so good night unto you all - LIBRARY RETURN

[libraryassistants]

Who: The Editors, one and all
What: The fight is over, the pieces remain... and the Editors head back 'home'
When: Dawn of the Final Day Sunrise after the attack
Where: Leaving Montica, back to the Library
Content warnings: Please make sure to put CW in headers!

By the time morning comes around again, the fires are beginning to die down, thanks to the many efforts of the citizenry to keep them under control. The rebel vampires too have been largely dealt with. These two seemingly insurmountable obstacles were only possible thanks to a combination of factors: the Umbra not being as blind to their human servants as their opposition would have thought, defectors from the Orlocks who were able to counter-act some of their magic, the following Amalia gathered and deployed from Laurelthirst, some suspicious (though welcome) help from suspiciously new arrivals, and of course, House Guildulf throwing their own into the fray to ally with the vampires for this confrontation.

A unity the likes of which Montica has never truly seen.

As the sun rises, there are few left who are able to fight at all; the rebels are beaten, and even the forces built up by both the vampires and werewolves are exhausted or diminished, leaving no one able to take advantage. Citizens of both sides flee indoors, and the remaining rebels are forced to vanish into the woods once more, weakened and unable to strike again any time soon. But there are still repairs to be done, physically and otherwise. Will this unity last beyond tonight? Will young love and youthful hope prevail? Those are the questions that settle over a weary Montica, as light pours into the city once more.

And then, the world begins to fade, static taking over the senses, as the Editors return to the Library.

Welcome back, Editors

It looks much the same as they left it, though the makings of a masquerade are no longer arranged as finely, a few scorch marks here and there, and for some reason there’s some amazing optical illusions on the floor panelling that makes them look like actual manhole covers. Alas, no sewers lay beneath. It may still take Actors a bit of time to shake off the old-new memories, and for some reason the fluorescent lighting seems harsher on the skin than it has any right too. Good thing that the stacks cast long shadows.

The customary tea cart is set up in the Lobby again, and it seems some improvements have been made. The coffee still isn’t strong, but’s far more drinkable than it has been, and there’s an added decaf option now! The tea has still been overstepped, and the stale cookies have been replaced by scones that are hard as rocks, but clearly someone’s getting the message that there are improvements needed. Clearly the tea cart was the place to start.

If someone for some reason doesn’t want stale scones, there’s also a child sized food truck in the lobby, with a sign out front boasting a variety of tamales, including: black beans and cheese, birria, chicken, fire scorpion, man suffering to death via battle wound, and beef. Upon approach, what look like fuzzy puppets pop up to… take your order? They don’t say much, or rather, they make a single noise over and over that seems to be them communicating, but the tamales are good. Just… don’t try to look in the truck. They’ll screech, vanish, and then no tamales for you.

Meanwhile, the bulletin board has a cheerful sign decorated with colorful blocks, declaring: “Join us in the Children’s Area for Lego Club!” Upon locating the room in question, Editors will discover boxes among boxes of legos of various shapes and sizes. There are some ‘how to’ guides for various builds (including a ‘research space ship’ and a ‘vampire’s castle’), but also plenty of encouragement for people to make their own creations! Unlike normal creations, these will actually stick around for a while after they’re finished, and there’s a nice little table where people can display and share what they’ve made.

The Assistants, it seems, are nowhere to be seen: the ‘back in 5’ sign is still in place at the help desk. Still, even without their ‘helpful’ guidance, some facets of the Library may come more easily to some in the aftermath of Montica’s troubles.

[Due to the resolution of the Story, any skills tagged Archivist in the skill tree cost one less skill point (minimum of 1) until the next Story. This can stack with a normal Archivist bonus!]

Comments

[codeswitchcraft]

"It can be painful," Siobhan admits. "Though it was easier for me after I realized that Hikaru was hidden inside of Michiko. He was only a youth. He wouldn't have known me at the age he was in the story any more than I would have known him. So I could accept that he did not know me yet and be happy that the youth he was liked me and that I could stay near him to protect him."

She looks up at Sanguinius. "You've got a few brothers here, right? All the terribly large men are of your family, not counting Ser Duncan, that is. Which brother was this? Was it Curze who you said tried to kill you? Or the one who is most unfortunately named after a villain from a book?"

