The soft exotic whisper drew Ana from deep within lines upon lines of catalog references, resources, and books she'd been trying to appropriate for her Rosethorne research. Blinking to focus a bit farther away than the eighteen inches she'd been giving herself between her nose and the screen, she recognized the light coffee skin and inquisitive bright green eyes after her vision cleared. "Aishe? Hi!" Pleased as she was to see someone she'd been formally introduced to, she realized the last word squeaked up a few decibels and a rustle from the elderly librarian's cubby made her cringe. She waved to the woman on the other side of the counter, and indicated an empty chair behind her. "Quick. She remembers you from the last time. Come sit here, we can say I'm helping you with research. Or you're helping me. Or something."
Spinning around in her chair, she pulled the other chair from a dust-covered desk. She grumbled at herself when the long sleeve of her robin's egg blue polo shirt got caught between the chair's arm and the desk edge, and bounced a little to free the offending cloth. Explaining quietly as Aishe moved past the edge of the counter into "librarian space", she whispered, "Sorry, I've only been here a few days so far. Needed regular income, if you follow my meaning."
Back For Some More Light Reading (attn: Ana)
Aishe veritably tiptoed into the library. It had been over a week since she was first (and last) there, but she wouldn't put it beyond the librarian to remember the annoyance she and her friends had caused. Her books, this time, were safely tucked into her backpack.
The front desk was empty for the moment; Aishe waited for a few minutes until the librarian appeared. Rats. Same crusty old lady. She really shouldn't be so uncharitable toward the woman; she was normally far more polite, but something about the elderly librarian's glare during that last visit had really been unsettling. From the look on her face, she hadn't forgotten Aishe either.
Plopping her books onto the counter, Aishe returned them with a soft, contrite, "Thank you ma'am," and ventured deeper into the library to look for a few more. She produced a notebook from her pocket and skimmed through the list of titles and authors of the next few books she wanted. These were a bit heavier reading, but nothing outrageous.
A thorough check of the shelves didn't produce any of the books she was hoping to find, so she decided to go look for a computer index or somesuch. One that didn't include the stern woman at the front desk.
The first computer she saw happened to be occupied, and she wasn't sure it was available for public use anyhow. It was a catalogue terminal behind a counter, and Aishe realized she recognized the girl behind it, busily typing away.
"Ana? It's Ana, isn't it?" Aishe said softly, approaching the counter.
((ooc: Takes place before the event and before Fallon's party))
Montana
18 years ago
Aishe
18 years ago
Aishe returned Ana's wave happily, not at all opposed to finding someone she knew, however little, in this setting. Again. She perched herself on the offered chair and winced in the general direction of the very librarian she'd been trying to avoid.
"She gets around," Aishe mumbled. She'd really been hoping the woman had stayed at the front desk. "Honestly, I'm really not that poorly behaved on a usual basis. I promise."
This was delivered in a whisper, now that she was close enough to Ana to do so.
When the other young woman mentioned needing income, Aishe gave an understanding nod. She herself was surviving on her savings, which wasn't exactly vast, but enough to tide her over for as long as another 6 months or so of very frugal living.
"Well, if you're up to it, I do need a little help," she said. "I'm not sure where these books are, and I was hoping to get a bit more reading in. I don't suppose you might be able to help me? I don't want to interrupt your work though. If you can point me in the right direction..."
"She gets around," Aishe mumbled. She'd really been hoping the woman had stayed at the front desk. "Honestly, I'm really not that poorly behaved on a usual basis. I promise."
This was delivered in a whisper, now that she was close enough to Ana to do so.
When the other young woman mentioned needing income, Aishe gave an understanding nod. She herself was surviving on her savings, which wasn't exactly vast, but enough to tide her over for as long as another 6 months or so of very frugal living.
"Well, if you're up to it, I do need a little help," she said. "I'm not sure where these books are, and I was hoping to get a bit more reading in. I don't suppose you might be able to help me? I don't want to interrupt your work though. If you can point me in the right direction..."
Montana
18 years ago
"Oh, I don't mind if you're misbehaving or not. Not yet anyway. I imagine in sixty or so years, if I've been stuck behind this same desk, the lack of respect would get old, but I know people our age, even bookworms like us, need a little release. Besides, if you peek over her wall there, you can see a little concave mirror where she can tell if someone's at her part of the counter or nearby. Then she appears. It's like magic, I never see her move between the office-cubby and the counter." She shrugged.
