sirenspull | Entries tagged with c: jake marshall

[Mia's relaxing on the couch at home, with a sleepy Doberman breaking the house rules and snuggling up beside her with his head on her lap. Entirely against the rules, certain parties will probably grumble but she'll change the throw rug vacuum the cushions on the couch before they turn it into Jake's bed for the night.]

Has anyone else got the feeling we've been missing something lately? I mean, usually there's an increase of new faces at the beginning of the month but there's been no sign of anyone this month.

[She pauses, appearing to think about something as her brows crease.]

Or last month, I guess.

[Her dog, Estragon, grunts and nuzzles into her lap a bit more. She idly plays with his ears as she keeps talking.]

I suppose it's kind of a long shot to ask around if anyone's looking for work. We're short staffed at Fey and Co. and I'm in pressing need of another attorney on the books. There's a certain long term commitment I'm going to be taking on in September which means I'll have to be cutting back on my case load. I just don't have any options that I know of in the Newcomer pool to entrust my cases to and as we're a legal practice specifically created to answer the needs of Newcomers where local law firms won't, I really would like to leave my clients with a fellow Newcomer.

[She sighs.]

Like I said, it's a long shot. Even if you've got no legal expertise, we have clerical positions and I'm interested in taking on an office manager too to look after things when I have to go on leave. Thanks in advance if anyone's able to help out.

whippings

[ As what has become something of a usual custom, Franziska makes her video broadcast in the early hours of the morning, sitting at a table with a cup of coffee on hand; sunglasses perched atop her head. ]

Good morning, Siren's Port. My name is Franziska von Karma and I see much has changed in the … year, is it, since I was here last. Honestly? Many of these changes have not been for the better. [ She takes a sip of her coffee. ] If anybody could provide me with a summary of what I've missed while I've been gone, it would be appreciated. If, however, you're only going to whine at me to read the network archives, I would implore you to waste your breath for someone who actually cares. Then we can both get on with our mornings.

That being said, I would primarily like to hear on the current status of the Newcomer Fund and the NPP, as this is the information that is most relevant to my interests. [ A beat, she sets her mug down. ]

And perhaps, any changes that might have occurred in the judicial system. [ And she's not going to say anything more on that matter, because she's sure the people who knew her from back when she first arrived will ask their questions without further needless prompting. ] That would be of interest to me as well.

Finally, I've looked at enough of the network archives to notice that there was... [ and she scowls now, her glare breaking across the reasonably neutral expression she'd been doing her best to maintain ]… some alternate timeline version of myself here for some number of months. Seeing as she's no longer here, I think it would be for the best that we forget that ever happened. It's irrelevant, really. Talking about it would be a waste of time.

[ ...Perhaps it would have been better to not bring the matter up at all, upon reflection, but she couldn't have said nothing. People were going to ask. ]

So don't mention it.

[ She links her hands together on the table in front of her. ]

That's all for now. I have every intention of getting back to work as quickly as possible.

chiefdefense

I'm sorry to say that Phoenix Wright is no longer present in this city. If you had legal dealings with Mr. Wright, I can assure you that you will be looked after and Wright and Co. law offices will be open for business as usual on Monday under new management, but please understand that the office will be temporarily closed until then. I would like to call a brief staff meeting on Friday to discuss the future of the firm. Mr. Wright is a gifted and talented lawyer, and I would like to assure his clients that I will do my very best to continue to good work he has started and give myself over 100% to representing you should you choose to remain with the firm. If you choose to take your cases elsewhere that is completely understandable and I will take no offense. Thank you.

[And now for the hard part; keeping up a professional front, hiding behind the veneer of her courtroom poker face to talk business terms, she can do that. Even though it hurts to think that Phoenix has gone, that he's left the business to her and that her life just got a whole lot more complicated, it's this next piece of news that has had her hiding behind text instead of broadcasting her video. She can't quite keep herself composed as she types this:]

My sister Maya has gone too. I'm so sorry.

momchester

[Mary looks... well, alive, which is a bonus, but also frazzled and exhausted, with pale skin, dark circles under her eyes, lips chapped, hair falling out of her ponytail.

But more than that, she looks haunted.]

I'm back. I'm alive. [Her lips press together in a thin line. She bows her head and talks to her knees.] No thanks to those monsters.

