[ sylvain's seen childe a few times around their communal building by now, so at least he's not a total stranger to him... and while they might not have spoken at length, that doesn't stop sylvain from seeking cooperation in their current investigation. it's a sprawling complex, after all, and even with two pairs of eyes he has some doubt they'll find what they're supposed to.
still, he's curious enough to give it a shot. the library itself is a marvel, and he valiantly tries to keep his inquisitiveness in check—though more often than not he's distracted from their task by the levitating books and glimmering orbs of light. ]
Wow. Not a bad place for a date.
[ eventually he succumbs to curiosity, and reaches out to peruse one of the nearby books. it's definitely porn. he sets it down and keeps walking, not out of any sense of shame, but more a lack of interest. (surely, there's gotta be more fantastical tomes around here.) ]
Wonder what sort of books got stolen in the first place...
[ Tartaglia, meanwhile, is busy looking at the book depicting all of the known weaknesses of monsters, because of course he'd pick that one to pay attention to. He's in the middle of perusing the page about the badaliscus when Sylvain speaks up, and the man's comments make him snort softly out of amusement. ]
You should have picked a better place for our first date.
[ While books are interesting, they aren't exactly his idea of a good time. He would much rather be fighting against others than be stuck in here. ]
But who knows? Maybe we'll find empty spots in the bookshelves if we keep looking. [ That's a good place to start, right? ] They didn't really give us much to work with...
[ All they were told was that there are important books missing, and then they were sent on their way. Not exactly the most helpful briefing. ]
[ he snickers quietly in return, and peers over childe's shoulder with a crooked grin to see what's caught the other ginger's attention. ]
Oh, I'm sorry. I'll do better next time.
[ sylvain is only jk, but soon he will soon learn that childe is never jk...
anyway, after he's gleaned a few paragraphs on the badaliscus for himself, ]
I'm guessing the good stuff is kept further in the back. [ maybe not something as readily available for public perusal, if it's supposedly important. ] Not to say I'm not fascinated by the erotica and cannibalistic texts lying around.
[ that is to say, he's found some pretty wild things, but he doesn't think they have anything to do with their assignment. —though, it would be funny if someone were stealing porn from the local library. ]
[ Tartaglia simply gives Sylvain a Look. The kind of look that says you better, but since this is him, it comes with a threatening aura that's hard to miss. He isn't joking, after all.
But anyway. ]
I'm sure there's someone around here who would be into those kinds of stuff. [ It's the Netherworld, after all, so he wouldn't be surprised if there are more degenerates out there who enjoy porn and vore. ] Wonder if we're looking at the wrong place...
[ Since they're at the Chief Librarian's office, he comes across many pipes and fine liquor. Checking the shelves doesn't yield any results either. ]
If I stole books from a library, where would I hide them?
[ o_o sylvain just thinking childe is a very convincing playactor... this is how they will end up on a second date (accidental).
regarding questionable literary genres: ] I suppose so, if they're being offered in the library in the first place.
[ these restless living their best afterlives... who is he to judge. and the chief librarian is definitely living large, given his collection of expensive-looking liquors and pipes. ]
You think the thief might've hidden the books right under the victim's nose?
[ he checks the flooring and furniture in the room, though he doesn't find anything of interest. the wall behind the desk looks a little out of place, though he doesn't think much of it at the moment...
another location of interest to check: the documents room in the vicinity, which sylvain also suggests. ] ...Or how about hiding a needle in a haystack? Though, I guess it's possible the books were taken out of the building entirely.
[ of course, he's hoping they'll find something for their troubles. ]
[ Accidental or not, a date is a date. 😌 Tartaglia won't refuse him. ]
If the thief hid them amongst other books, that'll take forever to find. [ He sends one Weary glance over at the documents room, not at all interested in heading there if it could be helped. ] They have to be somewhere here.
[ Well. It's time to start turning this place upside-down. Surely the librarian won't mind; they're the ones asking for help, after all. They can't complain about how it's delivered as long as results are provided.
When he's about to rifle through the desk, he notices something odd about the wall that makes him give it a second look. ]
... Does this look strange to you?
[ One palm is placed against the wall, feeling for any Weird Bumps. ]
he's a bit amused at how readily childe starts ransacking the place. sylvain's adverse to mess, so he feels the immediate instinct to tidy up—though he does realize that would be counterproductive. he resumes rummaging around the room with added gusto, until childe calls for him. ]
—Ah, so it's not just the lighting in here.
[ he wanders over, and eventually reaches out to rap his knuckles against the wall. ]
...Hollow. [ he gives him a meaningful look. ] You wanna do the honors?
