XVII. [Audio]

[leaporfall]

I'm beginning to get the feeling this library has a sense of humour.

[There's a faint rustling of paper, and a low hiss as she shifts something.]

I don't suppose anyone knows by what criteria things are imported here? Or if there are any aside from 'does not pertain to this place in any way'.

Comments

[Video]

[hellsbellsharry]

Ghost Librarian, that's my theory.

Except there's no Ghost. [Harry gives her a bit of a hopeless shrug.]

You alright?

[Audio]

[leaporfall]

There could be. This place seems endless; there are plenty of places for one to hide.

I'm fine. [Which is why she's doggedly sticking to the audio feature, right?]

[Audio]

[hellsbellsharry]

Trust me there isn't. I know how to track ghost and there isn't one there. It's.... weird.

Oh alright then. Would you mind if I stopped by with some coffee for us or would you flee from my horrible disfigured face? [There's a beat and his voice becomes soft.]
Hey, I've seen worse, I promise you. Let me be a gentleman and get you some coffee and snacks.

[Audio]

[leaporfall]

Assuming some quirk of this place doesn't allow them to hide.

[There is a long, long pause.] ...You're all the more likely to turn up if I say no, aren't you?

[Audio]

[hellsbellsharry]

True. I'm an ass like that. [Geddit?]

Yeap. [He says that like he hasn't already brewed coffee for his planned library raid.]

[Audio]

[leaporfall]

[There's a quiet snort that might be a many-times-great grandparent to a laugh.]

Well, then. I suppose it's past time I had company that wasn't made of paper.

[Audio]

[hellsbellsharry]

I knew you'd say that. I'll be there in a few. With coffee. And Doughnuts.

[Audio]

[leaporfall]

Doughnuts...? [No, the medieval-esque magic girl does not know what those are.]

I'll be at the tables. [And probably not hiding. Much.]

[Audio --> Action]

[hellsbellsharry]

Trust me, you'll love 'em. [That didn't stop fairies form loving 'em.]

Alright, I'll find you.

[And possibly a few minutes later, Marian might hear the sound of the Library's doors opening and the sound of Harry's stride, before he appears around some shelving looking a bit scruffier than usual.]

[Action]

[leaporfall]

[Marian's not likely to complain about scruffy, considering her own appearance. She's clean, but pale and underfed, eyes shadowed by dark circles. One arm is tucked up against her chest, bound by a sling. Which really just makes the mountain of books surrounding her either all the more impressive, or all the more indicative of an obsessive need not to deal.

She looks up sharply at the sound of footsteps, and offers a wan little half-smile.]

That was quick.

[Action]

[hellsbellsharry]

[He tries not to show his concern with her appearance and offers a small on in return.]

I don't live that far from here.
[He comes to a stop beside her and set's down a large flask of coffee and a pair of mugs. Next to it goes a back of fresh warm doughnuts.] Tadaaa. See? Peace offering.

[Action]

[leaporfall]

I didn't realize we were at war. [She tips her chair back a little to lessen the amount of neck-craning she has to do to look up at him. (It is a little like talking to a more personable, less-horned Qunari in that respect.)] In fact, you might be in danger of becoming my new favourite person.

[Action]

[hellsbellsharry]

[Harry pulls up a seat to save her neck, and when he does speak it's with a horribly thick twangy accent.]
Little Lady, we're always at war! Against the enemy! Against... [He coughs and his voice returns to normal.] I don't know, sleep or something.

[He sets down a notebook and his tablet and eyes the pile of books.] So what are you looking into?

[Action]

[leaporfall]

[She gives him a mildly suspicious look.] Do people actually speak like that where you're from?

[The books are - strange. Most of them relate to the mythology of death and the soul across - oh, dozens of cultures. And then there is the small pile set carefully aside beneath a sheaf of notes, as though being used as nothing more than a bit of extra desk space.]

I'm trying to make some sense of how the people here are controlled.

[Action]

[hellsbellsharry]

[Harry chuckles as he pulls the bag of doughnuts towards him and opens it, releasing a sweet cinnamon sugar smell.] Only if they're from the middle end of Texas so... Maybe.

[He shrugs, noticing the hidden pile. Hmm... interesting.]

Which people? Controlled how?

[Action]

[leaporfall]

[Unsurprisingly, Marian looks a little blank at the mention of Texas. She doesn't ask, however.]

That's what I'm trying to work out. There's only occasionally commonality between the victims. We - have some idea of the mechanism with the dead, but not the living.