[IC] [Risus] -ish: Tales of the Old Continent

[Kaworu]

- Hm... excuse me? - Alex went closer to inspector D'Amico, more than little wary - Do you wanna... some water, maybe? I have a bottle. I am afraid I started drinking from that, but I was just wondering...? - he asked, not unkindly.

[Chas Kramer]

Inspector D'Amico politely refuses your offer, and tries instead, to the best of his effort, to stand up straight.
As soon as he manages, helped by the priest, he tries to shake off the remainders of his...experience...and proceed with the questioning.

Now, it is obvious that he wants to talk about Conenna (Capitano) again, and find out the details on how you met him, and what do you know of his activity... the point is: he looks afraid to ask.
His questions are elusive, as if he wanted to talk about him, but didn't want to let anybody know that he does,and he holds the priest's arm as he speaks.

Moreover, there is another question, concealed whithin him, but revealed by the nervous twisting of his hands and his gaze darting left and right. He may talk about criminal activity, but what he is really asking, without having the courage to phrase it, is: did you see THAT? Was THAT real?

Spoiler: Your actions

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The scene is now you, inspector D'Amico and the priest, and agent Esposito a little further away. It seems more of a conversation than a true interrogation, given the fact that the person who is supposed to question you is shocked.

The "right" questions interaction will get you at least some answers

[Kaworu]

-Well… - Alex wanted to clarify the situation with Capitano before he could move to more pressing topics – We do not know really Capitano that well. In fact, it was our first meeting and I do not think I even caught his name. Maybe he is a criminal, I do not know. We were literally just throwing oranges and having some hot drinks. I am afraid I cannot help you much with that – his tone of voice was really apologetic.

- Also… - now that the Capitano business was taken care of, he could speak more freely – I am afraid I was not totally honest with your younger colleague. We did not rush for help. We… we were scared. Maybe it was just an illusion (hallucination?) but we have seen something. Like a lady. Just a lot more terrible. She… oh, sorry – his voice got a little bit hysterical here – but what should I have said? “We saw a monster, he attacked you, we wanted to run for our lives”? Goodness! Who would believe that?! I dunno, maybe we are just mental and should have spend the rest of our lives behind closed doors? I do not know, I am lost, maybe seriously, there’s some kind of scientific explanation for all that – he seemed doubtful - But what I know is: there was this woman. She looked like if she was taken from nightmares. You lost consciousness and we were so, so afraid that we are next. That’s all I can tell. Please, do not ask for more, I already feel like an idiot. – Aleksander finished somehow awkwardly.

[Chas Kramer]

You see the inspector going pale as you speak, re-living in his mind the experience. The implication of your words is obvious: it means you saw THAT too. Now, whatever that encounter was, it cannot simply be dismissed as a nightmare, hallucination, or anything rationally explainable.

"That's... that's impossible..." denial, at first obviously... and then, all of a sudden, some kind of relief. If it's true that the event cannot be denied anymore, because you saw it, it is also true that you are now in this together.
"You see... I never quite believed in this type of things, I never needed it. In my career I have seen how men are perfectly able to harm each other without any intervention from above or below... they are already "demonic" in themselves. A gun, a knife, yes, I fear those, and the hand that wields them, even more...no need to believe and fear the things from beyond..."
"So believe me when I say this... I don't fear what I saw because it is a monster... I fear it because I don't understand it... and YOU WILL help me make sense of this."

He now stands tall. His calm determination is somehow coming back...he has a purpose now.
"You know... SHE... the thing we saw...she is protecting him... your Capitano, as you call him, was around, here...we were chasing him. Esposito was checking some movement that he saw nearby, while..SHE attacked me. And she warned me, she told me to leave him be..."

"Would you like to make an educated guess on what she told me, as you arrived?..."

[Kaworu]

Aleksander was nodding quietly, listening to the older cop. It was nice seeing the change in him, even if they still weren't sure what the lady was or what was her purpose - at least Alex was not, because seemingly she had exchanged a few words with the inspector.

