[CLOSED] backdated, ann and ryuji on a mission!

[effinskull]

Who: Ryuji & Ann
What: Ryuji has signed up for a bounty, and Ann is coming with. His urge to kick butt and her urge to make sure everything goes smoothly come together!
Where: Attleton
When: June 29th


[ryuji had texted ann where to meet up in attleton, and he was now waiting for her to arrive. it was outside the wedding hall, the place where the murders had taken place. this was probably the best place to start, to find out just what kind of poison was placed in the cake and what they were dealing with.

if it were up to him, he would set out in his phantom thieves outfit and start trying to gather info that way. but maybe doing things this way, first, would be more beneficial.

so, once ann arrived ryuji turned to her, a hand on the back of his head.]

...Listen, I got a plan but you ain't gonna like it.

Comments

[effinskull]

[ryuji just shook his head, sighing. he couldn't believe this, but this was so they could catch the culprit! easy mode, really. if he could take down shadows, he could do this.

no, he would much rather be taking down shadows right now but that was besides the point.

they now walked into the massive building, seeing the attendant that was at the front of the hall. it looked as though they were on guard, since so many people probably tried to come in and ask about the murders. ryuji saw them and squeezed ann's hand, reassuring both himself and her, hopefully.]

H... hello there! [smooth already.] We um, we wanna check this place out, we're tryin' to look for a place to hold our wedding. You know, us lovebirds and all!

Why're there so many people outside? It's kinda crowded, is there some kinda massive wait for ceremonies and stuff?

[honestly, it wasn't a bad question. he was still pretty nervous, lying wasn't his thing at all.]

[phanther]

[Oh god. Oh god. Even as she forces every fibre of her being into not visibly reacting to Ryuji's attempt to get them inside, Ann's starting to remember why they usually leave this sort of thing to people like Ren or Makoto. People who know how to function in a situation that requires less than full honesty, where both she and Ryuji fail in their own ways.

She can see the doubt flicker in the attendant's face and she nudges Ryuji in what she hopes comes off as a playful manner, forcing her tone into the same.]

Ryuji! Never mind all those people out there. We came here for us, remember?

[She turns to the attendant, then, as though trying to bring him into the 'joke'.]

Sorry. You must be sick of hearing that question already. And you probably couldn't tell us anything anyway, right? So is it okay if we just head in to take a look around? We promise we won't get in anyone's way.

[Yes, they need information but Ann figures getting them in is probably going to be important to that.]

[effinskull]

[oops! maybe he came off as being too forward, then. right, they just needed to get passed all of this and then they could focus on searching for clues.]

Riiight... us, yeah! [not suspicious at all.

the attendant yet again, remained quiet and looked between the two of them. he finally spoke up with a "are you actually together? We've had a lot of weird people trying to get in."

at which point ryuji moves to take his hand away from ann's and to then slip it around her waist, pulling her in closer to him.]

Hell yeah we are!

[phanther]

[Ann startles a little as Ryuji puts his arm around her waist, and she realises she is definitely not helping their case here. Time to grasp for the most obvious lie and hope for the best.]

Ah...yes, we are. He's just not normally this affectionate in public...you know how guys are, right?

[But she also realises that to really sell this, she'll have to give something more. Which is why she leans in to press a kiss to Ryuji's cheek, playing up the girlfriend delighted that her guy is being so affectionate even as in her mind she's already apologising profusely to Ryuji for having to do so.

The attendant still seems to have his doubts. But with so many other people so openly trying to approach without that cover story, he knows he has to make a decision - and so he moves aside, with a clear warning: "We'll be keeping an eye on you."

It's not ideal. But once they're in, Ann figures their Phantom Thief training will see them through.]

[effinskull]

[not affectionate in public? man, ryuji doesn't care about stuff like that! but he stayed quiet, since he thought that would make for a better lie anyways. he'll let ann handle some of this stuff!

still, when he noticed her moving in towards him, he blinked and watched her form closely. she was... oh god?! she was coming in for a kiss?! when she went to kiss his cheek, he felt the sensation of her soft lips against his skin. suddenly he felt like he was on fire. what the... hell?! this was just ann, man! just ann! sure she looked like a celebrity but...

dammit all. ryuji's jaw went slack and he stared down at her, his face turning red, before he glanced back at the attendant. an eye on them? huh? he could barely hear the guy with the pounding that was going on in his ears.

even so, it looked like they were in the clear. after the attendant walked away, allowing them to enter into the place, ryuji felt a wave of relief wash over him. also, he just needed a moment to get his body temperature under control again.]

Wha... ah... d-damn. That was pretty convincing, yeah. Good thinking Ann. [get it together ryuji!!]

[phanther]

[Even as they're allowed to pass the attendant, Ann needs a moment to get her thoughts back together. While there's an awful lot she's either unwilling or unable to acknowledge right now, there's still that concern that she's made things awkward and even though they have something to focus on, upsetting Ryuji isn't something she wants to do.

