His Soul (Chapter 5)

Investigation

Summary: After saving the abducted collectors, you were trusted with Curioso's box. What seems like a dangerous possession slowly turns into an opportunity to learn more about this creature and his curse. Can you earn his trust, and possibly, his affection?

Pairings: Curioso/Reader, Curioso/The Detective

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That next morning, you completed your early routine and ate a nutritious breakfast to make up for last night’s dinner. You were feeling pretty good about today…what happened was behind you. You were determined to see this case through.

You headed downstairs and prepped everything to be locked up. You didn’t know how long you’d be gone, so you made a small sign informing any potential-clients of your whereabouts and how to contact you. Couldn’t risk losing business over a small case like this…you weren’t getting paid much for a second day’s worth of investigation.

You searched through some drawers before finding a decently-sized bag. You held it in front of Curioso’s box to see if it would accommodate him. You nodded to yourself before carefully lifting it and slipping it inside - it was a sturdy thing, made out of some sort of mystical wood, you were sure, but you didn’t want to rattle him around. You wondered if that would even be possible.

You held it in your grasp and tested its weight. It wasn’t bad, but you needed something better so you could use both your hands. You wondered how this thing wasn’t any * heavier *, with the world and creature it held inside. You started rummaging around for something more convenient - a backpack, maybe. Something you could tie it to, or carry it around on your hip….

“I hope I’m not inconveniencing you,” You heard Curioso’s teasing tone.

“Not really. I use bags all the time for inventory space.” You stood to your feet and presented an older backpack you were sure would fit him. “..You’re not going to be picky, are you?”

“Perish the thought..!”

You chuckled, knowing he wouldn’t be. If he started complaining, you had no problem leaving him at home. You stepped forward and placed his box inside the backpack. It took up all the space inside. It just barely had enough room for the zipper to clear it. You tested this theory and closed the bag, then moved back and blinked.

“Can you see anything like that..?”

“Not terribly much,” His muffled voice replied. “Imagine you’re squinting, Detective. That’s what this looks like to me.”

“Interesting…” Your mind whirled with possibilities, but now wasn’t the time to pester him with questions. “What if I open the bag a little?”

You unzipped the backpack halfway through and removed your hand. Then you saw the box glow, completely illuminating the dark space. It was only somewhat visible from outside the bag. You weren’t sure how concerned you were about anyone nearby seeing it. You could just make up a lie about what you were carrying. No one would really believe you if you told them it was a magical box containing a supernatural jester, anyway.

“Hmm. A bit better. But I would prefer being *outside*…”

You gave him a stern glare and he laughed. You were caught by surprise at the noise - you haven’t heard him laugh since his ‘game’ at Andrew Collins’ house…

“I’m just kidding! I’m allowed to joke around, aren’t I?”

“I guess I’ll allow it, since you are a jester.” You leaned down to move the straps around your arms and properly carry the backpack. “-What’s the story with that, anyway? You’re a magical jester?”

“The costume wasn’t exactly my choice of permanent clothing,” His voice sounded clear behind you. You’d have no problem at all communicating with him like this.

You moved to twist the door handle and lock your office. While you put the key in, you hummed curiously. “Huh. Then what do you usually wear?”

“I don’t have a choice with that matter.”

You were walking to your car now, searching for your keys in your pocket. “What? You can’t take your clothes off?”

“It’s complicated. And really, we have more important things to do right now…”

You looked up and noticed a man walking his dog on your street, who was looking at you peculiarly. It must’ve looked like you were speaking to nobody. You probably looked like a madman right now. You grinned sheepishly as you politely waved to the stranger and hastily entered your car. You moved the backpack to the passenger seat, thought about it for a few seconds, then buckled him in.

Curioso sounded amused. “I appreciate the thought, but-”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s not for your safety - I just don’t want that thing breaking in a crash and *you* getting out.”

“How cruel…”

You started the engine and adjusted your mirrors. You’d been a little messy following that car around last night. You noticed the mug of dried coffee stains still sitting in the cup holder and the crumbled up newspapers on the floor. You had no time to clean up right now, so you drove out of your spot and onto the street, following the GPS route you logged last night.

While driving, you looked over at the backpack sitting beside you. Things were quiet right now, so you had no clue what was going through Curioso’s mind. You wondered if he was looking outside the window, admiring the views that you two passed. It’s what you used to do all the time as a child, watching the buildings and lands to pass the time during car rides. A pang of sympathy hit you as you realized it was the first time he’d been outside since you captured him.