A mischeivous smirk tugged at Ana's lips as she raised a hand just above her head, first finger extended, and twirled it in a circle, pointing three hundred sixty degrees around them. Holding her teeth clamped shut for a moment, merriment dancing in her eyes, she suppressed her rising giggle and nibbled on the corner of her lip. "Smartassery aside," she whispered with a wink, examining Aishe's list, "At least half of them are three rows and two posts behind where we met last week. 'Scuse me a few seconds while I check the rest..."
She turned back to the PC, typed rapidly through the list and queued her requested report. "What brings you back here, outside of research? I admit, seeing you here makes me feel better, seeing someone I've met, if only briefly. I've been in town since mid-December and only really met a half dozen people, not counting you or Fallon. Or the two guys from last week. It's a bit overwhelming at times, being a ..." Her attention was distracted by a flash and muted beep from the PC.
Ana read quickly through the report. Turning back to Aishe, she whispered, "Some are in the special archives downstairs. A couple we don't even have; they'd have to be ordered from the State library. This last one... Library of Congress only, from what the report says. Must be old... Might be able to get a PDF or microfilm shipment, but then it depends on your time frame and how badly you need it."
A mischeivous smirk tugged at Ana's lips as she raised a hand just above her head, first finger extended, and twirled it in a circle, pointing three hundred sixty degrees around them. Holding her teeth clamped shut for a moment, merriment dancing in her eyes, she suppressed her rising giggle and nibbled on the corner of her lip. "Smartassery aside," she whispered with a wink, examining Aishe's list, "At least half of them are three rows and two posts behind where we met last week. 'Scuse me a few seconds while I check the rest..."
She turned back to the PC, typed rapidly through the list and queued her requested report. "What brings you back here, outside of research? I admit, seeing you here makes me feel better, seeing someone I've met, if only briefly. I've been in town since mid-December and only really met a half dozen people, not counting you or Fallon. Or the two guys from last week. It's a bit overwhelming at times, being a ..." Her attention was distracted by a flash and muted beep from the PC.
Ana read quickly through the report. Turning back to Aishe, she whispered, "Some are in the special archives downstairs. A couple we don't even have; they'd have to be ordered from the State library. This last one... Library of Congress only, from what the report says. Must be old... Might be able to get a PDF or microfilm shipment, but then it depends on your time frame and how badly you need it."
Aishe
18 years ago
Ana's description of the elderly librarian and her subsequent finger-pointing magic made Aishe relax and laugh softly along with her. She stopped glancing over her shoulder and looked at the screen with Ana, a little line forming between her eyes as she frowned at the list of books in thought.
"Well, I am back because of research," Aishe admitted, "but aside from that it's nice to have a quiet place for a sanctuary, previous antics aside. I'm relatively new to Nachton as well, and I've been neglecting my studies while I look for a job, but I really shouldn't."
She gazed at the list of books a bit longer, pointing at one and proud to see her fingernails were actually growing. She hadn't bitten them in several weeks. "I wonder, can we find this one... and this one here? There's no need to borrow from other libraries yet; I'm just looking for a few references."
Aishe had indicated some fairly dry reading... well, not for her; she found it fascinating. The titles of the two books were, respectively, "The Height of the Hieroglyph Before the Age of Enlightenment" and "The Evolution of the Written Word." Both were dissertations dealing with the time period she researched; the point at which hieroglyphics gave way to different forms of writing.
"Did you come to Nachton to work also? It seemed a good place for me, because of the history of the city. I'm an archaeologist," Aishe explained. Because of her area of study, many assumed she was a linguist, but that was only half true.
"Well, I am back because of research," Aishe admitted, "but aside from that it's nice to have a quiet place for a sanctuary, previous antics aside. I'm relatively new to Nachton as well, and I've been neglecting my studies while I look for a job, but I really shouldn't."
She gazed at the list of books a bit longer, pointing at one and proud to see her fingernails were actually growing. She hadn't bitten them in several weeks. "I wonder, can we find this one... and this one here? There's no need to borrow from other libraries yet; I'm just looking for a few references."
Aishe had indicated some fairly dry reading... well, not for her; she found it fascinating. The titles of the two books were, respectively, "The Height of the Hieroglyph Before the Age of Enlightenment" and "The Evolution of the Written Word." Both were dissertations dealing with the time period she researched; the point at which hieroglyphics gave way to different forms of writing.
