CLUES of the Past [closed]

Liseran nodded and pinched her chin. The suspect didn't necessarily have to be a household guest.

Okay, let's organize things a bit, Liseran thought, because she really wasn't good with investigations.


1.Around ten o' clock everyone retired to their rooms as witnessed by General Mustard.
2. Mr. Plum and I started duties just a few minutes after...
3. Dr. Green states that Mr. Body died around hour 11, leaving an hour for the murderer to strike
4. I had my vision just minutes before the murder and we found him with everyone coming from their rooms save for Lacie and Cheshire. How much time did it take for the killer to leave?


Liseran bit her inner cheek as she told General Mustard and Dr. Green she would scout the rest of the house.

Even if not much blood drained from Mr. Body's face, it wouldn't mean the killer would come out unstained. Cheshire was clean and so is everyone else. If it wasn't one of the guests, then it'd be understandable but that doesn't explain entering and exiting the room. My best conclusion at the moment was that the killer was already in the room when Mr. Body retired.

Liseran walked back and forth, hoping to find more clues.

Maybe figuring the layout of the rooms will help... she thought. She decided to go back to Cheshire's room, painfully at most.

Cheshire's room was surprisingly empty. There's a note on the bed left for Liseran. It reads, "Moving Cheshire downstairs to the Break Room. No windows there and big enough for everyone to sleep in."

While Liseran reads the note she could hear a voice coming from behind the curtains.

"Have you found anything out?"

Lacie stepped around from behind the window curtains, a worried look on her face. "I'm so sorry about what happened to Cheshire. Do you have any idea who could have done it?"

Liseran whirls around to find Lacie.

"Lacie!" Liseran says snapping. She kneels down and grabs Lacie by the shoulders. "Where did you go? Didn't I tell you to stay here? What if you got hurt?"

And then Liseran's thoughts went back to Scarlet's words. "Lacie? Who are you talking about? There's nobody in this house under that name. Cheshire was all alone when we entered the room."

Liseran frowned and looked at Lacie directly.

"Lacie, I'm going to ask you something," Liseran said. "Why are you here in the mansion? It took me a while, but it appears that no one acknowledges you as a guest. I'm not saying what you're doing is wrong, but...I'd just like to know."

Liseran's grip on Lacie was firm, but not enough to harm the little girl.

"Please," Liseran said. "You're the only one who knows Cheshire was unconscious and the only one who can prove he's not guilty. If you could just tell me...please."

"Well I did say I was a guest staying here for a while," Lacie stated, "But I never said I had permission. I sort of... snuck in and just sort of hid whenever someone showed up. I don't have a home to return to you see so I sort of took lodging. It's so big that no one really notices me around anyway. When everybody tried coming into this room I was just hiding behind the curtain." A sad look came over Lacie's face. "I'm sorry but I can't help you with this. I can't let everyone else see me. I sort of... know a certain someone staying here and if he sees me now it will cause trouble. I can tell you that Cheshire had nothing to do with it though."

Liseran nodded sadly and tousled Lacie's hair.

"I understand," Liseran said. "But I want you to keep safe. I don't want you going around when there's a killer on the loose."

Liseran sighed and sat in the armchair not sure what to do.

"I'm so scared about how I'm going to prove Cheshire's innocence," Liseran said. "I need to find out more about how things went about with the crime."

Her face lit up again.

"Say," Liseran smiled. "Maybe you can help me. If you're around that much, you can probably tell me where everyone was. Do you know which room everyone stays in? That will help me picture the scene better."

She rummaged around the drawers and found a pen and paper, laying it out on the table for Lacie.

"If you can," Liseran said.

"Of course," Liseran stated as she took the pen. Just give me a second..."

In a moment, Lacie drew a floor plan of the manor.

Spoiler:

"Everybody was in their room except for you and Plum who were out in the hallway," Lacie stated, "Mr. Body went to sleep second to last. Plum was last to see Mr. Body as he was already out in the hallway. You walked out into the hallway after cuddling with Cheshire around 10:45 and told me to keep watch over him in his room which I did for the remainder of the night. You saw Plum climbing up the stairs about a minute after that and you began your patrol. You patrolled the hallway until before midnight when you told Plum to get to Mr. Body quickly. After repeatedly knocking, Plum broke open the door with his iron pipe and also woke the rest of the household. That was when you found the body which had the murder weapons still around it. One was a rope used to strangle him while the other was a cleaver. Apparently his face had been chopped off. The cause of death was most likely the rope since Mr. Body's blood seemed to have seized pumping after his face was chopped off considering the minimal amount of blood that was drained."

