etrayalogs | December Library Catch-All [ OPEN ]

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December Library Catch-All [ OPEN ]

WHO: John, Harold, and anyone who might find themselves at the Library
WHEN: December
WHERE: The Library!
WHAT: The Library is here and open to all! Come borrow books, find a comfy chair to relax in, or snoop around.
NOTES\WARNINGS: Will be added as they come up

The Library is a five-story neoclassical building of terra cotta, brick, and stone. And the inside is, in fact, a library! And rather clean and organized too. There's no dust, no muddy footprints (apart from your own), and all the shelves are organized by Dewey Decimal, subject, and author. All literature is something you might find in a 2010 New York City library: various forms of fiction, children's and teens' sections, history, science, cooking, gardening, the list goes on. There's even small sections of audiobooks on compact disks and of DVDs ranging from old classics to history shows. The first floor has a reading/study room, a comfortable space with deep armchairs and tables with chairs; the fifth floor has some smaller tables clustered under a skylight. Part of the second floor is abruptly closed off by a door with a biometric scanner that denies entry to anyone who isn't John Reese or Harold Finch; the walls surrounding this section are soundproofed, so even a keen listener won't hear anything from inside. Otherwise, it's a perfectly normal library!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Did you ever stop and think this just makes us look bad?

( she held the book for now as her fingers dug into it. she didn't want to share the real reason why she cared so much about preserving this place but really-

she also just hated seeing him act this way. she wasn't sure what had gotten into him to make him behave this way, so she decided to press him. )

Are you in a bad mood or something? Let me guess, you need a little comfort? I guess I could be persuaded to hold your hand again.

Who, us? You and me?

[ He flicks his wrist to gesture between the two of them, wondering if that's what she's getting at, but his face scrunches up into confusion immediately after. ]

Really? Would you? [ His tone shifts to mocking before he breathes a laugh through his nose. ] There's nothing for you to worry about, Heather. Don't you have enough on your plate these days?

( there's a part of her that wants to bring attention to the fact that she was actually being nice to him for once [even if she had been rather sarcastic about it], but she realized it was pointless to argue with him.

he was a stubborn man and while he had been slightly more kinder to her as of late, it seemed he had slinked back into his old self in the end. it was amusing in a way really. )

Well forgive me for trying to look out for someone from the same world as me.

( her words almost seemed to say 'because that's all you are in my eyes' to him, a retaliation for his meanness as of late. )

Could you at least try and pretend you aren't a wild savage? You're making all cult members look deranged.

Look after people from the same world as you...

[ See - now that gives him pause. ]

This may be falling on deaf ears but I'm telling you right now not to look after James Sunderland if you meet him.

[ His dislike for that tourist knows no bounds. It's one thing to enter their foggy little town; it's another to stay there for two decades without resolving anything and becoming an odd fixture that isn't part of the Order or worship of Her. Yet he benefits from her kindness (and lack of mercy) in helping him uncover his sins. ]

Do you know other cult members?

Edited 2024-12-13 03:10 (UTC)

( well that was an interesting turn of events, because heather had met james and while she wasn't sure if they were technically from the same universe, they both knew they knew of silent hill.

so to hear vincent imply he was from the same world as him affirmed a few doubts she had in her mind. )

And why shouldn't I?

( her stance before him is now more stern, with her arms crossed and the book set to the side. she didn't like being told what to do, much less from vincent of all people, so her next comment is rather vague. )

It was a joke, besides you think you're the only one here with religious ties?

[ Vincent has several ways that he could answer that question. His hands fly up as he clenches them into fists before flicking his wrists a few times, like gesturing the thoughts to "go away." ]

Because he isn't worth it.

[ That certainly is the best answer that he can give for her. ]

I think I'm the only one who truly is devout even if they have religious ties.

What is it that you aren't telling me?

( if he wanted her to go away as he seemed to imply, he was doing a poor job at it. truthfully james hadn't reveled much about his reason for being in silent hill, or why he was there.

she had no clue he had been a 'tourist who overstayed their welcome' by any means. he had been rather tight-lipped about the whole thing, only confirmed he knew of silent hill and that their world wasn't quite in ruins as she expected. )

Why would he even matter to you at all to mention?

Quite a bit, but --

[ It's his snide initial answer to her question about what he isn't telling her. If he says that it has to do with Order business, he doubts that would deter her from further questions.

His arms immediately flew into the air in irritation but he quickly reins himself in. Clenching his fists in the air, he drops his arms back down to his sides. Okay. ]

-- he's stepped on my toes with his presence in my town.