I don't know if anyone else made it out... there were no- [sniffing hard to avoid tearing up.] -shelters. Nothing Darkness proofed. [Head still bowed tightly.] I don't know if any of those people I fought with made it out alive, but if they didn't, I'm going to tell you all right now.

[She finally looks up, eyes welling now with tears she refuses to cry.]

They hunted us. They bound us, put collars on us, they put us in cages. They chased us and hunted us down like we were fucking dogs and we couldn't-

[she claps a hand over her mouth, breathing hard to rein in her emotions. When she opens her eyes again, there's something chilling and deadened in her eyes.]

When I died at home- the first time, before I came here... it was a demon. A demon pinned me to the ceiling and burned me alive in my baby's nursery, and I didn't feel as violated as I did those two days. In that cage. [She shakes her head intently, looking away.] Those monsters kidnapped children. They wanted to see every one of us die like dumb fucking animals.

I wonder what would happen if I prayed for them. [There's a weird look in her eyes. Something you wouldn't leave your children alone with.] It's the Christian thing to do.

Would I get their souls into Heaven, or their heads on a plate?

[With a last ugly look at the NV, she turns the ~~public~~ feed off.]

[Private to Jinx]

I found a plus one.

[Private to the angels]

Did you hear my prayer? [The one she whispered as she lay dying.] Please, tell me none of you- tell me you didn't go there. Please.

awakenings

I know that there have been several complaints filed in the past few days about the police coming into the Tower Apartments and going through the belongings of Newcomers. Please, understand that this is not something we can avoid. In fact, no Newcomer officer is allowed to touch this case and we aren't even capable of responding to any sort of distress call from anyone in the Towers if they relate to this incident.

[She sounds calm, surprisingly, though there's venom in her voice.]

Rest assured, this matter will be thoroughly looked into when the young girl is found. Any and all complaints will be investigated. But for now, I hate to say it...but there's nothing that can be done. Don't let that dissuade you from lodging a complaint or speaking up about it, however.

And if anyone has any information on the girl, if you see anything suspicious, anything at all, please come forward or drop a tip on the hotline.

[She knows very well how the police can treat Newcomers even when they're on their "best behavior". She's going to bring it up in the department once all of this is over, though her priority is on finding the girl.]

To those of you who are new and are wondering why I'm wasting my time, my name is Re-l Mayer, Corporal Officer of the SPPD. I've been in this city for two years. I also work as a Newcomer case worker and I'm here to help you with whatever you might need, whether that be a job, housing, finances, etc. My office is always open and you can reach my NV at any time.

[Probably a bad idea but she'll go with it.]

If there's anything else I can help with, please let me know.

( Encrypted to the NPP Head Board Members )

( Filtered to the SPPD cops )

( Encrypted to Sherlock Holmes and Red Robin )

preciouspearl

[Pearl Fey’s emotions don’t always show easily, but when they do, they’re usually related to ~~ships~~ Maya Fey. And while there are exceptions, today’s not one of them. The sullen, sad look that crosses her face today is definitely caused by circumstances involving her favorite cousin - as well as their roommate, Mr. Armando.

Anyway, she’s sitting on a bench in what looks like a hospital corridor. That’s already bad news, isn’t it? She frowns very deeply (pretzels drooping) and shakes her head sadly at the camera.]

Mystic Maya and Mr. Armando became very sick yesterday. We got them to the doctors safely, but...

[After a moment’s pause, she shakes her head fiercely from side to side!] I’m going to do my best to help the doctors make sure they’re comfortable! I’m still very -- [sneeze!] -- I’m still mostly healthy, and I’m going to stay by their side until they get better.

… Um, does anybody know about Mr. Armando’s pet kitty? and Mystic Maya’s bird! Vladimir and Artemis need to be fed, but I can’t go between the apartment and the hospital by myself. The plants need to be watered, too! [Someone please help a fretting girl out.]

[And then, drooping again, before she shuts off the video.] Poor Mystic Maya... poor Mr. Armando. I should have been more alert...

( action to the sick pair, if they’re conscious )

circusmaster

Open Summer Education courses upcoming at Siren's Pull University (SPU): German Philosophy & Literature - Tues., Thurs. 12:30 - 2 PM - A comprehensive course covering the ideas of Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard and the literary works of Goethe, Kafka, and Mann. Lecture style with discussion encouraged. Early 20th Century Europe - Mon., Wed., Fri. 2 - 2:50 PM - Study will center most around the World Wars and what led to both of them, as well as their aftermath. Lecture/discussion course. Taught by newcomer professor, George Smiley, who served in WWII.

