#anywhere

She harrumphs.

"Lots of people seem cold."

"Sometimes mortals find a way to lose their way" Dee shrugs "But hey, you're with one of the mighty daughters of pan, we cann help fight banality like few"

"Yeah?"

Arty gives her a bit of a dubious look, but nods. He peers in the window - one that's intact, next to one that's boarded over - and knocks a bit. And then raps again a bit louder.

"Is there somebody inside?"

"I see someone moving around-" He steps back quickly as the door opens.

"I'm terribly sorry, but the library is currently closed." Says the bearded, balding middle-aged gentleman who answers. He has a tweed jacket with a brightly colored bow-tie that doesn't quite match, but it's offset by his friendly demeanor.

"But we have to see the books." Arty insists.

"Oh? Project coming due? This soon? Or, hmm, did you forget to do your summer reading until now?" He asks, not unkindly.

"He had a lot on his plate. Covid, world on fire. But he's catching up now!"

"Let's see - Freshman this year?" He eyes Arty appraisingly.

"Hi, this is Art, this is Katrina, and I'm Dee. Terrible to hear the library had to be closed " She offerrs a hand "Art was wondering if he could maybe help a little with the clean up?"

Arty just shrugs a little, helplessly. "Sophomore, I think?"

"And you thought that offering to clean up might give you some time to catch up on the summer reading, hm?"

Arty just shrugs a little, helplessly. "That's... uh... right."

Brows go up, and the man offers, "I tell you what. We could use a hand. But you're going to read THREE books off the summer sophomore reading list - not the two you're required, and trust me, I'll know if you read them or not. And I happen to be on good terms with the English teacher over at CHS, so don't think you can duck out after your requirements are met. Is it a deal?"

"Art's good for his word." Katrina assures.

He holds up fingers as he names - "Catcher in the Rye, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, The Help, The Book Thief, The Alchemist, The Kite Runner, A Lesson Before Dying, All Quiet on the Western Front, a Tale of Two Cities, or the Once and Future King."

Arty looks baffled. "Alchemy!" He hazards.

"Okay, that's one." A smile over to Katrina. "Is that so? Shall you stay and vouch for him? We can use the hands."

"Ooo.. once and Future King is good"

"Your friend has the wisdom of Merlin with that choice, that's two." The Librarian nods.

Arty shoots a look at Katrina - help?

"Once and Future King. And Tale of Two Cities."

"This is a far, far better thing I do..." Dramatic pose.

"That's three! Can we come in now?" Arthur asks hopefully.

"Very well. My name is Mr. Kellermeyer."

Arty protests, "But that's the name our our English teacher."

"That's right. That would be my husband. I am also Mr. Kellermeyer, but you can call me Mr. K, or once you're read your three books, why, we may even be on a first name basis, Arty my good man."

"Ithica's more hip than I thought" a smile

"I didn't know he was married."

A wan smile over to Dee. "You might think so, but you weren't here for the fight we had a few years back. The school board tried to oust my partner from his teaching spot of years merely for a question of preference. We won, but... it shouldn't have even been - sorry. That's history, and not the fun kind you'll read in the books. Come on in. Watch your steps, there might still be some broken glass about."

"Ah, sorry, sucks to be the ones who break the barriers. Still, respect for the fight Mr. K"

As they step in, they see a library that is trashed. Was it this bad when they Chrysalized? It's a bit of a blur to Arty and Katrina.

She doesn't remember that massive bookcase being pushed over. And Lavender, when she showed up, she was sure that there wasn't so many scraps of paper littering around. Some pages blown free, yes, but these look shredded!

Inroads have been made, spots cleared, tabled set up with stacks of books to be sorted, but... it's pockets of peace in a war zone.

A low whistle, and she mutters a word that melts glass.

Arty blurts out - "But it wasn't - " Jaws snap shut. "....What happened??"

Dee starts to clean up

The Nevers are playing in the scrpas of paper like little kids in a leaf pile.

"Looks like a bomb went off."

Mr. K doesn't seem to notice - there is a bit of a draft coming from the AC unit, which may explain the paper bits.

"As far as we can tell? Vandalism, pure and simple. Nothing seems to have been stolen, at least, not that we can tell," A sigh, "And the register was untouched, for all that it only stores enough to make change and cover fines. No Graffiti, no tags... I'd say bored kids, no offense, but school just started up, and who has the time? It's a bit of a mystery, to be sure."

He picks up a page - no a cover of a book, and cradles it solemnly. "I think most of these will be a wash. The rarer hardcovers we might be able to look into restoring, but the paperbacks will just need to be replaced someday, when budget allows. If you find a book with more than a couple pages missing, please put it in the recycling pile."

"Can't you fix them?"

"More than a few pages missing to the recycling. Got it"

A pained look. "If it was just a few books, and we had the missing pages? Certainly. But this many, and the pages ripped to shreds - first we'd need to inventory what was missing, find a way to re-print and match the typography, and THEN start the rebinding - it's a very costly process, far more than the original price of the book to start, and many of these were donations."

She rubs the back of her head, scowling. "Book drive?"

Arty has knelt to pick up a volume, and paused to watch the paper swirl around under the Never's play.

Mr K says, "We'll have to see what we can organize, but that's on the shortlist. Now, let me find your books. Luckily we had most of these in the recent returns, and those were behind the desk...." He steps back to rummage. "Miss Katrina, was it? Have you finished your reading?" Muffled from behind the counter a bit.

"Uh, mostly?"

"Mostly?" He calls over, tsking. "Will you need your own copies, then, or share with your compatriot?"

"I can share."

Dee, scooping up books, notices that the carpet - the utilitarian, beige, low nap kind ubiquitous to older government buildings, is muddy in one uncovered spot. Not surprising with the rest of the mess, but the odd part is that the footprint doesn't show a shoe - a clear imprint, at least partial, showing a heel and toes.

Trina notices that the knocked over bookcase has a hole in the back of it, like someone stepped on it. It's too high to easily stretch a leg up herself (not that she would do such a thing!) and the backing is - or was, solid wood.

Arty - is still crouched, gazing at the bits of paper, now abandoned by Nevers who have flitted off to chase a sunbeam.

The satyr moves to the footprint and looks to see what direction it went in, or if it leads to a seccret path or something

"Huh." She pokes at the hole.

There are other bits of mud, but no clear direction of tracks. Perhaps cleaned up, without direction, or just not enough to follow.

So she touches the wetspot... and kens it

No longer yet, no - long since dried, but the mud remains, not yet swept or vacuumed away.

And yes, a trace of glamour... not so much on the mud, but her attention is caught nearby where a scrap - no, a tuft of rough dark fur! That doesn't belong here. For one, it's too early for boots with the fur (with the fur).

Katrina sees that the bookshelf is well smashed through, but it might be able to be patched if it could be righted up again. It would take a couple strong folk to do it, or at least one troll. Explaining why the very large, solid shelf remains on the floor...