"Then you haven't heard anything else either?"

Solaris twirled around a piece of her long hair in her hand, absentmindedly humming to a song that had been stuck in her head for the day. She would soon have a different song in her head tomorrow though, from her random playlist of songs that she would play in the background at her house. However, we were at a popular cafe that she had invited me to, for a cup of coffee in the Higher Plane, and the music playing from an overhead speaker was definitely different compared to the music Solaris listened to. The soothing tune of the instrumentals playing was enough to change anyone's demeanor to a calm, and more serene one, while Solaris' music gave most people either a headache or an upbeat and energetic feeling.

"Sorry, but I can't say I have. The only information I can tell you is that all of the Producers near Shibuya have reported the same thing about that sigil. The Archangels have yet to say anything about it. Seems the Producers are getting a little antsy too, and are sending in more reports like crazy," Solaris said. "Although, now that I think about it, Flynn did tell me something interesting the other day. He said that the library was going to be shut down soon because the Archangels want some books taken off of the shelf. You mentioned you wanted to go there, right? Well, now's the time to go. I would go with you, but I have to get back to my job. I'm on lunch break right now, remember?" I nodded and hummed in response as she stood up, putting some money on the table to pay for our drinks. Bidding me goodbye, she left the cafe with her drink. Her wings were folded behind her as she avoided accidentally hitting someone with them. I stood up as well, grabbing my leftover coffee that was beginning to grow cold.

As I left the cafe which was flooding with more people, I threw away my empty cup, and made my way over to the library. If what Flynn said was true, then I needed books about sigils quickly. But what could be so important that the Archangels would close the entire library down for? Was there some kind of book that held information so important that it couldn't be revealed to the other Angels? Whatever the reason, I needed to visit the library.

I came upon the familiar library and opened the door, shutting it behind me as quietly as possible. There weren't many Angels in here, other than the librarian and two Angels mumbling quietly to each other on a couch. Looking up, I searched for a sign about sigils or something like that topic. One of the boards hanging from the ceiling above, however, caught my attention.

"Composers...?" I whispered quietly to myself. "Why is this information here? I thought these documents were kept with the Archangels, or was I mistaken?"

I walked up to the section and saw that the books were alphabetized, by the name of the city of each Composer ever recorded in the Higher Plane. Out of curiosity, my attention was brought to the 'S' section, and I found Shibuya. Pulling the book off of the shelf, I noticed another book behind where it used to be. It was hidden away behind the rest of the Composer books. A tattered and old leather book peaked out from among the rest. I took that one too, and saw the writing on the cover was in the Celestial Alphabet, otherwise more commonly known as Angelic Script. Not many Angels knew how to read this script, but I remembered my Mother had taught me how to read it, as she wrote books in this form. In fact, she was the only person who wrote books in Angelic Script.

(M/n) (L/n).

That was the author of the book, and my eyes widened, realization dawning on me. This book was out of place compared to the clean, and tidy books. Plus, it was kept hidden behind some other books, and by mere luck I managed to catch it out of the corner of my eye.

Nikolai said my Mother was some kind of powerful being, and if this book was out of place, could the Archangels be trying to find it? It seems as if it was neatly and cleverly placed behind the Shibuya book, in hopes the right person would come around and find it. But what would be the point in hiding a book like this?

Reading it would hopefully give me an answer and turning over the tattered book in my hand, I noticed that there was no sticker on it to check out the book. It wasn't meant for the library and I didn't want to turn it in. I held the tattered book under the Shibuya book so no one would see it and I searched for any books on sigils.

There weren't any.

I was disappointed and the only place that would have them for certain would be the Archangel's building, where I didn't feel like asking for a book on sigils. That would send the wrong messages and I didn't want to explain why I wanted those books. I checked out the Shibuya book using a library card I acquired a long time ago, at a self-checkout station, and left.

I walked back to my house and when I arrived, I opened my door and closed it behind me, making sure to firmly lock it. I walked over to my couch and sat down, feeling the need to open up the tattered book and read it. It was as if some invisible string was pulling me, giving me this urge to read it, no matter what I had to do. The book's leather was worn and looked as if it would fall apart. It gave off the sense that it had been through a battle and the burn mark on the edge reminded me of the mark left by Joshua's beam attack.

