6105/Library Espionage Action

Library Espionage Action
Date of Scene:	02 May 2021
Location:	New York Public Library
Synopsis:	Shan checks a goth out of the NYPL.
Cast of Characters:	Nico Minoru, Xi'An Coy Manh

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Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico's up to her usual. Which, for the last while, hasn't been teenage heroics, or running from the shadowy, villainous cabal her parents were part of.

Nico Minoru is just trying to find a place to spend the night. Well, a place to spend the night that's not riding the Subway, because that gets old. But there's always the library. The quiet, wonderful sanctuary of the library.

And so she shuffles her way through the stacks, looking for a secluded table to settle down with her current bounty. It might not have the magical tomes that a sorceress's library would, but she's picked out some non-fiction that might have some herbalism tips she doesn't already know. And a couple trashy romance novels, because sometimes you've got to break up the monotony of study.

If she was in a more chipper mood, she might consider the irony of doing more reading as a high school dropout than she did when she was a student. But it's hard to focus on irony when you're plotting how to avoid the closing sweep so you can totally crash in the library all night.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
This is a perfect and secluded table - hidden from everything, near but not TOO near to the bathrooms and the water fountain and the elevators - tucked away by a quirk of the layout, almost a secret garden. Add a little more mystery and you could find an entry in a blog about it.

Which is perhaps why --

SOMEONE IS ALREADY THERE.

Xi'an Coy Manh, known to some as KARMA, is in the process of packing up a laptop bag. She looks upwards and stops moving as Nico approaches, remaining, perhaps for fun, in the blind spot created by the stack of books, and it is just when Nico has set them down that Shan says, "They're closing in a minute. You should check them out if you want them."

"You can read Latin?" Shan then says, perhaps espying one of the titles. She sounds provisionally impressed about it.

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico freezes, but doesn't quite leap out of her buckle-festooned boots as she finds the perfect campout spot... only for a voice to suddenly sound out! Her eyes widen, darting between the woman in front of her and her armful of books as she shifts, tilting her head to the side to peer around the books, "Oh! I uhhh... a bit! It's a... professional requirement. Not that much though."

She clears her throat softly, voice dropping to a hiss, that classic 'Don't want a librarian to hear' volume, because libraries are always shockingly good at carrying sound. "Ahh... yeah, I was going to uhh... I mean... totally not... just... try to sneak in and stay late." She clears her throat, "I don't... really have a library card?"

She smiles sheepishly, "Oh... jeeze, you uhh... don't work here right? I mean, you said 'they' close, not 'we', so... uhh... our little secret?"

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
Shan puts her chin in her hand for a moment. "Really! Are you a nun?" she asks.

SHAN IS BEING AN ASSHOLE. Her tone is light, though. As Nico speaks in a low voice and makes an appeal, Shan contemplates for a moment, and continues in a confidental voice, "I'm a librarian myself, and we have an inter-agency police agreement. I'm afraid I don't think I can help you. But if you want to check out a couple of books..."

"I'm good for it," Shan concludes. "I have a card myself."

Several seconds pass. Shan frowns, even as she finishes standing up, skirt rustling a little. She considers Nico long enough that it may be slightly awkward - perhaps embarrassing. A probing expression. "So... looking to crash, or are you going to be hunting the ghost?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico's eyes narrow, her lips fight an upward quirk and she deadpans, "Oh, yes. My habit's in my backpack. It's casual Saturday."

She chews her lower lip, eyes widening a little, "Whoa, wait, really? I mean, not the... library police thing. I'm gonna need to see your badge for that. But you'd..." She eyes the tower of books before she sets them on the table, fingers tracing the spines, it's clear she's not thinking of taking them -all-.

"I mean... this is New York, I'm sure Doctor Strange or someone else took care of any ghosts here. Or they're just harmless ones. Besides, exorcisms need like... materials, and materials cost money, and I'm -done- with working for free. I was just going to crash. I'm tired of hostels and the transit cops must be in the middle of contract negotiations because they've got giant sticks squarely up their a- uhhh... they're really diligent lately."

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"Sure, let me get it out for you," Shan says, reaching into the laptop bag and rummaging for something.

"I didn't even think of an exorcism," Shan continues, in her mysterious French accent. "I was thinking of the film, Ghostbusters. They get a lot of tourists coming down here and going to the lower levels to see where Ghostbusters happened. It didn't actually, of course, but people like to rubberneck. They even have a tour sometimes if you make a ten dollar donation."

"Are you travelling?" Shan then asks, delicately.

