The Phantom Thief's Reappearance

The Phantom Thief's Reappearance is the first part of .
==Steps==
# Talk to Charlotte
# Interview Lyney
# Go to the cemetery to look for Jemma
# Talk to Lynette
# Ask around (0/2)
# Ask around (1/2)
# Ask Jemma about Cesar
==Dialogue==
;(Approach Louis' Snack Shop)
: Paimon: Hey, isn't that Charlotte?
: Paimon: Hehe, we're always running into her! What's she doing this time... Oh, looks like street interviews?
: Paimon: Paimon has a funny feeling that we might be in for an interesting time if we go check it out. Shall we?
;(Approach Charlotte)
: Charlotte: I see! So you believe that this warning letter was sent by The Phantom Weasel?
: Abagnale: Absolutely! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The Phantom Weasel never acts as you expect. He must have faked his own death ten years ago using a body double!
: Abagnale: Now that he's back, I'm sure the Gardes who worked on his case back in the day are in for a headache. But however this turns out in the end, the one thing it won't be is boring!
: Charlotte: Couldn't agree more! As a journalist, I'm gonna get a lot of mileage out of this one!
: Charlotte: Thank you, Sir, for your time. Now, whom should I interview next... Huh!? Hey, what a coincidence. Fancy meeting you here!
: Charlotte: Perfect timing. So, The Phantom Weasel's latest warning letter — what are your thoughts?
: "Phantom Weasel"?
: "Warning letter"?
: Paimon: Yeah, this is the first time we're hearing of this one. Could you clue us in?
: Charlotte: Huh? Oh... Ah, sorry! Yes, this case is from a decade ago. I guess you wouldn't know about it...
: Charlotte: Well, not to worry — you're in good hands, because I'm a professional! The story goes like this...
: Charlotte: Ten or so years ago, a phantom thief became active in the Court of Fontaine. Known only as "The Weasel," nobody knew his true identity, and the authorities never managed to catch him.
: Paimon: Wow, cool! He sounds like one of those... mysterious night burglars that you read about in novels!
: Charlotte: Precisely — well, except the part where they actually have a good reputation. Our Weasel targeted whatever people held dear, and no one was safe from his predations!
: Charlotte: He would just as soon steal a necklace from a rich merchant's safe as he would a toy doll given to a commoner child for their birthday.
: Sounds like an absolute weirdo.
: Charlotte: I know! The phantom thieves you read about in novels rob the rich to pay the poor, but this guy did not discriminate. Unsurprisingly, this didn't work wonders for his public reputation. Every man and his dog wanted to see him behind bars.
: Paimon: Yeesh. So, uh... Did they catch him?
: Charlotte: Umm... Not exactly. There's a good chance that the Weasel would still be at large to this day if it hadn't been for an accident ten years ago.
: Charlotte: A magician named Cesar fell to his death in a botched high-altitude escape performance.
: Charlotte: When the police went through his personal effects, they found a hoard of stolen loot and gadgets used for criminal activities... and that was how The Phantom Weasel's identity was revealed to all.
: Charlotte: Sure enough, thefts in Fontaine went down after Cesar's death... But today, ten years on, the notorious thief has once again issued one of his warning letters — and pasted it on the gate of the Opera Epiclese for all to see!
: Charlotte: I had to squeeze through the crowd this morning to get a photo as soon as I heard... Here, it's this one.
::
: Paimon: So this is the warning letter, huh? Let's see what he wrote...
: Paimon: "Three days from now, when evening falls, I shall take from you that which you hold most dear at the opera house, just as you did to me ten years ago."
: Charlotte: This is, without a doubt, a clear declaration of criminal intent. After years of laying low, The Phantom Weasel is back with a vengeance!
: Charlotte: What once seemed like an open-and-shut case has been blown wide open again. But why has he re-emerged now, and what does he want? I sense an epic scoop — and I'm going for it!
: Paimon: Uh-oh... If this thief will steal anything that other people value, does that mean even we might be targeted?
: He might steal all your favorite snacks.
:: Paimon: Really? Hmph, let him try! In fact... Paimon's gonna eat all her snacks right now — let's see what he can do about that!
