Week 1: Ability

"Thanks for your help, kid. Buy yourself something nice."

While Roman was always a supporter of cheap labour, this didn't mean that he was stingy. Rather, he believed that everything had a price, and that if you could find someone willing to match it, you should honour that price. A crook he may be, but his line of work required integrity just as often as it did deceit. Sure, most people might find that weird, but you can't really survive this kind of environment without a certain level of trust.

And, surprising as it may be, Roman Torchwick put a lot of trust in a lot of things. For instance, he trusted in Junior's ability to provide an expendable labour force without question. He trusted Neo's ability to bail him out should be bite off more than he could chew. He even trusted Red to try and ruin all of his plans—this one included. Most importantly, however, was that trusted in the fact that there were brats out there who simply didn't understand the full value of things.

Sure, he believed everything had a price... But if someone was willing to do the same amount of labour for a far cheaper cost? Well, you should honour that price.

"T-thanks!"

He almost felt bad for the poor schmuck. All things considered, the classy criminal had honestly expected this Louie kid to have better haggling skills than that... embarrassment. The seedy little swordsman certainly looked like he had run into his fair share of hardship, and that was usually enough to temper most people. Or, you know, give them some sort of motivation not to get scammed again? Yet, the kid accepted his price at face value, without even questioning the nature of work. When the actual problem and potential for danger was brought up, all it took to seal the deal was a single loaf of walnut bread.

If they were on Remnant, the crook would've never found such an exploitative price from anyone. Not even faunus orphans would've accepted such a pittance... Yet this Louie kid took it with a smile. Was it because the moron was an adventurer that he could get by on ignorance? Maybe.

Not that it mattered. The adventurer wanna-be had gotten what he had wanted, Roman Torchwick had gotten what he wanted, and the fact that that it had left the novice swordsman stuck in some magical net was of little consequence to either party. That kid was content with a handful of pix and some loaf of bread, and Roman had received some interesting information about a certain little thing called magic.

Magic.

The thief couldn't help but smile. He was no stranger to the concept, of course. It was a prominent feature of all sorts of fiction, fairy tales, and whatever else it was that fools read. Not that he learned about it from such sources; Roman Torchwick was no longer a fool. No, his experience with magic came from the fact that he had seen it used. On him. By a certain psychopathic witch.

The thought alone was enough to dampen his spirits, but the crook still pushed his mood onward. Cinder can only ruin so much, and this particular discovery was something she couldn't touch.

You see, in this carefree world of silliness, anyone could use magic. Sure, most people were stupid and just used it in the way that seemed most convenient to them—swordsmen just use it to sword better, street rats use it to run faster or throw silly nets—which was why they just called it an 'Ability'. But Roman knew that this was something more complex than the simple abilities he knew of... more complex than aura or semblances. Whatever it really was, it was tied to the Power Crystals that he had been absorbing from the dungeon. And from what he could see of it? It ignored far more physics and natural laws than Aura could ever hope to.

So he'll just have to learn about the thing himself. To survive, especially against that fiery bitch, meant he needed to do no less than. And to thrive, he'll have to do more than just learn.

With those thoughts in mind, the suited criminal turned his thoughts away from that dilapidated alleyway and directed them northward, towards the Adventurer's Guild. If anyone in this world had resources on magic, it'd be those suicidal thrill-seekers.

"Oh, you'd like to learn more about magic? Of course we can help!"

Was it cynical of him that he had expected the receptionist to speak those words with a sarcastic tone, rather than an overly enthusiastic one? Then again, his past associates had been people who were more self-serving, and tended to ask questions if you didn't establish yourself as a threat or asset. And while he could certainly be both to this particular organization, the pink-haired woman behind the counter didn't even bother asking for his name, let alone reasons.

"Just head down that hall and take the third door on your left—That's the library! I'm sure it's got what you're looking for." The woman was so energetic, she was practically leaning over the front desk, pointing comically at the distant hallway as she spoke out. Maybe she was just neurotic, and felt a need to overdo everything? Roman threw a short glance at the woman, looking over her expression to find some sort of answer. Of course, the woman chose to interpret this as something else entirely. "Oh, right! I almost forgot! If you're an officially licensed adventurer, make sure to mention it to the librarian! He'll show you the more advanced books! Have a nice day now!"

And with that, the woman turned her attention back to the desk, directing her efforts to the papers in front of her with the same upbeat attitude she had shown Roman. Her posture didn't change as the crook stepped away, the receptionist continuing to hum a tune to herself, even as he walked out of earshot.

Yeah, he had absolutely no idea what to make of her.

Not that it mattered. He was here to get a new tool, not psychoanalyse a complete stranger, even if that stranger was somehow the only person he'd seen in the guild halls so far. Just where was everyone? Regardless, the well-dressed criminal made his way to the door in question, his eyes fixed on the crudely scrawled "Library" sign. The sign itself was embossed and gilded with a professional finish, and that single bit of detail was the only reason he didn't consider the entire place a joke. Instead? Well, it wasn't the weirdest thing he'd seen today, so it was business as usual.

