[AQ/X-Mod] What's in News? [Yasuko K/Juon]

[Juon]

SPOILER: Click to show

The News Room
+ Description: For some reason or another, you (and maybe someone else, too) have wound up in the Library’s storage room--maybe you’re helping a teacher or librarian find something, maybe you’re just snooping around--but in looking for whatever you were interested in, you find something else… what is this, a lever?
+ Examine what the lever reveals: +2 Guardians, +2 Faberge, -1 Roost
+ Take from what the lever reveals: +1 Guardians, -2 Faberge, +2 Roost
+ Vandalize what the lever reveals: -2 Guardians, -1 Faberge, +2 Roost, +1
+ Decide not to pull the lever at all: +3 Guardians, -2 Faberge, -1 Roost
+ Requirements: Tag for X-mod
+ Submitted by

"Hey, can you help me by going and reorganizing the shelves in the storage room? I'll buy you lunch after, and put in a good word with your teachers; I'll get someone to help you, too. It's been too busy in here lately, I don't have time."

The Librarian had approached him earlier, very effectively bribing him into aiding him with some menial laborious task or another; the man had been too preoccupied with helping students find study and research materials, what with finals coming up, and Juon of course, though as well being there to try and get some study or quiet time, was able to do neither--nor did he also look the type to do so at all whatsoever, anyway, making him a great candidate. The second that was to be sent, though, Juon imagined, would be the first person the guy saw; probably someone also gullible enough to fall for something like, "Oh, yeah! There's all kinds of neat things back there to discover." or maybe, "There's all kinds of weird history in there." or even, "Yeah! You can keep anything interesting you find, I don't need it."

A sigh.

It was so easy to bribe him with free food alone, but a good word with teachers was icing on the cake. As unwilling as he was to actually execute the idea, the rewards that'd be in it for him by the end were justifying it, or so he told himself. Even Clip was in on the idea. "Do it for the end goal!" he'd chirped in his ear. "It's great for you! Focus on the you, not the him you're helping!"

Standing in the storage room--which was, frankly, a lot more like a closet, he crossed his arms, looking for anywhere that might be good to start. Though, he figured he might as well wait for this 'help' that was going to get dragged in to aid him, too; hopefully they wouldn't be dead weight.

[Yasuko Kobayashi]

Yasuko had just closed a textbook when the librarian approached. It was mildly startling, to say the least, when the adult came over to ask her for her help. In all honesty, the first-year wasn't entirely enthusiastic at spending time running errands for the librarian - finals were coming up, didn't he know that she had to keep her grades? - but at the mention of possibly getting a good standing with the teachers was something that she couldn't pass up. Plus, it was kind of flattering that an adult asked her for help, you know? Why not after all.

Besides, even if she didn't, Calli would whine continuously about how they wouldn't be able to get to see all the neat things back there to discover. And she'll probably end up doing it just to shut the fairy up. And to stop her big huge pleading eyes. Not that she was that easily swayed, but it had been getting harder to resist them recently. Whatever the reason, she was already packing up her things, swinging her bag over her shoulder to make way to the...location. The librarian mentioned that someone else was there already - the first-year wasn't entirely thrilled to work alongside someone else, but eh maybe they could be of some help.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Calli pipped up, flying in little circles with a large smile planted on her face. "We get to see what's behind the door and we get to meet a new student too! Isn't this exciting, Yasuko?"

"Everything's exciting to you, Calli."

"Well, this is more exciting!" The brunette fairy's eyes sparkled.

"Uh-huh."

Rounding a tall bookshelf, the first-year caught sight of a figure inside the storage room. A tall male (to which Yasuko gave an irritated sigh - everyone was so much taller than her, it was so unfair) with messy brown hair. And a dark complexion. Perhaps a foreigner? Or maybe he had been out in the sun for too long? In any case, Yasuko deduced that it was probably the first person the librarian had roped into helping. Setting down her bag on a nearby chair, she walked up towards the student. Something about him looked vaguely familiar...

Wait. Wait just a bloody second.

Nearly stumbling over herself, she quickly raised a finger, pointing at the male indignantly. "You again?!"

[Juon]

"Nyehehe, maybe we'll find something good in here!" Clip jeered, already floating about and beginning to explore the shelves. He was making his way in between (and inside of) boxes, peering inside of books and containers, propping open crates and bags, looking for anything that might be worth snatching up on a five-finger discount.

