Maidens of the Kaleidoscope

~Hakurei Shrine~ => Patchouli's Scarlet Library => Topic started by: OkashiiKisei on February 26, 2012, 10:46:01 PM

Title: MotK Library - Scarlet Librarian Interviews ~ #1: Sakana
Post by: OkashiiKisei on February 26, 2012, 10:46:01 PM
Note 1: These interviews are related to the 'Library of MotK' fics, which is an original setting not directly relayed to Touhou Project. It is also a prequel to an upcoming project of mine, 'The Grimoire of Okashii: Observations of Might and Magic in Mangekyou'. Members of MotK are depicted as Touhou-fied versions of themselves in the realm of Mangekyou, which represents MotK.
Note 2: In this fic, German accents are depicted by replacing w?s with v?s and th?s with dh?s, while Dutch accents are depicted by replacing r?s (if a vowel follows them) with w?s and th?s with fh?s. So don?t worry, they aren?t typos.

Per suggestion on #scarlet-library, I moved this fic from The Library of MotK thread to its own thread, since there's going to be a lot of loooooong interviews. That way the main thread won't get too clogged.

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Tick? tock?

The arms of the clock slowly moved with the tides of time, accompanied with a distinctive ticking. The ticking of the small clock echoed throughout the grandiose halls, it being the only sound in the vast building. The marble halls were filled with bookcases that reached several dozens of feet into the air, filled with tomes and literature old and new, big and small, mundane and fantastic.

The innumerable books made the nature of the building clear: a library, and a grand one at that. Immense and possessing seemingly infinite secrets, this location is known as the Scarlet Library. Due to the many notable figures and events revolving around it, the Scarlet Library plays a rather large role in the daily life of this realm?s residents: the realm of Mangekyou.

Tick? tock?

In the realm of Mangekyou magic is the way of life. The Scarlet Library, as an immense source of magical knowledge, as well as being home to some of the more extravagant residents of Mangekyou, was quite influential in the mystical occurrences within the realm. Man and beast alike often visited the Library, their presence and actions weaving tales of their own.

However, today there was no such thing. The Library was quiet and still, with little happening within. There were days that the Library had less visitors than other times, but now there was hardly anyone present aside from the Library?s loyal staff. And this was not just the case today, but for the last few months the Library had fallen in deathly silence. Only rarely did a visitor enter the compounds during this time.

The reason for this was the frigid weather that wracked the land during this long winter. Many locations were covered in the pure white snow, and blizzards were not unheard of during this time. Humans would not dare venture out, and the more mystical beings have chosen to hibernate through this ordeal. Only icy creatures still roam the land.

Tick? tock?

All of this combined made Miss Sakana a very bored girl.

Marine Gemini
Sakana

At the reception desk of the Scarlet Library a young woman sat slumped over in her chair, leaning on the large desk. The young woman appeared to be in her twenties, though in this realm appearances said very little about the actual age of its residents. Wearing a scarlet and white uniform with short sleeves and skirt, it was clear she was one of the Scarlet Library?s staff workers.
Sakana was staring at the small clock on her desk with a tired look in her dark green eyes, trying to mentally force time to go faster. Though she was capable of doing so, it would most likely net her a lecture from her employer about why not to abuse the powers bestowed upon her as a Librarian.

The young woman known as Sakana was waiting for her shift at the reception desk to end, so she can venture deeper into the Library and do something even the least bit more exciting. However, her shift still lasted for many hours, and during that time she had to at least look as if she was working, even though not a single soul had appeared as of yet today, let alone the past week. If Sakana were to neglect her duties, swift and heavy punishment would befall her at the hands of her superior.

The bored lady groaned and slumped back in her chair, staring at the high ceiling. She blew her dark brown hair out of her eyes. Sakana?s only means of entertaining herself in this situation was reading one of the many tomes on the reception desk. Unfortunately, she had already finished all of them. Leaving her post to get new books or to talk with her fellow Librarians would result in punishment. So was forced to read a bestiary of Mangekyou?s diverse creatures for the umpteenth time.

This was not a book about dogs, cats, crocodiles and the like though. While normal animals existed in Mangekyou, the realm was also populated with creatures that skimmed the line between man and beast, venturing into the supernatural. Fairies, dragons, ghosts, demons, angels and, most predominately, youkai: the collective name for many magical beings that inhabit Mangekyou.

One would believe Sakana is a human. With shoulder-length, dark brown hair, dark green eyes, fair, light skin and no inhuman appendages whatsoever, one would believe Sakana was normal as can be (though rather attractive and shapely for usual human standards).
However, that was only half true, as Sakana was part human and part youkai. But as opposed to bearing inhuman features, her youkai half instead manifested itself as a separate being entirely. The being in question was the large, floating monster tuna that lazily drifted at Sakana?s side, peering over her human half?s shoulder at the book with the same tired expression as her counterpart.

Sakana had an odd family. And odder friends.

The half-youkai sighed and looked over at her other half. With a distinct German accent, she proceeded to literally talk to herself.

?How bad do you dhink Ruro will punish us if ve sneaked avay??

The over-sized tuna made a few hissing noises. For most this would mean very little, but Sakana was perfectly capable of understanding it though.

?Yeah, my ass?s still sore from dhat? but to be honest, I?d take any form of torture over dhis??

The tuna hissed again.

?Yeah, yeah, be carevul vhat you vish for, as if anydhing is going to happen during dhis godsvorsaken vinte-?

