PM to join [Memorial Library] Good book hunting

[Fallon]

7th Winter 516 AV
Morning

Answers. I need answers. Now.

The Inspector had entered the library without a second thought. She walked as if she belonged there, back straight, hands behind and clasping her notebook tightly by the spine. It was her knuckles that wrapped against the sheathed kukri however. Her stride was firm, chin raised as she made her way across the entrance and to the shelves. There was a brief, perplexed look by the librarian, but a mere flicker of a smile sent her back down to her work. Neither paid each other any mind beyond that, the inspector knew her ways around libraries well enough to not require immediate help.

But would the books give her the answers she needed?

Stepping between the shelves the woman moved, the dusty scent of tomes and paper catching at her senses. Her fingers flicked away briefly, tracing along the small statutes and shapes. There was a small pause before Eyris, her brow knitting together before she directed herself towards the desired sections. First, there was the case of local geography, a comparison of positions within the city itself. Her gloved fingers ran along the spines before stopping at one. She did not recognise the name of the author, but after taking it off she quickly flicked through the pages. Content with what it held she continued onwards with the low muttering of words beneath her breath.

"Geography. The merchants. The sailors. The navy... Houses of the city..." she licked her lips, eyes moving upwards to the section titles. She made her way over to the section headed as 'history' before attempting to once more find what she was looking for. General history was all she needed right now, specific events could be looked into later. As long as it was enough to build up an understanding of the city as a whole, that was all she needed. Tucking that under one arm, Fallon shifted her attention to the ideas of politics.

Who would not care? Who would have interest? Who would be a bystander? the thoughts scratched at Fallon's mind. Inhaling she felt her mind pluck at the names once more, the few that she knew about at least. At least, until the most important question bubbled up in her mind.

Who would aid me?

It had been a question that had nagged on her for the last few days to the point of suffocation. Now with the library open before her and available she did not hesitate exploiting it as a resource. Books were safe. Books were something solid and more reliable that words. It was at the next set of shelves that Fallon had stopped now. Her fingers traced the spines, reading the names once more and considering them. Higher the hand moved, lips twitching at the words with thought.

"Merchants. Merchants. Merchants. Navy..." higher still the hand moved. Back straightened, arm reached until it was fully stretched. Her finger tips scratched at the spines, eyes narrowing down on the names as she read through them, until at last brightening. She muttered as she attempted to reach for it, "Ahoy there, Sailor."

And promptly failed.

A slither of annoyance begun to bloom and spread, working its way through as she once more stretched. Gloved fingertips attempted to pluck at it, before her shoulders sagged and the woman exhaled. Another, final stretch, rocking up onto her toes and cheek against the shelf, until she sunk back down defeated. No, there was no way she was going to be reaching that any time soon.

Fallon muttered, "Plan B then..."

[Leyus]

