"Side Dishes In The Feast" - a Feast of Yule Tie-In

Side Dishes In The Feast

NOTE: This is a collection of scenes from around the Feast. It's out of order, and done that way purposely.

Suspicious Mind

    Sir Mumphrey Wilton had been murdered, and Keiko Takashi was admittedly a little frightened as she hid away in the Turkish Tapestry Room, keeping the fireplace running for warmth, after she heard the news.

    Not because she had reason to, as far as she knew, though stranger things than involuntary murder had happened since her arrival in Paradopolis. No, her fear was because she felt stranded in a house full of sixty three strangers who no doubt were suspicious of her.

    That's why she kept a razor sharp steak knife, a small solid silver blade taken from Mumphrey's study, and a WWII style pistol and ammunition hidden in various places in her room. Keiko promised Sorceress that she wouldn't bring any weapons with her. She remained true to her word.

    As Asil so eloquently described, Mumphrey had been stabbed in the back while in his study, by his desk, and his bed hadn't been slept in. He was found dead slumped over the desk. He wasn't awake to check the presents, that was a task set for the next morning. The theory brewed in Keiko's mind that he had been summoned to the study...he was waiting for his killer, who used Knifey to do the deed.

    And that left Keiko worried. It was indeed her style to summon her victims, to corral them into a controlled environment. It was often her strategy to use stealth to prevent the target from preparing countermeasures. And she had been known to borrow and use Knifey. The evidence was piled against her, especially given the fact that she did nearly kill Mumphrey once.

    That left her cornered in her room, armed just in case. In case the murderer came for her next. Or in case the sixty three other guests decided to band together to seek vigilante justice against someone they didn't know, they feared, they wouldn't mind taking vengeance against, because she wasn't one of their own.

    No, she thought to herself, that's wrong. Hiding would only increase their suspicion. She had to interact, at least in a limited fashion, to keep up appearances. If she projected an air of confidence, perhaps others would believe. Keiko knew she was innocent - it was a matter of convincing everyone else, not through voice but through silent deeds.

    It became clear to her, as she sat in a plush antique chair furnished in Turkish fabric, that she would have to attempt to solve the murder and speak to no one.

    The facts as she knew them: An unknown killer quietly took Knifey from ManMan's possession late at night, summoned Mumphrey to his study, probably through Asil. They had a short, relaxing chat - because there was no yelling heard late at night, even though voices could easily escape the study, into the great hall, and echo into parts of the house. He trusted the killer, because he didn't keep his pocket watch handy. He was then killed...and the killer took the pocket watch before Mumphrey's life slipped away, to prevent him from saving himself with his last breath. Meaning someone had that pocket watch, and that person probably was the killer.

    She had her suspects, her evidence. But interviews were out of the question. She had to work quickly, silently, stealthily. No one could know.

---

The Arrival

    Al B. Harper stumbled a bit as he, Amy Aston, Miss Framlicker, and a purple haired and eyed private detective known as Yuki Shiro appeared with a violent sizzle twenty feet outside the front gate of Sir Mumphrey Wilton's estate.

    "So why is she with us again?" Amy whispered to Al B. She wasn't aware that Yuki could hear her.

    "She got us here, didn't she?" Al asked. "And without any jet lag."

    Miss Framlicker frowned. "Why was she able to get the Dimensional Transducer at EEE to work more effectively than you ever could?"

    "I dunno." Al B. shrugged. "Beginner's luck?"

    Yuki tried hard not to smile. It was quite simple, really. She read Al B.'s specs and decided that the Transducer just needed a different kind of computer to control it. One that could comprehend the abstract concept of being in two places at once.

    Al B. did smile when he saw her slight reaction. He made a mental note to design a conceptual computer for the Extrordinary Endeaver Enterprises primary transport mechanism. Only they didn't have the money for a prototype, and input was a problem - conceptual processors worked best interfaced with a human brain. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, eyeing Miss Framlicker's skull.

    "So how do we do this?" Yuki asked.

    "We walk up and knock on the front door," Amy replied impatiently.

    Yuki ignored her and clarified her question to Al B. Harper. "I mean, is there any special greeting I should use? I've never been to one of these events."

    "Just...uh...follow what Amy said," Al told her.

    Amy smiled in a self-satisfied way and headed up to the door.

    "Can I turn invisible yet?" Yuki whispered to Al.

    "Not this time," Al told her. "Unless you can turn me invisible too."

    It was moments later when the bickering over the room assignments began, starting with the strangest one of all.

    "I'm sharing a room with Amy?" Yuki asked Asil as she gave them room allocations. She could practically see Amy smirking behind her.

    Al B. Harper raised his hand. "If Yuki wants her own room I'll stay with Amy."