[As far as anyone will know, Smiley was a soldier, not a spy.]

Questions on these courses can be directed to Professor Smiley at (NV number), and those interested are asked to register at SPU's enrollment office.

[The innocuous announcement is followed several hours later by an anonymous, untraceable text sent only to Newcomer NVs.]

Who do you stand with on this island, and why?

wishgrant

[As always, Luca's laying on his stomach on top of his bed, feet kicking back and forth just barely on screen. His room's less messy then it would normally be. ]

You know, it's been a really long time since I've said anything on here! I've been busy with my lessons, you see. I can do math and read a lot goo-- better now. [ He's also been trying very hard to mimic Alois's way of talking as best he can. ]

How is everyone doing? If I haven't met you, you should come say hi, okay?

underdogged

[The weariness in his voice isn’t a simple case of fatigue; he sounds troubled. Not that it hasn’t been keeping him up at night. If this wasn’t just a voice message, you’d be able to see the dark blotches under his eyes.]

[Kaiji clears his throat, an attempt at being casual.]

Wanted to throw a question out there. When do you forgive someone? [a pause- it’s not really his place to do the forgiving in this situation] Or… when do you turn a blind eye to something… something fucked up? What if they’ve done their time for it? What circumstances make it…

[He trails off. It used to be so simple. Coming here had complicated matters- he still didn’t know where he stood with Tonegawa but it hadn’t mattered before. They were never supposed to see each other again. Even here, their past was a largely taboo subject, never to be spoken out loud but ever present in resentful undertones and snipes. Even so, a small part of him was disturbed by how lacking in intensity his hatred of the other man was- and even more so by the tinier part of him that respected him in spite of everything.

And now… now he can’t stop himself making the connections, asking the same uncomfortable questions; is he a hypocrite if he forgives one but not the other? Does it matter if they’ve changed? Why they did it? Does it ever go away?]

...tch. It's a stupid question.

( PRIVATE to Claire Stanfield )

not_the_dreck

[Anyone close to where Asch lives could probably hear the high pitched, absolutely enraged scream that came from the old Outer Haven that morning. A few minutes later, he'll be taking that screaming to the NVs.]

[...in video, so everyone can see that someone out there got in one last April Fools Day prank while Asch was asleep.]

DRECK!!!

YOU DID THIS TO ME DIDN'T YOU!? YOU DAMN WELL BETTER BE HIDING RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU'LL WISH YOU NEVER KNEW WHAT A PAIR OF SCISSORS WERE YOU STUPID, IDIOTIC REPLICA!!!

[Needless to say, he's not happy about his new haircut.]

doctor_seward

[The screen pans slowly; A dusty wine cellar lies ahead, dark and sinister with its many shelved bottles but for the lantern which illuminates his face.

He stares blankly, desolate into the corner. His eyes seem oddly hollow but for the way his hands wring together, worriedly. He picks up one object, and horrified, moves to the next, seeing yet unseeing whatever lies before him.]

No, no…It cannot possibly be…T-that's…

[He mumbles unto himself much in the manner of a man possessed, sweat laden upon his brow. Given the clarity of the feed you might be able to deduce as much, if but for the silhouettes which move unseen in the background.]

Altogether, I find it a troubling matter...But they'll not indulge me! Do you think we are but a flicker in this reality of shadows? It shouldn't be, and yet I think, but for the life of me, this place has changed me. It has transformed me into a wretch.

I-I would explain, but how does one explain evolutionary theory to the madman or to the beggar? Can he be thought to grasp such things when his primary concerns point to survival? Back home, a man named Charles Darwin thought that the genes were responsible, that over time a species develops certain traits handed down from their common ancestors. He stipulated that each living creature must compete within its own limitations to survive, and that over time those traits which assist in survival and are better suited in dealing with the dangers of the world, begin to dominate the bloodline while the ones that were less beneficial were lost. Is it so that in order to survive here, within this place, we must not only assimilate, but our genetic makeups must transform as well lest we die or fall prey to some unkind thing?

( Struggles of evolutionary consequence )
[Once he finds time to settle down he'll pick up one of the bottles and toy with it idly in his hands.]

