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 Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 10:39 pm
~Gaian Public Library~
Quote: Stacks of books line the sturdy wooden shelves, immaculately dusted by the stern librarian who guards the various sections like a restless spirit. The public library was established mere decades ago, but it already retains an old-world feel to it, a regality that buildings sometimes develop if enough intrigue surrounds it. There are three floors, one spanning underground and containing those volumes which are not permitted to leave the library under any circumstances. It is said that no one can enter without possessing many degrees and a face like a prude, but a few know this statement to be untrue. The floor above the basement, the main floor, holds many books on subjects ranging from biology to fantasy, all arranged in a careful fashion. All have a loving smell to them, as though they are well cared for despite some which show obvious signs of wear and tear. There is a children's section on the highest floor, a small play area in a corner with high windows where youths can re-enact passages from their favorite tales. Adults can be seen sneaking up to the second floor at times, looking with fondness at the whimsical paintings on the walls or at the well-preserved books from their childhood.
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Posted: Tue Nov 15, 2005 8:53 pm
Ereshkigal was very taken with the library; it smelled a bit funny, she supposed, and the librarian had given her the strangest of looks when she'd entered, but there were books everywhere and the young unicorn could hardly contain her excitement.
"The children's section...?" She heard Ourania question as she occupied herself with looking around, eyes spanning to their widest as she tried to take in everything at once.
"Up the stairwell." The woman replied, voice containing sharp traces that would have better suited a military leader than a librarian. Her brown-silver hair was held up in a bun so tight it looked almost headache inducing, and her wire-rimmed spectacles were cut in a severe fashion. "Remember that this is a haven of silence, if you would, and tell your... child to keep that in mind as well."
Ereshkigal tilted her head, attempting her cutest, most endearing expression. "Yes, lady-ma'am. I'll be good, I promise."
Ourania took her tiny, violet-splashed hand and led her up the stairs, muttering something that the Teyco could only catch the barest meaning of. Ki had no doubts that her foster mother was angry, undoubtedly the result of the librarian's firm warning. The Teyco was a bit annoyed as well, but she kept silent, eyes cast down to the stairs so that she would not trip.
"Here we are, sweetie." The pale haired woman said, voice even despite the fire that was still dredging up in her eyes. "What sort of books would you like? I have a special card, so you can take out five at a time."
Ereshkigal removed her fingers from her guardian's grip, shooting across the small space to nearly run straight into a bench that was painted like a cartoonish caterpiller, the paint chipped off in places with a few written words that were not in a child's scrawl dotting one green section. Giggling, Ereshkigal went on to look at the stack that someone had left out, picking through the pile for ones that would catch her bright eyes.
Ourania sat down on a seat designed to look like a mushroom, smiling at the child's enthusiasm before taking the rumpled manuscript out of the hidden pocket of her coat and beginning to write once more.
The purple Teyco waited until she was certain that the woman was effectively distracted before skirting around to quietly descend the stairs. Ki smirked, pleased with her stealthy abilities, and came to the bottom floor, taking off her shoes so that her steps would not echo.
The little girl wasn't interested in reading about fluffy bunnies or ponies with rainbow-bright manes. She'd had plenty of those sorts of books in Ourania's home, and had found them rather boorish after a time. But her guardian had locked all the other books in the writing room, where she was not allowed to venture after she had accidently destroyed part of a novel with an unplugged inkwell. As such, she'd been subjected to only the bare minimum of authors, and had not been able to convince her catetaker that books on botany and psychology weren't entirely out of her league. Ereshkigal had given up after the arguement had become slightly heated, figuring that it was best to play the clueless child for a while longer.
The Teyco was not stupid, not in the least, but she knew to hide the glimmers of brilliance beneath a juvenile guise; it was safer, more tidy, and people found her less intimidating, which suited her perfectly fine so long as they continued to realize their place was not constantly pestering her.
It was tiring, to keep secrets at all times, but at least it was better than the alternative, which was being considered stuck up and stuffy.
She went to the Religion section, taking down a book on Buddhism and flicking through the pages, admiring the illustrations and reading only sparingly. The unicorn did not know how much time she had before Ourania discovered she was missing and came to seek her out, but she planned to utilize her time as best she could and find out as much as was possible.
