A slow day at the library

[Peyton]

Everything was silent. The only thing she could hear was her own breathing as she stacked books on top of one another. A typical Saturday afternoon at the library. Nobody really came in on Saturday. Peyton liked it though. It meant she had the whole place to herself and didn't have to bother with people pestering her about finding a certain book. As she continued stacking the books, she occasionally set a few aside. Peyton would probably read those during the day and when she got home.

As she started putting books back onto the bookshelves, she heard the doors swing open and shut. Quite loudly to be exact. She held in a groan and rolled her eyes. It was probably some brat who came in to throw a temper tantrum or just pester her. She continued doing her job though, hoping they would assume that the library was closed or something.

[Toss Ivanova]

Hometown. Yes? It was only mildly comforting. It was almost like...gasp he was here too often. Something about the industrial scenery and the incessant amount of smog was oh-so attracting. Mm yes, lung cancer was rancid in the air--if there was any air. It was a good thing he was resistant to...most things, otherwise he'd probably die from coming here frequently if not from being raised in the vicinity of toxic fumes. Speaking of being raised, his parents (obviously) were thrilled with his visits all the way from Creig. He tended to test drive planes right to his front door, pop in, say hi, and ascend back into the sky, thankful that he didn't demolish his house (because that would suck). Yeah, it was taking a chance, but he was also a risky sort of guy. Plus, his dad liked to see all the strange sorts of things Carraig was building for him to fly. Just a glance was enough to excite the old man. Hanna, now living with his parents to take care of them, seemed way too hyper every time he arrived. What, too coped up at home? All well. Your choice. He had nothing to do with it. But it sure as hell was better than sending the old couple into some home where they probably fed them sewer water and magnetic fish. He cringed, pocketed his hand, kept walkin'.

The city blocks were still out of order. Indications of RIOTE's bombings were still shown on every street corner. Police were patrolling like they were on speed--the civilians should be giving them tickets jesus he almost got run over. Ducking out of the way of sirens, he meandered down another block, turned right, found his plane, and boarded it. She was a brand new model, reeking of that fresh, clean, leather smell. No one had spilled coffee in this one yet. It was also much small than The Fallacy: his big, red beauty capable of breaching the atmosphere and reentering. This plane was an attempt remodel of his, but on the way over, it was faltering a bit. He couldn't detect what exactly was wrong with her: smoke the whole spiel. He managed to get it under control long enough to land and grab a soda, say hey to the parentals, dodge his sister's clingy hands, and escape back to the new plane model. Smooth, white exterior and all; it just screamed destruction. He hoped it'd make the journey back or else Gavin would have to pay for damages and come pick him up. That was the price he had to pay, he guessed, for housing something like himself. Ah, whatever happened happened.

He started the engine, all was good. He got in the air, all was good. He was about to flip on the radio and jam out with his soda when the red lights started flaring. Shit. His stomach lurched like it always did; the human in him gasping in horror while he laughed out loud. He was gunna crash. Well, that would have been a glorious death had he not been, well, immortal. Even despite that, he wasn't going to lose a life today; the impact just wasn't strong enough. That is, if he didn't manage to land it before-- OH SHIT TALL BUILDING. He swerved, the momentum throwing the small aircraft into an out-of-control spin. While others would be getting sick and squeezing their eyes closed, Toss stared straight ahead, fingers tapping buttons, rewiring the engine at the last minute to pull up from the ground. Grass kicked up, people ran out of the way in bewilderment. The thrusters were jacked, sputtering, pushed to the max. It wasn't enough. He was going to hit that building. All well. He waved as he passed the civilians by, mouthing sorry even though they probably couldn't see through the brand new tinted windows.

