Silent Night (Open to Everyone ^^)

[Restless Lucidity]

"W-well..." Penny looked a bit nervous for a second; she didn't really know what to say to that, and didn't really have any idea what her supposed boss was doing. It surprised her a little bit that she hadn't thought of that beforehand. "I-I don't really know, either. She might be busy planning something special that'll happen later, I guess." She thought frantically; she didn't want the guests to think of her or other staff members as incompetent! She had to change the subject...

"S-so has everyone found a painting they like?" She tried, as she had before, her best to keep smiling.

[Knight Errant]

Dactylos, Knight Errant, having been out of town when noticing the strange message stapled to a tree... finally arrives at the library! Regrettably late... but curious nonetheless! As he looks around the outside of the building and if it is still open...

[Blaze]

Nova looks away from the painting she was looking at and grins at Penny.

"T-This one is really cool..."

[Ookalf]

"W-well..." Penny looked a bit nervous for a second; she didn't really know what to say to that, and didn't really have any idea what her supposed boss was doing. It surprised her a little bit that she hadn't thought of that beforehand. "I-I don't really know, either. She might be busy planning something special that'll happen later, I guess." She thought frantically; she didn't want the guests to think of her or other staff members as incompetent! She had to change the subject...

"S-so has everyone found a painting they like?" She tried, as she had before, her best to keep smiling.

Oh, all right... *Yoko shrugs and goes to rejoin Ookalf, who's looking at a portrait depicting several animals milling about in a forest.*

Yeah, these are real neat.

[Restless Lucidity]

Dactylos, Knight Errant, having been out of town when noticing the strange message stapled to a tree... finally arrives at the library! Regrettably late... but curious nonetheless! As he looks around the outside of the building and if it is still open...

The building is massive... even with all the castles and keeps that Dactylos had seen, this library still is an impressive sight. As he is analyzing the surroundings, thunder cracks in the distance... it's not enough to spook Dact, but plenty to encourage him to go inside. Though it's hard to make it out in the pouring rain, an impressive garden surrounds Dact. The flora will certainly have their fill of water this evening...

Curiously, even in the inclement weather, the doors of the library are still wide open. It doesn't seem like they've been shut since they were first opened.

[Restless Lucidity]

Muffi blushed at Fenestra's smile, her eyebrows arching upwards. "Well... I guess you did", she murmured in a hesitant tone, "... but there are other ways to get to know people". She lifted a hand to rub the back of her neck and then sucked in a deep breath. "We could be friends, if you'd like that. We could meet up at the milkshake bar for a chat, or... go clothes shopping together. That's how people normally get to know eachother", she said, before adding in a much quieter mutter, "... I think".

Leaning into Fenestra, she slipped her skinny arms around the other girl, hugging her awkwardly. One of her hands gently patted Fenestra's lower back, and she blushed, realising this girl probably knew that Muffi was not all that she seemed. With a worried expression, she met the gaze of the library owner. "I really should work on my report now. Ms. Jones is expecting it today... your library will be on the evening news"

Fenestra gently pats Muffi on the head. "I know, Muffi, I know." She strokes her hair gently, almost rhythmically; for the first time in a while, Muffi didn't feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. She just felt calm in the embrace of the serene young woman. "But really, you mustn't worry so much. I know for a fact that everyone where you work adores you." She gives Muffi two more quick pats on her head and looks Muffi in her eyes again. "Though, I really have to ask... why is it that you're wearing those clothes? I wouldn't assume, based on what I know about you, that you would wear something like that in the open. It seems like it would be rather embarrassing for you."

Fenstra gingerly hugs Muffi. "Of course, you don't have to tell me right now. And I'll answer your question first." Fenestra smiles... more widely than Muffi had seen her smile before. A subtle redness on her cheeks has become apparent as well. "Yes, Muffi. I would love to be your friend, if you would let me." She giggles softly to herself. "And clothes shopping sounds nice... it has been quite a while since I last wore clothes that did not come from my personal wardrobe."

[Knight Errant]

Dact looks over the impressive edifice... nodding. It looked like quite a nice place... and outside seemed to be rapidly becoming less hospitable. Therefore only one logical option was open! He steps forwards and heads into the doors of the open doors of the library.

[Harri-chan]

When asked about her clothes, Muffi's gaze lowered, and a shamed look spread over her face. Her thin fingers stroked over the pink skirt with its white polka dots, and the curled around the hem, tugging it slightly. "I... have to wear clothes that were approved by Ms. Jones and Marie-Anne. Marie-Anne is in charge of things like clothes, and make-up too", she blushed.

She looked up with a surprised smile when the other girl reacted positively to her offer of friendship. Seeing Fenestra smile caused her own to grow even larger, and she squeezed the mysterious girl one more time before letting go. "It's still kind of new to me, but we'll help eachother out", she nodded. "I do have another question though. Was Laeti real? Or just something conjured up by your library?".

[Restless Lucidity]

Fenestra, perhaps for the first time since you'd started talking to her looks visibly... upset? Shaken? Either way, Muffi's mention of 'Laeti' didn't seem to bode well with her.

"In a way, yes... she, too, is a conjuration of my mine, but..." Now it is she who seems to be having trouble coming up with words. "She has something of a mind of her own. Laeti is also unique in that she's able to take several forms. You could see another person in the library and it could be her... but you would never know this." She tries her best to regain her composure, breathes, and exhales. "Not by her behavior, either. She's a master of mimicry. For example..." She shuts her eyes in thought for a moment.

