I find myself cleaning the clock of the tower, but this time, this task felt different, the have asked me If i had any experience with cleaning machinery and more specifically gears, to which I responded that back I was a Military Hangar worker, so they tasked me to give maintenance to the clock tower's internals. Somehow that task felt more specialized rather than punishment.
I'm 90 percent done as I'm lubing the pole that connects the entire mechanism into the two hands of the clock outside, after that I was to lube the hands with a special oil that protected from rust. Hanging from a system of pulleys attached a wood platform that looked like a swing, swiping the pole. As I'm doing this, my thoughts bring me somewhere else. Just before I went to report for cleaning duty, I remembered seeing patchouli to know the results of her samples and what she had to say, arriving just 20 mins before I had to report to the maids.
(Voile, 2 hours earlier)
"So what did you find?" I asked Patchouli
"So to make things simple, let's start with your core. It is not a true philosopher's stone per se, but more of a derivative from it. I wondered why your inner workings reduced all into the core, but it could be that when the stone pierced you, your soul had merged with it and absorbed the remainder of your body to "give you life", basically, the stone had turned from a philosopher's stone into something else entirely, something that holds a soul. Magic and spiritualism pretty much." Patchouli explained.
"Like an possessed object, an amulet?" I reasoned
"Not entirely but yes." she said.
"But what I cannot comprehend is your smoke and its properties. I am not sure why your core produces smoke, and I am baffled by the way it interacts with magic. Your smoke has suppressing properties that are very effective against magic, which explained why I could not detect your core in the first place. I ran some testing with the samples you gave, magic objects are blocked from sight, as I placed a beacon behind a jar filled with the smoke, the magical aura only appeared to be detected from the surrounding area of the jar, but the middle showed no magic activity at all. I placed the beacon inside the jar and left it for a minute, when I took it out of the jar, the beacon was significantly stripped of the magic embedded with it, and recovered to its original state 10 minutes later."
"Magic suppressing?" I asked.
"It appears so, but I still have a lot to investigate… I need you to come by as much as you can, and if possible, even when your service is done, I'll try to convince Lady Remilia but you'll have to do as well too. Think you can do it?" Patchouli said
(Clock tower, present)
Think I can do it? By some way another Patchouli allowed me to be in voile, now she expects me to go through the front gate like I deliver pizza or anything? I'd be lucky to be allowed in here ever…
*SNAP!
Again?!
Just as I finished my thoughts, a loud snapping noise followed to a moving feeling, the pole was getting farther away and I came to realize my swing platform broke and was swiveling away. I was gripping the other rope in my off hand and as soon as my senses came back, I gripped as hard as I could.
I turn back to the direction I'm headed and realize I'm swiveling directly into the mechanism of the whole clock. I had just a few seconds to react before I got grinded down, and so I looked down and saw I was still on the landing ground of the metallic grid floor.
I let go of the rope, position myself to land on the tips of my feet and make a roll to minimize injuries. I rolled way past the platform past the handrails. I was about to fall face front into the gears, but made the split decision to curl up my lower legs. I hoped that they hooked onto something, and as luck has it, I managed to hook onto the middle bar of the handrail. I stopped my fall and was inches away from the moving gears.
Outside my vision, I hear wood splintering and breaking, I take the strength to position myself into a way to look into the noise, and witness the wooden seat getting devoured by one of the largest gears within the mechanism. The wood finally splits and lets go of a medium chunk of the seat still attached to the rope, the chunk instinctively swings around still hanging by the rope and stays in motion.
"What the fuck…" I thought to myself as I was getting back up from the handrail.
I stand back up and shake off the small dust, runt and metallic particles of my uniform.
"If I was just a second late…" I said to myself.
I walk to the direction of the swinging wood, stop, and take a little to analyze what just happened. Looking at the ceiling now, I had my eyes fixated on the still swinging wood and rope, and turned my vision to the other length of rope, which was now half the length of the other string.
"What the?" I said.
Squinting my vision, I glimpse the end of the rope, which was cut clean rather than snapped away.
Someone had cut the string at that moment.
I looked around to see if I could get a look of someone, have I really been that oblivious? I would notice if someone walked up here!
and as I looked by the stairs, I saw a small green string hanging by the handrail.
I walked towards the stairs, grabbed the ribbon and took a closer look upon it. A small length string, something to tie your hair in.
