Fate - First Reply Stolen Papers (College of Elbion)

[Aiko]

Where is it?

The thought pierced through Aiko’s mind as she searched around the table with as much quickness as she could manage without showing. There was a difference between moving with purpose and being frantic. There was a time and place for the first, but never the second. Aiko knew well to never be seen as overwhelmed, even if that was the instinct clawing at her mind. Today that instinct was brought upon at the loss of her notebook, which she would have sworn was on the table mere moments ago. Aiko had never been one to lose things before, but this was the third such missing notebook Aiko had found herself dealing with in the last two weeks.

After a thorough search of the table Aiko remembered some words her father had told her. "Once is happenstance. Twice a coincidence. A third is enemy action." She had also remembered the words when the second notebook had disappeared, and brought additional preparations. From her purse she rolled out a scroll that held a map of the College of Elbion, and also pulled out a quill and ink. An incantation was spoken, and her fingernails began to glow a light purple hue. The quill slowly moved about the map, floating unaided before dropping the smallest speck of ink onto the page. The elf examined the spot. It was at least a hundred paces from her, probably more with the smaller human legs.

A thief then.

Aiko packed her things and began to move swiftly, but with purpose, to the spot on the map. She was unsure of exactly what she would do when she found her notebook, but on the Yamaguchi name she would not allow this behavior to continue.

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

Yue had been spending a quiet morning in the garden. She preferred to spend most mornings in silence...alone...if possible. This morning the quiet peace of the garden was disrupted by the sound of a scuffle and a splash. She stood slowly and and with a disgruntled expression. She really hoped that it wasn't one of the rowdier first years messing around in the pond again. There was a small pond with koi that she had taken to visiting on occasion. It seemed that not all of the students treated the pond's residents with such high regard.
As she approached she found the source of the noise earlier. It appeared a notebook had been haphazardly discarded along the edge of the pond. One of the koi had come up to give it a nibble. She had better remove the book before the fish took a chunk. She reached in to retrieve it.

Only after holding the soggy book at arm's length with a look of disgust, did she spot Aiko entering the garden with a purposeful stride. Aiko was one of the few students Aiko normally wouldn't be displeased to run into. Only....there was a bit of an aura about the elf at the moment. had she perhaps said something to upset someone again? She began mulling over what she could have done to make Aiko angry.

 

[Aiko]

As Aiko made her way closer and closer to the location marked on her map she noticed a familiarity to where she was going. Was it going to the koi pond? She did study there at times, perhaps she had left it . . . no, she hadn't studied there in three days, and she definitely had the notebook yesterday. The elf continued forward and noticed a girl at the pond. Was that Yuebing? It was, with her book her hands. She didn't see the girl pull it out, but the look of disgust on her face . . . it implied a hand that preferred things a bit less soggy. Unless she too held Aiko's ears in disgust?

"Yuebing." She said with a bit of caution on her tongue. "That is my notebook. Or it used to carry them at least." She said. She could see the ink bleeding through the pages on the water. She would be lucky to get anything useful from it.

"Do you know how it arrived here?" She asked. Aiko's tone was neutral, not accusing Yuebing, but clearly looking for information.

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

Yue's eyes slowly moved from Aiko back to the book. Oh. It was her notebook. Well that cleared things up a little. She returned her sharp gaze to the elf and shook her head.
"I was a moment too late.....I had come to see who was bothering the koi...." It would seem the culprit had made their escape but they could be too far. Yue was invested as well now. Who was bold enough to throw another student's belongings about. From what Yue had seen Aiko was no slouch with spell craft . Some of the students here seemed to lack any fear of retaliation to their actions.
Perhaps they should rectify that.

But first. She held the book a little higher to eye level and called to the spirits of paper and ink. Yue might not be able to do some of the flashier spells but she was decent at mending. The book glowed faintly for a moment then as if in reverse motion, dried and recovered some of it's ink.
It wasn't perfect, she could never manage to put something back exactly as it was. Which was a shame considering how artful Aiko's calligraphy strokes were. Still it was at least legible now.

