Closed RP Between the Lions

[Katpride]

The existence of the library had been an amazing discovery for Adelyn. The grand stone building was home to more books than she’d ever seen in one place in her life!

Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one who had the idea of visiting the library that day, and by the time she left her jaw hurt from holding it tense whenever someone got too close to her. She decided to come back sometime it was less busy, if only to spare her Gramma’s cushions. In her defense, she didn’t even know that she had the instinct to stress-knead!

Well, this time she’s gonna be more prepared. She’s going into this new Shift armed with all the information a library can hold. If she can figure out how to get in, that is.

See, the last time she visited, the doors had just been open. But now all three sets of double doors are shut, and the lights are off inside. She even climbed up the wall (just a little bit) and checked the ground-floor windows, but none of them were open and she couldn’t really see anything inside that would help her.

There must be some other trick to it! This must be a challenge to prove that she’s really dedicated to reading, and Adelyn is determined not to lose. Maybe there’s another entrance? Or maybe she’s supposed to shimmy in through one of the windows?

Adelyn starts eying the second-floor balcony. If she jumps, she can grab onto one of the light fixtures that stick out between the doors. It seems solid enough to support her weight, she thinks. And there are grooves in the wall that could be toe-holds if she was creative about it. This must be the way! There must be an open window up there!

She doesn’t think about the open road to her back, or how exposed she is, just barely hidden from the illumination of the streetlights. She jumps, and her hands wrap around the sconce. Then she’s left kind of dangling there, trying to get her boots to make friends with the wall. They just keep slipping! “Darn boots!”

 

[UmbraSight]

Did she want to cook or pick up something cheap? Last time she had tried to pick up something cheap she had almost gotten robbed, but that couldn’t happen every time, right? But she would save more money if she did cook what she already had, but it was so late already and she really didn’t want to cook. She could just pick up a burger, couldn’t she? Oh with a milkshake too! Maybe strawberry or chocolate. Could you mix those?

Eli was locked in very serious thought with equally important considerations as she made her way to the bus stop outside the library. It wasn’t a bad night to be out, still a little warm from the day but cool enough to feel nice as the concrete sighed the heat of the day. Eli paused beneath the glow of a streetlight, finally looking up from the spot in the distance she had not quite actually been watching as she walked.

There was a scuffling sound? Wasn’t there? Eli took in her surroundings, which was quite a lot of dark just outside the ring of light. The scuffling was from the direction of the library, which was closed at this time wasn’t it? Maybe someone was using the benches? Was someone trying to break in? Did people rob libraries?

“Hello?” Eli called into the dark.

 

[Katpride]

The voice startles her, and Adelyn’s limbs lock up. She falls on her butt with a thud and lays stunned on the concrete for a moment before she can convince the dumb lizard part of her brain to calm down. It wasn’t even that bad of a fall, jeez!

When she can finally move again, she tilts her head back, the concrete under her scraping unpleasantly against her scalp. “Hell-- oh! Hi Eli! It’s me, remember me?”

She hadn’t recognized the voice at first, what with her hearing being so different, but she recognizes that hair. She’s already scrambling to get her feet under her, rolling onto her stomach and pushing up with her arms. She ends up tripping slightly over her boots, overcompensating out of habit born from long years of wearing too-large footwear, and skitters towards Eli with her fingertips skimming the ground before finally managing to get fully upright.

“Hi!” Her eyes flash in the glow of the streetlight as she finally enters its circle of illumination, her grin nearly as bright. The difference in her appearance compared to the last time they’d crossed paths is stark; her hair, previously white with gray speckles, is entirely black, and her furry ears are noticeably missing. Her gloves and boots are slimmer, but still made of the same leather, lovingly cared for, and something in her mannerisms is different, her arms drawn close to her body and her head tilting slowly from side to side.

 

[UmbraSight]

“Woah!” Eli bounced back as someone came tumbling down from the top of the wall. Well maybe it wasn’t the top, but still someone came tumbling down! Eli had her arms raised in a defensive posture when another girl came bouncing up to her feet and… “Oh… oh!” Eli said once she recognized her friend. Which, it did take a moment given that Adelyn seemed to look a lot different than she had last time. Was it rude to say less… muppet-y?

“Adelyn!” Eli said brightly. She hesitated for a moment before going in for a hug. Was it rude to hug a friend out of the blue? Oh no. “Your hair is really cute!” Eli said, not letting stupid worries get in the way of her being happy.

She did, however, have to ask after a few seconds. “Also, why were you trying to climb the library?”