“Excuse me? Good afternoon, sir.” A serene voice greeted. “I was wondering if you could help me locate a certain book or section?”

The book keeper, weary looking man with graying hair, who wore glasses that magnified his eyes by at least four times, jerked awake causing the parts of the mountains of paper around his desk to rustle and float to the floor.

“Oh, I apologize!” The voice from earlier said. The book keeper pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, for all he could see was a blur of blue mass on the ground. When his vision was cleared there was a pale, blue haired woman on her knees, picking up his documents. And if he was as literate as he thought he was, she seemed to be a ranger. She fit the job description that he had read in one of his books.

Rangers are protectors of nature and skilled woodsmen, always of a good alignment. They are very similar to the fighter, able to train in any weapon type and use any armor efficiently, though they tend to require light armor to accommodate their skill range. Rangers are also popularly known for their keen tracking skills, and are often masters of stealth, hiding in shadows and moving silently. Generally, they have only limited magical abilities and don't dabble in the arcane arts, but they do tend to have a knack for animal empathy, able to calm frightened or hostile animals.

Both the ranger girl and the book keeper had read this somewhere before. The book keeper, when he was reading his new additions to the library, and Paradis, when she thought about joining that specific class. Now that he thought more about it, the book keeper was certain that she did fit the description. She wore a flowy dress, which sort of fell under the category of light armor. She had a very soothing voice, which he was sure could bring the edgiest of animals to ease. Her fingers were slender, sure to be handy with different sorts of weapons. Maybe not a heavy club or mallet, but if she practiced enough she could be good with dagger, a bow, and perhaps, maybe even a bow. And there was no doubt that this girl was definitely of a good nature. There was no way she could be sinister or wicked-

“Here you go.” Paradis said, interrupting the book keeper’s thoughts. She extended a hand filled with the papers that fell from the desk.

“Hm...” the book keeper said almost absent mindedly. He pushed the rim of his glasses up the bridge of his nose again and took them back. “Now what were you saying you needed miss?”

“A book.” She repeated. “Well, actually, I needed you to help me find a certain book.”

The book keeper nodded, but now he was curious. What exactly was a ranger doing indoors on a perfect day like this? In a library for that matter. It was a typical thing. But then again, not many people knew that Paradis wasn’t your typical ranger. “Tell me what you’re looking for.”

“Well, I was looking for a book on herbs. Something that I can use to add flavor to some dishes?” She asked hopefully. “Or perhaps something on animal behavioral changes, since I was planning to go hunting and its almost autumn...”

The Parmamar Library was one of Arda's greatest libraries, at least to the mind of the young mage-to-be that sat at one of the tables, a rather large book in front of her. Yuki Ishimura's green eyes scanned the page, trying her hardest to absorb what she was reading. However, irritation was slowly getting in the way of reason. She was alone today...alone in the library mainly because a certain sister of hers had decided to go on a drinking spree that she had done nothing but try to prevent the night before. Ruri would now be in their room at the Wilwarin Inn and Pub, sleeping off a hangover and hopefully not doing any more wandering.

Never. Again. thought Yuki as she flipped the page with a little more force than was necessary. Never again was she going to go out of her way to get her sister out of a drunken mess. Next time, Ruri would be on her own. Next time.

Her eyes softened slightly as she continued poring over the page, hand touching paper that was most probably older than she was. She could never leave Ruri alone. She just didn't have it in her. Her sister, for all her wild and confusing ways, was still a part of her, and she could never leave her. Never...

Yuki sighed, smoothing down the page with her hand as she continued to read. The rustling sound of scattering papers met her ears, and Yuki looked up, watching as an elven girl seemed to have startled the innkeeper, whose paperwork was now all over the floor.

That's the third elf since last night... thought Yuki, watching the Quendi curiously. The elven race was one of Arda's most prominent races, but she had expected to see more humans than elves on her journey with her sister. So far, however, everyone significant she had been meeting were of the elven race.

The young half-angel listened carefully to the conversation between them. Taking a look at the flowing dress she was wearing, and hearing her soothing voice, Yuki guessed that she was either a ranger or a druid, typical choices for those of elven heritage, because of their close affiliation with nature. She listened as the elf asked the librarian for a book on herbs.

Yuki's eyes drifted to the stack of books beside her. The one on the very top happened to deal with the subject of herbalism, which she imagined was the topic the elf was looking for. Perhaps she could give the elf the book...even invite the elf to sit at the table with her?

Fear gripped her heart at the thought of standing up and actually initiating a conversation. Yuki glanced at the book, and then back at the elf. Could she do it? Actually talk to someone without Ruri around? Yuki had always been shy, and she wondered if she would make a fool of herself by talking to the elven girl.

I will not be a burden anymore..., she thought, taking a deep breath as she picked up the book on herbs and walked slowly over to the elven girl. Not to Ruri...