The ornate double door entrance of the Library opened, causing Sakana to jump in her seat. Expecting a wave of cold and snow to billow into the library, Sakana was surprised when instead a blast of intense heat engulfed her. Through the entrance of the Library blazed a great inferno, possessing heavy flames that were oddly enough a vibrant violet in colour. In the middle of the flames stood a figure, obscured by the raging fires.

Sakana, after getting over her shock, reached under the desk and pulled out a long, black harpoon, her trademark weapon. She brandished the harpoon in the direction of the figure. Her tuna half was hissing and glowing, a cool, watery aura surrounding it.

The tuna hissed again. Sakana groaned. ?Yes, you bloody told me so. Now?s not dhe time for dhis, honestly.?

Expecting the immolated being to attack, Sakana was again surprised when instead a soft, light voice suddenly spoke through the flames.

?Oh deawy me, I did not mean to scare you like that, Miss Sakana. Perhaps I should have deactivated this auwa a bit sooner??

The door behind the purple fireball closed and the inferno extinguished itself. The receding flames revealed that nothing was burnt at all despite the great heat.
Once the fires and the heat had vanished entirely, the source was revealed at last: a young lady, appearing to be in her early twenties. She was clad in a dark fur coat and hat, sporting long, wavy hair that reached down till past her knees. The woman?s hair was pure white, albeit with a slight purple hue.
The young lady had a warm, friendly, though drowsy expression, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses over her deep purple eyes.

The lady made a small bow and spoke with a thick Dutch accent:

?My apologies for the unwuly entwance, Miss Sakana, but it was so tewwifyingly cold outside that I decided to use a fire ability to get wid of the frost and snow. I might have gone an itty bit overboard though??

Sakana recognised the voice, promptly dropping her guard. She leaned on her harpoon and smiled, glad there?s finally a visitor.
?I thought you vere hibernating, Okashii.?

The Blood-bathing Tick Queen
Okashii Kisei

A semi-frequent visitor of the Scarlet Library, the tick-tsuchigumo Okashii borrows many spellbooks and bestiaries from the Library, studying them in her home within the Forest of Fools. The tick youkai has the power to absorb magical energies for various means. Not much of a troublemaker and generally helpful, Sakana did not mind her presence, especially not after the long lack of visitors. Okashii?s an enormous glutton however, and has some bloodlust issues.

?Oh, I was, and I gweatly enjoyed my lil? beauty sleep, but eventually I could sleep no longer. Besides, the cold is slowly but suwely weceding. It won?t be long before the sun?s gentle warmth washes over the land again.?

?Is that so? Well, I hope you?re right, since I doubt I?ll be able to last cooped up in here much longer??

?Oh, but do you not like the Libwawy??

?I do, but not if all I can do is sit at the desk and slowly go insane...?

Okashii removed her fur coat, hat and gloves, revealing the dark purple Victorian dress she wore underneath, the dress sporting an ornate silver broche on its chest, studded with a large, red gem. After Okashii removed her hat, a pair of golden horns (or rather palps, as she insists) grew out of the sides of her head, curving upwards. Any remaining indication that she was human was destroyed on the spot.
With her winter attire removed, Okashii?s appearance was better visible. She was very curvy, courtesy of her gluttony, and possessed snowy skin.

?That?s unfortunate to hear. But no worries, I can keep you company for now, Miss Sakana~?

The tsuchigumo made a slicing motion in the air beside her, literally cutting open a hole in reality. She dropped her attire in the purple-glowing tear before closing it.

?There, much better.?

Sakana crooked an eyebrow at Okashii?s feat.

??Say, couldn?t you have used dhose portals to travel here??

Okashii shrugged and smiled.

?I wanted to take in the winter scenery. That, and I might have come acwoss some succulent faiwies or wild youkai, all juicy with winter-fat~?

Okashii was well known to sink her teeth in humans and youkai alike to drain blood and Mana. Thanks to the help of Doctor Purvis, Okashii has her bloodlust mostly under control, often by lessening her hunger with many other meals. She now only takes a few sips of blood before moving on. However, empty, dried-up husks of feral youkai and beasts are still found around her home from time to time.

?Most ticks do not hunt, Okashii.?

?Most ticks are not over five feet tall, Miss Sakana.?

Figuring the Tick Queen made a reasonable point, Sakana did not delve further into the subject. Okashii cleared her throat before continuing.

?Anyway, Miss Sakana, I have come here for a weason. And no, not just to pick up a new book.?

Sakana blinked and sat down. ?Oh? Vell do tell, please.?

Okashii went to sit on the reception desk, crossing her legs.
?You see, Miss Sakana, duwing my hibernation I awoke evewy now and then. While waiting to fall asleep again, I fhought about my ability, among other fhings. As you?ll likely know, I am capable of mimicking the powers of others by absorbing their Mana via a bite. But, the way I am now I can only hold a handful of these powers before I?m ?full?.?

Sakana was aware of Okashii?s nature as a copycat, but she did not see where Okashii was getting with this.

?Because of that, I need to choose wisely which copied powers to use at what times and in what situations. So that?s why I?m going to wite my own gwimoire, containing information on all the abilities held by the wesidents of the wealm. With it, I could twace back which power can be obtained from whom, as well as allowing me to easily cweate ?ability sets? for a vawiety of situations.?

Okashii leaned toward Sakana. The half-tuna was starting to get the gist.

