daemonized | RECOLLE IC CONTACT.

You still keep the same office hours?

[Because where would the fun be in being straightforward?]

I do. Shall I expect you soon, then?

[No fun at all, apparently!]

Of course.

It's been a few years since Togusa has set foot in here, but he remembers the way. He's in plainclothes, since it's his day off ~~and he's not allowed to pull this shit on the clock.~~ He knocks lightly on the open door when he approaches.

"Guess it's not right before a test or midterms, since you don't have any 'customers'." Togusa glances around at the lack of other students there. Never take advantage of the availability of their professors unless they're here to beg. "Been a while, Professor."

Ardyn raises his gaze from his open laptop to the door to his office, catching sight of an old student that he’s not seen for quite awhile.

“Togusa,” he starts, rising from his chair. He smiles, a wry-looking thing that the other should recognize almost immediately. “It’s been an age, indeed. You look well. Please, sit.”

Ardyn motions at the empty chair in front of his desk, which has housed many a stressed, curious, completely overwhelmed, or overachieving student throughout the years. Togusa may notice that little has changed or even moved in his office, barring where certain stacks of papers are kept, or the titles of differing books lining the shelves on the adjacent wall. All-in-all, it is a space that looks well lived-in.

“And you’re right, your timing is perfect. The onslaught of students fighting for a place in that chair comes in predictable waves. It’s the proverbial low tide right now, so please, feel free to take advantage of the peace and quiet before it’s destroyed completely.”

Togusa's gaze sweeps over the room, noting the little fixtures here and there, the signs of an office well lived-in. "Some things don't quite change."

When Togusa sat here before, he was always in the 'curious' category, another thing that hasn't changed. While he's not nervous around Izunia like he was as a student, he still holds a quiet, reserved respect in his demeanor.

"I'll be the first to say that I don't know if this is even something worth pursuing. But everyone in the Department who's gotten dragged into this Retrospec thing is unhappy about it. But none of us can get any traction to do anything. So, let's consider this a thought experiment, at least."

Togusa hands across a folder. Inside is a list of 101 names that will look very familiar to Ardyn, if he hasn't compiled it already, himself. "That. Was disturbingly easy to figure out. Everybody who's posted or commented so far on the platform. There could be other users who have just been really successful at keeping quiet. But all it took was about three hours and a little patience."

Ardyn sinks back into his seat, closing the laptop shut on his desk so he can focus more on the man before him. And when the folder slides over to him, he opens it — he’s met with these names, just barely over a hundred of them, staring back up at him. Some he recognizes, some he doesn’t. But Togusa doesn’t even have to explain before he knows exactly what this might be.

“Three hours is nothing, to someone determined to obtain information on a large scale. A thought that is, quite obviously, very disturbing.”

He lowers the folder onto his desk, looking at Togusa once more. There’s the smallest incline of his brow this time around.

“This thought experiment of yours… I assume it has to do with your questions earlier? Doing a bit of police work off the clock, are we?” He hums in amusement, but it’s hardly judgmental. A passing observation, nothing more.

There's that little unconscious part in the back of Togusa's mind that still seeks approval for doing things outside of his usual boundaries. An indication that it's okay to move forwards. And so, Togusa's response comes out a little more smart-assed than it normally would. He's still playing the game. "Not police work, at all. Like I said, merely a civil matter, at this stage. If a civil suit turned up enough evidence for a greater investigation..."

And then Togusa frowns. "It would be great, but right now, there's one big problem in the way. If this idea were even feasible, and I wanted to get any parents to move forwards with a suit, I'd have to convince those parents that said social network even exists. Which is why I asked about non-parent guardians."

Pause. "Because right now? There is exactly one option for a minor who has any parents who are also dragged into the network? And you already know who it is without even looking at that list." Another pause, and Togusa pulls a face. "And there's no way he'd go for it."

On a scale from 1 to 10, the level of smart-assery that Togusa employs is a mild 1 in Ardyn’s mind. It slides right off of him, and he leans forward with his elbows on his desk, to listen to what else his old student has to say. And he’s right — Ardyn does know exactly to whom the other man is referring to. A certain scruffy, perpetually frowning, officer. No, sorry, detective.

“Have you spoken to him about this? What makes you so certain he’d be so against the idea? It’s a legitimate concern to have, especially if one is a parent.”

He has to make a cognizant attempt to not scoff at his own words. No, even as he says that, he can hear Bigby refusing to even entertain the idea — for the sake of not wanting to get drag himself nor his family through what is a long, tedious legal process.

It's indescribably nice to have someone taking this seriously, since so few people in the Department are. Ardyn's interest only spurs Togusa on that maybe he's on to something here. He shakes his head at the question. "Not yet. Wanted to see if this was even a possibility first."

Togusa leans back, himself, and heaves a deep sigh. "But. If Detective Wolf, or Elizabeth, for that matter," Togusa points with a finger, "are the ones to initiate the civil suit? If a deeper investigation comes out of it, Wolf would have to recuse himself. And good luck getting him to not do his job."

Togusa hesitates, but he feels he needs to add. "Not for something like this, let me amend that. He's got the freedom to pick and choose his casework, but he'd take an investigation like this personally. He's damn right to. Unless, all of us would have to remove ourselves from any investigation because we're involved?" Togusa spreads out his hands and shrugs. "And this is why I came to you first."

Ardyn runs a hand through his hair, leaning back with a considering expression. Togusa had a point, of course — the matter of who would be left to investigate was a tricky one, and probably not nearly as big of an issue as a few other complications Ardyn has yet to even mention. He starts off by responding to the question in front of him.

