charges?" Raiden asked Neuvillette.
"The law works differently in Fontaine," Neuvillette answered before looking at the cyborg. "If Lady Furina chooses to press charges, then by law a trial is to take place."
"Bullshit!" Izuku shouted as he stood up out of his chair. "What sort of crap is that?! For all we know this is an accident! Hell, it's possible he's being framed for this all!"
Neuvillette looked at Izuku. "May I interpret that as you plan to defend Lyney during the trial?"
Lego poked Izuku. "Hey, we really should not-"
Izuku swatted Lego's hand away before looking back at Neuvillette. "Ya know what? Yes, I will defend him in court. I know injustice when I see it, and I will not just stand by when something like this happens!" Izuku then turned and pointed at Furina, glaring at the Hydro Archon. "And I'll prove you wrong whilst I do it!"
"Sweet merciful crap," Lego mumbled as he held his head in his hands, looking down at the ground now.
The murmuring of the audience started up as some of them got excited by a foreigner from another dimension going up against the Hydro Archon in a trial. It would appear a lot of people believed in Furina, while some doubted Izuku and even seemed a little enraged by him calling Furina's accusations as an injustice to Lyney.
"Very well," Furina said as she seemed to regain her composure. "Then I suppose your entire group will be assisting Lyney with this trial as well!" Furina let out a laugh, before saying, "And what better place to hold such a riveting showdown and decide the true victor than here, on the grandest of stages, the Opera Epiclese!"
"Great, now we're being dragged into this…" Bardock grumbled, clearly not pleased by this turn of developments.
"Why am I not surprised?" Cell questioned with a deadpan expression.
Kermit looked at Lego. "Shit, you knew this would happen…"
"Yeah, no shit Sherlock," Lego replied, noting Kermit's obvious guilt at how he dragged them into this.
"Charges have now been pressed, and as such, a trial is in order," Neuvillette said. "The trial will be held a day from now in the opera house. Both sides may investigate the scene to build their cases and search for the truth."
"Wait, we get a day?!" Izuku shouted, clearly alarmed by this.
"Lyney and his troupe are all potential suspects, and shall remain within the opera house," Neuvillette continued, ignoring Izuku's outburst. "The audience may begin to leave in an orderly fashion once they have been cleared by the Gardes."
As the audience left, Izuku was left speechless by how they were given at most 24 hours to investigate this crime before the trial would take place. "I can't believe how fucked up this is," Izuku stated as he sat down in his chair.
"Yes, yes thank you for screwing us over," Lego said to Izuku sarcastically. "Now we have to stay in this shithole until we clear Lyney's name. Thank you!" Lego stood up before stretching. "Now to go through the evidence and build the case and shit…"
"So we have a murder and disappearance to investigate," Raiden remarked.
"Shall we speed up the process?" Bardock asked as he began to sense for the Ki of the missing woman, before Lego shook his head.
"We still have to investigate everything else," Lego replied. "We have to prove that Lyney, who is innocent, is innocent to Neuvillette, the Oratrice, and the audience tomorrow. We still have to investigate everything from the ropes and water tank, to the underground tunnel and how Lyney is capable of running from said passage to the Oratrice and back in 60 seconds."
This drew looks of confusion, as well as deadpan expressions from the group as it was clear that Lego already knew everything, but he was forcing them to build this case.
Cell crossed his arms and sighed. "Well, we got our one hint. Let's start working with it."
"As much as I hate being a good guy, we do have to prove the magician's innocence…" Bardock agreed. "Better start… asking around."
Before the group could disperse, Lyney and Lynette actually walked up to the group, though they were accompanied by a Garde. "Excuse me, if I could take a moment of your time, seeing as you are my attorneys," Lyney began as he gathered Lego's group's attention.
"I'm gonna stop you right there kid," Bardock said as he cut off Lyney. "He," Bardock gestured to Izuku, "is your attorney. We are helping Izuku because we're apparently trapped here now until the case is resolved, which I personally believe is a load of bullshit but considering the fact we're trying to be peaceful about repairing our ship, we're willing to put up with it."
