Valentine & Boulanger: Private Investigators

[Krowdon]

Part 1: Out of Vermin City

    I sat in the windowsill of my 4th story office, smoking a cigarette and staring out across the skyline of Vermin City. What was once a filthy rathole of a city is now a shining metropolis, ever since my partner and I cleaned up the city.

    I shot a glance over at my business partner, Aria Boulanger. She was a silver fox, with the thickest, silkiest fur you've ever seen, legs for days, and amber eyes that would dazzle any doll or fella. Aria had been heir to the Boulanger Family, a crooked crew of foxes that were running the city from the underground. She'd never had the stomach for that kind of work though, so when she came to me saying she wanted to go straight, I obliged. She turned out to be a good detective, full of moxie. It was nice not to work alone for once, so I hired her permanently. We worked so many cases together after that, we were unstoppable. That is, until the crime dried up.

Now she was sitting in our office, reading the newspaper, no doubt looking for a headline that would land us a job. She must have felt my gaze on her, because she set the paper down and turned to look at me.

"If you're going to smoke that thing in here, at least open the darn window," She said, wrinkling her snout. I opened the window and flicked my cigarette butt out onto the street.

    "Find anything good in the paper?" I asked. She pulled out a page and handed it to me. It was an article about a country across the sea, one I'd never heard of. Skimming the article, I gave her an inquisitive look. "Mossflower?"

    "Yeah. It's a little backwater country with high crime rates. Apparently it's always in some kinda turmoil. Might be worth checkin' out."

"Maybe. Not like there's much for me here anymore. I can't pay the rent on my apartment, and it's been lonely since Tabitha left me for some rich mook." I said, setting down the newspaper and lighting up another cigarette. Aria rolled her eyes at me.

"Tabitha left you because you cared more about your job than her, and you're out there catcalling other women in the streets," Aria said, standing up. "Vermin City will do without us, why not explore other opportunities? Mossflower may not be as glamorous as it is here, but it's our best shot. We can always come back."

"Alright," I said, getting up from the windowsill. "Let's go to Mossflower."

-----

"What do you mean I can't bring my gun?!" Aria shouted at the travel official at the docks. The stoat held up his paws defensively.

"Miss, Mossflower is not like Vermin City. They don't have guns there. It would be irresponsible of us to let you take that kind of technology there. I-I'm gonna have to take your watch too. But don't worry, we'll have them stored for you and you can get them when you come back."
Reluctantly, Aria handed over all the modern tech she had on her to the clerk. When my turn came after hers, I handed over my gun to them. They inspected the rest of my luggage, and I was given a ticket.
Aria had waited for me by the ramp to board the boat. It was a big, old fashioned thing with sails. It was going to be a much longer trip than I anticipated. We boarded the ship together, setting off for our new life in Mossflower Country.

--------
    "Hey careful with that, that suitcase is full of cigarettes and if you damage them, I'll kill you," I said to the shrew loading my things onto her raft. She rolled her eyes and threw my second suitcase onto the raft as well. Aria carried her own things onboard, setting them down before taking a seat near the edge of the raft so she could look out over the water. I sat next to her as the shrews pushed off from the shore, and we started our journey down the River Moss.
   
    "Where are we headed anyway?" I asked Aria. She pulled a map out of her bag and unraveled it so I could see. She pointed to a spot upriver.

    "Redwall Abbey. I read about it before we came. It's a wonderful old building with a rich history and--"

    "Now hold on, I thought we were looking for work, not takin' a history tour," I said, interrupting her. She huffed and folded up the map, stuffing it back in her bag.

    "We ARE looking for work. But I thought it'd be nice to take a little vacation first. Maybe get to know some of the local culture before we started looking for work." She explained as she took her violin out of its case. She began to play a song I quickly recognized as an old folk tune from back home. Laying down on the deck, I closed my eyes and just listened to the music. Maybe she was right. Maybe a vacation could be good.

--------
    "I'm so sorry," the Abbess said, holding back tears. "Normally we'd welcome you to our Abbey with open arms. But I'm afraid something's happened."

    "What's the matter, Abbess Mel?" the shrew guide asked. The Abbess looked nervously at the foxes, then down at the shrew before answering.

    "I'm afraid that our bellringer, Brother Buckley, h-has been killed," She managed to say before she started sobbing. Aria and I exchanged glances while the shrew tried to calm the Abbess down. Aria stepped forward, and gently touched the distraught mousemaid on the shoulder.

    "Abbess, my friend Florence and I, we'd like to help you if we could. Back home, we're actually quite well known for our crime solving skills" she said gently. The Abbess took a few moments to calm herself down before replying.

    "W-well, I would appreciate the help. It may actually do us some good to have some outside perspectives. All three of you come inside, there's not a moment to waste."

    We followed the Abbess through the main gate of the Abbey, which was locked behind us by a surly looking otter, who looked at Aria and I with distaste. What should have been Aria's vacation had now turned into our first job.

[Alazar is Back]

Nicely written!

[Krowdon]

Nicely written!

Thank you! It's part 1/?

It helps me play more if I have a themed clan lol. Eira (Filtchaye Warrior) and I planned it together.

[Krowdon]

Part 2: Blood In The Great Hall

   Redwall Abbey was even more beautiful inside than it was outside. The early morning light cast the sandstone in dusty hues, and sparkled off the dewey grass. The main building of the Abbey stood towering over the orchards and lawns, its spires reaching up into the clear sky, and its stained glass illuminated in the morning sunlight. For a moment, awe made me forget that Florence and I were about to investigate a murder.
   
