2020-03-19 - The Impossible Library II: Inter-Library Loan

Despite the weather, Erin had gotten out after work and she'd briefly been to the coffee shop. Having just ordered something to go., her favorite drink, half hot chocolate and the other half French vanilla cappuccino. Sipping it, she walks along, doing her best to avoid the slushy ickyness and to keep her feet beneath her and not make an idiot out of herself. Hesitating outside the doors, she checks the time on her phone and shrugs. Still lots of time left before her other plans and so she approaches the door. "Hello?" Calling out as she pulls it a little further open to allow her slim frame to slip inside and look around.

Devlin is off duty and walking down the street with a young Paramedic, "You'll get the experience, just be patient. But in the meanwhile keep up on the professional reading. Go spend time with your girl.." He waves the kid off. Then on the other side of the street the Pop Up catches his attention, "Ok.. new place?" He hmms, "Wonder if they have some journals with articles I have not read yet.." He then walks over to the stairs of this Library with an expression showing that he is intrigued. .. "May be even a new book.. if nothing else.. may be a Clancy or Brown I haven't read.." Seeing Erin walk in, he follows her, "Hey Erin.. fancy running into you here rather than the hospital."

Yup, still winter as far as the weather's concerned; that was one effective groundhog-shadow this year. Even so, it's at least getting nice*r*! And maybe some people are being stubborn about that theory, because there definitely seem to be a few more folks on the sidewalks today than there have been lately. Vyv is strolling down it himself, in a burgundy suit and currently open camel coat, talking to Grant. "--actually quite passable," he's saying, "particularly the duck poutine, but their charcuterie was also..." He trails off, head cocked slightly at the storefront that catches his eye. Fairly sure that isn't usually there. Definitely sure it isn't usually smoking. "Bax," he says, "Is that one yours? It appears to be on fire." Think of the books! He picks up his pace from 'stroll' to 'stride', heading that way.

Grant is a catalyst for creation, destruction, food, adventure, and returning library books on time. Not that G-Bax has ever been punctual in his life or really is entirely aware of what direction time is flowing today. Being anywhere on time is like hitting a moving target in the dark in freefall. He did have presence of mind to put on a sweater though and dress like a human being instead of a refugee from his skate shop. He looks ever so damn pleased with himself admitting, "Yeah I didn't know goose would taste like that. I thought maybe..." he makes a face and signs two to three options that all look mean or unfriendly. At being asked about one of his an eyebrow goes up and attention swivels to the shop thus, "Heeeeeey it might be!" He pauses and frowns, "Why's it smoking?" He blinks and in expert opinion sighs murmuring, "Yeah that looks... broken. I do not think we are going to space...*to*day." His pace picks up to match stride and his book bound.

"You too, it's good to see you out and about, even if the spring is being too stubborn to come around yet." Erin responds good naturedly, taking a sip from her drink as she steps inside with Devlin. Suddenly there's shouting and a crash and she looks alarmed.. as if the smoke wasn't enough to freak her out a little. Certainly she doesn't call out anything else, but she widens her eyes and looks at Devlin. And the other two as they enter, whether on their own steam or not. "What the hell?" This time the words are whispered and intended only for those others near her.

Just about to answer Erin, Devlin's attention is grabbed by the shout and crash. "Yeah.. that doesn't seem to fit here." The smoke and other things if they bother Devlin, it is difficult to tell. "May be a good idea to see what is going on. Someone may need first aide." He then breaks into that infamous ground eating measured stride of a NCO moving fast without running.

Whatever comments Vyv might have had regarding the goose are alas(?) lost to the world in favour of this library issue. He smirks faintly as the words become intelligible, and the stride loses its touch of urgency, though he's still bent on getting there swiftly. Not quite so swiftly as actually happens, though, and he glances over his shoulder at the door once they're through it, arching a brow. He's not a big fan of being grabbed without permission in any way, really.

"That was... mildly unpleasant," he remarks to Grant, with a quick scan of their surroundings. Erin and Devlin get assessing looks, and the former a small smile to go with the head-inclination of greeting they both get. "Afternoon," he says, adding to Erin, "I've not seen you in a bit," and the library gets a more thorough look around. "Open through renovations, apparently. Always a fantastic idea. Is this one yours, Bax?" To the others, "We've both encountered Veil libraries. Different ones. This might be one of them." He starts in the general direction of the yelling as well, though more casually. Not worried they might need help; just interested to see what's been broken.

Grant is scooting, scooting and pulled into- "Whaaaat the shit happened?" Browns eyes search and there's a pang that something familiar changed, and the slight mourning o that is immediately consumed by the fascination of what's being done. The question hits and ax nods slowly, "Uhhhh yes/ Maybe yes. " Looking up he smiles to Erin but it's Devlin he recognizes from the coffee shop. "yeah they're um... expansive apparently." His hands slowly push apart as if emphasizing the enormity of this concept. Sneakers carry him towards the voice. "Ummm hello? Hi. Here about a book and... to seeee if... you need... help?" He looks around and murmurs, "This looks fun to joist. We expanding or is this from the um... the old 'Assistant'...crashing the...building?"

