cancry | Experiment Log 01: Library Science

Experiment Log 01: Library Science

[It's been a couple days since they all "woke up", as far as Medic's been able to keep track, and so far she's been settling in great- at least if you ask her.]

[If you ask anyone else, they might say that constructing a weird blanket fort pillow nest in the afterlife's public library and deciding to stay there for the duration might not be the best unlife choice she could have made.]

[But hey, at least she's got plenty of reading material.]

[Not to mention she meets the most interesting people- like you, possibly, if you're checking out the library and happen to wander way into the back of the anatomy and physiology section. Or if you just run into her while she's wandering around checking out the various other interesting books and fun little reading nooks the library has to offer.]

[If you're here looking to speak to her specifically, she's helpfully taped a note to the library's front door informing people that "Medic is currently filed under 571 ;D ;D" because if your new home is already using the Dewey decimal system to organize all their stuff, you might as well get with the times.]

[OOC: Feel free to come say hello to Medic, investigate the library on your own or with her, or just tag among yourselves enjoying the books and nice quiet atmosphere. ...Assuming the nice quiet atmosphere lasts more than three seconds.]

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... Huh.

[At first, that was all Pascal could say, before she moved to locate section 571... Anatomy and Physiology, apparently. Curious. And then...]

... A Pillow fort?

[Oh she's curious. She's definitely slipping in to check this out.]

Hello! [Congratulations, you found a Medic. She's sitting comfortably inside her large and surprisingly elaborate pillow fort, reading what looks like an extremely large textbook on burial rituals and other cultural approaches to death.]

[Admittedly, she's got a personal interest in the topic, at the moment.]

Oh, did you want to borrow this?

Oh, uh, nah. I was just kinda surprised by this... Wow, where'd you even find all the pillows and blankets for this???

They had a seating area. [Emphasis on "had". She raided it shamelessly for all the cushions and blankets she could find.] There's a few different ones, though, so you can still use those if you need a chair. The one near the oceanography section has a fishtank!

Hmm. Might need to raid someplace else if I want stuff like this, then. Could make some of my usual napping spots better!

Anyways. Find any interesting reads?

You could try changing out different nap spots to see which one's the best.

[Nap science.]

Good question! I think it's a little early to say. A lot of the biological science books seem to be the same as what I'd expect to find back home, but I don't know much about history or theology, so it's hard to tell if there's anything strange and unusual with those.

Some of the novels are pretty good, though!

Hmm... The real question, I guess, is what books I should be looking for! Maybe some kinda engineering? I mean, if I'm gonna go be fighting stuff, some way to blow things up would be nice.

Ooh, that does sound fun! I think I like biology better than mechanics, but there's no reason not to explore new ideas... [She looks thoughtful.] I wonder if there's a way to combine both? Biological explosives, maybe?

... I don't know why, but that idea kinda spooks me?

Ooh, maybe it's something to do with your world that you can't remember? [Medic does not look put off by this.] Let me know if you get any memories about it!

... Y'okay, can do! I mean, that's the most likely answer, right?

I wonder if we could find any books on exploding plants, actually...

Ooh, that could be fun! I think I remember reading something about seeds that explode when they heat up, so plants could use forest fires to spread themselves... let's check the botany section! [She manages to get out of the pillow fort without disturbing its' structural integrity, at least.]

I think it's this way.

That sounds... Really dangerous, actually! But sure let's look it up. It's not like the books will explode, right?

We'll never know until we try! [That's... not actually reassuring.]

I think the librarian would be very annoyed if we blew up any books...

Do you think they'll forgive us if it's for science? Librarians are supposed to support learning and knowledge, right? [That's not how it works...]

But what if the explosion destroys knowledge?

We'll need to take the tests outside.

[... That's a solution, but still a problem!]

Oh, of course. Good lab safety is everyone's responsibility!

[...Medic's definition of lab safety may not be identical to most people's.]

Yup!

[Brainiac isn't much better.]

[ The library is something they're...not unfamiliar with, at least in passing.

They meander the archives, apparently just...pulling out books then putting them back. Some of them are opened, cautiously shaken to make the pages wobble, and then put back as carefully as they were found.

This strange activity continues for some time. Whether they're searching or merely confused, it's hard to tell, but the sound of paper rustling is certainly noticeable. ]

Hello! [For possibly the first time since they've arrived here, the cheery greeting is coming from somewhere several feet above Seal's head.]

[This is because it's coming courtesy of Medic, who has currently climbed up on top of the shelves like a gremlin. She's very short, and she couldn't find a ladder, so obviously scaling the shelves in some kind of ill-advised parkour move was the only possible answer.]

Have you found anything good to read?

[ While they're having a nose around in the library, the two of them will spot something strange – it's a butterfly Specter just sort of hanging around on the side of one of the shelves.

What makes it strange, however, is the condition of it; there are holes in its wings, with one of them almost completely torn away, fraying into pieces. Its wings are fluttering weakly and it's quivering. ]

Oh! [Immediately forgetting her previous question in favor of a potentially scientifically-interesting new distraction, Medic leans over the side of the shelf and peers curiously at the little Specter.]

