Quiet Please

Cain strolled into the library with a cold, bored expression. His hands were shoved into his pockets and his pace was quick, though that was due more to his build and habit than it was to a rush. What did he need to rush for? He'd been doing this, day after day, for longer than he really cared to remember. It was just routine. His body seemed to to move on its own as he slipped through the aisles, eyes barely skimming over any of the books there. He already knew what he was searching for and, even if looking over all the titles in search of some new novel or something similar was always a little amusing, it'd just end up with him flipping through pages on any book that caught his eye and never actually getting to read something.

So with his usual detached demeanor he stretched his hand out and plucked a rather large book about Shinto mythology from it's usual spot, third shelf up, right at the end of the second row, without missing a beat. Cain gripped it oddly between his thumb and middle finger, his index resting on the shut pages. His dark eyes quickly scanned the room as he walked, searching for an empty table or even a corner to sit in and read alone. It seemed like just another average day.

Gabby had never seen the library since she had began going to this particular school. It was actually strange. Given her proclivity for trying to find knowledge and learn everything she could, even she was baffled that this place had never crossed her mind before. She didn’t know what books were here or where each genre was shelved, but even random books would do for her. She picked a random shelf and started skimming through the many novels it contained. That’s all they were; row after row of fiction novels. Although she had nothing against fiction, she wasn’t in the mood to read something that belonged in the realm of fantasy. Right now, she wanted anything that would expand her knowledge.

She abandoned the shelf and went over to another. This time, she was certain she had found something more grounded in reality. It appeared to be filled with medical books. One of them looked interesting. She couldn’t make out the text on the side of the book because it was covered in dust. It made her wonder how little the books were touched or cared for. She went to grab the book and pull it off the self, but it was lodged in place. She wiggled it, seeing that it had very little space around it to be moved. Her only option was to yank the book away from the others around it. She counted down from three in her head, and with one forceful tug, it came out. So did several of the books around it.

The books hit the ground with a thud. It wasn’t very loud, but it was enough to be heard by anyone who may have been near her. In a panic, she lowered her head to the ground, hiding her face from view. She bent down and started to pick up all of the books that had fallen. One by one she started putting them back. It actually hurt her heart a little that each one’s spine was caked with dust. So, before each one was put back, she wiped the books with her shirt. It may have gotten her messy, but at least she could now read the spines.

Cain let out a small sigh when he heard the collapse. Some overeager reader must have gone yanking at some of the more 'settled' books out here. It was an understandable mistake, if a little annoying. He slid though a few aisles, like a snake stalking a mouse and came across the clumsy kid who was apparently into medical books no one had touched in ages.

"You alright here? Some of these books could give a good crack to the head." Cain said in a quiet even tone as he reached for one of the fallen manuals to assist. "Not to mention that slamming down on skulls can hurt their spines. Hate to see a damaged book." he followed up in thought. He looked the younger student over. It was a little tough for him to tell if this was a boy or a girl he was speaking to. That made pronouns a bit of a tough subject. Oh ell, just an excuse not to bother as far as he was concerned.

"Looks like you've got things under control. Need any help, let me know." He said returning the book to it's proper place after a quick scan and pivoting on his heels to get back to his search.

She looked at the boy who had come over to help. Her face turned red in embarrassment. She had known that someone had to have heard the fall, but she was hoping that no one would come over to see. Now a stranger was there and he could see that she wasn’t smart enough to realize not to pull books off a shelf, “I’m sorry.” She mumbled to him, “I didn’t mean to make all the noise.” She never brought her head up to look at him, she couldn’t bring herself to. He didn’t seem to say much, which wasn’t a bad thing. She probably wouldn’t have said much anyway.

He began to walk off, “Thank you, sir.” She didn’t have a name, so she couldn’t say it properly. The way she did it should have worked though. She went back to putting the books on the shelves. She even went over them to make sure the numbers were in the correct order.

