Taru seemed to pour himself in his work so suddenly… it was kinda odd to everyone. He was even going out and killing fractals quickly and coming back just to keep pouring his time into the books. The elves at the front desk even refrained from saying anything while he was like that.
Why was he like that though?
Well as he had been walking home from his mandated shitty date, he ran into someone he knew who often passed tomes along to him. This one they gave him finally could move along the other pressing things he wanted to know but could never find anything about.
Where did his mother go? Why did she leave so suddenly like that?
With this book he could finally cross reference every single note, document, letter, and tome signed by any high elf in history. Frankly he should question why and how someone like that has a tome of this but he doesn't care right now. He has to find it. It seemed to go in order from oldest to newest. So flipping all the way to the back he found his own signature, along with Imani, Vywr, and even Yoshi. He didn't know she had made one…

Because of their second job of fighting fractals, the high elves have never been aloud to sign with their names. Since most die in battle and death like that is considered a grave sin… they want to scrub the persons name from history for good. It's punishment for not fulfilling your duty…
Many tend to follow the Equinox in blind faith, mostly because questioning them could get you labeled a heretic and exiled to skypierce mountain. Although the other reason is because everyone is simply scared, too scared to question what they think is protection and grace given to them by two gods. Even if that means following convoluted and odd rules that some in rationality are cruel and unusual.
No use of weapons, only strix.
Death is an offense, especially at the hands of a fractal.
Becoming one in death is even worse.
Of course there's one many break, and no one really repents for. If it happens behind closed doors who cares? No intimate relationships… at least not until you find the one.
That's so funny, he'd be in such trouble if anyone found out what he's been doing…

Taru flipped back through the book and found the signature he was looking for. Yiuu Abrexi, the former third seat. Also his mother. He stared at it, trying to make a mental note. Hers was very similar to his, which was no surprise. They both held the same seat and they both have wind strix. Unless she was lying about that. He closed the book and put it away. Now that he knows which symbol was hers he can sort through the official documents he'd been putting off. Slowly he began to unravel each. If they didn't have her signature he would file them correctly. The ones with hers however he tucked into his desk for later. He had Jemm take Yoshi to go practice something so he would hopefully be alone for a while. He really didn't want to explain why he was isolating certain documents. Besides it wasn't like it was bad for him to do that, they'd get filed eventually.
"Is this truly what you do all day? Do you not wish for some air?" It was Vywr, he was suddenly sitting on his desk. Though the amount of times he's done this he wasn't too shocked…

"What did you think I'd be doing if i needed to file stuff away? Standing at my window doing nothing?" He continued separating the files.
"I see… well at least you're taking it easy before you all leave." He sat back.
"Yeah, are you sure you're not gonna be overwhelmed with all of us gone?" He set aside another document. "I'm not particularly jumping at the idea of going up there."
"Do you not like Oracle? I heard it's quite lovely." Vywr looked over at him.
"Not the point…" Taru mumbled. "Do you actually need something or are you just here to bother me?"
Vywr stood, walking around and getting close by sitting on the arm of his chair. He leaned in real close so Taru sat back and looked up at him.
"Well you said we could talk after the concert. However you were sick, so is it alright to talk now?" He hummed.

Taru squinted and his eyes drifted away. "I… suppose it's fine… I said that as a threat though… I didn't actually mean anything by it."
Vywr blinked. Oh he thought he was serious… He leaned away from him, still sitting on the leg of the chair. "Oh, I see."
Well now it was quiet. Though he doesn't mind awkward quiets with Vywr since they've known each other so long. He still remembered his mother walking in with this ragged elf and telling the two of them to 'get along' for one night. He doesn't remember exactly what happened but according to Vywr he ignored him and read a book until stargraphing was brought up. Then he pissed Taru off and he simply went to sleep. That does sound like him and it hurts to admit it…
"So are you looking for clues again?" He stood. Taru just hummed. "You were her assistant for some time… did she ever say anything about anywhere?"

Vywr turned to him and stared a moment, it was hard to tell if he was doing that cause he did know something or cause that's just how he tends to react… After a moment he closed his eye and shook his head. "When I was with her she was very similar to you. She went out and fought and then she came back and continued to file. She didn't speak her mind or tell anyone anything she wanted. That's why we all found it equally strange she left so suddenly, though I suppose her being so distant in her work was a sign from the start that she didn't want to be close to anyone so she could leave without regret…"
That was oddly in depth… regardless Taru sighed and set the papers down. "I… see. She was like that at home too. I'd occasionally hear her talking to my father or she'd talk to me or Meiko about small things like asking how our day was or praising us for doing good at practice but… she never said more besides that. It feels like I never really knew my own mother…" He laid his head on the desk. Vywr walked closer and he was about to say something or reach out but the sound of the door opening threw him off. So he quickly bowed instead. "Thank you for your time I should be off. I hope you can continue to take it easy until your trip." He then quickly walked out, nodding at Jemm and Yoshi as he passed them.
The two of them waved back but he was already gone. So the two turned back to Taru who had sat up and rested his face in his hand. "So did you two have fun?" He spoke.
Jemm looked over at Yoshi who shrugged. "We… did something? I don't know how learning different melodies and pulling junk around is gonna help me."