"Did you come to Nachton to work also? It seemed a good place for me, because of the history of the city. I'm an archaeologist," Aishe explained. Because of her area of study, many assumed she was a linguist, but that was only half true.
Montana
18 years ago
Ana nodded at Aishe's comment about neglecting studies. "While I graduated college, then got a job in the school library, there is definately more to it than just checking out books and reshelving them. It's one reason I've taken up research myself." A slight shadow crossed her face as she remembered how all of that worked out... but then Aishe pointed at the list again.
"The second one's easy enough, that's on a back shelf. The first one, though, we'd have to take you to" and her whisper dropped dramatically "the Vault. I've only visited it a couple times myself, but never with a patron. I love the smell of musty old books."
Tilting her head at Aishe's admission, she refrained from a smirk. "I'm sure you get a lot of Dr. Jonesette jokes, but then, who am I to joke around? I've learned only recently I'm a stereotypical librarian. I originally came to meet and possibly live with a friend. Plans change, though." The last had a raspiness entering Ana's voice but she swallowed and moved on.
Handing the list back to Aishe, she printed out a copy of the on-screen report. Glancing back at the old lady's cubby, she questioningly whispered, "Do you want me to escort you to the second, and see about taking you down for the first? The Vault's basically a hermetically sealed clean room, and it'd give us a chance to talk. Alternately, I could take my lunch break early." She paused thoughtfully. It didn't occur to her that her enthusiasm to find a friend who had similar interests as she might have her overstepping the "we just met" boundary. "Or, since some people -" her eyes flicked over towards the cubby "- wouldn't think it right for me to bother you in the midst of your research as opposed to helping with the cliched 'two heads are better than one' I could give you my number and we could do a research binge coupled with lunch." She shrugged noncommittally. "Either way, I am now," she arched an almost-well-defined eyebrow, "officially assigned to you as a seeker of lore and facts, and nothing short of long drives or grumpy old librarians will stop us! Or maybe a few Nazi tanks, but those're in the War Museum over on Saratoga Street."
"The second one's easy enough, that's on a back shelf. The first one, though, we'd have to take you to" and her whisper dropped dramatically "the Vault. I've only visited it a couple times myself, but never with a patron. I love the smell of musty old books."
Tilting her head at Aishe's admission, she refrained from a smirk. "I'm sure you get a lot of Dr. Jonesette jokes, but then, who am I to joke around? I've learned only recently I'm a stereotypical librarian. I originally came to meet and possibly live with a friend. Plans change, though." The last had a raspiness entering Ana's voice but she swallowed and moved on.
Handing the list back to Aishe, she printed out a copy of the on-screen report. Glancing back at the old lady's cubby, she questioningly whispered, "Do you want me to escort you to the second, and see about taking you down for the first? The Vault's basically a hermetically sealed clean room, and it'd give us a chance to talk. Alternately, I could take my lunch break early." She paused thoughtfully. It didn't occur to her that her enthusiasm to find a friend who had similar interests as she might have her overstepping the "we just met" boundary. "Or, since some people -" her eyes flicked over towards the cubby "- wouldn't think it right for me to bother you in the midst of your research as opposed to helping with the cliched 'two heads are better than one' I could give you my number and we could do a research binge coupled with lunch." She shrugged noncommittally. "Either way, I am now," she arched an almost-well-defined eyebrow, "officially assigned to you as a seeker of lore and facts, and nothing short of long drives or grumpy old librarians will stop us! Or maybe a few Nazi tanks, but those're in the War Museum over on Saratoga Street."
Aishe
18 years ago
"The Vault?" Aishe could practically hear the capital letters. "It sounds delectable." Interesting, at any rate. Though definitely more Kem's thing than hers. She was more inclined to wallow in the mud with a shovel, although she wasn't about to turn up her nose at musty books any day of the year.
As Ana continued speaking, Aishe wasn't oblivious to the shadows that crossed her pretty face. We all have secrets in Nachton, she thought. She wondered if this was a vampire thing, or a regular old case of "bad life." Either way she found Ana quite likeable.
