Assassins Hand

Chapter 36-Investigation Start

Author Notes: Ok so yayay, I have another chapter for you folks. Last time Loki and the team found poor...poor Hibiki who was tortured and killed. Also sorry that i didn't do any shout outs last time-so Shout outs to Alexandra281, Snowy Analia, and Ethie-chan for faving and following.

Thanks to arapyanime for faving. AriaLuminer, GreenHoneyTea, pchrsy, and Queenofdoom4 followed. Snowy Analia and kurahieiritr JIO reviewed. On top of that this story has reached over 15,000 and is now part of 3 different communities.

Thank you all so much for all the support guys. It really means a crap ton to me~ Now we continue on. I do not own Fairy Tail.

3rd P.O.V

"Rest in peace...Hibiki." Loki closed his eyes offering a small prayer, before covering the dead man's face with a sheet. He and Hibiki weren't really friends, hell he hated Karen who was not only his previous owner, but Hibiki's lover.

There was always tension between the two after the abusive celestial mages' death, but despite it all...they were old guildmates, and thanks to Lucy were both moving on with their lives. Regardless how he felt for the flirty host, no one deserved to die the way he did. "We will find the person responsible. I swear it."

The atmosphere was suffocating as he stood there. Gajeel, Natsu and Shai had split up throughout the house, the girls brought outside while Loki investigated the bedroom. Even though he just promised to find the culprit, it still didn't make it feel anymore justified going through Hibiki's belongings.

"Seems someone didn't really care about that though." Loki sighs as he glances about. Now that his focus is no longer on the dead, it was clear to see that someone- probably the killer, went through his things.

Clothes were thrown about, Loki unsurprised seeing some girl clothing layered between his shirts and ties. Books were everywhere on the floor...matching the rest of the house. "Guess whoever did this was thinking no one would find the bomb and stop it before it went off. Maybe they left evidence behind?"

Mumbling to himself he carefully explores, not even sure what to look for. He wasn't a cop, he had no experience in searching for clues, especially that would lead to a murder. "Hey Loki." Shai flutters back in, landing gently on the floor and folding his wings behind his back.

"Find anything Shai?" The purple furball could only shake his head. "We haven't checked all of the house yet, there were still a couple rooms, but so far nothing. Gajeel sent out Natsu with the girls since...frankly he wasn't comfortable doing this." Can't really blame him. No one should "No traps?"

Again Shai shakes his head. "No. But that doesn't mean anything." He checks Hibiki's work desk, his eyes widening in shock behind his blue tinted lenses. "Oh...damn. Hibiki you poor bastard." Shai's ears perk up as he approaches. "What is it?" Right there, in the center of the desk, was a ring.

Specifically an engagement ring, glinting in the light from the window, rested right on top of a photo of him and his girlfriend Jenny. He glances back at the deceased appalled with the realization.

"You were planning on proposing to her. How in the hell am I supposed to tell her you're dead?" This was going to hit all of Blue Pegasus hard. He couldn't even imagine...If he lost Lucy.

No, he didn't even want to, it was too painful. "This is truly a sad day, and as much as I hate to say it, this is only the beginning of Jing's assault. I'm off to check out the library now. When you're done checking this room, head back downstairs, we'll reconvene in the living area."

Loki nods, understanding. Meeting back in here wouldn't be the best place, especially for the girls. Last thing any of them would want to see is what happened to Hibiki. "Right." Anxious, Shai flies back out to explore the archive mage's library while Loki continues searching.

Going through everything from the drawers of his dresser, to papers that were scattered on the floor. "These are Blue Pegasus's guild finances. Guess Guildmaster Bob had Hibiki help with the paperwork, how he found time to do his missions and job as a host on top of this is beyond me. Wait." One caught his eye.

"It was his schedule." If there was one thing people knew about the archive mage was his intense habit to document everything he did or had plans for. He was extremely detailed with his calendar and reports. It was near impossible for the host to miss any sort of event.

Last time anything was written down was four days prior. And it was the list of girls he was meeting up for the day. "I'll have to see if Shai can help verify when he was last seen, but he probably died the night of or morning after he made this."

Then a thought came to Loki as he was reading the various reports and summaries. "Where's his lacrima?" Hibiki as far as he knew had a ton, there should be at least one in his room-especially his communication one.

"Where could it be?" Rising Loki pats down his clothes, taking one more sorrowful gaze towards the Blue Pegasus mage before leaving. Already everyone else was there, waiting for him. Gajeel looked up, shades paler than when he first walked in. "Anything?" One by one each reported their findings. Starting with Loki.

On their own, the information he had found didn't seem very significant. However...Shai was started to see a very messy picture being painted. "Loki? What kind of clothing did you see? Was it just male clothing or was there a females? And if so-how would you describe it?"

Furrowing his brows, Loki thinks it over. He really didn't pay attention, but he did find it a bit odd now that he was asked. "Females, and it looked exotic. Flashy, abd bright." Humming Shai began to pace about. Things were starting to get very messy. Especially when Gajeel reported his findings.

"Found a bunch of smashed up lacrimas and another bomb up in the attic. All of them in pieces, not sure what we could salvage from them, but they are memory and storage lacrimas, protected by a seriously complicated magic code. Whatever it is that's in them, they were important enough for Hibiki to take precaution."

Right next to the dragon slayer was a box that-sure enough had the various broken pieces. "Also there's a scent on the bombs, it's very faint, but it's scattered all throughout the house. Whoever it is that killed Hibiki wasn't here long, but made as big a mess as possible to mask their smell." It all made sense.

Now it was Shai's turn, and his information was big, as it tied everything together. He was grateful that Natsu, Happy and the girls were silently and patiently listening to the findings. The first thing the lavender exeede reveals is a book.

"What's that Shai?" Wendy squinted her eyes, as the title was in a rather elegant font, and frankly it was a book she had never seen before. "Miss Lucy, you and Miss Levy being large fans of literature could probably tell me what's wrong with this book. Does anything stand out?"

Both girls stared intently at the book, neither could put their finger on it, but there was something off about it. But then it comes to them, in unison they shout. "There's a spell on it!" This brought back memories for Lucy.

One of her first missions as a Fairy Tail mage involved a book, in fact a masterpiece left behind by one of her favorite authors. Thanks to that mission, she was able to meet Virgo one of her best friends as well as officially form a team with Natsu.

"Correct. I think you'll be rather surprised when I release the spell." Just like back then, words were released, reorganizing themselves throughout the entire book.

"A diary? Is that...Hibiki's?" It had seemed the archive mage was very secretive indeed. "Not a diary. Not exactly at least. Inside it are important events that took place, with dates, times, summaries, but on top of that are codes for the books in his library."

It took a moment for Levy to realize where Shai was going with this information, and to be frank she was shocked when it did come to her. "What's up Shrimp?" Gajeel eyed the blue haired bookworm, for once she didn't get flustered with his nickname for her.

No her focus was all on the purple furball. "Are you saying Hibiki placed a spell on every single book in his library?!" Natsu was starting to get bored just standing there, listening to them talk.

Shai gave her a proud smile, his fangs peeping through. "Once more, correct, and Miss. Wendy...would you mind reading out loud what the last three uncoded entry titles are?" Nibbling her lip a tad she does as requested, her eyes widening in shock alongside everyone else.

"Sonata"

"J Dark Guilds"

"Intercepted J transmissions"