Whoever did this…have they stayed by the stairs and threw something sharp at it?
I turn my vision back up to the wall if I could see anything, then look for something sharp, but find nothing.
Then, I hear a faint sound coming down from the stairs, I snap my view down in response, and try to hear closely what the sound was.
It's that same crystal clinging sound again.
…
"I'm probably imagining things again, maybe the dust and rust is making me go crazy,perfect time to go out and clean the clock hands." I thought to myself.
"Shakespeare goes to the Elizabethean era… huh, I thought it was Victorian."
As I'm passing through the halls of the Library, I'm tasked to organize a loose inventory of the library. Koakuma has told me that Patchouli has some habits, whilst she is an extremely talented scholar and always demands order in her Library, she tends to leave some books everywhere. Koakuma gave me paper schematics of the library and a catalog listing to identify where books should go. Come to think of it, I'm surprised this place has an "outside" section, books that come from outside Gensokyo.
But setting aside that, I was finishing some Shakespearean play books such as McBeth, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Etc. I guess apart from scientific papers, Patchouli does literary research. So walking through the halls, I found that the Elizabethean era section was located on the top shelf above the Victorian section. Fortunately, a rolling ladder was just a few meters apart around some lecterns, so I went to get it.
One by one I start to pick the books, but I have trouble looking for space where they can fit, so I mostly move books to the sides to make space for them.
Starting in alphabetical order… First goes Hamlet, then goes Julius Caesar, Next MacBeth, Othello, Romeo and Juliet, yadda yadda yadda.
After a little while I finished all the books, and finally finished with the cart that was filled with books when I started. I make a *whew sound and begin getting down the ladder. but as I was getting down, I took my vision downwards to help get down, and just a third done, I came to realize the cart was gone.
"didn't I leave the cart there a moment ago?" I said to myself.
so I scan the area around me to find the car, I look to the hall to my right, and nothing, but then look to the left, there it was accompanied with the lectern.
"huh… did Koakuma move it?" I thought.
My mind was still figuring out how the cart got there, maybe it rolled there on its own? it's a magic library after all, wouldn't surprise me if they had living furniture like something from a disney film…
and still holding onto the ladder, I listen to a peculiar sound, It's those crystals again…
And without a warning, I feel a sudden movement out of nowhere and feel that the ladder was shoved to the left. I did not react as much as I did on the clock tower, just realizing I am moving with the ladder, looking at the books moving as quick as a mirage in front of me.
"AAAAAAAAHHHH!" I yelled in desperation as I was moving at a very fast rate, approaching the lecterns and cart, when my eye caught something at the end…
The end of the shelves.
With a loud *CLANK! Noise, I lost grip of the ladder, catapulted by the momentum, and was directed towards the furniture. My back hits the top of the cart first, to which then I roll in the air to the floor, still rolling like a barrel aggressively, I am approaching a lectern face firm and get smacked in the "snout" with a large thud echoing throughout the Library.
"grrh, what the fuck…" I grunted while I rolled on the ground, arching my back as I felt the pain afterwards.
"My goodness!" I heard a female voice.
Looking to where that came from, It was Koakuma, she left a stack of books she was holding off to the ground and rushed towards me.
"Are you ok Mr. Canmoore?!" She said as she kneeled down to check upon me.
"yeah, just… It was all so sudden." I said as I positioned myself on my knees and arms.
"Here, take my hand" Koakuma said as her hand held out.
"Thank you," I responded back as she took my hand, "not too rough please."
Now back on my feet, the pain still persisted on my back and "snout" so respectfully I rubbed both at the same time.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I don't know… like I tell you, it was so sudden!" I said, "I was just arranging books, when all of a sudden the ladder was pushed to the left with me in it."
"My goodness!" she reacted with a faux gasp.
"Thankfully the cart 'stopped' my fall, but what was that for anyway?! Who in the world did that and why?!" I continued.
"Don't look at me! but I haven't seen anyone here recently…"
Then that crystal sound rang once more.
"Did you hear that?" I said
"Pardon me?" Koakuma asked
"Hush!" I said as I extended my hand towards Koakuma, with my palm facing her.
I looked everywhere trying to decipher where that noise came from, it felt so subtle and with any kind of talking you could easily lose track of that sound.
Koakuma kept looking at me weirdly, but I held a determined and concentrated look towards the hallway I came from.
…
*cling… *ting… *clang.