Ordinarily she might have been more reserved in her acceptance of a new companion, but Fallon knew Ana, and Aishe thought a great deal of Fallon. And, well, she and Ana had been introduced already, for however short a time it had been. So at Ana's enthusiastic suggestions she simply laughed - very softly - and nodded at the other woman, black hair rippling over her shoulders as she did so.
"Whatever you like. I'm not officially 'working' on anything at the moment. So we can do any of those things in any order."
Aishe smiled, particularly amused by Ana's claims of being her own personal lore-seeker, and cast a backward glance at the cubby.
"What's with her, anyhow? Old lady librarians are supposed to be friendly like grandmothers... not grumpy and disdainful." This was said in a slightly injured tone of voice; Aishe really wasn't used to having elderly ladies irritated at her. She'd always been the 'girl next door' type, and grannies usually went nuts over her. She wasn't above feeling slightly injured by the elderly librarian's cold shoulder.
As Ana continued speaking, Aishe wasn't oblivious to the shadows that crossed her pretty face. We all have secrets in Nachton, she thought. She wondered if this was a vampire thing, or a regular old case of "bad life." Either way she found Ana quite likeable.
Ordinarily she might have been more reserved in her acceptance of a new companion, but Fallon knew Ana, and Aishe thought a great deal of Fallon. And, well, she and Ana had been introduced already, for however short a time it had been. So at Ana's enthusiastic suggestions she simply laughed - very softly - and nodded at the other woman, black hair rippling over her shoulders as she did so.
"Whatever you like. I'm not officially 'working' on anything at the moment. So we can do any of those things in any order."
Aishe smiled, particularly amused by Ana's claims of being her own personal lore-seeker, and cast a backward glance at the cubby.
"What's with her, anyhow? Old lady librarians are supposed to be friendly like grandmothers... not grumpy and disdainful." This was said in a slightly injured tone of voice; Aishe really wasn't used to having elderly ladies irritated at her. She'd always been the 'girl next door' type, and grannies usually went nuts over her. She wasn't above feeling slightly injured by the elderly librarian's cold shoulder.
Montana
18 years ago
"Well, from what I gather," Ana started, picking up her printed report and Aishe's list, a pen, and a small notepad, "She's been here since she was younger than us." She motioned Aishe in a certain direction, back towards the tables and chairs they'd been in a scant week ago. "Of course this is based on my un-edumacated guess that you're in your early-to-mid twenties also. In any case," she pushed a cart out of the aisle as they approached a back wall, "She is definately getting close to ninety. Sometimes, I can hear her mumbling in her cubby, or some of the locked rooms, or anywhere I'm close enough to hear her, really, something about all the kids staying the same. It's rather eerie. Of course, I heard that sometime around Halloween someone played a horrible, horrible joke on her. Did you ever see the movie Ghostbusters?" Ana didn't wait for an answer. "In that movie there's an old librarian who gets the pizza scared out of her by a horrible ghost in the basement of the New York Public Library. Now, I worked in that library for a few years, granted not back in 'eighty four when the movie was filmed, but it's definately not haunted. But I think that Mrs. Penderghast - that's the old librarian, does think ours is. In some way."
Ana shrugged. "I do a lot of imagineering, but ghosts and vampires and the like are out of my real-world Earth vocabulary. Sure it'd be neat to meet a real-life Buffy or Angel, or even Gandalf or Harry Potter... but flights of fantasy, you know? Anyway, I think she has something against all younger people anymore. So it's not you, and I get it even though I'm the closest thing she has to an assistant here."
She turned to the bookshelf, then back to her companion. It wasn't until that precise moment that she realized Aishe was shorter than she is. "You know, I don't think I realized you're shorter than me. You just carry yourself with... poise and grace. You're quite lovely, by the way," she rambled on as she moved a few sections down to come back with a stepstool. "Pardon the rambling, but I'm not much in the practice of prevarication or hemhawing."
"Would you mind supporting me so I don't tip?" She stepped up on the stool and stretched on her tippytoes for a book on the very top shelf.
Ana shrugged. "I do a lot of imagineering, but ghosts and vampires and the like are out of my real-world Earth vocabulary. Sure it'd be neat to meet a real-life Buffy or Angel, or even Gandalf or Harry Potter... but flights of fantasy, you know? Anyway, I think she has something against all younger people anymore. So it's not you, and I get it even though I'm the closest thing she has to an assistant here."
