https://youtu.be/shSGDbQgLLc

"Now, I know it's early, and I'm sorry for calling you over. But this mission is of the utmost importance."

The clock on the wall struck six, and Inigo's inn room was more populated than when he had gone to sleep tonight. He himself sat on the bed, leaning against the wall as he looked up at Silas and Azurine, who stood by the door in their own attires. Silas wore his usual yellow jacket lined with white fur, and beneath it a sleeveless yellow shirt and a pair of black pants. How he could always have his arms exposed regardless of the weather would always baffle Inigo - was he a fire type? As for Azurine, she wore her usual outfit of a cerulean sweater and a pair of shorts.

The two of them eyed him curiously, a light in their eyes that made them seem more energetic than him by a not-insignificant margin, and he stared back at them, yawning slightly. "Any questions before we begin?"

"Just one." Silas raised a hand briefly. "Not that there's a problem or anything, but...why are you wearing a dress?"

Inigo looked down at his night attire and narrowed his eyes, looking back up at him. "It's a nightgown. Get with the times."

"But wouldn't you be the old-timey one?" Azurine stared at him with wide eyes. "Most people nowadays just sleep in normal clothes, Wee Willie Winkie."

"Look, I didn't call you here so you could roast me over my clothes." Inigo sat up straight, resting a palm on his cheek. "As we know, there's a powerful member of Libera at Ruben, and I know who he is. So, you're going to help me expose him."

"That'd be the geography teacher Jude mentioned, right?" Silas asked, earning a nod from Inigo.

"And that's also the white-flame menace from the news!" Azurine exclaimed.

"Correct." Inigo agreed. "There are several parts to this - mine, yours, and Jude's. Your part is simple - you're going to go to the address I sent you and question him. But there are two factors you need to keep in mind."

He raised a finger as he continued to go over this briefing. "Factor 1: you must not let him catch onto the fact that you're allied with me." he said, before raising another finger. "And factor 2: your questioning is a diversion. Take note of anything potentially useful he says, but your objective is to keep him busy."

"For Jude's part, right?" Silas asked. "He says he's gotten pretty good at hiding from Libera these past few days, so this could go well, you know?"

"Precisely. You can't let him know that Jude's there." Inigo explained. "His part is very important - you can't let it fail."

"Alright, seems straightforward enough..." Azurine murmured, before crossing her arms. "But what are you doing in all this?"

"Me? Well..." Inigo shrugged casually. "Let's just say there's a couple of...independent variables. Someone's gotta monitor them."

"Could you elaborate?" Azurine asked, clearly somewhat sceptical as she raised an eyebrow at him. "You're not just being lazy, are you?"

"Look, I can't go anywhere near him. He knows my face, and he wants to smash it into a fine paste. Bringing Jude along is risky enough as it stands." Inigo sighed. "And there are a couple other people who shouldn't touch this operation in the least."

"Perhaps it's best if you tell us who these people are. For our peace of mind, you know?" Silas suggested politely. Inigo pondered it briefly before shrugging and nodding - no harm, no foul, he seemed to nonverbally say.

"First of all, Iago." he said simply. "Way too unpredictable."

"...actually, that's fair." Azurine chuckled quietly. "But who else is there?"

"You see, Galileo has a daughter, and her helping him out is enough of a possibility that I'd have to remove her from the equation." Inigo said, reaching to the nightstand to grab his phone and looking at the screen. "As luck would have it, however, I've managed to befriend her, and I have my ways of keeping her busy."

Silas grinned mischievously, making a suggestive whistling sound, and at that Azurine gasped, covering her mouth, while Inigo just stared at him, raising an eyebrow before returning to his phone screen, reading through a conversation he'd had last night:

"Hey, Scarlett. Are you busy tomorrow morning?"

"Not really. (づ ◕‿◕ )づ"

"Why?"

"Wanted to meet up. Hang out for a bit, maybe have some breakfast together?"

"On me, of course."