- Hm... I really have no experience with monsters, especially the talking kind... maybe something about Capitano? Or... about us? - he asked - Actually, there was a crazy old lady who had given us some wool. She had spoken some weird words. Then the monster appeared not long after. Maybe... she had some kind of prophecy for us? Related to the master? I mean, I do not know. But if her words were, hm... "something deep under" then the monster could talk about us to, isn't it? Or maybe the lady was really crazy? - he was still unsure as to what role - if any - the elderly lady had in all of this.

[Chas Kramer]

"As you approached, I heard a voice in my mind, full of resentment. I felt that anger like an icy knife being twisted into my belly, as the voice said "they will not protect you forever" ...
So, miss Bardi, mr Bryza, let's summarize the facts. We see you hanging around with known anarcho-eco-terrorist Alessandro Conenna. As we are tracking him, something that reason cannot explain shows up to PROTECT him, and there you are again. Whatever that thing was, knows about YOU and for some reason your presence is enough a good reason for her to release her grip on me. Finally, you come to me again, and you blabber about prophecies, crazy ladies, artifacts and whatever. I will believe in coincidence when I will see one"

It is interesting for you to see how, even in from of the un-explainable, D'Amico still acts like a cop

"You, "Capitano" Conenna, and whatever that infernal thing was, are somehow connected. I don't understand why that is, and I can't make sense of any of this. But I am a practical guy enough, to see I am not equipped for this mission... YOU are. YOU will meet Conenna again, investigate what he is up to, and will report to me.

Questions ?"

Spoiler: OOC Font change

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I have quit on the BOLD, I found it a bit disturbing to read a bunch of text in that format. sorry for the change.

[Kaworu]

- Ym… - was all that Alex said. It was very “intelligent”, no doubt, but what the cop was saying was too, in a way.

- Wait, wait, wait! – he shouted, kinda energetic – W-what do you mean? Is that even legal? Helping you fight terrorist, this I can do, even though it is dangerous on its own. But fightning a nightmare lady for you? Noooooo way! – he said, overreacting (which he himself did not realize, of course) – We know nothing of this monster, we are no warriors, it’s you who had fight training and weapon by your belt. In fact, I went here only for holidays. This is not my country, not my problem and clearly not my responsibility. Sorry, but that’s the truth. It’s YOU who is paid by Italy to fight criminals, not me. And since it’s neither mine nor your duty to deal with monsters, I kindly advise you to just stop. Heroism in nice in books, movies and stuff, but it is of very little consolation to be honored after some time when you are getting killed by something inhuman.

- Plus – he raised a finger, his final argument – the Polish embassy would be really, really furious if something bad would happen to me. And let’s be honest, the monster will kill me. Of course, diplomats do not believe in monsters, but if they would got information from me that you are gonna put me in some fishy business – and later I would end dead – the political backlash would be the end of both you and your little friend over there. You have some family members to feed, I presume?

- And yes, I know my rights. If you are gonna arrest me for my insolence – let’ us be realistic, you probably will – I will contact the embassy. And there is no way for you to stop me from that. The law is the law.

[Chas Kramer]

D'Amico silently makes a "stop there" hand gesture towards Esposito, who saw/heard you get excited from far away.

"Ah, Mr Bryza...you fail to see the big picture here, allow me to explain. It is a rock-paper-scissors scenario"
Seeing your perplexed expression, he explains, calmly
"You said law is law, and no one is above the law...except..., you know...I kind of am. After years in my job I have gained somehow...hm...some special authority. I can't and will not harm you, obviously, but (given who you have been associated with) I have the power to make your permanence really miserable. And when I am done with that, I can tap on more resources...friends, powerful people that owe me favors...or tribute. Without harming you directly, I can still make your live such a living hell, that you'd sooner run into the arms of that demon"

"But... at the same time, I am powerless. My weapons, my training, you say? Against a thing like the one we saw, I can shove them both deep...you know where. If I simply did my job, I could do nothing to stop that. I would be dead or worse, and that thing on the loose.... and here comes the juicy part: THAT THING is at the very least worried about YOU. She was inside my head..." he covers his eyes with his hands, remembering the fear and the pain. "she was inside here, so I felt what she felt. I saw you through her eyes, and she felt surprise, anger, frustration. That thing is worried about you, for some reason."