She held the notebook out to return it to it's rightful owner.
"Given you asked....I don't suppose you have a suspect for this rogue vandal?"

 

[Aiko]

Aiko watched Yuebing carefully as the girl explained what had happened. She seemed mostly annoyed at the situation, that anyone would disturb the koi pond. The Dornochi girl held an demeanor that seemed more impersonal than anything else. What a contrast to the other Doroch resident Atticus. Perhaps their roles were as different as Aiko and her brothers back home.

The display of magic was a kindness that the elf had not expected, and one that assuaged her fears that Yuebing might have been involved. She wouldn't say she knew the girl well, but stealing a notebook to later attempt a fix was a bit more elaborate of an ordeal than she expected from any first year. Aiko took the notebook and bowed in thanks.

"No, I saw nothing of when it disappeared. I cast a spell to track it some time ago, and made my way over. It is odd though, that I saw nothing on the way over . . ." The elf thought a moment. The disgust on Yuebing's face, the comment of a 'moment too late' implied it was just dropped off. Invisibility spells were not typically taught to first years, and Aiko knew little of the upper classes.

Who then would find pleasure in taking her notes?

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

Yue's displeased frown deepened. Unless their goal had been to dispose of the notes purposefully, then she deduced that perhaps their thief had noticed the spell. Caught off guard they had disposed of it quickly to avoid being caught. That was only moments ago....there was chance yet that the culprit was still nearby. However it was only a chance...this was a collage of magic after all. Logic didn't always apply.
Perhaps they hadn't even set foot in the garden and only levitated it over or something.

Alas the only seeking spell she knew required a memento of the target. They were lucky that the thief had been hasty and careless, for if the book had been burned Yue would not have been able to restore it. Not careless enough though as they hadn't left much evidence to follow. Yue's eyes swept the ground and the edge of the pond. The ground of the garden here was made of loose pebbles and pavers, noisy but they made it hard to see foot prints if there even were any. If she had been paying more attention she might have been able to hear in what direction they went. "If only they had left a bit of hair behind or something....." Yue muttered to herself
With a sigh.

 

[Aiko]

Aiko examined the area around the Koi pond. She did not find anything as obvious as a torn cloak or footprint, but did notice slight disturbances in the landscaping. Pebbles in places they shouldn’t be, and water outside the pond.

“Perhaps there is thread to track.” She said aloud. “Thank you Yuebing. I appreciate your aid, but I shall have to continue searching.” She excused herself, not presuming the girl would come with her. Aiko preferred that she did, but would not try to force her hand.

The pond had a trio of entryways. One of which Aiko had come from, and another which was close to where the gravel had been disturbed. It was a gamble, but one she bet on as the direction of the vandal. The girl continued before noticing a small trail.


“Water.” She said softly, with a smile. If she was lucky it was splashed onto the thief’s clothes and had dripped off as the thief tried to evade. Nothing was guaranteed of course, but this was better than nothing.

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

Yue hesitated, not wanting to be so bold as to invite herself along. Then again she really did think it was best if this nuisance was dealt with. The not so subtle looks that some students gave Aiko hadn't escaped Yue's notice. Perhaps Aiko was extending the chance for Yue to avoid getting caught in the cross hair. Normally Yue would gladly take such an offer. She kept to herself to the point of brushing some of their classmates the wrong way. She wasn't blind to how other's perceived her. The sort of schemes that even the unkind lot of their group pulled paled in comparison to home. Still....it could get nasty if this continued to go unchecked.

Yue shook her head as she watched Aiko inspect the rocks of the pond edge. "I have an interest in pursuing this mystery thief. " She replied as her eyes followed Aiko's to the bit of out of place pebbles.
She realized she quite liked Aiko's smile. It would be annoying if she smiled less because of some narrow minded fools.

 

[Aiko]

Aiko pushed to keep the smile off her face as the Dornochi girl followed behind.