Lyney was… visibly conflicted on how he should respond, and could merely muster in response to Bardock, "Okay…"
"Now, as you were," Bardock stated, letting Lyney continue where he was going to take this conversation.
"I… was going to say that you really didn't have to become my attorneys," Lyney replied, as he put a hand over his chest. "I mean, Lynette and I barely know you fine gentlemen and gentle frog."
Kermit nudged Cell and said, "This guy addressed me properly."
"Eat a dick," Cell replied to Kermit.
"Not to mention," Lyney continued, "there is a high probability that this is an attempt from some sort of organization to frame me for the missing young women's disappearance case that's been happening over these past years here in Fontaine… This as a result is ver-"
"Hold on, what disappearance case?" Raiden asked as he cut Lyney off, the men except Lego being curious about what Lyney was referring to.
"It's exactly that. Young women have been disappearing," Lynette explained. "Most likely they've been kidnapped… and they've never been seen again."
"Criminals…" Izuku mumbled. He then began to chuckle, concerning the magician twins and the Garde.
"Excuse me, what is funny?" The Garde asked, her tone being rather serious as a result of Izuku's laughter.
"If it's criminals we're after, then it's a good thing I am one," Izuku answered with a smile, catching Lyney and Lynette off guard, whilst making the Garde tense up.
The Garde attempted to try and detain Izuku with her baton due to belief that he himself was a wanted criminal of this world, but was stopped by Izuku's Nanomachines creating a barrier. "Hey now, I didn't say I was one in this world," Izuku said to the Garde in a condescending tone. "I just work with the ones in the world I'm from. Now back off." Izuku flicked her baton to the side as his Nanos turned invisible.
Lyney's eyes were widened. "What the-... How-... You-?!"
"We're not ordinary people," Bardock said. "I thought that much was obvious."
"Trust me, Lyney, they got this," Lego told the magician as he gave him a thumbs up, still sitting down in his seat whilst watching a video on his computer that he had pulled out of nowhere. "Just show them what they need to see and whatnot and they can solve this case."
Lyney sighed in relief, able to believe all of this. "That's… reassuring."
"That'll have to wait. We have to question Lyney, Lynette, and the rest of their magic troupe," the Garde accompanying them said as she pocketed her baton. The look on her face made it clear that she knew she was outmatched if she fought Izuku.
"Alright," Izuku said. "We'll investigate everything else while we wait."
"Kermit, why are we standing at the entrance?" Cell asked Kermit as the two stood in the main lobby of the Opera Epiclese, where a Melusine was standing at the door like an unmoving guard.
"Because Cell we have to check the entrance," Kermit replied as he gestured to the Melusine
"Kermit, we're dealing with an abduction!" Cell shouted at the muppet.
"But they could've gone through the front door!" Kermit retorted as he continued to believe he was going about this the right way.
"How the fuck would they smuggle a girl through the front door when there is a Melu-whatever-they're-called right there?!" Cell argued as he gestured to the Melusine.
"Let's ask her and find out," Kermit said.
"Oh my god…" Cell pinched his temple as they walked up to the Melusine.
"Sorry, but no one can freely enter or exit the opera house at the moment," the Melusine said as Kermit and Cell approached. "If you wish to leave, you must register your identity with us first."
"We're here because Kermit thinks that the missing girl somehow managed to get smuggled through this door," Cell said to the Melusine as he explained the situation. "Perhaps you could explain to him how that isn't logical."
"You seem new to Fontaine, but that is correct, it wouldn't have been possible for the missing girl to leave through this entrance," the Melusine said. "After all, I've been guarding this entrance the entire time since Lyney's show started. No matter how hard the audience applauded, I never once left my post, and if someone did try to smuggle the girl through here, or if she tried to leave herself, I would've seen it if someone tried anything." The Melusine looked proud of herself and her kind as she said, "We Melusines are good at that sort of thing, you know."
"Ah, shit," Kermit replied.
"Thank you for your time," Cell said as they left the Melusine.
"Well… now what?" Kermit asked Cell as they were now left with a blank as they basically had nothing.
"Hey, you! Yes, both of you! Over here!" A female voice called out to them. Cell and Kermit both turned to see two slightly imposing men in suits standing with their arms crossed, in front of a blonde lady wearing a black dress and hat, who was sitting on one of the lounge couches in the main lobby. "I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now."