"(=＾● ⋏ ●＾=)"

"Didn't see that coming."

"I'm full of surprises."

"I'd love to join you! ٩(•̤̀ᵕ•̤́๑)"

"Are you sure you want to be with me, though?"

"Positive. Consider it thanks for all the times you've helped me out."

"Well, if you insist."

"When do you want to meet up? I'm free at just about any time."

"Can you make it to Arc by 7:30? I know a pretty nice cafe there."

"Sorry about the inconvenience, by the way. The rest of my day is just too busy."

"If I catch a train, I can just about make it."

"Dad won't care too much, either."

"Don't worry too much about being late. As long as you show up eventually."

"Do I look like the tardy type to you? (ง'̀-'́)ง"

"I'll make sure I'm on time, just you wait!"

"And then we can laugh over a nice cup of tea! ( ˘▽˘)っ♨"

"Looking forward to it."

He smiled a little as he read over the messages, putting the phone down again and looking up at his friends. "So, in short, don't worry about me. I've got my own part outside of conceiving this scheme to begin with."

"You've really put a lot of effort into this..." Azurine mumbled, averting her eyes. "To think you'd go as far as seducing the enemy's daughter..."

"Nobody's seduced anyone, Azurine." Inigo shook his head slowly, not paying the statement much more thought. "Now, then, any more questions?"

"Uh...no, I'm pretty sure that covers everything." Silas smiled a little. "When we formed this humble little group, I didn't think I'd be involved in a mission like this. Gotta say, I'm pretty stoked."

"Me, too!" Azurine chirped. "We're finally going for the big bad bosses themselves! Ruben will be free at last!"

"Then, you'd best get going soon." Inigo nodded. "I recommend getting there early. He might have left home otherwise."

"Got it." Azurine smiled. "We won't let you down!"

"I'm trusting you." Inigo smiled back. "Now, you are both dismissed."

"Alright. We'll be back with results." Silas gave a thumbs-up. Inigo watched as the two left the room, Azurine practically rocketing off with Silas following closely behind her. He sighed slightly, picking up his phone and opening a voice recorder app.

"I really do trust you, you know..." he murmured. "You'd better win, you two."

And at that, he made sure he was mentally prepared before he pressed "play".

.........

https://youtu.be/dsuJZx24V_A

Once he was done there, Inigo made sure to take a shower before making sure he looked presentable for his breakfast meeting. A black polo shirt, matching trousers and shoes, and the purple coat he'd worn yesterday - and of course, he couldn't forget the scarf. He still had time before his meeting with Scarlett, so he decided to spend that time looking for Iago. He suspected the man in black wouldn't stray too far from him, and he was proven correct as he walked out of the inn, seeing him standing next to the entrance and plucking the petals of a black rose.

"Morning." he said quickly, and as Iago looked at him, his eyes brightened, and he met him with a bright smile that juxtaposed with his dark appearance.

"My good friend, you finally return!" he exclaimed, dropping the rose and spreading his arms out. "When you didn't seek me out yesterday, I was ever so worried!"

"Valid. I was in Caerulus, and then I was in Ruben. It was all very precarious." he said, putting his hands in his coat pockets. "You've heard what happened in Caerulus, right?"

"Oh, yes, it was in the papers!" Iago exclaimed. "Such a mysterious disaster, so much slime and so much death! It could only mean Apex is making their move!"

"I'm all too aware." Inigo sighed. "But Apex isn't what's on my mind right now."

"And what could be on your mind, my dear?" Iago asked curiously, a hand on his hip. "Could you be thinking about how you plan to stop my attacks today?"

"Something like that." Inigo faced him directly. "Because I need you to do a favour for me."

"Oh? The hero wishes for a royal favour?" Iago gasped, putting a hand to his heart before taking a bow, earning a raised eyebrow from Inigo. "Well, then, seeing as you allowed me to act freely yesterday, what can I do but give you a chance to explain why I should do this for you?"

