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 Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 1:26 pm
It had been forever and a day since Xavier had actually set foot in Destiny City's library. In fact, the last time he remembered coming in here, it was on a school trip while he was in elementary school. Which was, in his mind, forever ago.
Things were so much more easier when you were a child, weren't they ? Before the true reality of the world started to sink in. It was an odd thought.
He stepped inside the building carefully, his laptop bag at his side, and his broken arm safe in the sling he'd been carrying around for a little more than a week now. He didn't work, and he certainly didn't patrol, but he still had school, and he had a paper to worry about. Usually it was easy enough to find references online, but this paper requested a bunch of very specific references that he could not find online.
Ence, the library. His plan was simply to write his paper here, nice and quiet. He was seeing way too much of his apartment lately, anyway.
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 1:41 pm
Anthony Darrow was not in the best mood. He was leaning on the front counter, instead of his cane, his head hurting him. It hadn't been a concussion, but getting punched in the face a few times still hadn't been fun. He was bruised and his head had a cut that was swollen. He was glad he had managed to help someone though.
He had gotten involved in a fight on the street, protecting a young woman from some street thugs. One had been particularly mean, and fast, and rather strong. But the librarian had gotten the better of him, so that was that.
It wasn't every day that he actually won fights, he had remembered saying. It was sad how true that was. And how often he found himself in such situations. Monsters, youma, particularly seemed drawn to him. At least the thugs had been normal people.
"Welcome to the library," he said on instinct, as he often did when he saw someone coming in. He offered a smile and noting the boy had a broken arm. He would ask him about it, if he came up to the desk. Usually people came in with a purpose, and Tony didn't like to interrupt them with idle conversation just because he was interested in something that probably wasn't his business.
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 1:52 pm
There had once been a rather nasty bruise on his face, as well - though it was now mostly gone. Gone a little too quickly, his dad had puzzled. This was strange. Maybe the same would happen to his arm, if he was lucky ?
Hah. Lucky. Though, in a way, he had been lucky recently.
"Good day." He answered back to the librarian, and then stopped. He had no idea where anything was, expecially since the layout had ample time to change since the last time he'd been there. His left hand went to his right pocket to fetch something, and he brought his mp3 player out to turn it off - but it also sent his keys straight on the floor. Ugh. He really needed to stop shoving things in his right pocket, what with his right hand being mostly useless.
After he'd picked up his keys, he did indeed head to the front desk. His headphones where still hanging in his neck, but no sound escaped them. It was only then that Xavier noticed Anthony's injuries. Looked like he wasn't the only one that went thought a bit of roughening up. He wasn't going to pry, though. "I need, uh... the philosophy section ?" He could handle himself from there, and not waste the librarian's time, Hopefully.
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 3:11 pm
Tony smiled as the boy approached the counter. He had almost gone around himself to help pick up the keys, but the distance was a bit too far, and he wouldn't have been useful by the time he had limped over. He did stand up a bit straighter though, to look a bit more professional than 'lazy librarian slumped on counter'. Leaning on his cane now, he nodded.
"That should be up on the third floor. I'm afraid the cataloging system we use here can sometimes spread books of a certain theme around the place, but generally broad topics are kept together. If you're looking for a specific topic in philosophy?"
He tilted his head, thinking now was a good time to bring up his arm.
"Not too fun, those slings. I had one for a bit. Would you like any help carrying anything? Books, I mean, when you've found them. Not that you want me hanging around while you're searching... hmmm... that was a silly offer."
He sighed, not feeling too subtle or much of a master of the segue. He might as well have just said 'oh hey, your arm's broken.' It would have been a shorter road to the same place, at least, and he wouldn't look like such a goof at the end of it.
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 3:23 pm
"I have a paper to write." He started to explain. "I have the name of the titles I need... somewhere..." Where had he put the damn paper ? Oh... right, in his laptop bag. "So it should be easy."
Before he could go find a table to rummage though his bag, however, his broken arm was brought up. Honestly, by now he was used to it. Even with the cast hidden behind his jacket, the sling was always easily seen, light cloth against mostly dark fabric. He hadn't yet decided to expend the energy to feel annoyed at everyone asking, and he wasn't going to ask now.
"I could probably use some help." He decided, looking at his bag. In between that weight and having only a very limited use of his right arm... yeah.Tony had probably done the blonde (and the library books) a favor by bringing that up, because like hell that Xavier would have asked for help by himself.
"Looks like im not the only one that got in trouble, though." Hey, now that the matter of injuries was brought up, it was fair game. "What happened ?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:21 pm
"Ah, specific book titles are much easier to work with." He grinned, moving to the computer behind the counter and turning the monitor so the boy would be able to see what he was doing. If he found the paper with the names on it, of course. Tony waited patiently, not unused to this situation.
Students would be students.
Tony nodded when he said he could do with help, more than willing to provide it. Customer service was always his focus, and he liked to make sure people were happy. If that meant carrying books for them, that certainly wasn't a hassle for the librarian. Hell, he got paid to do that every day.
"Ah. Well," he frowned, wondering if it would sound like boasting if he told the real story, "a couple of punks." He opted to just be vague about it. "What happened to you?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:31 pm
Xavier settled his bag on the nearby table and unzipped the top so that he could rummage though it one-handed. It looked like there was more things in there than just a laptop - a schoolbook or two could be seen, spine-down, until the blonde finally pulled out the sheet of paper he'd written the titles he needed on. He gave it a thoughtful frown, however. "Let me know if I need to read the titles out ?" He handed the sheet over, and... well, it became evident that Xavier was not left-handed. The handwriting was pretty messy. "Im getting pretty good at decoding myself." He added with a sigh.