?It will also contain an overview of the species of Mangekyou and the wielders of the powers. It could also pwovide others on information of other Mangekyou wesidents and how to wield certain abilities. Basically, I will need to obtain as much info as I can from as many individuals as possible. And to do so, I shall interview many Mangekyou wesidents and test out their powers myself.?

Okashii smiled and tapped Sakana on the forehead.

?Starting with the famed Libwawians~?

?I? see??

?Don?t wowwy, I?m just going to interview all of you for now. No biting and copying. And if it means the possible addition of a new gwimoire in the Libwawy, I?m sure Miss Wuwo would not object. So what do you say??

Sakana started to contemplate Okashii?s offer. As much as she desired some company, she had her doubts about this interview. Sakana looked at her other half, which stared back with a worried expression.

?Okashii, our apologies, but ve?re not so sure about giving personal information avay like that??

Okashii was silent for a moment before standing back up.

?Well, I guess I should take my leave then. Maybe I?ll twy again once this winter has passed. Give you some time to sleep over it.? Okashii started to walk toward the exit. ?But who knows how long this winter will last? Maybe a fierce blizzard youkai will keep the realm fwozen over for a loooooong time. A looooooooong time without any visitors for the Libwawy??

Sakana felt her heart sink from Okashii?s words, turning pale from the notion of more solitude and boredom. Sakana had been offered precious free time and it was now about to leave the compounds of the Library. The tuna twins were beginning to doubt their decision at the thought of enduring another wave of boredom, Sakana clutching the arms of her chair in hesitation on if she should change her mind. Only when Okashii opened a new portal to leave did Sakana jump up.

?V-Vait! Vait, Okashii!?

The Tick Queen stopped and glanced over her shoulder. ?Yes, Miss Sakana???

Sakana blushed, looking down at the floor in front of Okashii?s feet. ?I-I uhhh? changed my mind. I vould like you to interview me??

In literally the blink of an eye Okashii came to stand in front of Sakana, wearing a big, warm smile. The tsuchigumo's sudden reappearance in front of her did manage to make Sakana flinch slightly, the tuna not exactly suspecting Okashii to turn around as quickly as she did.

?Perfect! I?d knew you?d agwee, Miss Sakana~?

Sakana felt like she just took the hook, line and sinker?

--------

Librarian Interview #1: Sakana

--------

Moments later, Sakana and Okashii were sitting at one of the Scarlet Library?s many reading corners. The both of them were sitting in large, comfy, scarlet armchairs opposite to one another, with a low table between them. On the table were two teacups and a tray with a variety of sweets. Sakana?s teacup was actually filled with tea, while Okashii?s was filled warm blood (Sakana did not want to know where the blood came from).

Sakana reached toward the table to take one of the sweets, only to find the tray empty. The Librarian looked up at Okashii, whose mouth was covered in crumbs, gazing back at her with innocent eyes. Sakana sighed and sat back in her chair.
Okashii wiped away the crumbs with a handkerchief and cleared her throat.

?Well then, Miss Sakana??

Okashii snapped her fingers, opening up a portal. From it a thick notepad and a dark purple quill emerged, floating to Okashii?s side and remaining stationary in the air.

?Tell us about yourself~?

?Vell, vhere should I star-?

Sakana stopped as she processed Okashii?s sentence in her mind.

?Vait? ?us????

?Oh, did you think I came alone, Miss Sakana? I bwought along some company.?

?Dhen who did you??

On that very moment the broche on the chest of Okashii?s dress emitted an unnerving red glow. A voice spoke from the broche.
Sakana froze in her seat upon hearing that voice. That voice could send anyone into terror. It is a voice that echoed in the nightmares of many. The voice was different every time, but it always possessed an inherent wrongness, an unholy chime that pierced your very mind and soul.
For the voice belonged to a being that, frankly, should never have been.

?Hi~?

Sakana could only say one thing in response:

?Sweet gods no.?

Sakana sank into her chair, clutching the armrests. Her other half hid behind the chair, trembling in horror. Sakana shook her head.

?V-Vhy did bring dhat thing here???

?It?s wude to call my dear fwiend a ?fhing?, Miss Sakana.?

The broche spoke again. Sakana noticed the broche had gained a slit pupil that actually moved. Sakana averted her gaze when she felt her sanity slowly slipping away from staring into the dark eye.

?Oh, don?t worry, Oka, it?s fine~ It is the most accurate way to describe me, really. Gender issues and all that. Anyway, allow me to give a proper greeting!?

Before Sakana could object a black mass flowed out of the broche, floating in the air, moving to the tables? side. It was a material Sakana could not describe, and was making her eyes hurt. The mass made several indescribable sounds, some forcing Sakana to cover her ears. Her other half was unfortunately incapable of doing so, causing both halves to be agonized anyway. Okashii didn?t seem to be affected by any of it however, merrily waiting for her companion to materialize.

The mass twisted and turned, reshaping itself into a form that did not cause brains to turn into mush. Soon a humanoid figure stood in front of Okashii and Sakana. It was significantly taller than either of them, albeit the being?s exact age and gender were very hard to decipher. It was deathly pale, with a mop of pitch-black hair and a pair of equally dark horns adorning its head. The gaunt entity wore a black kimono, its billowing nature obscuring the creature?s gender even more. Six black, slithering ?tails? emerged out of a hole in the back of the kimono.
The being set its blood red eyes on Sakana, smiling with a grin akin to the Cheshire Cat, albeit filled with shark-like teeth. Saying the grin was unsettling was an understatement.

?Hello, Sakana. How nice to meet again~?