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico's eyebrows shoot -high-, and her mouth falls open, "Oh! This is -that- library? Neat!" She cranes her head around, practically doing the whole tourist thing, "I... ahh... kind of?"

Her face falls a little, teeth clenching on her dark painted lower lip, shoulders hunching up a little in the dark blouse she's wearing as she draws in a slow breath and exhales it softly, "It's... complicated. I uhh... moved to town a little unexpectedly? And reale estate here is just... yikes."

Yep, it's those pesky real estate prices, not Nico trying to keep her name off any leases or other legal documents.

She finishes running her fingers along the books and picks up one, a dense tome of herbalism, not one of the more obscure latin tomes.

"Oh! I'm... uhh, Nico. Sorry, this is all... I don't... know a lot of people around here."

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
She's alone, Shan thinks. Vulnerable.

She finishes digging out her wallet and pops it open. "Here," she says, "though it looks like it just says #1 Big Sister, I know. If you're a library criminal you would see the real form of it." She claps the wallet shut, and says, "I'm Shan. I'm sorry if I'm being ridiculous, I'm tired, hah!"

"If you're running from someone, I'd be glad to help you get where you would like to go," Shan continues. "I know what it's like. But, like, if you're just stuck for a few days and trying to find a housemate or something, I actually know a place where you can crash. Shower and everything."

Shan twirls her hand in the air a little, actually sitting on the edge of the table. "But leaving that aside, I'm going to ask, how come you want that herbal book so much? You look like you want to hug and embrace it, but it's... herbs."

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico snorts out softly and grins crookedly, "Wait, how do I know that's accurate? Does it say #1 Big Sister because you are both a library cop -and- the #1 Big Sister?" Her arms cross, or well, she tries to cross them impertinently although it really just gets to be an awkward hug of the book to her slender torso.

She huffs out a sigh, "It's... complicated. I'd explain it, but we'd be here way past closing. Let's just say I'm... keeping a low profile. I don't have anywhere specific to run to."

She sighs and grins crookedly, fingertips drumming on the cover, "Oh, I'm uhh... a bit of a witch? Like, not a euphemism. I do magic. Tarot for people on the street, but like... magic magic. Potions and stuff too." She shrugs and grins, "Plus, I mean, herbal tea is nice. And incense. Seriously, herbs aren't just for seasoning your pasta anymore!"

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"I'm both," Shan says. "If I were otherwise, they would have gotten me a different badge."

She's smiling at that. She nods silently at the profile. She then takes a deep breath and lets it out.

"You don't have to convince me," Shan says. "One of my best school friends is big on magical things. She even corrupted me with Dungeons and Dragons. But you read Tarot cards? Isn't that just, what's the word, cold reading?" Shan asks, frowning in thought.

"What do you charge?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico laughs softly and offers a little wink, "It is... but, uhh, don't tell anyone? And it depends really. I don't have a set rate. I mean, you know, it's like the guys who play guitar at the subway stops, you just pay what you feel it's worth."

One eyebrow lifts as she murmurs dryly, "You realize it doesn't work if you know it's just cold reading, right? I'm just going to tell you what you want to hear to make you feel good."

She snickers softly, "And I charge -way- less than a place to stay the night and a hot shower."

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"But you don't know me very well," Shan says.

"As for what I said before, which I assure you is not some kind of vampire thing," Shan says, *potentially raising entire new vistas of anxiety heretofore unplumbed*, "it's a hotel that was built as a community project, and I was the safety supervisor as part of my library police duties, so, basically, I have rights to a room. I would feel guilty to treat it as a financial asset."

"But to share with someone in need was exactly the intention of the community project," Shan concludes. "And I've also never had my Tarot cards read, so I am curious."

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico nods her head with a crooked little smile, "Well, okay. If you're -totally- not a vampire, I'm in."

She shrugs her shoulders lightly, "Plus, I mean, a comfy bed? I'd probably be willing to take that even if you -were- a vampire."

She tilts her head and sighs out softly, "So! My new friendly library cop who is not-a-vampire, do you... uhh... have a car or something? We could go there and I could give you a reading or something for sure."

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"Sure," Shan says, turning round with a little twirl and collecting her bag. "Let's go."

AT THE CHECKOUT COUNTER:

The guy there comes up to tell them that they're closed, but then strangely enough he quietly will check out Nico's books. (Shan apparently didn't need any checkouts today.)

AT THE PARKING GARAGE: Shan's vehicle is an old Subaru hatchback, but hey: it runs.

"We will also get a little something to eat," Shan says, "because this place does not have reasonable room service. Have you ever been to Bushwick?"

DRIVING ENSUES! Sadly, there is little drive-through in Manhattan for some reason.