"Holy shit!" Kermit exclaimed. "It's the Genshin Mafia!"
"Wrong," one of the men who had blue hair said. "We are the Spina di Rosula."
"From mediating disputes and providing protection, to solving conundrums — you name it, Spina di Rosula does it," the blonde lady says. Cell and Kermit also noted that this lady had a Vision similar to Lyney and Lynette on her. The lady smiled. "And I, Navia, have the honor of being its renowned president!" Navia's gaze shifted back and forth between her two men in suits. "Though those who play by our rules call me Boss."
The man with the blue hair slightly bowed, his hat and black sunglasses not falling off as he introduced himself. "I'm Silver, her attendant. Pleased to meet you."
The other man, clearly in the later half of his life due to how he looked to be in his early 50's said, "And I'm Melus. Demoiselle's various daily needs and affairs are under my purview."
"Look lady, we don't need protection or any sort of bullshit like that," Cell said. "We can handle ourselves just fine, and even if we couldn't handle something, you and your men in black would be no match for whatever could put me down or endanger me."
"If you would allow Demoiselle to explain, perhaps she can help shed some light on the situation and why we are interested in lending our assistance," Melus interjected calmly before Cell or Kermit could attempt to leave.
"Fine… we're stuck here anyways so we can't really do much to begin with," Cell remarked as he crossed his arms.
"Wonderful," Navia said with a smile, pleased by Cell and Kermit's willingness to hear her out. "I've always kept an eye on the serial disappearance cases — my interest stems from a matter back from my father's time. And judging from the look of things, I find Lyney an unlikely mastermind."
"Oh shit, for real?" Kermit asked.
"Finally, someone in this damn nation with a brain!" Cell said as he looked at her. "What evidence do you have?"
"Intuition, naturally," Navia said coolly. "My unparalleled intuition!"
"And you have lost me," Cell replied as his expression became dry.
"Furina sure was quick to point the finger at Lyney without any decisive evidence whatsoever, wasn't she?" Navia asked, bringing up what happened earlier. "But that's not uncommon for her. If you remember, the Justice had to interrupt her and your young gentle friend in the suit and asked Furina if she was pressing charges just to keep her from getting carried away." Crossing her arms, Navia added, "A trial begins the moment someone levels charges. And of course, there was no way Furina was going to back down in that situation."
"For being the nation of Justice, this sounds nothing like justice," Kermit remarked.
"She can be interesting at times, but liking her doesn't mean that I'll blindly agree with her," Navia replied.
"Fair enough," Cell said.
Navia hummed and nodded. "I've answered your question. Now it's time you answer mine."
Cell sighed as he in general didn't like where this was going. But rolling with the punches, he said, "Fine. Hit me."
Navia nodded and asked, "In your opinion, do you think it's right to treat a trial like it's an opera?"
"Well, you can make the events seem funny, but if we're being serious, then hell no," Cell replied as he crossed his arms once more, giving a serious answer. "I think everyone back at the airship would agree."
"Hahaha!" Navia laughed with a smile, clearly enjoying Cell's answer. "See, Silver and Melus? I told you their group would be different!"
"Most astute of you, Demoiselle," Melus said as he looked at Navia with a nod. "I, too, think that the bugman's response was most excellent. No matter how wonderful the script or how fervent the audience's expectations may be, the trials that go on stage here must be based in fact. And if that can be done, Boss, then—"
"Alright, that's quite enough, Melus," Navia said as she got Melus to calm down and stop talking, it being clear the conversation was turning in a way that Navia wasn't comfortable with it turning. Turning to look at Cell and Kermit, she said, "Anyway, I like your answer. You pass with flying colors!" Standing up from her seat, Navia said, "Now, I need to make some preparations, following which our joint investigation shall commence… You two shall be my assistants!"
"Yeah, not how we roll lady, sorry," Kermit replied.
"Hmm? Oh, well, I can be the assistant, sure — or your companion, if you like. I'm really not that fussy," Navia replied, making it clear that she did want to work with them, regardless of how the partnership would go.