?E-Erebus??

Ebony God of Darkness
Erebus

Lord and master of all that is Eldritch, Erebus rules over the Nexus of Nightmares, a realm of pure taint and corruption. By far one of the oldest and most powerful beings known to Mangekyou, the black terror is feared by many. Its very nature is chaotic, vile and mind-shattering. Invoking the wrath of this deathless horror is tantamount to suicide. However, Erebus itself is actually quite nice for a cosmic horror, and is incredibly close friends with Okashii. Has no sense of personal space though.

Sakana knew Erebus all too well. A frequent visitor of the Library, the air always got tense whenever it entered the building. While having her decent moments, it was generally a troublemaker and had some of the most devastating incidents known to Mangekyou under its belt.

?Vhy did you come vith her???

?I always stick around my buddy, tuna? even when she doesn?t want me to. That, and I just love messing around with the lot of you~?

?I?d appweciate your concern more if you didn?t sneak in my house all the time??

?Oh, I know you love the company, Oka~?

Okashii pouted in response. The horror giggled (at least Sakana thought the hellish hissing was supposed to be giggling) and continued talking.

?Also, I went along to watch Oka?s back in this weather. Thundr would kill me if anything happened to her.?

Sakana crooked an eyebrow. ?But aren?t you immortal??

?She?ll make me wish I could die??

?Ewebus, I?m perfectly capable of fending for myself??

Erebus leaned close to Sakana, which made the Librarian very uncomfortable.

?She might say that, but I have fond memories of the time Oka got stuck in a hole for several hours after absolutely gorging herself on blood~?

Okashii turned bright red. ?You pwomised to never talk about that again!!?

?No worries, Oka. I?m sure the tuna here won?t tell anyone else, right~??

Erebus pinched Sakana?s cheek. As soon as the horror touched her skin Sakana felt an unbearable cold rush through her veins. Sakana pushed herself away from the black terror.

?Okashii, may I please ask of you to put Erebus back in dhat broche? I can?t do an interview like this??

Okashii nodded and looked over at her friend.

?You heard her, Ewebus. I need her at least welatively sane for this interview.?

Erebus crossed its arms and sighed. ?Alright, alright, I get the message??

The Dark God turned back into black sludge and entered the gem once again. The eye in the gem returned, this time without the mind-shattering glow. Okashii lied back down in the chair, smiling at Sakana.

?So, shall we finally begin~??

?First I vant to know vhy you?re unaffected by dhat beast?s antics.?

The Tick Queen shrugged. ?You get used to it.?

Sakana found that hard to believe, though arthropod youkai are a rather adaptive bunch. Her tuna half floated over to Sakana and lied down on her lap, trying to calm down from Erebus?s presence. Sakana took a deep breath and relaxed.

?Ve can begin.?

?Excellent! Now my first question: how exactly did you end up as two halves of a whole? A bit personal, I know, but I?ve always been itching to know.?

Sakana leaned on the armrest while stroking her other half with her free hand. ?Vell, vhen a sailor and a mermaid love each other very much??

Okashii blushed, getting the picture. ?That?s kind of womantic??

?I guess you could say that. Ve vere supposed to be born as one being, vith both human and youkai features, but ve became monozygotic twins instead. One half had most of dhe human genes vhile dhe other had most of dhe youkai genes, but we shared one mind. Yeah, it doesn?t make much sense biologically, but dhat?s magic for ya.?

Okashii nodded, finding this phenomenon very intriguing. The floating quill was furiously writing in the notepad on its own accord, independent of Okashii. ?I suppose this is the explanation behind many other half-youkai made up of two entities. How was your life at the Dragon Palace? At least, that?s where most mermaids go, wight??

?Yes, my mother vas a servant at the Dragon Palace. It vasn?t bad. Dad stuck around and taught me German, dhus the accent. Lived there quite a while, studying, vorking for the dragons, having fun under the sea. But eventually I decided to move to the surface to see and experience new dhings. And boy did I get more than I bargained for??

?What was being on the surface like for you???

?Pardon the pun, but I felt like a fish out of vater. A completely new and unfamiliar vorld opened up for me. I first traveled the earth, collecting and reading books to learn more about this vastly different world, and to hear the tales its residents have created. Though, once belief in dhe supernatural started to fade on Earth I chose to move to Mangekyou. Many dhings have happened during my travels, but in dhe end I ran into Ruro, who gave me a job here, in a place where there?s nothing but knowledge and tales. And, vell, the rest is history.?

Okashii nodded again, her living quill still writing on. ?And considering where you?ve ended up, do you wegwet your decisions or???

Sakana looked at her other half, closing her eyes. ?My employer is cruel, does not pay me and has little heed for personal safety. My associates are either crazy, snarky or both. They all drag me into insane adventures vhere I more often dhan not draw the shortest stick. The Library is filled with untold amounts of dangers and utterly bizarre dhings. I often have to pick up the slack of my co-workers and at least once a week an evil entity comes knocking at the door.?

?My bad,? Erebus added, speaking from the broche.

Sakana looked up Okashii. ?But??

The Librarian gave a big, warm smile, absolutely gleaming. ?I don?t regret it one bit~?

Okashii felt her heart warm up, letting out a happy ?D?awwww~? Erebus, on the other hand, had this to say:

??I don?t get it.?

