private Enigma's Mysteries (Private w/Illiad Easle)

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would pass though the door, donning his hat as he did, "A pleasure meeting you, I look forward to working with you. I'll be doing a bit of my own research too, we can comparenotes on the ride down."

And with that he would leave, walking up the street.

He would do his own research, but not on the arcade, he was more interested in knowing a bit more on Enigma herself. Being a PI he knew where to look to get what he wanted to know. And being something of a master of disguise, he knew who to be to get those answers.

He'd investigate (And you can decide what he discovers)

Her past, both criminal and social

Her family, who she's related to, their criminal pasts

Anything newsworthy about her

He'd also hit up the local bars, see if the barkeeps or regular patrons knew anything about her.

By the time he was in front of her house the next day, he'd know quite a bit about her.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

There wouldn't be a lot in her criminal past, mostly just petty stuff like trespassing and the such. As for her personal life, her parents lived in Trottingham, she grew up in a middle class area and had decent enough grades at school. Her employment past was just some of her past investigations. The thing he might find the most interesting, was that she was a regular patron at most of the bars, but wouldn't disclose too much about her work to the staff or other patrons.

Enigma was already packing up her van and saw Hard Line approaching, so she would wave and call him over "Hard Line, over here" she would say, waving him over to the van.

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard line found her results to be adequate, she seemed to keep her cards close, but he did too after all. He didn't find any strong red flags so he would trust her for now.

Hard would have a bag slung across his back and an opaque thermos in his hand. He seemed in good spirits as he approached. "I see you don't worry." He'd look over the van as he approached. "What all are you packing up?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She'd smile as he was approaching "Just the equipment we will need, most of it is light weight, so that's okay" she would say "Stuff like the cameras, recording and playback equipment, my laptop with all the programs we need, external harddrives, EVP and EF meters..the usual"

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would look impressed, if not a bit skeptical. "Do we really need all that? You're making me look unprepared."

He'd stow his bag and thermos in the passenger seat if Enigma didn't stop him. "And all I brought was a camera and a notebook." He'd pull his tablet out of his coat for emphasis. "The rest of my equipment is at my office in Manehattan, if we need it, we can get it after we get started."

He would then come back around to where Enigma was, "You need any help with that? Or are you about done already?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma smiles "Sure, if you could please just load those bags into the back, then we can get started" she would say "I've also booked our accommodation, it's a hotel nearby the arcade" she would say "Unlike what happens in those tv shows, we're not just going to be there for one night, it's going to take a couple at the least to find out what's going on for starters/"

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would roll his eyes in good humor as he moved to help load up the indicated bags. "Believe me, I'm no stranger to long investigations. I'd be surprised if we were done within a week given how cold these cases are."

An idea would strike him, "Had I known you were booking a hotel I would have connected you with one of my cousins in the tourism business. They would have been able to get you a great deal."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She smiles "Well, if you could still do that, I still have time to cancel the booking at the motel" she would say to him "It'd be nice to be able to save money" she would help finish packing things up and then got into the driver's side of the car "you know, Equestria isn't truly the utopia that most ponies like to think it is" she'd say "even the Princesses know that, it's one of the reasons why Tia and Luna have retired.."

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

in response to her request Hard would nod, I'll call them on our way down, should be enough time for them to find something for you, especially given it isn't a busy tourist season.

Hard would get in the passenger seat, taking a swig from his thermos as Enigma spoke about the princesses. He would snort in annoyance as he replaced the cap on his thermos. "Don't I know it, it's exactly because of that false security that we need a competent leader. Now I may not agree with everything the princesses have done, but there's no denying they were competent leaders. But now they're letting this out-of-nowhere Spark House upstart Princess Sparkle take control? At least Blueblood had experience."

He would mutter under his breath, "It's Stalliongrad all over again."

He'd shake his head, "In a morbid sense, I guess that means more work for us?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would nod with a sigh "Sparkle is...I really don't have any words for her, as for Blue Blood.." she spits and growls "He may have experience but he's one of the sleaziest mareinizing misogynistic stallions I've ever had the displeasure to meet" she would say with a bit of a growl to her voice, showing clear distaste for him, before calming down and beginning to call the motel to cancel her reservations.

