things just happen so much don't they

[adamantlyardent]

WHO: Cecelia, a cast of tens
WHERE: All over (except Jeopardy -- frick u, Jeopardy)
WHEN: April
WHAT: ACTIVITIES
WARNINGS: teeeeeeeeeeenager


Yo hit up whyellewhy to plan shit let's party

Comments

[knaval]

[he hums as he decides to finally take a few steps forward and lightly peruse the selection of books laid out before them. on the ocean... his attention is drawn to one about a rainbow fish.

idly, as he flicks through it:] Doesn't seem to have stopped these other people.

[adamantlyardent]

Of course not! Some people have no shame or sense of scope.

[a beat, her eyes lingering on said shiny book before she huffs:] And, I guess, there are people out there with the actual talent. So. You know.

[another beat. she eyes the three or four selected and nods a little, waving her hand dismissively.]

Anyway, taste is all subjective in the end; one man's trash being another's treasure and all that. But it's better to start with things that are at least clearer for learning's sake! Then grow your taste of literature from there.

See anything else that might pique your interest?

[knaval]

[riptide hums as he flicks through the book, putting it back. taking out another one that's more word heavy. he flicks through that one and puts it back. this goes on for a couple of minutes before he finally settles on one that's around a middle school level textbook of the ocean.]

This one seems alright.

[adamantlyardent]

Very good. Alright, come on -- now we just sign them out and leave! [she's so glad there's a take the thing and go away option to this whole facility, it's like her second-favorite part.

she leads the way toward the front desk, tucking the small selection of books she'd grabbed under one arm while fishing around in her purse.]

You get to sign up for a card that certifies you can borrow books, and then they mark which ones you've took. You get to keep them for a fortnight -- or longer, if you come back and request to.

[knaval]

W--wait, we're not keeping this?

[a fortnight? that's so long, but so short at the same time.]

They just... trust people to come back?

[adamantlyardent]

I know, right? Like, like civilized people! As if this place has any sense of propriety in it. It's honestly remarkable the building's still standing and not, like, aflame like that other one.

[she shakes her head in wonder, turning her attention to the librarian -- representative of the very system she was just marveling is stupid enough to exist in this crazy world.

stamp, stamp, stamp. initial and date here and here, and...done.]

See? [she turns on her heel to face him, holding up the little stack of books.] Two weeks and a vow to return them, bound by nothing more than a card.

[knaval]

...I mean. I'm not a monster, though.

[he takes the book carefully, slipping the card in his pocket.]

I wouldn't, like, break it or anything. That'd be rude.

[adamantlyardent]

Oh, no, I know you wouldn't be despicable about it! [she leads the way outside.] I mean, just in general. Can you imagine every weirdo you've seen on the street actually honoring such a promise? Because I can't. Like...

[she points across the street.]

Like that guy. Look at him! He looks...unscrupulous. No scruples.

[knaval]

[he can't help but snort, laughing into his hand.]

He looks like Darin...!

[adamantlyardent]

[SNORT. she swats his arm before starting off in the other direction.] Don't say that, he washes his hair properly now! I made sure of that, thank you. Come on.

[knaval]

Gross...

[he follows! dutifully! gangling along behind her with his gangly limbs.]

Do different libraries have different selections?

[adamantlyardent]

[if either of them were smart, Rip would be in front, using his gangly tallness to keep crowds from doing crowd things. oh well.]

From what I've seen, yes. I mean, there's still a lot of similarities? But I've perused De Chima, Maurtia Falls, and Heropa's downtown libraries and found there still to be quite a variety. It's actually one of the few good things about this world -- the selection. It may not be perfect, but then, what is?

[knaval]

[they do not have a single braincell.]

What's lacking?

[adamantlyardent]

Well, all the books...they don't feel as satisfying to touch. I mean, the pages do? The pages are...actually really nice! Some are even weirdly silky? But others still have that good, toothy texture that makes it easy to turn the pages and-- [hi Cecelia this is your self-awareness: you're rambling. wrap it up.

hastily:] The book covers just don't have the same feeling and look as back home, is all.

[knaval]

Sorry. I can't relate to that at all. The don't even have books, really. It's all on datapads.

[...]

Toothy? Like... mouths?

[adamantlyardent]

What? [she makes a face. wait--] Oh--! No. No, no, like-- Errhh...hang on, here--

[she stops, sidestepping out of the way of foot traffic to open up one of the books, gliding her finger across. then another, and the third, and...]

Okay, here. Feel. This one first. It's really smooth, right? Like almost kinda slippery. [glossy picture book pages!] And then compare to this, [the more standard book.] feel. It's different, right? Like your finger catches a little instead of sliding? It's called having teeth.

[knaval]

[riptide gangles awkwardly as he follows, sticking his finger out to do so. looks at his finger.]

It's not the finger print is it...

[adamantlyardent]

It's just how the different papers are made! Apparently there are different processes for diff...different...dif-different...things...

[Cecelia.exe has encountered an unexpected error! her hold on the book slacks and it starts to slide out of her fingers as her gaze goes past him, gazing across the street.

oh, gods. it's him again. that tall, dark, brooding man with the piercing, burning eyes and somber expression and...and cup of yogurt with a chaotic amount of sprinkles.

her ear twitches the very second eye contact is made, her face going sheet white.]

[knaval]

Wuh oh. [riptide yelps a little, reaching out to grab the books before they're soiled by the pavement.] Cece? Was-- was it the paper?

[he snaps the book shut, then pitches it into a nearby bin.]

FOUL MANUSCRIPT!

[because that won't make kylo look over, or anything.]

[adamantlyardent]

AH!! [the sound of a book getting dunked startles her.] AHHH?! [the sight of the book in the trash startles her more.]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! [the sight of being seen by a smoldering-eyed spooky man while being startled by a book being dunked in the trash startles her more.]

NO NOT AGAIN STOP IT!!

[she makes a grab for the trash-book, misses, and just gives up and bolts toward next crossing, banking the turn hard and running like there's a tiger chasing her.]

[knaval]

[riptide isn't a fast runner, but... he has long legs. that helps.]

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!

[adamantlyardent]

Ohgodsohgodsohgodsohgodsoh--YAA! [she squeaks, catching herself on a bus stop sign before she nearly crashes into a stroller. she does a wretched Singing in the Rain impression as she spins around on it, slumping to her knees and looking like a terrified animal.

panting:] He's--I saw him! He's...! Still haunting my steps! Gods damn him!

[knaval]

CEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECE!

[here he comes. riptide skids and thuds HEAD FIRST into the pole, dropping to the ground quite spectacularly and bouncing a time. he pops right back up, no damage done. cept a small gash on his forehead.]

WHO! WHO IS HURTING YOU?! I'LL KILL HIM!

[adamantlyardent]

[between the hustle and the loud bonk of an idiot's skull to a pole, Rip's yelling gets her yelling, which gets the stroller-child yelling, which gets others yelling, and there's just lots of yelling! and also a declaration of murder?!]

STOP! YELLING! AAA?! [she clamps her hands over her ears first, but then her mouth, because duh she's part of the problem, and nearly as much shame overtakes her as there is fright as she sees dozens of eyes glaring her way.

she grabs at his sleeve, giving a hissed, desperate whisper:] We just need to get out of here now please!

[knaval]

Whu--what?

[he ignores the yelling child, dusting himself off and looking around a little panicked. when she grabs his sleeve, he nods a little awkwardly and follows.]

I don't understand! [riptide... helps... by roughly shoving people out the way...]