: He might try to nab you, little Paimon.
:: Paimon: Aww... But Paimon doesn't wanna get kidnapped... Well, he'd have to go through you first. ...You would stop him, right?
: Charlotte: Okay, the people have spoken. It's clear that the public are very concerned about The Phantom Weasel's reappearance...
: Charlotte: Let's see, I've got a photo of the letter, my interview notes... Yup, that should be enough to form the skeleton of my article. It does feel like something is missing, though...
: Charlotte: Something... exclusive.
: Charlotte: Who should I interview next? I need someone with a more concrete connection to the Weasel... Hmm? Is that who I think it is...?
: Paimon: Lyney?
: Looks like he's performing some magic.
: Charlotte: Magic... Magician... Cesar... The Phantom Weasel! That's it! Let's go interview Lyney!
: Charlotte: You see? The original phantom thief, Cesar, was a magician too. And what do phantom thieves and magicians have in common? They both have an air of mystery about them! Perhaps there's a connection there?
: Paimon: Are you serious? What sort of a deduction is that!?
: Charlotte: Oh, relax... My journalistic instinct tells me that an exclusive news story is beckoning. Let's go — no time for delay!
----
;(Approach Lyney)
: David: Wow, Mr. Magician! How did you know which card I'd picked?
: Lyney: Oh, it's simple! Come closer, and I'll let you in on my secret... Magicians have a special skill called "telepathy," which means we can read other people's minds.
: David: Really? Then... What am I thinking now?
: Lyney: Well, first you need to relax... Because I can see that you're clenching your fist in your mind, as if to say "No, I mustn't let him guess it..."
: David: Aww...!
: Lyney: And now you're getting a little flustered. You're trying to find a way to empty your mind, to think of nothing at all. But the more you try to hide a secret, the easier it'll come out~
: Lyney: You snuck out from home today, didn't you? You told your family a little lie so you could come out and play. Now, now, that's not a good habit.
: David: Y—You can tell? Oh boy... you really CAN read my mind!
: Lyney: Of course. And that's the end of my performance — you should really be heading home. Remember to apologize to your family, alright? They must be worried about you.
: David: A—Alright, got it. Bye, Mr. Magician!
: Paimon: Uh... Hey, Lyney...
: Lyney: Why, hello, we meet again. Are you looking for me? What's the situation?
: Paimon: Well, why don't you guess, Mr. Telepathic?
: Lyney: Oh, please! You didn't believe that spiel, did you? The power of telepathy is quite beyond me.
: Charlotte: I'm sure that child would beg to differ... Seemed like you were right on the money.
: Lyney: That was nothing more than a little trickery. I made an educated guess based on his microexpressions...
: Lyney: That, plus the fact that he was the only kid here without his parents, and he looked as guilty as sin. He made it easy for me.
: Lyney: You guys, on the other hand... Let me guess... Don't tell me you're here for the Phantom Weasel, are you?
: Paimon: Wow! Got it in one! Is this more of your trickery at work?
: Lyney: Wait, really? Haha... No, no trickery this time. It was pure luck.
: Lyney: His warning letter's been the talk of the town, so I figured that maybe you were asking around about that.
: Charlotte: Bingo! I plan on writing a column reporting on the latest news about The Phantom Weasel!
: Charlotte: So Lyney, what are your thoughts on this infamous thief's reappearance?
: Lyney: Hmm... To be honest, it makes me angry.
: Paimon: Angry? Why?
: Lyney: You read his letter, right? The Phantom Weasel claims he's planning something in three nights' time at the opera house. That's the night I'll be performing there.
: Paimon: Huh, what are the chances...
: Paimon: ...Wait a minute. You don't think he's after you... do you?
: Lyney: Well, if he is, then his warning is clearly a direct challenge to me personally.
: Lyney: And if he's not... then it's still going to be a huge headache for me.
: Lyney: The mere mention of the Weasel's name is enough to scare people off. So once the contents of that letter get out, barely anyone will be showing up to watch my show.
: Lyney: But I've been preparing for this for a long time. I'm not about to let him ruin my big day. This leaves me with only one choice... I have to expose The Phantom Weasel's identity before the show begins.