"We shall have to keep your interest then." She responded as the pair followed the trail of water through a hallway of hewn stone. It was periodically adorned with tapestries. Some were adorned 'historical' academics of the institution, many of whom were born after her father and had long past. Others were filled with maps of the college, or other information such as lecture hall schedules. Still others were blank canvases that students attached flyers for, advertising study groups, band performances, game nights, and other such activities. The trail of water was not enormous, but instead held a small batch of droplets every meter or so. It was not long before the trail stopped, yet they hadn’t passed any corridors or windows

“Strange.” Aiko said aloud. She looked from left to right, then up and down. There did not seem to he an exit, and yet the trail was dry.

“Perhaps there is something unseen.” Aiko pondered. The person around them, or a faux wall, magically hidden from view.

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

They stalked out their only lead with diligence. But unfortunately found themselves with a dead end yet again. What to do? She made a small thoughtful noise in response.
Yue eyed the surroundings where the droplets had stopped with a keen eye. Then she quietly removed her hairpin. She closed one eye and brought the larger flatter end of the hairpin in front of the other. She used the hollow as a looking stone to help her see the unseen as it were.

There was a cacophony of remnants and traces of spell craft all over the college. It wasn't easy for Yue to determine what was old and what might be new. She inspected the corridor as if looking at the hall with a magnifying glass. Untangling the threads of many past spells.

 

[Aiko]

As Yuebing Coquelicot examined the echoes of magic from times past, she would find the college more densely filled than any similar hallway. One thing in particular would stand out, an illusion spell that appeared very old, yet continually refreshed. It made a wall appear where there was none. The illusion integrated cleanly through the wall on simple appearance, but seemed easy enough to see through once discovered. The faux wall hid a hallway that appeared much less well kept than the normal Elbion hall. Inside a simple tapestry held a wealth of information

ΘΚΓ Territory

- Rush Tasks to be completed by all applicants by the Third Monday (of semester).
- Pledge Selections to be announced Third Wednesday
- Pledge Induction Ceremony Third Friday
- Smoke Ring Competition with ΣΠΨ Third Saturday
- Midnight Dance with ΔΔΔ Fourth Tuesday​

Aiko, not as experienced as her classmate, attempted a similar spell to try and find recent magical activity. Her spell leaded her to Yuebing, leaving her a bit frustrated. She focused again, working to exclude Yuebing's magic from consideration. She found the wall.

"An illusion." Aiko said, not yet able to see what was behind.

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

Yue's brow furrowed as she inspected the newly uncovered entryway. She couldn't tell what to make of the tapestry beyond just yet. It's words legible but the meaning escaping her. She could tell they had stumbled on some secret gathering space. She wasn't so familiar with the college's traditions as to know what this group was or these students might be doing.
"Seems we stumbled upon someone's hideaway.....or several someone's. There's quite the space back there, and a notice of some kind...." The notice seemed like a meeting schedule but if it were simply a place for students to hold group events why hide it behind an illusion?

Yue slowly lowered the hairpin and turned to give Aiko an intrigued look.
One mystery had led to another. Might as well see it through an test the waters.
She tentatively reached out to press her hand against the illusory wall. She attempted to pass her hand through uncertain if there was a barrier of some kind.

 

[Aiko]

Yuebing’s hands would pass through the illusion without strenuous effort. It would feel like pushing her hand through dough, albeit not as sticky. Rather a gentle resistance that gave way to any measurable force. Aiko, understanding that something was hidden and seeing part of Yuebing’s hand press through a wall, cast a simple protective ward over herself. The enchantment brought a dim blue glow around the girl a moment before evaporating. Aiko looked over at Yuebing with a bit of hesitation on her face, then took a deep breath and walked through the wall entirely.

Upon entering the new hallway Aiko noticed the notice Yuebing described. She likewise didn’t recognize the symbols, or what a ‘pledge’ was, but Selection and Induction implied some sort of organization.