Alice inhaled a deep breath after her long summary of the events and looked at Liseran. "Anything else?"

Liseran blinked.

"Wow," Liseran said, a bit startled. "You really are observant."

Liseran looks at the layout and traces her finger around it.

"This is a lot to start with..." Liseran said. "But not enough to make conclusions."

Liseran folds the paper and puts it in her pocket.

"I think I'm going to go around a bit more to see if I can find any clues," she announced. "Can you stay here until then, Lacie?"

"No problem," Lacie smiled, "I just know you can catch the culprit. Remember what Cheshire said. Everything has a reason."

"Alright then," Liseran patted Lacie's head. "You stay here and page me if something bad happens. You still have the pager right?"

Liseran leaves the room and tries to remember the map.

At least I know where everyone was, Liseran said. Now to see if General Mustard and Dr. Green have found anything new...

She heads there with one single conclusion in mind.

At this rate, my presumption remains... Liseran said. Someone was already waiting for Mr. Body inside his room. The question is who?

When Liseran returns to the Master Bedroom she finds it as she had left it before except Mustard and Green have stopped their investigation and they now stand next to each other with annoyed looks on their faces.

"I know I'm a hypocrite for saying this," Dr. Green murmured, "But I can't believe Cheshire is still our only culprit."

"There's got to have been another way," Mustard grunted.

"There was no way in or out!" Dr. Green exclaimed throwing his arms in the air, "The only other person that could have been here besides Mr. Body is Cheshire!"

"He was knocked out!"

"But we don't know for how long!" Dr. Green exclaimed, "The only person that could have come here and choked Mr. Body is Cheshire!"

"Then why would he have chopped off the damned face!" Mustard yelled.

"I don't know!" Dr. Green shouted, "To keep it as a trophy or something, I don't know! I want to believe it's not him okay but if not him then it would be someone else in this house!"

"Hold on a minute," Liseran said in between the argument.

The two looked at her expectingly, but she found herself a bit nervous.

"I've come to a strange conclusion," Liseran said. "But it can work just as fine. I can't say who, but how is possible."

Liseran looks at Dr. Green.

"Doctor," Liseran says as she fixes her glasses. "You said it yourself. It's impossible for anyone save for Cheshire to infiltrate Mr. Body's locked room while on the inside. Mr. Plum and I heard no noise and the door hadn't been tampered with. But the thing is, Doctor, we didn't take into consideration the time before Mr. Body entered his room. General Mustard, you said Mr. Body retired just before you did so I assume he was one of the last to enter his room."

Liseran begins going around, checking the closets and behind curtains. If Lacie can hide...a killer can hide better.

"Mr. Body's room was more likely than not unlocked before he entered," Liseran said. "That means someone could have gone in and attacked him without anyone else knowing. Mr. Plum and I were quite some distance from his room. The killer could have hidden and waited for Mr. Body. Struck when all was quiet and least expected, left the room and then locked it while we weren't there, giving us the confusion that infiltration was impossible."

She stops and turns the place around trying to look for a hair. A cloth. Something the killer might have left behind.

"I know that doesn't clear Cheshire's name," Liseran said. "But it gives you more than one person to look at. Also, I'm not sure when the killer might have left. Even if Mr. Body didn't loose much blood, the mess from chopping his face would leave stains somewhere. Cheshire's clean and he didn't have a change of clothes, but so is everyone else. Either the person had enough time to tidy himself up...or..."

She's looking for it. Something that could lead to the next hint.

"Had something to cover with," Liseran said. "Like a coat...or an apron...or a suit..."

Where are you? Liseran thought in her head. Where is this clue I'm looking for?

"That is a possibility," Mustard mumbled, "But then how did he or she get out without Plum noticing? He was patrolling the halls all night."

"We don't have much else to go on Mustard," Dr. Green stated, "There's nothing here that we found that didn't belong to Mr. Body. The imprint on the carpet is obviously from his dress shoes and even his precious paperwork is all neatly together in a clean stack."

"Was anything missing?" Mustard asked looking around the room and glanced at the papers on the night stand.

"Nah," Dr. Green said waving his hand, "Everything is where it should be. I even looked at the papers. Nothing missing. Even the request form to Beacon is still on top and he should have thrown that away by now."