Sakana couldn?t help but chuckle. ?I can understand dhat, Erebus. But you see, despite dheir faults, all of the Librarians are truly vonderful people. Dhey really are family to me. Vhile every week dhere?s at least one annoying occurrence, every single day something fun happens. And despite Ruro?s strict rules, this is the job of my dreams, and I know she deeply cares for all of us. I love literature, so vhat job is better for me than to work in the largest magical library dhere is? I?ve met many fond friends, and every morning I wake up looking forward to the day, as even during dhese frozen times my fellow Librarians always manage to cheer me up.?

Sakana sighed happily. ?Yes, I?m truly grateful I ended up here??

Erebus gave an approving nod (by moving its eye up and down) and Okashii was wiping her tears away with a handkerchief. ?That was twuly heart-warming, Miss Sakana~?

Sakana blushed a bit. ?Hey, no need to tear up, Okashii. It?s not dhat touching!?

Okashii straightened herself and cleared her throat. ?S-Sorry. Moving on. What exactly do you do as a Libwawian??

?Vell, it?s not all dhat different from a normal librarian?s job, really. Sure, I have a different task each day, and dhe Library is magical, but generally the same rules apply. I sit at the reception desk to help out visitors to find certain books, check books in and out, hand out the fines, etcetera. I order books, find places for new books, sometimes clean books and make sure dhey?re in mint-condition. Retrieving and taking care of books is pretty easy, since dhey?re enchanted to teleport back once dhey?re due, to be immune against the forces of nature and are capable of repairing dhemselves.?

Sakana took a deep breath before continuing.

?Dhen dhere are the more unorthodox parts of the job, like ?liberating? books from odhers.?

?You mean stealing them,? Erebus commented.

?Li-be-ra-ting. Book stea- HUNTING aside, ve also have to subdue some of dhe more? ?livid? books in our collection??

Okashii tilted her head. ?Livid??

?Some of dhe books in the Library are very much alive and capable of movement. Some are even malevolent. And odher times we need to take care of people who are abusing the powers of forbidden tomes. Fending off thieves and vandals is also part of the course. And ve are all still members of the Staff, so ve are tasked vith dealing vith major incidents unrelated to dhe Library as well. Being a Librarian isn?t just a desk job.?

Okashii let out a bubbly giggle. ?You make being a libwawian sound exciting~ I?d love to hear some of your adventures.?

?If you vant to hear about all the dhe dhings ve?ve vent through you?d be here for several days. But perhaps it could be a story for another time.?

?Among the Libwawians, what wole do you fhink you take, Miss Sakana??

Sakana answered quickly and bluntly: ?Voice of reason, second-in-charge, team mom. Because every single time I lose sight of dhem for more than five minutes something goes to hell.?

?Suwely it can?t be that bad Miss Sakan-?

Sakana did not speak a word. She just gave Okashii a very cold and serious stare. Her tuna half did the exact same thing. Okashii figured it was best not to delve into the matter any further.

?M-Moving on, now that we have covered your personal background, how about we talk about your special abilities? What is your main special power??

Sakana let her tuna half float up and crossed her legs. ?It?s hard to explain in just a few vords, but I like to call it ?Library Sense?. Due to working for so long in the Scarlet Library, I?ve slowly gained dhe ability to know vhere all dhe books in a library should be and vhere to find dhem. It?s helpful for assisting visitors with finding a particular book, as well as putting it back. I often end up at dhe reception desk for dhis reason. Just tell me a subject, and I?ll find all dhe related books for you.

Erebus spoke up again: ?Oh, here?s a lil? suggestion: porn.?

Okashii?s cheeks turned red. ?Ewebus!?

?Erebus, if I had to bring in all dhe pornographic material ve have in dhe Library here ve?d suffocate in the books before ve vere even one-fourth done.?

Okashii turned even redder. ?Oh my??

Sakama only shrugged. ?Considering vith vhat kind of people I?m vorking vith, it?s not dhat much of a surprise.?

The tsuchigumo pondered for a moment. ?So, does this mean you know where all the super powerful spellbooks and forbidden tomes are? And does this ability work in other libwawies too??

?Yes and yes.? Sakana noticed the gleam in Okashii?s eyes upon hearing that. ?You know, dhose books are often hidden and forbidden for a reason. Abusing my power to get them vill only make you burn your fingers.?

?Trust me, it won?t stop her from trying,? Erebus spoke up.

?Suit yourself. But remember, ve von?t give dhose tomes up so easily.?

?Not even if I say please?? Okashii looked at Sakana with innocent eyes. Sakana felt an odd, rosy energy exerting from the Tick Queen.

?Okashii, charm spells von?t get you anyvhere. I live with Ruro after all.?

?Pwetty please~?? Okashii?s voice had suddenly made a startling change, turning from soft and bubbly to outright seductive. The energy intensified fiercely. If it weren?t for Ruro?s own abuse of charm manipulation on her Librarians, Sakana would have given in.

?No is no, Okashii.?

The charm spell deactivated and the tick pouted again. She spoke in her natural voice again. ?Fine. Anyway, your main ability is quite intewesting, but what other skills do you possess??

?You know, dhe funny dhing is that my youkai powers are split between my two halves. I have dhe physical strength, vhile my other half has the magical power. I?m quick, agile and strong, but my other half is capable of flight and water magic. My other half can also change size and shapeshift to a certain degree. Ve can both breathe and survive underwater though, and ve?re both at our fastest underwater. And I?m not completely magically inept. I have quite an arsenal of spells of my own. And ve of course both possess regeneration and slow aging.?

?So do you fly by widing on your other half??