( the energy in the space they shared was beginning to change and she could feel his attitude nearly permeate her very skin. his words harsh as always, and dismissive left a rather stern expression on her face. it seemed that their days of truly getting along and being neutral towards each other was starting to wane.

it was then, when he said those words 'my town' that she stepped forward, arms rising up and falling to her sides as she spoke. )

Your town? It seems that even in death your ego simply continues to grow. Besides do you really think he stayed there or went out of his own volition? He said he saw monsters, surely he got trapped?

It's my home. Can't I refer to it as that?

[ Semantics, but Vincent so loves them sometimes. ]

Surely, he got trapped. [ He repeats the words back at her before adjusting his glasses with the tips of his fingers. Clicking his tongue, he shifts to face the bookshelf - and runs his fingers along the spines of the books. ] I won't deny there are black rituals to summon people, but we aren't the ones who called him, Heather.

[ He flicks his finger against one book. The title doesn't matter to him. ] So, it's like I said... you may want to worry about everyone from our world, but you can leave James to his own devices.

( the way he was speaking to her and how dismissive he seemed about the whole thing was finally getting to heather. anger was building up, much like the one he had seen before and it didn't take her long to walk closer to him.

once she was within reach, she slammed her hand against a row of books in front of him. if he kept pushing her, the next thing she would slam was that book in his hand. )

You're hiding things from me again, you can't just tell me he's an annoying tourist and leave it at that. What do you know about his predicament?

[ He frowns when she slams her hand on the books in front of him. His head cants to the side as he steps back. ]

Well, I don't know everything, but I know what I know. [ Vincent offers a smile after his cryptic reply. ] That town means a lot to me. I try to keep tabs on everything that goes on in there. Of course, that's to varying success, but what can you do?

[ His mouth splits open in a wide smile as he holds his hands out toward her. Dropping his hands to his sides, he shakes his head. ]

I'll say it simply, then. [ He points above his head. ] The town calls to people on its own. With our rituals, we can direct who is called, but as I said, we're not the ones who call him. [ Or the other tourists. ]

He's a non-believer and wanders on the sacred ground.

( heather wasn't completely ignorant to the way the other world worked and how it seemed to speak directly to her- showing her visions of her past self, her fears, and how when it seemed like she was on the brink of death, that angel [more like a demon] seemed to drag her away to bring her back to life.

with vincent's words about how the town called others into it, she began to realize that james had most likely seen his own version of hell. after all, why would he see the monsters she saw? the ones that seemed to remind her of the violence dahlia inflicted on alessa, the ones that seemed to remind her of her place in their world; a body that only served to birth their god and nothing more?

these memories and his words seemed to bring a pause to the rising anger in her and instead left her looking distressed as she remembered. for some reason....lisa garland's smile seemed to come to mind as the memories flooded back in. )

You're...you're....you're crazy Vincent, even in life after death you haven't changed one bit. What did James do to be unworthy of me caring about him at all? He's suffered through that town too, just like I have. If anything that should make me want to care about him.

( especially since he wasn't a member of the order. )

I'm not crazy.

[ Vincent thinks about overenunciating each word but decides instead to go for a more casual response. Even though, he feels anger rise in him. He doesn't want to be treated like he's insane, and he doesn't feel like he is, either. ]

This is why I didn't want to tell you anything. [ He drops his head down and rests his hands on his hips instead. It's to help cool his temper. ] Anyway, you'll figure it out on your own, I guess. I'm just trying to save you the time of finding out you wasted your kindness on someone unworthy.

[ Standing straighter, he looks carefully at her. ] I would have thought you of all people would have understood how upsetting and irritating it is for someone who doesn't believe to stomp around on a blessed area.

( how frustrating this was for both of them-

there was a part of her that was annoyed with how vague he was being, as if he were holding this information over her head for his own amusement. another part of her wondered if he was just trying to protect her without speaking too poorly of james.

that was wishful thinking, because really, when was vincent that considerate? )

Why would I understand? I never once cared about that religion-

( she stepped closer as he looked at her, her eyes gazing up to his. )

That woman, Dahlia would try and beat it into me, but it never stuck. I could care less about blessed areas or sacred grounds. What I care more about is that town having that ability to draw in people. You knew this all along?

My apologies. That was wrong of me to say.

[ His eyes narrow slightly behind his glasses. He thought it before but it is confirmed that she doesn't view Dahlia as her mother. A fact he files away and will make sure not to bring up. Family matters to Heather as he's come to understand - while not a novel concept, it means certain comments are off-limits.

Vincent rubs the back of his neck, feeling the sweat that starts to build at the base of his hair. ]

But yes, of course, I knew something like that... God is kind, but she's not merciful. Those with an overwhelming amount of guilt or trauma ... when they step onto the blessed ground, She wishes to rid them of that pain. [ He holds his hand out to Heather. ] She wishes to gift them the keys to penance and redemption. However, there is no mercy in this action... only kindness.

