Lords And Ladies (2.10)

Kitty considers the possibilities.

Assistants?   God, no, not the assistants.  Anything but  assistants!  It’s my Library!  It’s mine!  Miiiiiiiine!  I can do this job all by myself!

...Though it is a pretty big Library.

No! No, I can do it.  I’m competent.  I’m a good girl who is in no way emotionally stunted by losing my mother and spending her teenage years shut inside a Library.  Mom will come back if you’re a good girl.  She will!

...Isn’t that kind of absurd?  She’s not going to know if you’re a good girl.  It has no bearing on whether or not she’ll come back.  She told you to be a good girl, she didn’t say if she would come back if you were.

But what if she does?

She won’t.

...On the other hand, I’m the boss of these people, right?  I can make them do whatever I want!  I’m the boss!  I’m a lordy!

Lady.  You’re a Lady.

Oh, right, thank you.  Almost had a stupid moment there.

You’re welcome.  Continue.

I’m the Lady!  I’m the Librarian!  Master of stories and biographies and informative text books!  Knowledge is my wizard...y domain, and these are my pupils!  I have the power!   I could make them strip or something!   Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha-

No, no, that’s bad.  SIgh.  All right.  Training.  I should train them.

“So,” says Kitty.  “How many of you know about the Dewey Decimal System?”

They all stare at her, blinking.

“...Anyone?”

No one raises their hand.  No one exclaims “I do!” excitedly.  They just stand there.

“Really?  Not even the middle aged women.”

She coughs.

“Well, I had my own system...” she begins.

“Don’t care.  We used Dewey here.”   Kitty reaches under her desk and pulls out a thick book, standing up.  “Come with me.”

***

“Every book has a number,” says Kitty.  “And that number indicates it’s place in the Library, according to class, division, and section.   They are classified in ascending numerical order and further by alphabetical order according to the first letter of the author’s last name when multiple books fit within the same number - and they do.  All the time.  Each section of the Library’s extensive floor space holds a different class.  For example, we are presently standing in Class 100, which broadly covers Philosophy and Psychology.  Right?  Got it?”

She turns around, still holding the book.  The girls nod at her.  “Good.  The first floor of the Library holds Classes 000, 100, 200, 300, and 400. Computer Science, Information, And General Works; the aforementioned Philosophy and Psychology; Religion, which apparently includes evil Grimoires, so be aware of that; Social Sciences; and Language.  Right?  Now up the stairs.”  She heads up a set of stairs in the corner of Class 100, up into Class 600.  It looks nearly identical to the first floor, bookshelves stretching on into infinity.  Kitty does not bother to look back to make sure they’re following her.  She just continues walking and talking.   “Second floor.  Classes 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900.  Science; Technology; Arts and Recreation; Literature; and finally, History and Geography.

“The space for each Class of the Library includes a number of rooms around the outer wall.  Study rooms, bathrooms, water fountains, that sort of thing.  Some of them have lovely views of the outside, so keep that in mind when you’re on break.  This book I’m holding contains all the information you’re going to need about the Decimal System as well, and there’s also maps of the Library hanging on walls here and there, as well as one at the entrance.  Both this and the entrance map are to remain at the front desk at all times.”  Kitty turns back around.  “Any questi-”  Kitty notices a curious gap between Anastasia and Evangeline White.  She sighs.  “Where did Nicolette go?  Is she lost?”  She turns to Jenna.  “I think she got lost.”

Jenna unclips the walkie talkie from her belt.  “Library Guard, this is Crescel, be advised.  Assistant Nicolette is lost somewhere in the Library, around Class 100 or 600.  Keep an eye out.”

“Right,” says Kitty.  “Let’s keep moving...The fiction section is sorted a little differently, mostly because we keep the erotica in a side room.  Do not, I repeat, do not put the erotica with the rest of the books.  It freaks people out, for some reason,”

Jenna laughs nervously.

“Now, as you go around this place, you might find some boarded up side rooms.  Please tell me when you find them, so we can decide what to do with it.  If you run into any books that seem to be supernatural in some way, please tell us that as, um, well.  Any mundane books you happen to find out of place, put them back in their place.  Now, the third floor...”

She leads them up another flight of stairs.  It is quite different, less a forest of bookshelves and more a forest of hallways.  It is also, surprisingly, quite dark.  Kitty flips on a switch, illuminating old, musty hallways.  “This used to, I think, be where the family lived in happier generations.  You may pick any room you would like to stay in, if you wish to live at the Library.”

“And if you don’t,” adds Jenna.  “Please remember that curfew begins at ten.  No one goes in or out after that without special permission.”

“My younger sister and I live on the floor above this, which is a bit smaller than the other floors, but still mostly unused.   There’s a kitchen and living room on this floor as well...”

***

Lincoln and Richard stand in the Librarian’s living room, watching as Officer Lee ascended the ladder to the skylight.  He pushes it open, sticking his head out.

“Holy shit,” says Lee.

“How does it look, Lee?” asks Richard.

“It’s a godsdamn field up here.  We’re lucky the Library is practically beachfront property, we’d need like...twelve of me to cover each end of this mess.  Maybe more.   Even with two sides I don’t think I’m going to be able to cover it all.” Lee glances down.  “I’m going to get started scoping it out.”