"Far be it from me to brag, but I believe that Demoiselle's intuition will be instrumental in uncovering the truth," Melus said to Cell and Kermit. "You wish to save a friend from false accusations, and we wish to unravel the disappearances. In this sense our groups' goals are aligned."
"And what about you Mr. Bodyguard? What do you have to say?" Cell asked Silver.
"I have nothing to add," Silver replied, clearly being a man of few words.
"Hmm. Respect," Cell said.
"Now to see if Lego knew about this," Kermit commented, surprising Navia.
"Hold on, what?" Navia questioned, being confused alongside Melus and Sliver.
Meanwhile, on the stage of the opera house where the deceased was tragically killed, Izuku and Raiden were inspecting the broken box and fallen water tank. "If we take into consideration that the girl was never meant to be in this box, Cowell was 100% murdered by whoever put him in there," Izuku said to Raiden. "This leads to two different possibilities."
Raiden looked at Izuku. "That Lyney might've put Cowell in the box somehow, or that Cowell was left in the box as disposable fodder?"
"Lyney is innocent," Izuku reaffirmed as he looked at Raiden. "Although I agree that Cowell could've been put in the box due to being fodder and henceforth disposable, it's also possible that the girl that's gone missing could've done this. I lack evidence of it though."
Raiden was surprised by Izuku's suggestion that the missing girl could've done this to Cowell. "What makes you even remotely suggest such a thing?"
"Lego mentioned an underground tunnel," Izuku reminded, looking at the destroyed box that was still left on stage, alongside the broken water tank. "And Lyney supposedly being able to run from it to the Oratrice in 60 seconds… that's how long he wanted the audience to count down." Izuku looked closer at the broken box. "There must be some sort of… service tunnel underneath the stage that leads from here, to the middle of the audience, and also backstage."
Raiden let out a low hum at that possibility, before he equipped his visor and looked in AR mode, seeing there was indeed an underground tunnel. "Hey, you're right."
"Of course I am," Izuku replied with a grin, knowing damn well he was on the right track thanks to Lego's hints. His grin, however, quickly faded. "However, there are a few things that are bugging me."
"Oh yeah? Like what?" Raiden asked Izuku.
"The pyrotechnics flared high enough to burn the ropes that held the water tank," Izuku recalled. "On top of that, from what I hear over there," Izuku gestured to a couple of Gardes that were investigating the number selector that chose the now missing woman, "that device is fixed so it only selects the seat and row of our missing girl. With how the water tank perfectly fell on top of the crate, as well as how the victim was a young woman… I believe Lyney is being framed by the true culprit of the serial disappearance case."
Investigating the fallen ropes, Raiden noted the material inside, which there was a little bit of. "Hey, this looks to be some sort of flash cotton…"
"We're right on the money," Izuku remarked as he looked at the ropes.
Bardock walked over to the two of them. "Find anything useful?" Bardock asked the two.
"The ropes had flammable material stuff inside them," Izuku told Bardock as he stood up. "Not to mention there is an underground tunnel like Lego blatantly told us."
"The seat selector was also rigged to select the girl's seat," Raiden added, relaying what Izuku had said. "Meaning this was no accident like Izuku suspected."
"Adds up with what I learned about the victim," Bardock added, causing Izuku to raise an eyebrow with interest.
"Do tell," Izuku said.
"The missing girl is named Halsey," Bardock said. "Apparently she's a painter who lives in this nation. From what the Garde I asked about her said, she's not a regular here, nor did she have any sort of connection with the magic troupe." Bardock crossed his arms. "What bothers me is how the Garde said that it was something that matches the features of the previous disappearances…"
Izuku hummed. "Well, that'll be somewhat valuable."
"Anything else," Raiden asked Bardock.
"For some reason, someone who was in the audience was trying to speculate about what happened," Bardock added. "He also brought up the thud that we heard during the middle of the countdown during the main magic trick." Bardock and Izuku's expressions grew grim as they remembered asking Lego about it, and Lego merely saying it was 'justice'.
"Something happened in the underground tunnel then…" Raiden commented, with the three of them agreeing with that assumption.