"Um...I think this is the book you...uh...need," said Yuki shyly, finding herself unable to look the elf in the eye as she handed her the book.

Samath sat. To be precise, he meditated, despite the unorthodox conditions. Dirty basins and unsanitary plates lay strewn around the floor, looking for all the world like an abandoned pub. But it was not in fact abandoned, but a center of trade, rumor, and, he added to himself, some of the best apple brandy a man could ever wish for. Yes, the pub was his current dwelling, but as he pored over the vast, twisting spirals of knowledge of his mind, he knew that it was naught to be for a prolonged period of time. Due to the previous nights affair with a drunken brawl, he knew that the time for action had come.

Sighing softly as he gathered up his possessions, Samath tried not to look beaten down to the point were his great mind was perplexed. The drunken girl, her viscous attitude towards the elves, there was a connection somewhere. But where in the huge land of Arda, where in this vast land of the Above, could such evil be at hand? The only answer would lie in the Parmamar Library, where large documentaries of Arda’s past would be beckoning.

Samath hefted his pack onto his athletic shoulders, left his tab at the door, and set off to begin his adventure. His adventure that could change all of Arda, he thought grimly as he set off. The Library was not a far walk, and he expected to arrive within the hour.
“Better make it a bit quicker” he stated, “I’ve got a ton of reading to get finished by the time the day is out.” He quickened his pace to a steady trot.

The library was humongous. Samath had never seen such a towering building, held up by an intricate lattice of wooden framework. He gaped and slowly made his way through, all the while staring aghast at the sculptures above. In fact, he was so drawn in to the complex beauty, he almost collided with a young Atani.
“So sorry,” he muttered, “I wasn’t looking where I was headed.” He laughed in embarrassment, but cut himself off. “Say, do you have relatives at the pub?” The Atani looked quite put off, so Samath decided to put off the subject. “What’s your name?” he inquired. He tried to sound convincing, but he must have acted like he was bluffing, for the girl glowered at him, and walked briskly away.
“Wait!” Samath cried, drawing a number of shushes from the other readers. He hastily ran in the direction of the girl, the mysterious resemblance in the back of his mind.

Caine honestly had no idea why he was at the library. It didn't contain what he wanted to know, and, no matter how many times he went back, it never would. With a sigh he slumped down into one of the seats back against a wall, head hanging back listlessly. "I hate this place." he mumbled, eyes focusing blankly on one spot on the ceiling, willing time to go faster. He had time before his next shift, all he needed was something to do until then. Eyes glazing over he toyed around with the collar of his shirt, vaguely recognizing some noises now emitting from somewhere else in the library, along with some soft footsteps. Thinking nothing of it he broke out of his reverie, standing up and twisting his neck around, “Where should I look next…” Caine murmured to himself, eyes finally locking on a specific section. Just because Parmamar Library didn’t have anything about shapeshifters didn’t mean that he had to leave empty handed, after all, it was a ridiculously large library.

Striding over to the fiction section, Caine allowed his multicolored orbs to scan the titles, realizing a few books down that he must have been in the myth section, seeing titles bearing the names of proud heroes and fierce gods. His hand hovered over a book entitled The Great and Almighty Lothlomendil, pausing a second before grabbing it. It wasn’t often he indulged in some mythological information, and Caine figured it might do his well to actually know about the Goddess of Life. A little knowledge never hurt anyone. Besides, if he ever made it out to the Shrine of Life like he’d hoped to sometime before he died, it would likely help to know of the Goddess he was praying to. Or, at least he assumed it would.

He was a already quite a few pages into the book before a voice startled him, and he jolted upward, having completely forgotten where he was, “Um...I think this is the book you...uh...need,” A shy voice mumbled from around the shelves, barely loud enough for Caine to hear, and, keeping book clutched tightly to his chest, moved out into the aisle to look. Sure enough there was a young girl standing there, offering a book out to another girl, appearing to be Quendi, a young blue haired elf. A small smile drifted to his face, and he leaned against the end of the bookshelf, flipping open to the page he’d been on to continue his reading. If he didn’t finish the book by the time he had to leave, well, then he would have succeeded in leaving the library with something in his hands.

"Um...I think this is the book you...uh...need," A timid voice said from behind her.

Paradis turned around and to find a silver haired girl holding a book out. The elven girl couldn’t help but smile. She was so sweet, it reminded her a little of someone she knew... sort of like a little sister... “Hm...” Paradis said taking the book. She leafed through the pages and a few words jumped out at her. Rosemary, sage, oregano...

“Wow, this is perfect. Thanks so much, miss. You don’t mind if I borrow?” Paradis said to the silver haired girl with another friendly smile. Before she got an answer, Paradis turned around again to face the book keeper this time, and bowed her head slightly, sheepishly. “Sorry for bothering you, sir. You could go back to slee- I mean, uhm working or... whatever you were doing...”

