"Thank you for your submission! I'll be sure to get a label on this first, but as a preemptive warning, I'm just letting you know that we'll have to introduce this book to the Restoration committee before we get it on the shelves or rent it to you."
"Eh?" Gasped Iris. Of course, she knew the dilapidated book would need some polishing, but she didn't expect the worker to be so blunt about it. Swallowing her words, she smiled at the woman. "Loud and clear, miss! But, um, if I do find a book that I really like, I can still check it out, right?"
"Aha, that's a silly question!" The woman working the check-in giggled and gestured to another corner of the room. "Of course you can, hun, but you'll take that to the kind man over there at the check-out." Hovering above the register was a few wooden letters that read "CHECK OUT", hoisted on a thick cloud being supplied by a machine that the man at the cashier was running with none other than technomancy.
She said goodbye to the girl working the check out and, with a less-than-average amount of pep in her step, walked through the library that was scattered with sunlight. The Summit Library had always been an architectural marvel- the ceilings, which had countless holes in them as to let the warm daylight fill the room, stretched meters and meters into the sky. Several of the wooden shelves were outfitted with plants and vines that ventured up the overarching shelves, but stayed on their respective and nearby shelves. And, of course, words can barely describe the wonders tucked away in the books- from fantastical novels that seem to swallow the reader whole, to books outfitted with diagrams that can serve as useful to anyone, the Summit Library seems to have it all. Iris loved all of it, and not just because it looked nice in her collection.
Iris took a seat next to Mina, who inquired as to how the conversation went. Iris replied quickly, telling her all about how the woman was very kind and sort of like if a stereotypical librarian wasn't as straight-laced.
"Hey, Mina, you know how to use technomancy, don't you?" The question came as a shock to Mina- of course, coming from a long line of technomages, Iris being the first not to know how to manipulate machinery like everyone else in her family had led to many questions, long nights of tears, and rants about being the family outcast, but the topic hadn't risen for a good few months now.
"Yeah," Mina replied shortly, closing her book. "I thought you had forgotten about that whole thing. Mom taught me, but it just came naturally. Why are you asking me?"
"It's just that, I saw a technomage doing something with it at the check out counter. I mean, not to sound rude, but it was a lot cooler than anything that I've seen you or mom or anyone else do. No offense, not at all! I was just really interested and suddenly got sad about it, so..."
"None taken," Said Mina. "Well, you've never caught on to it. I don't know why you can't seem to get it, like, at all, but you really need to forget about it. It's next to impossible, but I can't stop you from dreaming I guess. Even if it's going to be fruitless as hell. You know how it's hard to make a big splash as a celebrity once you hit a certain age? You've hit that age, but with technomancy. You're almost 18, it's time to get realistic. Oh, but no offense." After such a blunt statement, Mina nonchalantly shrugged and picked her book back up.
"Please don't just act high and mighty just because you can do something that I can't. God, Mina! Sometimes, you ought to get off of your high horse." Huffed Iris, rising to her feet. "Good riddance! I don't like being upset, so I'm sorry if I overreacted, but please stop saying all of these things! I'm going to go get a book, and hopefully forget how mean you just were."
Sibling feuds are always temporary, and this happens a lot, which is always a reassuring thought to a girl on the verge of tears from the usual older-sibling-berating. As she stormed off, Iris' thoughts rolled around in her head, before she walked across a sign- this time held up by a piece of wood, much to her relief. The sign read "T - V". Having a good feeling about the aisle, Iris walked in.
"Eh?" Gasped Iris. Of course, she knew the dilapidated book would need some polishing, but she didn't expect the worker to be so blunt about it. Swallowing her words, she smiled at the woman. "Loud and clear, miss! But, um, if I do find a book that I really like, I can still check it out, right?"
"Aha, that's a silly question!" The woman working the check-in giggled and gestured to another corner of the room. "Of course you can, hun, but you'll take that to the kind man over there at the check-out." Hovering above the register was a few wooden letters that read "CHECK OUT", hoisted on a thick cloud being supplied by a machine that the man at the cashier was running with none other than technomancy.
She said goodbye to the girl working the check out and, with a less-than-average amount of pep in her step, walked through the library that was scattered with sunlight. The Summit Library had always been an architectural marvel- the ceilings, which had countless holes in them as to let the warm daylight fill the room, stretched meters and meters into the sky. Several of the wooden shelves were outfitted with plants and vines that ventured up the overarching shelves, but stayed on their respective and nearby shelves. And, of course, words can barely describe the wonders tucked away in the books- from fantastical novels that seem to swallow the reader whole, to books outfitted with diagrams that can serve as useful to anyone, the Summit Library seems to have it all. Iris loved all of it, and not just because it looked nice in her collection.
Iris took a seat next to Mina, who inquired as to how the conversation went. Iris replied quickly, telling her all about how the woman was very kind and sort of like if a stereotypical librarian wasn't as straight-laced.
"Hey, Mina, you know how to use technomancy, don't you?" The question came as a shock to Mina- of course, coming from a long line of technomages, Iris being the first not to know how to manipulate machinery like everyone else in her family had led to many questions, long nights of tears, and rants about being the family outcast, but the topic hadn't risen for a good few months now.
"Yeah," Mina replied shortly, closing her book. "I thought you had forgotten about that whole thing. Mom taught me, but it just came naturally. Why are you asking me?"
"It's just that, I saw a technomage doing something with it at the check out counter. I mean, not to sound rude, but it was a lot cooler than anything that I've seen you or mom or anyone else do. No offense, not at all! I was just really interested and suddenly got sad about it, so..."
"None taken," Said Mina. "Well, you've never caught on to it. I don't know why you can't seem to get it, like, at all, but you really need to forget about it. It's next to impossible, but I can't stop you from dreaming I guess. Even if it's going to be fruitless as hell. You know how it's hard to make a big splash as a celebrity once you hit a certain age? You've hit that age, but with technomancy. You're almost 18, it's time to get realistic. Oh, but no offense." After such a blunt statement, Mina nonchalantly shrugged and picked her book back up.
"Please don't just act high and mighty just because you can do something that I can't. God, Mina! Sometimes, you ought to get off of your high horse." Huffed Iris, rising to her feet. "Good riddance! I don't like being upset, so I'm sorry if I overreacted, but please stop saying all of these things! I'm going to go get a book, and hopefully forget how mean you just were."
Sibling feuds are always temporary, and this happens a lot, which is always a reassuring thought to a girl on the verge of tears from the usual older-sibling-berating. As she stormed off, Iris' thoughts rolled around in her head, before she walked across a sign- this time held up by a piece of wood, much to her relief. The sign read "T - V". Having a good feeling about the aisle, Iris walked in.