[Console] video;

[skeletonenigma]

[Video;]

[The magical disguise Skulduggery uses generates different features every time he uses it, with the result that no one will recognise his face when he turns the console on. The skin's a little waxy and he doesn't seem to blink, but apart from those minor details, he looks normal. Only his voice, smooth and Irish, is the same as it usually is. A little jarring for those who know him best as a living skeleton.

Because of that, a brief introduction seems appropriate.]

My name is Skulduggery Pleasant. I'm a freelance detective.

[The 'freelance' part is important, since the whole point of using video is to make it clear he doesn't work for the Snakes - or anyone else.]

I'd appreciate any information anyone might have on attempted thefts of the soul jewelry. This is a request extended to everyone in the city; I don't think the kedan are organising an attack on Foreigners any more than I think Foreigners are organising an attack on them, and I don't much care about whether a witness can shapeshift or not. Or a victim, for that matter.

[There's always the possibility kedan have been mugged in the same strange conflicting style, but are too scared to come forward.]

The network isn't secure, so if you'd be more comfortable talking face to face, I'm happy to arrange that. You can leave a message for me with Anton Shudder at the Midnight Hotel - he'll make sure I'm the only one who hears it.

Thank you for your help.

[And the feed clicks off. Most, if not all, of his responses to this post will be audio, and will be made from consoles in cafes around the city - leaving the Hotel console free for anyone else to use.]

~~


[Audio;]

[Sent directly to Midii's inbox.]

Anton's now running an informal census at the Hotel. I can't guarantee it'll find everyone, but it should give us a much better idea of how many Foreigners we have, and hopefully how spread out we are.



[Sent directly to Wan's inbox.]

Some of the students at the university are talking about water levels being higher than they'd expect. Have you noticed anything like that?

Comments

[skeletonenigma]

You aren't the only one.

[He lays the list on the table, having had the foresight to pick up multiple copies from the Metalworkers.]

There's almost nothing in the way of mysterious thefts from before this month, so - assuming the thief is a Foreigner - it's either one who's recently gotten confident, or one who's only recently arrived. They're not using shadows, either. I doubt they're made of metal, but whatever their abilities are, it has nothing to do with necromancy.

[valevectorian]

[reaches for the list to look it over while Skully goes about offering his observations.]

The necromancy dismissal isn't surprising, but what makes you so certain it's not shadows?

[Now that his drink has had time to cool off he starts sipping from it]

[skeletonenigma]

Shadows aren't useful in theft operations unless they can be made tangible. From the sounds of some of these descriptions, the thief has tangible help. If he could control tangible shadows, I would know.

[Because that would, in one form or another, be necromancy.]

[valevectorian]

Shadows technically could be useful there if the user traveled through shadow, I suppose, but that doesn't sound like the case here.

So, if you say so.

[There's a lot about magic he doesn't know, and he refuses to assume now that the rules for the magic he knows are the same elsewhere. Thinking back to the mention of 'tangible help,' he recalls a certain encounter from the past. An encounter with one of the other Level Fives, the Railgun. She could manipulate iron sand using her electrical powers. A foul expression crosses his face as it gives him an idea.]

What kind of tangible help? I haven't heard many verified details on what he used it for, like getting around or attacking others.

[skeletonenigma]

[As a matter of fact, Skulduggery does know someone who can travel through shadow. Seeing as that person is currently blind and spending most of his time in bed, he doesn't think it relevant to mention.]

Neither have I. The thief seems to travel on a tangible wave, and use that wave to carry multiple large objects. I'm not sure how much of that is exaggeration, but I know rumours usually start somewhere. If you're hoping to come across him, Metal Sector is your best bet.

[At night, he doesn't need to add.]

[valevectorian]

Tangible wave... if that's so, he's likely controlling the substance with either an ability, or something else that reacts with the material it's made of.

[Kakine's Dark Matter comes to mind as well. The bastard could endlessly create matter that definitely didn't exist according to natural law, and had whatever properties he decided to give it. He's seen no sign of anyone else from Academy City being here, though, nor can he imagine either of them wanting to do this. All this does is help cement ideas on the possible details of the mystery thief's method.

He taps the sheet.]

Do you know if any places in Metal Sector connected to the Metalworker family haven't been hit yet? The thief probably doesn't want to be too predictable, but it's still not a bad area to pay attention to.

[skeletonenigma]

That's what I think. The rumours claim the thief himself is made out of metal, but it's far more likely he's just capable of controlling it.

[Or she. Or, for that matter, they. It's entirely possible more than one person is committing these thefts.

Skulduggery shrugs.] Anywhere in the Sector not already on that list. The Metalworkers own most of it, and there's no pattern I can see. I don't think the thief has one in mind, actually; I think he's picking likely-looking targets at random. The question is what makes them likely-looking.

[He pauses as a nagging thought at the back of his mind finally catches up with his awareness.]

Something else that reacts with the material? Is that how your powers work?

[It's a strangely specific suggestion to come up with otherwise.]

[valevectorian]

[takes another long sip before answering]

Not exactly. I know electricity espers, though. Manipulating metal that reacts to magnetism is easy for them.

None of them are here.

[As far as he's aware, anyway.]

If I tell you details on my power, I want assurance that giving that info won't fuck me over somehow.

[skeletonenigma]

[Magic with a solid foundation in science. Skulduggery isn't exactly a stranger to that - manipulating the elements requires a fair bit of practical physics knowledge, after all - but in his world, magic is its own measurable force. Accelerator doesn't use the word 'magic.' He treats the abilities his so-called espers have like extensions of natural law.

It's interesting.]

What would I do with it? If there's no one here from your world, I'd have to actively search for someone with enough interest, and I have far too many other things on my mind right now to care about that.

[Not to mention, you know, it would be mean-spirited and cruel. But it's not likely that assurance would hold any water.]

[valevectorian]

I'm used to having a lot of enemies. It wouldn't surprise me to wind up with some here no matter how low-key I kept myself.

[he gives the skeleton a Look.]

Can you blame a guy like that for being cautious?

[skeletonenigma]

No. But have you ever considered trying to avoid making enemies?

[Hello, pot. Meet kettle.]

[valevectorian]

Sometimes that shit's unavoidable no matter what you do.

[there's a bit of a snarl to his words as he glares at the skeleton before him]

[skeletonenigma]

[He nods, completely unperturbed.]

True. Some people will insist on being jealous, no matter what you try to convince them of. Was there anything else you wanted to know?

[valevectorian]

[glances briefly back down toward the sheet of info Skully had passed him earlier]

Right now, only two things. How easy is it to bullshit your way around a map of the entire Metal Sector without being able to read the language, and whether the attacks happened before or after midnight.

[It's clear they're happening at night. Having a slightly smaller time frame to do any rooftop stakeouts he might decide to go for would be convenient.]

[skeletonenigma]

Fairly easy, if you can read maps without street names.

[Which is even easier than it sounds. Just irritating. You can't divide your attention, and it's difficult to work out where you went wrong if you manage to get yourself lost.]

I'm not sure, actually. I'd assume any time after dark.

[valevectorian]

[both of those are enough to make him sigh in irritation.]

Oh goodie...

[skeletonenigma]

[Cheerfully:] That's the spirit. Anything else?