"So you see?" he concludes " a nice triangle, rock-paper-scissors. But this is not the reason you will help me. You see, Mr Bryza, Miss Bardi, I am not asking you to get criminals on my behalf. I am asking you to help me get some information on what that guy is up to. He is a suspect, alright, but I had NO IDEA how much evil he was up to. That guy is associated with ...forces...things, I don't know, stuff I don't understand, but that cannot be allowed to roam free. That thing attacked here, in plain sight, during the day. Will she attack again? Will there be more? Will they be worse things? Are we all in danger? Now that the...thing... knows about you, do you think she will just leave you be, if she becomes more powerful?
We NEED to know what he is doing, before it's too late, and you are the only ones that can get this information. With all my resources, I am powerless.

Come on, you even discussed a prophecy... and miss Bardi, I understood that chasing mystery was kind of your bread-and-butter, not too long ago...
"

[Kaworu]

Aleksander closed his eyes, listening to the cop (he found it’s easier to focus on the exact wording that way). When D’Amico finished, he still kept them closed, seemingly thinking. He has moved his head to one side, then the second one. He has reached his hand, his finder straight, moving it sideways too. Finally, he had come to the conclusion.

- Okay, I think I could be of some help – he had said, opening his eyes – I can gather some information on Capitano. Only because he is dangerous, in more than one way, it seems. And this is where it ends – gathering information. Even if that monster is afraid of me, this is not my stuff to fight it, okay? If – and it is a keyword – if we will find a way to exorcise this thing, then I will try. If not, then the monster is not my problem. I am gathering information and that’s it. This I can do.

- However – he continued – there are things that you need to do for me. Money for my effort is the most obvious thing. I also wanna weapons – both traditional and in a form of pepper spray – in order to protect myself should something bad happen. And one of this fancy, small cameras some cops are always wearing. I wanna everything I am doing to be recorder. And I wanna this record later. With no censorship. This is something of a unique case and paranormal investigators should have all the necessary material to study it later.

- But yes, if you will comply, I think we have a deal – he finished, looking the cop in the eyes. This all seemed to him like an equal exchange and he believed both sides would be satisfied, if they would accept the conditions of the offer.

[Chas Kramer]

Inspector D'Amico arches an eyebrow as you finish. He is a man accustomed to be "in control" and didn't expect you to bite back.
In the end, he smiles, he can tell himself satisfied by the deal.

"Ah, now we are speaking the same language, so to say... Alright, we don't "always wear fancy cameras", but we might find some useful ways to "bug" you...
As for your payment, well of course you will be compensated for your effort. Nobody ever expected you to do this for free. We can't make it official, for obvious reasons, but rest assured, you will be highly rewarded for your effort. We will find a way to do it clean...-ish."
As he speaks, you wonder how many times he has done this type of bargains with powerful people. It is now pretty obvious to you, that although he is a cop of the anti-terrorist division, his resume must be full of...gray spots.

"Now, as for the weapon... no you will NOT wield any lethal one. I don't know how much of a danger you would be to others and to yourself with those. Plus, you can't be found wearing anything illegal. You will carry less lethal weapons and self-protection tools, as allowed by local law... ok, maybe they will carry some extra "kick"... but nothing that screams "illegal", and that can easily be tracked down...well, to us, the DIGOS. Oh and by the way, I will make sure that the authority will not put their spotlight on you, but should you ever be questioned, I am confident that you cam come up with reasonable explanations, and not...like... panic and speak my name.
You know how we say here... one hand washes the other, and both wash the face.
"
You could swear his Italian accent intensified, as he was saying those words

That said, he gives you an appointment, to meet him the day after, early morning, in Vicolo Borgetti (a quite isolated alleyway, close to the river), where he will pass to you materials and information. He recommends you to be careful and try not to be seen.

It is evening now, the snowstorm is calming down, and you have time to ask questions around, if you so choose.

[Kaworu]

Alex just shook the hand of officer D’Amico. It was a compromise and he felt like he had lost some of his points, but so did the cop, so it was good and just in his opinion.

He was still afraid, of course, of both the monster and the “eco-terrorist”, like Capitano was called by the policeman, but with the assistance of the police, the possibility of catching something unnatural on cam (and giving the record to other paranormal researchers) and the promise of getting paid, it seemed alright to him.