You decided to break the ice. It would take a bit of time until you arrived, anyway. “So, why exactly are you interested in my detective work?”

“I’ve read a lot about you and your cases. Why wouldn’t I want to see the famous detective in action? To know how you do it all?”

“Okay, you keep calling me that, but I’m not famous. I…barely make ends meet, sometimes.” You confessed sadly. It almost hurt to say that out loud.

“Not to me. You played my game and proved you’re the better collector out of the two of us. You will always be renowned in my eyes, Detective.”

You weren’t sure how to feel about that. His words uplifted you, to know that someone actually looked up to you. But he was a magical creature who challenged your wits to a game of morals and decisions. How much did his respect mean to you, exactly? Judging by the heat on your face and a sudden struggle to find the right words, it was probably more than you thought.

You cleared your throat and focused on where you were going. The silence prolonged, but it didn’t feel awkward or tense. You had the feeling Curioso was simply enjoying the ride. The atmosphere felt light. It was a beautiful day out right now - the sky was clear and the sun was warm, with some pleasant gusts of winds ruffling your hair through your open window. It strengthened your hopes for today.

But then you were on the street you’d encountered last night, and that feeling subsided. It was replaced with an eerie sense of being watched. As you drove on the dirt, your chest grew tight and a chill climbed on your back. It made no sense…it was the middle of daylight, so nothing was hidden from your eyes this time. But the sensation almost felt tenfold now that you were actually on the road.

“Curioso? Do you feel that?” You asked desperately.

“Feel what?”

“This…cold, unsettling feeling. Like…I don’t know.” You groaned as you thought about how to word it. “It’s like something is trying to stop us from moving forward. Like I’m pushing against something.”

Curioso was quiet, which only added to your anxiety. You were quickly becoming a mess. You slowed your car down and took a deep breath, trying to compose yourself before you freaked out. You locked your jaw and looked around. The neighborhood was desolate. You couldn’t spot another soul outside right now, nor any cars beyond some broken and abandoned ones sitting on a few properties.

Your heart began to race as you proceeded forward, trying to keep your eye out for any sign or clue of Sophie’s whereabouts last night.

“Detective, calm down. I think I know what this is, and you’re not in any danger.”

“How could you possibly know what’s going on!?” You exclaimed. You didn’t mean to raise your voice, but you felt stressed right now, though you couldn’t fathom why.

“It might be a concealing spell. Some use it to hide something or some place that they don’t want others to see.”

“Spell? What are you on about?”

“You believe in magic, don’t you? ”

“Curioso, this is making no sense. Who would have cast a spell in the middle of nowhere like this? There’s no one who could possibly-”

“I could show you, but I need you to do something that you might not exactly like.”

You eyed him wearily, somehow feeling like he was going to ask you to release him from the box. No matter how you felt right now, it was not dire enough to let him free. You would drop this case right now if it meant making sure Curioso was still in your possession. Nothing could be worth that risk.

“Press this part of my box. Sadly, it won't free me, but it will help you.”

You slowed your car to a stop on the side of the road. There was a pink mist pointing to one of the blue gems decorated on the box. You hesitated before leaning over and pressing on it. You were surprised that it acted like a button, and even more so when your surroundings began to change. It was a lot like the magic Curioso had first presented at Andrew Collins’ house - when the world around you seemed to slow in time, and your surroundings became dark and light simultaneously.

When you looked out of your window, you spotted a house that had not been there before. Something about it felt ethereal…like it wasn’t meant to be there, yet it was.

“What just happened?”

“I revealed what was hidden. If someone’s been playing with magic, then so can I!” Curioso giggled. “We’re in the same place, Detective, but now you can see what you couldn’t see.”

You wondered what pressing that button on his box actually did, but you had no time to dwell on it. He was still in there, and that’s what mattered. You reached over and shrugged on the backpack, locking the car before walking over to the house.

You stood on the front porch and realized there was no doorbell. The whole place looked quite old-fashioned. You knocked on the door instead and waited. As you stood there, Curioso spoke quietly behind your ears:

“I’m surprised someone is hiding this by means of an incantation. It’s suspicious.”

“I get that,” You whispered urgently back to him. “Franky, I don’t understand how this is even possible.”

“You’re lucky you brought me! You would have never found this place. How clueless you would’ve looked, driving around and around…you could’ve gone mad..!’