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would shrug, "Sometimes a competent jerk is more useful than good intentions. I might dislike the commissioner as a pony, but I can't fault his skill at keeping the streets of Manehatten safe. But kind words often go further than brash actions."

He would pull out his tablet, sending off a quick message to a contact labeled 'Cousin Housing' requesting a room near the arcade they were investigating.

As soon as the response arrived he'd tell Enigma, "How close do you want to be? They might just be able to get us in at that same motel you were looking into, but at a much better rate."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She would look to him "Hmm, well how about we get the same motel then, they hadn't quite confirmed the cancellation yet, so we can see what we can do" she'd say and then look around, buckling up "Alright, lets get going, also, be prepared for something more.. corporeal" she would say

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would smirk as he buckled himself in, "I assume they can get you a better room. I'll stay at the motel too as it's closer than my office."

He typed out another message and sent it off to his cousin who would respond shortly with the confirmation code they would present at the motel. He would nod, impressed. "They act pretty fast, I've got the confirmation codes for us."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She would nod "Thanks, and your cousin does act fast, I appreciate that" she would say, "We'll make a stop half way for lunch, otherwise we'd arrive starving and I'd likely eat so much I'd be in a food coma the whole of the next day" she laughs

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would chuckle in agreement, "I can understand that, though I'm a bit more used to traveling and eating light." he shook his thermos for emphasis. "But no sense in starving when you don't have to right?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would nod "Sometimes I am the same, but I would still like to make a stop, I need to make a call anyway" she would say, looking at him "While I couldn't sleep last night, I did a bit more research and need to talk to our employer about it"

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would raise an eyebrow in interest, "Oh? What exactly did you find out?" He would pull out the same notebook he had been taking notes on the day before, ready to add the new details in to the old ones.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She'd sigh "It be more than just..a poltergeist or playful spirit" she would say, looking at him "We could be dealing with possible demon activity" She'd sigh again "In..a past life, I was actually a daemonologist, so I can deal with it, but it's obviously, for obvious reasons, going to be even more dangerous"

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would look over at Enigma with an odd expression, a mix of curiosity, intrigue, and a small bit of fear. "Now, I'm no expert, but I've been told that dæmons are quite the different sort of problem. Also," he would shift in his seat to look a bit more directly at her, "You say, in a past life? I can't say I've heard many ponies talk like that. Zebra maybe, but few ponies subscribe to that notion."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She would smile "Not a lot ponies would follow the belief of ghosts and spirits either" she would say "And it's not the traditional sense of past life, more like..I came here from another..reality so to speak, It's kind of..difficult to explain" she would say with a sigh "And there's certain rules upon me that can only be broken in dire circumstances" she would say, then to his thing about demons "You are right, luckily I am also an exorcist, so if it is Demons, I can deal with them"

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Enigma's words would do little to relax Hard's expression, but he would shrug, "I guess I'm really not an expert on all of this, but isn't exorcism for possession? Like if a demon gets inside you or something? Or would that also apply to the building then? in that the demon is possessing the building."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She nods "It also applies if a demon is possessing a building or object in said building" she would say "The reason I believe that this is more than just a poltergeist or playful spirit is that one, from what I was able to find out, the worker there was very well liked and he had a very sweet disposition" she would say "Not a single mean bone in his body, but there's been a lot of pushing, mane and tail pulling, screams being heard and well the deaths as well" she'd explain

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would nod as he jotted the notes down. "Hmm, but he was just one of the three deaths right? Perhaps one of the other two were a bit more vengeful? They may have even caused his death." He tapped his notepad thoughtfully, "Do you know of any relation between the three deaths? Did they know or interact with each other when they were alive?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

"Unlikely, the two deaths were much later on from when he was around" she would say and close her eyes "We could be dealing with the spirits of the deceased and a demon" she would say "Only way to find out, is to go there and do our investigation"

[Illiad Easle 3,132]

@Critical-Hit

Hard would nod, writing down the last fact into his notebook, "Do keep your eyes on the road, I'd hate to join them in haunting your van." He'd chuckle, "But yes, conjecture will only bring us so far." He'd close the notebook and leave it on his lap in case new inspiration struck him. 

He would turn his attention out the window, "I haven't sat passenger on this road in a long while, is it just as boring to watch as it is to drive?"