two

[defyingreality]

I think I get why people get so annoyed when they try to fight me.

[ He's somewhat amused by what had happened. Mainly because what happened felt a lot like what he usually does to other people - well, Phobiaclones didn't count but still - except that he was one of those other people this time. He had felt that something was going to happen, the same gentle way that he felt matters shift back home but without the pressing headache or the way reality suddenly was sounds-light-energy blending into thoughts pressing on his head. ]

Anyways, I had a feeling that this was going to be a low effort kind of event a few minutes before it hit, and I guess it was an ability? From the Library? Like the way I can almost create items from books, or talk instead of write in the journals. We really need to work on complying exactly what everyone can do in order to make better choices going forward. That story was gentle. I doubt we will have such luck next time.

In other news, I can procure a almost decent pot of coffee so long as I don't walk away, so if anyone wants some, just ask.

Comments

[awreck]

[ Wreck is still suffering without the Unmute skill. ]

You're only just now understanding that?

[ Well, he kind of gets it. After all, the only way X could ever know what it would be like is if he could fight himself. ]

I've been practicing manipulating matter. I guess it's ultimately not too different from what I can normally do? Except instead of breaking things apart, I'm putting them together. Something like that.

I think I know what you mean, though. About looking away and then it's gone. That's happening to me, too. I can't make anything big, either, so I don't know how useful it is.

Anyway, I'm sure you know, but this is Wreck and I still can't get the audio to work on my end, so go ahead and respond however you like.

[defyingreality]

Well... yes. [ He laughs because really, he was unique in all the ranks of the Heroes. ]

The coffee is still a little off, but it's not as bad as the stuff the library has. Maybe in a couple more stories, we'll have some actual energy drinks as well.

[awreck]

Don't tempt me. Caffeine withdrawal is so, so real.

Have you tried procuring things other than coffee?

[defyingreality]

It is. I chug an insane amount of caffeinated sugared drinks ever since I joined the Hero Ranking.

I've been focusing on the coffee. Also wanted to continue one of my webnovels but that's not as successful as the coffee.

[awreck]

You had time to read web novels?

[ Oh. Right. The whole work-life balance thing. ]

Nevermind. I can figure out why.

You want me to help? I'm not promising anything because I think finding a web novel you've been reading in this library is basically impossible, but I can help you look anyway. What kind of web novels are you into?

[dovedive]

I can only be so lucky that I haven't been able to experience that sort of humiliating defeat just yet. Thank you for taking one for the team, X.

[ Don't mind a little bit of Cheek, he's trying to cope from dealing with all this craziness. Even if the stories they were "playing in" were gentle, they still left his mind feeling mentally exhausted when he had already come into this place feeling so.]

[defyingreality]

I can be pretty nice during my fights and just ease people out. I only save the really nasty tricks for those that make me mad.

[ Dragonboy being turned into paper was not that harsh of an attack, not really. ]

Are you doing okay?

[dovedive]

[ He completely forgot about hearing X's voice and visibly jumped again. Dang, he needs to stop being surprised by that. X and his fancy journal... ]

I'd hate to see what you'd do for someone who really makes you mad.

[ he got a brief taste of X's power when he teleported him and again when Dragon Boy was somehow crumpled up literally, and he still has no idea what he witnessed. X's power is seriously something else. ]

I'm... managing.

[ He's just grateful he got stuck in that story with Wreck, because he managed to keep any of the aliens from getting too handsy with him. ]

[defyingreality]

I'd say to look for what might be street art of Phobiaclones in walls... but that isn't me being mad at them. A little exasperated but yeah.

[ He hasn't really hit extreme anger yet. He's gotten annoyed, and freaked out early on when he was still getting use to his ability but mad, well, if he was to face a couple CEOs in battle, he might actually show his temper. ]

That's good to hear. I'm hoping you can take some time to relax. Stress really isn't good for anyone.

[aetherialshackles]

I try not to fight with people but now I'm curious about what happened there.

As for your ability: I have the same skill. Do you think abilities are somewhat 'set'? from the library? Because if we all have similar ones it could be interesting to compile a list of what people can do and maybe, just maybe, start working on a 'guide' for newcomers. Assuming more people will follow us or that it may be needed between us.

- Erich

voice;

[defyingreality]

Oh, I wasn't fighting. I found the plushies and then observed the humans 'in their natural habitat' while ignoring the whole therapy thing. But back home, there were fights daily. It was expected especially for the Heroes.