Lorielle Rutherford would walk into the library, in a startling lack of creativity on what to decide to do. She didn't like the library too much to be perfectly honest. She liked the quiet, sure, but she would watch a video in quiet, rather than read lines on paper; Which was not say she did not like books, but she has been far too lazy to sit down and actually read a good one. She had gotten so many different recommendations from friends, and all of those had fallen on deaf ears. So this visit to the library she could probably write down as being karmatically balancing all those shouts from her friends on the "magic" of "books". She would at least try to get into books with this visit, if only to show that she wasn't as lazy as she thought she was. And she is.

Walking in was actually turning out to be a bit different than she had expected. She heard a decently loud noise, that sounded much like a book falling, or a head hitting a wall, someone falling, either of those. She would walk to the source, which turned out to be Gabby, a friend she met recently. She would have smiled and waved, but she seemed quite in a rush to put the books away. 'Yeah, I know exactly how you feel..' she thought. Many people hate to be the person that accidentally causes noise in the quiet environment. Before she had walked up to her, another boy had decided to help her out. So she decided to remain silent, until he turned to leave. Once he started to walk away, she would then walk to Gabby trying to get her attention, and then smile. "Hey. You alright?" she would ask, keeping her voice a bit down to not disturb the silence.

"Wow, already calling in backup? I guess you really were better off than I thought." Cain said over his shoulder. apparently this new girl was friends with the medical kid. Well that was one little indication that it was a girl he'd been speaking to before, at least by his guess. It wasn't like it was impossible for opposite genders to be friends, but he just figured that it was more likely they were the same if he was to play the odds.

"You know, you really ought to be glad." He said turning back to face the pair, though his eye were still wandering. "Most scholars don't consider you a real bibliophile till you've caused your first collapse. It's like an initiation." Cain said as if this ere common knowledge. He had no idea if that sentiment were true or not. He'd pretty much just picked it off the top of his head, but maybe it'd help set things at ease a little.

"Besides, I'm not even reading yet. There's no need for you to feel sorry. You made a mistake, set it right, world keeps turning and all that. He said pulling his free right hand from his pocket and stretching it out to Gabriella.

"It's Cain, by the way. Feel free to call me such, if you don't feel like formalities." he said with a small nod.

Gabby looked over as she heard the familiar voice, “Hello, Lori.” She finished putting the books on the shelf and stood up, “I’m fine. I’m just happy that the books seemed to be undamaged.” She was still holding onto the book she had originally tried to get at, “It’s on viruses and infectious diseases. I don’t know a lot about the subject, so I thought I’d read it.” She laughed and then sighed, “I’m not usually so clumsy, but I’ve never seen a book get stuck like that before.”

She had never expected the boy to turn back. She was just about ready to run for the hills so she could hide until the incident was forgotten. Just as she was ready to make a mad dash for the exit though, he began speaking as if it were normal to drop so many books on the ground. She didn’t say anything back to him, instead choosing to nod. He then introduced himself, giving her his hand. She took it and shook it once, “I’m Gabby.” She would have introduced Lori, but it seemed more like proper etiquette for her to introduce herself.

Lorielle would smile at Gabby, looking at the books she was finishing putting up. "Diseases eh? Caught me off guard on that one. But if I am starting on any books, it is going to be the ones with pictures in them," she joked, chuckling. She would turn in the direction of a voice, and see a boy there, talking, probably to Gabby seeing as how it was the same man that helped her. She would be silent when he went to introduce himself to her. She saw her shake his hand and nodded, seemingly confirming it. Lorielle would keep silent before realizing common courtesy. "Oh...! My name is Lorielle. Lori if you don't like the name," she said. She would hold out her hand for him to shake. Whether he accepted it or not, she would smile and look at the books around.