Luckily he doesn't seem offended by it, and the rest she can write off because if she's honest, she's pretty damn surprised she did that too. At least she manages to remember to whisper the next part, given the first attendant's warning.]

Well, I figured we had to do something otherwise we'd never get in. And I wasn't sure what else would have even worked.

[Still, now that they're in they need to shift their mindset. And that means they need space to plan without the obvious scrutiny of staff who have probably been alerted to their presence. True, they could probably be more honest about the investigation but that's not really their style.

Instead, she starts to guide Ryuji through the hall, allowing a little awe to bleed through even as she's scouting for an alcove or somewhere they can gather their thoughts without attention. Even if it means waving off staff members who seem very keen on accompanying them.]

Honestly, we're fine. But it's great that you guys are so helpful, that'll definitely come in handy if we book here.

[She's hoping flattery will go some way to giving them some space, though she's not sure how well she's actually selling it.]

god sorry im so late

[effinskull]

[ryuji definitely is admiring everything as well, getting a bit distracted from what they came here to do. he was getting pretty annoyed with the staff following them, and he was about to say something when ann waved them off.

good thing she did, he wouldn't have been as nice as her.

he pushed his free hand in his pocket, and then continued to hand ann's hand with the other. they had to get through this and this kind of physical contact was the only way.]

Keep followin' us around and we'll go to a different place to book.

[the staff seemed reluctant, but eventually they walked away from the two of them. they were probably still going to be watched, but maybe not as closely now.]

We gotta investigate.

it's okay I know rl got rough for you <3

[phanther]

[Even as she wanted to trust in him, Ann couldn't help but cringe inwardly at Ryuji's threat - mainly because she wouldn't put it past the attendants to not see that as any particular threat in the first place. Though all she can really do is flash Ryuji a look that's more upset than she really feels in hope that the staff will believe she's getting her heart set on this venue and doesn't want to consider anywhere else.

She's not sure that's even how this works but she's doing her best.

Once they do get some space, Ann casually leads Ryuji towards a small alcove she's spotted, babbling whatever might sound like wedding discussion so it looks like they're planning for how to use the space and not how to hide in the space so they can get a little breathing room.]

Oh hey, look. We could totally have some sort of display or something here, right? And I think there's even a matching space on the other side.

[She knows there is but she doesn't want it to sound at all like she's scoping this out as a Phantom Thief rather than a bride to be.]

<33

[effinskull]

[ryuji is barely paying attention to whatever ann is saying, he knows full well what she is planning and what she's doing. he's really not good at any of this, pretending or even just talking about shit like a marriage. he does see where she's leading him, and he just moves over to the alcove with her.]

Uhh... yeaahh, we could. Let's get a better look?

[ryuji pulls ann over to the alcove now, ducking into the space. he moved to put his back up against the wall, giving ann a mischievous look.]

We gonna put our skills to the test yet? [he grinned at her. aka, were they gonna do some thief sneaking?!]

[phanther]

[She's at least glad Ryuji catches on to what her true intentions are - pretty easy, really, when that's what they're here for and he knows her well enough to know when she's lying. And so it is they're soon pressed against opposite walls of the alcove, as though they're in someone's Palace rather than a real building.

She's pretty sure they've never done this kind of thing in a real building. She's not sure their skills will even translate. But they'll have to find out eventually and no time like the present.

And so she flashes Ryuji a knowing grin.]

That's why we're here, right? Just don't get carried away and try ripping off anyone's faces.

[She's teasing him because it takes the edge off her nerves, as she cautiously peeks around the corner trying to plot their route. There's an area that seems to be clearer of non-staff than most and she looks to Ryuji, nodding her head towards the area that seems to be guarded.]

Okay. I don't know if we'll have enough alcoves to make it all the way over. If we don't, one of us is going to have to cause a distraction. But we'll see how close we can get first.

[effinskull]

I ain't like Ren! I'm not gonna rip at people's masks or some shit.

[he at least has his running skills here, but he hasn't gone fully phantom thief mode. if he wanted, he could suddenly have his thief clothes on and be on his way to check things out. but that would raise much more suspicion.

so he went and looked around the corner, where ann was standing, and then glanced back at her.]

Right. Now, let's go!

[ryuji ducked and darted to the next alcove, another small space in the wall and he checked if the coast was clear. he gestured at ann, and then made his way again. eventually, they stopped before a large door, the word "President" on the outside of it.

some kinda boss or something?]

[phanther]

[Ann lets Ryuji take lead, making the odd check behind to make sure they're not spotted. There's plenty so far they've been able to explain away with the act but she's pretty sure this is about where they stop being able to get away with that.

When they reach the door, Ann pauses, looking between it and where the staff are crowding. Her voice is hushed, when she speaks.]

What do we think? Office or side suite? A place this fancy it could be either.

[And from this side of the door, she can't tell how big the room is.]