Whilst the parties that were actually investigating the case all gathered to discuss evidence, Lego was still sitting in his seat, ways away from everyone as he continued watching videos.
He was currently watching a video about the Genshin 4.2 story quest, and was humming as he watched, before slowly he paled as he realized the truth behind the situations in Fontaine right now and where he had left off in Genshin's 4.1 story quests.
"Sweet merciful crap," Lego said to himself as he closed his laptop and just sat there, deep in thought.
Now, with the rest of Lego's group, as well as the Spina di Rosula who accompanied Cell and Kermit, they began sharing the information they had thus far.
"Meaning at the very least, Cowell was either a loose end, or he was an accidental kill that was not meant to happen," Izuku said as he caught the Spina di Rosula up with the situation.
"Hmm, that is very concerning," Navia commented, although it was clear that she had suspected such as well.
"As locals, I'm assuming you've seen similar trends with the disappearances?" Bardock asked Navia and her two bodyguards.
"Indeed," Melus confirmed with a nod. "All the women who have disappeared are of Fontaine origin, on top of being within a similar age range."
"No one from other nations?" Izuku asked curiously.
"Not from Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Natlan, or Snezhnaya," Melus confirmed, listing the rest of the nations in the world of Teyvat.
"That could prove useful…" Izuku remarked with a nod.
Walking up to the group, the Traveler, or by name known as Aether, and Paimon looked at them. "Hey, what have you all learned regarding Lyney's case?" Paimon asked. "We were worried about Lyney and we decided to come back to see if we could help."
"So far, this is an attempt to frame Lyney for the disappearance case," Raiden explained. "However, the last thing we need to do right now is try to enter the underground tunnel that is related to the magic boxes. We should then be able to almost piece everything together."
"Cowell's death is either an accident, or intentional, which is the most pressing issue," Bardock said.
"Furthermore, we also need to find out the true motive for why only Fontainian women are being targeted," Izuku added. "Honestly… the best outcome would be that the girls who are missing are dead…"
This drew appalled gasps from the Spina di Rosula, as well as surprised stares from the members of Lego's group. Melus also got noticeably a bit angry because of Izuku's comment. "The best outcome would be that the girls are all a-"
"Alive and emotionally scarred?" Izuku finished, looking back at the (arguably) eldest amongst the gathered. "Alive and raped so they'll never trust anyone again?"
"Hold on one second, we don't need to get that dark," Cell replied to Izuku, actually a bit concerned.
Bardock couldn't help but just stand there, stunned at what Izuku was implying. "...there is no way Lego is gonna include this in the chapter."
"If it's happening, it very much is, and I'm concerned," Kermit added as he too looked disturbed.
"There are many horrible outcomes to the situation we are dealing with," Izuku stated coldly as he looked at everyone one at a time. "If they suffered a swift death, then honestly, that's a mercy… but if they are still alive, there is no telling what the real culprit behind this is doing to the women. Which is why we need to prove Lyney's innocence, and go after this jackass!"
While everyone went silent, Raiden couldn't help but agree with Izuku. "Ya know, I can relate to this," Raiden said as crossed his arms. "I was in Mexico once, trying to find the people who murdered the Prime Minister I worked for, and I found that they were kidnapping kids, taking their brains and forcing them through VR Training, turning them into child soldiers. That wasn't something I could just let live…" Raiden looked at Izuku with a knowing look. "I can tell you're not gonna stop until this is over."
"I may be a villain, and I may have had a hand in the murder of plenty of horrible people, whether they were labeled 'villain' or 'hero', but I will not let injustices stand," Izuku replied, stating his conviction and motivation. He crossed his arms and looked towards the stage of the Opera Epiclese, looking at the broken magic box still on stage. "Never…"
"Pardon the interruption, but I hope it may lift the somber tone," Lyney called out, gathering everyone's attention. Lyney and Lynette both walked up to the group, although they were accompanied by a Garde. "We are ready to reveal the trick so we can hopefully give you all some new evidence to work with during the trial."
Lynette's gaze was on Navia whilst Lyney spoke. Once Lyney had stopped talking, Lynette asked, "Who are you?"