Dust. It was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes--red glinting in darkness. Feral slits of pupils dove to the left. A child who seemed to have just entered the door was inches from the ruptured metal of broken wings. The motor was rumbling, the child's eyes wide, library card clutched. Books lay open. Discarded words. Toss, befitted with a monstrous crown of scales, rose from the fray, walking through flames with a precarious look. The premises seemed devoid of mortals. There was no death toll today. For that, his indifference bled away. Pure white hair was singed with smoke, frayed at the tips, twisting away from the damage as if to avoid it. Iridescence flashed off the walls like holding a diamond to sunlight: it was his skin. He sidestepped the pieces of Carraig's invested hope, stopping only when he reached a ladder leaning against a bookshelf still standing. Out of reach from the flames, he flicked bangs damp with sweat from out of his eyes. As the scales slowly faded back into the recesses of pale skin, he touched the ladder, moving it away from a victim's grasp. Her short hair shifted in the torrents of oxygen being absorbed by the heat. Red, reflective, Toss was lost for a moment. "I'm sorry," he breathed, obviously fatigued and losing his balance. "It would be a good idea to get the phone now."

[Peyton]

"I'm sorry," he breathed, obviously fatigued and losing his balance. "It would be a good idea to get the phone now."

"What.. WHAT THE HELL!?" That was the only thing she could say to this situation.

This man, had crashed a PLANE into the library!!! She shook her head and darted over to the child that had just come in. Peyton checked for bleeding, bruises, and scratches. After finding that he was okay, she sent him on his way. Then, she turned right back to the man who had caused all this.

"S-sir are you alright? What happened, why were you flying a plane so close to the city? Don't you know this is a no flying zone??" She started to throw a million questions at him.

While waiting for answers, she rushed over to the desk and grabbed the first aid kit. He looked like he was in pain and hurt. So, of course she would help him. She swiftly walked back over and began asking him if he was in pain anywhere, disregarding the fact that he had answered none of her questions. She bent over, beginning to dig through the kit.

[Toss Ivanova]

"What.. WHAT THE HELL!?" It appeared she was going into shock. Toss stood there like an idiot. What could he do now? It wasn't like he could smack her to snap her out of it or anything. Then it would definitely look like he was assaulting her. He didn't want to be that guy and he certainly didn't want to scare her more. Half-leaning against the book shelf, he studied her wide eyes as if waiting for something to click, but it never came. She was definitely in shock.

"The phone," he repeated with an irritated look. The longer this went on, the more guilty he would look, and he really wasn't in the mood to go in for weeks of questioning. Long hours under a singular light, yeah, the clichés were cliché for a reason. He had to experience it multiple times. 'I'm telling you I work for the Creig government. We are authorized to test our aircrafts over this area. READ THE PAPERS.' But of course, officials were too stupid and blind to realize that if they just read the damn paperwork, they would learn that they were the ones in the wrong instead of having to wait until Gavin came all the way out there to come get his sorry ass. Even Toss didn't think he was worth it to come and pick up, but every time King Gavin was there with his entourage, and Toss was surprised time and time again. There really was someone in this world that cared about him...and it was his employer. Funny how that worked out. In return, Toss would go to hell and back for his King.

The girl who had seemed too stunned to move was now mostly across the room, checking the child to see if he was okay. "He's fine!" Toss called over, clasping a hand around his lips for louder audio over the raging fires. She seemed to have concluded the same thing and sent him away. It was for the best anyway. Having another person to wait for questioning would just be annoying...especially if it was a little kid. Ugh, he could imagine it now. They have to buy the kid a milkshake and spend hours comforting and pampering him until he opened his mouth, and then his mother would come and scold Toss for involving her precious baby. They'd never hear the end of it. At the end of the day, Toss would be wrinkly and gray. Good decision, lady. Just saved like a shit load of trouble. Taking and wielding his Creig accent, Toss called over, holding a thumbs up. "Good job there!" Energy expended, Toss flopped back against the bookshelf, nearly knocking it down this time. "Whoops."

