Crystal

[armd]

FORM: Crystal
SENDER: Mobius and Abby
RECIPIENT: Youse
NOTES: Gentle reminder from your friendly librarians. ITT: Pedant behaviour and idle threats of violence

[There's a small moment of taking a breath, with a sound and tone like a tired schoolteacher.]

I'd like to remind people of some basic library etiquette. The library is for everyone. Don't be loud, rowdy, or obnoxious while in there. If you make a mess, clean it up. Don't run. Don't leave candles burning after you're done with them. Don't reshelve books yourself. Popular books can have waitlists, and said list will be followed, and no, you cannot skip places unless someone decides they don't actually want it after all.

If you must bring food and drink into the library, say for a long research session, [Viktor, Stephen,] be careful about it. Don't eat over a book and get crumbs and jam and grease stains all over the texts. If you spill your ale over it and it comes back in an unacceptable condition, you're getting charged for it. There are old maps, scrolls, tomes, and the like in the library that are invaluable to us, so be mindful of how you handle them. And, accidents happen. If you damage a book, just be upfront about it. A lot of it can be mended, like broken spines, loose covers, and more.

Dog-ears are annoying; bookmarks exist.

[There's a lean forward.]

Do not. write. in. the books.

[And a lean back.]

If you don't return your overdue books, I'll break your arm.

She's joking.

I'm not. Try it.

Abby—

[The crystal clicks off.]

Comments

[armd]

Do you like them more than intact arms?

[cozen]

Maybe.

Do you like arbitrary time limits more than me?

[elegiaque]

What if you brought it back to visit the library and took it on a little walk around the shelves and then borrowed it again?

[cozen]

[ His hum segues without pause into, ] mmmmaybe.

There are a few of them. I might have to take multiple trips—if only to make sure they aren't all taken out by the same wave on the ferry.

[ Like Granitefell for books, he does not say, because that won't be funny for at least five more months. ]

[elegiaque]

( one day, they'll laugh about it. )

I'm only thinking about your bones, Bastien.

[cozen]

I do appreciate that,

[ with a tone of implied yes, however. ]

How thinly stretched is the infirmary staff these days? [ Like he doesn't know exactly who's on the list. ] Do you have the manpower to handle deserved, idiotic, non-fatal injuries?

[elegiaque]

I think it sounds like if everyone follows the library rules, we won't have to find out, but Dr Strange will appreciate your concern for our workload.

[cozen]

He's very welcome.

[ Thinking. ]

Maybe we can negotiate. I will bring back half, and she can break a finger.

[elegiaque]

Well, I have time to splint a finger.

[cozen]

Fantastic. Perfect plan.

[ Pending agreement from an essential participant: ]

Abby?

[armd]

Hmm...

[armd]

Okay.

[elegiaque]

You two let me know if you need me.