"He always was a pack rat," Mustard mumbled.

"No, he was always a human," Dr. Green pointed out, "Which raises the question as to why Mr. Body was killed."

"It was because he was protecting us," Mustard murmured sadly, "A rich human man protecting faunus? What more motivation could those extremists have for killing him?"

Liseran bit her lip in thought.

It's true... Liseran contemplated. Even if I could answer the possiblity of getting in...how did that person get out without Mr. Plum and I seeing?

No matter how many times Liseran looks at the room, everything is in place save for Mr. Body being dead.

"Can I take a look outside the windows?" Liseran asked. She knows it'd be in vain, but she decides anything is worth the shot.

As she waits for General Mustard and Dr. Green's reply, she comes to another farfetched conclusion.

Is it possible some sort of semblance of someone else is at work here?

Questions, questions. They're beginning to frustrate Liseran, but she knows that even the most strangest options must be searched.

"As for your suggestion on motivation, General," Liseran said. "That seems like the most obvious motive. One Cheshire wouldn't fit in with. Nor would it fit if, let's say, some other of the household guests committed the crime. Unless there's something else at work here..."

As Liseran opens the window to look outside, she remembers Everything has a reason.

It's still relatively dark out. There's nothing out of the ordinary outside.

"Still, I feel we should move the body," Mustard grumbled scratching his head. "It feels disrespectful leaving a dead man in his pajamas and socks."

"I'm more concerned of what I'll be dying in," Dr. Green says sarcastically, "At least he has clothes. What if I get stabbed in the shower? That would just be humiliating!"

"There'll be no showering tonight," Liseran said stiffly. "We can't risk anyone being alone. At most, it can wait out in the morning."

She looked to General Mustard.

"If you'd like, I can help with Mr. Body...," Liseran said. But she slowly stopped to cross her arms to think. "No, wait, perhaps it'd be more appropriate if I call Mr. Plum. I could switch posts with him. I have something to ask him anyways. What do you think, General?"

"I see no problem with that," Mustard nodded, "Alright then, go ahead and switch places with Plum for a while."

Liseran nodded and gave the two gentlemen a brief salute. As she left the room, she couldn't help but feel that she was totally stumped.

Even if I've answered how the killer might have possibly been inside the room, getting out is still the bigger question, Liseran thought.

Before heading downstairs, she decided to check on Lacie. The door was locked so she gave a light tap. As she waited for a response, she reflected.

Okay, let's sort out what we know again, Liseran contemplated.

Assuming Mr. Body died from eleven to midnight, it would be impossible for me and Mr. Plum to not have noticed someone go in or out of the room. Finding the body soon after this also left little time for the criminal to get tidy. The windows lead nowhere and even if they did, the closest rooms would be mine and Cheshire's, still needing the culprit to exit to the hallway eventually. The crime scene is clean of clues save for the weapons itself.

Liseran pinched her chin.

It's too clean to have been a hasty crime, Liseran thought. And almost questionable. Physically speaking, the culprit would have never been able to left the room unnoticed. Unless Mr. Body didn't die at eleven to twelve. Unless he was killed earlier by someone when Mr. Plum was scanning the first floor and I was asleep. Unless Dr. Green was wrong. That'd make more sense...making more sense doesn't leave me right.

Cheshire's semblance is the only logical method, but of course it isn't him. Unless...someone else had some bizarre ability that'd also allow them to move undetected.

The assumptions were making her head spin. Lacie hadn't answered her previous knock on the door so she tried again.

"Lacie?" Liseran called softly.

I have no time to play detective... Liseran thought sadly. Maybe...maybe I need to consult my own semblance.

The doorknob rattled and turned before the door slowly opened. Lacie stood there with a smile on her face and stepped back to let Liseran in. "Found out anything?"

Liseran smiles upon seeing Lacie, but it’s a short lived one.
“I’m just checking on you, dear,” Liseran said. She sighs. “No, we haven’t really found anything. The crime scene’s clean of clues. I can’t stay long, Lacie, but I’ll be back after a while. I need to ask you something by then…”

Liseran gave Lacie a reassuring pat on the head and left, heading down to the first floor. The hallway was eerily quiet and for a minute, Liseran was worried about how everyone in the Break Room were doing.

Once Mr. Plum is done helping with Mr. Body, I’ll continue scouting, Liseran thought. And then…I’ll use my semblance one last time.

