#if there hadn't been that foothold for them to begin with they wouldn't have gotten where they did. which is not an apology for their behavi

[drunkelreporter]

Follow the Notes, the Etude Begins

It had been some time since Roberto had gotten the chance to unravel a proper mystery. Back before his work with the Bernadeli Newspaper he'd been one hell of a slueth, detective, information broker, whatever one wished to call it. He'd enjoyed finding out things that others didn't know, and then using that information for his own and other's benefit.

It hadn't always worked in his favor. In fact, it had ended in more deaths then Roberto could carry while still keeping that job.

Still, the desire to search, and find, and know, had never really abated and it was now, here, in this new place and second chance that he decided to take up the job again.

Someone had gone missing in an old train station and several other someones had stolen an artifact related to the trains that once ran there. The old reporter had seen far too much to write it all off as a fluke of coincidence so, despite being one of very few Echoes with no powers of his own, and despite the AIPD likely looking into both events themselves, Roberto set out to the train station.

Alone.

He'd left a note for Astarion and Wolfwood, and taken his phone he was still getting used to carrying, his derringer, the dagger he'd bought, and the pouch he kept his healing stones in. A notebook and pen, along with a decent portion of keys, joined his equipment scattered in the deep, inner pockets of his jacket and he set off from their house with sure steps. Some things he just wanted to do himself, and investigation was one of them. Sure, having a vampire with magic as a partner (in both uses of the word) and a super soldier experiment as an unofficially adopted son was helpful but... he'd been doing this alone, the human way, all his life. If he had difficulties he could always call home and have Astarion or Wolfwood join him, right? It would be fine.

The station was, predictably, deserted and full of flora looking for a foothold in the man-made structure. Roberto wandered around a little, trying to read the signs that were faded and worn away by time, noting the 'E' next to the one light left glowing on the train board. Humming to himself, he noted it down before descending the stairway.

It took a good bit of exploring to figure out that he was looping around. Irritated, he stepped back out to the main hall and looked around, figuring there was some trick to the place. Why wouldn't there be, magic was everywhere in this place and he'd read through the last posts the student had made online before she'd vanished. The sign hadn't changed letters for him, no matter that he'd gone into various areas labeled Platform E. He was missing something.

The shadows at his feet caught his attention and he glanced up at the ceiling.

Wait.

Sonata. Music? He cocked his head, studying the form of the glass ceiling. It had been a while since he had last read any music but he remembered the way it looked, the lines and notes between them. It took a moment for him to dredge up the memory of which note was what but if that was a music staff then one of those notes was, indeed, an 'E'.

Hmm.

He went back down, working his way through each platform labeled 'E' and noting the number before looking back at the board. Methodical as he was, it still took some time to change to change to 'G', after he'd tried 6, 8, 2, 12, and 4. When 4 did the trick, he looked back at the ceiling. Four... quarter notes? They were all quarter notes and 'G 4' did nothing special. Not that. The lines?

Fuck, how were the lines noted again?

'G 2'. Bingo, the lines it was.

After that, the other two were easy.

'E 4, G 2, D 4, A 6'.

Finally, he was somewhere else, a deserted train platform with the echo of a train whistle sounding from the track before it slid obligingly into view.

The apparently abandoned compartments and the pristine state of the train amid the abandoned station was unnerving, but not enough to put Roberto off. He snapped his notebook shut and stepped onboard, settling expectantly into a seat.

As soon as the single passenger was settled, the train slowly pulled away from the station, leaving Roberto wondering what he'd gone and gotten himself into this time.

Maybe his kids weren't the only ones who got themselves in trouble.

[rotzaprachim]

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