Taru stood and opened his hand. He had a piccolo. Like a flute but on crack. "Well in terms of pulling stuff I already said we have to build your strength, in your case your plants being able to latch on and hold things will be good especially if you yourself have to be the anchor." He looked over his instrument. "As for the melodies, knowing what to do in terms of a bards playing is good practice since melodies can do different things. If they're charging an attack you should know to move, and if they're charging a supporting rhythm you should get your own big attack ready."
Taru began to play, oh moons that sounds awful. Though it was less him and more the instrument. The pen on his desk began to float for a moment before it shot towards the wall. "Like that."
"Woah…" Yoshi walked over and looked at the pen.
"I'm not as experienced as Jemm, so his melodies will be better to listen to since they're more clear and lovely." He put his piccolo away. Jemm practically choked but he quickly composed himself. "I… yeah… thanks…"

Yoshi decided to go sit with Imani for the rest of the day, mostly cause Jemm is being way odd and Taru was so into what he was doing he wasn't listening. Guess he's just doing his job though? Still annoying…
She sat in the chair across from Imani, she was also doing her work still, and she had twice as much as anyone…
"Is… there anything I can do to help you?" She spoke.
Imani looked up from her work before she smiled a bit. "I'm alright, thank you dear." She then went back to writing. Though a quick glance and she could see how disappointed she was, she wasn't even playing on her manaslate and she usually always did that…
"How about you read this letter for me, I haven't had time to open it." She handed her an envelope. Yoshi looked it over. "Okay… I didn't know anyone still sent these…" She opened it.
"Well despite having manaslates those traditionalists still prefer plain paper, I can't blame them. Though in Oracle they simply don't have that technology." She continued writing.
Yoshi took the note out and read it over. The handwriting was so sooo fancy… and there was a seal on it that looked like Imani's forehead gem.
"Okay… To my dear Ani, I hope you're doing well. You haven't been back in a while and yet the other high elves have been here, when will you come see us? I digress. The rest of this letter will be strictly business as we have recently held our votes and reassigned the counsel. It should come to no shock to you that I've become the noble once again. However we've inducted many new houses and younger faces. Therefore we must go over the deals we had with Crescent Grove once again… Signed Madame Sanaa." She read very slowly.
Imani sighed, placing her pen down, she rubbed her temples. "Mother… Must you make more work for me now?" She took a paper and began to write very quickly. Once she finished she called over one of her assistants. "Have the first trade router going to Overseer's point take this." She handed the envelope over and the assistant bowed and walked out.
"… What did you say?" Yoshi scooted closer.
Imani hummed, picking up her pen and continuing to write. "I told her that we have urgent business to take care of first in Oracle. Once we finish, at the earliest possible time, I'll send Taru to go redo the deal." She sighed.
"How… come you don't want to go back?" Yoshi frowned.
She frowned, her writing slowing a moment, before she began to write quicker again. "I… don't enjoy going home personally. There's many things about me that had changed that many of the others couldn't accept. So I already know with much more that has changed about me regardless of my status it still won't make them respect me anymore. I'd rather not face that." She closed her eyes. "Though it's alright, when I'm ready I'll go back. I just have to find the right time." She smiled.
Yoshi nodded. "I understand…" Thinking of that place. It's not like she could actually go back… yet still she wants to…
"Now as for why I send him instead it's simply because his capacity as a historian serves him well. It is a bit risky seeing how the pyrites are but with his temperament I don't see him divulging much. If you'd like you can go with him this time." Imani spoke on.
Yoshi hummed. "Maybe… though I don't want to get in his way."
Imani sat back, moving her papers around. "And why are you feeling like that dear? He is training you after all. If he's being rude-"
Yoshi waved her arms. "No no no he isn't… If anything he's being way nicer than I thought he'd be. It's just… With what happened do you really think I can fight like the rest of you? I mean I can't even use my ethereal form." 

Imani stood, walking around the table. She placed her hand on her head and smoothed her hair out, which slowly pulled Yoshi closer until she laid her face against her. Her skin was so cold… but she liked that about her.
"You are going to do amazing. Trust me." She spoke. "When we get to Oracle you can meet Vyshi, I'll have her help you with some things Taru can't."
"Okay." She whispered. "Thank you…"