: Charlotte: Really? So what you're saying is... We might get to see a live duel between a famous magician and an infamous thief? Wow... This has "exclusive" written all over it!
: Lyney: To be honest, I'm not sure if I'll emerge the victor. The Phantom Weasel is a notorious crook, infamous for his inscrutable methods.
: Charlotte: You're being far too modest, Lyney. I think your magic tricks are even more inscrutable than those of a thief!
: Lyney: Thanks for the compliment, though I have to say, I don't care much for the comparison.
: Lyney: A lot of people liken magicians to thieves because we both have the ability to make things disappear without the person noticing. But there's an important difference that these people overlook.
: Lyney: Allow me to demonstrate with a quick magic trick. Here I have a flower, just an ordinary flower that was picked not long ago. Watch it carefully now... Three, two, one...
: Paimon: It's gone!
: Where'd it go?
: Lyney: That's the question. Where did it go?
: Lyney: Therein lies the difference between us. Thieves make precious things disappear, but only magicians make them reappear.
: Lyney: If I could now invite you all to check your clothes... There might be a surprise in there somewhere.
: Paimon: A surprise? Lemme see...
: Huh!!!
: Paimon: It's right there! But how? You haven't moved this whole time!
: Charlotte: What an outstanding trick! Sorry, Lyney, it seems that my previous praise was woefully inadequate. Clearly, magic is the superior art form to theft.
: Lyney: Don't worry, I didn't take offense. I just wanted to take the opportunity to perhaps change some of the preconceived notions you might have about magicians.
: Lyney: Since Cesar's death, a lot of people associate magicians with criminality. It can be quite frustrating.
: Charlotte: I can imagine. Um, coming back to your trick just now — might I presume that you are well-versed in floral symbolism?
: Charlotte: For example, magicians often use "Rainbow Roses" in their flower-related performances to represent "passion" and "romantic encounters."
: Charlotte: But you used a Lumidouce Bell, which, if I'm not mistaken, allude to "separations." I'm curious to know if there was any deeper meaning behind this choice?
: Lyney: Impressive knowledge — it's no wonder you're such a successful journalist. But I'm afraid I don't know the first thing about floral symbolism. I'm just in the habit of using Lumidouce Bells in my magic.
: Lyney: It sounds like something I should look into though. I'll buy myself a copy of "Fontaine's Floral Language Facts" when I have some time — but it'll have to wait until this Phantom Weasel business is behind us.
: Charlotte: Well-noted... In that case, this brings us to the end of our interview. I, for one, am looking forward to the final showdown between you and the thief.
: Charlotte: Please feel free to get in touch to update me on any further developments. Otherwise, I will of course see you at your show in three days' time. But let's hope The Phantom Weasel is caught by then.
: Charlotte: If there's nothing else, I'll be off. You've given me lots to work with here, and I've got no time to lose if I wanna write that exclusive piece! I'll see you all later!
: Paimon: So, Lyney... Are you gonna tell us how you did that flower trick now?
: Lyney: Hehe... I'm afraid that's my little secret.
: Paimon: Aww... Well, magicians are entitled to their secrets... But Paimon's reeeally itching to know how it's done...
: Paimon: You feel it too, right? So itchy!
: The Phantom Weasel...
: You sure you'll be able to handle him?
: Lyney: Hehe, not so itchy then, huh?
: Lyney: Well, since you're so concerned, how you would like to serve as my temporary magician's assistants, and help me investigate?
: Paimon: Magician's assistants? That sounds fun! Assistants are technically magicians too!
: Paimon: Also, it'll bring us one step closer to figuring out how that darn trick is done! Shall we go for it?
: We'll help you with your investigation.
:: Lyney: Excellent. Thank you for putting your trust in moi.
: What's your plan?
: Lyney: The first thing we need to look into is who Cesar really was. If he truly was The Phantom Weasel, that means that the weasel is dead, and whoever wrote this warning letter is just a copycat criminal.
: Lyney: But if he wasn't The Weasel... Well, that'll make things more interesting. It would mean that The Weasel lives, and he's been laying low all this time in some corner of Fontaine.