Oh ? That was kind of odd, to be honest. He expected an answer more akin to 'giant monster tried to eat me'. It was odd to be presented with something so... so ordinary, given what was plaguing Destiny City. "A ballroom full of terrorists." It was no secret anywhere that the Halloween Ball hadn't exactly... been the success the city had planned. "Don't ask me how they started shooting fire and ice all over the place. I have no damn idea."
The same way he created ******** area of effects, perhaps ?
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 4:54 pm
Tony smiled, noting that at least this student seemed fairly organized. He had seen some terrible bags and purses dumped on the counter, in an effort to find something. It was always interesting to learn what people kept in their bags, even though he never asked to see. It was also interesting to see how eager they were to dump their personal belongings out in front of him.
More than once it had been embarrassing for the both of them.
"Ah, I see," Tony said, understanding what he meant. He nodded his head thoughtfully, having read about that event in the paper. And seeing it on the news. And hearing about it a few times at the front desk. And talking about it with other workers while on break. It wasn't exactly small news.
"Yes, well, I'm afraid I'm not too surprised about anything that happens around here any more," he sighed, all too familiar with being attacked or caught in very strange situations. "I'm sorry you were injured, though. That can't have been fun."
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 5:00 pm
"Well, I passed out before my arm broke." That was the whole truth, even ! "I guess I was hit by... something, and bounced off somewhere.... I just don't know. Small blessings." Small bouts of luck, really. He could only imagine that if he'd been awake when his bone snapped in two, he would have cried like a little b***h.
That would have been very unbecoming of Sailor Themis, really.
"I probably shouldn't be, either." He sighed. "I was just hoping that, one night... you know ?" He squinted at the paper he had pulled out. Was that an A or an O ?
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 5:48 pm
Tony frowned deeply, shaking his head.
"That's terrible. I'm sorry that happened. I suppose it's better to break a bone while unconscious, but ah... best if it didn't happen at all. But I know that feeling. Just wanting one thing to be normal. Seems like we're asking for a bit much: even normal can be bad."
Realizing he was just standing around talking, and not doing his job, he offered an apologetic smile and looked down at the list he had been given. He quickly typed in the first title, finding its location and jotting down the call number. He did this with all the books, though one they didn't seem to have. He held on to the paper, turning the screen back to its proper place before he limped around the counter.
Leaning on his cane with one hand, the other gripping the paper, he nodded his head.
"I'll show you where these are. Most of them are near each other, on the third floor. Elevator or stairs?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 5:55 pm
"I guess it can be." He slung his bag back on his shoulder after zipping it back closed. After all, it was something utterly.. normal that had done this to the older man, hadn't it ?
He watched the older man look for the books he needed in the system, and was actually impressed that he could somehow decode his left-handed writing. Himself had problem with it at times ! At the last question, though, he was left to ponder. "Would the elevator be easier for you ?"
After all, he was walking with a cane. Xavier did not mean to insult Tony with that, he just didn't wish for him to strain himself on his behalf. "Both are fine with me."
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:14 pm
"Ah, I could do either one, but... maybe the elevator would be better," he grinned sheepishly, shaking his head. He looked embarrassed, but he wasn't exactly. He just knew that it looked silly for him to say that he could totally do the stairs... but was just rather choosing the elevator. He should have just said that yes, not walking up stairs on his cane, while he was feeling so bruised and battered, was easier.
Stupid male pride, or just talking too fast?
He moved over to the elevator, hitting the button with the bottom of his cane. It was a motion he had been practicing, and getting better at. Before, he'd have to take a few stabs at it before actually hitting the mark, and even then he would be slightly off. Now he had his aim fairly well memorized.
"Was that your... ah... first experience with one of those monsters?" he asked, as conversationally as he could.
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:18 pm
Xavier nodded and followed the librarian to the elevator - he was a good deal more quiet than most of the students that walked along these halls, most likely.
"No, I've ran into one once before." It was easy to string things along in a believable story as long as he stuck to it - his expression remained a mix of interest and neutrality. ""When I was coming home from work one night. I ran off and I hid, but someone dealed with it. That was only one, though. There were so damn many at the ball, there wasn't really any place you could hide."
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 6:50 pm
Tony nodded his head thoughtfully.
"I can only imagine. Ah, but that seems a common way to run into them, doesn't it? When you're walking home from work, or school. Walking somewhere. I've run into some that way, myself."
Some. He hated how often it was a problem for him. He leaned on his cane a bit more, remembering how he had been hurt. But that hadn't been a youma: it was a negaverse agent.
The elevator dinged and he stepped in, hoping it behaved itself and did not do anything to stall or break down. It wasn't the most reliable of things. Still, it was playing nice today, it seemed, so they rose up to the third floor without incident.
He stepped out of the elevator, indicating for him to follow.
"At least there are people who try their best to keep us safe," he continued, "though, I suppose some people don't believe that." He sighed, knowing better than to talk about Senshi. People thought they were terrorists, or even the source of all the monsters. But Tony, at least, knew better.
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Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2010 10:03 am
Xavier was listening silently as Tony spoke, in an even mix of respect and interest. That is, until that last sentence. "Oh ?" At the moment, interest became more prominent, even though he tried not to let it show.
"What do you mean ?" And now he was playing dumb - he was getting pretty good at that. But still, it seemed not everyone thought senshi were terrorists. Before his awakening, he just hadn't cared enough about the subject to form his own opinion.
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