“That’s the tricky thing, isn’t it? Retrospec is slippery, in a way that those not personally affected by the corporation are completely unaware of it. Anyone who wishes to investigate after a suit has been filed would have difficulties detaching themselves from any sort of personal investment. A Catch-22, if you will.”

Ardyn shifts in his seat, holding in a sigh.

“But perhaps you’re going about it the wrong way. You’re adhering to rules that the other side doesn’t abide to. By that fact alone, the entire police department is at a disadvantage.” He leans forward again, pausing only briefly before continuing. “The problem with filing a suit against a company or corporation like Retrospect is that they’re not transparent. They’re more mystery than physical entity at this point.”

He begins to count off his examples on his fingers as he speaks. “For one, do you know anything about their structure? Where they came from? How they operate? If there’s even a real, physical person that works in one of their puzzling buildings? Do they even have employees? There’s no real way to contact them, they’ve sprung up out of the blue, into complete existence, without so much as a paper trail.” He finally allows himself something close to a frown, a rare sight for Ardyn.

“Something that is, frankly, nigh impossible to do. It’s completely and utterly mind-boggling. Perhaps instead of concerning yourself about filling suits, you should instead focus on the mystery of who you intend to file a suit against, first.”

Edited (edits for redundancy hours later) 2017-02-28 06:06 (UTC)

Ardyn has a point. Usually Togusa is more patient about gathering information before trying to take action, and that's exactly what he needs to be doing here. Togusa sighs and folds his arms. "My thought process, or part of it, at least, was that a suit might force some of that mysterious infrastructure out into the open. Force an opening, rather than waiting for an opponent to present one."

"But it's not the right time. And, to go back to the start of this conversation, it actually isn't my job." Togusa smiles again anyway. "But I'd rather discuss the possibility and get the answer that more information is needed, rather than just sit on the idea or try to pretend I didn't have it." So at least today was productive in a way.

"The business licenses, the property permits for that building, even some kind of a patent for that app, there has to be a name somewhere." Togusa runs a hand through some of his hair to floof it back behind an ear. "And that's a better direction to go. Now." Not crossing out the possibility of this at a later date.

Ardyn can't help but agree. The idea was interesting, regardless, to use a suit to unearth more information about a company that was a giant question mark in their lives. But more information was necessary, it was always necessary when jumping through the hoops of filing a lawsuit.

He gives Togusa a grin. "Yes. For now. And unless this company is truly nothing short of a ghost, then I'm hoping that you can find something floating in the aether. A stepping stone that leads to a bigger understanding of just what is happening."

But he can't help but quirk a brow, a slight inclined that heralds his upcoming question. "Have you voiced this idea to your fellow colleagues yet?"

"Umm," it's not that the answer to that question is 100% a no. "A few, but none of the Detectives." That's the short answer. "Like I said, I wanted my argument finalized before I went to Detective Wolf with it. I couldn't quite get the chance to make my argument to Detective Gabranth. Although he was also investigating that building." There's maybe a ray of hope that he would act on the idea.

"Lou was in favor of collecting more information." Togusa hesitates. "There is always reaching out to your brother. Which I haven't done yet, because he's not involved. He'd be the guy I'd trust to not look at me like I'm crazy when I show it to him."

"I can at least agree with you there. If you mention this to Fynn, I can almost guarantee he'll 'run with it', as the saying goes," he replies. "My brother is a lot of things, but lacking in enthusiasm he certainly isn't."

He leans back in his chair again.

"If you want someone eager to help, ask him. And if you require my aid concerning any of the legalese that might crop up, don't hesitate to ask. This is a mystery that affects the lot of us, and I'll do what I can to help unravel it if need be."

"I'm grateful. Really. I can't explain how nice it is to know someone will take this seriously."

But when he thinks about it all for a second, Togusa chuckles and shakes his head. "It seems I'm about to be in a significant amount of debt to the Izunia family, all told. Your nephews ever need anything, let me know, I owe them one for their Valentine's setup." A fond smile flickers across his face.

"And now there's you and your brother, both. I know you won't be shy about cashing in any markers I give you, but they're well deserved."

Ardyn gives Togusa a smile that loses a bit of its sardonic edge. As a result, it comes off as far more sincere as he speaks.

"Please, there's little need to thank me. I don't understand why no one would take this seriously coming from you, especially given the situation at hand. Approaching the problem at various angles is the only way to solve this particular conundrum."

At the mention of his family, however, Ardyn hums in amusement and leans forward with his elbows on his desk.

"My nephews are very motivated young boys, aren't they? Did you enjoy your Valentine's Day as a consequence of their planning?"

Togusa smiles fondly and looks down a little. Not always one to kiss and tell, but he nods. "Yes. It was," he shakes his head and laughs. "It was funny how on the nose their matchup was. Gentiana." He knows that she and Ardyn know each other, but isn't sure of what they think of the other. "The funny part was that she and I admitted that we would have thought to ask the other one out soon, regardless. But it was nice to have the hand of fate guiding us." It had led to a very lovely evening.

"I at least feel like I owe them. Or I wouldn't say no if they needed my help. Probably wouldn't have anyway, but now? Anything they need within reason." Has to add that last part, because he doesn't know the two of them that well.

"Gentiana? Is that so?" he asks, a spark of curious amusement in his eyes at that admission. "She's certainly an interesting one, though more often than not she's prone to giving me the cold shoulder."

He quirks a grin, and adds, "Tell her hello for me the next you see her, won't you? Since I think she finds me exasperating at best."

"She is..." Amazing, incredible, thoughtful, unlike anyone else Togusa has met? "Unique. And not prone to putting up with anything that she doesn't want to." He chuckles. "Sorry that you find yourself in that category."

"But I will tell her you said hello." If Togusa can see something positive in the both of them, perhaps the two of them can see positivity in each other.

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