The Library was full of them, covering every square inch of the shelves, to the point where it looked as though some shelves were cramped, and others had some books horizontal on others to fill up the space. It looked as though she was in a sea of knowledge, and it only overwhelmed Lorielle even more. "Any of you have any recommendations for good books? Haven't been reading them, and I want something nice to start on," she said turning to the boy named Cain and Gabby, her friend.

Cain shook Lorielle's hand and gave a small smile. Nothing extravagant, no hug grin or pearly whites. Essentially just enough to seem less cold and a bit more gentle. After all, he didn't exactly want to make these two uncomfortable, and most of the time, avoiding others and on his own he seemed decidedly "un-gentle".

"It's a pleasure to meet you both, though I'm a little confused. Who wouldn't like the name, Lorielle? It sounds like a nice enough name to me." he said after an only slightly firm shake. After she released his hand it would seem like his hand would be returning to his pocket, but in a sudden movement he pointed back the way he'd come, barely bother to look over. His usual slouch straightened out and he even leaned back a bit, standing on his heels rather than his whole foot. In effect it almost seemed like he were a puppet on strings. His gestures being carried out by an unseen force than of his own power.

"Really depends on what type of girl you are. Well a lot of the fiction is that way, adventure, some romance, a little comedy, coming of age, classical literature if you're willing to put up with a little more challenge, and others I could mention. This school seems stocked well enough. Over here, we've got non-fictions. Self-help, guides and manuals, history, and of course right here we've got medicine." He said pointing at the ground lightly before his hand slipped back into his pocket.

"Speaking of which, that's a pretty interesting topic, Gabby. Seeking knowledge just for it's own sake, interested in pathology, or are you just reading up on enemy tactics?" He said returning to his usually posture and looking to the book she was holding. Thee type of book someone chose could tell a little about who they were, at least he thought so. At the very least it was a fun fact.

She smiled and gave a little nod to Lori, “It’s fascinating the way they take over people and invade our bodies. Though, I only know that much. The specifics are less clear.” She waited for her friend to introduce herself. Gabby then turned her head away from the two and muttered, “I only said your name was long. I never said I didn’t like it.” If she was pouting or just embarrassed that her friend didn’t think she liked her name, it was unclear. It was most likely a mixture of both.

As soon as Lori asked for a book, she started thinking. When Cain started saying what types of books were in the library, she got confused. What types of books did a high school have? Then again, she was holding a medical book. She wasn't one to judge. She was a little offended when he pointed at the ground, “I put them back on the shelf and none of them were hurt.” She then looked back at Lori, “As for you, I’d recommend Dr. Seuss. The books may not be hard, but when you look into the meter and the metaphors, it becomes a much more enjoyable read.” She joked back, “I would actually read that though. It’s a bit too young for you.”

She held up the book she was holding and looked at it, “Knowledge it quite wonderful. You can learn the most interesting, useful, and useless things from it. As for me, I just enjoy knowing stuff.” It was clear that she was addressing Cain’s question, “That’s me though. How about you? You obviously came here for some reason. So, which book caught your fancy?”

Lorielle would smile shaking the man's hand, noticing him not giving any sort of greeting along with it. 'Well no big deal. He could be shy. Like Gabby,' she thought. Gabby was indeed, from what she has seen, pretty shy. But even she knew how to be outgoing, bad or not, she herself was a good person. As for this man, he had at least the decency to help her. She would smile when he essentially complimented her name. She would look at Gabby, now turned away, and could see her mouth move. She could not tell what she was saying, but perhaps she thought Lorielle was making fun of her for what she said of her name. She thought in her head a lot like that, and could be classified as a bit paranoid, so she went with her gut. "Oh it was a joke Gabby. It wasn't meant to be sarcastic," she said giving a smile at her, before turning to the man.

The man would recommend seriously, while Gabby made a fun joke at her. "I expected you to be nice Gabby, that is so mean," she said, giggling to indicate she herself was joking. and knew Gabby was as well She would stay silent as they discussed knowledge, nodding in agreement to Gabby. "The only knowledge that is useless is the knowledge you cannot apply," she added, remaining silent when Gabby asked the boy a question.