She turned to the bookshelf, then back to her companion. It wasn't until that precise moment that she realized Aishe was shorter than she is. "You know, I don't think I realized you're shorter than me. You just carry yourself with... poise and grace. You're quite lovely, by the way," she rambled on as she moved a few sections down to come back with a stepstool. "Pardon the rambling, but I'm not much in the practice of prevarication or hemhawing."
"Would you mind supporting me so I don't tip?" She stepped up on the stool and stretched on her tippytoes for a book on the very top shelf.
Aishe
18 years ago
Aishe grew more and more amused as Ana spoke. She's seemed awfully shy when they were first introduced, but that must have just been because they were strangers. Apparently that wasn't the case any longer. Ana seemed to be a natural with people, quickly and comfortably establishing a flow of conversation with astonishing ease and comfort.
"Well... I feel bad for her if she has a grudge against all of us young folks... and yes, I'm 27 actually. But at the same time, I still feel a little guilty for causing her so much trouble that evening."
When Ana mentioned vampires, Aishe grinned. If only she knew how close to the truth that was! "You have a wonderful imagination," she said. "My professors always tried to get me to be more creative, but it was never any use. Just down-to-earth, practical, common-sense Aishe." She didn't speak with any bitterness, since in truth she found being practical of far more use than being creative, but there was still that little edge of wistfulness, of wishing somehow that she could be the one to come up with fun Buffy stories and the like.
The young woman went on, and Aishe found herself blushing to the compliment. "Ah, thank you. I can't really take any credit for my looks, but my parents would certainly appreciate the sentiment. I do wish I were a little bit taller sometimes, like you. Being short isn't always that much fun."
In spite of her slight embarrassment, she found herself grinning at Ana. She oblingingly put one foot on the rim arond the stool, helping to weight it down, and placed the other one up against the small of Ana's back, peering around her a bit to see what she was shelving.
"Well... I feel bad for her if she has a grudge against all of us young folks... and yes, I'm 27 actually. But at the same time, I still feel a little guilty for causing her so much trouble that evening."
When Ana mentioned vampires, Aishe grinned. If only she knew how close to the truth that was! "You have a wonderful imagination," she said. "My professors always tried to get me to be more creative, but it was never any use. Just down-to-earth, practical, common-sense Aishe." She didn't speak with any bitterness, since in truth she found being practical of far more use than being creative, but there was still that little edge of wistfulness, of wishing somehow that she could be the one to come up with fun Buffy stories and the like.
The young woman went on, and Aishe found herself blushing to the compliment. "Ah, thank you. I can't really take any credit for my looks, but my parents would certainly appreciate the sentiment. I do wish I were a little bit taller sometimes, like you. Being short isn't always that much fun."
In spite of her slight embarrassment, she found herself grinning at Ana. She oblingingly put one foot on the rim arond the stool, helping to weight it down, and placed the other one up against the small of Ana's back, peering around her a bit to see what she was shelving.
Montana
18 years ago
Ana nodded at Aishe's claim. "I can understand that, I myself was questioned about my Olympic-style dive over the reading chair when I was interviewed. It was quite funny."
Ana shook her head at Aishe. "Practicality and common sense are not bad, not in the slightest. I know amazingly intelligent people with no common sense whatsoever. Knew a girl in college who burnt all the fingers on her left hand because she grabbed a hot curling iron. That was a pretty loud scream. Besides, down to earth is good. It's harder to hug someone or see their smiles if they're flying overhead." She winked at Aishe.
Ana reached to the very length of what her body could stretch, crushing a breast against the shelving and nearly overbalancing herself as she tugged at the very edge of a book that stuck out just a little from its neighbors. She wasn't at all worried that she'd fall; Aishe's hand felt strong against her back and she felt secure. With motions of her finger, she finally wiggled the book free and brought it down off the shelf. Letting it swing free from her arm, she dropped to the flats of her feet and, thanking Aishe, stepped down. A quick inhalation of breath, and she turned her head and sneezed into her elbow, then shook her head. "Sorry, slightly dusty up there."
It was then she realized she'd stepped down almost directly on Aishe's feet and was extremely close to the other woman. "Sorry, didn't mean to almost mush you." She took a step back and handed the thick, dusty book over. "Uno copino of Evolution of the Written Word."