"I'm Navia," Navia said, her earlier enthusiasm a bit wrecked due to Izuku's… realistic and dark view of the situation. "I'm of the Spina di Rosula as its current president. And these are my companions. Would you mind if we join as well?"
"They want to help out, and so do we," Paimon said as she floated next to Aether.
"I'm honored to receive all of your support and trust," Lyney replied with a smile, pleasantly surprised by this turn of events. "I would be most grateful!"
"Fine by me…" Lynette merely replied with an indifferent tone.
"Now follow me, we're gonna head below the stage," Lyney told the group as everyone gathered in front of the magic box in the middle of the audience seats. "Yes, a world of secrets is hidden beneath this magic box, prepared specifically for this switcheroo trick."
Lyney opened the box, and Izuku was the first to notice that the inside was different. "Where are all the decorations?" Izuku questioned as he saw the lack of decorations.
"Ah, good eye! That said, you're still far from discovering the answer," Lyney said, trying to drum up some curiosity.
"The back of the door isn't the same," Aether commented as he saw how the door was also a bit different.
"Haha, very good indeed," Lyney complimented. "I thought you might not be able to catch it, given that you were sitting in the first row." Lyney gestured to the inside of the box. "The back of this door was patterned. Those patterns are now gone, replaced by a smooth wooden board."
"Wait, is there another box?" Aether questioned again.
"Haha, exactly!" Lyney said, before he took everyone beneath the magic box.
Sure enough as Lego had hinted earlier, there was a hidden tunnel below the stage, something most of the audience would never know or see.
"So this is how the trick was performed," Cell commented, seeing the tracks that led from the end of the tunnel they entered the magic box from all the way to the other end of the tunnel, likely to the magic box on stage.
"The two magic boxes are positioned right above the two entrances of the tunnel," Lyney confirmed as he looked at everyone. "See this flatbed trolley?" Lyney pointed at the trolley at the opposite end of the tunnel. "The box with the lucky audience member in it would be shuttled over to the other side using the trolley."
"This trolley can raise and lower, and even rotate," Lynette added, "ensuring that the box will face in the right direction."
Everyone let that slowly sink in, before Navia said, "I see, so that's the purpose of the box inside another box."
Lyney nodded. "Precisely. The inner box would descend after the audience member was put inside and be moved along the trolley, all while the outer box would remain onstage, as if nothing had ever changed." Lyney gestured to a small panel that was next to the tracks. "Once the box was lowered, the trolley would store some energy through this device here, with which it would complete the rest of the steps. The audience member would only be able to feel some slight movements in the dark, and by the time she walked out, she would already be back onstage."
"Then how come you were talking on stage the whole time?" Kermit questioned. "Where were you?"
"Ah yes, a phonograph operated by Lynette was used to achieve that effect," Lyney revealed. "My assistant and I had already scripted our conversation beforehand. When the countdown began, I had already gone to the opposite box via this tunnel using that ladder." Lyney gestured to the ladder beneath where the onstage box would be, before crossing his arms.
"And what about Lynette?" Navia asked. "Where was she?"
"I was in a mezzanine space in the back of the box," Lynette revealed. "That's how we were able to coordinate Lyney's lines with the assistant… And by the way, I was the one who walked out of the box at the end."
"I mean, we are twins," Lyney said with a smile. "All it takes is a change of clothes and no one can tell who's who." The magician chuckled a bit. "And that's my favorite part of this trick — only Lynette and I can perform it."
Bardock clapped a bit. "I didn't even notice her tail during that moment, so kudos."
"Lynette would briefly walk out of the box and then go back in, jumping into the tunnel and escaping before the box on the trolley could finish ascending." Lyney nodded and closed his eyes. "And then I walk out of the other box in the audience area, and the trick would be complete… the operative word here being 'would'."
"Because Cowell was in the box, not Halsey," Bardock said.
Lynette looked slightly concerned as she said, "We really don't know how that happened."
"And to think someone used this to commit the crime under your noses…" Izuku remarked as he began to speculate about who was truly behind this.
"Could we have a look around?" Navia asked the Garde. "I think we can come up with some more leads."