You were about to argue until you realized there had been no movement nor noise for awhile. You reached forward and knocked again, with more force to make sure whoever was inside heard it. After a few minutes, you surmised that no one was home. You’d been intending on asking the residents about Sophie or any strange sights, but this felt like a strange situation in itself.

You began to inspect around, peeking through the windows to spot anyone inside. Most were hidden by a curtain, but you reached one that wasn’t blocked. The kitchen was empty and the window was right in your reach…as you lifted your arm and attempted it, it opened freely under your grasp.

You gaped at the sight. You thought for sure the window would’ve been locked. Curioso must’ve noticed your confusion and made a comment.

“Why would they bother locking the windows if most people can’t see this place? You should go and search inside.”

“That would be trespassing. It clearly isn’t abandoned.”

“I won’t tell if you won’t…! Besides, nobody's here.”

“We don’t know that for certain.” Your grip on the window faltered. “They could be sleeping, taking a shower, or they left and they’re coming back-”

You could hear yourself talking and snapped your mouth shut. Since when have you become this cowardly? It was something about this place, you swore. You shook your head and climbed inside, making sure Curioso’s box didn’t fall out as you did so. Your entry was quiet. You slowly shut the window behind you. You didn’t move for the first minute - intently listening for any noise. After that, you began to freely roam around the kitchen.

“Look around while I do this; find anything related to Sophie or the men she was with.” You’d shown him your notes and photograph yesterday, so he was up-to-date with everything you knew.

“Aye-aye, captain!”

The kitchen was standard and yielded nothing worthy of your attention. If anything, it looked a little unused and under-stocked. You moved onto the next room - which appeared to be the living room, with couches, tables, and a T.V. You searched around to look at the photographs, keeping an eye out for Sophie or the others you’d seen at the restaurant. You didn’t recognize any of the people, so you moved onto looking in the drawers. For notes, important papers, anything….

While you looked, your mind wandered. There was something still bothering you. “Curioso?”

“-I’m afraid I don’t see anything, Detective. Could you use a screwdriver or an axe?”

“Not right now.” You shook your head and your gaze shifted. “I can believe this house is under a hiding spell, but it doesn’t really explain why I’ve been feeling so…weird.”

“It could be another conjuration, made to deter people from getting close. Causing fear, anxiety, a sense of intrusion…that could be why no one really lives on this street.”

Your eyes widened. “That’s a good theory.”

You stopped when you spotted a small notebook in one of the drawers. You opened it and scanned what had been written. The first few pages were random measurements and a grocery list, but in the back of the book, something interesting caught your attention. It was a drawing of some sort of symbols. On the next page was a list of colors. Knowing your history with these things, you didn’t hesitate to pocket it.

“Found your first clue?”

“Yeah. It could be for a nearby puzzle. People like to put those in their homes sometimes.”

You carried on to a nearby hallway. There were several doors to go through, but a few of them were locked. You swore under your breath - you’d have to find some keys or a way to open them. Your attention moved to a staircase leading down into the basement. Those usually held a bunch of storage items that might be telling about the owners of the house. You climbed down the steps and faced an elaborate-looking puzzle. You smiled until you realized a piece was missing. You gritted your teeth - now you’d have to go and find THAT as well.

As you opened your mouth to complain about this trivial detail, you were interrupted by a blinding flash of light.

The blindness surprised you and made you stumble backwards. You fell to your feet and hit your head on one of the steps. You clutched it in pain as your eyes struggled to open. You lost your sense of balance and had to use the steps to right yourself. Once you were standing, you quickly checked your backpack to assess the damage.

The box was still intact. You sighed in relief. You’d nearly landed on your face, but at least you didn’t break anything.

You rubbed the sore spot on your head that was quickly forming into a bump. Ugh. You’ll have to tend to it later. “Curioso? Are you alright?”

Silence.

You quirked an eyebrow. Why wasn’t he saying anything? You turned your head in search of someone in the room - maybe he saw something you didn’t. But there was nobody there. You decided to try again.

“What was that? Curioso?”

Still no response. Panic flooded into your system as you threw the backpack off your shoulders and looked at the box. It was dim again - no sign of life nor colors. Something compelled you to start shaking it and pressing the gems frantically, only for nothing to happen. This left only one explanation:

He’d gotten out.

Shit!

His Soul (Chapter 5)

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