[GP / EP] Welcome to the Madonna Inn Expanded Public Library

[st_opsummoningme]

Freedom from her bonds had given Illyana more than freedom of movement. It had returned to her the use of her magik and her ability to teleport. These abilities had, in turn, allowed her to finish making ready the library for public use. It was less about collecting books and media from around the premises (and some from Limbo, or donated collections harvested from the Otherworlds) and arranging shelving and seating, most of which had been relatively easily done. It was more a matter of laying the appropriate wards, and negotiating the finer points of the old-fashioned catalog and check-out system, which included odd donated items such as sporting equipment and electronic devices available for rental. Xavin's espresso machine counter necessitated a mini-bar refrigerator, glass-domed cake stands for assorted pastries brought in from the kitchen, and various cafe sundries.

Repurposed from what had been the 'Garden Room,' the library space with its high wooden ceilings, chandeliers, and landscape murals over busy floral carpet still looked somewhat like a touristy banquet hall, yet the area was now also highly saturated with layered magic. The hodgepodge collection of random books and so on were fiercely protected by these magics. When needed and as possible, worn volumes had been restored. The books could not be damaged nor marred from here on out, at least not by coffee spills nor page-tearing or inconsiderate attempts at margin notation. Nor would they leave the boundaries of the library area without proper dispensation, simply stopping mid-air and dropping should the attempt be made at the threshold. Ask at the Desk for Assistance With These Items, prompted the signs on several glass display cases featuring certain perhaps unsettling curiosities within - books in arcane languages, skulls from indeterminate creatures, and artifacts such as a green glowing cube suspended on a chain. At said desk, a gleaming service bell sat waiting, should the staff be needed and not clearly present.

Illyana finished affixing the large engraved plaque to the wall beside the double-doors, and then returned to attend the newly opened library with little fanfare:

Madonna Inn Expanded Public Library

Established ~01.25.2018 Earthly Gregorian Calendar

Open All Hours

Volunteer Staff on Duty as Schedules Allow

Classes & Tutoring for Most Subjects Available Upon Request

Donations Encouraged

Disruptive Patrons Will Be Zealously Evicted

Comments

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_opsummoningme]

"I don't generally accept facile compliments." Her tone was neither bitter nor scathing. She simply didn't trust kind words unless she understood their source. But he did make a show of courtliness, and the risk he could pose seemed relatively small at present. "Illyana Nikolaevna Rasputin," she offered in kind. "If you're behaving yourself in the library, you're already serving well enough."

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_illfleshandblood]

"You're an easy mistress, Miss Rasputin," Jackson remarked easily, to her last words.

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_opsummoningme]

"No," she contradicted easily. "I'm not. But I have no intentions of taking the entire populace of this Inn under my bootheel." What a great deal of work for so very little return. "And civil behavior in the places I do intend to maintain is only the barest of expectations."

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_illfleshandblood]

Ah, so 'well enough' was the barest of expectations. It wasn't exactly surprising, the way she'd been talking, but even having a conversation with her seemed like too much effort, pretty though she was. "I'll do my best to stay away from your boots altogether," Jackson assured her, and touched a hand to his hat again, meaning to bid her goodbye with the gesture.

She came off as even more high maintenance than Reid, in their own particular ways, but Jackson actually liked Reid. He didn't know this one from Adam, though.

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_opsummoningme]

"Most do, Captain Jackson," she assured him, knowing full well what it was to send a grown man scurrying. Illyana didn't make to stop him. "Keep in mind that the library is at your disposal."

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_illfleshandblood]

"Will do," he assured her over his shoulder, on his way down the aisle of books. "Pleasure meetin' you!"