Sakana blushed and shook her head. ?No no no no no. I don?t. Sorry, dhe dhought just? veirds me out. I just can?t make myself do it. Unfortunately, it doesn?t? stop the other Librarians from using my other half as a mount??

?Yes, I can imagine that would be a bit odd??

Erebus scoffed. ?And yet this doesn?t stop you from wielding your other half like a makeshift sword.?

?D-Dhat?s different!?

Okashii gave a confused look at the Librarian. ?I fhink I?ll have to agwee with Ewebus on this one. Does using your other half as a bludgeoning device not hurt you too??

?Vell, though it is true that ve?re spiritually connected, feeling whatever the other experiences, ve of course take precautions during battles. My other half is capable of solidifying, allowing one to use her as a weapon. In this state her scales are hard enough to deflect many weapons, even blades, and can pack a mean punch herself. By surrounding herself vith a rapidly flowing aura of vater, my other half can be used to cut as vell."

Okashii nodded, while Erebus childishly snickered at the word ?solidifying?. The horror wasn?t the most mature resident of Mangekyou in this sense.

?Can you perhaps give a demonswation of your other half?s power as a weapon??

?I?d rather not damage anything in the Library. Ruro vill have both of my heads for it.?

?But??

The eye in the broche looked up its wearer. ?Don?t worry, Oka, I have seen and FELT the thing in action. It?s like a jackhammer to the face.?

Okashii?s eyes went wide. ?O-Oh my... A-Anyway, there is something else I?ve been wondering: have you two ever been sepawated??

Sakana shook her head. ?Nope, and actually it?s quite impossible.?

Okashii tilted her head. ?Hmm? How come??

?Aside from a spiritual connection, the two of us have vhat could be called a magnetic connection as well. If ve move too far apart from each other either one of us vill eventually be pulled to dhe other by an invisible force. The farther dhe distance, the greater dhe velocity. Kind of like an elastic band, except it can?t snap. Dhere is a certain velocity limit, though, so we can?t go so fast dhat we splatter apart against one another??

Erebus let out a cry of disappointment from the last part. Okashii ignored it, moving on.

?You possess a Moderator Gwimoire, am I wight? What are you capable of with it, as well as with your Libwawian powers??

?Vith my Librarian powers I can alter reality to a small degree in dhe Library. Dhe odher Librarians are capable of this as vell. Ve can teleport anyvhere ve vant vithin dhe Library, manipulate dhe flow of time, summon objects and create veaponry, enhance our own power, use paralysis spells and so forth.?

Sakana snapped her fingers. A large tome with a silver cover appeared, floating by her side.

?The Moderator Grimoire can do that and much more beyond the Library walls, granting the wielder the power of mass teleportation, a variety of defensive spells, many kinds of sealing, paralysis and petrifaction spells and a greater degree of reality varping. It can also heal and purify beings, objects and areas, and pacify dhe enraged. Odher Staff members can be called for help vith it as vell. It?s veaker than the Administrator Grimoire though, and can?t banish people. All the tools of the Staff have a mind of dheir own too, preventing the Staff member from using dhe Grimoires for personal gain. It only ever vorks if you have a good, not selfish reason to use it. So you can?t petrify or banish people left and right just because you feel like it.?

Okashii let out a sigh of relief. ?Glad that was fhought fhwough??

?Yeah. Some of the Staff members have a bit of a trigger finger, so ve?re glad the tools have a safety mechanism,? Sakana admitted. ?And if anyone somehow stole one of the Staff?s tools, it?d be useless for dhem unless they have honourable reasons for using its power.?

Sakana snapped her fingers again, causing the grimoire to disappear. Erebus huffed. ?I still don?t trust any of you with them??

Okashii gently hushed her companion. She looked over at her quill, which was still writing any vital information given. ?Is that all, Sakana, or do you have more special abilities??

Sakana uncomfortably shifted in her seat. ?Vell? dhere is one more dhing??

?Ah, do tell, please.?

?Vell? me and my other half can fuse together, turning into dhe being ve vere supposed to become. Our physical and magical power increase exponentially in dhis state, and is a lot larger than we normally are, making it great for toppling large enemies. I?m a bit embarrassed by dhe form though, so I don?t use it much??

Okashii started to giddily bounce in her seat. ?Oh, show us! Show us, please! I love twansformations~!? The Tick Queen?s imagination went wild, trying to predict what Sakana will turn into.

Erebus was interested as well. ?You heard the girl. Please show~?

?I-I don?t know, guys??

?Come on, Miss Sakana. It?s for wesearch~?

The Librarian sighed. ?Alright, alright, but just dhis once??

Sakana stood up and walked away from the reading corner to an area with lots of space. Her other half swam through the air after her. Okashii anxiously awaited the fusion, while Erebus looked at how much space the tuna twins made around themselves.

?I have a feeling this is going to be a big one, buddy??

Sakana closed her eyes while her other half circled around her. The two started to emit a dim blue glow, which progressively intensified. Mana coursed around them, forming a blue aura. Bathed in magnificent light, the two beings merged together, releasing a large, Mana-filled flash. Okashii covered her eyes and yelped as a wave of power washed over her, almost knocking her out of the chair. Erebus, however, continued to watch the transformation with unblinking eyes.

Soon the light faded. Okashii rubbed her eyes, trying to readjust them, while Erebus turned its attention upward.

?Oka, you might wanna see this??

Okashii put her glasses back on right and looked around. ?O-Oh, is she done? Let me see! Let me se-?

