unfinishedlibrary | for all the world's a stage

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for all the world's a stage - LIBRARY LOG

Who: The Editors
What: The Library changes once again...
When: January 9- January 22
Where: The Library
Content warnings: Please put them in the comment headers!

The Assistants have vanished into their backroom once again, leaving only the increasingly unbelievable “Back In 5” sign on the Help Desk, but at least they have attempted to impart some knowledge on the Editors before departing (or… attempted to do anything but, depending who you ask). The customary tea cart with drinks and increasingly stale biscuits is parked in its usual spot, though it seems that the quality of the tea at least has improved some. (Still waiting on coffee improvement.)

There’s a new crafting setup in the Maker Space, a table with an iron and machine for making vinyl designs, along with the instructions on how to use it, and a stack of t-shirts in various sizes. Usually there’s something in the correct size, but, well, mistakes happen. While this addition to clothing is a boon, there is the problem that the t-shirts can’t be taken out of the room until some sort of design is put on them. Get creative! Show off your style! Or maybe just steal one of the shirts that are there for display purposes. It’s fine, the Library can make more.

In the second week as the Library begins to change once more, the Lobby’s wooden floor shines with extra polish. The walls make an odd creaking sound as they shift, warping into brick covered with velvet drapings in a rich, dark red. Gold thread twinkles in the stitches, a sense of opulence woven through. The sound of ballroom music drifts by and, while in the Lobby, characters will be taken by the unusual impulse to dance.

Outside, in the Garden, the day/night cycle has paused firmly on a cloudless night. A full moon hangs in the air - literally. About the size of a basketball, it follows the first person who enters the Garden; hovering a couple of meters above their head. A white aura spreads from them, powered by the moon, and those who are caught in its light will find themselves unable to speak anything but the truth.

When the person to whom the moon is attached leaves the garden, the moon and its aura will leave them; and the moon will attach to the next person to enter instead.

On the circulation desk, there is a sign: “This Week’s Recommended Reading: Twilight!” The accompanying sign up sheet waits next to it for those wishing to check it out- though some will receive the movie instead of the book, with no particular rhyme or reason to it. Periodically someone might also receive something else entirely. Whoops? The Assistants at least will fix that quickly. ~~Richard will be embarrassed, while Phillip will be trying not to cackle.~~

While not advertised, various iterations of different stories will be available throughout the Library. In particular, someone seems to have left the projector in one of the meeting rooms running, with a variety of different recorded plays. These range from professional productions, to parodies, to what appear to be high schoolers (of which one production features a sixteen year old version of Phillip running around being an absolutely nuisance.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

But you'd never put anyone in actual danger. Even when you pulled in stunts that brought citizens in, you were always careful...

I was careful, sure, but I was also lucky. If either one of us was out of sync for even a moment, people could have gotten hurt. And, even though it didn't end up happening... I was willing to take that risk.

How can you be so calm about this?

[ He just had Nice lose it in front of him, and honestly he still doesn't feel okay. And he heard about all the stuff Nice didn't want to tell him about and still.... ]

I dunno. I guess because I... didn't go through it myself? I'm upset for you, and I hate what Shang De put you through. If he shows his ugly mug here, I'll punch him square in the face for both of us.

[ . . . ]

But... I'm not... really upset with anything you did. I don't really understand the reasons why you felt the need to do it, other than I know it's complicated. But there are certain situations I'd agree to do any of that and more, so... I'm not about to cast the first stone.

Wreck....

[ He takes a peek up at Wreck before burying his face in his knees once more. ]

Like I said... I'm just glad you told me. I don't know if doing so helped you. Maybe not. But it did help me.

[ Wreck reaches out to gently rub Nice's back. ]

At least.... now you can rest easy knowing... it was never you. You were never the problem...

Neither were you. Even if you couldn't reach the Top 10 like Shang De seemed to want so badly... he was apparently stupid about how he went handling things. Sending the face of his company, his "most valuable brand" to do his shady work that would have ruined your reputation if something went wrong....