The Break Room has been set up with sleeping bags on the floors. Scarlet and White are fast asleep, obviously exhausted by the events. Cheshire is slouching on a chair, most likely knocked out. His hands are tied to the arm rests and there is a rope tied around his waist tying him to the chair.

Mr. Plum is the only one remaining awake. He is leaning against the wall and looking up as if contemplating the events that had transpired. He notices Liseran and nods at her. "Anything new?"

As Liseran entered the room, she felt her heart ache upon seeing Cheshire knocked out and tied up. She forced herself to look away and turned her attention to Mr. Plum.

“General Mustard and Dr. Green haven’t found that much,” Liseran said shaking her head. “Aside from the presumable time of death, eleven to midnight, there’s nothing else. Mr. Body’s study is as it was before the crime save for Mr. Body and the weapons itself.”

She crossed her arms and sighed.

“I’d like to believe that the culprit was already in the room before Mr. Body retired,” Liseran said. “That would explain how he/she was in without us noticing, but it doesn’t explain the exiting.”

She saved her assumptions of the possibility of another semblance being at work or doubting the time Dr. Green had stated.

“Anyways, Mr. Plum,” Liseran said. “General Mustard and Dr. Green are moving Mr. Body to something more respectable and they’ll need help. It’d be more appropriate if it was you, so I can switch posts and keep watch here for the meantime. But before you do go, I’d like to ask. Did you notice anyone leave their rooms after retiring?”

"Sorry to say but no," Plum stated, "When they went to sleep that was it. I'll go help with moving the body then."

Mr. Plum leaves to aid the other men in moving Mr. Body's body. There are a few hours left until sunrise.

Mr. Plum leaves and Liseran sits down in an armchair opposite of Cheshire’s. She’s frustrated that nothing else has been uncovered and that it’s left Cheshire still the prime suspect.

I need to take it slow…Liseran thinks as she relaxes into the chair.

Weeping Cerinthe is in her hands just in case something happens, which Liseran really hopes will not be.


The semblance theory stands, then, Liseran thought. When I get back to Lacie…I’ll ask if she knows anything.

In the meantime, Liseran waits, keeping an eye for anything strange that might happen in the room.

The night goes by without any events. Scarlet and White have woken up around seven and went together to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for everyone.

Plum and Mustard are still upstairs trying to discern any clues while Dr. Green had decided to shut his eyes in the break room a few hours earlier. There has been no signs of Lacie since Liseran's visit with her a few hours ago. Dr. Green mentioned searching through Cheshire's room earlier and failed to mention anything about the little girl being there.

Liseran's feeling a bit tired now, but she knows sleep wouldn't come to her anyways. Cheshire's still unconscious and Scarlet and White have left to make morning. I wonder if Lacie's gone to hiding again... she thinks. I'm sure that poor girl's going to get hungry...

She stands up from the armchair, legs numb and tingling, and finds herself supporting her weight on Cheshire's seat. When she gets her legs awake again, she hovers a hand over Cheshire's head and brushes his bangs away from his forehead affectionately. I haven't found anything yet, she wanted to say to him. But I'm going to do something about soon.

She realized how much she suddenly missed Cheshire. His calm demeanor, his quiet concern, even the small conversations they had. If Cheshire hadn't been a suspect, Liseran was sure he'd have been able to solve things by now. He's counting on you along with everyone else, Liseran repeated to herself. Get yourself together.

She went to the kitchen and greeted Scarlet and Ms. White, though no one was in a bright mood after last night's tragedy. With no one looking, Liseran took a few pieces of pastries, one for herself and three for Lacie, just in case. She was going to head upstairs to find Mr. Plum in hopes that he might want to switch posts or retire for the night.

And if I get time alone... Liseran thought. I'll See into the future.

Going upstairs, Liseran sees Mustard and Plum standing outside Mr. Body's bedroom and staring into it. The inside of the room had not changed other then the absence of the body which has been moved and replaced by a duct tape outline on the floor. The blood has dried already.

Mustard and Plum are staring intently at the room trying to find anything off that may allude them to what happened. Both Mustard and Plum have dark bags under their eyes as they have already grown exhausted by the lack of sleep.

"Good day, gentlemen," Liseran says. "I'm assuming both of you are downright exhausted now. If you'd like, I can keep guard while you retire."

She looks into the room she's already been through so many times. As she waits for a reply from the two gentlemen, her mind traces back to Lacie. Hopefully, she had returned to Cheshire's room.