[angel_of_baal]

"My brother, the Night Haunter, did something similar for me, when he discovered who I was." It wasn't quite the same: Curze was his brother, not a paramour. But the distress had to be similar. "I did not know at the time, but afterward, I was grateful for the protection."

"It was the Night Haunter, yes, my brother. For both of these stories, he has somehow been able to resist the immersion, to be his own self and his own person. I do not know how." And it bothers him. A lot. "He is...he has had a hard path. We both grew up alone, but he had no one to care for him. At all. He...doesn't know how, honestly." How to let someone care about you, how to care about someone in a way that doesn't look like 'slaughter your enemies'.

[codeswitchcraft]

"I don't know how either," Siobhan says. "I wish I did." She pats Sanguinius' hand. "It is hard to have no one at all in the world," she says diplomatically. "I can hardly imagine what it must be to have had to raise yourself from childhood. That your brother did so and survived is a testament to his will."

[angel_of_baal]

"I have my Legion, at least. Well, normally." Not so much here. Except the little Lamenter.

"I have one of my sons here, now, though." See, there was a bright side. Sometimes. Not at all like what she was talking about, but something. As close as he would ever get.

"Both of us did--have to survive for some time alone. Only Baal was less...dark than Nostramo, my brother's home. While he had to fend for himself in an uncaring city, seeing the worst of mankind as his first sights, I at least was in the wasteland, where I saw that nature, even while brutal, has rules, and grace." In short, perhaps feel something for Curze, but don't tell him so.

[codeswitchcraft]

"Oh!" she says, smiling at him. "He must be such a dear little thing--though I suspect no matter how young he is, he's likely still larger than me, given how big your family tends to. I haven't seen anyone younger here than Jun--when did he arrive?"

(... it's clear that Siobhan is assuming that Sanguinius is as young as he looks, rather than nearly immortal.)

But then she nods at his explanation of Curze. "Nature is simpler than cities. I know that well."

[angel_of_baal]

Sadly, he will not be able to dissuade her, because there is a certain amount of cheek smushing adorableness about Ulyssian.

"He is larger than the sons I remember." Sanguinius holds his hand up to about chest height. "His armor is bright yellow, unmissable. And his clothing outside of armor is...also noticeable." Poor Ulyssian and his love of Lisa Frank retina-scorching colors.

"It truly is. But the city's lessons are not wrong, either. Humanity is wonderful, yet it's strange that it can also be terrible. I know of no other species beyond Orks that war on their own kind."

[codeswitchcraft]

"You don't count Orks as the same species?" Siobhan says, startled. "On Mundus, Orks are just another kith of Mundane--and as far as I understand it, Mundane is a broad species with all the different kiths subspecies to it, no matter how physically different we might be. We are all able to interbreed, though the children always follow the mother's kith for obvious reasons."

After a moment she adds, "By the way, your brother Guilliman says that the people of Mundus are not what you call 'xenos' because we were made for living on our world, Mundus, by the humans of Earth. So no one from your Imperium need make war upon us."

[angel_of_baal]

"Orks are not from Terra. They are a form of fungus, or mushroom. They live solely to fight and kill, and without an enemy they will turn on each other." They are a savage race. But he's learned from a conversation he'd had with Kai.

"As my world sees them, at least. I have learned that not all of us share the same terminology. I thought we were all from Terra, just at different times." You being VERY VERY VERY OLD (you look amazing for being from 10,000 years ago). "I would never make war on a population that simply wants to live in harmony."

[codeswitchcraft]

"Orks on Mundus are made from the same blood and breath as any other Mundane," Siobhan says, very sincerely. "None of us are from Earth, but all of us were made by humans from Earth. They are nomads and sometimes they form warbands, but they also engage in trade and only make war in order to gain resources needed to thrive. What you are saying about your orks sounds like the kind of lies my father made up about the orks on my world—but I suppose your orks and mine are not the same if they are sapient fungi rather than mammals."

But she smiles at him. "I am glad you would not. Having been your sister for a short time, I would like to hope that you are at heart much like the brother I knew and he would not make war on peaceful people either."