"S-sir are you alright? What happened, why were you flying a plane so close to the city? Don't you know this is a no flying zone??" Sir? He blinked wildly. Did he look like a sir? Well, that was just odd. He lifted a finger, and pointed it at her like an out-of-luck drunk, but was immediately silenced the moment she pulled out the first aid kit, interrogating him about where it hurt. Toss shook his head and repointed his finger at her, this time able to get his words past her flurry of reaction.

"This is actually a fly zone. You just aren't supposed to know about it." Sideways look. "Also, I'm fine. Just tired. You can put that away; it won't help me."

[Peyton]

"This is actually a fly zone. You just aren't supposed to know about it."Sideways look. "Also, I'm fine. Just tired. You can put that away; it won't help me."

She felt her eye visibly twitch. There was a fly zone so close to the city!? What were the idiots running those kinds of things THINKING?! There were a lot of buildings and people, someone could've been killed today! The fact that civilians weren't supposed to know about it was pretty sketchy as well. She wanted answers, and darn it she was going to get them. Since he insisted he was fine, she set aside her maternal instincts and put the kit away. After that she looked back over at him with studious and wary eyes, her light blue irises seemed to be staring into his very soul. She could be intimidating when she wanted to. She could also crack someone's skull if she wanted to too.

As she truly examined the careless pilot, she noticed he had some odd looks. Then again, who was she to judge on looks? She had hair the color of fresh blood for crying out loud, and more freckles then she would ever dare to even attempt to count.

"What do you mean I'm not supposed to know? Who are you?" She asked in a bit more of a demanding voice, still being careful around the stranger.

[Toss Ivanova]

Her eye twitched. Oh shit. He'd pissed her off. Somehow in all of this fiasco, he had handled the situation wrong. Now he was screwed. If she said anything bad about him to the authorities, they'd steal him and question him for DAYS. There would be no end. He'd have to beg Gavin again. You know, the whole 'omgpleasesaveme' sort of begging. He hated that. It totally wasn't his style, but it wasn't like he had a choice or anything. When push came to shove, he was tossed completely into the hell zone. Hence the name. It seemed his parents had guessed right when they named him. Eternally screwed. Yep, that was him. And it was totally happening right now. With that eye twitch.

He was sure he'd never win. What with her now staring at him with the intensity of those 8O fish. Blubbling around, they were avariciously poised at all times. 'FOOD!' their eyes declared. He was sure that this girl wasn't asking for food, however. Though, he was kinda hungry...and bruised. Among other things. Needless to say, he couldn't blame the fish. Their mentality was fairly similar to his own, which was why he had totally already stuffed a book about Space down his shirt. What? He had already read all the Space-related books in Carraig. No one had the right to judge him. It was in his blood, which would have been literally spilling from him had he not had Greed vilely submerged into himself. He was thankful, yet at the same time...where was he even going to put this book? When was he going to find time to read it? Didn't matter. He wanted it. No, he had it already. Maybe she was staring at him so intensely because she suspected him of taking it? No, she couldn't possibly have seen. He was considered a pro for a reason. Hell, he could count the bills in her wallet if he felt so inclined, but money never interested the Ishvallan; he found worth in other things. Needless to say, he was an odd one.

"What do you mean I'm not supposed to know? Who are you?" She blurted out. Toss was at an impasse. Should he really tell her or fake it? Should he refuse to answer or just give in? AHHTHECHOICES. They were always so difficult when he got himself into a pinch. So maybe it was better to dodge the question entirely, not that he cared much for reading into it all, but he was seriously concerned with escaping the interrogation part entirely. It pissed him off actually. Why did she expect him to just lay out everything on the table for her? Weren't there more important issues at hand here? Like the library currently going up in flames? If the damn people didn't get there soon, there would be casualties. What could he say? Shit happened. He'd be dead too if it weren't for a certain someone currently in control of Drachma. That bitch. Not that he wanted to be dead, but... It was just annoying. All of it was off-setting. He was sick of it.