The title read 'The Complexity of Noise'. Curiosity continued to gnaw at me and I flipped open the pages. Why would she be interested in Noise? The first page was a table of contents, explaining each section of the book, beginning with basic sigils on how to produce simple Noise, then progressing into more powerful ones, including Taboo Noise. The book even has a section on the Noise of Reapers, and the special ones Angels were able to produce. There was a sigil to force an Angel to reveal their true Noise form as well as a sigil to force their 'Noise powers' to hide.

Shutting the book, the first thought that came to mind was that Mr. Hanekoma would be interested in this. Would she have anymore books on this at her house? It was still here in the Higher Plane, as the Archangels decided to keep it around for an unknown reason. Going there and searching around the house would be the only way to find out, but going there also meant that I would be trespassing on their property, since it wasn't in my name. Although, the items inside were technically mine.

Grabbing both books I got from the library, I rushed out of my house with a quicker pace than usual, needing the answers if they presented themselves at my Mother and Father's house, where I grew up. The thought was exciting and brought back fond memories, yet it also terrified me all the same, as that was the same place where my parents died, and I wasn't sure how I would handle being in the same place with the lingering memory of them.

Shaking off the feelings as best as I could, I made my way over to the house I used to live in, anxiety growing with each step I took. Looking around, I never noticed how far away we lived from everyone, as our house was a mansion, compared to the simple multi-leveled house I lived in. As I came to the polished gate, the house, or rather, mansion looked as if it hadn't been abandoned, looking rather clean from the outside. The only thing giving it away, was the garden out front with overgrown weeds and withered flowers that once bloomed.

Carefully, I pushed the gate open and shut it behind me. I opened the door to the house, and with surprise, found it open. The place was huge and looked as if it had been ransacked. As if someone came in looking for something. I stepped over a broken vase and made my way to my Mother's study, where she wrote her books. She might've kept the books she wrote in there if they hadn't been taken already. But why would this book on Noise be in the library anyway?

When I got to the study, a secret passage was opened up behind an elegant desk. Someone had been in here already, and even though they were most likely gone, it didn't help the feeling in my gut which screamed at me to turn back. Gulping, fear ate at me as I slowly walked over to the passage. I gripped the books in my hand tighter and my heart beat faster as I walked down the passage and down a staircase. My feet clicked on the wooden staircase as the house gave off an empty and eerie aura, which made fear hold me in its grasp. It was as if something could be waiting for me. Joshua would probably laugh at me and tease me for being scared.

When I reached the bottom, the lights along the wall were on, and a book was flipped open, to a page filled with sigils on an old wooden stand. Writing utensils were strewn across the room. The sigil the book was opened to, was the one appearing in the cities near Shibuya. I snatched it off the table, not wanting to be in this house any longer than I had to be. There was a stack of books nearby and I grabbed them without looking at the title, wishing I brought a bag with me. I piled the books in a neat stack, with there being at least eight books, all of them being at least a few hundred pages. They were the only books that I could see and I lifted them into my arms. The room was bare unless you counted the long, arm less chair resting against the wall. Was Nikolai in this room? The thought sent a shiver down my spine as I quickly changed my frequency to match the RG in WildKat. Mr. Hanekoma was deep in thought and seemed surprised at my sudden appearance with a random amount of books in my hand.

"(Y/n)? Why do you have a bunch of books?" Mr. Hanekoma asked.

"Look. I'll explain it later, I promise, but we need to talk in the back or something. My room maybe? These are important. My Mother wrote them and I'm concerned." Mr. Hanekoma's eyes widened for a split second before resuming his usual collected self. He flipped the sign at the front door of WildKat to closed and locked the door as I went up to my room with the stack of books. I set them down and coughed at the dust that came off of the books, brushing my hands together to get the dust off them from carrying the books. Mr. Hanekoma followed me into my room and I showed him the book that was opened at my Mother and Father's house.

"This book has the sigil that has been appearing. I found them by a stroke of luck at my previous house. My Mother and Father's. But the place looked like it had been ransacked. The sigil was opened up and it felt like Nikolai had been in there. But this tattered book was behind the Shibuya book in the Composer's section at the library. It's not supposed to be in there," I said. Mr. Hanekoma flipped through the books and ran a hand through his hair as he let out a sigh.

"Is it alright for you to have these books?"

"Well, I checked that one out of the library and the rest are technically mine, so, I'm pretty sure it's OK. But it has the information we need. The only question is why did my Mother write about this?" It puzzled me, as she didn't seem like the type of person to be interested in summoning Noise and sigils. And I wasn't completely sure I could have them, but I would return them when I received answers.

"I can't say I know for sure, but I'll keep these books here until I can find an answer."