[angel_of_baal]

"Then they are more civilized than ours, but I have fought our Orks myself and know this to be true, and no myth. They do not conquer for power, or greed, or wealth, but the sheer love of destruction." A lot of destruction.

"Ours are also," and this is the part he SHOULDN'T say out loud, since it was saying something nice about the enemy, but he would give credit where it was due, "clever innovators. Our own science is unable to understand some of their inventions." If only they turned that cleverness to something other than wanton destruction...

"Those I fight, are those who have attacked first and who will not speak of peace." It's Curze's VIIIth Legion that is brought to force compliance. His own Legion truly are, despite their own ferocity, protectors. "And I would hate to lose your esteem, little sister." His sister no longer, but little...definitely.

[codeswitchcraft]

She laughs. "I was the older twin in Montica," she reminds him, "if only by an hour. But since you are most assuredly older than me now, what with being a father on your own and to a child old enough for armor, not to mention very much taller... I will accept it." She leans against his leg. "I think I will like having a big brother. You do have my esteem, you know. I think both you and F— Guilliman to be good men at heart, no matter how your own father might be."

(Sorry. Guilliman's said just enough that she's decided she does not like the Emperor.)

[angel_of_baal]

"Age means nothing with experience and wisdom. You've had many experiences that neither I nor my brothers have had." His wings riffle at her sudden pressure against his leg, before settling back, soothed. "We do our best."

[codeswitchcraft]

"Not as much as you'd think," Siobhan says, with a sigh. She doesn't think he'd say that if he knew that she'd only been alive for a few months and everything before that was just the story she'd been in. "But... I've had enough in the last few months to make up for the rest of it, I guess."

She'd talked to gods, met the man she'd been written to love (and fallen in love for real), traveled from Salzstadt to the Beauforte to Viacruz to Vinyedo, fought a sea monster where it shouldn't have been, met Hikaru and fallen in love a second time, been drawn into the library...

When she thought about it that way, she'd really done a lot, hadn't she?

[angel_of_baal]

Right? So like...all of that, basically. "If that's the case, well, you've handled it with more grace and skill, both in the Story and here, than I have." He makes a sad smile. "After the first story, I was so distraught I almost hurt the one person who knew me best." Sure, it was because Curze had tried to kill Tsang the entire story but that...didn't matter.

[codeswitchcraft]

"When we first got back here from Montica," Siobhan says, "I ran out into the garden and wept for what felt like an hour. The only reason I was less distraught for the first Story is that I was myself and running on pure rage and adrenaline for much of it. And even then I still fell to weeping on Hikaru in the garden in the aftermath. If I do not end up weeping on him in the garden after the next, I shall be very surprised."

[angel_of_baal]

"I isolated myself this time, also in the garden." So, great minds think alike! But he did it for fear of hurting others. "The only brother who came to me, ironically, was the one I had hurt last time." Huh. He wonders if she knows him. "Do you know him? He calls himself the Night Haunter." Project Curze is a Nice Person Despite Himself: underway.

"I feel the same. I wonder..." Oh is it Suspicion O 'Clock? "In my world, there are...creatures. That feed on the pain and suffering of living things. I wonder if the Library itself is similar."

[codeswitchcraft]

"I don't think I've met him personally," Siobhan says. "But you've already said such good things about him, that I should fix that before the next story."

(And indeed, she is going to defend him based on your words earlier to your very own son not so long from now.)

She's quiet for a moment after that before she says, "Before the story happened, Hikaru says he said this to the man called X: I will gladly sacrifice Romeo and Juliet on the altar of reconciling the Montagues and Capulets and avoiding blood in the streets of Verona if that is actually necessary, but I would not start with the assumption that two teenagers needed to die for the sins of the fathers."

Her imitation of Hikaru's deep, plummy, and somewhat monotone voice is very good—but then she did just admit earlier that she and he are lovers.

"And then the very next story found me in Juliet's role with him in no way my Romeo—and with enough reflected and distorted from my own life that I wept so. So yes, I can believe your theory about the library feeding off of pain. For surely just between the three of us, it has already supped on more than enough to feed it."

[angel_of_baal]

Haha! Victory! Or at least a start. "Do not be put off by his dour appearance." Or smell. But feel free to tell him to bathe. Please. "But he feels things, very deeply, and has very few he share with."

