[Open]

[secretmakesawoman]

Who: [Sharon and you? Open]
Where: [Any sleeping carriage]
When: [The Month of Horseshoe, after the Voidstorm]
What: [Sharon is getting around to chores! And also wants to see what she can discover in people's bedrooms.]
Warnings: [Snooping and maybe thievery? It is Vermouth, so trouble is plausible. Will update if need be.]

The dust may have metaphorically settled on the odd visions everyone saw, but there is still certainly a lot of mess around the train. Vermouth normally wouldn't bother with such things, given her status as an actress and the Boss's favorite. However, it occurred to her that going through with Orange Team's chores this time might offer some unique bonuses.

1. Helping out around the train might make the other passengers trust her more.

2. Cleaning bedrooms would be a rare chance to check for intel on said fellow passengers. Perhaps nothing blackmail worthy, but it'd be at least a start.

And so, random folks around the train will hear a knock on their sleeper door. If they bother to open it, they will find Sharon standing there, looking as attractive as ever (or as attractive as one can in an orange polo and hoodie)... but with a bucket of cleaning supplies.

"Hello there. Is this a good time?"

Comments

[tactlesstantei]

“Yeah. At least I’ll get to see my mom and Kichi-nii again once this is done.” [She could look forward to that, getting to see what was left of her family again on getting to go home.

The books are four mystery books, and while two (a Night Baron novel and a Detective Samonji novel) seem to be normal books from their world, the remaining two appear to be off versions of a Nancy Drew book and The Hound of the Baskervilles. Masumi is so caught in thinking about her family and the void storm that she doesn’t notice that Vermouth is looking.]

[secretmakesawoman]

[The mystery books, even with some of their off-brand names, only take a glance for Vermouth to dismiss as unlikely to be important. Nothing odd about these high school detectives reading up on murder mysteries. She does take note of the titles for her efforts and actually dusts off the corner, so she's not just fibbing in order to sneak around.]

[It is, however, very fortunate that Masumi is focused elsewhere, because halfway through her comment Sharon goes suddenly still, books all but forgotten.]

[Well, now. Her mother, she says?]

"Isn't that nice. Do you live with your mother and brother?"

[tactlesstantei]

“No, I don’t live with them. Kichi-nii lives on his own and he’s too busy to take me in, and I left my mom in the States when I decided to move back to Japan.” [It was the same lie as always to explain where her mom was.

However, Masumi does notice that she’s gone still, and steps a little closer, out of the doorframe.]

“What, you know them?” [There’s no suspicion, only curiosity.]

[secretmakesawoman]

[Very interesting indeed.]

Hm? [Vermouth snaps out of it at Sera's question. Looking startled for a moment, she quickly gives a contrite smile.]

Oh, sorry. I don't think so? I just happened to notice this book you have here. [She gestures towards the Night Baron novel, hoping this works as a decent cover.]

[tactlesstantei]

"I see. I bought those to test something out, since I heard that trying to buy certain books just gets you alternate versions of what you asked for. It's weird, isn't it?"

[Masumi doesn't say anything, but she did catch that startled look. She just wasn't quite sure what to make of it right now, and it was entirely possible that it didn't mean anything, so there's no reason to make anything of it at the moment.]

[secretmakesawoman]

It is rather odd. I presume not all of them showed up as different versions than you expected?

[Whether Sera caught on or not, Vermouth will take this opportunity. It's almost a pity... she would have liked to ask Masumi more about her family, but that might be a little risky for now.]

[tactlesstantei]

“No, the Night Baron and Detective Samonji are normal copies. I’m still trying to work out why certain books come as different versions, but I don’t have the points to get more books right now and don’t want to waste them all on books anyways.”

[She’s downright frustrated with this, given all she has are guesses and speculation on it, along with a few patterns in regards to which books got alternate copies.]

[secretmakesawoman]

Mmm. Do you think you'll get more points soon?

[Do enlighten her on the point system, Sera. She is rather curious.]

[tactlesstantei]

"I hope so, we usually get points right before the platform stops, but I'm not sure how it's decided how many points we get. It seems to vary each time."

[That's another thing Masumi's been wondering about, how does the point system work exactly? While it is helpful to be able to purchase things, she would still like to know what decides how many points she gets.]