"Hey, hey; don't take anything," Juon pressed, though he didn't seem to be that serious about it. Admittedly, he was as well somewhat interested in whatever they might ultimately find in here, though of course he had no intention of actually swiping anything--this school was weird, and the more he heard about it, the more lore it apparently had; not that he imagined any of it could be all that interesting, but you never knew what you might be able to find, right? If nothing else, it gave him a twinge of motivation to try to run on.

His motivation was to be especially determined by his partner, who he heard from their footsteps as they came through the door. Turning to greet them, he raised a hand in wave, initially offering, "Hey, so we'r--"

A pause, as he caught a glimpse of the face.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Kobayashi Yasuko--an individual whose name he barely even remembered, because he'd tried to forget it so many times, and yet it just kept coming back. She was so annoying--fun to tease, sure, but she was a thorn in his side on every occasion, and the idea that they were now going to be forced to work together may as well have been a living nightmare.

Clip was quick to notice her, though, and zoomed his way out of hiding to face her. "Heeeeey! It's the scaredy cat!" He then looked up a little higher, senses tingling, only to see that she had a Guardian Character of her very own. "And friend!"

Juon was disinterested for the moment, only seeming to be wallowing in his own misery. "Let's just get this over with, alright?" he sighed. "I don't want this to take long."

[Yasuko Kobayashi]

"That's my line!" The girl cried, seething at the third-year. You've gotta be kidding me was certainly the words she would use to describe this situation. How many times had she met this guy again? Twice now? Now that she really thought about it, it didn't seem like a lot, but she would insist that it was a lot for her. He always had the wrong impression of her! And liked to insult her! And tease her! And it totally didn't help that he was taller than her either! At least the last two times they had seen each other, they weren't really required to be cooperative with one another.

Except now, it seemed that they needed to.

This was great.

But her attention quickly switched to the tiny sprite that flew out. "Scaredy--!" The first-year bristled, staring at the Guardian Character with a glare. Did he insult her last time? To be honest, she didn't really remember very clearly. But either way, that was totally wrong! With a huff, the girl crossed her arms across her chest, shooting the sprite a dirty look. "I'm not a scaredy cat!" She only ever really yelled in fright at 3 of the fairies before! It wasn't such a big deal!

Calli though, was absolutely thrilled. Another Guardian Character! She had met many ever since she had hatched, but it didn't mean that she wouldn't want to meet any more! With a squeal, the brunette fairy threw her hands up into the air. "And friend!" She repeated, her big blue eyes sparkling. He considered her a friend! More Guardian Character friends! This was awesome! Giggling, the tiny sprite flew up close to the other, eyes shining with both awe and curiosity. What was he supposed to be? Spiky hair, a mask, and a scarf...A mask...and a really long scarf....oh! "Are you a thief?!" She cried in delight, clasping her hands together in glee. She had met a pirate, but she had yet to meet a thief!

At Juon's words, Yasuko stared at the older male, scanning him from top to toe, watching him with a wary eye. She didn't seem to say anything or want to go into the closet. As if she was waiting for something. He wasn't going to insult her or tease her or something?!

[Juon]

"Hmmm, scaredy scaredy!" Clip continued to tease, flying circles around Yasuko a few times, before stopping as her Guardian Character approached him. He looked her up and down, smirking to himself, especially as she echoed him in introduction. As she flew up close and began examining him head-to-toe, he puffed himself up proudly, trying to make it look like a bigger, more impressive display than it actually was.

"That's right!" he chirped at her first guess. "I'm the best there is. You'd never even notice anything missing, after I'd gone through! I've got my priorities in order," he went on to boast, snickering to himself in glee. Calli would likely be terrible for his already over-inflated ego; but Clip, at least, would relish in that.

Juon meanwhile was waiting for her to do something; she was still just standing in the door, silent, unmoving. He'd turned to start working, but after no sound from behind him, he turned back, staring at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Well?" he prompted. "Are you going to help me, or just stand there like an idiot?" In the end, he'd only fulfilled her own prophecy in his own impatience. "Come on, grab a box, or something. There's a shitton in here to move. Just try not to break anything."

[Yasuko Kobayashi]

“Wha—!” Yasuko seethed at the flying sprite, swatting at him as if he was like a fly. Was he this insulting the first time they met?! Well either way, he was this third-year’s Guardian Character, so maybe they shared some traits with each other. She fumed angrily at him as he stopped, her Guardian Character interrupting whatever biting remarks she might throw at him.