Ana shook her head at Aishe. "Practicality and common sense are not bad, not in the slightest. I know amazingly intelligent people with no common sense whatsoever. Knew a girl in college who burnt all the fingers on her left hand because she grabbed a hot curling iron. That was a pretty loud scream. Besides, down to earth is good. It's harder to hug someone or see their smiles if they're flying overhead." She winked at Aishe.
Ana reached to the very length of what her body could stretch, crushing a breast against the shelving and nearly overbalancing herself as she tugged at the very edge of a book that stuck out just a little from its neighbors. She wasn't at all worried that she'd fall; Aishe's hand felt strong against her back and she felt secure. With motions of her finger, she finally wiggled the book free and brought it down off the shelf. Letting it swing free from her arm, she dropped to the flats of her feet and, thanking Aishe, stepped down. A quick inhalation of breath, and she turned her head and sneezed into her elbow, then shook her head. "Sorry, slightly dusty up there."
It was then she realized she'd stepped down almost directly on Aishe's feet and was extremely close to the other woman. "Sorry, didn't mean to almost mush you." She took a step back and handed the thick, dusty book over. "Uno copino of Evolution of the Written Word."
Aishe
18 years ago
Aishe shook her head. "I'm glad they didn't see fit to dash you from the list of candidates just because of one unfortunate chair collision."
Oh, she could see her book now, that must be it. It was a fairly large, leather-bound tome. Quite old, and certainly not one she was likely to be able to check out of the library. She'd have to get what she needed here.
"I don't mind being practical," she said. "But you know... the grass is always greener. Every once in a whlie I wish I had that little something that makes people come up with really crazy schemes. Like Buffy, or Ghostbusters."
Ana was balancing precariously now, so Aishe swung around just a bit, ready to catch her should she topple forward any further. It was like spotting for some of the more athletic Tae Kwon Do maneuvers. She just hoped Ana didn't get it into her head to try any of those. Intentionally or not.
They had a little dance routine as Aishe ducked out of the way of the swinging book, then danced out of Ana's way with a little "bless you" as the other woman sneezed.
But in the end they both landed safely on the ground and Aishe wrapped her happy arms around the heavy tome, trying her best not to hug it like a kid with a stuffed animal.
"What a library," she sighed. "This book isn't easy to find! I take it the other is the one in The Vault? It's even rarer."
Oh, she could see her book now, that must be it. It was a fairly large, leather-bound tome. Quite old, and certainly not one she was likely to be able to check out of the library. She'd have to get what she needed here.
"I don't mind being practical," she said. "But you know... the grass is always greener. Every once in a whlie I wish I had that little something that makes people come up with really crazy schemes. Like Buffy, or Ghostbusters."
Ana was balancing precariously now, so Aishe swung around just a bit, ready to catch her should she topple forward any further. It was like spotting for some of the more athletic Tae Kwon Do maneuvers. She just hoped Ana didn't get it into her head to try any of those. Intentionally or not.
They had a little dance routine as Aishe ducked out of the way of the swinging book, then danced out of Ana's way with a little "bless you" as the other woman sneezed.
But in the end they both landed safely on the ground and Aishe wrapped her happy arms around the heavy tome, trying her best not to hug it like a kid with a stuffed animal.
"What a library," she sighed. "This book isn't easy to find! I take it the other is the one in The Vault? It's even rarer."
Montana
18 years ago
"I'm sure that, if you're looking for it, eventually you'll experience something that will kick that creative drive into gear. Much like my own... Yeah."
Ana couldn't help but grin at Aishe's protectiveness of the tome. "This library is pretty strange sometimes. In the week I've been here we've had a couple researchers come in from out of state, and I've taken two other people into The Vault."
She escorted Aishe down a rather well-worn set of marble steps to a large glass wall. From her pocket, she produced a cardkey and swiped it through the reader. The door unlocked. "No library patrons are allowed in here alone, but somehow I've gotten to escort all the people recently. It's kind of fun to watch them finding a resource they've not been able to find elsewhere. One gent from Washington mentioned our city's library as extremely unique for the sheer amount of rare books we have access to."
Ana counted the rows and turned to her right. "The fire suppression systems in here are halon; if they activate the chemical reaction consumes all the oxygen in the room, hopefully preventing too much damage to the materials here. They gave me a demonstration in college. It's quite amazing how quickly a fire will go out with this stuff around. I just wouldn't want to be in here if that were to happen."
Ana turned right again before a section against the wall. "Here you go." She reached out for the book.
