Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): Monster Academy - Everybody Hates The Warlock

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik popped off into the dark side of the bleachers and disappeared, only to fade back into the book stacks of the library. Of course, he arrived pretty close to a minotaur and a kitsune snogging behind the shelves- strange world, eh?

After beating a hasty departure to avoid causing any trouble, Darrik went through the shelves looking for any, any book that had Shinigami information.

[Justin OOC]

The library was completely devoid of any material pertaining to shinigami. it had plenty on spirits and such, but there was nothing on them.

[Toby Lupin]

By the time he was frustratedly finished with searching, Darrik came to the observation that it was getting late, and he'd best visit Kyohei soon. Of course, he felt that, 'mooching' comment aside, he should bring something. Of course, he wasn't a good cook. So what could he bring?

The answer came, but he was low on those... what the hell. Darrik used his shadow-walking to get to his room, and dug out a dish of Golden Trout Caviar. Golden Trout were naturally colored a shimmering shade of gold, thanks to the natural magic of the Valley of Magic where their rivers were.

But the real benefit was their massive egg laying capacities growth rate and the taste of the eggs themselves. Golden Trout eggs were a delicacy, albeit one relatively available. He doubted Kyohei had anything like these.

He wrapped up the container- something he'd brought from home- and set off for Kyohei's room.

[Justin OOC]

In the room, a cleaned up Kyohei worked for tonight's meal, a mixed chicken and beef stirfry. Yuuki would be in soon, and likely darrik as well, so he made enough for the three of them. The odor was strong and made most of the passing monsters outside jealous. It smelled great, and most would have killed for a homecooked meal by Yuuki, not knowing it was Kyohei who cooked.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik was soon enough at the door, in a new change of clothes and bearing a crimson dish covered by a light cloth, the precious Golden Trout eggs inside. The smell outside made his mouth water. This would be a good dinner- if the conversation didn't ruin things by chance.

*knock knock*

[Justin OOC]

"It's unlocked.!" Kyohei called out. he didn't dare leave the kitchen, not with an open flame still going.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik smiled and went inside, setting his precious delivery down on the table. "I thought that I should be bringing something over, so we'll have Golden Trout caviar with whatever you're making."

[Justin OOC]

"Seafood was all that was gonna be missing." He nodded. "take a seat, it'll be ready in a bit."

"Why were you asking about my grnadmother?"

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik sat back in the chair... well, he wasn't ready to outright say this anyway. "I'll tell you a later time. Suffice it to say that I've been looking for the answers to some of our problems, and I've found some. I'm not opening up the can of worms yet until I talk to the Headmaster. I'm sorry, but you wouldn't want to hear this anyway."

[Justin OOC]

"Darrik, consider who i am, who my sisters are, and where I currently am. It can't be so bad, or rather, so hard to believe."

[Toby Lupin]

"I still beg to differ," Darrik responded quietly, "but like I said, I'll tell you, but you'll have to wait. In the meantime, I should ask... what do you know about Shinigami?"

[Justin OOC]

"Never heard of them. I assume it's a type of Yokai?"

[Toby Lupin]

"No," Darrik lowered his voice in case Hina heard, "more like the things we don't talk about too much. The rulers of the spirits, the entities that keep life and death in balance. Apparently, one of them- somehow halfblooded- is the killer of Saizo. I found that out."

[Justin OOC]

Kyohei shook his head. "So it's like the yokai boogieman then? And evidently there's more than one."

"So how do we find this shinigami?"

[Toby Lupin]

"I'm still researching the issue, though I don't think there's much we could do about Isamu Noriega- our specific culprit- at the moment. We'll see what I can come up with."

[Justin OOC]

"Alright, so what do we do now?"

He shook his head. He'd had his own issues as of late. This was something else entirely. Something the yokai kept secret entirely.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik shrugged. "We put it off our minds and we eat. I'll be the one to worry about this later." And so they did, in a more somber mood, but the food all in all was good and soon they relaxed and discussed classes, school, etc.

Finally, Darrik thanked Kyohei and made his departure back to his room. The book awaited him there, and he sat down beside it for long moments before opening it up. "What vulnerabilities does a Shinigami have?"

[Justin OOC]

"Other Shinigami, The Auditors."

More appeared below.

