Internogation [Godai]

Cecilia wandered through the suffocating streets of the Backlight in silence. While normally seeing all the hustle-and-bustle might put her in a good mood, today certainly wasn't that day, the pink-haired girl ducking away from the horde of oncoming passersby and doing her best to block out the world with her rabbit-eared hoodie. She swiftly speed-walked through the area as discretely as possible, stopping only to snag two drinks from a nearby vending machine (which she'd promptly shove into the pink satchel wrapped around her left arm), her eyes scanning the area over and occasionally checking her smartphone's map application until finally she caught a glimpse of the place she was looking for. Two officers (who she could only assume were on break) stood mingling together not far from it, although without concern for whether or not that guess proved true, the girl would quickly rush up to them and with her back turned to the crowd shake off her hood while reaching into her pocket.

There was a chance they'd recognize her from face alone after those final few seconds of last night's broadcast, but if they didn't then they'd surely realize what she was here for soon enough. After grabbing their attention she'd flash her newly acquired Class One badge in the shorter man's face and with a concerned expression immediately transition into her request before he could respond. "My name is Cecilia Elise Hunt. I need to speak to Maxwell Rhodes about what occurred in Vista Square yesterday. Can one of you assist me in locating and procuring an audience with him?"

The two officers seemed to have been talking about something between each other. Whatever that topic they were conversing about was, it was clearly not as important as Cecilia's presence. The taller one tapped the other by the shoulder to get their attention at the approaching Cadet. From the look of their eyes, they could recognize who she was. It wasn't until she procured a badge the shorter officer began to speak. Though albeit a little annoyed for the short notice, "Are you here to interrogate him, Ma'am? We'll need to know to set-up."

The response was curt and to the point; there was no reason for it not to be. They had duties and lives of their own to get back to and... well, the knowing glint in his eye didn't exactly put Cecilia in a sociable mood anyway. She'd swiftly stuff her badge back into her pocket and wait as patiently as she could for things to get sorted out. If the officers beckoned her in she'd of course follow, but otherwise she'd reluctantly wait outside, pulling her hood back up and leaning against a nearby wall with a sigh.

"Alright, we'll get something up. Jace, call it in," the officer relented before giving a nonchalant look at his fellow officer. Even he seemed reluctant, but in the end did as he was told before pressing on the button situated to the side of his radio nestling on his shoulder. "We got a Cadet here who wants to see Maxwell Rhodes, the suspect of last night's arrest. Do we have any of the rooms out ready?"

Both officers waited for a moment for the answer to come. Their body posture lacked any hurry or worry of any kind. As far as they were concerned, it was just another part of their job. Their patience would be rewarded. "Yeah, we got one. I'll get him in there. Is it the Prince? I thought he already questioned him?"

"Different one, bud. They have a badge." The officer answered. "We'll be there soon, get it ready."

The radio fell silent with another beep, as if giving a silent confirmation that this was the end of the exchange and orders would be followed.

"Well, you heard it. We'll lead you there. Gonna take a while for him to leave his cell," the shorter officer explained as he gestured Cecilia to follow. "But he'll be there by the time we get there."


The police station wasn't such a considerable distance away. But once inside, it seemed as if were like any kind of office building with the many desks holding up stacks of paperwork and with many computers having their keyboards worn away by constant finger taps. Deeper inside, there was a hallway littered to doors and other paths on the walls. Eventually, Cecilia would find herself arriving at a room. "If you need anything, let us know."

And with that, the door was shut. Leaving Cecilia alone with the young man she met the previous night. He seemed rather mystified by her presence, as if not expecting her here in any case.

So the prince had already interrogated him... That confirmed her suspicions were correct. Yet as she'd hinted at earlier to Julius, this wasn't done out of necessity alone, but rather a personal desire to confirm his wellbeing. In light of the recent news, it was most assuredly clear he'd picked up on that; she uttered a grateful prayer under her breath as she followed the officers and thought over just how much he'd done for her in such a short span of time. In the end, it was always the royal family making the sacrifices, always them shouldering others' burdens and enabling them to find peace and security. Even now as a Cadet that relationship hadn't changed. Earlier this morning it'd brought her joy, knowing how far he was willing to go to aid her and how deeply he cared, but thinking on it further only caused familiar twinges of guilt to reverberate throughout her. She didn't deserve his compassion... perhaps even Endymion didn't deserve it. But he'd given it nonetheless; all she could hope to do was pay him back for his kindness, though how was beyond her, especially given her recent streak of blunders.