"It's like.. twins!" Erin gapes once they'd gone down the runner to approach the look alikes. "Identical!" The exclamation is made in a whisper to Devlin, because she keeps looking between the two fakes and the two reals. "You guys please stay by us so we don't get confused on who is real and who is fake, because this is really odd." Looking back to Vyv then Grant. "This is surreal."

"No kidding" Devlin comments. Though he does move up a little to a spot where a copy should have to move through to reach an ' Orginal? ' Once there, for those that know martial arts, he takes up a swallow back stance. "This is new.. and awkward .. must be a hell of a story behind this.." He glances back at Vrv and Grant for a moment and then on the copies.

"If I had a twin who wore ruffly shirts and gold lame overalls I would have strangled him in the womb," Vyv informs Erin crisply, his gaze moving from his own doppelganger to Not-Grant-in-a-suit to frustrated demonic-type and back to Not-Himself again, where his visual attention stays, eyes meeting. He looks suddenly warier, and the way he holds himself shifts, already virtually-perfect posture managing to straighten yet further with a slight roll of shoulders and lift of chin.

"I wouldn't," he advises Not-Him, probably not regarding getting in the recycling bin. To be fair, he probably wouldn't do that either, but his opinions on whether the other should are likely different. "What precisely is going on here?" The volume's a touch louder, suggesting it's the horned fellow he's addressing this time, even if he's keeping his eyes on his funhouse-mirror-self.

Grant blinks and whirls on Erin, "Identical?" He signs between himself and not-him emphatically, crudsses both index fingers and separates then as faaaaaaaar and wide as he can in what is clearly an omg nothing alike gesture. "He's got purple hair and that's where it ends. He's 3 inches taller than me and a suit!" Looking to Vyv he tries to- nope. He stops and isghs getting very, very calm pinching the bridge of his nose. "Vyv. Vyv, I'm a need you to focus here and get past the gold lamae...and focus. Please." He moves over to not-Him and doesn't swat him but tries to take his task from him. "Heeeey, buddy. Break time man." Looking up to the Satyr looking guy he flinches, "Was coming to return a book and get another and see if we were making next jump. What...happened here and do you need a hand?"

Running Vyv copy's path takes him right where Devlin is. Devlin sinks his stance low and then springs forward as he grabs first one arm and then the other in a way that has them crossed. Devlin steps in closer to the clone as he raises the arms into a painful twisting of the arms that allows Devlin some control of his victim. "Nope.. not today, shall we consider behaving?"

Erin instinctively reacts to protect herself when she notices the flying knives, even ducking as she concentrates on the projectiles, destroying any of them that are headed her way. Several of them are obliterated before they get to her, but that leaves even more scattering around the room to the others. When Devlin runs into the fray she opens her mouth to call out to him to be careful, but he seems to have things well in hand so she glances around to try and see if anyone else was hurt, not arguing back with Grant for the moment on the differences in the clones.

"I am focused, thank you," Vyv asserts irritably. "Don't you see the way he's--" and, okay, the next word COULD have been 'dressed', but it was probably something more narratively appropriate to being interrupted by flying book-knives and the sudden pelting of Not-Vyv in his general direction. Focus or not, half-expected or not, the barrelling his way widens his eyes, and he lifts a hand, fingers spread, in a sudden gesture somewhere between a shove and directing an orchestra. It's easy to imagine it redirecting those flying knife-things toward his doppelganger; what it does instead is catch a few.

On the upside, it happens to block them from hitting his face. On the downside, one nicks an ear, one slashes his shirt just beside his tie, and his palm, wrist, and a couple fingers take blades. The innate shield helps, but not quite enough, and he yelps in pain, grabbing the wounded hand with the other and darting to the side, trying to put things between himself and Not-Himself. Devlin will do, particularly given the effectiveness! He actually looks briefly anxious as he glances at his hand, but while flexing it hurts, it doesn't appear seriously damaged. Unlike the ripped fabric with a small but spreading red stain around it. "My shirt!" he protests, and takes another step to get a bookshelf more between. There's danger of blood on his cuff and coat as well, if he isn't careful; he finally thinks to glance at the others to see if they're bleeding as well. Both copies are eyed warily now. "Why are you loaning out copies of us and to whom?"

Grant looks up in time to see the great Vyv stare off and as captivating as that could be to draw out later in chalk and paint? He doesn't catch it fast enough because he turns to Vyv, "Wrong thing to focus on, Vy-" And there they are: book knives flying. Hands come up a bit too late to change their trajectory but some shift of glimmer slows them down but still gets clipped by it, one jabbing into his arm. His eyes get wide and he yells what everyone's thinking, "UNCOOL" He winces and looks around to everyone and backs up. Then there's a pause looking to the foreman, "They want copies of us? What's" He winces and holds the cut on his arm closed frowning, "What's wrong with real us?" He looks to Devlina nd Erin, "Falling stuff. Careful." Warning way way way late here. Hey he tried.