"They have no known weakness, and many have proven to be highly resistant to one or more entire families of attack vectors."

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik closed his eyes and let out a low groan of pure frustration. Of course, with that kind of reputation, there was always the chance that the Shinigami had a weak spot, but apparently the rumors were quite true as to the power of these beings. It was at this point that he saw a note under the front door of his room.

After he retrieved the envelope and opened it up, a message in Ruby's handwriting flew out, presenting itself in front of him.

The Headmaster is back and would like you to come to his office as soon as possible. - Ruby

Darrik folded it up, semi-relieved that he could bring the matter up with the Headmaster, and perhaps some avenue of solution to the problem would present itself in time. He went back, flipped closed the Book of Lost Secrets and locked it up safely in the strongbox once more. Then he paced out into the shadows, and out by the waiting area to the Headmaster's office.

He took a moment to straighten out his clothing, and then entered...

[Justin OOC]

The headmaster sat at his desk. "What can I do for you Darrik, seeing as this is twice now you have willingly entered into my office."

[Toby Lupin]

"Well, the risks of doing so were outweighed by not telling you what I've found out." Darrik replied with a worried face. "I've been doing some research with the Book of Lost Secrets... I've identified Saizo's killer. A half-blooded Shinigami by the name of Isamu Noriega."

[Justin OOC]

"Is that all you know?"

He sounded curious, and a little suprised.

The use of the tern Shinigami didn't even seem to faze him at all.

[Toby Lupin]

"No," Darrik shook his head uncomfortably as he gave these next few words voice. "There's one other thing. As I said, Noriega is half-blooded. I don't know if this is related to his presence in the school in any way... but his mother is listed as Keiko Sokatsu. Kyohei's grandmother."

[Justin OOC]

"I see."

"Have you shared this with anyone else Darrik?"

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik paused, and nodded one. "I had to speak with Kyohei to confirm that Keiko Sokatsu was related to him. I told him about the Shinigami, but not that he seems to be related to Noriega. That's all."

[Justin OOC]

"Idiot."

The word carried the promise of building wrath.

"He has enough to deal with Darrik, without bringing his heritage up, here within the walls of this academy. Do you think saying that word is a light thing? By now the Lords will know, and they will come."

Hell, Aoi might actually petition to come and be allowed, now that you've done such a foolish thing."

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik's eyes widened at the anger in the Headmaster's voice, but grew flat. It had been in private, in Kyohei's own room, and Darrik had limited his words in the discussion. But he turned visibly angry too, for the Headmaster clearly knew more than he was letting on, and knew well about Aoi and the family of Kyohei.

And Darrik did not appreciate being sent into what had been a clear death trap nearly. "It was in strong privacy, just him and I, and I was quite circumspect about what I said." Darrik growled back. "I don't know how that is an issue, or how the word would get there. Is that more foolish than sending a teacher and students out to an angel's deathtrap with full awareness of what was going on?"

"Sorry, but leaving us in the dark nearly cost us Delilah's life. Remarkable regard for your students and academy then. Why?"

[Justin OOC]

"Because nobody knew. They even fooled me there boy."

The admission was hot with anger. "I expected Karoma to be there to collect Kyohei, and she's a fairly standup fighter. All of you would have easily been able to defeat her. Haruna, however is something you aren't prepared for, and Aoi even less so."

"Word gets around Darrik because we have students with senses beyond anything a human can match. More people know he's human than I care for. So far no one has tried to use that knowledge, but let some less scrupulous monsters find it and we can have a major disaster on our hands."

He shook his head. "Go back to your friends and return the book. Ask no more of it about any of this. Knowledge in this case is going to prove too dangerous for all of you. I will handle this situation this time. Speak no more of Shinigami at my Academy."

[Toby Lupin]

"Very well." Darrik's tone lessened, but he still seemed no happier. What was the Headmaster's game here? "Then if you will excuse me sir?" After the Headmaster brusquely nodded, Darrik turned and left. Plodding frustratedly, he went back to his room. The Headmaster knew too much.

But as he stared at the Book of Secrets, he decided something. He would return the book, but not before he did some more reading. Sympathetic magic. That's what Noriega seemed to be preparing for. Now to counter it.

Open and ask. "How can one counter sympathetic magic?"

[Justin OOC]

"Remove the articles used to affect the targets from the spell circle."