Episode Transcript
[00:00:01] Speaker A: You're listening to the all night society, an actual play podcast brought to you.
[00:00:05] Speaker B: By Queens court games.
A bad eared Nosferatu sits quietly at her keyboard, bathed in the million pixel glow of electronic blue light.
Her fingers clatter against the keyboard, each click laying rhythmic breaks against the always on background of a dozen computer fans.
Princes from coast to coast have banned this technology.
In many ways, Schmendrick shipping container is an idol to the nosferatu hubris that ushered the second inquisition into the digital age. But tonight, it isn't the equipment that would most raise a sheriff's ire. The coterie's technophilic mischief maker is writing a letter, one she never intends to send, but is nevertheless committed, byte by bite, to her hard drive.
Who is it that could possibly be worth the risk?
[00:01:31] Speaker C: Hey, dad.
Long time no, right.
Been kind of regretting that I've kept you out of the loop for so long. But for the first time ever, I tried to do your job.
Little ol'me tried to be a big, bad, incompetent detective.
Truth be told, it was like an amateur fumbling around with a pack of fools. But we actually did it against all ods. We managed to put pieces together, figure out who the culprit was, and plead our case successfully.
If you knew what we were up against and the hills we had to climb, I think you would actually be very impressed.
Along the way, we also managed to help a few people that needed it.
Actually, a whole bunch of people.
It's going to take them a while to heal from their ordeal. If they ever really do, perhaps they'll be able to find happiness again. Or at least comfort in their remaining years.
And really, that's all any of us could hope for.
Speaking of happiness. Oh, I saw you playing chess with that lady again.
You, a little sweet honor.
You had the biggest smile on your face.
Been a long time since I saw you grin like that, old man.
Better watch out. Before long, she might be the new Mrs. Ward.
It may come as no surprise to you, but. Yep, I'm still single. I've been far too busy to find any romantic interests to introduce you to, but that is mostly for the best at this point, I think. Granted, you will be happy to know that I think I've made quite a few new friends.
The task force has mostly dissolved away as a result of us solving the case. That happens, they tend to form out of necessity and then fade away.
But the bombs are still there.
Ivy is still around, though.
She was that know it all bookworm from the last letter I wrote you. Super smart, but kind of aloof. I'm not sure we're friends per se, but I think we both recognize each other's skill set and know that together we make a pretty good team.
I'm not sure if she's going to be on board with some of my goals, but it would be pretty awesome if she was.
I could definitely use her help, but I also know she's very focused on her own things.
Then there's Maya. She joined the task force for a short time, and I didn't expect her to stay, but she was somewhat of an enigma. I can't say as though I trusted her, but whatever issues she may have had, she put aside for the sake of the mission. If that isn't worthy of respect, I'm not sure what is.
Josh and Rebecca have left to do their own things as well. Interestingly enough, on the opposite side of the spectrum from one another, I doubt there will be any issue with them clashing, but if it comes down to it, I definitely wouldn't want to be in the middle of that.
Not sure if I'll see either of them again, and if I do, I hope it's on good terms, as I'm not exactly strong enough to deal with angry Rebecca or Josh.
But raw strength aside, I've developed some pretty neat new tricks with the help of my new mentor. I don't think I've really told you about her yet. I've been learning to advance a skill set of mine with the help of this absolutely out of the world lady named Edith. Immensely talented and powerful, and with more than a few interesting quirks.
I think she'd blow you away if you ever met her. She's definitely found the things she likes and doesn't care what people think of her, and I have to admire that.
Anyways, with her help, I've learned quite a bit. She's also helping me be a little more assertive. I know you're probably thinking, my daughter not asserting herself. She was a pain in my ass. Well, believe it or not, dad, my self esteem could use a little boost. I worry that if I really start telling people about what I want and what I think of them, it will cause more problems for me. But I'm also hitting a point where I'm beyond caring. Kind of a dangerous precipice there, but that's where I find myself.
All that aside, this experience has given me a whole new appreciation for your line of work. I knew it was tough. I would see you work those long nights scrutinizing every clue and witness accounts so that you had even the most minuscule chances of solving a case.
I saw how hard you worked, putting your blood, sweat, and tears into everything you did so that you could give the victims some sense of closure.
That's not what I'm getting at here. I know the stuff you were made of.
My problem was the lack of satisfaction when it was all over. When the case leaves your hands, it's the expectation of justice afterwards.
This may be putting words into your mouth, but it was never enough, was it? You would witness a hard and irredeemable criminal put away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist, deserving far worse than they had received. And all you could do was shrug those broad shoulders of yours and move on to the next case.
No time to mull it over. No time for regrets.
In my situation, there's no next case. And all I'm left with is this lingering sense of emptiness that this guy terrorized and killed so many people, and what does he get? A time out.
Heck, if I had failed to impress the severity of his crimes to my betters, I would likely be dead right now. In fact, he's probably kicking himself for not killing me sooner.
It was not for lack of trying, though. I just kept getting lucky. And he wasn't bold enough.
Like that line they always say in movies and whatnot. If you want something done right, do it yourself.
He was just too afraid to get his Weasley little hands dirty. And I for 01:00 a.m. So glad he wasn't so bold. If he did grow a spine at some point, your little girl may not be writing this to you right now, and I'm very grateful that I'm able to.
I miss you a lot.
There are days that I kind of need you, dad. I'm not sure what advice you can offer me in regards to how to move forward in life, considering how divergent I've become.
But it's a comfort in a way, being so close to you and checking in on you.
I'll be honest here. I'm not really allowed to be writing to you. I absolutely should not be seeing you for a myriad of reasons.
But I'm also so tired of following the rules when it feels like no one else does. These people live in accordance to their vices all the time.
They indulge in whatever little whim comes to their mind because they have the strength and the power to do so.
If this gets me in trouble, if it gets me killed, even I'm doing this.
I'm coming to see you. And for the first time in years, I'll be there. As your daughter, I want you to know that I'm all right. I'm still here. And how much I've missed you.
I'm so sorry for all the heartache I've caused.
Those long nights where you probably sat there wondering where I went, where your little girl went.
I'm sorry it's taking me so long.
But if you hold on for just a little while longer, I want to be there for you, dad.
Maybe I can give you that little bit of closure, some sense of peace.
I love you so much.
And I'll see you soon.
Your one and only Scarlet.
[00:09:44] Speaker A: You've been listening to the all night Society, an actual play podcast brought to you by Queen's court games.
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