The Tick Queen went quiet when she spotted the fused form, or rather, the underside of it, as it was far larger than Okashii had expected. She slowly looked up, gazing at the creature that had newly formed in front of her. ?O-Oh my??

Sakana looked down at Okashii. ?Vell. vhat do ya dhink?? Her voice sounded far more powerful.

The fused Sakana towered above Okashii, being at least five times her height. She appeared to have turned into a giant mermaid, albeit with the tail of a large sea mammal as opposed to a fish tail. It was akin to the tail of a white whale, even sporting a pair of whale fins at its upper sides. The tail was even longer than the upper body, and was curled around Sakana. The Librarian?s upper body was largely identical to how it was before, albeit paler and with with white hair as opposed to dark brown. She was also a lot more? voluptuous in this form. Her Librarian uniform had magically grown along with her, still being a perfect fit. Sakana looked a bit uncomfortable, blushing heavily.

Okashii stuttered, being absolutely amazed by the dramatic change. ?V-V-Vewy? v-vewy??

?Impressive,? Erebus added, helping Okashii finish her sentence.

?F-Fhank you, Ewebus??

Sakana fidgeted with her tail. ?T-Thanks, I guess??

Okashii shook her head, trying to think straight. ?H-How do you feel, Miss Sakana??

?More powerful dhan ever and grandiose, but also cramped and uncomfortable, since I hardly fit inside here. And it feels like dhere are two voices talking in my head at the same time. Oh yeah, and I feel a lot heavier??

?I-I see??

Erebus spoke up once again. ?I have a question though.?

?Shoot...?

?Why a whale? You?re a tuna, so what the hell??

?Well, one half of me is mammalian. The other half is a fish. Put the two together and you get a sea mammal??

Erebus managed to frown, despite having nothing else but one eye in this state. ?I call bullshit.?

?Dhat?s magic for ya??

?She has a point, Ewebus??

Erebus just grumbled. Okashii watched as the quill finished writing. She put it and the notepad back in the portal from where they came from. She sat up, looking up at Sakana.

?Well, that would be all, Miss Sakana. Fhank you for the interview. It was quite insightful~?

?Don?t mention it. I?m just glad I had someone to talk to. Now if you?ll excuse me, I?ll turn back to normal no-?

Sakana, Okashii and Erebus turned quiet and pale as a very distinct sound filled the room. The sound of cracking stone.

Before anyone could react, the marble floor collapsed, sending Sakana?s large and heavy form tumbling into the depths of the Library with a loud yell of surprise. Okashii saw the collapsing floor spreading toward her. Youkai instincts kicking in, four big, long, golden tick limbs grew out of Okashii?s back and grabbed hold of the bookcases behind her in the blink of an eye, pulling her up and launching her in the air, where she took flight.

The Tick Queen looked down into the deep and large crater. She spotted Sakana down below. ?M-Miss Sakana! Are you alwight??

Okashii heard groans of pain coming out of the pit. ?Owww??

?Miss Sakana???

?Ugh, y-yeah, I?m fine. You need more dhan dhat to put me down in this form?? Sakana let out a few more groans of pain. ?Still hurts though??

Okashii breathed a sigh of relief. Erebus, on the other hand, was laughing heartily.

?Looks like our fatty fishy needs to go on a diet! Perhaps a few laps in the swimming pool should do the trick~??

?Shut it, Ere!? Sakana groaned in pain again after shouting.

?Now, now, Ewebus, this is not the time for this?we need to help Miss Sakana first. Help me lift her out of there, and then I can heal any wounds she might hav-?

Suddenly, a new voice shot through the air. The voice had a dull, bored tone to it. It was magically amplified to echo throughout the Library.

?Ruro, Sakana?s fat ass fell through the floor again.?

?GODS DAMMIT, POL!? Sakana roared in anger in the pit, her rage directed at her fellow Librarian, Polaris.

The thunderous curse startled Okashii. Before the tsuchigumo could recuperate another roar echoed throughout the Library. A roar that sent shivers up her spine and made Sakana go deathly quiet.

It was the roar of an angry Ruro.

?SAKANAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!?

Sakana could only quietly mutter one thing:

?Aw crap.?

Okashii suddenly felt a terrible aura at the other side of the Library, and it was approaching. Fast.

Erebus looked up at Okashii. ?You feel that, Oka??

?Y-Yes??

?Thought so. That aura means we should run. Now.?

?But we can?t leave Miss Sakana behind!?

?Okashii, Erebus,? Sakana called up, ??save yourselves.?

The angry Ruro was getting closer and closer, her aura making Okashii shiver. She was still reluctant of leaving Sakana behind.

?M-Maybe we can explain to Miss Wuwo what happened??

?I said GO!?

Erebus called out from the broche. ?You heard the fish!?

Erebus emerged from the broche, now in a form that could be described as a ?giant black spider manta ray?. It wrapped its limbs around Okashii and shot off into the corridors of the Library, right before Ruro arrived at the scene. It all happened so fast that Okashii had little time to react. She tried to struggle, but Erebus had a tight grip on her. The tsuchigumo eventually gave up. She looked back down the rapidly passing corridors, feeling sorry for Sakana.

Erebus looked down at her companion. ?Oh, don?t look so sad, Oka. Sakana will be able to handle it? I hope. Usually she does. ?Sides, we need you in one piece for the rest of the interviews. And so Thundr won?t tear me a new one.?

?I guess? maybe we can check up on Sakana later??

?Assuming there?s anything left of her.?