Suffice to say that I would never have thought I would be subject to nature, rather than God's whims. But, I've been proven wrong. I scarcely know how I might control a latent ability come miraculously manifest. How does one learn how to do such things? Please, advise me.

( Filtered to Stoker Household )

demon_gent

[A video blips on, a blue sheen covering it as if the grand figure staring intently at the viewer is submerged in water. His eyes are a wide, almost luminescent green, staring, staring with such an intensity it’s almost uncomfortable to watch.

Before one can think to turn the feed off out of creeping fear, the man’s face splits into a mirthful grin. His voice sounding with absolute boyish glee.]

Well, hell-o, hell-o, folks! Brill weather we’re having here, aren’t we?

A little birdie told me this was Canada, shame that. You all must be tucked away in your little igloos, why I bet you've never even been swimming before!

But before I go and offer up any lessons, I need to get my little niche going. So who’s going to tell me a little bit about themselves? I’m Damon Gant, of course, hailing all the wayward down in Los Angeles. A sunny, bright and cheerful place, oh you would probably hate it!

[It's dreadfully drizzly this Sunday morning. He surmises the citizens probably eat and breathe this weather. It seems, however, strangely appropriate that he were to arrive the day after St. Patty's Day, he was after all, the product of most men's hangovers.]

Now, now, step right up, don’t be shy, I promise not to nip. Not even a little bit!

((ooc: I have an OPEN LOG here http://sirenspull-logs.dreamwidth.org/65400.html if you prefer to encounter him on the streets/on the train. ))

Current Music: Léon Boëllmann - Toccata from Suite Gothique

returntodarkness

I am curious, Siren's Port. What is it you hold most dear to you? What would you sacrifice for that? What would you sacrifice to go home? What have you sacrificed to go home? We are, after all, in the same boat, so to speak. I'm curious about my fellow captives.

madannoshashu

[ S'up, Siren's Port. This is Xigbar, chilling in his swanky office after a long day at work.

He smiles for the camera. ]

Ladies and gentlemen of the Port, and everything in between. There's a very important question I've been meaning to ask you all.

[ PAUSE FOR EFFECT. ]

What are you planning to do for Shamrock Day?

inkyubeytor

_{[When the feed comes on a white little paw pulls back from the camera, showing a rather pleased looking Kyubey (well, as pleased as he always seemed to look), curled around a Pillsbury cookie dough container. Held between his paws it seems as if he's chewed the top of the wrapper off, one paw dirtied with cookie dough that he's certainly been licking it off from. He seems to be outside, laying in a patch of clover.]}

How many of you believe in the concept of luck?

_{[He seems to pause to try and fish out more dough, licking it from his paw once he succeeds.]}

The shamrock is a symbol of luck and has been for countless centuries.

_{[And he seems to release the container out of his grasp only to sit up, shake himself off and paw at the ground, plucking a rather large shamrock with four leaves (how lucky) out with tiny little teeth. Sitting back on his hind legs he takes it between his paws, ear twitching slightly.]}

People are superstitious and believe things will bring them luck, just like this shamrock. But it's nothing more than a plant. It isn't special at all in that regard. _{[And just for good measure he pops it past his unmoving little mouth, chewing and swallowing it with a tiny gulp.]}

Luck itself doesn't exist. Everything that happens in the Universe is based on various measures of chance and probability and the interaction between various causes and effects. Even so, people still choose to believe in such primitive concepts. It makes them feel better, I guess.

Even so, who feels lucky today? What is it like to feel lucky? Would you feel lucky if you had the chance to have any wish of yours fulfilled? Because I can do that. Almost any wish at all and I can grant it. Would you like me to?

Do you feel lucky now?

_{[ooc: Permission's Post!]}

preciouspearl

[One failed attempt. The screen is black for the first few seconds until whoever is holding the NV moves her fingers off the camera lens. Then, it shows pavement; the person recording is obviously not used to handling this device yet. It will be another second or two until the video clicks off abruptly. It seems like a wrong button was pressed.]

[Then a minute later, from the same device, a second video post pops up on the network. It's a child - a girl, perhaps, of around ten years of age. Her voice is quiet and shaky, and she is very obviously nervous... ]

[... and very strange-looking. Her hair is reminiscent of a pretzel, and her clothes are of an interesting design. Some might recognize her.]