Ana couldn't help but grin at Aishe's protectiveness of the tome. "This library is pretty strange sometimes. In the week I've been here we've had a couple researchers come in from out of state, and I've taken two other people into The Vault."
She escorted Aishe down a rather well-worn set of marble steps to a large glass wall. From her pocket, she produced a cardkey and swiped it through the reader. The door unlocked. "No library patrons are allowed in here alone, but somehow I've gotten to escort all the people recently. It's kind of fun to watch them finding a resource they've not been able to find elsewhere. One gent from Washington mentioned our city's library as extremely unique for the sheer amount of rare books we have access to."
Ana counted the rows and turned to her right. "The fire suppression systems in here are halon; if they activate the chemical reaction consumes all the oxygen in the room, hopefully preventing too much damage to the materials here. They gave me a demonstration in college. It's quite amazing how quickly a fire will go out with this stuff around. I just wouldn't want to be in here if that were to happen."
Ana turned right again before a section against the wall. "Here you go." She reached out for the book.
Aishe
18 years ago
"Oh, fantastic," Aishe breathed. She was surprised Kem hadn't managed to infiltrate the Vault by now and somehow set up a small barracade in which to live.
Glancing at Ana for approval, Aishe gently brushed her fingers over this particular book, "The Height of the Hieroglyph Before the Age of Enlightenment." Pretentious title, but written by a Roman scholar as Egypt was falling under Roman control, and the general attitude during those times was that they were somehow doing the pagan Egyptians a favor. That, though, was a part of the reason she'd sought out this book; for a different, foreign view.
This was a translation, of course. The original had actually been written in coptic, which was odd, and the source of much debate amongst the linguistic world. The book had been written during the period of the Greek occupation, and although the Greeks were the ones who had phoneticized hieroglyphs and created coptic, they spread Greek throughout the country mainly. And still the book was translated into Latin; this version anyway.
This book was most likely not one of the three originals, but there had been seven or eight others also made afterwards. It had to be one of them. It was incredible that it had survived the ages; it had probably been sealed away in a pyramid, kept enclosed, without air or humidity, for centuries.
Aishe very cautiously opened the cover, almost afraid to damage the book. But it was in unbelievably good condition; right down to every fiber on the coarse parchment it had been scribed on.
The first page was a simple title, written in precise, flowing script. Aishe blanched.
She'd seen that script before.
Her eyes flew to the bottom corner of the page, and sure enough, there were two letters there. "KR."
Aishe let her finger brush the initials gently, and then closed the book.
"I think I'm going to have to come back and look at this one when I have more time," she said softly. "Can we go back up please?"
Glancing at Ana for approval, Aishe gently brushed her fingers over this particular book, "The Height of the Hieroglyph Before the Age of Enlightenment." Pretentious title, but written by a Roman scholar as Egypt was falling under Roman control, and the general attitude during those times was that they were somehow doing the pagan Egyptians a favor. That, though, was a part of the reason she'd sought out this book; for a different, foreign view.
This was a translation, of course. The original had actually been written in coptic, which was odd, and the source of much debate amongst the linguistic world. The book had been written during the period of the Greek occupation, and although the Greeks were the ones who had phoneticized hieroglyphs and created coptic, they spread Greek throughout the country mainly. And still the book was translated into Latin; this version anyway.
This book was most likely not one of the three originals, but there had been seven or eight others also made afterwards. It had to be one of them. It was incredible that it had survived the ages; it had probably been sealed away in a pyramid, kept enclosed, without air or humidity, for centuries.
Aishe very cautiously opened the cover, almost afraid to damage the book. But it was in unbelievably good condition; right down to every fiber on the coarse parchment it had been scribed on.
The first page was a simple title, written in precise, flowing script. Aishe blanched.
She'd seen that script before.
Her eyes flew to the bottom corner of the page, and sure enough, there were two letters there. "KR."
Aishe let her finger brush the initials gently, and then closed the book.
"I think I'm going to have to come back and look at this one when I have more time," she said softly. "Can we go back up please?"
Montana
18 years ago
Ana watched as Aishe picked up the tome. The expression on her face was inscrutable; Ana wasn't familiar enough with the woman to know what she might be feeling, but from the few times she'd been to camp chapel or the couple times she'd been invited to church, the only description she could give was... reverence. She walked away for a couple moments, watching quietly as Aishe worked with the book, then closed it.
