Conversation · Plaisance

"Everything is on the shelves, take a look yourself." She nudges her glasses. "The shelves compel you, don't they?"

She's attempting to mentally direct you towards the shelves. She only wants you to buy the goods, she doesn't care about books.

"Do you even know what books you have for sale?"

She scoffs. "Truth be told, not really. My sister brings in most of the goods. I'm sure it's all very literary stuff, with well-written prose..."

"But you don't learn about the important things in life from fabricated stories."

"Wait, shouldn't a storekeeper know about her wares?"

"I provide a valuable service. As long as people buy books, I'm fine." She wiggles her bony fingers at you.

"Where do you learn about the important things then?"

"The truth is available if you just know where to look. And you have to open and free your mind to understand." She nods at you, cryptically.

"Then why are you talking to me? Everything is on the shelves to browse. Don't you feel compelled to buy anything?" She fiddles with her pendant, then waves her bony fingers directly at you: "See those shelves there, go, be drawn."

"Oh my god, things have gotten out of hand!" She unloads immediately: "I thought the psychic stuff was bad, but the crime... it's even worse. I haven't been able to come to work for three days, the shop has been locked. No sales, gang-bangers running around, shooting everyone. I know I shouldn't have bought a shop in this ghetto."

"Hey, I'm the one who got shot here. In the leg... and in the shoulder!"

"Oh my god, even the police can't take care of all this. Just look at you! You're a wreck. Someone should do something about this." She rubs her pendant between two fingers, thinking.

"Maybe... I should close the bookstore and open a psychic studio! Yes!" She nods to herself. "It makes sense. Crime is the sixth element, you see. The darkest element."

"I could teach people to protect themselves against bad energies and to fight crime."

"A 'psychic studio'? This is even worse than a bookstore in Martinaise..."

"No need to be modest, good officer. You've convinced me -- it is a great idea! Thank you for the inspiration."

"In the meantime, do buy the books. As many as you can. They won't be here for much longer." Determination shines in her eyes. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure what to think of it."

"No, no... you're right, officer! You've convinced me -- it is a great idea! Thank you for the inspiration."

(Nod.) "Sounds like a plan. Life must go on, after all."

"Yes, what Martinaise really needs is more vigilantes roaming the streets."

"Exactly. It's a brilliant idea. Thank you, officer! I'm going to start drawing up business plans right away."

"Uh... I'm the one who got shot here, ma'am."

"Oh my god, even the police can't take care of all this... just look at that limp! Someone should do something about this." She rubs her pendant between two fingers, thinking.

Say nothing, stare at her.

"And you... oh my god, just look at you! It looks like even the police can't take care of all this. Someone should do something about this." She rubs her pendant between two fingers, thinking.

"Hello again, esteemed officer," she keeps reciting like a robot. "And welcome to Crime, Romance, and Biographies of Famous People."

"Hello again, esteemed officer. And welcome to Crime, Romance, and Biographies of Famous People." Her stare is cold and harsh but the line remains the same.

She's breathing heavily, trying to calm herself. Slowly, she regains composure -- but she still can't get a word out.

"Hello again, esteemed officer. And welcome to Crime, Romance, and Biographies of Famous People."

"What have you found?" She seems anxious. "And also, do buy the books. There may be teachings in them."

"You... broke down the back door?" She looks sad and confused. "Why? I gave you the key."

"Real men don't need keys."

"I hope you can find the solution quickly. The wards are broken, the passage has been opened..." She shudders. "Now tell me, what's back there?"

"The door was giving me shit."

"I'm not sure, I don't know what I was thinking."

"You... broke down... the back door?" She looks very sad, resigned even. "The wards... the door... it's all gone now. Dark psychic energy, leeching onto my shop..."

"I don't know what I was thinking, barging in like that..."

"I suppose... it's all over now?" Her shoulders slump, as if a heavy burden lies on them. "I guess there's no escape."

"Well, I've looked around... I can tell you what I saw."

"Okay, I'm willing to listen. We are set on the path... there's little else to do." She shrugs, apparently dejected.

Her façade has dropped. Now you see the curiosity behind the fear.

"But... before we go on... did you encounter the malignant Entity?" Her eyes narrow, as she whispers the name.

"The Entity? No, I don't think so."

"Yes, the malignant Entity that lives inside the chimney... It takes the shape of a woman, a witch probably. I've suspected that she knows more about the curse than she lets on ever since I first saw her."

"Chimneys aren't big enough for anyone to live there."

"No, this chimney is part of the building's central furnace and it's enormous. She has barricaded herself behind some metal security curtains... God knows what she's doing there."

"Some unnatural magic, I assume." She shivers. "You should go find the Entity and ask what happened to all the companies in the building. And do return to me after you've talked to it. I'm quite anxious to know what she has to say about the curse."

"If you're really interested in cracking this mystery, then we should go back to the furnace. Maybe you could yell into it or something, make some noise? You'll think of something, you always do."

Despite his cool the lieutenant's interested in solving this mystery, too.

You ssshould get back to the furnace, make some nnnoise.

"Chimney... the passage between heaven and hell, of course. It all makes sense now!"

"Yes, that chimney is part of the building's central furnace and it's enormous. She has barricaded herself behind some metal security curtains... God knows what she's doing there."

"You mean the chimney that's part of the central furnace?"

"Yes, I've heard that it's enormous. She has barricaded herself behind some metal security curtains upstairs... God knows what she's doing there."

"You mean the chimney that's hidden behind the metal safety curtains?"

"Yes, I've heard that she's barricaded herself inside... It's connected to the central furnace in the basement, you should go and find it. God knows what she's doing there!"

"Of course, the Entity..." (Close your eyes.) "I didn't see her, but I sensed her presence."

"You did?" She gasps. "Then it has be true... I've suspected that this woman-shaped energy must be connected to the curse ever since I first saw her. Did you see that she lives inside the chimney?"