"THERE!" I said as I pointed towards the origin of the sound.
"Huh?!" Koakuma jolted in surprise.
"Follow me!" I said as I bolted towards the sound.
"Wait Mr. Canmoore!" Koakuma exclaimed behind me.
As we ran towards the sound, I found myself to where it started, just below the Elizabethan section of books.
But the sound had long died off.
"It was here Koakuma! Where my ladder was pushed!" I said to Koakuma.
"huff…Mr. Canmoore what about a sound you heard?"
"I swear I heard something! it sounded around…" I said as I looked to my surroundings to figure where the sound came from.
"Here." I said when something caught my eyes.
Laying on the floor, laid a small knife, shiny and polished. I got closer to it, kneeled and took it off the ground. Upon closer inspection, I recognized the knife…
"That appears to be one of-"
"Sakuya's knives?" I interrupted Koakuma.
"You don't think Miss Sakuya is trying to hurt you?" Koakuma said in disbelief.
"I may have a reason, call it a hunch." I responded.
After finishing washing the dishes my Mistress used to dine just a moment ago, I began boiling water to prepare her Midnight Tea, something I cannot mess up, but I myself cannot mess such a menial task even if I were to do it blindfolded, it's something I do pristinely since long time ago, such a simple ceremony with simple ingredients, yet has the minor threshold for perfection. But I perfected my tea making.
Normally I use my abilities when boiling water to speed up the process, something I have done very constantly, and while I do take my time to make the perfect cup of tea, boiling the water is something I do not pay much attention as I can just control when it stops heating, the perfect temperature every single time. As I prepare myself to canalize time in the water pot hanging from the stove fire, I take my watch out of my pocket and prepare at what time to stop.
However, as I kept looking at the pocket watch, something held me back from doing my usual routine…
…
How long have I been doing this thing for? something as simple as boiling water… Am I too impatient for such a simple task? Despite being a simple task with not too much to waste, what purpose served those extra seconds shaved off? What did I use the time I saved for? All I can remember is just having all the time saved up to dedicate for my Mistress. What time have I saved up just to speed up that…
Ugh… that damned mutt's got me all scrambled up, what right does he have to object to my lifestyle? He probably hasn't done any work for a master ever… He wouldn't understand…
But… How can I use with that little time?
hmm, maybe the water can wait for a while, just a change of-
*THUD!
pace?
I hear a wooden sound coming to my left, and whatever it was, sounded sharp, as if stuck in it. I look to my left and find one of my Knives, sticking into a wooden beam of the kitchen. But hold on, I haven lost a Knife haven't i? I'm certain I had all of them counted, could it be that it fell off my garterbelt? But it couldn't be! I have them well strapped!
"That's yours?" A male voice answered. to which I look back to. It was him.
"yes?" I said as he grimaced with an angry face.
"Would've figured… The hell is wrong with you…" He said in an increased upset tone.
"Pardon me?" I still was unaware of what he was Implying.
"Don't play act with me! I said what the HELL is wrong with you!" He kept his aggressive tone
"You better tone it down to your superior, what is this about!" I demanded
"To hell with that, I came to help and you can't take a single amount of aid?!" he said
"I did not ask for your help, it was my Mistress that allowed you in here in the first place." I responded back
"You know, I initially thought you were more mature than everyone in this dusthole, but your reaction to external advice, to act petty as if you were acting like a drama diva going through a big change. You try to kill anyone who helps you?!"
"WILL YOU TELL ME WHAT IS IT WITH THESE ACCUSATIONS!" I lost patience and yelled at the tanker.
"WHY DONT YOU FUCKING TELL ME! I WAS CLEANING THE INSIDE OF THE CLOCK TOWER AND SOMEONE TRIED TO SEND ME INTO THE MOVING GEARS! AND JUST A MOMENT AGO I WAS FLINGED AT HIGH SPEED AND CATAPULTED OF A LADDER INTO A FUCKING METALLIC CART OF MY BACK! WORSE OF ALL, I GOT EVIDENCE!"
"Evidence?" I was confused?
"THAT KNIFE OF YOURS WAS AROUND WHERE I WAS PUSHED OF THE LADDER! AND THIS HAIR STRING, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE HERE TO WEAR GREEN" The tanker says as he dangles a small green string.
