Magical (A Quest of Vacations, or Starsigns, or Something Else)

"...My friend Raspberry says you're a pretty good artist," You comment, quietly, wondering what she's gotten off to. Maybe the group has started research without you. "Why did you decide to become a librarian?" It just doesn't seem like a logical career change.

"The principal owed me a favor." This isn't exactly how you expected this sort of explanation to start. "I did something to help him, oh, centuries ago, and he offered to give me help if I ever needed it. Something happened, I figured I should stay out of the public eye for a bit... no one pays attention to academy staff."

Given that Biscotti is the only one you'd heard a great deal about before coming here, you can't help but agree.

"...But the library?"

"There was an open position." Which still explains nothing, and reminds you that you haven't even heard Caramel's theory about what happened to the last person to have this man's job.

Cider Rainbow is a mystery, and you still don't have that many pieces of the puzzle.

---

You get a very basic sticker code translation paper about fifteen minutes later, after twenty sheets of unrelated paper, a computer crash, and three printer errors.

"What operating system even is this?" Mister Rainbow complains under his breath as you walk away. "Ketchup, what did you do!?"

You think you'll leave him to it.

You find the others already gathered around a table, though only Raspberry's book appears to be entirely on topic. Maybe Caramel's, you've never claimed to understand music.

Why Paprika feels the need to look through The Unabridged Bestiary of Baklava, however, is very much beyond you.

"You actually found something?" Caramel sounds begrudgingly impressed.

"No, I... had to get another one printed out, and I think something is wrong with the school computers." Not that it really matters to you when the only ones with access to the school computers are staff members and students of Machinery magic, but it could still probably have some sort of impact. Such as how long it took for you to get something that you think everyone should have access to, if only so they can find the resources they need. That's the whole reason this school is here, isn't it? "...That or the librarian's just really bad with them."

"You actually talked to him?" Despite successfully keeping her voice down, Raspberry is at the edge of her seat.

You nod, though you're not sure how much it matters, really.


[ ] Describe your conversation in more detail.

[ ] Actually, you'd like to get something productive done today.

"I mean, mostly it was just about library stuff..." Really, if Raspberry wants to know more about him, she can just ask him himself. It's not like he's going to any great length to keep a major secret, or anything.

At least, not that she probably wouldn't be able to figure out for herself.

"I guess..." Her enthusiasm has notably dampened, though it's hard to notice compared to Paprika's sudden scrambling for her fallen bookmark. "So, do you at least know where to start looking for books, now?" That would be stuff with water stickers on them, wouldn't it?

You nod. "I should, as long as I can read this right." It's far from a whole, comprehensive, list, but you think you might need an actual dictionary for one of those. And at that point, you'd be better off searching the library's computer files for whatever book you need, total lack of experience with machinery or not.

You search the shelves for a book, and then you get to work.

---

For completely understandable reasons, Paprika refuses to volunteer Zulian for testing or demonstrations. She says she'll just find a ricebird or something to bring in on the day of presentations, never mind that you have no idea where she'd find one. Back before the school was built, you've heard ricebirds used to gather on the nearby hill, but they've all moved to places that are less populated by now.

And you're not sure anyone has ever tried introducing a regular animal to Pizza's services. Not that you have any idea what his rules are about that sort of thing. You've never dealt with the being everyone refers to as the Warphat.

Still, other than that, you've been making progress over the past few days. You've confirmed that Raspberry's preferred paints are water-soluble and seen Paprika and Caramel engage in a debate over the rights of gummy worms and worm charmers.

Personally, you're more interested in the fact that Caramel can make his lyre sound like a flute in the first place, but he's more interested in worm charming than in answering your questions.

There's also whispers in the hallway that Miss Madeleine was late to class today, but you don't think that matters when you don't attend her class to begin with.

...Speaking of classes, however, people are already discussing what afternoon classes, if any, they're going to sign up for. There's a lot of general interest in Professor Maplewood's classes, if only because he's new to teaching at the school, though you haven't seen the list of subjects yet. The complete list, and ability to sign up for these classes, won't be available for another four days.

Still, you've all decided to take a break from working on your project for the afternoon, so what are you going to do now?


[ ] Visit the meditation room.
-[ ] To talk with the pond spirit.
-[ ] To battle a magic doll.
-[ ] To see if Raspberry's eavesdropping spot yields any useful information.

[ ] Visit the library.
-[ ] Read about Kovomaka's Elite Mage Force.
-[ ] Read about the different types of magic.
-[ ] Read about monster varieties on Kovomaka.
-[ ] Read about art history.

[ ] Maybe go outside for a bit?
-[ ] Some of Miss Madeleine's class is playing together on the grounds... you recognize Sorbet and Cocoa, at least.
-[ ] Professor Maplewood appears to be doing something at the moment...

Today, you feel like going outside. You haven't really gotten any fresh air since classes started, and it would be nice to spend some time in the sunlight. Plenty of other students seem to have the same idea, boarders and commuters alike playing out on the grass.

There's four groups that you can see. One of them is playing a ball game you don't know, another is sitting around with books. You can't tell what the people in the distance are doing, but it's probably either some form of game or ritual. You don't recognize any of these students.

You do, however, recognize a group near the gate as containing Sorbet and Cocoa, as well as a human you don't recognize.

"You know, my Dad and Uncle Kirche went to this school, too," The stranger says as he leans against the wall encircling the school. "Uncle doesn't say a lot about when he was a student, but apparently he was some kind of hero? That's what Dad says, at least."

"We didn't exactly ask for your life story..." Sorbet sighs. She glances up as she notices your approach. "..Oh, Rye. Have you seen Sugar anywhere?"

"I think she and Merlot were talking at lunch." You haven't really spoken to anyone from other classes in a while. "Did you need her for something?"

"I was just wondering... anyway, Pico, this is Rye Seabreeze, from Sir Mustard's class. Rye, this is Pico Pintail. He said he'd show us around, but..."

"I think we learned more from the rocket thing," Cocoa opines. What rocket thing? "Which is strange, since he's apparently been here basically forever... I guess nobody ever said he was learning anything."

"I'm right here." The air gets subtly warmer as he makes this assertion, though it wasn't exactly cold out to begin with. "Do you want to know the best places to hide around the school or not?"

"...I'm not sure I need to know that..." Cocoa mutters. "I mean, with how big this place is, hide and seek sounds like a pretty terrible idea... and I'm not sure how well it'd work for me, anyway. My friends at home like to drag me into caves so they don't need to bring lanterns."

You blink. "...What happens if you're exploring at night?"

"We warp back after one of us gets a twisted or broken ankle." The response is immediate, as though it's happened several times before. "That's probably why they don't want me taking afternoon classes, thinking about it..."

"Your friends sound like they suck," Pico says. "Everyone knows you can't explore very well if you can barely see!"

"They might also have been concerned about waking up the cave monsters."

Sorbet glances at her. "Didn't you say your friends are all pretty good at fighting?"

"Yes. That's because we once made the mistake of waking up the cave monsters." Cocoa shudders. "I don't want to talk about it." Yeah, that seems fair.

...How did you get on this subject again?



[ ] ...Where do Pico and Cocoa come from, anyway?

[ ] You heard something about exploring the school?

[ ] So, what's Miss Madeleine's class like?