tushanshu | [Console] video;

[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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[These days, he can't help but assume that, if Anton is in with being a little bit covertly humorous, it certainly stands to reason that a skeleton might be covertly humorous to boot. So oddly enough Sokka isn't going to be puzzling over that one for that half hour.

[When the two of them finally do meet up, Sokka can't help but be just amused at Skulduggery's greeting. Or perhaps it's not the greeting itself and more that Sokka is... just perfectly comfortable with it. A skeleton figure tipping his hat and commenting on the weather? That he's okay with that is just... hilarious. And he's going to laugh.]

Well, it's better than last month, so I guess I can't complain. [That's a lie; Sokka totally could.]

Fine bit of drama we're having on the Shell to boot.

[He'll let it hang for a moment, letting the pleasantries subside slightly before getting to the point.]

And it's part of that which I've had success on. I had an... encounter. With the guy harassing kedan and stealing things from them.

Ah. The shadow thief?

[Skulduggery's had an encounter with him as well, for a given definition of the word 'encounter'. It's puzzling.]

What happened?

[Well, that's certainly one way to describe him, Sokka supposes.]

Oh you know. The usual sort of thing. I walk up, see a guy who's attacking a gang of four kedan. Claims he's doing it out of "self defence." Except I don't entirely buy it. So I manage to hit him on the head with my boomerang.

...

And then I ran for the hills as a big mob of angry little robots came after me.

Self-defence is a very odd defence to use, yes.

[He tilts his head.]

You think they're robots?

Well... last I checked, little metallic bits don't just roll about on the floor by themselves, now do they?

[C'mon, keep up here.]

Though besides, I think I actually know where they come from. And... maybe, just maybe how to take care of them. If ever I can find him again. With someone that I think would be able to take care of them...

Generally not.

[Unless you come from a world where magic is common and robots... aren't. Although there was that Engineer - but even then, half of its existence was magic.]

Where do you think they come from?

[Sokka pauses for a second, trying to figure out how to word his phrasing.]

Well, where exactly they came from... I don't exactly know. But I know from whose world they came from.

The real question, I have to ask, is whether or not the person who currently is in possession of these... robotty things is from the same world. Truth be told, I think that's a... pretty safe bet to make?

[Skulduggery agrees. Whoever's using the little robots knows exactly how to use them. That means prior experience, or at least prior knowledge.]

The person whose world they came from - they don't have any ideas about who the thief could be?

[Sokka shakes his mind.]

Nope, not a clue. Apparently this is one of those strange time paradoxes that keep happening, where people come from different times and so forth. The guy came before he ever gave them to anyone else, so... it's anyone's guess at this point. Though if I had to take a wild wager, given who I think is part of the same world...

I could probably narrow it down to one of three people.

[Leaning forward.] Let's pretend I've just given you a wild wager. Who have you narrowed it down to?

[Sokka looks shrewdly at Skulduggery. There's an eerie trust for the detective that he can never quite explain, but the trust is there. Though doing it will in part violate the trust Hiro has placed in him. Though technically, that was all a ploy to keep him from spilling to Zanru, not Skulduggery, so... maybe it can still work?]

Aaaaalright.

[He holds up a hand and starts counting them off on one hand.]

There's Krei. Alistair... Alistar, something or other. I don't really know him that well. Haven't talked to him all that much. Seems pretty busy and snobby.

Then there's Callaghan. Robert I guess is his first name? Again, don't know much about him. Though the guy's voice doesn't sound like him. Doesn't sound like any of 'em though, but that's not saying much.

And then there's... mmm, Tadashi? Probably not since he's the kid's brother. And the kid got banged up himself by this guy.

So... I guess those two are my first guesses.

[They're all names Skulduggery's heard before, so at least that's something. He's even met two of them before. He's hesitant to label them as the only suspects, but if Sokka's spoken to someone who knows what the little robots are, it's a very good place to start.

He leans back.] What would you like if you win? I'd like to keep my money, but I can offer you something else. A favour, maybe.

[It's not very wild, but everyone could use a favour now and then.]

[Well, it's not like Sokka is labelling them as his only suspects either. But a lead is a lead, and they're at the forefront of his mind.]

Well, if you're not going to offer juulan...

[He's joking, perhaps teasing Skulduggery just a little bit.]

A favour though? That... that's an interesting offer. [Pause.] Any favour I ask for?

[Regardless of the answer, he's going to accept. It probably would be good to keep Skul in his pocket.]

Alright, you drive a hard bargain, but it's a deal.

Well, within reason.

[That shouldn't have needed saying, but it occurs to Skulduggery he doesn't know Sokka nearly as well as it occasionally feels like he does. Sokka could be precisely the sort of person who takes advantage of deals like this. Best to be careful.]

I'm glad to hear it. Is there anything else?

[In fairness, Sokka already knows it. That wouldn't stop him from asking for something well outside the bounds of a reasonable favour. But he wouldn't cry a hissy over it if such a suggestion were to be turned down.]

I think that's about it, really. That's the only crazy thing of note that's been going on with me.

[With some amusement:] In that case, I'll let you know if I end up owing you a favour. In the meantime, thank you.

[He has more to go on than he did before. Strictly speaking, he already owes Sokka a favour. 'Strictly speaking', of course, in no way implying that Skulduggery's about to mention that.]

[Console] video;

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