I remember that string, I lost it yesterday and didnt have the time to look for it. Come to think of it, as I looked into my garterbelt, I realized one of my knives was missing just now.
"First, Lower your damned tone. If you really want to help, respect your employers. Second, those accusations are ridiculous." I said back.
"Ridiculous? with two clear objects as evidence? The only thing I see ridiculous here is that stupid clattering noise every time!" The tanker complained
"Clattering?" I was intrigued.
"Like glass banging each other, do you really have that much of a tight schedule that you have to kill me while you are delivering tea or wine or whatever the hell you are carrying? Don't you have any time at all!?" he kept saying.
Glass…Like Crystals?
…
Oh Lord.
Of all the times… Precisely now?!
"Mr. Canmoore, You must return to your quarters immediately." I said to him
"you're not anyone to go around like anyone's mom, and not after 2 assassin-"
"You don't understand, something has happened out of my schedule, and I must attend it Immediately." I interrupted him.
"what the hell are you-"
I desperately had to convince him, as I had the slight Idea of who was behind "my" crimes. So I grabbed him by the shoulders and kept eye contact with him
"Plyush, I need you to follow my orders: Go to your quarters, lock the door, and stay there until I say so. This matter is of high importance and of danger, and could be fatal to you if you were to be caught up."
Plyush only kept looking weird after I said my demands.
"I need you to trust me, and promise that I'll explain…"
...
"Fine…" He said as I let go of his shoulders and he began turning back to where he entered.
"But You better reflect on what I said, I am not your enemy, and I don't want beef with anyone."
Now that he had left the kitchen I came to organize the last of things around quickly so I could take a look in the basement.
But… I still have to deliver the tea to my Mistress, Just a little would not hurt.
Geez what is wrong with her, Now instead of dealing with Remilia alone, now I gotta deal with her as well. To be frank, I was surprised at how she lost a bit of composure when she sent me to my room, but she aint my mother!
But why am I conflicted, there is clear evidence of the times I almost lost my face, and yet I feel that she had nothing to do with that. whatever she has to attend now, It better be a top priority because if she just threw me a time out just to deal with me, I'm gonna lose it!
*Cling… *cling…
The sound echoes behind me
"Very funny Sakuya, really doing it at this moment… Fine!"
I turned around to the noise.
"If you are gonna kill me, DO IT! You'll be doing me a big…"
…
"Favor?"
but as I looked behind me, I managed to distinguish a faint silhouette in the dark halls. This shape looked like very large twigs, thin yet extending, as it got closer, I could see various crystals dangling around the twigs, they looked like colored decorations, shaped like diamonds. the closer it got, I could see they emanate a faint light that reflected about the walls and the floor.
and as it got out of the shadows, a figure slowly walked up to me… a girl.
blonde, red eyed, with a red dress and frilled pink line and a yellow ascot. She was barefoot and Her fingers had long and sharp nails as blades.
and then she suddenly stopped. She was about 4 meters away from me.
"Where is your eye?" She softly said.
"eh?" I responded.
"For a while, I have been watching you…" The girl said as she slowly raised her hand up, "and ever since you've entered my sis' home, I noticed something away."
she then holded her hand in front of her, towards me and opened.
she then closes it.
"I tried so many times but I cannot look you in the eye, you appear blind… yet you seem sure where you must go…"
"sis? I didn't know Remilia had a sister." I was confused.
"Remi? She does not often share about that, yes. But one thing I can say good about her is that she always finds the most interesting toys…"
…
"Were you the one who tried to kill me?" I asked her
"Nonsense… I was just testing your durability, which begs the question…"
She then smiles ear to ear, showing 2 stupid sharp fangs and opening her eyes with an intense glow, a glow… of sadism.
"Would you be my toy?"
*author notes
This is my first time posting notes on a chapter, and this is reserved to announce my thoughts on special chapters and things going on around my life.
So to keep things simple and well informed… I just entered Uni. This will have an impact on chapters but I'm still working whenever I have the chance to write, and I keep my promise that chapters are made everyday and constantly, though this time the only thing that changes now is my upload consistency. and frankly, my classes start very early and end early as well (though this is only for the first semester, then classes will be added), so I shall have time to do things. but I must remember that I can't leave things at the last minute cause I was distracted, so it boils down to writing when I have the chance.
Still, I treat this as a hobby that could help me with unleashing my bottled imagination, so I keep my promise to finish this fic.
Happy reading!