Borrowing without asking

Kada

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Fitz's fingers were numb, despite the pleasant spring air. He rubbed them together and breathed on them, as though heat would bring back the feeling. The smell of alcohol and toothpaste mingled sickeningly in his nostrils.
Fuck, why did it have to be acting up today of all days? He had good days and bad days ever since what he had come to refer to as the worst Valentine's day gift he had ever received. And even though the bad days weren't coming as often as they did right in the beginning, they were still bad.

But he couldn't back out, rain check for another day. He was at the dorm of one Hedi van Essche, another student. A student who happened to be out today, making this the perfect time for what Fitz had in mind.
He could barely feel the lock picks in his hands as he worked, which made it all the harder to find the tumblers. But Fitz refused to give up, and doubled his efforts until he heard that oh so subtle, satisfying click.

He slipped inside just in time, hearing another group of students heading somewhere to study. The man in the green hat had his own studying to do later, if all went well.
The room was tidy. Which theoretically should make finding what he was here for easier. But it also meant that any misplaced items would be noticed immediately. So he had to steal with his eyes first. He especially didn't want to touch anything, assuming this Hedi character knew as much about magic as it seemed. Who knew what kind of disaster Fitz might cause by touching some weird magic item.

Strange magic symbols on the walls. Glowing, all of them. Stay away from those. A closet full of really nice, expensive clothing.
The desk had a bunch of jewelry on it. Fitz resisted the itch in his hands to pocket some of it. Again, it was probably all cursed or some other nonsense.

But the desk also had notes on it. Weird, arcane things that made no sense to the human. But it was a start.
Taking out the digital camera he had brought, Fitz started taking pictures of the notes. And the symbols on the walls too, for good measure.

 

rhizomatic

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Wavelengths. Probability. Quantum particles. These were the word's Hedi was having drilled into his head. He had spent the past thirty years of his life teaching himself advanced enough mathematics to even begin to read the books out there about quantum physics and magic. Hedi had assumed, and correctly that there was a link between the discipline of quantum physics and the practice of summoning, as well any type of interdimensional magic.

He had then proceeded to spend years barely making headway in research that the university was for some inexplicable reason, unwilling to fund. Hopeless. Overly complex for a doctorate. Impossible to cast. It was all ridiculous, its like they were trying to stop him from developing something amazing!

The demon was out and about in the city, enjoying the extremely moderate spring weather. He wasn't so weak as to be trapped inside by a bit of sun as some demons were, but it was still annoying. It burned his eyes. As his eyes moved downward to avoid the harsh sunlight rays, Hedi sipped on his juicebox. It looked deceptively like a strawberry crush flavor, but it tasted more like liquified heart.

As he finished it, Hedi threw it to the side, flicking a hand to make it fly into a trashcan. He didn't have any ethical concerns over littering, but it was something that lowered the property value considerably. As he turned the corner and began floating up to his window, the demon spotted something.

Someone was in his room. His room. A room full of expensive and dangerous objects that realistically should not be kept together. But above all, HIS room? Eyes gleaming red while black tendrils flicked around the edge of his hands, Hedi extended his arm and willed the window to blow open.

Leaping from the air and into his room, now rather dangeously covered in glass, Hedi roared a threat.

"ARE YOU LOOKING TO GET KILLED, MORTAL?"

This threat was dripping in something dark, the kind of pure venom and disregard for others that only a demon was capable of. A roaring and deep voice, one that sounded like it had fangs instead of teeth, it was a terrifying sound for anyone to hear. As this yell went out his hand was making gestures in the air, his ring beginning to glow. Flames erupted from seemingly mid-air, dangerously close to the burglar's back, nearly licking him. Hedi was prepared to burn this poor sod alive, hellfire and all.
 

Kada

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Just a few more pictures. Each page lifted carefully and moved to the side, then moved back once the page underneath it was photographed. It was slow work, but Fitz wanted to be careful. He was nearly done though, and then he could get the hell-

"SHITE!"

The word mimicked Fitz's thoughts as he suddenly ducked to the side, sending papers scattering everywhere. The sound of shattering glass mingled with a demonic shout. A threat, backed up by fire licking far too close for comfort. Fitz had been under fire before, but never had it been so literal.

Springing to his knees, just out of reach of the initial burst of flame, Fitz raised his hands above his head in a sign of submission. This wasn't the place to fight, and he doubted he could even if he wanted to.
He figured he only had a few minutes until campus security showed up from the commotion.

"Easy does'er lad. Ah ain't 'ere lookin' fer trouble, aye? Ah'm..."

