[semi-closed]

[dehallow]

Who ⬤ Barok van Zieks and associates!
What ⬤ Event things and the immediate event aftermath!
When ⬤ During Tanabata and in the following week.
Where ⬤ Underground, Kaigo no Bou, places.
Content Warnings ⬤ Alcohol, internalized homophobia. More to be added if needed.

[ This is a place to dump closed starters - but if you want a thread you are very free to hit me up on my plotting comment! ]

Comments

[dehallow]

[ The tale adds up with everything he's been told so far and, regrettably, does not bring any new information to light. Van Zieks wonders just how many times more he'll listen to the same testimony tonight - likely a lot, and not all of the people he interrogates are as concise about the matter as Miss Okumura.

With a flourish of his pen, he stops his notes and assesses her again. It seems impolite to risk addressing you improperly - a smart way of asking for identification without being confrontational, he'll give her that. ]

The name is Barok van Zieks. I'm an ADA with the Enma's Justice Division. Should the pursuits of our policing force be successful, I will present the interests of the law in the court case.

[ Has he asked Captain Shiki about that? No, but he's decided he wants this case so he'll do what he has to to get it. ]

[empression]

Present the... ah. [ That's a very formal way of stating it, but Haru was raised very formally, and while she doesn't quite speak any kind of court lingo (whereas Makoto's sister could wield it like a blade), she thinks she understands what he's saying. ]

You would be prosecuting, then? Then is this also a matter of ascertaining potential witnesses to call to the stand if this comes to pass?

[ Not just piecing together what happened, or getting new information, but assembling people to make use of at a later time? ]

[dehallow]

[ Van Zieks gives a firm nod to that. ]

Correct. Any number of attendants of today's festivities might be called to give testimony at a later date.

[ He crosses his arms and leans back a little in his chair, relaxing just a little bit for the moment. ]

That said, consider it unlikely for yourself to be called. With the number of attendees being interviewed today, it is an impossibility to call every single one to the stand - and it would be quite ineffective too, given how many witness accounts overlap perfectly already.

[empression]

I did think as much... but thank you for clarifying.

[ At least that's a guarantee from the ADA himself that she's not going to have to deal with getting roped into testifying any more than this. Her heart goes out to the poor souls who won't be as fortunate, though. ]

Was there anything else you needed from me, Van Zieks-san?

[ He is definitely not Japanese. Not with a name like that. But Haru is a creature of habit, and honorifics are difficult to let go of. ]

[dehallow]

[ Even after living in what is basically Japan for half a year, van Zieks can't help but find the sound of his name said in such manner quite ugly.

It's a small complaint in the grand scheme of things and it would be easy to let it slide, but he's already feeling irritated with the state of affairs tonight as is. ]

Yes. Make that Lord... or Mister van Zieks.

[ Letting go of the 'Lord' title still stings sometimes, but he's sucking that one up. There's no nobility here, no family name that would mean a thing. ]

[empression]

[ Haru's eyebrows gently knit together and in her lap, her fingers curl tightly inward until she's white-knuckled. She's exhausted and frustrated and he has the gall to tell her how to address him because surely that's so important--

A deep breath, and she stares at him firmly. ]

Very well, Lord van Zieks.

Then it's not "Miss Okumura", but "Okumura-san". Thank you.

[dehallow]

[ There is a split second where you can see plainly on his face that he cannot believe she would have the gall to say this to him. The thing about delivering microaggression upon microaggression onto visitors to your own country who are beholden to the good graces of your employer is... they rarely talk back.

People just don't usually flip the script on him.

And he has no retort. So after a second of his expression going back to a glare, he nods. ]

Very well, indeed. You are dismissed.

[empression]

Thank you.

[ Haru pushes herself to her feet and offers him a bow that is somehow still perfectly polite, before she turns to go.

What a day. ]