In fact, the talking with the cop went much, much better than he had expected. He did not feel anxious at all (at least now, the time will tell if he will be shaken later) and it seemed to him than the fear of some things is much, much worse than the things in themselves. An important lesson, but of course when your very brain is not working properly, it is hard to see such things. And he was sure he will forget about that too, soon enough.

But for now, he was satisfied. And that’s what counts.

[Chas Kramer]

The snowstorm has now faded off completely, and you can see the stars again peeking out of the dissipating veil of cloud. The small square of the church is now quiet. The cops have gone, the priest is silently scooping away the veil of snow from the staircase of the church.
You hear music and the sounds of the carnival just a little far away.

Apparently, the party is starting again with renewed passion. Whereas oranges were flying just few hours before, now snowballs took their place, and the kids don't waste the occasion to start snowball skirmishes here and there.
THe adults, still dreessed with the various uniforms, work to complete the coreography and the stands.
Some of the stakes that they were prepared are soaked wet now, but the men managed to keep some of them dry, so that they kindle effectively.

You walk through the streets, where the burning stakes and the people cheering arund them remind with undeniable clarity the pagan origins of all of this. In Piazza di Città (the City square), a woman dressed like a miller throws flowers from her charriot to the cheering mob below, while the biggest stake shines in the night and gleam sinisterly on the pale facade of the houses.

A couple men in high uniform, on horseback, make their way through the crazy mob, and ride towards the Old Bridge, followed by many. They are accompanied by a slow, funeral-like march, played by the pipers, as they cross the bridge, and after that Maretta square, and Arduino street, until Ottinetti square. The funeral march and the burning pykes may be a game for this people, but are terribly ominous to you, after your experience, and you can't help a cold shiver to run through your spine.

Finally, the riders stop, and call for silence. They shout their final salute, in the local dialect. "Arvëdse a giòbia a 'n bòt", to which the mob replies with wild screams and the same salute back. The carnival is over, and everybody will go home lighthearted, and/or with pain in their arms... not you. A light heart is a luxury you cannot afford, after your experience. But you have the time to rethink about what happened and treasure it somehow. Tomorrow's meeting with Inspector D'Amico will find you prepared...

Spoiler: OOC - End of prologue - XP Gain

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If you want to interact with the environment, feel free.
You can report to OOC for XP gain.

[Chas Kramer]

The morning comes, with a fresh wind from the north, that seems determined to lift away the weight on your soul.
Your dream were restless and confused, difficult to remember.
You feared that the "thing" would come to torment your dreams, but it did not.
You hoped that answers and clarity would come with the morning, and they did not.

You can only recall a confused dream of a cat playing with a red yarn, but in places of the house that you didn't want to...like too close to the wood-burning oven where the bread was baking. So you were reading the cat's instructions on an old book, but you could not make sense the gibberish in it. Also, the house wasn't your own.

Anyhow: early morning now. It's early dawn, still pretty dark, and Inspector D'Amico did not strike you as a person that comes late to an appointment.

[Kaworu]

Alexander got woken up by an alarm clock in his phone. He set it half an hour before he actually went out of his bed – he needed the time to lay in a warm bed and shake the dizziness of a night sleep off. He always did so.

When he finally left bed, he moved to the bathroom – he needed to pee – and then to the kitchen. He forced into himself one slice of bread with yellow cheese and some apple juice (he always found it hard to eat a lot in the morning). When he finished his sandwich, he swallowed his morning pills for mental disorders with the rest of the juice.

Then, he went to brush his teeth and dress up.

When he finally left his flat, around half an hour after he left his bed, it was still dark. He had his smartphone with Google Maps, so he could not get lost, but the fear of loosing his direction was actually much, much smaller than the fear of what he was supposed to do now. He agreed to help inspector D’Amico because it was the proper thing to do – and besides, he was scared – but now he started to doubt if this was the right choice.

Was is too late to say “stop”?

Yet, the prospect of doing something for the paranormal community (them fancy cameras!) was refreshing. And if he really was the only one who could stop the monster, didn’t he had a moral duty to do so? Who else could make it happen, if not he?

Full of both hope and anxiety, he finally found the police station. After taking a deep breath, he went in.