Welcome Log ⬡ 02

[liburuzaina]

	Welcome to The Library! Welcome, everyone, to the Library! As you wander your way in, wake up at a desk, or descend an elevator, the library's ambiance is, well... the same as it always is. Comforting-but-not. Warm-but-cold. Empty-but-populated. And, as always, there are certain things going on that just might make settling in a little easier. Information Desk ⬡ Maps At the Information Desk, there will be a large stack of looseleaf graph paper and a surplus of pencils, to more easily enable anyone who wishes to draw their own map of the library. The pencils will only be able to write on blank paper given to characters by library activities, and not on any of the books. ⬡ Stationery Next to the graph paper, there will be a stack of blank notebooks and a haphazard pile of pens. The pens will only be able to write in the notebooks, on characters' personal belongings, and on skin. All three of these items are semi-limited; somehow characters will only be able to make one stack of items as tall as they are once they've been removed from the desk. Notebooks and pens will be provided in assorted colors in shades of blue, purple, white (and grey) and teal. Cafe Menu ⬡ Seasonal Menu ⬡ Slow-cooked Mac and Cheese ⬡ Butter Chicken ⬡ Apricot and Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast With Roasted Potatoes ⬡ Rainbow Vegetarian Pad Thai With Peanuts and Basil ⬡ Chocolate Cream Pie ⬡ Classic Cheesecake ⬡ Champagne Cupcakes ⬡ Moscato Cupcakes ⬡ Champagne ⬡ Mulled Wine ⬡ Irish Coffee ⬡ Chestnut Praline Latte ⬡ Usual Menu The Cafe menu will also showcase more typical cafe fare, from teas and coffees, to standard hot chocolates, to pastries, donuts, and sandwiches. The Search Bar will also bring up whatever else characters could possibly want. Sunrise Room ⬡ Seasonal Showings As always, movies playing at any given time are randomized, but this month there is a higher chance of movies playing with themes of new beginnings. First Floor Restrooms ⬡ Seasonal Showers This month, all complimentary toiletries will be either vanilla, blueberry pancake, or cedar scented. Ocean Floor 4 ⬡ Room 4575 Located in room 4575 on Ocean Floor 4 will be a large table with an inordinate amount of self-help books, revolving around themes of "New Year, New You" and "New Year’s Resolution Ideas And How To Achieve Each Of Them." Alongside the books will be a stack of worksheets, asking questions about characters' goals and "resolutions" - all appearing to be photocopied haphazardly from a different book entirely. It would appear as though the intent was for there to be a somewhat therapeutic book club meeting, focused on improving oneself. In practice, the room itself somehow has taken on a somewhat oppressive air, as though there's someone staring at you and judging your life choices, even if you're alone in the room.

Comments

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[What kind of a response is that....is that supposed to not be suspicious at all......this child looks incredibly unimpressed with you, sir.]

If it's not yours then why're you hiding it? It's not medieval goods or something, is it? [He means illegal, sorry.

He's also tapping a foot against the ground just hard enough to make his shoes light up and glancing down at that occasionally, because that hasn't gotten old yet. Plus it makes him look irritated or something? It's mostly the former, let's be honest.]

[nocannobb]

Because it's -- what? [ there's so much to unpack there. unlike this bag, which shang qinghua is furiously re-packing ] No, listen, it's fine, I'm investigating the matter, don't worry about it, okay?

[ oh my god who gave him the lightup shoes. shen qingqiu, what did you do. shang qinghua looks at the food on the floor with a squint and then back at shen jiu. ]

Did you throw food all over the floor?

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[But what're you investigating!!! He takes an aborted step forward, opens his mouth, then scowls at the mention of the floor food.]

No, I was throwing it at the door. [You know, the invisible one?] I was gonna pick it up when you distracted me.

[nocannobb]

[ for what it's worth, shang qinghua accepts that explanation with a shrug. yeah, alright, fair. he zips his bag shut. ]

Well, you can consider yourself un-distracted. Feel free to get back to it. [ shang qinghua has never heard the words "responsible adult" in his life. he hesitates. ] Hey, what's your name?

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[Yes, good, accept his perfectly reasonable explanation. You're clearly much more accepting than his new shizun in regards to cleanliness.

And while he does still wanna see what's in that bag....well, they're all stuck here together, he can think of a plan later. With that thought in mind, he casually goes to pick up the nearest fallen hawthorn fruit, taking a bite out of it before answering with a full mouth.]

It's Shen Jiu. Why?

[nocannobb]

[ shang qinghua lets out a small internal sigh. suspicions confirmed. well, now he knows what the little fucker looks like. and that someone -- shen qingqiu, he'd bet -- had provided him with light-up sneakers. man, why didn't shang qinghu get light-up sneakers? ]

Well, seeing as we all live here now, we might as well know each other's names.

[ a totally reasonable response! a responsible adult would probably discourage a child from eating stuff he just threw on the ground, but it's just kind of making him hungry. ]

I'm Shang Qinghua. Are those any good?

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[If only he knew what you were thinking.....oh well. Still chomping on floor fruits, as one does.]

Yeah, they're great. Sweet an' sour an' crispy an' everything! You never tried 'em before?

[He does not offer one to Shang Qinghua.]

[nocannobb]

[ that's fine, he's not gonna fight a kid for candy dropped on the floor.

well, like, if it were his only option, yeah, he would, but anyway -- ]

Yeah, but not in a while. You'd think a great cultivation sect would do better on the food front, huh? [ hmmmm........ it is giving him a craving. but his stupid mouth keeps on talking, ] What about you, you eat a lot of this kinda stuff before you came here?

[ he actually winces internally, like... he already knows the answer to these kinds of questions, why is he even asking?? ]

[xiaoxiaojiu]

You guys probably get better food anyway though, huh? Like fish and meat and rice.

[Real food! He knows his food priorities.

Shen Jiu's mood dampens a tiny bit at the question, and after a pause, he.....puts on a stubborn look.]

What I used to eat's none of your business. [As if he hadn't been asking approximately the same question not five seconds ago.]

[nocannobb]

I mean, yeah, it's food, but would it kill anyone to use a few spices? [ muttered mostly to himself: ] Should've established An Ding as the culinary peak, not the logistics peak...

[ yeah, yeah, he knows, and he actually...isn't mean enough to drag a full answer out of shen jiu. he waves his hand at the half-finished plates around him. ]

The food here is way better, trust me. Nobody joins a cultivation sect for the food. How about you grab me an order of those?

[ he would like some sweets too ok he's just not going to get up when there's a perfectly good pair of little legs to run and get some for him! ]

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[The look on Shen Jiu's face basically says "What're you complaining for, at least you had food!"

But for all he hasn't been particularly polite so far, he's holding that part back anyway.]

Can't you order them yourself? You obviously already know how to.

[And yet the kid still trots over to Shang Qinghua's table and grabs the menu tablet thingamajig, expertly poking his way to the one thing he's memorized the option path for.]

There. Easy!

[Also gonna take advantage of proximity to see if he can surreptitiously unzip your duffel bag.]

[nocannobb]

[ who needs to teach this kid to read? he's fine. shang qinghua looks extremely satisfied. when does that ever work! no one ever gets stuff for him! this is what he deserves. so far, he has not detected shen jiu's sneaky intent. ]

Yeah, but I'm an old man. Don't you know it's the duty of the young to take care of their elders? [ without a trace of shame, of course. ] You're Shen Qingqiu's disciple, aren't you?

[ that is not what shen qingqiu told him. he had not said 'disciple', exactly, he said he was teaching shen jiu to read. but, for shang qinghua's purposes, it's the same thing. ]

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[Ah yes, let the child get stuff for you, he's happy to show off his amazing techno skills--]

What, every elder? You're not just making that up, are you?

[Wait but he's a Disciple that's right!! Shen Jiu immediately brightens, following which he immediately attempts to act like he's not as excited about that as he looked half a second ago.]

That's right, I am. Do you know him? [Same sect??]

[nocannobb]

Yeah, every elder, and no, I'm not making it up. Do I look like someone who would just make that up?

[ he does. anyway, he grins at that, leaning back in his chair. ]

Of course I do, we're in the same sect. And if you're Shen-shixiong's disciple, then... [ he claps a hand to his chest. ] That makes me your shishu, doesn't it?

[xiaoxiaojiu]

You do.

[Honest child.

Also tilting his head as he examines his new shishu.] Shang-shishu? [Huh, he's never had an uncle before.

He then grabs one of the candied hawthorn sticks he just ordered, chewing on it as he continues looking curious.] So if you're my shishu, that means you teach stuff too, right?