[ When Sylvain confirms what Tartaglia had already assumed, he nods his head and looks for anything that might help open this hidden door. He feels for any loose block, any bumps that might be a switch, but winds up locating a key hole instead. ]
It needs a key, huh.
[ He glances at the room they're in, taking note of everything they have within reach. ]
Pretty sure there wasn't one. [ if either of them had seen a key, it would've been pocketed rather than set back down, or so he deduces. so probably not lying under the mess they've made. ] Let's try another room?
[ which eventually leads them... to the documents room! the search resumes, and sylvain takes care to check all the books first, flipping past various covers to ensure there aren't any secrets physically embedded within the pages.
...some of the books warrant a thumbing through anyway, though his casual reading is abruptly cut short when a wave of dizziness hits him. ]
What the—
[ he manages to hang onto the book in his hands (call of the void), but not his balance, and he careens back towards wherever childe is standing... oop ]
[ The documents room isn't too exciting. More books and other boring stuff can be found lying around, so he isn't too interested in snooping unless these books could be hiding the key they need to open that hidden door. He's trying to look through a particular shelf when he hears Sylvain yelp from behind him.
Almost immediately, he catches the other man in his arms before he could fall to the ground. ]
Oh? Could it be that you've fallen for me?
[ It's a joke, it's a joke, but seeing as they were both talking about dates earlier... ]
[ sylvain, meanwhile, awkwardly clings to childe like a starfish as he tries (and fails) to regain his balance... peak romcom material. his head is spinning, but at least he can still make conversation ]
What can I say? I like to move fast.
[ yah, he's in wuv with tartaglia ajax childe now <3 (no) ]
...No, it would honestly make more sense if I had slipped. It was a book I read. Or tried to.
[ he points to the culprit now lying on the ground ]
I think I must've triggered some kinda spell.
[ also is childe gonna set him down now or what... ur gonna make him blush at this rate ///// ]
[ Luckily for Sylvain, Tartaglia has a firm grip on him. He does his best to steady the other man while he glances at the culprit, which is a book lying on the ground.
He isn't letting go just yet. ]
A book made you slip? [ Does it really need a spell for that... Well, okay. ] Maybe we shouldn't be reading anything while we look.
[ That won't help make their search any easier. If anything, it'll make it ten times more difficult but if books are capable of knocking someone off balance, what other tricks are possible? Better to be safe than sorry, in his opinion. ]
[ well, he takes note this (twink) slim-looking guy is actually much stronger than he appears, because sylvain is not light in any sense of the word. ]
It's too late for me, but save yourself the same mistake. [ but also don't leave him he's not sure how long this status effect will take to wear off. (oh goddess, what if it doesn't)
...he waits a moment, before tentatively answering, ] Should be good now, thanks.
[ if childe does let go... sylvain will immediately land ass-first on the floor. and flounder around a little. ]
...Let's keep looking around to see if there's a key somewhere.
[ it's fine, this is fine, he'll just SLOWLY CRAWL AROUND if he has to. NO BIG. ]
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Childe / Exploration
still, he's curious enough to give it a shot. the library itself is a marvel, and he valiantly tries to keep his inquisitiveness in check—though more often than not he's distracted from their task by the levitating books and glimmering orbs of light. ]
Wow. Not a bad place for a date.
[ eventually he succumbs to curiosity, and reaches out to peruse one of the nearby books. it's definitely porn. he sets it down and keeps walking, not out of any sense of shame, but more a lack of interest. (surely, there's gotta be more fantastical tomes around here.) ]
Wonder what sort of books got stolen in the first place...
no subject
You should have picked a better place for our first date.
[ While books are interesting, they aren't exactly his idea of a good time. He would much rather be fighting against others than be stuck in here. ]
But who knows? Maybe we'll find empty spots in the bookshelves if we keep looking. [ That's a good place to start, right? ] They didn't really give us much to work with...
[ All they were told was that there are important books missing, and then they were sent on their way. Not exactly the most helpful briefing. ]
Did you find anything interesting?
no subject
Oh, I'm sorry. I'll do better next time.
[ sylvain is only jk, but soon he will soon learn that childe is never jk...
anyway, after he's gleaned a few paragraphs on the badaliscus for himself, ]
I'm guessing the good stuff is kept further in the back. [ maybe not something as readily available for public perusal, if it's supposedly important. ] Not to say I'm not fascinated by the erotica and cannibalistic texts lying around.
