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

"A very diplomatic answer." She tipped her head at him slightly. Marksman of a bygone era. Well-spoken, almost courtly in his air of cool reservation. She had seen him in briefest passing, but he clearly didn't feel the need to make much of a showing at active socialization. Cynical and well-practiced hands. "I am Illyana Nikolaevna Rasputin. And who are you?"

"Percival Frederickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III, of Whitestone." He gave her a short bow. "You can call me Percy."

It was, she knew, inherently ridiculous to cling to the titles and formalities of their previous lives. But she could privately admit there was a measure of charm in his introduction. "And what is the product of such clearly exceptional breeding doing smudged with grease and openly armed in our polite common areas, Percy?"

That occasioned a faint smile from the white-haired man. "I was having breakfast and I saw the library was open. I'm fond of libraries." He was not, so far as he knew, grease smudged. Soot smudged, perhaps. The ventilation in his room left some things to be desired.

She was beginning to reconsider the nature of the smudge as he answered, but his wisp of a smile was far more interesting. As was his non-answer of the question as intended. "Mn. And as a library enthusiast, what do you make of our humble collection?"

"It seems to be a good beginning." He gestured to the display case. "Are these intended as reference materials or museum pieces?"

"They may certainly prove useful for reference," Illyana agreed. "Perhaps more importantly, they are all in one secure location, where many pairs of eyes and mage-senses ought notice should they be improperly tampered with. The wards are substantial and would alert me to most security breaches, but demonic and otherwise unstable magics are in need of special vigilance."

She reached out to touch a single fingertip to the face of the glass case as a demonstration. Previously absent etchings of light crackled suddenly into being, illuminated glyphs on every surface appearing with near-blinding brightness. The ceiling above them and open entrance sizzled with the same energy, not seeming to have any harmful effect as of yet, but humming with readiness.

Percy frowned a little as he considered the wards. "You set up the wards yourself. What is the guarantee that you won't be the one tampering with them," his mouth quirked in an ironic little smile, "out of necessity."

Illyana found herself smiling back at him, wide and uncommonly warm. "There is no guarantee," she admitted freely, removing her finger from the display case and consequently dropping the light show. "Oh, I might attempt to assuage your concern by pointing out that other mages assisted in laying the wards, and that other mages still will be trained in how to manipulate the spells tied to the library and its materials. I don't intend to be the only person capable of processing withdrawals and returns. Or I could tell you that this library is my way of contributing to the well-being of this place where I now live and its people, and that it would damn my own interests to somehow abuse this resource for the community."

But the truth of the matter is that it's well within my power to work significant magics in this place, and that it would prove intensely difficult for others to stop me if I had some ill - or contradictory - intent." That fact stretched well beyond the boundaries of the library, but she didn't feel the need to explain as much. She shifted away from the case, to face him more directly. "We must each of us decide how far to extend our trust, Percy."

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

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