The world was probably going mad. In these few last years Leyus had developed something, that could be called a routine. It was disturbed from time to time by some dangerous individuals, failed missions or chases from guard, though the last ones were relatively safe, as they were done more to maintain an illusion of work, than to actually catch one of city's little rats. Routine was predictable, routine was easy to understand, routine was safe. But not anymore. Fall had great deal in changing that, with the Navy taking over the city. Sea trade had stopped, leaving him, as well as major part of Zeltiva, without much income. Yet, he had managed to keep his work up by providing latest news to people interested in them. Well, maybe more like shards of news, as situation grew more and more complex with every day. Leyus felt, he had to change his direction of thinking. And now winter. Or rather, lack of it. Even seasons had flipped over, leaving him just as confused as everybody else. While his work was to know more! But where to look? To whom turn? How to survive on slippery road of politics and interests of the gods? It all was covered in thick layer of smoke. Smoke that he needed to cut through if he wanted to keep his position in Zeltiva's underground. Remember, Leyus, knowledge is the sharpest of blades. Ah, the memories. Sharp and painful memories. They had brought him here, with advice from his first teacher. A mad teacher for mad times. He entered the library trying to look more sure about his goal than he was. His posture was straight, steps wide and firm, but in all of his figure was left the mark of growing tension. Only thing that he did with some certainty was waving of the librarian. It was deep in his nature not to trust strangers anything important for himself. Books. He didn't trust books. Not at all. Yes, their carried words didn't change with time, but that only meant that lies that they carried didn't change as well. And it was well known fact, that books could be rewrited to compliment mighty of the time. History had manner to bend and change faces. And yet there was no other source of information than books for now, so with little hesitation young man came here. Now the question was, what exactly did he look for? Some general information, he had no clues where and how to look for something more specific. History. He needed to know the past, what was under Zeltiva as he knew it today, knew very well. At least, so he thought till now. History. Leyus muttered under his breath, taking a short walk around the shelves. Lead more by his intuition than anything else he soon found something that he could make use of. His hands laid on book about general Zeltiva's history, nothing too great, but it was a start. He quickly made his way through the book, trying to grasp picture as whole, not all the small details. No, this wasn't of any real use. He had to go more specific. But what to address? Politics? Yes, perhaps. Everything now circled around positions in this field, knowing who was who was important. Fine, but even so it was far too wide. Factions. He needed to look at factions. The Navy? No, it wasn't in his field of work. Maybe later. Merchants were small and their position had never been between the most important ones, and if this madness ever stops, it will probably never be. Sailors. Right now he had to deal with them most of all, so their interests were crucial. Would books give answer to that? Probably, no, but they would give him questions to ask, questions that he could find answers to outside the library. Knowing questions was almost as important as knowing answers. On streets, no one will give you general information. They all carried shards of it. Sailors, Sailors... No, no, no... No. Why was it so hard to navigate in this place? His patience was slowly fading. With such speed, he will spend all day here, not only the morning. And with everything that happened around lately, one day could mean a lot. It was when he was about to pass woman, examining the shelves as well, when his sharp ears were reached by one single word. Sailor. Was he mistaken? Leyus turned his head a bit, trying to make his interest not too noticeable. Yes! It was exactly what he was looking for, on one of the top shelves. And the woman... Hmm, he had seen that face somewhere? Perhaps, as it wasn't clearly to be detected from a brief look. What was more important, was to get the book. He hadn't spent more than two hours for nothing here. Man reached to the book, taking it with ease. His height sure was an advantage. You wouldn't mind if I took it for a bit? Leyus looked down to woman. A few chills silently went down his spine. He was a rat through and through and as any rat he relied on his instincts. Right now they screamed for him to run. Being so, his hand froze in middle way down the shelve, somewhere between him and woman. He hesitated.

[Fallon]

Fallon was forced to step back and consider her position. There was the target she desired, hovering tantalisingly close but just beyond her grasp. Teasing almost with her thirst of simply wanting to know driving her forwards. Of course, the issue then became reaching it. She could, in theory, have used projection to bring the book closer to the edge by those few precious inches - but then there was the risk of observers and a reputation to protect. She could have gone to go find a chair or a stool to clamber up onto, but -gods forbid- the target could have been long gone by the time she returned.

It was a risk she simply could not take.

The inspector drummed her fingers against her arm, brow knitted as she contemplated stretching for it one more time. Perhaps it would have somehow magically moved closer to the edge during her moment of pondering. She attempted to reach once more, only to this time watch the alien hand move into her vision. Her brow knitted, lips parting in objection as her previous target was so neatly claimed. Her head swivelled around to the offender, a deep inhale as she fought down the urge to scowl. She was unsure on whether to be amused or infuriated. It was typical, the fates having worked against her indecisiveness and instead chosen a result for her. Wait and whatever was just out of her grasp would be taken from her.

Her lips briefly parted in objection, eyes scanning the form of the seemingly lanky man beside her. Zeltivan, she figured that much simply in the way he spoke; polite though direct with the goal clearly highlighted in mind. She was not sure of how many outsiders were, but she certainly knew that the Sunberthians held no time for politeness and the Sylirans had an almost grovelling tone. Still, he had paused when her eyes narrowed down onto him torn between actions, she could almost smell that betrayal in his stance. There was the briefest flash of teeth, before she forcibly reined back her annoyance and positioned in a more neutral stance. She was not here to intimidate, persuade on the other hand.

"Well," Fallon began, accident distinctly not local, "I was going to take it for myself. But it appears the winner in this case is you." Her gaze moved down to the books she had already managed to gather, eyes looking to the spines as she considered them, "For the better, I suppose. I do have a collection to already sift through."

The inspector exhaled her eyes turning upwards to see if there were any more books she could use to attempt to pry information from. Somewhere in the back of her mind however the woman slowly begun to formulate her thoughts into something much more directed. Why would a man such as him be looking for books on sailors? Why would he so eagerly take it? Something wicked formed within her mind.

"Are you a student?" Fallon asked, "I mean, not everyone seems to be in the library these days with things going on and all. Only ones here mostly seem to just be students." She let her tone change then, a slither of uncertainty sneaking into her voice, "I mean, I don't mean to pry. It just seems awfully quiet here these days." Her eyes slid back to the taken book before she forced herself to move off with her load. A table to work out would now be needed if she was to be able to work. She took a large, careful step around him, "Oh, can you, maybe... when you're done with the book let me know? I just need it for some research and studies..." Her head deliberately turned away then, "No rush though, please. Take your time."