[ that is to say, he's found some pretty wild things, but he doesn't think they have anything to do with their assignment. —though, it would be funny if someone were stealing porn from the local library. ]
no subject
But anyway. ]
I'm sure there's someone around here who would be into those kinds of stuff. [ It's the Netherworld, after all, so he wouldn't be surprised if there are more degenerates out there who enjoy porn and vore. ] Wonder if we're looking at the wrong place...
[ Since they're at the Chief Librarian's office, he comes across many pipes and fine liquor. Checking the shelves doesn't yield any results either. ]
If I stole books from a library, where would I hide them?
[ Yeah, he's asking this out loud. ]
no subject
regarding questionable literary genres: ] I suppose so, if they're being offered in the library in the first place.
[ these restless living their best afterlives... who is he to judge. and the chief librarian is definitely living large, given his collection of expensive-looking liquors and pipes. ]
You think the thief might've hidden the books right under the victim's nose?
[ he checks the flooring and furniture in the room, though he doesn't find anything of interest. the wall behind the desk looks a little out of place, though he doesn't think much of it at the moment...
another location of interest to check: the documents room in the vicinity, which sylvain also suggests. ] ...Or how about hiding a needle in a haystack? Though, I guess it's possible the books were taken out of the building entirely.
[ of course, he's hoping they'll find something for their troubles. ]
no subject
If the thief hid them amongst other books, that'll take forever to find. [ He sends one Weary glance over at the documents room, not at all interested in heading there if it could be helped. ] They have to be somewhere here.
[ Well. It's time to start turning this place upside-down. Surely the librarian won't mind; they're the ones asking for help, after all. They can't complain about how it's delivered as long as results are provided.
When he's about to rifle through the desk, he notices something odd about the wall that makes him give it a second look. ]
... Does this look strange to you?
[ One palm is placed against the wall, feeling for any Weird Bumps. ]
no subject
he's a bit amused at how readily childe starts ransacking the place. sylvain's adverse to mess, so he feels the immediate instinct to tidy up—though he does realize that would be counterproductive. he resumes rummaging around the room with added gusto, until childe calls for him. ]
—Ah, so it's not just the lighting in here.
[ he wanders over, and eventually reaches out to rap his knuckles against the wall. ]
...Hollow. [ he gives him a meaningful look. ] You wanna do the honors?
no subject
It needs a key, huh.
[ He glances at the room they're in, taking note of everything they have within reach. ]
Did you see any keys anywhere?
[ Is it somehow lost in the mess he's made? ]
no subject
Pretty sure there wasn't one. [ if either of them had seen a key, it would've been pocketed rather than set back down, or so he deduces. so probably not lying under the mess they've made. ] Let's try another room?
[ which eventually leads them... to the documents room! the search resumes, and sylvain takes care to check all the books first, flipping past various covers to ensure there aren't any secrets physically embedded within the pages.
...some of the books warrant a thumbing through anyway, though his casual reading is abruptly cut short when a wave of dizziness hits him. ]
What the—
[ he manages to hang onto the book in his hands (call of the void), but not his balance, and he careens back towards wherever childe is standing... oop ]
no subject
Almost immediately, he catches the other man in his arms before he could fall to the ground. ]
Oh? Could it be that you've fallen for me?
[ It's a joke, it's a joke, but seeing as they were both talking about dates earlier... ]
Did you slip on something?
no subject
What can I say? I like to move fast.
[ yah, he's in wuv with tartaglia ajax childe now <3 (no) ]
...No, it would honestly make more sense if I had slipped. It was a book I read. Or tried to.
[ he points to the culprit now lying on the ground ]
I think I must've triggered some kinda spell.
[ also is childe gonna set him down now or what... ur gonna make him blush at this rate ///// ]
no subject
He isn't letting go just yet. ]
A book made you slip? [ Does it really need a spell for that... Well, okay. ] Maybe we shouldn't be reading anything while we look.
[ That won't help make their search any easier. If anything, it'll make it ten times more difficult but if books are capable of knocking someone off balance, what other tricks are possible? Better to be safe than sorry, in his opinion. ]
Are you good if I let go?
no subject
It's too late for me, but save yourself the same mistake. [ but also don't leave him he's not sure how long this status effect will take to wear off. (oh goddess, what if it doesn't)
...he waits a moment, before tentatively answering, ] Should be good now, thanks.
[ if childe does let go... sylvain will immediately land ass-first on the floor. and flounder around a little. ]
...Let's keep looking around to see if there's a key somewhere.
[ it's fine, this is fine, he'll just SLOWLY CRAWL AROUND if he has to. NO BIG. ]