December Library Catch-All [ OPEN ]

[aimsforknees]

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!

Comments

[aimsforknees]

[ He hits things better? In a fight? When he's angry? ]

If you're capable of doing something angry you can learn to do it when you're not angry as well. Being angry isn't a magical spell that empowers you beyond normal means.

[ At least, probably. How does magic work where Gorgug is from? John has no clue. ]

[tinflower]

[ He looks at the man blankly as he says that, not knowing where to start or where to end. Or even the middle? At least it unintentionally(?) answers a question for him. ]

Not for you. [ Unlike some of us, his tone implies. ] But, okay. I guess you don't have anything like that.

[ It's not really disappointing. Except, okay--maybe a little. But it's fine. It's not unusual for people to not have equivalences to what he does in their own world. ]

[aimsforknees]

[ Gorgug's tone seems to disagree with John's statement. That's curious. He supposes magic is... magic. There doesn't have to be logic explaining how being angry is a special state. ]

Why is being angry special?

[tinflower]

[ He pinches his lips together as he grimaces a little, rubbing a shoulder with his hand. ]

Well... [ ... ] ...because it empowers me beyond normal means? It does that-- it literally does it. And I'm good at being mad in a fight.

[ His mouth feels clumsy, and he knows he's not explaining it thoroughly, but it also feels pointless to get into it. So he's clicking his jaw, kicking lightly at the snow. ]

I just thought there was a fighting practice like it in another world. It doesn't matter. I just don't get to talk about anger and fighting with it a lot...

[ Does he want to, now? Even if the thought of it has been intriguing him since he got the idea talking to the other old guy, it's feeling kinda dumb now. But there was something about it, trusting someone even during their anger--it resonated with Gorgug. At least, in a sense. ]

[aimsforknees]

[ Oh, he's just a kid. He really is just a kid. John doesn't have the best way with them, it's always kind of awkward trying to be... supportive? There's a certain thing he's lacking to make it really click. John is a man of action, not words. ]

There's not any magic where I'm from, [ he offers by way of explanation. ] But to me there's a difference between being angry and losing your temper.

[ Is that... a good thing to say in this situation? John is very much out of his depth, talking about emotions. ]

[tinflower]

Yeah, [ he starts, in a way that suggests he agrees; but there's still that hesitance, a wrinkled nose and a grimace. There are lines at the sides of his eyes that become prominent, too, and he's slow to continue. To decide if he should. ]

I mean... I guess, there's different ways of committing to that anger, to rage, but you have to-- you have to have control, too. You learn how to wield it so you know what you're doing. It kinda sounds like a contradiction, but the more you let yourself get consumed by it, you still have to-- be you.

[ It's difficult to speak about, for another reason. The one that keeps his eyes on the ground and the white snow, the marks of his fiddling and Bear's denting its fluff. ]

It can go bad, but-- I'm a good fighter with it. [ ... ] And I don't get as angry as my teacher would like anyway.

[aimsforknees]

[ So it's not just that he feels unsure about what he has to do, it's also that he's not living up to standards. John is kind of extrapolating meaning here, he's not sure if he's going to get this right. ]

Being in control is important. If you can control it then you won't hurt the wrong people. You should be doing what you're comfortable with, not letting someone push you too far.

[ John knows about being pushed too far, about how it erodes you as a person. If he can convince someone else not to make that mistake, it'll be a lesson well learned. ]

[tinflower]

Yeah.

[ It's an acknowledging response, but he's still not looking at the man, not immediately. This wasn't a similar situation in the way Gorgug was hoping it was, but also, he doesn't know if this is even the guy that Harold was speaking about. They never said, and now he's in an awkward spot.

So Gorgug's quiet for a second or so, before he takes in a breath of the cold air and turns on his feet. Looks briefly at the man now. ]

I'm gonna check out the library. Have fun with your Bear dog.

[ He doesn't need a parting word or anything-- he's just giving the man one himself before he goes, unless John says something to stop him. ]

[aimsforknees]

[ There it is again, that "bear dog." Oh well, they'll sort it out eventually. Enjoy the library, Gorgug. ]