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

[Peyton]

"Shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

Introduce herself.....? HE HAD FLOWN HIS PLANE INTO THE LIBRARY AND ALMOST KILLED EVERYONE INSIDE, AND HE CARES ABOUT INTRODUCTIONS!?

"Ugh! Forget it! Let's just get out of here!" She grabbed his arm with her dainty hand. It barely fit around his whole arm.

Usually she wouldn't be so straightforward with a complete stranger, but this time was an exception. If this asshole wouldn't tell her what she wanted to know, then she'd get her own damned answers. Peyton would not allow this man to push her around. Peyton started pulling the man towards the door, trying to avoid the flames.

Unfortunately, the flames had spread pretty rapidly. Their path was now blocked by a wall of fire. The smoke was rising, and it was getting harder to breath. Peyton coughed and waved a hand in front of her face. The some stung her eyes and caused them to water.

"Damn it, the exit is blocked!" She began looking around for a window low enough for them to climb out of. The fire was continuing to spread. Books were catching fire, causing it to rise. How would they get out of this mess!?

[Toss Ivanova]

"Ugh! Forget it! Let's just get out of here!" W-w-what?! He froze completely, staring avidly at the phone just across the way. But the phone was right there?! Why were they gunna leave to get a phone? He reached grabby hands towards it, but immediately his arm was captured by--by... Dumbstruck he stared mindlessly at her fingers gripping his arm, tugging him along. He followed by sheer bewilderment, cheeks flushed a bright red nearly the same shade as his eyes.

"W-wait, the phone?" He stammered, struggling to resist the pull of a FEMALE. Sweating in nervousness, they ducked around flames and fallen bookshelves, feet treading upon ashes of the read. Singed white hair shifted in the heat of the fires, eyes momentarily captured by the beauty of his ship burning. Destruction. Occasional cravings. Her hand. Drawing him back, they turned away from the fire--away from the phone--away from everything that should have been. He had to stay, but he wasn't. No, it would be okay. Gavin would understand if he left a burning building before it collapsed. He was getting this girl out of there right? Sirens. Faint wails in the distance, people had already caught on. Well, less work for him. So long as this girl--whatever he name was--stayed alive. No casualties. Just the way he liked it. When people died, it really sucked, (and usually wasn't his fault). Not that he didn't take some level of responsibility...sometimes. But it wasn't always ponies and rainbows when it came to test piloting airplanes. Bam. They stopped darting around debris and--oh. Oh.

"Damn it, the exit is blocked!"

"Would you look at that." Toss tapped his cheek, finally getting his arm back. She immediately began searching for something. Did she lose her wallet? He tried to figure it out, but his patience wore thin. "What on earth are you looking for??" Oh right, she couldn't just walk through the fire like he could. Well, that could be problematic.

[Peyton]

"What on earth are you looking for??"

What was she looking for? WHAT WAS SHE LOOKING FOR!? Was this man some sort of idiot!?

"AN EXIT SO WE DON'T DIE!" She shouted.

Again, it was unlike her to scream at people she didn't know. But, this was an entirely different situation. Their LIVES were at stake. If they didn't get out soon they'd burn up like these books! She returned to her frantic searching. Then, up high, she could see it. A window! Oh but it was still far too tall for them to reach! She'd have to use her wits to get them out of this.

Peyton rushed over to a spot underneath the window, and picked up a charred piece of wood. She began drawing a circle out with the soot produced from it. Yeah, this was the correct circle. Formulas and chemical compounds spurred around in her head as she continued drawing. It was getting more and more difficult to keep her focus though. The smoke was thickening and getting in her eyes. She coughed and wheezed as she continued drawing. She had to finish, otherwise they'd die!

"A-almost done. Just hang in there.." the lack of oxygen was taking its toll on her. She was fighting to keep conscious now. Her world was turning black...

