TEST DRIVE MEME #2

[libraryassistants]

Welcome to the Library

Those who are new awake in the stacks.

You’re not sure when you fell asleep, and the memories of the last things you were doing are hazy at best. But now you’re here, and all you can see is books in every direction, the bookshelves teetering high enough above you to reach to the sky.

A helpful sign points you in the direction of the main circulation desk, and even if you try to ignore it and go in any other direction, the desk is where you will find yourself. A figure sits behind the desk, not even looking up as they sort through books and other media; they look, to your character, to be the exact picture of what they expect a Librarian to be.

Trying to ask the Librarian a question will get them shushed, but they’ll point down a hallway to the side, leading to a kitchenette and what appears to be a dorm room, where they’ll find they’re not alone in this strange place. But once they’ve looked away, when they look back, the Librarian is gone.


The Lobby

Those who are already familiar with the Library will see the Lobby change for the second time. It’s not paper plate UFOs and metal walls this time. Instead there are cheerful garlands strung about, and a stack of books shaped into a Christmas tree taking pride of place. The Help Desk is closed, the ‘Back in 5’ sign once again a bald-faced lie, but there is a menorah sat behind in the window, conveniently just out of reach of anyone who tries to get it. The candles are lit in a… somewhat sporadic fashion, the correct order but with no rhyme or reason to what ‘night’ is being represented. Either time is strange here, whoever’s in charge of it doesn’t know what day it is either, or they simply don’t care. Or some mix of the three.

Those two particular winter holidays are not the only ones represented either; characters will find a smattering of decorations or festive accessories from a great number of holidays, from their own worlds and beyond. There is what looks like a cabinet with instructions to pick your fortune from one of the many drawers. For some reason, there are a number of what looks like a child’s toy ponies placed on and around the cabinet. There are also some posters declaring in bold, decidedly upsetting typeset: “THE GOD-EMPEROR WISHES YOU A FESTIVE SANGUINALIA!” complete with a picture of a certain Library resident in all his feathered, shining glory. (The poster is not remotely shiny, but there are helpful accent lines to show that he should be shining.) And, for some reason, there is also a giant straw goat in the garden now, surrounded by festive strings of lights. Please do not set it on fire.

The Kitchens

It seems the decorations are not the only thing in the holiday spirit. The kitchens, usually bereft of anything but the most basic foodstuffs, are now full to the brim with a variety of holiday foods. There is always a tureen with hot mulled wine and a try of sweet pastries near by it, there’s ham and latkes in the fridge to be heated up, jelly doughnuts, moon cakes, pies, and an assortment of other delicious things. If your character would expect to find a certain thing within the stash, they do, regardless of how niche it may be. Christmas chili? Of course there’s christmas chili!

Oh, and that mulled wine isn’t the only alcohol around either- champagne, sake, hard cider… again, anything anyone might expect to find. Just try not to overdo it too much, alright? Everyone still has to sleep in the same room, and the Assistants aren’t going to show up to hold your hair back.

Crafts and More

What good are holidays without crafts? The Maker’s Space has been specially supplied with anything you might need to make your festive crafts- this includes everything you’d need for a gingerbread construction! (You’d think this would be in the kitchen, but don’t kid yourself- those things are not for eating.) There’s strips of colorful paper rings and instructions on how to make your own, little things of clay and paint and directions on how to craft your own dreidel, ’stained glass’ paper lanterns, and more. Oh, and glitter. Obviously there is a lot of glitter available.

There are also snow globe kits, mostly generic winter themes- trees, presents, and the like. Strangely enough, however, when they’re complete and shaken, they’ll show a memory from the person who shook it- a memory of a holiday, or snow, or generally something that invokes the feeling of the season- light, and hope, and togetherness. It’s fragmented, almost stop-motion in between the falling bits of ‘snow,’ but once it has settled the normal, basic scene inside returns.

Comments

[juniorarchivist]

Many of those words make perfect sense to Rio, who does not understand them in the way Hikaru means them at all. "Nowhere's ever truly out of reach. Don't give up." Ironforge, whatever the adopted abode is, there's always a way!

And if the way's closed, that just means getting even more magic to punch through! "I've never been to Ironforge myself, but I hear it's popular. I didn't know the dracthyr were teaching non.. mm, dracthyr, how to be Evokers, that's nice to hear. .. Has.. has it been a good two months?"

Rio's not asking where they are, that much is obvious. It's a library!

[extrasaltypotato]

"...I mentioned a story," Hikaru says after long consideration. "I'd retell it because I was cast in it as an echo of who I used to be - and because I need to warn you that such a thing could happen to you, too, as an Editor in this library."

[juniorarchivist]

"Then please, retell it. I do love a story."

From one of the small pouches at his belt comes ... what looks awfully like a normal sized scroll and a feather ink-quill. He's prepared for stories. "This one is true and True? For filing purposes later."