   "Hey Aria, get your head out of the clouds, we're headed inside," Florence said, nudging me with her elbow. She was right, now was the time to focus. Even if the stained glass was casting colorful patterns on the flying buttresses in the Great Hall...

   Another nudge from Florence brought me back, and I realized the Abbess had been talking since we entered the main Abbey Building.

   "We've really done our best to keep everybeast away from the scene, especially the Dibbuns. I'm afraid we've moved the body to the Cellars, but everything else is as it was when we found him this morning," The Abbess said, gesturing to an area that had been blocked off. A few official looking beasts, mainly hares and otters, were standing by to make sure nobeast would come too close. A fat hare in a military jacket snapped to attention and saluted the Abbes as she approached him.

   "Abbess Mel! The Friar has requested I inform you that everybeast has had breakfast brought to the dorms. Respectfully marm, we can't very well keep them up there forever. I think that you should allow us to clean up the crime scene," He said. The Abbess shook her head, and gestured to Florence and I.

   "Not quite yet, Colonel. These two foxes say they're adept at solving crimes. I'm willing to give them a shot. I know anybeast here would be loathe to think that one of their friends or neighbors could have done this, it may be best to have a strangers opinion."

   The hare looked us over, before looking back at the Abbess, and giving her a nod. "If you think it's wise, Abbess."

   I didn't blame him for being wary of us. We must have looked strange to them in our foreign clothes. Not to mention the fact we were the only foxes we had seen so far. Having read a little about the Abbey though, I knew their relationship with 'vermin species' was tentative at best. I hope our help could put foxes in a better light for them.

   Florence made her way past the hare and further into the Great Hall. It was clearly set up for some kind of feast, with tables stretching along the vast length of the hall, some of them with place settings, others still waiting to be decorated. Florence stopped and gave a low whistle. "Hey Aria, give that a gander," She said, pointing up at the wall. Hanging there was a tapestry of a mouse in armor, leaning on his sword, with scenes of enemies fleeing, as well as scenes of peace. There upon the wall next to it was what appeared to be the sword depicted in the Tapestry.

   "That is Martin The Warrior," Abbess Mel explained. "He's our founder and a sort of guardian of the Abbey."
   "Well he certainly didn't do your poor Brother Buckley any favors," Florence stated, lighting up a cigarette with a candle from the table. She glanced at me, then down to the floor where a pool of blood stained the ancient sandstone floors. There had clearly been a struggle here. The chairs by the table were askew, and the setting on the table had been knocked about. There was blood splattered on the table and across the floor. Thankfully it seemed that none had gotten on the Tapestry.

   Florence knelt down next to the pool of blood, and I knelt beside her. She gently touched the puddle with one paw. "It's tacky," She said, taking a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiping her paw with it. "This happened late last night. Has anybeast left the Abbey since then?"

   "We did a headcount this morning, everybeast is accounted for, even our visitors from Mossflower," The Abbess replied. Florence nodded and stood up.

   "I'd like to see the body then. Aria, do you mind investigating the rest of this scene?"

   "I don't mind at all," I replied, standing up. Florence gave me a nod, then followed the Abbess off towards the cellars. I made my way over to the hare that had let us into the crime scene.

   "Excuse me, Colonel. Would it be possible for me to get a quill and some paper? A notebook or journal if you could, please. I'd like to take notes."

   "Right away miss...?"
   "Aria," I said, offering him a paw. He gave me a firm pawshake.

   "I'm Colonel Sweetberry, of The Long Patrol. I'll be right back with a quill and some parchment, marm," He replied, giving me a quick salute before walking away to fulfil my request. Returning to my investigation, I carefully surveyed the area around the main blood puddle.

   There was blood smeared across the floor, and some markings that resembled pawprints, though I wasn't quite sure which sort of creature left them behind. They appeared to have been left after the blood had already started congealing. Except for one on the far side of the puddle. It was only a partial, but it was something.

   "You can set those on the table for me, thank you," I said to him. He set them down, but didn't leave right away. I decided to speak up. "Do you have a question for me?"

   "Do you think you and your friend will be able to solve this?" he asked.
-------
"Will this information be enough to help you get them arrested?" I asked nervously. The fox sitting at the desk laughed, and snuffed out her cigarette into the ashtray. I'd slipped away from home to meet a Private Investigator, Florence Valentine. She was known throughout Vermin City as a woman who got things done, and the city's underworld hated her for it.

Florence was as imposing a figure as she'd been described. She was lean, with dark red fur, and mean eyes. Her fangs poked out from beneath her lips, and when she laughed, you could see every sharp tooth in her mouth. I fiddled nervously with my ring while she made eye contact with me, her green eyes staring right into my soul.

"Darlin', your word is one thing, hard evidence is another. I've solved cases with less, but I think I have an idea, if you're willing to put your hide on the line."

"Just tell me the plan."

--------

"I believe with every piece of my soul that Florence and I can get to the bottom of this," I replied. "Come here for a moment, check this out,"

I gestured for the hare to kneel next to me. When he did, I pointed to the markings on the ground.

"Any idea what may have caused these?"

"I'm not sure about the other print, but pawprints here are from Miss Calla. She came across Brother Buckley early this morning. She was rather distraught, knelt down to help him before she realized the poor chap had gone on. She's lying down in the infirmary. Poor girl."

"I see. Thank you, Colonel. I'll want to talk to her once I've finished up here, if you can arrange that."

"Yes marm," He said, standing up and walking towards the infirmary. I took the notebook off the table, and began making my notes.

[JesterAverageJoe]

I was very hopeful for a part 3~
Whenever you get the time of course...

[Krowdon]

Part 3 is coming!! I've been in kind of a funk/writers block lately.