[The feed is pretty short, lasting a few seconds at most.]

I'm not very sure if I'm using this en-bee correctly, but if anyone sees this... U-um. I'm looking for a person, but I don't know how to reach them.

moimin_papa

[Finland doesn't speak immediately as he turns the camera on. He has his legs tucked up against his chest, his chin resting on his knees, and on the floor of the newcommer apartment beside him are a few boxes of France's belongings. The loss of the fellow Nation was more of a shock to Finland than arriving here in the first place.]

We're all newcommers here, right? None of us belong here.

[His voice is accented; he was fluent in English before he arrived here, but anyone from the area should be able to recognise that he's Finnish, or at least from around there. Fidgeting, he pulls at a stray thread on his jumper, his blonde hair falling over his eyes as he looks down.]

What do other people do when they feel homesick?

ace_attorney

(You know, for all the oddness that came with that time warp thing, it definitely fulfilled one of my college wishes: to have extra time to study for my exam. So I guess I shouldn't complain.)

[Phoenix clears his throat, then activates the video. He's sitting behind his desk at his rather vacant-looking law offices.]

Hi, everyone. This is Phoenix Wright... Thanks to everyone who helped me when I got here last month. I guess I'm settling in a little bit, for better or for worse. Again. If you knew me from before, I'm sorry, but I don't remember most of you. It's, uh, nothing personal. I'd actually like to talk to as many of you as are out there... to kind of see what "I've" been up to before, if anything.

As far as further news goes... I guess coming on the heels of the last post, it's as appropriate a time as any to mention that Wright & Co. Law Offices are open for business again for anyone who needs a defense attorney.

awakenings

[The little hologram that shows up on everyone's NV is that of Re-l Mayer, wearing a pair of jeans and a tank top, and not looking like she's bothered in the least by the temperatures. More importantly, she looks agitated, though it's difficult to see too much detail considering the hologram isn't very large.]

Am I the only one going out of my mind over here? The same goddamn thing, day after day after day... It's worse than home! At least there I could take a day off without feeling guilty because the same people keep dying and getting hurt. No one's listening. No one's believing anything. I've even had to resort to looking up a fortune teller and someone with precognition powers to ask if they see anything in the future, some sort of disaster or time loop--

[She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.]

I just look insane. I've had to watch the same accident happen every day. I've gotten the same call about a couple that keep getting hit by the same truck speeding out of some parking lot.

[It's grating on her. The helplessness is mounting, stifling. She can save a few people but everyone else dies anyway. And it just keeps happening without any way to stop it.]

I want any officer who can hear this to meet me tomorrow morning outside of where that traffic jam is going to be around 9am. We can set up one or two traffic cops and hopefully something will change. If not, we can intervene this time. All of us. [They have enough magic users and powerful people on their team that they should be able to stop it.] And then we can move on from there. I don't care if this needs to be repeated every single goddamn day until something happens. I can't do this alone.

[She folds her arms across her chest, though it might look like she's almost hugging herself.]

Please tell me someone's figured out what the hell the cause of all of this is. We have enough geniuses in this city that it shouldn't be too hard.

beardedveteran

[ The time is just after midnight; he looks dishevelled, but more from having woken up in the middle of the night day after day because of his TV set blaring out the same obnoxiously loud commercial and jolting him awake. What little of the background that can be seen is kitchen tiles and surfaces lit by moonlight, his profile just about visible as he sips from a glass of water. ]

So... people've been asking about 'altering the flow of time', changing events, that kinda thing, making it sound really bad. I don't know what to think about it. Never met anyone with-- well, time-altering powers-- or, heh, maybe they never told me. How bad is it to mess with time? Or... how much can you mess with it? If it's a case of today and tomorrow, Iiiii... don't think I'm gonna become my own grandfather. That's a case for the silver screen.

[ He takes another sip. Even to himself, he's not making too much sense. ]

What I'm thinking is, it's worth trying to stop the bad things in the short-term. Or learn from it, maybe. A death's a death, even if we see the same day happen over and over again. Not so different from a salaryman's daily life, you know. It's not so bad! There're still chances to change things.

[ He laughs a little wearily and, for the first time, glances at the camera though only for a moment, chewing his lip before speaking again. ]

Anyone know many civilians survived the pileup...?