She felt the piece of wood start slipping from her hands as she just about finished. She was going to die... It's almost funny how she was going out though. Her mother, and all her siblings had died the very same way. Only she had escaped this death. Was this how they felt when they died?

[Toss Ivanova]

"AN EXIT SO WE DON'T DIE!" He winced...outwardly, immediately regretting it. Toss was letting show obvious discomfort regarding the issue at hand, tapping his fingers together like a scolded child. Well, some things just didn't change, but still, he preferred to at least appear more collected. There was just something about this girl that offset him--threw him off balance a bit. He...wasn't really expecting a victim to be dragging him about. A frustrated sigh escaped him and he rolled his eyes to the burning ceiling.

"I won't die." The frown turned upside down into a cadaverous smirk. "No worries." What was at stake here was mainly her life, which he honestly didn't care about, yet at the same time, it was slightly important that she remain alive. He wasn't a fan of death and didn't wish it on anyone (at the moment), so did that mean that he had to save her from this mess...or just wait for the police to arrive? What was really annoying was that she was trying to get them out of there when it was far smarter to stay and wait. Though...she could possibly die from smoke inhalation so maybe it was smart for her just not for him.

While Toss was nodding to himself in contemplation, said girl, went about drawing something in the dirt. It really wasn't of any concern to him at this point. Honestly, he was too busy trying to figure out a way to get her out of there without carrying out a singed corpse. That... He just couldn't deal with that. The poor girl. She definitely didn't seem to deserve that kind of fate...though she did yell a lot. And it was annoying. Wait. Why was it so quiet!? He turned from his thoughts and stared blankly down a charred piece of floor board being used as a utensil to some strange drawing in the ash. "A-almost done. Just hang in there.." Sh...she was trying to save...him?! Horrified, Toss went immediately to stop her from her task. Was...was that alchemy? He blinked, sidestepping around it and immediately to her side where she began to sway. Nope. Not happening. Somewhat thankful that she wasn't about to steal the spotlight, the homunculus saw his chance.

She was blacking out; she would wake up and think it was all a hallucination. Like in those movies and stuff. Yeah. Not a problem then; he would just have to-- The ceiling groaned overhead, spraying them suddenly with an array of flames. Dancing and curling through the smoke, for a moment, there was nothing but a haze. No air. No breath. Raw power surged from beneath the cascading rubble, Toss vanishing into it. A crackle of bones snapping, a stretching of plastered scales, leaking a mishmash of surreal color. Blinding. Bright, white wings wrapped around the girl, a throaty growl ripping through the wall as if it were weightless. Scales ricocheting heat, a large flap waved away the rows of bookshelves. Dragon antlers scraped carelessly against what was left of the ceiling, revealing then the sky. Into it, they jutted, curving to the side and down immediately into the street where two feet touched with a librarian in his grasp. He immediately set her down, his entire body singed black with ashes, the only thing untouched: his ethereal red eyes.

[Peyton]

Her body hit the ground with a thump. She was barely conscious now. The grip of death was threatening to take its hold any second. Peyton was okay with it though. What was there to live for anyways? She was all alone, and her research just seemed pointless now. The fact that she was dying in here with some stranger bothered her though. Now, she would have preferred dying in that burning house with her family. At least then she could be near her loved ones in death. Some people would think that they'd get to see everyone they loved in heaven again.

But not Peyton. She stopped believing in God and heaven long ago. Or, she at least believed that God spited her existence. There were too many prayers and pleads gone unanswered. Where was her miracle when she needed it most? Nowhere.

As she shut her eyes and waited for her death, something felt off. It was incredibly silent. She couldn't hear the breathing or talking of the stranger. All that was there was the crackling of the fire. How odd. Maybe he was dead already? Peyton didn't want to open her eyes to look. She'd rather see the black abyss before she went instead of death and fire.