It would make sense. I can't see this place having each person gain abilities that won't help them inside the books - if that's something we need to do a lot of. The library is unfinished so I bet we are here to finish what we can to make room for more unfinished works.

[aetherialshackles]

While I understand the charm of studying creatures in what's a somewhat natural environment for them, I feel like that if we're talking about the story... those 'humans' could not be accurate to their real counterparts.

i wonder if we should start working on some level of compendium for... all of this. I'd take care of it myself, but I'm roughly at least twice the size of other beings in this place so I'm not entirely certain it'd be convenient for everyone. As for those powers, perhaps they only serve small purposes here for the sake of entertaining us? Since we seem unable to carry them in the Stories?

We are in some sort of prison, when you think of it, it could be considered 'enrichment'.

[defyingreality]

For the aliens that were there, it's what they thought. Or at least that's what my role thought.

It had been suggested before, but I think we really do need to make one. I have a feeling that just because we have overlaps in abilities, understanding how they work will differ between people.

Oh, I can't deny that, but I also feel a lot like being stuck at a working retreat as well. At least there's no forced team building activities.

[Text]

[aetherweaver]

I have an ability to make it so I don't lose things when I turn around, apparently. I could use some good coffee, though. Or decent.

voice;

[defyingreality]

All I can offer is decent right now. Good I think will wait until I can coax out some fresh coffee beans and a grinder from a book.

I haven't tested for anything else at the moment, but last time I seem to have a few tricks that others didn't. Like speaking instead of writing. Also the Changing Room actually doesn't give me a problem.

voice;

[aetherweaver]

I'll take decent over whatever this place hasa.

Hm. I'm still having problems with that one, but I can at least usually find a section of books relevant to what I'm looking for.

[defyingreality]

Stop by the small kitchen in the next hour then. I'll have a pot waiting.

I just started getting the knack for that. I wonder if it's from something we got after being in the book or just familiarity.

[angel_of_baal]

[POINT OF ORDER GOOD SIR.] Low

effort

event

????

[It was the literal second worst thing that has ever happened to Sanguinius.]

[defyingreality]

No one died. No one was dismembered. There was no war, no disease, no famine. We were not enslaved or beaten or locked in prison - well the alien ship might have been prison in a way but they weren't going to cut people open while alive.

So a low effort event. There weren't any giant lizards trying to eat people or running a breeding program even like some alien movies I've watched.

[angel_of_baal]

Low impact, perhaps, by that measure.

But effort? On the part of....whoever cast that sorcery, on such a large number? That was no small feat.

[defyingreality]

Magic? I really didn't think of it happening that way. It just felt more like a shift in the space-time to me. Which... isn't that hard to do.

But that's something in my world. It might be different when it comes to other worlds.

[extrasaltypotato]

It’s possible you dodged around the main plot entirely, if you think we all got off light. Details available on request.

But point taken. This was a drama. An adventure or, gods forbid, horror story would test far more than our patience. …and remind me to discuss with certain friends the ramifications of being the Actors in a romance well in advance.

Proper coffee would be most appreciated, thank you for offering.

- 光
Hikaru

[defyingreality]

Possible but also I admit that I view reality - the defining traits to other people that is - as mere guidelines with the consistency of wet tissues. This Library has been the first place that actively hasn't allowed me to do whatever since I first built my Trust. That reminds me I should print off some of the webnovels I have about infinite flow horror or transmogrified people into stallion romances. They can be used as lessons in case those happen to us.

It's not at a hundred percent yet but it's still better than what we've started out with.

[extrasaltypotato]

Trust building exercises, you say. You wouldn't happen to hail from the same worldline as Wreck, would you?

I know some friends who would appreciate those novels for their literary merits, however dubious. I may be one of them.

Though I do hope that by Gnomon's grace the sites you got them from have a robust tagging system, because the results of not having them would bid my story be named I Woke Up One Day As My Pixie Wizard From An MMO, And I Miss Being Tall And Having A Mustache.

I am working on the second, at least.

- 光
Hikaru

[defyingreality]

We do. Wreck's one of the Adversaries that the agencies made to fight their Heroes. Pure PR even if the people involved get hurt a lot. Then again, being Heroes do give us a faster recovery time when it comes to plain fighting. Powered fights... well, those get lethal.

[ Unfortunately. He knows that the HAC has their reasons, but it still was horrible seeing people getting swept up into those fights not realizing that they were given a death sentence by the group who claims protecting both heroes and civilians alike. ]

They do. Wrong tagging can get people into legal trouble to the point of jail time.