((Forgive how long I took. I had no time yesterday. Sorry. ><))

Cain let out a small laugh when Lorielle spoke with Gabby.

"It's always the quiet ones you have too look out for. Try not to go to hard on her, Gabby. Though it's not like the Doctors works are just for kids." the boy said with a slight grin. He looked over at Gabby and lifted the book in his left hand so she could see it clearly.

"Mythology, it's always been a favorite subject of mine. Though what I'll be reading after I eventually finish with this is a mystery. My tastes can be a little eclectic." he said with a bit of good cheer still in his voice. He wasn't sure to think about these two. It wasn't the average kid who found creatures that invaded a body slowly corrupting it, eating it, or using it as a personal breeding ground 'fascinating'. There seemed to be more to Gabby than met the eye, and Lorielle as well. Perhaps he should keep an eye on these two. At least to see if anything interesting popped up.

"So, the two of you seem close. Been friends a long time?" he said congenially.

Gabby looked at Lori and stuck out her tongue, “Whatever you say, Lorielle.” She caught herself acting childish and quickly fixed her composure. Such childishness was not becoming of someone her age. At Cain’s comment, she laughed, “I know they aren’t just for kids. I’m just saying that they are the best books with pictures out there.”

When he held up the book, she couldn’t help but take a good look at it, “Shintoism, huh? That’s a confusing mythology. Then again, that may just be because of all the different gods and the shrines.” She sighed, “I’m not one to judge though. I probably just don’t get it.” This coming from the girl raised in Fiji during her developmental years. Yeah, not getting it was an understatement. Her attention was brought back when Cain asked how long they had been friends, “Actually, we haven’t known each other very long. We just keep winding up in the same place.”

Lorielle would smile at Cain and tilt her head. "I am not that sensitive, I am as sensitive as a marshmallow with spikes," she said, and prepared for the laughter. Regardless if it worked or not, she would turn to Cain as he spoke of mythology. "Very fascinating subject. Shinto is fun too, and kind of interesting, since many Japanese still believe in it, and it is one of the oldest religions with mythologies similar to the greek myths in scale to date," she would say. Shintoism was probably one of the oldest religions period. Probably existed around the time of Buddhism and Hinduism. But she wouldn't know specifically.

Though her train of thought was interrupted when Cain asked how long they had known each other. Not long actually. But Lorielle was already growing fond of her. It was nice to have a friend like her, that was a bit different from many people in school, all of her friends she had gotten to know recently have had their own quirks, but Gabby was somehow the most, contenting to be with. Though she would place an arm around Gabby's shoulder attempting to bring her to Lorielle smoothly. "Gabby and I fought the warriors of Kutai together," she said, laughing at the inside joke only she would get. Her smile would grow if it looked obvious enough Cain didn't seem to get it, and she would reply. "But yeah, only a little bit," she would say letting go. If he didn't seem so confused she would just let go. "It is kind of convenient that we meet up in similar places. I didn't even know she went to this school," she said.

Strengths:

"'A marshmallow with spikes?' Sounds like the worst snack ever." Cain said sarcastically, though he hoped not to anger them. They seemed like a few of the only students at this school that were worth talking to. Even if a library was usually the place that he appreciated tight lips more than usual.

"Most things seem confusing at first glance, especially when you're new to them. Still when you finally break through and gain understanding it can be an amazing experience. Hopefully this will end up as a similar experience." Cain said clearly, in a rare moment that he decided to let a few of his true feelings shine through. He cleared his throat and tried to go back to his usual demeanor.

"Umm, anyway I guess it's interesting that you two already got along so well. I guess fighting together is a quick way to become allies right? Warriors hanging out in a school library who'd have thought something like that could happen?" he said with a shrug. He was trying to joke around, but his tone was dry and straight.