central_librarymods | Test Drive Meme

The Central Library

Test Drive Meme

You are in The Central Library… anything can happen here. In fact, the possible can become actuality while you stay here. Things are always changing. Some for the better, some for the worst… it really all depends on one thing. You.

Take a look around, visit the worlds through the book portals, and slowly bring it back to life. The more you do, the better life will get. But be wary, not everything is a fun story and not everything is harmless. Sometimes you will have your life at stake and others you will simply have to enjoy your stay.

You can use RNG to pick a scenario below… or you can pick your own! Whatever delights your fancy and makes you feel at home within the walls of The Central Library.

1. Arrival – You wake up in the main hall. The reception desk is behind you and you know you heard someone whispering “Save us” in your ear… but where are you? The hall gleams and there are many doors amongst the shelves of books. It is rather huge and a walkway circles a second floor… where are you? Well… you might want to ask.

2. Market Place – The Central Library has turned the large conference room into an open gateway to a market place. It shifts and changes along with the Library, but food is always available to those living there as long as the portal is open. Step into a Parisian market of modern day, an open market of the Dark Ages, or even a trading post in the Old West. Go shopping, take a stroll… your imagination is your only limit.

3. Go Out to Dinner – There aren’t many places to go out to eat in The Central Library, in fact, it is best to keep food to the living quarters. But when you go through portals in events, you experience whole new worlds from every era and every place. Possibly you may sit in at the Mad Tea Party or even dine in the Great Hall at Hogwarts. You pick. You decide…

4. Non-Fiction Immersion – It’s raining. Inside. You’ll find that Non-fiction has a way of ruining your day to day life in the Library. Some book in the Non-fiction section has burst open letting out a monsoon of types that only gets worse as you get to that section. Find it, close it… or we all just might float away.

5. Fiction Invasion – Sometimes things slip through. Little things or big things. After all, monsters do hide in the dark corners and in some sections of the grand structure. But this time… the problem is small, small size that is. Pixies have invaded. They are troublesome things… they love to cause problems and make life a little miserable. You need to catch them before they steal you blind… and possibly cause you too much mischief. You may need a net… but please, try not to kill them.

6. Cleaning is Necessary – You are stuck here, you might want to make it home. Being in such disrepair, it needs a little love and care. I’m sure the janitor’s closets have some tools and no harm in trying to pick up books and shelve them. Just be careful… they are rather testy about where they go.

7. A posse ad esse – Anything is possible. This is your Wild Card. Have fun with it!

This Test Drive is Closed. A new Test Drive will be posted soon.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"How exactly is that possible? You said all that will eventually be learned or created--how the hell can you have that sort of knowledge here?" Because it just seemed unreal to him. Extremely unreal.

Impossible even.

Owen stared at the cat as the small creature fluffed up, eyebrow lifting at the explanation that didn't entirely make a lot of sense to him.

"So you decided to be a cat but you can't change back?" he asked to clarify, still not entirely sure that made sense but, well, whatever floated the little thing's boat. "The non-fiction guardian. So I'm assuming there's a fiction guardian as well?"

"Knowledge must be preserved somewhere. In its simplest terms, the Library is that place." Tail twitching slightly, the Cat gave Owen a stern look. "There is no cheating. Knowledge must be gained through its correct course." He would not be amused if some of the patrons decided speed discoveries by trying to delve into the Library's secrets. "Perhaps it is easier to think of this place as what holds the inspiration for all being's endeavors."

Yes, the Cat knew he was a strange concept. One that he didn't always understand even with the information available to him. "Truthfully, I do not know. I was a young creation then. The Head Librarian might know why I have this form." A purr rumbled through his voice as he spoke of the Head Librarian. One of the few beings who had never looked down upon the Cat. " He was here before me. He was here before us all, I believe. But fiction - she is indisposed and the two of us do not always coexist well. Fact and fancy often conflict."

Owen immediately held his hands up. "Whoa whoa, I don't have any plans on cheatin' the system! I promise!" And he meant it. As intriguing as the idea of having access to all the knowledge ever was, Owen was quite content to just know what he knows and be done with it. Learning new stuff never hurt but that came with time and experience.