Calli’s eyes grew big and wide; shining in awe as Clip continued to boost about himself. She was right! He said so! And he seemed so good at being one too! “Show me, show me!!” The brunette fairy requested with much eagerness, literally jumping at her spot (if that was even possible, considering that they were floating). It was quite clear from the Guardian Character’s actions, that she did not think of the potential consequences of asking Clip to demonstrate his thieving abilities. All she cared about was that it sounded like loads of fun!

“Wha—!” Yasuko cried once again, glaring at his face as if attempting to wound him somehow. Idiot? She was not an idiot! With a great big ‘hmmph!’ she walked in, her hands grasping the sides of the first box she saw. She was going to show him that she was a big responsible girl, and he’ll be sorry…!

…That is, if she didn’t nearly buckle under its weight. What kind of box did she lift up?! With a ‘Whoa!’ she quickly put it back with a great big ‘THUMP’, eyes keeping gaze onto the box, not looking at Juon. She hoped to god the third-year didn’t see what a mess she made out of herself.

[Juon]

"Heheheh, watch this!" Clip went on to boast after being prompted, immediately zooming toward one of the shelves and disappearing behind some boxes. There were noises here and there as he bumped into things, clinging and clanging as he moved through tight spaces between objects, things falling and tumbling down to the shelf beneath.

Juon wasn't so pleased, having started reaching for a box, only to notice Clip's antics and call over his shoulder, "Hey, quit it! I said don't take anything!"

In doing so though, he noticed the loud thump coming from behind him, only to see a box on the floor in front of Yasuko. With a loud sigh (but no words uttered toward her), he lifted the box that he'd just been reaching for--which wasn't too heavy; maybe a few kg at most--and handed it to her, before crouching down to pick up the much heavier box and get it out of the way. While he grunted with the effort, he didn't seem to have too much trouble with it. Swim muscles.

Clip came bursting back out from the shelves, though, carrying a 100Y coin, but he seemed to be preoccupied with something else entirely. "I saw something!" he gasped, out of breath from his excursion. "Something secret! Back there--something... like a switch! A lever? Secrets!"

[Yasuko Kobayashi]

Watching as the Guardian Character sped off into the shelves, the brunette fairy giggled with glee, her eyes shining as she waited with bated breath. What would the thief produce from the storeroom? What kind of treasures would he come by? Maybe not just a treasure trove of physical gold and silver, but maybe one of books and stories from long ago! Ahhh what a dream! The Guardian Character would certainly sigh happily over such thoughts - if not for the sounds of Clip navigating down the shelf. Blinking, she stared at the moving items, before laughing and giggling, clapping her hands over and over in glee as if to cheer him on. She didn't know how quiet thieves were supposed to be, but it was fun and that was all that mattered!

She clapped her hands together again when she saw the shiny coin in his hands, a bright grin on her face. But as the other talked of his discovered, the sprite immediately squealed, her eyes sparkling. "Secrets!" the brunette fairy repeated, throwing her hands up into the air in excitement. "Where do you think it leads?! Do you think there will be treasure behind it? Or controversial secrets the school doesn't want us to know about? Or maybe it's a portal to another world!" She couldn't contain herself; she was already daydreaming of all the potential scenarios it could be, blabbing on and on to Clip.

The first-year though, was entirely impervious to the two Guardian Characters, her face burning with embarrassment as she stared at the heavy box in front of her. As the third-year sighed and walked over to her, she braced for his words - some form of laughing, or insult or tease or whatsoever - but was suddenly surprised by a weight upon her hands. Nearly dropping the box, she regained her balanced, staring with a baffled look at his back. He wasn't going to say anything?! By this time, she was sure her brother Yasuo would be laughing at her for all eternity, teasing her for her lack of strength. But she said not a word, bringing the lighter box along behind him. She was far more engrossed over her rather...ahem, silly not entirely well-thought out decision.

"Let's go, let's go!!" The brunette fairy pulled at the thief's scarf, her eyes shining with excitement. She wanted to find out what was behind it!!

[Juon]

"Treasure!" the small thief squeaked immediately, ignoring everything Calli had said immediately after, far too distracted with the promise of treasure and riches that they might find via pulling the lever and uncovering its secrets. Almost without hesitation, he started zooming back in to go and find it once more, not realizing that the other sprite had been clinging onto his scarf; he faltered at first, but quickly continued on again, grabbing it so as to drag her along behind as they went on their adventure.