[extrasaltypotato]

“It was fictional, they made it up, a complete fabrication… and despite that, it truly happened to me, and to the other Editors here.”

He drinks some ginger-grape punch, then, after considering, a bit of junmai sake.

“And so: once upon a time in a sleepy British town named Woodhurst there was a daughter of Japanese immigrants who they named Michiko Tsukuda, who did not yet understand that she hated being a girl.”

Hikaru Aozora - nee Akira Tsukuda, though he will tell very few people this - shakes his head and sighs at his younger self’s misery.

“At the same time, that town was being observed by some kind but hopelessly naïve visitors from a distant star, who hoped to secretly do the residents of Woodhurst a good turn…”

[juniorarchivist]

The dragon in disguise .. starts writing. "If it happened then somewhere it was not a fabrication," he says, with all the distracted interest of a nerd handed things he really enjoys.

Woodhurst, whatever a Japanese is will have to be clarified later.. "..Are those spelled how they sound?"

Look this is important stuff to put on a scroll and needs to be done right. Visitors from beyond who were hopelessly naive, sounded like the Draenei. Maybe it was. A tiny note is made in the margin.

[extrasaltypotato]

“It’s a syllabary language, so more or less. Mi Chi Ko, Tsu Ku Da.”

He grimaces, dragging a hand down his face.

“…Of course, one of these well meaning visitors innocently mispronounced it Succ-u-da, and for a week this girl who was not a girl knew no peace from bullies who seized this vulgar sounding mistake with both hands to wield as a bludgeon against her.”

[juniorarchivist]

The writing continues. Some of this is clearly margin-notes for later, but all of it is important. "I'm not sure why it sounds vulgar," he murmurs, more to himself than to Hikaru, quill scratching away.

After a moment an inkwell is produced, its shade somewhere between blue and violet, set down nearby and made use of. "What happened then?"

[extrasaltypotato]

“A new girl rose to her defense, beautiful and brilliant, who called herself Siobhan Greenwood - another Editor here stunned to find themselves in Michiko’s story, and even more to be in a five foot tall human body, for Siobhan was naturally of my kith, the Pixies.”

He laughs.

“Michiko instantly fell in love, though it was not at first mutual, for though she would not begrudge a girl the love of another girl, Siobhan had only loved boys that she was aware of.”

Hmn. Actually, Hikaru isn’t sure that’s true. He may ask later as part of the so we might be Actors in a romance, and we need to know where we stand with that discussion.

“Well, that I am aware of. For fighting back, the both of them were punished with another class in detention after school, which suited Michiko just fine as it allowed her to invite Siobhan to her home after school for games and other diversions. And so that went on for a bittersweet week.”

[juniorarchivist]

This last Story everyone was in, was apparently a romance. That too is put as a note towards the top of the scroll.

Romance among mortals is apparently rather different than he expected, too, but proper documentation doesn't mean having everything revolve around draconic sensibilities! He doesn't interrupt, but he keeps writing, glancing up now and again as Hikaru speaks.

[extrasaltypotato]

Just Hikaru’s part in this, abd it occurs to him to clarify this point.

“Understand that I am describing only the subplot I was privy to and without betraying the confidences and backstories of others,” he clarifies. “There was more to the story than that, and this part is about to crash into the main plot.”

Gods, what a shitshow. Hikaru needs to put his palm over his eye and hisses a breath in between his teeth.

“…the main plot of the benevolent but deeply foolish body-snatchers from the distant star, and their Cunning Plan That Cannot Fail of whisking away the most troubled souls in Woodhurst to their hospital starship for a relaxing spa holiday and the attentions of healers, replacing them with cunning doubles that fooled the eye and ear.”

He pauses.

“Naturally those abducted could not relax, and those who knew the victims were not fooled.”

[juniorarchivist]

The quill pauses. "I'm sorry, is this a romantic story or a comedy? Or a romance-comedy? I want to be accurate in my categorizing."

[extrasaltypotato]

“A comedy in retrospect, a drama at the time,” Hikaru allows, with a wave of his hand. “The young Tsukuda’s budding romance was really a minor comedic subplot for all of its personal significance to me, but my opinion on who the main character was would betray their confidence, as they are my friend.”

He is not about to reveal Charles’ troubles with his abusive father to a stranger, oh Gods no.

[juniorarchivist]

"But you can tell me of the main plot was, right?" He's still paused. "As long as I don't know your friend, and the connection is never made, privacy hasn't been violated. I'm certain nobody in the Azure Archives will know any of you."

[extrasaltypotato]

He shakes his head. “Not my story to tell, but I can say they were far more troubled and in need of help from the starchildren than Tsukuda was. And Tsukuda did truly need their help.”

[juniorarchivist]

The feather quill is pointed at the much smaller being with a frown. "Then don't taunt me with information I'm not allowed to have, it's cruel and petty, and is making me painfully aware my scroll will be incomplete before it's barely begun. If you can't talk about it then don't talk about it, at all. No hinting, no implying, no wink and a nudge, not a casual aside of 'oh this is important but I'm not going to tell you'."

