"And that’s all we heard. We have thoughts, but we’re leaving it to Alicia—till she can get so more information," Hotaru stated.
Kazuo, who had just co back ho at night, was setting his keys on the mantlepiece, alongside sothing he slipped towards the back. "Hm, that’s interesting... I might go join her in that endeavour then."
"We have no idea where she is," Jotou replied from the sofa.
"I barely know half the ti anyhow," Kazuo said under his breath. "Regardless," he held a hand to his chin, "High school, gang involvent, possible drop off, Mandrake... Did she ever ntion the gang’s na?"
"Just a Green-Grilled Johnes," Asobi poked a wand under her chin.
"Green-Fillet," Fuko corrected. "And Alicia said he’s from the Black Ladybug Boys?"
His eyes narrowed, "...An average-sized gang."
"Average being?" Hotaru queried.
"A hundred-ish mbers strong—very tight-knit. They get away with a lot minor things; the major things can’t be proved very well."
Fuko scoffed with a sly grin, "Even for you?"
"I’m sure if I wanted to put my full attention onto it, I could. They’ve generally been out of my focus, but maybe now they won’t be so lucky. You learned about this gang from your outing last night I assu," Kazuo glanced up to Fuko at the table.
Her eyes darted away, "So?"
"You didn’t drink anything, did you?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.
...
"Regardless, that gang being in Mandrake adds up. If Alicia thinks the next victim isn’t gonna be in Mandrake Borough and adding it all up... the next victim’s bound to wind up at Dolpool Academy.
We don’t have much on the runes and I don’t think we ever will with the resources we have. For now, we know the carving of those runes lead to a soul jumping out of the body.
If that pen has anything to do with the runes, it needs to be gotten and examined. The more we can find out about it, the better. I wouldn’t know the correlation between the gang and the Deuctus Cult, but I can think of multiple possible motives.
Regardless, I figure that that high school girl might be a part of the cult based on Alicia’s account," his mouth kept ticking, barely even considering how much information anyone else was taking in; his eyes were focused on nothing in particular.
"She might be under duress," Hotaru suggested.
"Maybe, but unlikely," Kazuo looked up to them all and, what was an unwinding man who had just co back ho from the stress of work, stood upright, rolled up his sleeves and picked up the things he had just set on the mantle.
He continued, "The stage is set, the serial killer ploy is revealed to the public—where better to do it than the most famous school, where graduates just had their ceremony and a new school year’s around the corner? In fact, she might be planning to be the next vic-"
"Ring! Ring-ring! Ring!"
Like glass shattering in a calm room, everyone turned to the sudden telephone ring.
The brunette blinked to it and picked it up in an instant, "Hello?"
"I thought for sure more people lived in that house," Alicia’s voice bubbled through.
"Not the ti. About the next victim, they might be-"
"At Dolpool Academy? Funny thing, that’s what I was callin’ for."
"Wait, what d’you find out," as Fuko’s eyes bubbled, Kazuo put his hand out in front of her. Fuko furrowed her brows up and with a groan handed the phone over.
"Alicia, what’s the situation?" Kazuo queried.
"Oh hellooo detective~ Listen, that interview’ll happen soti, but for now, sothing’s happening at Dolpool Academy."
"I figured."
"Well, figure it all you want, there’s two figures sneaking in. One’s the girl—I’m sure the little detective filled you in."
"The other?"
"So mystery man, midnight blue suit. I’m at a nearby booth, I can sorta see them, but no clue on whether they’ve spotted or not. I’d say he’s about, hm, hm, hm, ’bout taller than 1.7? Both seem to be focused on the building."
"Location. What’s their seeming point of entry?"
"East side’of the school, probably from Frulleint Road. They’re ’bout to- Oh, they’re jumping over the fence," her voice went back and forth as she got further then back closer to the phone. "I’m gonna tail in."
"Alicia, do you have anything to defend yourself? Alicia," all Kazuo heard was a long annoying beep. He sighed, "Hopefully that cara flash in the dead of night will give her so attempt of escape."
"A second person’s at the scene?" Hotaru’s ears pricked.