Juon had ended up with somewhat of a delayed reaction, only looking up to look for the two again when they'd already gone and disappeared; "Huh? What's this about a lever?" he offered, but they were already nowhere to be found. Setting down the heavy box he'd been lugging over by the door to keep out of the way, he then looked to Yasuko with a puzzled look. "What about a lever? What did they find?"

But Clip was already on it, having returned to the scene of the crime and staring at the large lever with wonderment flooding in his eyes. "Not a moment to lose!" he chirped, floating up and pushing down on the lever with all of his might, until it flipped down with a loud clunk.

junko ୧( ॑ധ ॑)୨ Miuna

[Miuna]

There was a slight rumbling in the room, heard only by the two unlucky enough to cause it and those that were unfortunate enough to walk past. It was followed by the creaking of a bookshelf being dragged across the floor and then another clunk as one more gear locked into place. As the room shifted dust rose in the air, a telltale sign of age as newly formed cobwebs jittered and broke apart completely. As each hidden mechanism slid into place the area behind the lever pushed and pulled. During more quiet hours the noise would be heard throughout the library, but with students running in the halls and sports teams shouting outside the sound was muffled almost completely. Finally after some time the vibrations stopped to reveal an old niche in the room.

It was small, allowing at most only one or two people to slide through at a time. On the floor of the tiny space was a hole with two metal rungs nailed to the side. Though the area was now open to the low light of the storage room it remained dark, the ladder leading to nothing but a pitch black tunnel below. There were footprints in the dust surrounding the hole and the faintest of smudges on the metal ladder, most likely left by a fellow student or teacher.

Either way, it was clear they were not the first group of people to find the lever and the secret passageway. Nor would they be the last.

[Yasuko Kobayashi]

With a squeal, Calli was taken on the ride of her life! Clip was so fast and agile; and she certainly didn't expect the other to suddenly take off with her still gripping onto his scarf. As they arrived at their destination, the brunette fairy landed flat onto her face; rubbing her head as she slowly got up with a groan. But at the sight of the lever, she ended up squeeing with excitement, and waited with bated breath as the thief pushed down onto the lever. What were they going to find...?

"Huh?" Yasuko hadn't realised that the Guardian Characters did anything at all; and the moment Juon said something, she immediately whipped around to search for the fairies. She was in a bit of a panicked state; she didn't know Clip long enough to sense he might be loads of trouble (though surely by this point, that get-up would certainly alert anyone), but Calli was enough of an idiot to get both herself and the first-year into hot boiling water. And she certainly didn't want to face any form of punishment with the third-year.

But the sound of rumbling gears made the first-year stop in her tracks - her first thought immediately being what the hell did Calli do?! - before yelping in surprise as the bookshelf slid across the floor. What was that?! Why did the bookshelf just do that?! What did her stupid Guardian Character do now?! She daren't move as she stared at the opening, blinking as she did so.

Calli had to come out to see what was causing all of that noise - and she immediately squealed. "Look look!!" She turned around to the thief, pointing at the opening. "Se--!" But she didn't finish her words, as Yasuko yelled at her, storming over to the Guardian Character. "Calli!" The first-year seethed, glaring at the tiny sprite. "What the hell did you do?!"

[Juon]

"Ohhhhhh no."

Juon grimaced as the room began whirring to life in a flurry of clunks and clicks, watching in a pained awe as things began to shift, the bookshelf going so far as to slide back to reveal something on the floor. "You've got to be kidding me," he groaned, only for the squealing voice of Yasuko to pique up from beside him. "I see it!" he insisted, puffing out an already-frustrated sigh.

"Ha-haaaaa! The world's greatest thief strikes again!" Clip jeered, immensely proud of himself as he immediately zoomed over to float down near the opening, checking it out thoroughly and examining it from all angles. Turning to Calli, he struck a pose, calling out, "Pretty great, right?"

Looking to Yasuko with dread, and then back to the panel, Juon approached it, kneeling down to get a better look; it was very much... a hole. And it lead down into the darkness. And it seemed pretty ominous. "Having a basement is one thing, but hiding it with a lever?" he sighed. "The hell is this school..." Turning back to the first year, he seemed not the least bit curious, but imagined that Clip--and probably Calli--certainly would be. ".... Did you think the librarian intended for whatever's down here to get organized, too?"