Hello there, who are you? [Seeing the Specter's condition, she reaches out very carefully in an attempt to touch it with a single finger. It seems injured. And if it's injured... maybe she can heal it?]

Edited 2020-08-10 18:31 (UTC)

[ Seal offers it a hand to perch on in an unthinking way. They're not actually touching it - it's more as if they're attempting to pre-empt the possibility that it might fall - but it's definitely attracted their attention in a focused way that few things have so far. ]

[Hey, look who else is here! It's Royal Veil, who was just coming over to visit but it looks like things are happening.]

It seems to be wounded...

[ The Specter flutters its wings agitatedly and takes up a rather lopsided flight to put some distance between the Executors and itself. It's not an unfriendly distance, but the "please don't touch me" energy is pretty apparent.

It chimes once, softly. ]

[Medic narrowly avoids overbalancing and falling headfirst off the bookshelf as it pulls away from her reaching hand, manages to catch herself and turn around to land on her feet. At least she's actually standing on the ground now.]

[Apparently totally unconcerned by her narrow brush with cranial trauma, she dusts herself off and smiles cheerfully at the Specter.]

Can you understand me? Please chime twice if you can!

Edited 2020-08-10 18:51 (UTC)

[ It chimes once and then after a moment, it chimes twice. ]

Okay, I think that was a yes! [Maybe? She hopes.] So, one chime for no, two chimes for yes.

I have healing powers and you look injured. Do you want me to heal you?

Ah, that is an excellent idea!

[Probably a lot more likely to be helpful than what she was about to suggest. Yes, let's power up the butterfly's attacks.]

[ Two chimes, and an excited flutter of wings. ]

[Medic looks delighted and holds out a hand so the Specter can fly over to it without actually reaching out to touch them, this time.]

I need to touch you to heal you, but it's just for a moment, okay?

[ The butterfly chimes twice again and flutters over in a pretty wobbly flight before landing on Medic's hand.

And then, to Seal and Royal Veil's eyes, Medic swoons the fuck over in a faint. She's out cold.

From Medic's perspective, however... ]

"Should we have a game?"

Though the dark purple sky of Purgatory is visible outside, the library's interior is saturated in whites and golds, so brilliant and bright that most of the detail is lost in the glare. All that can be seen is the faint impression of the library's fixtures and the two people sat facing each other at a table, a chessboard set up between them, with the remnants of a game still left on the board. Like the library itself, the light bleeding into everything washes out the features on the two people here, leaving them indistinct and impossible to identify. Even their voices are faded like a picture left out in the sun.

The person on the right – a girl, you get the faint impression – tilts her head as she looks down at the game board. And then with a touch of embarrassment: "I, um... actually don't know how to play."

The person opposite her inclines their head in unison with her. "You don't?"

"No, I never learned. ... Or maybe I did, and I just don't remember. Either way, I probably wouldn't be much fun to play against."

"That's fine." comes the other person's response. Their face is hard to make out, but you get the impression that they're smiling at their companion. "For a master chess player, there's no greater joy than watching a newcomer blossom under their watch."

The girl laughs. "Calling yourself a master player is taking it a bit far, wouldn't you say?"

Looking a little embarrassed, heer companion begins to set the board up for a new game. "Well... it's not as though I haven't had the time to improve." Then they pause and look up from the board, their expression suddenly a little troubled. "... Would you like to learn? I wouldn't want you to be bored."

The girl shakes her head. "No, I'd like to. It always looks like you're having fun when you play against yourself. I want to try."

The master chess player smiles.

"Well, then. Shall we begin?"

They set the final piece back down on the board and...

And then Medic wakes up.

The butterfly seems to have vanished.

[Not that Royal Veil notices what happened to the butterfly, since her attention is elsewhere.]

Medic? Medic, are you all right?

Maybe... a memory...?

[Medic is blinking, looking deeply confused as she wakes up. Royal Veil's question manages to cut through the disorientation, and she answers cheerfully:]

I have no idea!

[That's... helpful. She checks herself over with brisk efficiency, and smiles.] Hmm, nope, no worrying symptoms here! My medical opinion is that I'm in perfect health- and also dead. ...where did the butterfly go?

[ There's a faint golden glitter on her hand where the butterfly was, but no other trace of it. ]

[ Meanwhile, Seal's reaction to Medic passing out had been to promptly move to catch her. They've been sort of awkwardly half-prop her up with their sole remaining arm until she gets up to check herself.

That golden glitter catches their eye, though. They make a gesture towards it, attempting to point it out to Medic without actually touching or 'speaking'. ]

[Medic looks up at Seal and smiles from where she's leaned against them.] Thank you very- oh! [Catching sight of the golden glitter they're indicating, she sits bolt upright.]

Oh wow, where's my- I need my notes- aha! [Spotting her notebook, she grabs it with the unglittered hand and tears out a blank page, trying to carefully scrape some of the glitter off and fold the paper up to keep it contained within.] I have so many tests to run on this sample, I can't wait!

[The second she's got the sample carefully secured, she starts writing frantically, trying to record the entire dream verbatim as best as she can manage. When it's done, she holds it up so Royal Veil and Seal can see.]

What do you two think?

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Experiment Log 01: Library Science

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investigation

Re: investigation

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1/2

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yall didn't see that

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