His mouth makes a variety of shapes as she talks, none of them particularly happy. "That," he says, after a moment, "suggests a darker meaning to these 'recommended readings'. That we are overheard, and, possibly, plotted against. I had spoken to Kaiisteron, about the possibility that our placement in the story, as those who retain ourselves or are in the body and mind of others--as you and I were in Montica--is not random happenstance, but controlled by...some intelligence."

A longwinded way of saying 'sounds like this place overheard you two and decided to fuck with you', only, you know, diplomatically worded, and thus sounding less insane.

He risks brushing a finger against her hair, as an attempt to soothe. "I would be disconsolate, if I had been either party, in that circumstance." Crying for an hour in the garden? Reasonable! "I, however, have no sorcery to confront it, or confirm it, so it is only speculation," he sighs. No sorcery at all. His weapons are entirely in the materium.

[codeswitchcraft]

"Hikaru thinks it is a coincidence," Siobhan says. "That stories just tend to assume these shapes. But I cannot be certain." And her lady agrees.

She leans against that finger, sighing softly.

"Some kind of intelligence or perhaps some kind of automated process that sorts us without thinking about it. Neither is very good, I think."

[angel_of_baal]

"He might be right." He sighs. "I honestly hope he is, my sister. But it is something we might want to gather data on before we decide." And with that knowledge, those who might want to go home (say, to alter their timelines) would be able to.

"Do you have a theory about those who have disappeared?" Because he does, also. They're all terrible.

"Neither is good. But at least," At least, he snorts to himself, "some enter the stories as themselves. If we could find a way...." To mark each other, know each other...something. "It might stay our hands if, in a story, we would be set against each other."

[codeswitchcraft]

"I do not," Siobhan admits. "I've been hoping that they are elsewhere in the library, sleeping on couches and chairs, but I understand that is very unlikely. I've also hoped that perhaps they get to go home. It would be nice for them if that was the case."

She looks thoughtful. "Hikaru said that Sumire figure out how to use the journals they give us to communicate with each other even when we can't get to the bulletin board. I do not know what method she used, but she and Hikaru and his armsman Ser Duncan all did it during the Story, he says. So if one of them is Reading during the next story, perhaps we can all get in contact in that way. And perhaps more people can learn how. That could help couldn't it?"

[angel_of_baal]

There's a secret third option, that he will...keep to himself: that the Library devours them. And it could take any of them at any time. But he would keep that dark thought to himself. For now. She and her closer-than-friend Hikaru have enough weight without that worry.

"I will choose to hope they go home and that their return is to a good place." He shifts his weight. "I would return to calamity, but perhaps I would be better able to handle it." Perhaps he has learned things that would carry him better. He wished he had asked Guilliman more questions.

"That could help, if we are able. We can organize to keep our dear ones safe, as much as we can." He could handle safety from physical danger. She could probably handle the emotional part better.

[codeswitchcraft]

"I would return to what is more or less an on-going crisis," Siobhan admits, "but there are things that I have confided to Hikaru and Laina here that I had not before we were all taken, so perhaps them knowing these things will help. I hope that they do. And I trust Hikaru's judgement in what to tell our friends and allies once we are back on Mundus."

She's quiet for a moment before saying, "If I am Acting again... if there is another woman named Sigrid in the story who looks a little like I did as your sister, that may be me. Because Sigrid is the name I was born with, even though I am Siobhan now."

[angel_of_baal]

"That is a hope I have, as well. That the things we learn here might change our futures when we get back." At least a little bit. Else why do this at all? "Curze--the Night Haunter," he corrects himself oops. "He feels the future is preordained and unchangeable, but, well, time will tell."

"It is a terrible thing to live thinking it is all a machine in lockstep, with no choice or will at all." No wonder Curze was always so dour.

"If I am able, I will look for her. You." Listen, it's hard to keep this stuff straight. "When did you change your name?" He's always been Sanguinius, even before he could speak.

[codeswitchcraft]

"Not yet two months before I was drawn into the library," she says. "So not yet a year ago. Before that, my name was Sigrid von Verdholtz. I suppose my surnames are not so different even now: Verd-holtz just means 'green wood' in two different languages."