“I wonder what sort of club it is that hides its entrance.” Aiko said to her companion. She considered the thought of investigating further. The College did not have the military focus of say, the Dreadlord Academy, but a collection of mages with experience could certainly be dangerous without such focus. Still, if one of them had taken her notebook from outside the hall, what was to stop them in the future?

“I suppose the easiest way to find out is a direct approach.” Aiko said, and began to walk forward. It was not long before a multitude of scents made their way to her nose. Sweat and alcohol were the strongest, but there were some others she could not identify.

“How rank.”

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

Yue watched Aiko cast the protection charm. A very practical decision.
She pushed through to follow.
They both inspected the tapestry a bit closer. It seemed Aiko had no more idea what this place might be than she did. Yue inspected the hall with more scrutiny than before. It was easier to see with out the illusion and the view stone narrowing her vision. Still it was no less baffling. Their thief must be in here but was this....a well used space or some forgotten piece of the college. Yue couldn't tell at a glance. Nor did the smell help.
Yue followed Aiko closely "It smells like...." she nearly said that it smelled a bit like a lower rung brothel. Then she realized that while she didn't know much about Alliria a noble girl like Aiko surely had no idea what that smelled like.
"booze and mold." She finished lamely. She offered a signature disapproving frown.
"Whatever this club is, either they have no respect for their surroundings....or this hasn't been used in a long time."

 

[Aiko]

"Agreed." Aiko said, keeping her response short. With little else to do, the elf walked forward through the hall. The smell they had discovered continued to grow, and Aiko began to feel resistance at the pull of her shoe. A glance downward and she had stepped into some sort of spilled drink that spread across the right side of the hall. Aiko let out a sneer, and more carefully paid attention to the floor as she continued forward. They eventually made their way to a tri-directional fork in the hall. Aiko looked left, right, and forward. She bit her lip as she looked around thinking, before from the left side a human male walked forward, rounding a corner.

He was tall for a human, about as tall as Aiko herself. The hair on his head was cut skin-tight on the sides, but longer on the top and slovenly put to a side. His beard was best described as mangy. He wore a thick wool jacket with leather sleeves, half buttoned and revealing a significantly rounded frame underneath. The strange text she'd seen before were sewn over the jacket's right breast. His pants were plain, but recently stained with some sort of cheese. Interestingly the brute was without shoes.

Though Aiko had seen that many at Elbion were more relaxed with their clothing than what she was used to, the thought of anyone choosing to appear in such a manner absolutely astounded her. Had this creature no respect for itself? A bit in shock, Aiko did not press the student before he could speak.

"Your . . . . girls?" He said. His speech was slow, confused. He squinted his eyes at the light of torches behind him, and his breath was horrible.

"Do you have my notebook?" Aiko asked in return, her tone sharp as a knife.

"Do I have your . . . what?"

 

[Yuebing Coquelicot]

Following close behind Yue noticed much of the halls were poorly looked after. At least compared with the usual cleanly and well maintained college.
She appraised the slovenly man they ran into as if ready to pass judgement, should he be the thief. Her eyes narrowed as she took in his features with vague disapproval. It was then as she looked at his unkempt state that an unsettling thought occurred to her. On occasion the more popular girls a the Jade palace would find something seemingly innocuous stolen. The thief having stolen not for profit, not by request, but out a terrible pining desire when the object of their affection was out of reach.

Perhaps the notebook had been stolen as a memento from an unworthy suitor. If the others in this strange little club were of a similar quality to this....gentleman...then they were definitely unworthy. If they were anything like this befuddled man then it wasn't hard to believe they might find themselves unable to approach Aiko. The Elf had an elegant air of confidence. An almost insurmountable hurdle for the more timid types.
Come to think of it. There were types who had a disproportionate interest in Elves.
Her gaze also turned a bit murderous. If Aiko 's notebook really was in a pair of grubby hands being panted over then punishment would be swift and doubled.

"A notebook. Have you seen it?" Yue asked her tone biting and impatient. It implied that should she need to repeat the question it wouldn't be asked nicely.