Aiko

Aiko by Genevieve Ong

**Aiko** is a histographer and records the history of Caraval through pictures.

## Appearance

Aiko is a pretty young woman with angular black eyes that are rimmed in gold and black long black hair. When Scarlett meets her, Aiko is "as pretty as watercolor and dressed as bold as a trumpet in a golden gown that's daringly sleeveless with ruffles up to her neck, and a bright chartreuse bustle." During the second game of Caraval, when Tella sees Aiko in Elantine's Most Wanted, Aiko is wearing a luminous parchment-white gown sewn together with thick black stitches. She has dark eyes and long black hair.

## Personality

Aiko is kind most of the time, and has been known to be helpful to players during Caraval. But her help also can come with formidable costs. She is difficult to read and generally keeps to herself as her job is to observe. Tella likes her enough outside of the game, but tries to avoid her inside of it because of her unforgiving bargains. Aiko usually has a placid expression. She is used to taking more than giving. Aiko knows everything about everything, and will always find a way to get what she wants. Scarlett describes her as someone who is unaware or uncaring that she doesn't belong. She believes in saying yes whenever possible. She can be unpredictable.

## Plot

Aiko immortalizes the history of Caraval by drawing significant events in her magical notebook. With this enchanted notebook, Aiko is almost magical and tricky enough to be a Fate.

### Caraval

Scarlett meets Aiko on the second night of Caraval while waiting in the Glass Tavern for Julian. Aiko tells her that she should try to have some fun with the players that keep asking her about Tella. Aiko says that if she were Scarlett, she'd tell them all sorts of things because people don't expect the truth at Caraval, and don't want it either. They're just here for the adventure and so Scarlett might as well give them one. She knows Scarlett is capable of this otherwise she wouldn't have been invited. She continues, saying that sometimes the game rewards people just for trying. Aiko has no tolerance for Scarlett's pouting and self-pity. She tells Scarlett that she will find Tella at the end of the game and then she will wish she had not spent her time sitting in a tavern feeling sorry for herself.

Aiko returns after Scarlett is tricked by a boy selling cider. When Scarlett wants to look in her notebook, Aiko tells her she must give her something valuable in return. They come across a man asking for a song for donation. Aiko agrees, and this causes Scarlett to notice a distinct man walking by. Scarlett then asks Aiko what she will be gaining from looking in the notebook. Aiko just says that lots of things are possible. Eventually, Aiko explains that her notebook has the history of Caraval in it. She allows Scarlett to look in the notebook because there is magic preventing her from seeing things that could help her. When Scarlett wants to see more, Aiko says she will allow her to if Scarlett will purchase three dresses for herself. Scarlett says she will buy two, and Aiko agrees. When Scarlett purchases the dresses, she ends up losing two days of her life. Julian gives her one day of his life so Scarlett doesn't have to lose as much time.

Scarlett and Tella see Aiko at the after-party. She encourages Scarlett to go and talk to Julian.

### Legendary

Tella's second clue instructs her to "seek the woman of parchment and ink." Tella knows immediately that this refers to Aiko. Tella finds her in a shop in the Spice Quarter called Elantine's Most Wanted. She offers Tella one free question, but says any other questions will each cost something irreplaceable. In exchange for her last memory of her mother, Aiko reveals what she knows about Paloma Dragna, who is actually Paradise the Lost, a master thief and suspected murderer. Paloma's Deck of Destiny actually contains the Fates. The final memory Aiko took was apparently so important that it made her notebook a lot thicker, and housed terribly powerful information.

### Finale

Aiko is in the council of Legend's most trusted Caraval players as they try to decide whether or not to trust the Assassin and the Maiden Death. Other people on the council include Julian, Tella, Jovan, Caspar, Armando, and Nigel.