: Lyney: And if we're investigating Cesar, his fiancée, Jemma, is a good place to start. Word is that she visits the cemetery often, so I asked Lynette to wait for her there.
: Lyney: We should make a move. Let's go and rendezvous with Lynette.
:;(Obtain )
----
;(Approach the marked area)
: Lynette: ...You took your time.
: Lyney: Sorry. I bumped into and Charlotte en route, and we ended up chatting for a while.
: Paimon: It's been a while, Lynette!
: Paimon: We're working as Lyney's temporary assistants in the investigation of The Phantom Weasel!
: Lynette: Thank you. It's good to have you helping.
: Lyney: So, what's the situation? Have you seen Jemma?
: Lynette: Nope. I've been here a while, and she still hasn't shown up.
: Lyney: How bizarre. Maybe it was bad intel?
: Lyney: Well, we won't get anywhere by standing around waiting. , Paimon, let's go ask around.
;(Talk to Lynette, optional) 
: Lynette: I'll wait for you here and see if Jemma shows up.
;(Talk to Gracia or Juliano, optional) 
: Gracia: A lot of people here today, huh. When did this cemetery get so popular?
: Juliano: Same thoughts here. What's going on...
;(Talk to Baltasar) 
: Lyney: Excuse me good sir, do you by any chance know a Jemma?
: Baltasar: Jemma? You mean Cesar's fiancée? Sure I do... What's this about?
: Lyney: I'm just trying to get ahold of her, because I need her help with something. I heard she comes here a lot?
: Baltasar: Yeah, she does. *sigh* Poor thing... It's no secret why, either. She's heartsick.
: Baltasar: Ever since Cesar passed away, she's been coming here once every week to clean his grave. Often, she just sits there in front of his headstone, lost in thought. Sometimes she talks to herself.
: Baltasar: I asked her what she was doing once. She said... she wanted to speak to him again.
: Baltasar: She knows he's gone, and can't hear her from the grave, but... She just likes to spend time there, telling her fiancé all about how her life is going.
: Paimon: And she's been doing this ever since Cesar passed away? So, ten years? Wow. Their love must've been really strong.
: Baltasar: I'll bet. Cesar's reputation fell apart after his identity was revealed, so no one else visits his grave... Jemma's the only one who still thinks about him after all these years.
: Baltasar: I don't know if the mind lives on in the waters after death, but if it does... I'm sure Cesar must be grateful to have someone who remembers him fondly.
: Baltasar: If I'm honest, I think this is all so unfair to poor Jemma. Her fiancé was a lowlife crook — he doesn't deserve someone like her.
: Baltasar: Anyway, all of that said — she's running later than usual today. Normally, she'd be sitting in front of his grave by now. I wonder if she's okay?
: Baltasar: Well, that's everything I know, I'm afraid. You might have more luck asking some other people.
: Lyney: Alright, well thanks for sharing all of this with us. We'll keep asking around.
: Baltasar: You're welcome. *sigh* ...I just hope she'll be able to move on one day.
;(Talk to Baltasar again, optional) 
: Baltasar: A lot of people find cemeteries bleak and oppressive, but not me.
: Baltasar: I find the silence gives me a sense of peace. And something about being in the presence of the dead and buried... It sorta puts all of life's woes in perspective.
;(Talk to Gracia or Juliano) 
: Gracia: Did you hear the news? They're saying The Phantom Weasel's back.
: Juliano: You're kidding... Wait, isn't he dead?
: Gracia: I dunno anymore. All sorts of news flying around nowadays. I can never tell what's true and what isn't.
: Gracia: But what if... Just hypothetically, I mean... What if this Weasel's the real deal, and Cesar was framed?
: Juliano: Called it. Seriously, ten years ago, on the day it all went down, I said to myself "You know what? This guy's been set up." The Cesar I knew was a good guy. He gave balloons to children on the street, for Pete's sake. What, are we supposed to believe that he was a balloon thief, or something? Gimme a break.
: Gracia: Oh please. Weren't you the one cursing his name to high heaven when the police announced the news!? You were all, "That gosh-darn lousy son of a... You think you know a guy..." Or words to that effect.