Oh ew. This doesn't bode well. "You loan out copies of.. everyone? How do you even know everyone to make copies of?" Imagining an alter-self being loaned out. "Weirdo." She catches the look from the Grant-copy and smirks at him. "Don't be mad at me, freak. You're not even a real boy." Real original Erin. The warning from the librarian is certainly heeded and she tries to use her powers to push back on the one going after Grant.

Devlin's expression changes hearing about the threat posed by the copy touching the originals to a very serious and concerned expression. "Sorry.." And following the apology, he pushes the twist with a kick to the leg to drop the clone to it's knees as it struggles, "Keep that up and this gentle art of Tai Chi is going to tear one of your joints or break bones.. so COOL IT!!" Devlin commands the clone.

"It was not," Vyv retorts belatedly to Grant, for all the good keeping that eye on Not-Him actually did. He was still right! It was aiming to attack him! Possibly with hugs, granted, but he'd want to avoid that too. Particularly if it involves having his soul stolen.

"They can't have real us. We have things to do, and we're not available to the unwashed masses in any case," he answers Grant, rather reluctantly pressing his wounded hand against the already-ruined fabric of his shirt. Sigh. He's still wary of his copy, even more so now that he knows the danger, but Devlin seems to have that in hand, unlike the Not-Grant now heading toward Bax. "No," he says sharply to that copy, and both hands move, forward and up with a lightly grasping gesture; just as Erin's powers hit the Grant-Copy, his suit's wrinkles shift and the not-skater lifts into the air, turned on his side and floated through the air toward a very large sort of laundry/trash chute past some of the desks.

Grant looks earnestly disappointed like he was told there is no such thing as pirates and Halloween might be made up. "But I'd be totally willig to go to another planet for 7-10 day-AHHhh!" He turns just in enough time to back peddle like hell, "Nonono dementor me. Weeeee do not do that man! Nuuuunununununu do not lay your eggs in me!" And then there's an Erin and Vyv doing a damn fine imitation of that villian from Push. Pointing to Erin he chied himself, "Now look what you made her do."

Oh no, no., no. Don't touch? Erin can follow that command readily. And hopefully help others do the same! The clone approaching Grant gets all of her attention and focus and while visually she doesn't seem to be doing much other than her eyes looking a little unfocused brieflt. It's then the pursuer gets something he hadn't bargained for and she's gearing up to do the same to the other one if he makes a move to attack any of them.

Ok, so sureal for Devlin, the Satyr is calling young as he maintains his joint lock on the clone. He begins to chuckle, "Me young... " Still he keeps his hold on the clone. "So.. a loaning library.. of clones?" He keeps applying force to maintain the hold. "Not what I thought I would run into this evening." All the while.. kind of flying towards the recycle chute. "Oh.. I would not suggest clones of me.. if they go rogue, could get ugly." He then twist a bit more with the hold getting a yowl out of the clone, "I said stop it!"

Grant waches and is in some mixed feelings here. He asks teh Satyr curiously, "What's gonna happen to them?" His gingers flick like they're motioning someone over, but instead the door to teh chute flips open to help Devlin out. This whole thing while funny turned violent fast. Bax? "Are they a ghost? What happens to ghost clones or clone ghosts?" Turning he frowns looking back to Erin who is mostly unharmed physically and Vyv who- okay apparently no mercy for the suit swiping, soul stealing assailant. "Was, um... was this all in teh cardholder's agreement?" Sure NOW he asks!

Vyv has questions. He has so many questions. But he also has a clone to dispose of, and he's keeping most of his focus on that right now. He doesn't like the panic; much as he'd prefer to look entirely impassive, there's a hint of discomfort there that doesn't have to do with the pain in his hand. It's faint, though, and easily pushed aside by annoyance and sorted by handling this in a swift and efficient manner.

"A cloning library," he says a bit absently to Devlin's semi-question, replying to Grant's, with, "Can't be; I don't hold a card here," a tiny pause, "yet. But it wasn't in the small print for the library I did join." Because yes, he is the person who reads that stuff.

Recalcitrant clone is guided to the opening of the chute when Bax flips it open. Recalcitrant clone is dropped into the hole, a gesture of twisting him back feet-downward and pulling that direction rather than merely letting go. Dangers to the souls of people he apparently associates with intentionally do not get half-assed disposal. He keeps half an eye on the progress with Not-Him. Not a fan of his own soul being consumed either, frankly. He's reasonably sure he's still using it.

Someone else is full of questions and asking them! "How is he touching it?" Erin asks of Devlin after the Librarian says not to touch. Something else the Librarian says though, captures her attention even more so that she doesn't think to open the chute for Vyv. "The book of Special Collections? Can I check it out? I've even got a library card." For the one in Gray Harbor, anyway. "What woman? What was her name, I'd really like to know." Curious, she doesn't try to come off as intimidating to the Satyr, despite just breaking one of the clone's legs with just a thought, pretty much. With a smug look, she watches briefly as Vyv helps the clone exit stage left.