Ki moved on after she'd created a vague reference as to what precisely Buddhism was, picking up a book on Christianity, another on Islamic religion, skimming until she had something concrete to remember the words by, a definition to put to the name.
It was fun, she decided, being sneaky and learning so much in so small a space of time. The Teyco took up a nook between offset shelves, surrounding herself in both thick and small books, resting her elbows on their covers while she struggled to read through some of the passages, working out words that were unfamiliar to her.
By the time her caretaker called her name, she'd sorted through what had been the controversy of Christ in the Byzantine empire and why precisely Taoism and Confucianism had began to blend.
"Umm... coming, She responded, cramming the volumes back into what she hoped were their proper spaces and pausing when she felt a shadow fall over her. She raised her amethyst colored eyes, biting her lip when she saw the librarian looming like a dark cloud over her burst of book related sunshine.
"I do believe the Legend of Christ goes in the early Christianity Section." The stern woman said, voice pitched low so that it would not carry. "Unless, of course, you were planning on checking it out?"
"... No," She'd broken the facade and it lay in shards at her feet, cluttering the pages of the book that had fallen open on the ground. She shifted, shamefaced and wondering what the older female would do. Would she tell Ourania? Forbid her from coming back?
"Well, if you change your mind or would like to take your research further, please say so."
Ereshkigal broke eye contact with the carpeting, gaze shooting up to eye the woman suspiciously. There was no malice there, no hidden intent or disgust, only an impassive woman, face so angular it could have cut glass, and an offer to help.
Ki relaxed, trying on a timid smile and considering it carefully before saying. "Some of these... I don't recognize all of the words."
"I will look up some things that may be more within your level of comprehension." The librarian responded, spider-like hands selecting a particular novel off a higher shelf and holding it out to the younger. "If you would like to try these once more, I would suggest reading with a dictionary handy."
Ereshkigal looked at the book, interest shining keenly in her features. She had already been reaching for it when something occurred to her and the Teyco lowered her seeking hands. "I don't have a card..."
And she could not very well use Ourania's, not without questions she was unwilling to answer being raised.
"Well, we shall have to remedy that, won't we?" Something that may have been distantly related to a smile quirked the woman's colorless lips. "Come by tomorrow and I will have one ready for you. Your name?"
"Ereshkigal Eridanus." She replied eagerly, tail lashing behind her, feeling swept away into a childishness she hardly ever displayed due to her excitement. "What's yours?"
"Benningham..."
The Teyco calmed, recognizing the faint disapproval in Ms. Benningham's tone and deciding not to ask for a first name. Her mouth twitched fearfully when she heard Ourania's footsteps on the wooden floorboards; she had already failed to maintain her childish ambiance around the elderly woman before her, she could not risk losing it around her guardian as well.
"I will put these away. You would do well to go back to your mother." Ms. Benningham warned, bending to gather those volumes that Ki had not managed to put away.
"Thank you," The girl said, still a bit wary but not willing to push the subject. She took off, slipping her shoes back on as she went, and tried to think of an excuse to give her caretaker.
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Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:01 am
Kiyoshi took timid step into the big building staying close to Fate all the time. His dark green eyes explored the area from his child height. Everything was so big. The bookselves stood tall filled with many books in all different shapes and sizes.
He sniffed the air happily. It smelt of old books, each holding the dusty old pages that contained the secrets to this world. Eagarly he tugged his guardian's sleeves, indicating that he wanted explore. Fate smiled and he saw her looked around as if trying to find someone. He pulled again at Fate's sleeve, indicating that he wanted to tell her something. "I'm just going to look at books... I won't break anything. Promise!" he whispered and recieved a positive nod. Grinning with joy he wandered off into a section of the library.
There was a big wooden sign that said "MAPS" With a big grin still plastered onto this face he proceeded towards those that held ancient illustrationsn and those that were so modern. Kiyoshi's footsteps echoed as he walked passed the yellow parchments. Pausing a few times to take one out and examining it.
And that was when he heard the sound of hurring footsteps. Curious to see who else was here, Kiyoshi left the parchment on top of some books and followed the sound quietly. Peering around one of the many bookselves, his eyes fell on a girl with wavy hair and .. a tail. "Just like the ones in the picture" he thought to himself. A unicorn. Could it be another Teyco?
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