?Not funny.?

The horror chuckled never the less. ?Anyhoo, who would you like to see next, Oka? Esi, Rou, Chao, Pol, Iced? Maybe some of the other people who hang around here? Guess Ryuu, Sol and Gappy might be other choices. There?s also rdj, that Chibi kid, TAC an-?

?OHGODSEWEBUSWATCHOU-?

Despite Okashii?s warning, Erebus, who wasn?t paying attention to where it was flying, smacked with high velocity into the side of one of the many giant bookcases of the Library, turning into a shambled pile of black goop. Said goop cushioned Okashii?s own impact against the solid bookcase, but it still knocked her unconscious and sent her flying into a different part of the Library.

Erebus?s slimy form oozed down to the ground, reforming itself into its humanoid shape. It looked around, still in a bit of a daze. After regaining its senses the horror noticed Okashii was nowhere to be found.

??Welp, better find her before Thundr hangs my ass above the fireplace??

The horror slithered up, strolling into the Library?s corridors to retrieve its friend.
Title: Re: MotK Library - Scarlet Librarian Interviews ~ #1: Sakana
Post by: Iced Fairy on February 27, 2012, 06:25:34 PM
This here is quite interesting.  Your details on the resident fish were new yet fitting.    It's nice to see the overlaps and variants of characters.  Erebus was fun too, though I don't understand why people would be afraid of a cosmic horror around here :P.  I'm looking forward to the less fleshed out librarians (and myself if I get one, because I am a narcissist at heart.)

As for suggestions, first I'd kill the accents.  Accents are honestly really hard to make work, and letter replacement just doesn't do the job.  I felt it just made a few paragraphs harder to read for no real gain.  You also repeat descriptions sometimes.  You should probably take another pass or two to polish things.  I'm also a little worried about character traits possibly going off the deep end, but that may just be my preference for subtlety.  I'm sure as each librarian gets the mike you'll give them a full character.
Title: Re: MotK Library - Scarlet Librarian Interviews ~ #1: Sakana
Post by: OkashiiKisei on February 27, 2012, 10:38:18 PM
This here is quite interesting.  Your details on the resident fish were new yet fitting.    It's nice to see the overlaps and variants of characters.  Erebus was fun too, though I don't understand why people would be afraid of a cosmic horror around here :P.  I'm looking forward to the less fleshed out librarians (and myself if I get one, because I am a narcissist at heart.)

As for suggestions, first I'd kill the accents.  Accents are honestly really hard to make work, and letter replacement just doesn't do the job.  I felt it just made a few paragraphs harder to read for no real gain.  You also repeat descriptions sometimes.  You should probably take another pass or two to polish things.  I'm also a little worried about character traits possibly going off the deep end, but that may just be my preference for subtlety.  I'm sure as each librarian gets the mike you'll give them a full character.

Thank you, Iced~ Glad to hear you liked it. :) Erebus was very fun to write~ And what kind of excuse for a cosmic horror would Ere be if it didn't scare people with its mere presence? :V

And alright. I kinda liked the accents, but if it damages the flow then I'll just turn on the accent filter. Regarding the polishing, I already re-read it once to spellcheck it and asked Erebus to proof-read it for me (and he helped me greatly with it). I like to describe things in detail, but I could put a lid on it I guess.
Some character trait exaggerations where used for humor, like the craziness of certain Librarians and Ruro's strictness, but looking back I might have gone too far, yes. I'll mellow them out more by the time their interviews comes around, as I do intend to make them fleshed-out, complete characters.

And yes, you'll have an interview too, Iced~
Title: Re: MotK Library - Scarlet Librarian Interviews ~ #1: Sakana
Post by: Esifex on February 28, 2012, 06:29:58 AM
Some character trait exaggerations where used for humor, like the craziness of certain Librarians and Ruro's strictness, but looking back I might have gone too far, yes. I'll mellow them out more by the time their interviews comes around, as I do intend to make them fleshed-out, complete characters.

Ruro doesn't really act that way but non-Librarians don't know that because she's always so busy being Head Librarian that she doesn't have enough time to quash the silly rumors the other Librarians start about her, and that aura of foreboding was just from her concern that Sakana was hurt

JUSTIFIED~

Hehe. Now I know just a little more about my fishy overlord <3
Title: Re: MotK Library - Scarlet Librarian Interviews ~ #1: Sakana
Post by: Solais on February 28, 2012, 07:21:21 AM
I'm no writer, but I think it was nicely written myself, and I liked the whole "exaggerating personal traits but only for humor" aspect.

The important thing is that I really enjoyed it.
Title: Re: MotK Library - Scarlet Librarian Interviews ~ #1: Sakana
Post by: OkashiiKisei on February 28, 2012, 03:17:06 PM
Ruro doesn't really act that way but non-Librarians don't know that because she's always so busy being Head Librarian that she doesn't have enough time to quash the silly rumors the other Librarians start about her, and that aura of foreboding was just from her concern that Sakana was hurt

JUSTIFIED~

Hehe. Now I know just a little more about my fishy overlord <3

Oh, that's a great justification! I might use that once Ruro's interview comes around. :V

I'm no writer, but I think it was nicely written myself, and I liked the whole "exaggerating personal traits but only for humor" aspect.

The important thing is that I really enjoyed it.

Thank you very much, Solais~ I'm relieved to hear the exaggerations weren't entirely in poor taste. :derp:

Since you all enjoyed it so much, I'll make sure to pump out the next interview soon enough!