The Joys of Text

[Tauer]

-TAP TAP-

Someone just tapped you on the shoulder from behind as you were wandering by the docks. What brought you down here anyway? And who could be trying to get your attention?

-TAP TAP-

"Excuse me."

(I'm going to open this up for 1 or 2 players. First to post is the TAPee and gets a cupcake! Heheh. )

~ Tauer

[Ivy]

Ivy had been randomly walking through Wistvale when she decided to go visit the docks. She hadnt been down this way yet, and thought it would be nice to visit. She nearly jumped when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder and speak to her. Wondering who it could be, she turned to face the person. "Yes? Can I help you?"

[Tauer]

"Miss Ivy? Oh, it IS you. Hello, hello! How ARE you? Isn't it such a marvelous day to be out and about by the sea?"

The man standing before the girl with the white dress was wearing a bright red bow tie that seemed odd against the backdrop of his musty brown suit. Across his face, the balding man had a smile as big as the sun and beamed with friendliness and recognition. A badge was pinned to the left side of his jacket with the initials L.E.G. engraved upon it and under his left arm he carried a red leather-bound book.

[Ivy]

Ivy gave him an odd look, but nodded. "Yes, its very nice out." She answered, wondering who this man was and why he knew her name. "How do you know my name? Do I know you?" She looked confused as she asked him, taking in his odd tie and wondering how he could wear such a thing with his dark suit.

[Tauer]

The man in the brown suit tapped his badge whilst continuing to grin, merrily.

"I am Phillip P. Pippleswick, from the Literary Experts Guild. Surely you've heard of us. You recently took out a book at one of our establishments in Jezebel."

[Ivy]

Ivy blinked at him. Her, take out a book? That sounded more like Sera, as Ivy didnt read. "Im sorry, I dont like reading. And where is Jezebel?" She tried to think if she had ever been there, or heard of it, but nothing came to mind. Maybe Sera took out a book and used Ivys name? She doubted it, but it was the only thing she could think of.

[Tauer]

Mr. Pippleswick looked rather horrified at the girl's response. He did everything he could just to keep his composure.

"You do not like reading?! But...but that does not make a sliver of sense."

The balding man straightened his spectacles and consulted his red leather-bound book. After turning a few pages - of which Ivy was not privy to - Phillip found what he was looking for and tapped the page vigorously with an expression of complete and utter satisfaction.

"Aha! Here it is in black and white. Miss Ivy, a girl with long blonde hair, wearing a white dress, checked out A Thousand Ways to Poison an Elf by Emma Phish 16 days ago in the town of Jezebel, east of Wistvale." He then closed the book, emphatically, and returned it under his arm. "Do you still not recall borrowing this book?"

Mr Phillip P. Pippleswick arched an eyebrow.

[Ivy]

Ivy shrugged at Mr. Pippleswicks horrified look. "I much rather be on the adventures then read about them." she explained.
When he opened his book she crained her neck in an attempt to see what he was looking at, but wasnt able to see. She raised an eyebrow, copying the mans look, when he described what she looked like. "I dont take books out. I dont like them. Someone must have done it and used my name." She told him, wondering if everyone wrote down the description of who takes books out. "Sorry I cant help you more." She gave him a smile and started walking away.

[Tauer]

Mr Pippleswick gasped. But whether it was because of the girl's rudeness, her open dislike of books, or the fact she started to walk away from him, was unknown.

"Excuse me, madam!" The man from L.E.G. said in a raised, barely controlled voice. "Our establishment will not tolerate such blatant disregard of our rules and traditions. You will return that book to me, poste haste...or there will be consequences!"

Several passersby turned at the balding man's appalled tone. He was beginning to cause quite a scene.

[Ivy]

Ivy turned back to look at the man, giving him an odd look. "Well, how can I have a book if I never took it out? Why would I need to poisen an elf anyways?" She grinned. "I have my bow for that." She doubted Sera would take out a book like that, so she assumed she was being framed. Who knows why though.

[Tauer]

The man with the red bow tie took a deep breath to steady his growing frustration, before addressing the little girl again.

"My notes tell me you suffered at the hands of an elf not so long ago. Is it not correct that he shot you with an poisoned arrow? Now, to me that sounds like a perfectly sound explanation for wanting to check out that book, wouldn't you agree?"

Phillip grinned - smirked, almost - at his retaliatory comment. He appeared very smug with himself.

[Ivy]

Ivy snorted and pointed to her bow. "When I want to kill someone I use my bow, not poison." she retorted before crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at the pesty man with suspicion. "I dont know how you found out about that, but you might want to check your notes again. that elf was killed by a tree." Now it was her turn to give him a smug look. "And if I really wanted a book, I would have gone to Sera. Not you."

[Tauer]

"Hmm, yes. That elf was killed but there were others, were there not?" Phillip fiddled with his spectacles as they had began to slip down his nose. He looked determined not to lose this argument with the little girl. "Perhaps I should go find Miss Sera and ask her if she knows where you've hidden the book."

[Ivy]

Ivy nodded. "yeah, we killed a bird and wolf things." she said just before he said he would go find Sera. She glared at the man. "You will leave her alone." she snapped. "I didnt take a stupid book." She didnt like or trust this man, if only because he kept insisting she took out a stupid book.

[Tauer]

"Then you leave me no choice." The balding man from L.E.G said, taking the red tome from beneath his arm. "As a highly decorated member of the Literary Experts Guild I, Phillip P. Pippleswick, hereby issue you with a fine for loss, damage, refusal to return or destruction of our property."

The odd librarian with the red bow tie opened the tome he held and placed it on the ground. Ivy noticed that the pages showing were void of words or pictures other than a black ink spot that began to...move! The blot of the page swelled and reached OUT of the paper, like an oily tendril. The tendril expanded and grew until there was a huge inky puddle rippling on the ground.

Onlookers were mesmerized by the performance, but intrigue turned to screams and shouts of alarm as the inky mass changed shape and color to become...

...a six-foot, snake-headed beast with a long lashing tongue, tail, ferocious claws, and muscular arms and legs.

"Good day to you, Miss Ivy." Phillip said, retrieving the book and walking away.

The creature pounced towards Ivy...