"This is the scene of the crime," the Garde said. "So Lyney and Lynette are not permitted to stay here. I'll escort them back up." The Garde took one look at Izuku, who in return glared at her.
"Thanks, everyone," Lynette said as she looked at the group. "We're counting on you."
The group dispersed once Lyney and Lynette left the tunnel, everyone investigating something different in the tunnel. After a few seconds, Lego popped into the tunnel, and looked at everyone. "Okay, I got the deeds," Lego said as he looked at Bardock. "Shit is going to get-" Lego then saw the three members of the Spina di Rosula. "Oh right we're at this part."
"Are you that Lego fellow that Cell and Kermit referenced before?" Navia questioned as she and her two companions turned their attention to Lego.
"Indeed I am," Lego said, before looking at Silver and saying, "And it's nice to see you're alive and kicking Taka."
This confused Silver, who was surprised at being directly talked to, especially since he's never met Lego before. "Taka?" Silver questioned.
"References to shit that you don't need to understand," Lego merely said. "Just know, you're dope." This drew a hum from Silver, as a faint smile formed on his face.
"So you finally wanna help," Cell commented as he looked at Lego.
"Shit I guess," Lego replied with a shrug. "So what have those of you who didn't give a shit that I'm here learned?"
"There is a random hook with a rope attached to it," Bardock called out.
"Why is there a broken vase and water all over the floor?" Raiden added as he stood over a puddle of water, as well as a broken vase.
"Among Us," Cell added as he was standing in front of a vent that a person could probably crawl through alone.
Izuku was silent as he was staring at the final thing of relevance. Lego, the Spina di Rosula, the Traveler, and Paimon looked at Izuku, who was staring at a dress next to the puddle on the floor.
"H-Hey… i-isn't that the young lady's clothes?" Navia asked, her voice tainted with worry as Izuku's earlier suspicions came to mind as they stared at the discarded clothes of the young woman from the audience.
"Yes," Izuku muttered.
A silence filled the air, before Melus said, "This does not bode well, and for more reasons than one."
Raiden looked at Melus. "How so?"
"For starters, it is not a possibility that what your friend here has said is true," Melus replied. "That the true culprit behind this is kidnapping these women for rape, or have very well committed the crime here tonight, before whisking her away… or…" Melus looked at the water.
"Spit it out, what is your other concern," Bardock said to Melus, clearly not wanting the silence.
"Do you all know of the prophecy circulating Fontaine?" Melus asked, causing some visible confusion amongst Lego's group.
"Lyney and Lynette actually told us a bit about it when our two groups went our separate ways once we had arrived here in Fontaine," Paimon said before putting a hand to her head to remember. "Um… what was it again?"
"The prophecy states that every person in Fontaine is born with 'sin'," Melus said, saying the prophecy to everyone. "No matter how the Nation of Justice holds trial after trial, this sin cannot be absolved. One day, the water levels in Fontaine will rise, and the sinful people will slowly be drowned." This brought many concerned looks from Lego's group as they all but Lego were surprised. "In the end, the people will all be dissolved into the waters, and only the Hydro Archon will remain, weeping on her throne. Only then will the sins of the people of Fontaine be washed away."
"It is possible, that girl is… a victim of this," Navia commented as she looked at the puddle and the young woman's dress. "But, the puddle of water isn't enough evidence for this, and even then, it doesn't line up with the prophecy at all."
"But it's possibly a sign that the end is coming," Lego followed up, his eyes closed. "Sin… ironic how the Nation of Justice's people are born with 'sin'."
The atmosphere became tense at the thought of prophecy, as well as how it was possible they were too late and that the missing girl, Halsey, was suffering from who knows what and by the hands of someone… Unfortunately, they were out of leads…
Or were they…?
I must apologize for the dark subject of rape being brought up, but personally speaking, there is no telling what could've happened to the girl or the rest of the missing women of the serial disappearance case, although that information was revealed later in the Fontaine 4.0 story quests, and that evidence shall fully come to light in the next chapter, when the trial should take place.
I hope to cover the entirety of the trial in one chapter, so that may mean I will have to… 'cheat' the Fontaine court. I mean, I am present, so… I have the knowledge, sadly enough.