"Thanks for the chance." Inigo deadpanned.

"Don't take this the wrong way. My search turned up very poorly, and I had to suffer such monotony without the company of my greatest companion!" Iago explained. "So do tell me, how will you make it up to me?"

Inigo narrowed his eyes, but sighed and decided to go on without complaint. "Because if you do as I say, it'll help us score a massive blow against Libera."

"...oh? Now you have my attention."

"Love to hear it." Inigo said. "I've sent Silas and Azurine over to Ruben. They and Jude are going to investigate Galileo."

"Oh? But that could be dangerous!"

"Which is where you come in." Inigo continued. "I need you to be nearby in case Galileo goes on the attack."

"Ah, so I play the role of the safety net, correct?" Iago hummed.

"Galileo fled from our last encounter because he didn't think he could take on you, me and Jude at once. Having you there means if he acts up, he's not going to get too far." he explained. "There are just a couple of things I want you to keep in mind, though..."

.........

"...I see. I am not fond of showing restraint, but if it will crush our enemies, I will gladly clip my wings." Iago sighed dramatically, looking into the distance. "Then I shall be off, my friend! Ta-ta!"

"Later." Inigo waved slightly at him, watching as he strolled off in another direction, destined towards Ruben. Now that he was alone, Inigo pulled out his phone, seeing he had about 30 minutes before he was to meet Scarlett at the Hole. He decided to get a head-start, strolling over to what would have been Silas' workplace had he not had the day off, and the whole time he looked down at his phone, opening his contacts to begin a conversation.

"Hey, Jude."

"Today's the day. How are you feeling?"

"A little nervous, if I must be honest. I've never snuck into a house before. I must ask, however, are you certain I'll find any operations in there?"

"He soundproofs his house with Natura, and he's a known member of Libera."

"Sound logic. It sounds like this will be the only way, sadly. A holy man like me, committing crimes in broad daylight. The scandal."

"Don't worry, it's for the greater good."

"I can't put you in a position where you'll be seen by Galileo. Your part is the most important."

"Yes, yes, I understand. And it's not like I'm the only one making sacrifices for this mission, after all."

"I will forever regret forking out money over to Coronus Crystallus, but I didn't know where else to find a Sound crystal."

"Where did you find all that money, anyway? Those guys aren't cheap."

"Bandits."

"Anyway, you'll use that crystal to make sure nobody can hear you."

"It only lasts ten minutes when used. Are you sure that'll be enough?"

"Should be. Silas and Azurine will be keeping him busy, but either way, you'll have to hurry."

"Then godspeed I shall. And worry not, for you shall be regaled with updates galore. Everything I pick up, you will be made aware of immediately."

"Excellent. Stay safe."

He sighed, putting his phone away and looking up to the sky. The Java Hole was up ahead, so he hurried over to it, leaning against the wall at the entrance and waiting for the time to reach half-past seven - its opening time, naturally. A few minutes after the time came, he felt his phone vibrating, seeing a message from Silas:

"Hey, we're at Ruben. Just letting you know."

He nodded at that, not sending a reply, and put his phone back in his pocket for now. It would come in useful for later. For now, though, he turned his attention to his surroundings as he spotted a woman approaching him. A young blonde, dressed in a black crop top with a short, slightly undone zipper, and a pair of red yoga pants, as well as a clear pink, plastic bracelet. A fashionable outfit, he thought, and one that looked good on her, but he couldn't help but be drawn to her face. Seeing such a dazzlingly beautiful, and most importantly of all, genuine smile on her face almost made his heart leap.

"Inigo! Good morning!" Scarlett greeted cheerfully, and he stood up straight as she stopped in front of him, waving at him.

"'Sup?" he said, offering his own little wave in return. "Hope you had enough sleep."

"Eh, a bit less than usual, but I'll manage." Scarlett shrugged. "Dad seemed a little grumpier than usual, but he let me go, anyway, so that's good."

"Uh huh..."

