In which his account name is proven.

[in_over_his_head]

1) [Post Mission]
[To say the attempted delivery of Durandal had ran into complications was an understatement. Noise everywhere. Noise being summoned by a girl with supernatural abilities similar to Hibiki and Tsubasa. Loni showing up. Tsubasa using her Swan Song and then ending up like this. And it can't be forgotten that everyone came close to dying several times over throughout.]

.........

[Calvin himself found himself having several repeated close brushes with death, saved only by dumb luck or the intervention of others. Primarily Theo and Tsubasa. So there he sits in his office, face set in a tight grimace as he chugged mug after mug of coffee while trying to work on his investigation.]

2)
[Outdoors at Alhambra, the Thirteenth Genoace Team and Calvin are standing by a hole. Calvin soon chucks a familiar looking stone into the hole like it did him great injustice. It simply dropped with a dull thud, undamaged. It was then Calvin proceeded to empty a gas can into the hole.]



"Inspector?.... Calvin? Just want to be sure here. You're sure that the Cave Dwelling Old Librarian Lady with the Skeleton Fish Helpers said we had to do this?"

[Calvin lowers his head as the can finally lets out a gurgle as it was finally emptied. He thought back to the Archive and the conversation with its keeper.]

So this whole thing... this stone's some kind of map?



"Indeed. It was crafted by an old friend of mine. The Lady of Flame. Through the use of old magics this stone would reveal the keys to the Gate of Sorrows. To where the Ebon King was imprisoned. He who had inflicted the end of our age. A madness that those who yet linger suffer from. The madness that had stripped my very name from my mind. Though it would seem to be tempting, simply destroying the stone will bring suffering in the end. For if they even stumble upon a single key, they may scry from it to seek the rest. Young ones. Though this war is one long past and should not be your burden, I am ashamed to ask for you to complete this final task for those who came long before you."

But you said it uses magic to-

"There is a secret to divining the knowledge within it. For even in times of magic there were those who lacked it, and thus provisions had to be made for them to serve. I shall grant you the knowledge to unlock it, the book of tongues to decipher the ancient words that will lead you to the keys.... and the first of that which the foe seeks... for if they sought my archive, it is truly no longer safe here."

I... alright... this is a lot to take in... but alright... so... what's this knowledge?

"It is..."

[He chucks the can aside, letting it bounce off a wall with a plastic clunk before taking out several matches, lighting one up... then tossing the entire box in along with the lit one. As it all bursts into flames he gives the others a look of irritation.]

She said to set it on fire! SO THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING! SETTING IT ON FIRE!

[The stress from everything's been getting to him... if this doesn't turn up a lead he's going to be tremendously disappointed.]

So the fire extinguishers and camera better be ready or so help me....

Comments

1

[star_of_sad]

Um. Hello.

[Setsuko knocks on the half-open door to the office while peeking inside.]

[in_over_his_head]

Door's open. If its important, say what you need then go. If its not then just go.

[Calvin looks like a mess. Hair a complete mess, clothes crumpled and the appearance of a man who has not slept in a while as he just chugs more coffee as he flips through several files and books to make several notes.]

[star_of_sad]

...

[Setsuko takes a step away from the door. If it's privacy you want, you'll get it.]

I know how it feels.

Really well.

[in_over_his_head]

I...

[Calvin pauses and sets his mug down, covering his face with his hands.]

I suppose you would...

[star_of_sad]

I'm sorry. I'll be going now.

[Setsuko knows when to give others personal space. She wanted to maybe offer some encouragement... but now is not the time.]

1

[beast_of_scripture]

Calvin?

[Here comes the Dark Savior, he seems to have not been too badly injured. Considering the damage his Deus Machina took.]

Are you alright?

[Looks like he's back to normal as well.]

[in_over_his_head]

No. No I am not alright. I am in all honestly freaking the absolute hell out right now.

[With that he downs his coffee, still hot mind you - practically burning his throat before letting out an aggravated yell and banging his head on his desk.]

This is too much. Way too much. I'm not sure how I'm even alive. I just bungle through one bad situation after another. First it was those vampires in Romania. Then demons in Japan. Then Necromancers with zombies that knew Muay Thai. Now this. All of this.

Its not just because of nearly dying every damn time... its having to watch other people inch that line too. Especially here. Especially when they've got all these powers, all this...

You know what I mean Theo... you're magic. You saved my life out there a whole bunch of times.

[beast_of_scripture]

...to be honest I barely remember what happened out there after a certain point.

If it means anything I have a lot of respect for you, I mean you're still here after going through all of that, even without the abilities some of us have.

I've seen people with more than you have run away from less.

[in_over_his_head]

You managed to give the manchild a serious run for his money for one thing. You did something called a Hyperborea Zero Drive that froze most of his machine over.

And...

[Calvin chews on his lip a moment as he raises his head and toys with the mug in his hand.]

That does mean something. Thanks...