[extrasaltypotato]

“…Very well. His father was a tyrant and he needed to understand that, and I truly do not care to elaborate more than that on another’s secrets that would not have been betrayed to me if the Librarians did not make us the actors in echoes of our personal dramas quite against our will.”

And he hates that he’s revealed this little, and he’s pissed off that he was forced to learn this of Charles, for all he’s proud of learning he would have always been one of his defenders.

[juniorarchivist]

'Tyrant' is not used in a petty sense on Azeroth, and so now Charles' dad is forever annotated in the margins as some kind of local warlord. Which definitely sounds important and like more details should be had about this, but very reluctantly Rio puts that thread aside.

"There's going to be so many questions when I have this reviewed," he sighs. "Onward and upward I suppose. Tyrants aside, what happened next?"

[extrasaltypotato]

“On the planet, in the town, friends and parents noticed the imperfections in the fetches of their friends and children and became alarmed, Siobhan and the Tsukudas most of all, for the visitor impersonating Michiko tried so very hard to act the perfect and obedient daughter… that the Tsukuda’s were horrified at their willful daughter not acting like herself.”

Hikaru laughs.

“Be careful what you wish for as you might get it, ne? And meanwhile on the hospital barque, Michiko was confronted with a kindly soul, an empath, who came to know her better than she knew herself, and sought to correct that. Her true name would be another betrayal to reveal, so call this one An Empathic Therapist.”

[juniorarchivist]

Writing resumes. A second scroll is procured, the quill released to continue writing on its own while he sets up this second one for additional side notes and potentially relevant side references.

"Empathic Therapist," gets a soft mutter as this too is noted down. Dramatis Personae: euphemisms.

[extrasaltypotato]

“On the planet of the Empathic Therapist’s birth, children are raised without being thought of as male or female until they decide if they would prefer to be men or women as adults,” Hikaru said. “And so it did not take her long to find the heart of the matter: for all Michiko Tsukuda was taking on a female aspect in her adolescence, in his heart he would grow up to be a man.”

[juniorarchivist]

There's a pause in his writing, and he switches scrolls to make a notation again. "Does the planet have a name that you know of?"

Back to the primary scroll. Therapy was apparently, about emotions and not recovery from injury in some places, that's good to know.

[extrasaltypotato]

“Not one that I know of but I don’t think it would be hard to find out.”

Hikaru shrugs. He never asked but of course it must have had a name, and Min’a (as opposed to Mina) and Lumat’aru’s kith and kin must surely have had a name as well.

“And so confronted with this truth, the young Tsukuda begun to practice those things he thought of as masculine, and found to his relief that they brought him joy and a cessation of the misery he did not know was gnawing at his heart; and there were even traditionally feminine past-times, such as sewing, he could enjoy in this context. And he was not so far gone in the changes brought on by adolescence that pills and potions expensive on Earth but cheap and abundant on the ship could not correct his trajectory.”

He laughs.

“And so it was that Siobhan, when she boarded the ship with a longbow in her hands and murder of her friend’s kidnappers in her eyes found that friend, newly confident, newly masculine… and recognized in him one Hikaru Aozora, Pixie Wizard, Editor of the Unfinished Library, and realized what her feelings for the young Tsukuda truly were.”

[juniorarchivist]

This is going to need cross referencing with gnomish expected masculine and feminine roles, he didn't know a damn thing about either one. Everything is taken down with studious precision, on one scroll or the other.

"I hesitate to interrupt your tale but why .. would an alien ship be carrying the exact medications needed for gnomes to ... change his trajectory? That seems strangely specific, and important to take note of." He's ready to take note of it right now!

And that's not the only question he has. "Siobhan was capable of recognizing Tsukuda as Hikaru, or.." The quill is waved a little as he grasps for the word, "Able to recognize you specifically?"

[extrasaltypotato]

“Oh, testosterone is quite useful for a thousand other maladies of men born men,” Hikaru says and laughs. “That it also helps self-made men like Tsukuda and myself is a happy coincidence.”

“For Siobhan had realized that I had been subsumed into the role of Tsukuda. Correctly guessed my part to play was a retelling of the story of my youth. Though I had not that Empathic Therapist from beyond the stars to help. And I did not look like I do now. Tsukuda was human, taller than I, in black hair and with a predilection for t-shirts and denim jeans. But she recognized Tsukuda and I shared a heart and soul.”

He puts a hand to his mouth.

[juniorarchivist]

He has further questions but they might be answered by the rest of the story, so Rio exercises what self control he can. "I see, thank you for clarifying."

Some of this clearly doesn't bother him at all, or at least seem strange enough to remark upon, including looking like completely different species. Maybe it's because he's doing that right now. "What happens then?"

If any of this is a secret reveal, that's too bad, it's going on the scroll.