Thoughts moved quickly, the adrenaline making his heart pound and clarifying all the things that his depression and anxiety had dulled. A half second later, Fitz had it.
"...with a private magic security firm. Ye didn't respond to our request fer an inventory o' yer research notes, so we took matters into our own 'ands. Sorry fer the intrusion."

"Public safety's a priority, innit?"
 

rhizomatic

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What a pathetic display. Hedi could practically smell the fear on him, it was rare he encountered a mortal with any semblance of a spine. The man was surrendering within seconds, typical.

Hedi's eyes continued to glow with fury, but his stance became more relaxed. He snapped his fingers and the flames disappeared, returning to where theyd been summoned from. Another wave of his hand sent the pieces of glass that he had shattered back into their frame, he'd have to get it properly fixed eventually, but for now a minor magical remedy would do.

The man's explanation made Hedi scowl. "Do you take me for an idiot? My inventories are kept with the Academy, which doesn't hire a new firm without informing researchers."

With a huff, he strode past the man, a little too close for comfort, towards his closet and threw off his jacket, hanging it up next to the others. Snapping his head around back towards his unwelcome guest, Hedi spoke again.

"I'd advise you to tell me why you're really here, unless you're eager to get your spine torn out of you."
 

Kada

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"Alright lad. Caught me twice, seems like. Ye want some whiskey? Ah could use some whiskey."

Fitz gestured to his coat pocket, where the top of a flask could be seen sticking out. He grumbled frustratedly at the fact that his lie had been so easily seen through. But this was no time to be worried about any of that.

Not really waiting for Hedi to answer about the alcohol, Fitz fumbled with the flask and the camera so that he dropped neither as he unscrewed the cap. After a long sip, he looked the demon dead in the eyes. More annoyed than scared, at this point.

"Ye know, we coulda talked this out like gentlemen. But ye 'ad to blow a feckin' 'ole in the side o' the wall an' shoot goddamn fire everywhere. Security's on their way now, an' Ah don't wanna be 'ere when they show up."

He looked around. Fitz didn't really believe that this guy was goin to let him just walk out. And going through the window would just mean going to jail with a broken leg or neck. He clicked his tongue, mind still racing.
"Ain't a chance ye need a burglar's skills fer nothing, is there? When blokes don't come crashin' through windows, Ah'm a damn good sneak."
 

rhizomatic

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Hedi's face contorted into a grimace at the suggestion he drink with the man. What kind of burglar was this? Clearly a stupid one, if he was so pitifully mundane as to not even be able to offer any sort of resistance to Hedi's magic besides a quick roll out of the way. He really had no clue why mortals insisted on meddling with things clearly beyond their scope, almost every single time it ended in them getting disembowled by something usually large and hungry.

"Gentlemen do not generally break into private quarters, and please, as if security are a worry. You are aware this is a wing full of magicians? There's an explosion every few hours." Still seething, Hedi considered what to do with the man. In truth, he couldn't kill him, that would be pretty unmanageable especially considering this was far from private housing. But he could reasonably get something out of this.

"A burglar's skills? Well, I can think of a few things. But they're all fairly dangerous... I suppose the risk of death bound up in them is fine." A twinkle caught in Hedi's eye. He knew just what he wanted.

"I'd like you to steal any high order forbidden magic text for me that you can find. Whatever is fine, if you do it, you live, if you don't, I suppose I'll let you go and find some other time to incinerate you. Up to you."
 

Kada

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Fitz let out a breath, the burn of the alcohol clearing his head a bit even as the high of his adrenaline rush began to fade. He had been caught, but apparently the security weren't about to burst through the door? That was handy. Still, would have to be careful on the way out.

The twinkle in Hedi's eye was disconcerting. Or it would be if Fitz hadn't seen that exact look on countless people before. Greed, pure and unrefined. He wanted to milk this blackmail, if you could really call it that, for as much as he could. Guess demons weren't so different from humans after all.

"Alright lad, ye ain't gotta threaten me. But Ah know fuck all about magic, so Ah'll need specifics. Stuff ye can't just pick up at the goddamn library. Obviously."

The danger aspect didn't so much bother Fitz. He had dealt with danger before. He would take it with the same careful determination he always did. And he could probably snap some pictures of the books before he handed them over too.

"But ye've got a deal. And as an act o' good faith, Ah'll give ye the camera Ah took the picture o' yer notes with." He held up the camera, pocketing his flask as he did. The camera wasn't a terribly expensive model, so he didn't care about losing it.
 
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