Cecilia was sure Julius had been thorough, but now it became her resolve to ensure that was the case. If there was anything he'd somehow missed, anything the suspect had forgotten to explain, then she'd find it. She had to find it. With a thankful nod to the tall officer, she'd step inside the room calmly as the door slammed shut behind her, walking slowly across the dull steel and taking a seat across from the intern. She smiled gently at him and began to unzip her bag and reach for the cans contained inside. "Officially I'm here to interrogate a known suspect about his involvement with an unprecedented act of domestic terrorism..." The Cadet explained bluntly, snatching a drink from it and tossing it his way, a reassuring grin appearing on her face as she looked up at him and continued in a softer tone. "...but really, that's just bureaucratic lingo for 'I wanted to see how you're doing.' How've you been holding up Maxwell?"

It was at this point as she cracked open her own beverage (an energy drink) that she noticed what exactly she'd given him: a can of black coffee. Awkwardly averting her gaze, she'd force a half-hearted laugh while silently cursing herself, wondering how exactly out of all the options in the machine she'd gotten that by picking randomly. Perhaps she shouldn't have been in such a rush to get to the station after all. Regardless, she'd swiftly get down to business, taking a quick sip of Frosted Punch and setting it down as she cut straight to the elephant in the room. "Last night was... difficult. For everyone, I think, but for you especially I'm sure. The situation you were in it... it shouldn't have happened; ordinary people shouldn't have to see things like that. If there's anything about what happened that you feel you need to get off your chest then I'm here; I can listen for as long as you need me to." Cecilia explained in a decidedly dour tone, folding her hands and resting her elbows on the table, her eyes staring up at Max expectantly. It was true he was a stranger, but that changed nothing about the fact that she was deeply and genuinely concerned for him, and true to her word she'd hear him out for as long as she could. It'd be up to him whether or not he decided to confide her in though; if he refused then she'd have to get the ball rolling herself.

Action:

He blinked, as if confused for a moment with a side of dread on the side. Didn't they just already interrogate him? The Prince, as much as he was grateful for helping him, was remarkably scary in that tense night. Of course, he completely participated, but the austere look on his face gave him goosebumps. But the intern found himself chuckling in spite of how timid he was. "O-oh...! Hah, I thought it was some kind of good cop and bad cop kind of shtick. I'm doing alright. Cell is a bit stuffy, but if the cops are right, I'll be out soon."

He caught it easily with a hand and raised an eyebrow. Bitter drinks really weren't his thing. The man wanted to turn it down, but thought it was rude otherwise. Hell, at least he had to show some kind of gratitude for stepping in to save his ass. After snapping it open, his features winced at how bitter it was. But he wouldn't have long to linger on it when Cecilia brought him back to remember last night's tumultuous moments.


The dread on his face was back again. His body shivered at the mere thought of her. Was there seriously someone like her in the Government?

It was... strange in a way. She'd expected him to be more shaken by what'd happened last night, but then again no one in Endymion was unfamiliar with death, and getting confirmation about his wellbeing was certainly relieving. On the other hand, his response to the coffee was less surprising, although there wasn't much she could say on that. All she could do was continue her sheepish apologetic snickering until they finally got deeper into the issue at hand. "I... guess it depends on who you think it is," she began with an awkward laugh and a short pause, "but... everyone has a place in society I suppose. It's just sometimes they overstep it. What she did came as a shock to everyone; I'm just glad we were there to stop it. Or, well, stop it in your case."


"I know what comes of Order failing the people and, after that encounter with Psyche Terrorists, I'm sure you do too. But for her to execute Superbia, much less like that, much less in front of you... Uncalled for would be an understatement. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her, about how loyal she was, about how even her last words were spent as an apology for her failings. I'm not sure how well you knew her, but you have my condolences Max. None of that was necessary; no one there needed to die and no one deserved to. I'm sorry I couldn't stop it."

The man sighed tiredly while sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. It was one hell of a night. He truly believed it was going to be a night just like any other. With his fingers cramping up from constant typing and having to periodically shuffle in and out of his boss' office to deliver her coffee. It was all part of the job, until that happened. Maxwell grimaced at the apology and paused for a moment before speaking. "Don't be. She was a literal stuck-up bitch to work for. Thought she was the center of the world because she ruled the media here. But Superbia knew how to reward hard working people. At least until she tried to pin the blame on me. It's funny how that works nowadays when you waste sleepless night for a bitch like her."