"I figure whoever’s gonna dress up the cri scene," Kazuo theorized. "I need to get there fast."
"Excuse you?" Fuko retorted.
"No ti to argue kiddo, take care of Kineko."
"You think we’re gonna stay here taking care of a sleeping Kineko?" Jotou was already halfway up the stairs and peered down.
"Look kid, let handle this, please."
"No, no way," Fuko shook her head. "You take care of Kineko, splitting any of the rest of us apart is a bad idea when we don’t know who we’re dealing with."
Kazuo closed his eyes tightly, "As much as I want to trust you with this, now’s not the ti for it, please listen."
Fuko huffed, "What’s that supposed to an?"
"Kid, you’re reckless, that’s undeniable."
Fuko glared, "Do you expect everything to go smoothly and safely in this line of work?"
"That mysterious man might be a bodyguard the cult sent, he might be a powerful caster. There’s no way we’re not going," Jotou said and made no pause as she rushed to her room.
"I’m with Jotou; if you can’t get a babysitter at this hour, then you’ll have to stay behind," Fuko rushed to the stairs.
Kazuo clenched his fist, "This’ll be-"
"A cri’s being committed as we speak, can we co to a decision!?" Hotaru shouted out.
Asobi chid in, "Soone might be dying, we can’t be late. Plus, Alicia."
...
They heard faint footsteps of Jotou upstairs—rushing.
Both father and daughter stared at each other, one with concern and the other with so form of determination...
"Dad," Fuko’s voice softened, but her face remained hardened with her resolve. "I promise, I won’t pursue the cult if we find any evidence like last ti.
Alicia might also be a good pair of eyes to have at the scene and she can report back to you about anything. I know, I know I screw up, but I have to try—I have to keep trying. Otherwise, how do I even get better?"
Kazuo stared for a re second, before his gaze went to the clock hands striking eleven sharp... "Alright, I’ll take care of Kineko. I’ll call Morgana or Peter if they’re free and see if they can help in any way.
Maybe pull up any information on that gang. The streets around Dolpool Academy will be relatively empty at this hour, so you’ll have an easier ti sneaking in."
Without another word, Fuko blinked up the steps and away; Hotaru and Asobi rushed up the steps right behind her. All the while Kazuo picked up the phone and began making a few calls.
_
In full adventuring attire, the four practically leapt out the door in a rush. A carriage awaited, with a driver probably expecting a higher paynt for the late hour.
As Fuko was about to leave.
"I need you to do three things for ," her dad’s voice made her turn. "Since I’m not going."
"What?"
"First, take care and be as safe as possible. Second, if there’s a cri scene, tamper with it gingerly. And, if the victim becos a victim, then as soon as you can, count the number of runic symbols on the body before any of them disappear. Got all that?"
Fuko’s eyes darted around in thought, "Yeah, I got it..." she then ran out the door.
"Good luck kid."
_
"How are we gonna climb this?" Asobi looked through the wrought iron fence around the school. Like Kazuo had said, not many road these streets at near-midnight.
Jotou handed ten gold pieces from her gloved palm, "You didn’t see us tonight."
The carriage driving dog-woman’s eyes widened and took the amount with barely any hesitation. "I didn’t see anything tonight," she responded and left as soon as possible.
Fuko stepped into shadow and reappeared on the other side of the fence.
"We can’t all do that ko," Hotaru’s ear ticked.
"Just climb before anyone sees us," Jotou grabbed the black tal and took a deep breath, before letting it out in a huff as she lifted herself up—boots against the gaps in the fence.
"There’re guards by the front gates," Fuko noticed.
"We-" Jotou grunted and carefully clambered onto the top of the fence, "-gotta be quick before they go patrolling around." She lent a hand down.
Hotaru took it and placed her feet against the fence. She wheezed as she pulled herself up with Jotou’s assistance. Halfway up she struggled to keep balance, but then Asobi pushed the redhead up by the back till Jotou could hoist her most of the way up.
The wolf-girl sighed as she got to the top and leaned the other way to get into the school grounds. But Jotou’s hand let go at the wrong mont on the way down and- "Thud."