As he stepped into the library, Roman was surprised to find the place as... well-kept as a normal one. And with curiously mundane topics, too, if the overhanging signs of 'History', 'Fiction', 'References', and 'Romantic Drama' were any indication. Whatever 'Romantic Drama' was supposed to be.

Either way, what wasn't surprising was the fact that there were barely any people in the library; most of the desks were empty, and the few that were taken housed people who had chosen to use them as makeshift beds moreso than anything else. There was even one person who was wrapped up in an extravagantly silly cloak, bundled like they were some sort of sleeping bag with their head buried in a book. Overall, the sight was what he had expected from a Library in a lifeless building like this.

But he had more important things to worry about. The crook made his way up to the front desk, his steps slow and deliberate as his gaze turned to the person overseeing the library. The librarian himself seemed to be a bit on the short side, wearing an oversized cloak with his head buried in a book. Not physically imposing, all things considered, and the closest thing to a weapon he could see was some overgrown stick propped up against that desk. Still, a cloak that big can hide a lot of lethal surprises, so Roman kept an eye on the short individual.

"So." The criminal started abruptly, interrupting the librarian from whatever it was he was reading. "I don't suppose you've got any books on magic in this place, do you?"

"What sort of simple-minded question is that?" The voice that answered him was far higher pitched than what he had expected, and carried a tone of annoyed prepubescence mixed with faux superiority. Roman swore internally, already recognizing the grating voice as he let out a tired sigh. Of courseit was another brat. "Where do you think you ar- You!"

Okay, that's surprising. He definitely recognized the brat as the one from the whole 'adventurer orientation' thing, but he didn't think the kid would've recognized him. He was hardly all that noticeable... Well, except for the fact that he was dressed far more sensibly than the rest of the rabble around here. And that included the kid before him. Roman wasted no time as he stared down at the kid, an unamused look in his eyes as he spoke with a flat tone. "Me."

"You're the one who left my lecture the other day!"

The kid, on the other hand, had a mixture of indignation and anger in his eyes as he stared back up at Roman. Of course, that irritation soon faded to doubt as Roman gave him a single dismissive glare. To the kid's credit, he kept up his entitled glare, but Roman was used to dealing with pint-sized threats like Neo. However good this kid was, he simply had nothing on Roman's dichromatic partner-in-crime.

"And?"

"W-why?" Still, the librarian brat held his ground, his teeth clenched as he settled his book onto the desk. There was a brief flicker of doubt in his eyes, the kid turning his gaze away from Roman for a split second before forcing himself back to confront the crook. Since the kid in question looked young enough to be Recette's age, it really was an admirable attempt.

"Because I didn't need it." But he wasn't going to cut the kid any slack either, and Roman's gaze remained fixed on the little green-haired kid, complete disinterest in his eyes. "Is there a problem?"

"N-...No." The green-haired kid's eyes fell back to the desk, his voice growing a bit quieter as he stared down at his fallen book. Which... was probably the sort of reaction you'd expect when a crook stares down a kid half his size. The silence that followed was exhausting. The criminal let out an tired sigh, finally breaking his half-hearted glare at the tiny librarian as he rolled his eyes.

"Look, kid, that was just some introduction stuff. I stayed until I got gist of it, alright?" Was it really that big of a deal? Apparently, to an insecure brat put in charge of a library, it was. Which was a problem, since that meant that Roman wasn't going to get any useful information, either. And as much as he would've liked to just throttle the brat, he couldn't; since the Adventurer's Guild had a damned monopoly on magical dungeon access, he'd have to play nice. So, it was time for him to put on his public speaker hat.

"Nothing against you, alright? I'm sure you know your stuff, considering they let you teach a bunch of ignorant morons without batting an eye." Roman's voice was quiet as he began improvising some false semblance of sincerity, holding back the urge to retch as he spoke. Which was surprisingly easy, giving him the opportunity to look for something else to use for the brat's ego. When the silly robes and the silly stick came into view, Roman knew what his next words were.

"I mean, c'mon kid. You look like you know your stuff, especially about magic. I of all people can recognize that. And they didn't put you in charge of the library for nothing, right? So, how about it?"

Was this what a reassuring smile looked like? Roman wasn't sure, but considering how much the kid perked up at his words, he must've been doing something right. There was a slight pause, before the librarian wizard kid cleared his throat, pushing his book aside as he looked up at Roman once more. "R-right! So... Uh. What sort of book were you looking for?"

Surprisingly enough, the kid was a good librarian. Roman even respected how organized he was, and how seriously the brat took his job. As a result, it didn't take long for him to come up with a list of relevant books, and a few minutes was all the crook needed to find all the relevant books on the matter.

The problem was, there were hardly any books at all. At best, there were a few introductory texts that served to underline the concept, before dedicating countless pages to how magic was useful. Not only that, but it turned out that the most advanced book this library had was written by the brat himself, and while the kid was practically beaming when he asked for the book, Roman honestly didn't know how useful it'd be.