[Miuna]

The pitch black tunnel seemed to spill into the room, the edges slowly swallowed up by the darkness. Whatever the two had uncovered was clearly trying to escape and the only options were to jump down or close it up. They could still close the passageway and turn around, never looking in the direction of the storage room again. It was an option for all those that wandered too close to the abyss and found yet another secret of the school. They always had that choice, but would they take it?

If they decided to pursue their sudden thrill of adventure and jump down the rabbit's hole they'd find a sturdy ladder, slightly grimy from the passing of time and people's hands. Nevertheless it wouldn't shake as they lowered themselves into the depths of the strange passageway, finally ending in a narrow tunnel for them to follow. The darkness above would only thicken at this point, save for a tiny outline of a door at the end. The tunnel would be straight, no twists or turns to try and trick its explorers.

Finally the door. A heavy door with an old knob slightly askew, the metal just as grimy as the ladder. It would take a few tries but they could push it open if they truly wanted to, just as most secrets in this school could be found with a bit of hard work.

But of course, all of this would only be found if they decided to follow the strange passageway. At Seiyo Academy, ignorance was bliss.

[Yasuko Kobayashi]

"I-uh--" The Guardian Character stammered at the first-year, giving her a sheepish smile. Technically it was Clip that found the lever and pulled it but...the brunette fairy was so curious! The whole thing sounded like secrets! Or maybe even treasure! But as the other Guardian Character turned to her, Calli couldn't help but squeal, nodding immensely at the other's proclamation. "World's greatest thief!" She repeated, throwing her hands up into the air, before looking back at Clip with bright shining eyes. "It was brilliant!" she said, clapping her hands together as if she was applauding Clip for a spectacular show. "I can't believe the lever leads to this!"

As the brunette fairy turned to the other, Yasuko simply stared bewildered at the two fairies. Why were they so excited over this?! This whole thing sounded absolutely dangerous! And possibly lead them down a path of no return or something! Okay, the first-year was certainly being dramatic. She looked back at Juon - returning a similar expression of dread to the third-year. At the other's words, she simply shook her head in exasperation, sighing afterwards. First Guardian Characters...then X-eggs...then the whole factions thing that were somehow related to it all..."I don't know - this school is getting weirder and weirder the more I stay. I came here to have a normal high school life; but I get nothing of the sort at all." She looked over the opening, grimacing at the darkness. "...Honestly I have no idea, but I don't want to go down there. If the school wants to hide something with a lever I don't want to be a part of it--"

It was only then did the first-year made the connection - "Wait just an absolute second-" - and immediately she turned back towards the two fairies, seething at Clip. "You did this?! Why the hell did you do that for?!"

"I wonder what's down there?" Calli was so curious; she wanted to know what was hidden down there! She peered over the opening - but it was so dark and she squinted this way and that, trying to find a some way to see the bottom. Engrossed in her task, the Guardian Character subconsciously began to lean over; honestly what was down there?

But soon she realised she couldn't back up - she had leaned over too far and lost her balance. Tipping over, Calli quickly fell into the hole with a resounding cry.

[Juon]

"What even is a 'normal high school life' anymore," he sighed rhetorically in response, looking a little farther over the hole in an attempt to try and get a glance of anything down there. It was hard to even process that this was happening--there was no way it could be anything weird or ominous, right? It was just going to be a maintenance hatch, or something; that was the only explanation. Maybe some tunnels running underground that connected buildings, so that workers could get easily from one end of campus to another? ... That seemed kind of big-budget, though, even for a school like Seiyo--plus, the library was one of the newest buildings on campus, right? So it seemed maybe even less-likely...

Clip was quite proud of himself, though, especially as he was called out, flashing Yausko a big 'ol grin in return, extremely pleased and offering in response but a devious chain of giggles. Turning around, though, he only caught the end of Calli's tumble, seeing just a flash of her before she was consumed by the darkness.

"... Pain in the ass," Juon muttered, immediately letting himself get down to reach after her on instinct; he ended up losing some of his balance, too, and tipped into the hole headfirst. Grappling about for a moment, he'd managed to grab onto a rung of the ladder, which let him get rightside up, only for him to land on the floor of the tunnel, which was... not as far from the hole as he'd been expecting.

"Owww," he sighed, checking himself out for a moment (some bruises later for sure, but no major injuries...) before fetching his phone from his pocket, bringing the screen to life and sliding his brightness to max, only to turn the screen and flash it down the hall. He wasn't expecting to see anything but more hallway, but lo and behold, a door was sitting not too far away. "The hell is that?" Pausing, he then looked back up at Yasuko. "Hey, you might want to come down here."