She fell face first onto the cold grass and rolled over. "Sorry," Jotou hushed down.
"Nice job wolfy..."
Hotaru got up, disgruntled, "I’m not an expert at climbing fences," she hissed and dusted herself off.
Asobi held her wand in her teeth and tossed her hat over the fence. She climbed up and with one hoist by Jotou, was up there with the blonde.
Both hopping down, Jotou landed much like a cat and let her knees bend, whilst Asobi landed upright and threw her hands in the air, wand in one—she took a bow. Fuko pald her own face, "Let’s find Alicia first."
"Hey...! Over here...!" a coarse whisper ca from so shrubs further away, close to the dormitories. Out from it, poked out a head calling out for them.
"Found her," Asobi pointed. The streetlamps shined mild yellow light over her area.
Hurrying over to the shrubs, they saw Alicia covered in dirt and leaves, with her cara out—red, green and blue prongs all lowered and inserted into the slots behind the cara lens of the device.
"Oh wow, full uniform, now that’d be quite the grand shot," the reporter admired.
"Well, you’re not in danger at least," Fuko remarked.
"Co on little detective, I’m perfectly capable at handling myself."
"Anyway, the girl and the man, where’d they go? The dorms?" Jotou turned to see the entrance shut and seemingly locked—all curtains drawn close.
"It’s a loose trail, they went invisible as soon as they jumped the fence! It was flashy, fiery and poof like a phoenix they disappeared."
Fuko furrowed her brows, "Why after and not before?"
"Are you suggesting they wanted to be seen? Could this be a potential trap?" Alicia shared her perspective. "I don’t see the end goal of such a plot, but don’t take m’word for it."
"Great, that fills with confidence," Hotaru muttered.
"How d’you see them go in?" Jotou queried.
"I was lookin’ out for sounds. There were little impressions in the grass of footsteps from where they jumped, then the door didn’t open, but I saw the door open here ’bout more than half an hour ago," she replied.
"Oh no, we might be too late," Asobi fretted.
"There’s still a chance," Jotou glanced at the guards from afar. "You definitely weren’t spotted, right?"
"Unless my glasses need a check, no, I wasn’t spotted. I was tempted t’jump back over that there fence and telling the guards I saw sothing suspicious hopped over and in. But then I’d lose a premium scoop," she made unhappy noises.
"Of course you would," the redhead rolled her eyes.
Alicia pouted, "Yes, yes, you can tell how much you don’t like later, isn’t there sothing you’re all supposed t’be doing here?"
Hotaru’s ears pricked, "I-I didn’t say that..." she ducked her head down a smidgen.
"We’re gonna have to break in or ko, can you open that lock from the inside?" the blonde peered.
"I don’t know how easy it’d be to pick," Fuko eyed. "But that girl, I think we should be checking out the dorms of the Class of Aces. Could it be, the dorm of the girl and Tiffany pranked...?" she perhaps finally recalled.
"I can make us go invisible and you can pick the lock ko. Do you wanna be invisible too Alicia?" Asobi asked with glittering jade-green eyes.
"Ooo boy, now that sounds fun, I can get up close and personal and they’d be none the wiser~ Let’s do it!"
’Would a cara even work while invisible? Light would pass right through it.’ Ignoring the details, they made their way to the dormitory doors invisibly—except for Fuko.
The brunette blinked to the front of the door and began picking the lock. Her brows crinkled in more and more as her fingers twisted and rotated the hairpin in every which way...
"Might be faster to check for an open window-"
"Clack-click."
"Never mind," Jotou anded quickly.
Once the brunette had gone invisible as well, the five walked in as silent and as swiftly as they could. "This way," Fuko grabbed soone by the hand and led, making a daisy chain through the corridors and stairs—so lit and most not.
On the forefront of her mind, she worried if Tiffany would be anywhere around, though the chances were unlikely...
However, they all ca to a halt in the hallway they intended to arrive at... Heat from the buzzing radiators. A door slightly ajar. A low light flowing out into the hallway. As if to break apart that light, a figure stepped out the door, casting a shadow right over...
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