    Yuki and Amy both gave him a quick smack to the back of the head.

    "There are two beds in each of these rooms," Asil pointed out. "And a privacy curtain."

    "Is this a military barracks? Or a hospital?" Yuki frowned. She looked at Amy and sighed. "I suppose we can work this out."

    "Or you can stay with me," Al B. asked Yuki.

    She frowned at him. "Innocent as that may be I'm not sure your friends would approve."

    "Innocent?" Amy asked.

    "We've been freinds for a while," Al B. said as he scratched his neck nervously. "I helped her through--" He looked at Yuki. "--some difficult stuff."

    "Rehab," Yuki explained summarily. "I was badly injured."

    "Oh." Amy replied sheepishly. "I'm sorry. You seem...much better now."

    "Thank you." Yuki looked at Al. "I won't have any problem sharing a room with Amy. Seems we have a lot to talk about."

    Al B. Harper shivered. He was sure he would be the primary topic of conversation.

---

    The Approach

    Keiko Takashi stood at the entrance of the estate of Sir Mumphrey Wilton. Parked a short distance away was a dark green Land Rover she rented when she arrived in town. She stood in the entrance rather than entering because blocking her way was a small hunch-backed man, drooling on the stoop.

    "Would you mind showing me in?" Keiko asked impatiently.

    "I'm sorry," he said. "Name's Flapjack. I'll announce you right away."

    "Thank--" Keiko started to say. She cringed when, instead of approaching the owner of the house to announce her quietly, Flapjack simply stood in the main hall and yelled as loudly as he could, 'Some Asian chick just arrived! She's a hottie!'

    Keiko couldn't restrain her instinct to whack the hunchback butler hard on the back of the head. He didn't even complain...in fact, he seemed to enjoy it.

    "Good evening," Sir Mumphrey Wilton, the first man she recognized since she arrived, announced himself with. Rather than offer his hand to her, he placed his hands at his sides and took a quick bow, appearing to respect her culture and heritage. "Welcome to my home," he said. "Congratulations, you're one of the first guests to arrive." He pointed to a young woman behind him. "If you need anything, please ask myself or Asil, what?"

    Without thinking, she immediately returned the bow. "I assume you have a room for me?"

    "The Turkish Tapestry room," Mumphrey told her. "Meantime feel free to wander, get to know the other folk, what?"

    Keiko nodded, and as she walked through the doorway into the study, she nearly ran into CrazySugarFreakBoy!, who she recognized immediately. She accidentally bowed to him as well.

    "Hey, Elektra chick! You're not in To-kee-oh, you don't have to bow here."

    She frowned, but tried to remain polite. "Please call me Keiko."

    "Welcome, Keiko. You can call me Dream." CSFB! told her in a quieter voice. "I hope you like food boiled for several hours, rendering it flavorless and inedible. That's what they got in Ing-Land."

    "I see you're a cultured man," Keiko deadpanned.

    "Yeah, well not everyone was born with a silver spoon up their ass." Dream shrugged. "Is it still true that houses in Japan are the size of the coat closet in this place?"

    "Not quite," Keiko told him, "But close." She smiled slightly, but tried hard not to laugh. He was proving to be somewhat amusing, at least.

    "You have to meet April Alice Apple when she gets here," Dream suggested. "You two can discuss the many ways to --"

    "Dream!" Mumphrey called from the doorway to the main hall. "May I have a word with you?"

    "Gotta go!" Keiko had to step aside as CSFB! bounded through the doorway without warning.

    She turned around, and noted Asil standing in the doorway. "Is your name Lisa backwards?" she asked.

    Asil seemed confused by the question.

    "Never mind." Keiko shook her head. "Have you seen Messenger?"

    "He declined the invitation," Asil told her.

    "Hmm. I suppose he has his reasons." Keiko sighed and sat down at the desk, quietly slipping a solid silver knife, engraved with Sir Mumphrey's full name and title, off the desk and into her jacket. "I suppose I'm going to feel alone a lot during this feast," she mused to herself.

    "Don't say that," Asil replied in a soft, reassuring voice. "You'll find someone to talk to. I'm sure of it."

    "Eternal optimism," Keiko commented. "I like that."

-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2004 by Jason Froikin, and may not be
-- reprinted without permission.
-- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
-- Keiko Takashi is part of World Class (C) 2004 by Jason Froikin

Post By Anime Jason Sat Dec 25, 2004 at 02:05:12 pm EST	Subject "Side Dishes In The Feast" - a Feast of Yule Tie-In

	[ Reply ] [ New ] [ Edit ] [ Email To Friend ] [ Printable ] [ RSS ] [ Tales of the Parodyverse ]	Next In Thread >>