(Voile the magic library plays)
"I just don't understand any of this!" Cried Alice, as the trio arrived at her house.
"It's just a precautionary measure, Alice, and nothing more!" Said Patchouli, as she stepped forward to open the door for Alice.
"What do you want them to search the house for? What will they find?" Alice replied.
"Absolutely nothing, that's just the point. Come on." Patchouli opened the door, allowing Alice and Shanghai, who was carrying two boxes, to come in.
(Shanghai flew in and put the boxes at the back of the house. Alice sits down as Patchouli prepared a drink for both of them.)
"I'm sorry I have to put you through this now," said Patchouli as she prepared the drink, "But believe me it will all be over soon."
"Why would anyone think that I would want to kill Marisa?" Exclaimed Alice, gesturing with one hand in frustration.
"Nobody does!" Said Patchouli with a half-smile. "Just wanna make sure it stays that way, that's all. That's why Yukari is having the incident solvers come in and search the house. Believe me, it's all for the best."
"Patchouli, I don't even remember what happened the-the night when Marisa was killed. I get so nervous I-I take sleeping pills sometimes."
"That's one thing you should - Ahh!" Patchouli spilt the drink on herself. "Excuse me, let me just dry off, I'll be right back."
(Patchouli enters the next room. She stealthily takes a box and moves it to the closet, and closes the door behind her. She takes Marisa's book hidden in the box and hides in within Alice's clothing. She wraps the box up again just in time for the doorbell to ring.)
"Shanghai, must we go through this?" Alice asked. Shanghai didn't respond, but followed Alice to the door.
"Alice? It's Ran." Said Ran. "Yes, come in." Responded Alice.
(Patchouli returns drying her dress with a cloth)
(Theme of Eastern Story plays. Reimu flies up to the house and enters, hands inside her skirt pockets)
Ran: It's ok, Chen. Let her in.
(Reimu enters, skulking around. She runs into Patchouli)
Patchouli: Hello, Reimu!
Reimu (doing her best Californian accent): Listen, I just heard about all this. You know, word just came down from the place searched, and I-I-
Patchouli: Is that so?
Reimu (shrugging): I can't understand why! An' apparently I was just bypassing when I came over her an'-
Patchouli (sympathetically nodding): Well, apparently your just not needed here then, Reimu. Why don't you just go home and have your dinner (gestures at door).
Reimu: Well, I better hang around because, you know, if I leave now, it looks bad upstairs, you know? (Shrugs again, leaves the conversation).
(Reimu walks towards Alice)
Reimu: Well, hello there Alice! Gee, I hope this is not uppsettin' you too much.
Alice: Well, I'm not very happy about my house being torn apart, but they advised me to do it.
Reimu: They? Who is "they"?
Yukari (Popping out of gap): Reimu, I thought it was necessary.
Reimu: Ooh, I see.
Alice (struggling to form words): It's really very confuuusing! You said - you didn't suspect me of anything, didn' t you?
Reimu (tilting her head down at Alice): Yes I did, Alice, and I meant that. And actually, I was supposed to have -
Ran (interrupting): Yukari!
(Ran and Chen walk in. Chen is holding a bundle of Alice's clothes)
(Yukari gestures at a table)
Yukari: Clear this table.
(Table is cleared. Chen places down a bundle. Ran unwraps it to reveal Marisa's book)
(Everyone looks on in shock)
Patchouli (to Ran): Where'd you find those?
Ran: Linen closet. In the hallway.
(Alice looks on, disbelieving)
Patchouli: Alice. How could you?
(Yukari and Reimu turn to look at Alice)
Alice: Oh, Patchouli! Believe me, I-I have no idea how they got there?
(Yukari and Reimu look at Patchouli)
Patchouli (looks away): I better not say another word.
Alice: But! (Shanghai places her hand on Alice's shoulder).
Shanghai: Alice! She's right. (Alice looks around in shock) Do you intend to charge her formally, Yukari?
Yukari: It's up to Reimu, it's her case.
Patchouli: What do you mean it's her case. I thought it was -
Yukari: We know what you thought, Patchouli. (Yukari turn to Reimu. Reimu has a thoughtful look on her face). Reimu?
Reimu (still doing a Californian accent): Well ah think we can get started with the fingerprinting.
Yukari (to Ran): Get the kit.
(Everyone watches on)
Reimu (leans forward to get a better look): Be very careful. Gee, they're something, aren't they? Pasternak, you know?
Patchouli: May I ask what this is all about, Reimu?
Reimu (to Chen, who is dusting the book): Well done.
Patchouli: Rei-mu!
Reimu: Oh, Patchouli. Yes, just give us a moment please. We're getting a few, good...
Patchouli (visibly irritated): Ah'd like an answer if you don't mahnd.
Reimu (finally looks up): Uh. Well, I'd have to start with Marisa's will.
Patchouli: What about it.
Reimu (closes her right eye as she speaks): Well y'see she pulled the rug under you when she left this collection to Alice so you uhh only had one thing you could do. (Pauses). Murder her - And blame it on Alice.
(Alice turns and looks in shock at Patchouli)
(Patchouli stops smiling)
Patchouli (speaking slowly): I hope you realise the full import of what you're saying, Reimu. There are witnesses here.
Reimu (In a californian accent): Y'see under the law, anyone who criminally causes the death of someone else can't inherit from that person. Is that right, Yukari?
Yukari: That's correct.
Reimu (glares at Patchouli, both eyes open): So if Alice is exterminated, you're next in line. Everything goes to you. That's why you planted the bomb and that's why you planted the spell card and that's why you planted these books.
Alice: Patchouli! I can't believe it.
Patchouli (shaking): Well you'd like to wouldn't you, it would get you right off the hook. All right, Reimu. You claim that I planted these books? (Pans back to Reimu, looking back at Patchouli with a frown) Suppose you prove it.
Reimu (to Chen): Can we?
Chen: Yeah.
Reimu: Yeah. (To Patchouli) With fingerprints.
Patchouli: Uh-huh. (Smirks). Sorry to disappoint you, Reimu. My fingerprints won't help you at all. My fingerprints are all over those books (gestures with finger at books). Marisa and I unwrapped them when they came back from Suzanaan. I told you didn't I, I told you myself. They're covered with my prints!
Reimu (stares at Patchouli with her mouth slightly open): No. We're not looking for your prints.
(Stunned silence)
Patchouli (confused): What?
Reimu: You remember the time when I was in your library and you came in with some books. And you said that they were non-fiction and you wanted to evaluate 'em. And remember I wannted to see them and you wouldn't let me? An' I even touched 'em.
Patchouli (in shock): You touched-
Reimu: Yes, my fingerprints are on those books.
(Patchouli opens mouth in shock)
Reimu: Now if Alice is guilty, how could my fingerprints get on books that she stole.
(Everyone turns to look at Patchouli. Patchouli opens and closes her mouth, trying to speak but the words don't form)
Patchouli: errhm This is entrapment. uhh It's a setup, that's all. You-You t-touched those books just now w-while I wasn't looking. (To no one in particular) You saw her do it, didn't you? You saw her put her prints on those books while she was bent over working on it.
(Reimu finally takes her hands out of her skirt pockets to reveal that she was wearing gloves the whole time. She puts both hands up and shrugs at Patchouli)
Patchouli: She touched them. You touched them. You-
(Pichuun sound effect plays)

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Pub: 17 Dec 2021 14:37 UTC

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