"Wait so..this head librarian is like..God then?" He didn't mean to sound so unsure but it was just a strange concept to consider. That's what all of this sort of sounded like though and it was the best comparison he could make right now. "Fair enough. Is she a cat too?"

"Good. If the Head Librarian brought you here, then he believes that you would help for altruistic reasons." Stretching languidly, the Cat padded over to one of the books on the shelf, pawing it idly. "But knowledge can corrupt so I must warn those who might be tempted."

Letting out a thoughtful noise that did sound like a meow, the Cat considered that question. "That is another existential question and not in my realm of knowledge. Some things are neither Fiction nor Non-Fiction or belong to both." Which really wasn't meant to confuse; some subjects simply were not meant to be understood. "Even if I did have an answer, it might unbalance things if I told you. The last I saw of her, Fiction looked human. That might have changed. The rules of stories are different than the ones I follow."

"...Uh huh." Okay, this was just getting weirder and weirder but what else was he suppose to do? He was here, talking to a cat. How was he not suppose to believe what the thing--he?..he was saying.

Owen frowned though it was thoughtful more than anything else, rolling over what the feline had said.

"Fair enough, I guess. I'm still not sure I entirely understand but it's better than the nothing I had to go on before," he admitted, crossing his arms. "So this place has it's own set of rules in general, is that the point I'm getting?"

"Power corrupts, but so does knowledge. There is information and inspiration here that would tempt some to commit acts that are against the natural order of the worlds." Sadness crept in his tone as he spoke, ears drooping slightly as the Cat thought of how others had pushed too far in their quest for greatness.

Slowly the Cat straightened, looking intently at Owen. "You are not the sort who would judge my ability because of my form. You are not one who will bring harm." The Cat began to purr, the sound much louder than what should have been produced by something that size. "Most of the rules for this place should follow the natural laws. Occasionally things escape from the realm that binds them and cross into the Library. The pixies should be in their books, not causing mischief. Once everything is put to rights, then all the laws should effect all equally."

Owen frowned. That made sense, honestly. It was a pretty common occurrence through history and a place like this? It would be a prime target for some greedy bastard that wanted to rule over everything.

"Fair enough. Why bring outsiders here then? I mean, I get that you guys need help restoring this place but what exactly can a guy like me do?" he asked, eyebrow lifting. There wasn't much that he could do with his Navy training and animal training skills.

He's surprised by the feline's next comments, a bit of a sheepish look flickering across his face for a moment before he brushes it off with a shrug. "I never thought I'd find myself talking to a cat but hey, I train dinosaurs for a living. Who am I to judge anything?"

Soaking up the information about the balance and laws of the library, the raptor trainer nods slightly. "So the more we get this place back in working shape, the better it'll be for everyone."

For a few moments, the Cat was silent, considering his words carefully. There was a danger in saying too much but the Head Librarian could not complete this task alone. Nor could it be finished with just Non-Fiction and Fiction's aid. If they attempted it alone, all would be lost.

"Because the repairs are too great for only three to finish alone. We have done what we can but it was not enough." Letting out a thoughtful mew, the Cat hunched down, looking almost guilty. "There is only so much that we can do to complete our work. We chose people with skills we thought might be needed and who were willing to help."

Which meant that Owen had agreed in some fashion even if he might not realize it yet. Green eyes brightened with feline amusement. "Dinosaurs might be something we need dealt with. Almost anything can escape from the books."

Not the most reassuring thought but it was possible. "But I believe that you have more talents than you suggest. The Head Librarian would not have chosen you if you had a limited skill set. Your open mind might be why he thought you would do well here."

It was a trait that the Cat appreciated. His work would be simplified if there were humans about who didn't see him as just a cat. Especially when they were quick to pick up why their tasks were so important. "Exactly. If the Library suffers, then all realities will event suffer. Help it return to is former glory and all will flourish."

Test Drive Meme - closed

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