She scratched the back of her head, a little embarrassed. Her tongue had slipped again. The book keeper gave the other girl an appraising look. He seemed to recognize that girl... perhaps, she thought, this girl was a regular at the library? She must have been... it would take forever to look through all these books and actually find what you were looking for... The book keeper turned around and headed back towards his desk, resuming his nap. Or afternoon work. “Oh, by the way, my name’s Fazel Paradis, you could call me Fazel or Paradis, whichever.” She pulled some hair behind her ear, and pondered for a moment. “Although, I’ve never really been attached to my first name. Anyways,”

There was no reason to be rude right? Might as well introduce herself to the girl that saved her hours of time that could have been wasted talking to that dull book keeper or looking through the massive shelves of books. Luckily for Paradis, there were more people in here than she had expected there would be today, which meant that she wouldn't be losing her sanity to boredom today. In fact, when the she had stepped through these doors earlier today and found out that she was the only visitor Paradis wouldn’t have been surprised. But apparently there were more than just three people here. There was another boy here reading, doing what most normal people did when they came to the library, that had caught her eye earlier as she was talking. And there was a sort of, er, quiet commotion happening near them. But Paradis looked forward (although the girl didn’t seem to be very fond of eye contact), still smiling, and trying so very hard not to give into her curiousity and look nosy.

Yuki shook her head timidly as the elven girl asked if she minded if she borrowed the book. She was glad that she could help the girl, and also that she had mustered up the courage to do so on her own. This was the first time that she had talked to someone for the first time without Ruri helping her. She smiled as the elf began to flip through the book. If she was interested in herbs, than she was almost definitely a ranger. That didn't surprise Yuki in the least.

"I don't mind..." she said, quietly, "I'm glad I could help."

She frowned, her mind racing to think of a way to start conversation. A part of her just wanted to go back to the table and hide behind her set of books, but she couldn't do that now. She had to face her fears, or she would never be of any help to Ruri. Yuki opened her mouth slightly, about to say something to the elven girl, when the elf spoke first, introducing herself as Fazel Paradis, and saying that she had never been attached to her first name. So she wanted to be called Paradis then? Yuki could do that.

"It's nice to meet you, Paradis," said Yuki shyly, meeting the girl's blue eyes with her green ones as she turned to her. "My name is Yuki Ishimura, but just Yuki is fine."

She took a deep breath, deciding that if she was going to make conversation, now would be the time. At least Paradis seemed nice, just like the other elf she had met last night--Dria. Before Yuki could say a word, however, she was suddenly aware of a commotion going on in the library. She turned her head, watching as a brown-haired man called out to an Atani, before being shushed by all the other readers. The sight was funny, and reminded the girl instantly of Ruri.

Ruri and that man would get along well... she thought as she smiled at the sight. It was funny when someone else was doing it, but had that been her sister, she would have not hesitated to get angry. It did seem like something Ruri would do, and she wondered if that man had ever met her twin.

Then again...Ruri gets along well with everyone...almost everyone.

She turned away from the sight and put the thoughts out of her head, turning to Paradis. She wanted to talk to the girl, but what would she talk about? With Dria, it had been reading, but she didn't doubt that Paradis already knew how to read. Then, she thought of something. It wasn't much, but it was better than standing around timidly.

"You're a ranger, aren't you, Paradis?" she asked quietly. She couldn't think of anything else to ask, so she had asked the first thing that came to mind.

Caine found himself no longer able to concentrate on his book, eyes locked on the two conversing, peering between the shelves. The way each held themselves spoke so much of their personality, and Caine was fascinated, "Oh, by the way. my name's Fazel Paradis, you could call me Fazel or Paradis, whichever. Although, I've never really been attached to my first name. Anyways." The elven girl spoke, voice light and harmonious. Paradis. "It's nice to meet you, Paradis." the second, shyer girl mumbled, "My name is Yuki Ishimura, but just Yuki is fine." The name seemed slightly familiar, but Caine could place from where, so he shook it off.

A small commotion diverted his attention, a boy running after yet anothe girl, the girl snottily turning away. Caine couldn't help but rold his eyes, scoffing softly under his breath. It wouldn't have hure her to me nice... His eyes darted back to the two girls, a small pang of guilt striking his chest It's like I'm a stalker... he mused, eyes twinkling at the though. Again Caine allowed his eyes to scan the bookshelf, looking for any more titles that popped out at him. Finding none he once more concentrated on Paradis and Yuki, both standing hesitantly and slightly awkwardly around each other. Clearly still strangers.

"You're a ranger, aren't you, Paradis?" Yuki asked softly. At that Caine's ears perked up and he stepped out from behind the bookshelf, taking a few strides forward to meet them, "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but hear bits of your conversation and was intrigues." Coming to a halt he smiled at them, "You see, I myself am a ranger or sorts. An archer, really." Straightening his position his eyes twinkled merrily, grin everpresent on his face, awaiting their reactions.