A Perfect Framework

A Perfect Framework
Prerequisites	Complete "Invested Investigation"
Start	Talk to Maxine
Location	Maxine’s current location
Season	Season 2

Quest Progression
Previous Quest	Next Quest
When It Rains	Excessive Accessory

Overview

The best lies rest on the cusp of truth.

After your investigation into the thefts, you meet up with Maxine to talk over your findings. She points out that none of the items reported stolen have anything in common, suggesting that perhaps the thefts are a string of red herrings and the thief's true item of interest belongs to the person who would have the most to lose. You decide to speak to the Guard in his booth, believing he may know the value of things around the school. He agrees that the hospital's stolen funds would be the thief's target, but Maxine seemed to imply that it's not. However, you don't rule out that the Nurse may lose her job at the hospital as a result of the theft, so you decide to ask her. After she confirms she wouldn't be at risk of being fired and you try to figure out what to do next, Flora literally runs into you.

Since she's here, you talk to her about the thefts. When you bring up Maya's missing unicorn plushie, she'll get confused. She claims Maya texted her to bring the plushie to the girls' bathroom, even showing the conversation on her phone. With you now also feeling confused, you both confront Maya to clear up what's going on. She continues to claim it was stolen, but upon seeing the messages on both Flora's phone and hers, she's left horrified. Flora is now pissed at potentially being framed for the thefts and demands an explanation, to which Maya claims her phone must've been hacked. You wonder if Flora losing her internship and Maya getting kicked out of the foster system upon being labeled as thieves might make them the ones with "the most to lose" and ask Maya if she can figure out who hacked her phone. She just needs a computer, so you decide to let her use yours.

After she either gets straight to work or has a pickle-filled sandwich first, you'll stare in amazement at Maya's hacking skills, with you feeling like you're getting a better look at the real her. As she works, she explains that the hacker knows how to break into a phone on a technical level but lacks the common sense fundamentals such as wiping certain files or unrooting the phone afterwards. She then gets a lead upon finding the IP address of the system that hacked her phone, believing it to be the school wi-fi. You both return to the school so she can find the specific computer that was used, but on the way in, a flower pot falls from the roof and nearly hits her on the head! You manage to push her out of the way in time, and upon realizing what happened, Maya will be visibly shaken, believing that her curse has returned.

Once inside the school, a more calmed down Maya will scan the school wi-fi and discover that the hacking occurred on the principal's computer. You insist that Jo has no knowledge of hacking nor would she risk hurting Flora, and Maya starts to wonder if the hacker is sending you two on a wild goose chase. She then leaves, asking you to let her know if you get access to Jo's computer. After you get yourself a drink from the Cafeteria, Maxine approaches you. You'll catch her up on your progress and ask for her help getting into Jo's office. She claims she can do it, but it'll take an unspecified amount of time. Until then, you can only wait.

Characters

• Maya
• Maxine
• Jo
• Mrs. L
• Guard
• Nurse
• Flora

Scenes

• Maxine's Detective Oath
• Maya's Hacking Skills
• Maya's Close Call

Missable Items

• You will miss making Maya a Sandwich with Pickles if you ask her if you look like a butler upon her request for one.

Missable Interactions

• When Maxine says that Jo doesn't understand the importance of her work:
  • Saying that few people do will give her 1 Love point as you tell her that the truth is what matters most to you.
  • Asking what its importance is will have her give a metaphor about the alphabet and its order, leaving you confused.
  • If you betrayed her, you can say that Jo is rigid in her ways. Maxine will mention she even brought in Spinach to mediate the "debate", to no avail.

• If you didn't betray Maxine during Invested Investigation, you'll discuss your potential suspects, eventually ruling out everyone. Maxine explains that some people aren't always what they seem.
  • You'll both also go fully into your "Good Cop, Bad Cop" personas and have an ethics debate in a noir setting.

• If you betrayed Maxine, she'll start the quest having to serve detention. Upon approaching Jo to get her out of it, you'll notice how she doesn't look too happy. She even says now's not a good time.
  • Saying it'll only take a minute will have you point-blank ask to get Maxine out of detention, subtracting 1 Love point from Jo.
  • If you have 8 Love points, you can ask if there's anything you can do to help.
    • If you completed Out on the Waves, she suggests another day out on the water. Otherwise, she'll suggest taking a vacation, with you claiming you'll see what you can do.
    • She denies your request of getting Maxine out of detention, but suggests you talk to her in the Detention Classroom, gaining 1 Love point as she sees you're only trying to help.
      • Upon arriving to the Detention Classroom and seeing Maxine's absence, Mrs. L says whatever happens now is up to Jo.
        • If Mrs. L has 8 Lust points, you can suggest serving Maxine's time for her. She explains that's not how it works, but she allows you to stick around and keep her company.
        • Asking her to let you know if she sees her will lead to her agreeing on the condition you do the same.

• After running from the Guard and returning to the Entrance Hall, you can enter the Cafeteria and spot him at the counter.
  • If the Nurse is also in the Cafeteria when you're looking for her, you'll comment how he's too busy focused on the doughnuts to notice you.

• When questioning the Nurse, if you and Maxine did a deep search of her during Invested Investigation, you'll hint you may do another one, giving her 1 Lust point.
  • If you didn't, she'll gain 1 Love point as she thanks you for trying to find the stolen funds.

• When Flora tells you to watch where you're standing:
  • If you've had sex with her, you can suggest trying again while naked. She'll gain 1 Lust point as she tells you not to say things like that in public, fearing someone will hear you.
  • When asking if this is her way of hitting on you:
    • If she has 15 Lust points, she'll gain 1 more as she nervously denies it.
    • If she has less than 15 Lust points, she'll lose 1 as she asks why you always have to make things weird.
  • Simply telling her no will have you insist that you'll stand blindly wherever you please, leading to her calling you a weirdo.

• Depending on whether Flora ran into you in the Nurse's Office or the Cafeteria, she'll explain she was either there to get pads or a snack.

• If you completed A Beautiful Motive, you ask Maya if she's been experiencing a sleepwalking sensation similar to Lindsey's, mentally crossing out Maxine's drugs as an explanation upon her insisting she hasn't.

• When a surprised Maya tells you that the texts to Flora are on her phone:
  • Sarcastically saying "Shocker" will subtract 2 Love points from her.
  • Asking if she lost her phone recently will have her sheepishly say that she doesn't think so.

• Before she starts hacking, Maya will ask if you can make her a sandwich.
  • If you have 15 Charisma points, you can ask if you look like a butler, giving her 2 Lust points as you boldly tell her that she won't get fed until she's done.
  • Asking if this is her way of getting back at the patriarchy will have her deny it and insist that she's just hungry. After some sarcastic banter, you reluctantly agree to make her a sandwich.
  • If you have 12 Love points, you can ask what kind she wants. She'll be confused yet thankful that you accepted without a struggle and gain 1 Love point.
    • You'll feel happy upon seeing her positive reaction to the meal, claiming that the joy on her face is worth a million sandwiches.