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

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I was, until I became preoccupied with answering questions and listening to a running monologue of neurotic babble." She turned on her heel to move briskly through the stacks. "Come along."

For a brief second, Peter looks at Illyana like a deer in headlights.

"R-Right."

He swallows hard and then quickly follows after her, trying to keep his pace even with her own. Though his body is focused on his destination, his mind is somewhere completely else.

Rasputin. Where had he heard that surname before? It wasn't just the link to Grigori Rasputin that had him convinced he'd heard the name somewhere before, but his head just couldn't make the connection. But they'd never met before. Did someone mention her name to him?

"Ms. Rasputin," he says. "How long have you been here?"

She took a beat before answering, speculating as to why he wanted to know. But it was information he could find out on his own easily enough regardless. "Since the beginning of July," she turned a corner. "And yourself, Peter?"

"August," Peter says with a smile. "So not that long after you. Do you know a lot of people here? Your name sounds familiar somehow."

"The 'Rasputin' family name is somewhat infamous," she pointed out the surname that linked her with the historical figure. "And there are others here from my version of Earth or similar variations thereof. Perhaps you've heard of me from Kitty, or Emma." Another beat passed before she ultimately added - "Or my brother, Piotr."

Peter turns, and tapes. And then, half a second later, the questions come in rapidfire:

"You're related to the Rasputin?"

Then louder:

"You're related to Piotr?"

Then, once it occurs to him:

"You're a superhero? What are your superpowers?"

Then perhaps, most importantly:

"What's your supername?"

Edited 2018-02-08 23:36 (UTC)

I could kill you for reasons other than needing your meat to survive.

Illyana stopped, gesturing to the shelf of books immediately in front of them. "...And here we have the science section."

Peter's eyes flicker to the science books for the briefest of moments before settling back on Illyana again. She probably didn't realize that he was a superhero, too. She had to be playing dumb because of that. Sure, secret identities were less important here, but they were important to some people.

"I'm Spider-Man," he says, gesturing to himself. He looks up at Illyana with hopeful expectation.

She looked back at him impassively. Unblinking.

From somewhere beyond the shelves, in the area that Kitty had positioned her table to take class sign-ups, there came a peal of high giggles that could not or would not be stifled.

With it came a surge of delight and affection and I'd take it as a personal favor if you didn't eviscerate my student.

"Here we have the science section," she said again, keeping her tone neutral, enunciating the words very clearly. "Spider-Man."

High school has prepared Peter for peals of laughter starting on day one, so Peter seems less impacted than he might be if he were a freshman on the first day of high school at Midtown School of Science and Technology.

Or he would, if he had noticed it. Right now, his entire focus is on Illyana, who's looking at him the way a snake might a half-second before it suddenly lunges towards a mouse.

"Y-Yeah," Peter agrees, though he's not entirely sure what he's agreeing to -- the fact that yes, this is indeed the science section (as a brief glimpse in the direction of the bookcase quickly confirmed), or the fact that she got his superhero name right (not Spider-Boy). "Thanks."

Logically, analytically, Peter knows he should let her walk off because really, that's probably what she wants to do. And maybe he'd do that if he was back in New York because unless they lived in the same neighborhood, it was unlikely the two of them were ever going to see each other again. But given that they both live in the same 10 mile by 10 mile square and likely spend most of their time in the same, considerably smaller area, it's likely they're going to encounter one another again. And Peter's determined not to let this weak first introduction paint the entirety of their relationship in a negative light.

"I don't really get why you don't want to talk about these things," he says, because superpowers are basically the greatest. "But -- if you're from the same Earth that Emma was and you've got abilities like her... I think I might." Everything wasn't as hunky-dory on other people's Earth as it was on his, it seemed.

"So." Peter presses his lips together and looks up at Emma. "If that's it, I'm sorry. I didn't know and it won't happen again."
"

Illyana snorted, at that.

"Mutant persecution is a mundane cruelty amongst most of the worlds where the X-gene has run rampant. I haven't answered your onslaught of personal questions because they were many and redundant and based on the premise that I would be minded to tell an overly excitable young man I've only just met anything he should wish to know about myself."

Peter frowns at that. It's the first time he's really frowned since this conversation began.

"Yeah, maybe I'm excitable. Because I think--" He swallows, then presses forward. "--I think the things that people can do are really amazing and they're something to be proud of and the Earth I come from, there's heroes, but not nearly as many as there seem to be everyone else."

Peter swings an arm out at the library, at the neat rows of bookshelves.

"You put together this entire library of books. If you did that, you've got to understand how people might want to know more than what they know now. Can you really blame me for wanting to know more about the things people can do? The kind of heroes they are?"

Peter lowers his arm. "If I'm gonna be stuck here, I at least want to learn how to be a better hero before I go home."

"Your enthusiasm does not entitle you immediate access to the details of my private life, whelp," she told him bluntly. "Stop acting dejected when you don't immediately get everything you ask for and you will stand to learn much more in the long run."

Peter can take a hint when he gets one. At least when that particular hint hits him with about as much impact as Captain America's shield to the chest.

"Thanks for the help," he says, turning back to the bookshelf.

"You might be surprised how often I am willing to indulge perfectly reasonable inquiries made plainly, Peter."

The blonde made to leave him to his sulking and search, pushing a grudging sense of reassurance at Kitty through their bond.

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

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA