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

[pragmatism]

[ ... is that a child?

Why is a child in this sort of place? Zhongli feels the urge to sigh, but he suppresses it. ]

There is a certain procedure to folding these cranes.

[ He motions to the stack of papers on the table. ]

Would you like to try?

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[He is 11 years old and therefore totally immature!!

Also eyeing those papers for a moment before he gives in to curiosity and takes one, slightly messing up the stack in the process.]

So you gotta fold it in order? What're you making them for anyway, are you planning to sell them?

[pragmatism]

For fun, I suppose.

[ He wouldn't go as far as to try and explain to a 11 year old the meaning of nostalgia and longing. ]

Money has no use in this world.

[ Zhongli takes a piece of paper as well, folding it neatly in half, and then half again. ]

Start by partitioning it into quarters, like this.

[xiaoxiaojiu]

Oh, you figured that out?

[As if the lack of money around here wasn't obvious.

He quickly turns his focus to the folding example though, carefully mirroring Zhongli's movements with his own paper.]

Liiike...this? [He's got pretty dexterous fingers, for an origami newbie.]

[pragmatism]

[ Zhongli notices that as well. Children usually have difficulty with the paper, having some mismatches here and there, but this kid didn't. ]

Yes. Then we need to partition it into quarters.

[ The folds that they scored before are to make this maneuver easier to accomplish. Then, they'll have to fold out the wings of the crane - it gets harder from here. Can Shen Jiu keep up? ]

[xiaoxiaojiu]

Didn't we already parition it?

[Honestly he doesn't know what the word means - or "quarters" either, for that matter. Luckily he doesn't need a full vocabulary to copy people's hand movements! The boy manages to keep up for the most part, though his crane's starting to turn out a little more crooked than it should.]

[pragmatism]

We did, but now we need to rearrange it in a different way.

[ Hopefully Shen Jiu can manifest the crane's wings as well as tail without much mishap. Zhongli does show him the complex steps before folding out his crane's wings and setting it on the table. That didn't take too long, though the sheer number of cranes on the desk probably hints at how long he's been doing this... ]

[xiaoxiaojiu]

[Baby's first crane, sadly, is not managing quite as well as he would like. There's a bit of a struggle - especially near the end - and when he finally sets it down, it...well, you can tell it's a crane, but it's kinda flat....a tired crane.

Shen Jiu looks back and forth between his crane and the fifty thousand others, frowns with dissatisfaction, and.

Changes the subject.] Is it really that fun to make all these? You must've been at it all day by now.

[pragmatism]

[ At least it looks like a crane... instead of a deformed piece of paper. Zhongli sets his expectations reasonably. ]

Fun? Hmm... I suppose you could call it fun.

[ It's the repetition that sets his mind at ease, but he isn't going to tell Shen Jiu that. ]

I once heard a folk tale from a neighboring nation back home: if you fold a thousand cranes with a wish in your heart, the wish will come true.

[ Of course, it's just a silly superstition. ]

[xiaoxiaojiu]

A thousand.....that's a lot of cranes.

[The idea does make him think though; there's a moment of silence as he stares at the little crane army.]

Do you know if it really works?