"Can we go back up please?" she had asked. Ana nodded and put the book back into place on its shelf. "Sure thing. What's next on your list?" Ana escorted Aishe back out of The Vault and locked the door behind them.
"Can we go back up please?" she had asked. Ana nodded and put the book back into place on its shelf. "Sure thing. What's next on your list?" Ana escorted Aishe back out of The Vault and locked the door behind them.
Aishe
18 years ago
Aishe cast a last look back at the book, safely stored away, and followed Ana back up the stairs. She really did want to come back and read that book, from cover to cover.
She wasn't aware of the odd little smile that crossed her lips as they emerged back into the library itself; she just knew she felt strangely good... comforted, perhaps.
"Those were the only two I needed, really, although now that I realize what I'm looking at, I'm going to have to bring all my research here instead. I can't take either one of those out."
She shook her head slowly. "I can't believe you had that book."
Then she heaved a little sigh, really working herself out of her reverie. "I'm sorry, I was lost in book-heaven for a bit there. If you have lunch soon, let's get you away from the Ghostbuster librarian and out into the real world. What do you say?"
Aishe glanced around as she said it, wary of the woman actually being right there.
She wasn't aware of the odd little smile that crossed her lips as they emerged back into the library itself; she just knew she felt strangely good... comforted, perhaps.
"Those were the only two I needed, really, although now that I realize what I'm looking at, I'm going to have to bring all my research here instead. I can't take either one of those out."
She shook her head slowly. "I can't believe you had that book."
Then she heaved a little sigh, really working herself out of her reverie. "I'm sorry, I was lost in book-heaven for a bit there. If you have lunch soon, let's get you away from the Ghostbuster librarian and out into the real world. What do you say?"
Aishe glanced around as she said it, wary of the woman actually being right there.
Montana
18 years ago
Ana was briefly tempted to tell Aishe, "But I can let you take it," but she knew that, even with the stipend Rorri gave her, she'd never be able to pay for either of the books if they were to be damaged or lost. Instead, she observed quietly, "We could get you a working cubby, it's closed off and quiet and you'd have access to a computer nearby. It's not quite as easy to sprawl out like on one of the tables elsewhere, though. It's up to you."
Ana shrugged, smirking. "Like I said, we're weird."
"Wow, when did you start thinking of Nachton Library as 'we'?" Shaking her head, she just barely caught Aishe's apology. "No need to apologize, Aishe. I feel the same way when I find books I've been looking for, or just come across something old and rare." There was something in the other woman's voice, though... "Lunch sounds good. Mrs. Penderghast usually takes a half hour lunch then at least a forty-five minute nap in one of the back rooms. We're safe for an hour and a half." As Ana spoke, she saw the elder librarian disappear back into the office that held the communal fridge and small kitchenette, and saw two other assistants emerge. "Exactly. Come on! Let's go."
Ana shrugged, smirking. "Like I said, we're weird."
"Wow, when did you start thinking of Nachton Library as 'we'?" Shaking her head, she just barely caught Aishe's apology. "No need to apologize, Aishe. I feel the same way when I find books I've been looking for, or just come across something old and rare." There was something in the other woman's voice, though... "Lunch sounds good. Mrs. Penderghast usually takes a half hour lunch then at least a forty-five minute nap in one of the back rooms. We're safe for an hour and a half." As Ana spoke, she saw the elder librarian disappear back into the office that held the communal fridge and small kitchenette, and saw two other assistants emerge. "Exactly. Come on! Let's go."
Aishe
18 years ago
"A working cubby sounds great. I'll have to come back in a day or so."
There was a laughing little part inside Aishe that commented on the fact that she seemed to be eating her way through Nachton, but since Fallon had promised to let her know if her butt got out of hand, she decided a snack would be fine with her.
She flashed a grin at Ana and left her book at the desk, determined to come back soon with her notes. Then she accompanied her new friend out the door.
((ooc: Both out to The Strip - Ana out with permission.))
There was a laughing little part inside Aishe that commented on the fact that she seemed to be eating her way through Nachton, but since Fallon had promised to let her know if her butt got out of hand, she decided a snack would be fine with her.
She flashed a grin at Ana and left her book at the desk, determined to come back soon with her notes. Then she accompanied her new friend out the door.
((ooc: Both out to The Strip - Ana out with permission.))