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 Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 4:24 am
The Maiden of Ice, normally so elegantly and immaculately presented, does not look himself today. Disheveled, with dark marks under his eyes from lack of sleep, he stomps down the street with his mind giving off a mixture of hazy, confused anxiety and ferocious determination.
A huge man walking down the street in a mood like that with two swords at his side understandably causes the bystanders a bit of unease.
He arrives at Whitestone Used Books and pushes in through the door ungracefully. "Is Kumoru here?" he asks, in an uncharacteristically loud and harsh tone.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:19 am
The counter of the shop is unoccupied at the moment, but there is a crashing of what sounds like boxes of books from somewhere towards the back of the store. A few moments later, a man with nicely-combed pale blue hair half-stumbles to the front of the shop, peering over his tinted glasses at Setsushi as he tries to brush dust off of himself. He carries a few books under one arm, which he sets on the counter as he stops and stands straight, appraising the stranger.
"He's working this afternoon," the man tells the stranger after a moment. "I probably know the books here better than he does, though. What do you need? Sounds like you need it quickly, whatever it is."
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:24 am
Upon encountering the stranger, Setsushi straightens himself a bit, putting on a more polite and formal demeanor.
"My apologies," Setsushi begins, for disturbing the man so rudely, but Setsushi needs help urgently. "Not books," but: "Have you seen Kouyo?" Setsushi asks, quickly describing an average-height Porcelain man with long red hair, dressed as a priest, who may be acting a little, umm, unusual?
"Kumoru also knows Kouyo, so I wished to ask him, but..."
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:28 am
"Kouyo?" the man shrugs and shakes his head. He thinks a minute, then grins a little. "Although if you help me pick up the crap I dropped when you burst in and scared me, I might be able to remember a little better."
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:32 am
Setsushi stares at the man, then chomps down on his lip, his brows coming together, and replies, "If you know his location, I will labor for you gladly, but I cannot pause if he is not safe."
He seems to be terribly agitated, though not angry.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:37 am
The man leads him back to the back corner of the store, where a cardboard box of books is sitting ripped open with tomes scattered about the floor. A door marked "Staff Only" is being propped open by the box, and it is dark inside but a faintly musty smell is coming from within the other room.
"I know the one you're talking about, I think. I saw him come here with you a few days ago." He glances at Setsushi and nods to the books on the floor. "He came by here again yesterday, I think. Or someone who looks like the guy you told me about, only wearing an awful lot of clothes. Came by in the morning, stayed for a while, and left."
He figured he would wait until some progress had been made on the books before he went into more detail.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:48 am
Setsushi spends a few seconds debating whether to play this game, but eventually decides to comply, at least for a little while. He reasons, not entirely privately, that no one else had even a scrap of information to help him, and so Setsushi was beginning to wonder if it was time for him to start combining the river for bodies...
Setsushi stoops to pick up the books, trying to get an armful but also treating them nicely; they are precious items, after all -- but when he stands up again he wobbles a little, as if the sudden movement made him feel faint.
"... Where, Master?" he asks hazily.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 7:00 am
Ego stroking! Nice! This one knew how to play the game.
"Just inside. Stack them where the door won't knock them over. They'll need a new box, but I can make Kumoru do that later." He nudges the door open with his foot for Setsushi, then steps out of the way and leans against one of the shelves.
The man picks up the stray thoughts about looking for bodies, but, being unfamiliar with Porcelain and their primary method of communication, does not realize that the thoughts had come from the tall stranger. Still, though, pretty depressing.
"It would be too bad if your friend was dead, wouldn't it..." he murmurs, brushing his fingers through his hair as he continues to watch Setsushi move books.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:19 am
Setsushi does as he is told, still trying to complete the task quickly, even as he gets a little dizzy, his mind feeling as if it lags a few moments behind his body in movement.
"If Kouyo is dead, a rare flower of intelligence, ability, kindness would be gone." And he adds a sharp, sword-shaped thought: if someone is responsible for Kouyo's death, Setsushi will be compelled to bring the criminals to justice.
"Does Master know anything else?" he asks, as he brings another group of books to carefully stack. And if not, might Master be a mage or know one who could locate Setsushi's friend?
... As he stands this time, he holds a hand to his head.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:26 am
"I'm a mage, myself," the man tells him, an obvious touch of pride in his voice. "I scry on this place most of the time I'm not around, but I don't go stalking my employees or customers or anything." He glances at the stranger again, raising an eyebrow. "You might be able to convince me for enough money, though."
"I can tell you that I saw him come yesterday morning, stay the day here, and leave with Kumoru when his shift was over. He had a bag of things with him. Belongings, I guess, like he was moving house."
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:48 am
Ah... In characteristic delayed fashion, Setsushi now believes he understands what the man meant when he said he has seen both Setsushi and Kouyo before...
"Master Whitestone?" he guesses.
If Kouyo went with Kumoru, "I should go to see him." Setsushi is not sure he could pay for Master's services, anyway, as Setsushi is but a mere cook... sweatdrop
... Though it is strange that Kouyo should choose go with Kumoru, after... ... ...
... Setsushi stiffens, freezing for a second in the act of placing the last armful of books atop the stack, then stands up quickly. Actually, he should go "now."
... Assuming he doesn't faint from the sudden movement, he thinks as a shiny world wobbles around him.
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:52 am
"Aodhagan Whitestone," he confirms with a nod, then adds only half-jokingly, "But Master works, too." He makes an elaborate bow, and then, as soon as Setsushi is finished and out of the dark staff room, kicks the remains of the cardboard box back into the room and shuts the door.
"Kumoru comes in in two hours, I think," Aodhagan tells him with a vaguely concerned look. "... You're not going to pass out in my store, are you?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 8:59 am
"Two hours is too long a time," Setsushi mumbles, blinking slowly as the world realigns before his eyes. "I must seek him first..."
He turns, steps back, and cautiously bows to Aodhagan, slowly and not so deeply. "I hope to serve you again," he says, a somewhat ritualistic farewell -- but please forgive Setsushi's rudeness, as he must go now, before anything irreversible happens.
... ... ... And also so that he will not pass out in the store, yes.
With that, he turns to go, pulling out his wallet to look up the other mage's address again. ... And as he's realized the source of all this weakness is possibly that he hasn't eaten since noon of yesterday, to buy a piece of bread at one of the other stores. sweatdrop
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:08 am
[...]
Sustained by a little bit of food, Setsushi manages to navigate the bus system and arrive at Kumoru's residence as quickly as possible. Managing to escape arrest for his real weapons (though not a number of disturbed stares) he nearly trips over himself hurrying to the door and knocking at the same time he calls, "Kumoru? Kouyo?"
If neither is there, Setsushi may have a heart attack... And if they are there, but Setsushi finds something he fears...
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Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:15 am
Lucretia answers the door, looking pleasantly surprised to see Setsushi. They hardly ever got visitors, and most of the time it was Bhel's mother Aylana.
"Oh, hello," she says, occupying the doorway. "Kumoru is out shopping right now, and Kouyo is still asleep," the Raevan tells him. "Do you want me to deliver a message to them or something?"
Jilan is nearby and wanders over when he hears Setsushi's voice. Peering out under his sister, he waves a little to the Knight. Is he here looking for Kouyo? ... The boy is a bit surprised that Kouyo did not tell him he would be here.
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