All he had to do was let you be yourself and do real hero work.

It sounds like the "new me" at least is doing things better with my name and face...

I don't really know what he was doing. He had that True Love Recipe livestream... which pissed me off so much I ended up breaking my TV. And... other than that... I only had the one interaction with him.

Sounds like Shang De is completely hands off with him, though. Probably for the best. Otherwise it won't be long before he ends up on the ledge, too.

As much as I don't like the idea of someone wearing my face.... I even more so don't like the idea of anyone else going through that mess....

[ Nice frowns more, idly scratching at his pantleg as if he were scratching away dirt. He was silent for a long time, maybe trying to think of how to get things off of him and focused elsewhere, or maybe trying to lighten the mood.]

Did you really think there was something going on with me and [ he gestures upward to the moon floating behind him. ]

I mean... not at first. You were dating for three years and you never looked happy around her, no matter how perfect your smile was.

How was I supposed to know he was wearing your face, though? So when he said that stuff during the interview, about how she was his goddess... I guess I... kinda did believe him.

I was angry with you, too. Or I thought I was anyway. Because... you two were living together, and it was starting to feel like even though you didn't like each other, you still knew more about what was going on with one another than I did. I was... on the outside looking in.

I honestly don't think she would have listened even if I had told her. Half the things I said went in one ear and out the other with her anyway...

[ Not that that's the point or anything. ]

I couldn't... tell anyone... Especially after what happened with Smile...

...I know. Or... well... I know now. But even back then, I kind of understood why you kept your distance from everyone, including me.

[ He says "kind of" because he'd thought Nice was horribly upset the reason for him becoming a hero was dead. He hadn't realized Nice felt like he had a hand in Smile's death. ]

You know... I wonder if this place is even real. Maybe we're dead and this is... mm, what do they call it? Limbo? Purgatory?

Wouldn't that imply that you were in a similar.... Wreck. Did you do something stupid back home?

It's a funny story if you consider the fact it happened months ago. And I don't even know how that fall ended, to be fair.

Idiot.

[ Nice finally looks up at Wreck, his face was an absolute mess. ]

[ Wreck smiles warmly at him anyway. ]

He told me you were dead. That you'd been dead for weeks. I had to drag it out of him because no one would tell me where you were.

And, you know. We were putting on a show. I was contractually obligated to break up their fake wedding and fake kill Moon. Bu~ut I... kind of snapped. I don't even really know what I planned on doing. I don't know if I wanted to kill them, but I at least wanted to seriously hurt the person wearing your face without any shame.

But he beat me. He knocked my sword out of my hand... and me with it, off the platform I created myself. I was... actually pretty happy, though. I thought... I'd at least get to see you again.

And I did. So...

Edited 2026-01-14 06:35 (UTC)

[... ]

Can you come sit over here?

[ He says this while gently patting the ground beside him. \

Okay, but don't smack me upside the head or anything. I've gotten enough concussions from you, thank you very much.

[ His voice is light and teasing as he obedient sits closer, where Nice asked him to. ]

Damn.... you read my mind.

[ He wasn't actually going to hit him. he waits until Wreck seems settled down before he shifts and leans against his side, his head leaning against his shoulder. ]

You must be insane.... to still care about someone as messed up as me. Someone who ghosted you for weeks...

[ Hoping he isn't pushing too hard, Wreck reaches to loosely wrap an arm around Nice's shoulders. ]

Something-something, the moon is beautiful tonight, isn't it?

[ He figures that's indirect enough for Nice. But he swears, if it's too indirect... ]

[ Nice let's put a quiet laugh, and unfortunately the light of the moon was really highlighting the pink on his face.]

And not so loud, right?

[ He knew exactly what Wreck meant.]

And not so loud.

[ Wreck laughs, too, as he echoes it back. ]

My second favorite part.

Have I ever told you, you have terrible taste?

[ He shifts so he was leaning into that arm a little more. Wiping at his eyes a little.]

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