: Juliano: Wait, did I say that? Hmm. I don't seem to recall...
: Sorry to interrupt...
: Lyney: Hello there. Sorry for disturbing you, but I couldn't help but notice you were discussing The Phantom Weasel?
: Lyney: We're actually quite interested in this topic as well, but we're struggling to get to the bottom of it. Do you think you could spare a moment to tell us a little bit about Cesar?
: Juliano: You've come to the right people. Yep... I was there. Back when Cesar used to perform magic tricks on the street.
: Juliano: He was a great magician. The best trick I ever saw him do was pop a transparent balloon, only for a whole bunch of doves to fly out from the inside.
: Juliano: I was right up close and didn't blink or look away once. But for the life of me, I still don't have the faintest clue how he pulled it off. Really incredible stuff.
: Gracia: I saw him perform too. He always used to bring some gifts along for the kids who came to watch his show, and he'd hand them out after he was done.
: Gracia: Sometimes, he even got the kids to write their wishes down, and then he'd make the items on the "wishlist" appear in his next show.
: Paimon: Huh, he doesn't sound like such a bad guy...
: Gracia: But after he died, there were also rumors that he used the wishlist to find out what was precious to people, with the intent to steal it later.
: Gracia: ...As I'm sure you know, The Phantom Weasel would steal just about anything from anyone.
: Juliano: Whatever the case, now that The Weasel is back, Cesar's become a hot topic once more.
: Juliano: I bet Jemma must be pleased. If Cesar's name gets cleared, maybe it'll finally give her some solace after all this time.
: Juliano: Oh, speak of the devil — that's her over there. If you've got any more questions about Cesar, she's definitely the one to ask.
: Paimon: So that's Jemma... Is it just Paimon, or does it look like something's wrong?
: Paimon: Wait... It looks like she's injured! C'mon, let's see if she's okay!
:;(The group walks up to Jemma, who is standing in front of a tombstone)
: Paimon: Uh... Hi there. You're Jemma, right?
: Jemma: ...Who's asking?
: Lyney: Don't be afraid, we mean no harm.
: Lyney: It looks like you're injured. How bad is it?
: Jemma: Thanks for your concern, but you didn't answer my question. Who are you? And what do you want with me?
: Lyney: My name is Lyney, and this is my sister Lynette.
: Paimon: My name's Paimon, and this here's . We're investigating The Phantom Weasel.
: Lyney: The Weasel posted a warning letter this morning. If he still lives, that means that Cesar was falsely accused.
: Lyney: You knew Cesar better than anyone else. So if you're willing, we'd love to hear what you think about all this.
: Jemma: ...
: Lyney: I promise you can trust us. We won't hurt you — in fact, we'll do all we can to keep you safe.
: Jemma: I... I never believed that he was The Weasel.
: Lyney: Huh, I suspected as much. Okay, so going back ten years, do you remember anything strange in the weeks leading up to the accident? Did Cesar have a falling out with anyone, for instance?
: Jemma: ...No. Not that I know of.
: Lynette: ...
: Lyney: Got it. Alright, sorry for disturbing you.
: Jemma: If you don't have any more questions, please leave. I want to be alone with him.
: Paimon: Judging by the look on her face, there's definitely something fishy about her...
: Lynette: She's lying. She definitely knows something.
: Perhaps she simply doesn't trust us.
: Lyney: That's fair. We're just a bunch of strangers who showed up and started questioning her about things that happened a whole decade ago... It makes sense that she'd be wary around us.
: Lyney: In any case, I doubt we'll get any further here, so let's call it a day. Meet me outside Hotel Debord tomorrow, and then we'll start the next step of our plan.
;(Talk to Juliano, optional)
: Juliano: Jemma's hurt, you say?
: Juliano: Now that you mention it, I did see her getting into a heated argument a while back...
: Juliano: Maybe someone who hates Cesar was taking it out on her... People can be unbelievable sometimes.
;(Talk to Gracia, optional)
: Gracia: Oh, Cesar... Were you or weren't you The Phantom Weasel?
==Other Languages==
==Change History==