Suddenly, some of the most grotesque sounds she'd ever heard reach her ears. Was that what it sounded like when you were about to die? If it was, then it was horrid. Some bright light started shining through her eyelids. She squinted a bit and groaned slightly before opening them a tiny bit. It was still far too bright, so she snapped them shut.

Something warm picked her up gently. Her body felt like lead. She was like a limp doll as she was lifted off the ground. A loud flapping sound was made, and she felt like she was in the air. Fresh air hit her face. But she was struggling to take any in. Her lungs were filled with ash and smoke, which was preventing that. The pair of strong arms laid her down on the hard ground. She quivered and coughed, trying to get air. Peyton's lungs burned, and her chest was sore. For a moment in between her coughing, she opened her eyes again. She was outside the burning library, on the sidewalk. And her rescuer was a black winged creature, with big snow white wings. Its eyes were like deadly rubies. What exactly was it?

[Toss Ivanova]

"Excuse me? Yes you. No don't run. HEY stop running I'm not going to-- Fine. ALRIGHT YOU. Yeah, uhm do you have a second? No, I'm not trying to sell you a product. Dude stop looking at me like I just crawled out of a sewer. Do you not see the library ON FIRE right behind me? Yeah that. So uhhh mind lending me your phone? Dude seriously just call a fucking ambulance stop looking like a deer in headlights and DO SOMETHING." Toss all but had it with the idiotic humans bustling around him like mindless, directionless flies. Singed and exhausted, he did fairly resemble a bum with tattered clothes, hair a mess of ash and soot, and well, his lunatic personality. Calling out to people in the middle of the street was a really stupid idea. Whose was it!? Well, what the hell else was he supposed to do, let this girl die from smoke inhalation!? He thunk not! There was no way. She wasn't going to die here especially after-- Well, she wasn't conscious for that part. Seeing a dragon in this day and age would be enough to make anyone feel like they were suitable for an insane asylum. Toss would have none of it. Not for this poor, innocent librarian who should have just listened to him to begin with and called the cops while he asked or they wouldn't even been in this mess.

Luckily, it seemed like the hipster, rad fella with his hat on backwards was going to call for them because god forbid the police were on time to save an effing life and jesus why the fuck was this taking so long he should have just flown her to the damn hospital himself (though that would be more than a little impossible considering all the people that would see and the fact that Gavin would have his head later). Shudder. Anyway, the sirens had already shown up, but none of them belonged to an ambulance. TYPICAL. Toss, rolling his eyes, stalked away from the guy with a minute 'thank you' which resulted in a fair number of questions that he was now currently ignoring by walking away. Screw that. He shouldn't have to answer shit. He was the victim here. Actually... that wasn't really true. He was the one that caused all this. Sorta. It was kinda the makers of the faulty plane. STILL. Did that make him, the test pilot, at fault? He shouldn't have pushed its limits and taken it over civilian airspace; that was stupid, and he took responsibility for that much at least. At the same time, did that make him solely responsible? Man, that was a lot of wasted paper. And that poor girl's lungs they must have been FILLED with--Toss coughed--smoke. Speaking of, he was a bit dizzy himself. Air hurt just a bit. Sharp, jagged. It wasn't supposed to be like that. Though he was highly fire resistant, his insides weren't. Just like Vanity, it crept in undetected. His red eyes narrowed in inquisition, beaming a bunch of thoughts in the girl's direction when suddenly he realized she was very much conscious. HOLYSHITWHAT.

For a moment he panicked, trying to breathe himself whilst the ambulance finally arrived to cart her away. He moved behind her, trying to hide his obvious discomfort--his obvious derailment. Guiding her lightly, he motioned toward the ambulance with a hooded, coy expression. Some things were better left unquestioned.

"My name...is Toss Ivanova."

Bang the door to the ambulance corralled shut, separating the two of them for an unforeseen eternity, but perhaps, they would meet again somewhere (just hopefully not involving Toss crashing a text plane into a library full of the irreplaceable.)

[EXIT THREAD]

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