"She was also the one who made Penny the way she is. When that occurred, she manifested as a woman named Flos. She's been causing an awful lot of trouble... and most importantly..." Fenestra sighs. "She's the reason that I cannot be with my guests this evening. While it is true that I am responsible for the predicament you were in, Laeti had a role as well. If not for her, it would not have left you so... well, utterly helpless." She frowns ever so slightly to herself. "It's ironic, but a facet of my own being is what is causing so much to go awry tonight. And as you've seen, she's more willing to make people uncomfortable than I might be." She giggles softly. "Though obviously, her being a side of me, it's difficult to say that I am not that way, too, in some corner of my heart. And instead of being with my guests, I must concentrate so that I may reach you with this medium to help you out of whatever mess Laeti gets you into. Otherwise..." Her hands fidget a bit. "Otherwise, my library might have several more permanent residents at the end of the night..."

[Harri-chan]

Muffi frowned as she listened to Fenestra speaking about the little girl she'd met in the children's section, although it sounded as if she was not a little girl at all. Her blue eyes were entirely focused about the library owner as she explained further.

"She... thought taking that form would give her the best chance of... getting at me?", she asked in a surprised tone, and her cheeks were a little red now as she took in these thoughts, and wondered what that said about herself. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she gently grasped Fenestra by the shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"No, we're not going to let her spoil your big night. We can stop her", she urged. "Together. You and me. If she's part of you, then you must know how we can stop her... right? Just tell me how... ".

[Restless Lucidity]

Dact looks over the impressive edifice... nodding. It looked like quite a nice place... and outside seemed to be rapidly becoming less hospitable. Therefore only one logical option was open! He steps forwards and heads into the doors of the open doors of the library.

He's greeted by a dark, gloomy room. There doesn't seem to be anyone around, and despite this being the library's 'grand opening', it almost seemed like this place had been deserted a long time ago. He sees the flash of lightning through the stained-glass windows the line the walls, and another crack of thunder comes seconds later. To his left is an empty desk, presumably used by staff to check out books. And in front of Dact was a room full of massive bookcases and... what looked to be a scale model of a solar system? @_@

It's hard to see anything else from here thanks to the bookcases... but this place seems every bit as foreboding as it does elegant.

[Knight Errant]

He's greeted by a dark, gloomy room. There doesn't seem to be anyone around, and despite this being the library's 'grand opening', it almost seemed like this place had been deserted a long time ago. He sees the flash of lightning through the stained-glass windows the line the walls, and another crack of thunder comes seconds later. To his left is an empty desk, presumably used by staff to check out books. And in front of Dact was a room full of massive bookcases and... what looked to be a scale model of a solar system? @_@

It's hard to see anything else from here thanks to the bookcases... but this place seems every bit as foreboding as it does elegant.

Dact... blinks. What was going on here? He walks in further... looking around. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

[Restless Lucidity]

The pretty young blued hair girl, still feeling quite absorbed by the book she read, looks up at her big sis with a big smile on her face. She looks at the painting, then back to her sister...a happy smile unable to leave her pretty little face.

"Of course, that's why we're here, isn't it? Let's go!"

The pretty young blued hair girl lets out a little giggle as she gazes once more at the painting on the wall.

"Okay, okay. Now let's see is this painting is really all it's made out to be..." Stiria knocks on the painting first, and then tries to walk into it. However, as she had predicted, nothing happened. The painting didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary. Stiria turned to look at her sister. "See, Caliga? I told you... we aren't going to be able to just walk into paintings and expect them to take us to different worlds." She sighed, looking back at the painting again before walking toward her sister again. "Eh... that's would've been neat, though."

Despite all of that, the painting seems to beckon... call to you. The trees in the painting seem like they're actually swaying, the water in the river like it's actually moving. You can't help but want to give it just one more close look...

[Cleio]

The blue haired girl looks very disappointed...and a little embarrassed that the painting turned out to be nothing special. Something about it, however, seems to keep her attention. Its almost as if the painting is a portal to another world. The young girl cant help but take a closer look.

"D...did that tree just sway?" The young girl says as she gets very close to the painting, trying, once and for all to see if there is something special about this painting.

[Blaze]

[At Lucidity's request, I will be RPing as Penny from now on! ^^]

Oh, all right... *Yoko shrugs and goes to rejoin Ookalf, who's looking at a portrait depicting several animals milling about in a forest.*

Yeah, these are real neat.

"O-Oh!" Penny walks over to the pair, desperately trying to remember any interesting details about that particular painting. After a few moments, she takes in a deep breath and begins talking.

"T-This painting was done by a Mr. Louis Elsrand! He was a bit of a strange man who painted a lot of landscapes. N-Not the art type, but actual landscapes! In this one, you can see two figures in the background, one closer than the other."

She points at some trees in the background, where two figures can indeed be seen, blending in with the trees and bushes. The closer one stand serenely, while the one further back is hunched over, fists curled like it was ready to attack.

"T-The closest figure is supposed to represent the beautiful serene aspect of nature. Since this scene is... y'know, just like that, it's closer. But the one further back is supposed to represent the violent aspect of nature, like natural disasters and stuff..."