You will repent for what has trapped you or you will stay in Her kind embrace until you do.

[ His shoulders bounce in a sad, little shrug. ] There are no other options.

Edited (formating i just want it to look niceeee) 2024-12-20 02:37 (UTC)

( at the very least he was perceptive, and him actually apologizing to her? it left her confused all over again. this was a man who seemed to flit from one mood to the next without much doubt-

for someone like heather who stayed grounded in what she felt for a long time, it was strange nonetheless. on the upside, for vincent's sake, she seemed to calm down just a bit. )

This is ridiculous, how can a God who hadn't even been born yet be able to do that unless...

( and here was where she really began to remember the intense pain and suffering she had gone through. how her festering anger back then allowed her to split her soul in two and perhaps... )

You don't think, the town was already primed to be able to do that do you? Of course it was, there must have been a reason The Order picked it as their base.

We chose this place because it's sacred ground.

[ And this is unfortunately where Vincent's usefulness in helping her piece anything together falls apart. He has his own beliefs and faith on the notion of why Silent Hill is as it is, but it goes back to what they - yes, they - have been taught. ]

And it's not a God but God. She is not yet born but God exists. The place is sacred to Her and while others say it's Old Gods... it is all just Her. Perhaps, pieces of Her much like how Christianity likes to talk about their Holy Trinity, but every part is Her.

( whatever truth she was getting to was immediately shrouded by a cloud of mystery. his words almost felt like a mental block of sorts and while she did want to pry him further for that information, she decided ultimately to let it go.

it did not benefit her to know why the town was able to truly have such a power, but what did affirm her thought in the order truly being a cult was his little comment about god. heather didn't consider herself a believer of any kind, but she knew that their god surely wasn't the only one around. how could such a disgusting and tortured creature like the one claudia birthed, be able to create such things as humans, animals-

weren't these things created in the vision of god, created in their image? she surely wasn't as beautiful as the things that roamed earth. )

Your obsession with Her has blinded you to so much in the end. I don't even know why I'm discussing this with you, I could care less.

( a thought- because despite how wise she could come across, she was still a teen. )

If you care so much, pick up your mess. I don't think she would approve of such a sloppy devote.

[ His lips press into a thin line that is almost comical at her comment about him being blinded. He opens his mouth with a wet sound before rolling his eyes instead of responding. Vincent equally agrees that it would be pointless to attempt to talk to her further about it; Silent Hill is sacred and God exhibits Her power there.

Their rituals and prayer are reaching Her - and there is something truly peaceful about the oppressive silence and isolation. But he understands his audience isn't willing to hear that (yet). ]

I care quite a bit, but that has little to do with the mess I've made. However, I'll still pick it up since it matters to you. How's that? [ He holds his hands out to take the books that she's picked up for him, offering to put them away. ]

( despite the roll of his eyes and attitude that spilled in the form of such movements, at the very least he relented to picking up his mess. that was good enough for heather, and whatever further questions she had in regards to james and why vincent was so insistent on her leaving him be, would be set to the side.

she picked up whatever book was left on the ground and began to hand it to him one by one. not feeling in the mood to argue further, she decided to change the topic just a bit [but not too much]. )

Thanks, glad to know you can be reason with. On that note, I take it then you've met Maria? I get this strange vibe....she's from Silent Hill too.

I've always been easy to reason with.

[ His argumentative reply comes fast but he takes the books from her leisurely. However, his head tilts immediately when she says that Maria is from Silent Hill. He stares at her with wide eyes as he drops the books he is holding.

Shaking his head, he doesn't say anything at first as he looks around in confusion. ]

From Silent Hill? She said that... she's from Silent Hill?

Right...

( she managed to say before her eyes widened at his reaction. all heather could do was step back and shrug.

unbeknownst to both of them, she would come to confirm her suspicions shortly after this encounter. for now though, it was just a hunch. )

No, she didn't say that but her reaction to me mentioning it was....telling to say the least.

Don't scare me like that, Heather.

[ When he hears the rest of what she has to say, that's all he can toss out.

Kneeling, he starts to pick up the books that he let drop. Turning each over in his hand, he checks to make sure that they aren't too badly beaten up. ]

She may have just passed by it... there's no way she's from our home. [ There? Does that make her feel better if he puts it like that? ]

( she's a bit surprised to see him actually pick up the mess he made without being prompted by her, but there's another concerning thing. )

Vincent, hear what you're saying. If she knows of Silent Hill, that means she's from our world.

That also means God didn't destroy it.

( not that heather had thought about the possibility of maria being from the future or past. that was another issue all together. )

I mean...if Echo is bringing in this many people from our world, it must mean something right?

December Library Catch-All [ OPEN ]

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cw: child abuse mentions

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gonna start wrapping this one up!

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