:”Good luck.”

Lee scrambles out onto the roof, leaving Lincoln and Richard.

“We should get to our posts,” says Richard.

“In a moment.  I want to finish this last sweep.  Something ain’t right about this place, and I’ll be damned if I let it escape my notice.”  He put his hands on his belt buckle, looking around at the doors nearby.  Richard, impatient, picks one, pushing it open and peering inside.

“Clear.  This just seems to be another empty room.  Bit of a balcony view.”

Something upstairs creaks.  Lincoln looks up.

“...What’s that?” asks Richard.  “Is it the little sister?”

“Gonna check it out,” says Lincoln, walking up the stairs with a weapon in hand.

“...Not even a response, huh?  Just going to head on up there?” asks Richard.  Lincoln keeps walking.  He sighs, pulls out his pistol, and follows.

A door at the end of the small hallway is unlocked.  Lincoln presses against the wall next to it, trying to peer into the crack as Richard leans against the other wall.

“It’s dark,” whispers Lincoln.  “Ready?  We go on three, two, one...”

Lincoln kicks the door open, and Richard moves in, training his gun on the darkness.  Lincoln follows his lead and hits the light switch.

“You’re not Kitty,” says the woman on the bed, wearing far less clothes than they would have liked.

Richard and Lincoln turn away.

“...Is that the princess?” asks Lincoln.

Richard glances back.  The princess waves.

“Yep.”

“Just checkin’.”

“This seems a bit scandalous.”

“Is it?  You’re the noble.  This is your area of expertise.”

“The Tigers and Sharks have a longstanding animosity towards each other.  Someone shot someone else or something.  Of course, the Sharks and Dragons have always been staunch allies, so the Tigers don’t get along too well with the Dragons either.  The Tigers do get along with the Ravens, on account of both getting shafted politically.  Our tribe on the other hand is neutral.”

“...So the princess sleeping with a Tiger would be bad?”

“It’d be politically complicated, sure.  Accusations of one of them being forced into it, violent arguments about succession lines...”

“We should probably not let the world know, then.”

“Probably not, no.”

“Great.”

***

A few panicked walkie-talkie conversations and a round-up later, Kitty and a now-pink-nightgown-clad Annie are sitting on the couch. Annie sits across Kitty’s lap, laying against the armrest.  She is presently cheerfully painting her finger and toenails.

Kitty, on the other hand, looks like a sad child who was just caught in the middle of sticking her hands into the cookie jar.

Officer Crescel presently holds her pals over her face, staring at the ground in thought, her strange cyborg tail wrapped around her waist.  The rest of the squad, sans the presently roofbound Lee, stands around her.

“Okay, uh...So you two are...?” asks Jenna.

“Yep!” says Annie, enthusiastically, still not looking at her.

“Okay, uh...Look.  Curfew is at ten o’clock in the evening, so...I’m sorry, but you’re going to need to-”

“I’ll stay here,” she says, flatly.

“...But-”

“Mother knows where I am.”

“She knows?”

Annie doesn’t answer.  She just continues turning her thumbnail pinker.

“...Right, uh, okay then.  Listen, I appreciate that you’re...romantically involved,” Jenna says.  “But there’s some rules you’re going to have to follow.  Try to keep all displays of affection out of sight of the public, all right?  And, um, any extreme displays of affection out of my sight.  I...have a problem,” she adds, quietly pulling a small bottle of whiskey out of a pocket, unscrewing the top, sipping it, and putting it away.

“Um, okay,” says Kitty.

Jenna turns around to the rest of the squad.  “What else?  Have we found Nicolette?  Or Lady Yu?”

“Not yet, ma’am,” says Zoe.

“Okay...We still need to get furniture and supplies, and stuff from our own homes.  Assistants Evangeline and Anastasia are presently manning the front desk, so we’ll keep the Librarian and the princess up here for now.  The rest of us will go home in shifts.  When the night watch arrives and takes over we’ll put together a list of what supplies we’re going to need to purchase.  Lincoln, you go first.  I understand you have pets at home?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Jenna turns to Kitty.  “Are you fine with pets?”

“Er...Yes, as long as they’re well-trained and don’t ruin the books.”

“They won’t, ma’am,” says Lincoln, flatly.  “Only I’m not sure the cat will want to come.”

“Cat?” says Kitty, brightening up considerably.  “There’s a cat?  I love cats.”

“She’s not really my cat, either,” continues Lincoln, cautiously.  “She’s really more of a stray who frequently visits my house.  Not sure where she came from, really...”

“That’s so cute,” says Kitty.  “Isn’t that cute, Annie?”

“Very cute!”

“Awwwww.”

“Lincoln,” says Jenna.  “Bring the cat, all right?  You live out in that field all alone, that cat’s going to be lonely otherwise.  And it’s not like we have any other ”

“I suppose you’re right...” says Lincoln, uncertainly.

“Well?” says Jenna.  “Go on, get going.  We don’t have all day.”

Lincoln stands still for a moment, nods, and tips his hat before heading out of the room.

Jenna turns back to the princess and Librarian. “All right, is there anything else important we need to cover right n-”

Someone kicks the door open.  Rhoda storms in.

“WHERE.  IS.  THE PRINCESS?”  she shouts at the top of her voice.