[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_andingtall]

"Neither would I." Sam smiled his acknowledgment that they were the same in important ways. "And since I've been here a year without any provocation, we're probably not going to have to worry about it soon."

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_opsummoningme]

She didn't quite smile, but her expression did thaw somewhat. It almost made her look human.

"I've been waiting for something to happen," she admitted. "An attack, an obvious threat or manipulation of some kind. A more serious conflict between captives, if nothing else." In a strange way, she thought the relative silence had made her more tense, more touchy, rather than less.

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_andingtall]

"I felt like that for the first six months at least," Sam offered empathetically, but without any of the sympathy or expression of 'you'll get past that' superiority that he was positive Illyana would react badly to.

"I still treat every new thing like it's a possible precursor to an attack, but day to day, I've started to pay more attention to internal threats, like people losing their shit over being confined." That she was a possible threat was both obvious and went without saying.

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_opsummoningme]

"Someone that would allow themselves to become an internal threat sounds to me like a short-sighted and weak-willed person," she offered dryly, reading his silent implications. "There's some pithy advice they give prisoners, perhaps you've heard it. 'You have to do the time, or the time does you.'"

It was an acknowledgment, of a sort. That she should know better than to let paranoia set in.

Re: Illyana Rasputin - OTA

[st_andingtall]

Sam nodded and didn't ask who'd given her the advice and when. One of the things he liked best about the Inn was that people from the fringes could get a second chance, and people who'd been hurt in their own worlds for what they were could get a chance to heal. Kitty had been here a long time and she clearly loved Illyana. She could tell her story in her own time.

"Maybe we should have it printed on the hand towels."