Turns out, Magic wasn't exactly a science here, either.

A quiet 'thump' filled the air as Roman Torchwick sat himself down, his pile of books echoing through the otherwise silent library as he settled into the cushioned seat. At least the chairs were nice? And the table was sturdy. Not like that'd help out that much when it came to figuring out another world's magic, but comfort was always appreciated.

"'Element-ary Principals and Theories'. Really? Really?" Roman read the title of the topmost book, a migraine already forming as he let out a tired sigh. Fortunately, that particular book was the only one that'd been written with intent to annoy, as the rest of the documents had more sensible names. "Let's see... 'Power Crystals in Nature', 'The Obsidian Ruins', 'The Dungeon Phenomenon'... Huh."

The titles still sounded as weird as they looked, but at the very least, he was thankful that none of the remaining books carried puns to their names. Still, what worried the crook was the fact that everything seemed to relate to the dungeons in some way. Which was weird, since a great deal of the books relating to the dungeon considered the entire field science. Heck, he wasn't sure how some of these things related to the Magic, but considering he had been recommended these books by the only damned magician he'd seen in the entire guild, Roman was hesitant to dismiss them.

Might as well get comfortable... If he's going to read a dungeon book, then it'd probably make sense for him to read a book on a dungeon he could actually access. Not that he could remember any of their silly names off-hand. And unfortunately, he wasn't about to walk to the other side of the complex just to figure out the name of some obscure maybe-magical place.

"The Amber Garden... Huh. Interesting name." Roman's eyes narrowed as he read the title. It... certainly was an interesting name, but he wasn't quite sure why. There wasn't anything particularly creative about it, nor could he figure out a reason to use it over anything else, considering how little the front cover resembled a garden. And as he began flipping through the pages, no suitable answer came.

Instead, he had to content himself with pages upon pages that dedicated themselves to explaining the dungeon's environments and monsters. Sure, some people might've found it interesting how the dungeon was apparently schizophrenic, dragging adventurers from forest to castle ruins to more forests. At least the dungeon was creative, since it apparently threw in all sorts of monsters that matched these environments as well.

And maybe there was some sort of obscure significance to the dungeon itself; what sane person would dedicate an entire section to the whole volcano motif, before immediately shifting to an island archipelago, only to end with a treetop? Then again, the dungeon was no person, so maybe there simply wasn't any logic. Just... baseless extravagance. Really, all of these environments sounded pointlessly extravagant, and the book certainly spared no flowerly language to describe them.

Which was why Roman frowned. This was not what he was looking for.

"Is... Everything okay?"

The crook looked up from his seat to see the kid librarian from earlier, a concerned expression on the brat's face. What was he doing here? Roman blinked at the kid's sudden intrusion as his eyes turned to the rest of the library, only to find that, as usual, the place was nearly empty. A good a reason as any, he supposed, but there was no harm in humouring the brat.

"Yeah, sure. But aren't you supposed to be working, kid?"

"Are you sure? It looks like you're having some trouble. Fortunately for you, I'm willing to lend my assistance." The brat's lax tone was a far cry from earlier, and Roman mentally groaned as he watched the kid sit himself down. Was one pep talk really all the brat needed? Turns out, it was, since the librarian no longer seemed unnerved by his presence. "A-and it's fine! Not that many people visit the library at this time, so I can afford a break. If someone needs me, they can ring the bell at the front desk."

Part of him wanted to mention that there was no bell at the front desk, but that snarky part quickly gave way to the more pragmatic side of Roman Torchwick's psyche. Again, this brat was the only magician type person he'd seen, and if he was good enough to publish a book, it meant that his skills were at least genuine.

Or that this world's standards were terrible.

Either way, the kid was still a resource, and there was absolutely no reason for Torchwick not to use him. Roman's eyes settled on his pile of books, catching sight of the librarian's name before turning back to the brat in question. With a deliberately contemplative look in his face, the suited criminal appraised the child, leaving just enough silence in the air to make it seem like he was actually debating some obscure internal problem.

"Hmm... You know what? Why not? Welcome aboard, Caillou." The moment he 'came to his decision', the kid's face brightened considerably, rising up out of his seat. Actually, now that he thought about it, was that pretense really necessary? For some reason, this particular brat seemed committed to helping him out. As in, really committed. Honestly, it reminded him of that one pickpocket-wannabe who always clung to Cinder.

Which was weird. Why did this kid-

"Oh, thank you thank you!" Caillou, the magician brat, immediately burst into an enthusiastic mess. Which only added more questions onto Roman's plate. But before the crook could ask why the kid was so energetic, the kid decided to calm himself down, an embarrassed look on the brat's as he coughed awkwardly. "Er-... I mean... Thank you, I appreciate it. I apologize for my exuberance, but I haven't seen another magician in Pensee for many years. I look forward to contributing to your studies in the area."

Oh.

Huh. Well, that's certainly a reason.