"So, what did you two talk about, anyway?" Scarlett questioned. "It can't have been anything nice..."

"I told him I was better than him and he was an idiot, and he pushed me out and slammed the door in my face." Inigo replied calmly, deciding to give an abridged version of the events. Scarlett snickered quietly at that, smiling slightly.

"Wow, no wonder he was pissed." she said, shaking her head. "You ought to be careful about riling him up, though. He hates you enough as is..."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Inigo reassured her, gesturing towards the door. "Shall we go in?"

"Oh, sure, let's go." Scarlett nodded quickly. The two of them headed inside, ready to enjoy a nice breakfast. Inigo did his best to ignore that he was deceiving her for now. After all, there was no doubt in his mind that he could genuinely enjoy this.

.........

https://youtu.be/3_2MGUyGTM4

Silas and Azurine reached Ruben with relatively little effort, walking down the red streets with mild apprehension. With every stranger and their mother eyeing the unfamiliar figures, it was hardly surprising. They remembered where Inigo had told them to go, though, so they pressed on, ignoring the people around them and focusing on their path and each other. Inigo was counting on them, after all.

"Kinda scary to think a geography teacher could do all of that, don't you think?" Azurine said, looking around at all the damages around town. Despite the passage of time, not everything could be cleared up just yet. "Usually, you'd think of a geography teacher as, like, these boring, stick-in-the-mud types."

"Well, I never really met many geography teachers, you know?" Silas shrugged. "For all I know, this is what they all do with their free time."

Azurine chuckled quietly, looking back at a recovering florist's and sighing. "It's a real shame, though. What happened to this place, I mean." she said. "I bet the people who live here are losing their minds right now!"

"You've got that right." Silas nodded in agreement. "Wouldn't be surprised if these people can't even trust their own neighbours - or even their families!"

Azurine shivered at the thought, holding onto herself tightly as Silas continued. "You've been visiting this place a lot following that incident, and I'm completely new! Who knows, maybe they suspect us!"

"Ah! I don't wanna be a suspect!" Azurine shrieked in panic, eyes wide. "We have to get rid of this guy!"

"Haha, relax." Silas gave a toothy grin, playfully patting the top of her head. "In my opinion, you'd have to be insane to think someone as small as you could cause so much damage."

Azurine narrowed her eyes, ramming into Silas' side and causing him to stumble slightly. He chuckled, while she looked up at him with a pouting glare. "I'll cause your kneecaps even more damage in a minute." she mumbled.

"I'm sure you will, lil' buddy." Silas said casually, shrugging as he continued to walk, Azurine spouting ineffectual threats the entire way.

.........

"Alright, it's the moment of truth!" Azurine declared, ceasing her petulant tirade as they turned into the street - as marked by a small sign at the entrance reading "Favilla Avenue". A little while of walking past the various solitary houses took them to the house numbered 34, and as they entered the front yard, they stopped in front of the door, looking up.

"No knockers, no bell. Just you, me, and a big slab of wood." Silas replied, reading the number plate to make sure he had the right place. "So, you wanna knock, or should I?"

"Hmm...you don't think he's booby-trapped the door, do you?" Azurine speculated, frowning slightly before pulling out her phone. "We should tell Jude we're here."

"Right..." Silas nodded, watching her send Jude a message. He waited until she was done before knocking on the door firmly, waiting for a response. A few seconds later, Azurine pushed ahead, pounding on the door as hard as she could.

And so, they waited for a response, remaining silent and standing back. Eventually, the door opened, revealing the suited figure of Galileo, looking down at the pair with an eyebrow raised and a somewhat confused look in his orange eyes. His arms crossed behind his back, he tried to discern if he remembered either of them, his gaze lingering on Azurine for a little longer.

"So many brats knocking on my door lately..." he mumbled, before shaking his head slowly and eyeing them with a look of mild contempt, while they tried to think of something to say - after all, it was now or never. "Do you want something?"