Post by Caoimhe Devlin on Apr 14, 2015 15:11:02 GMT -5
Caoimhe: It was bitterly cold that morning, while the majority of the snows had been chased away by a persevering sun and lack of distributing clouds it was still a far cry from spring .. but it was getting closer. This meant that Kivvy was bundled up to the nines as she crossed the slick courtyard: a heavy self made scarf wrapped around her neck and across her lower face, a ratty coat buttoned up as high as it would go, and several layers of skirt over the top of woolen tights so thick they were easily mistaken for trousers. Her braid flopped around at the back of her head as she walked as quickly as she was able, a pile of books balanced precariously in her arms, high spots of colour on her cheeks induced by both the cold and the amount of clothes she had smothered herself in with. She was heading towards the local library, large building that could be seen off in the distance but required some navigation to get to: various stalls, carts and people littered the place haphazardly, and it was when she was beginning to wish that she had left earlier (or later) so there would be fewer people that she bumped into a speeding boy and his dog that sent her spinning. Fortunately, she was able to right herself without spilling everywhere and turned to say something scathing in Castillon .. which was when she promptly skidded backwards on a patch of ice, her legs coming out from underneath her and her books scattering in every direction, with one landing with a crack on her nose as she lay spread eagled on the cobblestones .. not quite sure how she got there. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -She may be unaware of how she ended up on the ground, spread out, but it would seem that there was one thing for certain: there was someone under her! For those that had seen antics of Boomsworth one may think that he was just a little gnome creeper trying to get in good gropes with the ladies. However, that was the farthest from the truth! He just really had bad timing and location abilities. Either way, if it were possible, she would feel pressure, though not squish squish this time, beneath her chest and part of her torso. Lumpy at best and squirming just a little. She may even hear a bit of muffled protest coming from somewhere (BENEATH HER!) very close by. When she removed herself and peered down a gaping mouth, red as an apple, with exposed teeth and tongue would peer back. This was of course Boomsworth gasping for air once it had been returned to his existence. Gasping and coughing the little gnome laid their on his back upon the ice. "Great lug wrench!" Wheezed from his tiny body after a few more breaths.(d)
Caoimhe: Her immediate concern was the blood streaming from her nose, and more specifically how it had stained the cover and outer pages of the book she had borrowed. It would take a few moments before she realised she had landed on something *alive* rather than some particularly weird shaped stone or even her books .. and once she did she would shriek in surprise and scramble up, scooting over a few paces so she could see what it was she had landed on. Once she was sure what it was (though, that was only a guess at most) she began apologizing .. but then stopped. "That is not a nice thing to call someone!" She was personally affronted: she didn't recognize the words the little person used, but she certainly recognized the tone! Maybe. In any case, she soon had the end of her scarf pushed up against her face to staunch the bleeding, her free arm used to rescue as many books as she could find. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -The little gnome would finally move to sit up.... "Ou..ch.ch.ch.ch.ch" Lifting a hand to his head he would cup his right temple before rubbing gently. "Eh?" He asked at her statement before tiling his head at her. "It is an expression..... You know, like 'oh dear lord'?" There was a tiny pop as a something in his lower back popped at a movement he tried to make. A groan and hand placement for another rub followed before he added. "Though in retrospect I would rather get attacked by a lug wrench that have someone your weight land on me..." He wasn't being mean, he was just being his oblivous, gnomish self. When you are as small as Boomsworth weight meant a great deal and whether or not the little woman was in fact large or not, she was huge compared to his downsized body. Looking back to her he asked in a suddenly curious manner, "just what are you carrying under all those clothes that weighs so much?" Inquisitive to a fault he was. (d)
Caoimhe: "Oh. Ok then." Sniffing through the scarf she scooted left and right and up and down until she had every tome gathered and sorted into a neat pile. Unfortunately there was some damage: water had seeped into the pages and would need to be dried out before she could return them otherwise she would face a fine .. in the very least the ink wasn't running. If there was something she liked about the Sarkotos library it was the fact they were leaps and bounds ahead of Blacktree's tiny collection! Though if they were able to enchant the pages so the ink didn't run, why on earth didn't they go so far as to make the entire book waterproof? Madness! Kivvy got lost in her own thoughts for a while, so it'd take a moment or two befoer the gnomes words registered with her, and when they did, naturally she went as red as one of those killer tomatos that had been all the talk just a few weeks ago! "Wh..wh .. what are you talking bout?? Well I never .. how .. what ... oooohhh!" She sputtered and stammered and stumbled over her words before finally lifting a book and waving it in his direction threateningly. "Never you mind!" Kivvy was very fortunate that the man she had literally ran into was significantly shorter than he was, she was not crippled by her 'tall imposing man' anxiety even one jot! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "Eh?" Was his response to her reaction and book waving. "Stop moving it about! I can't dry it like that!" He said this, of course, while holding a torch. Wait, a torch? Yes, a torch. He too noticed the wet pages of the books and frowned in thought. He then snapped his fingers as he remembered his handy dandy portable fire spitter! Reaching into a small pocket he would pull out a small orb before pressing a button on its top. From the small pop and cloud of smoke a contraption would unfold itself to form a gun looking dealio. Pulling the trigger while getting closer to the pile the tip would sprout flames before forming a continous source of "drying" heat. "You don't have to get so uppidty! It was just a professional question! Now would you stop waving that thing around! I'm trying to help dry it out!" Yep, flame and paper.... it was a gnomish oversight that would then need to be fixed afterward. Probably why he was alaways so busy. He even went as far as to reach out to try and grab her dress so that he could pull himself up and closer to the book she was waving around.
Caoimhe: "There is absolutely nothing professional about asking a woman what she keeps under her dress! Nothing!" She kept waving that book around, and moved it even more so when he pulled out a portable fire spitter! What, was he going to add flame grilled onto the list of offences the librarian was going to throw at her? "What .,. what are you doing??" She struggled to keep the book away from him until it became apparent that it wasn't actually going to set fire to the book itself, and instead just evaporate the water leaving the pages nice and dry! She settled down a bit so he could dry the books .. until he went all out and grabbed her dress, then she began waving that book around and may have smacked him on his balding head a few times. "Wh...where do you think you're touching?!" Smacksmack! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Apparent? When did such a thing become apparent? As soon as she let him near the book it went up in flames! Flames and paper are not a good mix! "Hmmm" Was all he offered as the book became kindling almost instantly. He would have warned her but he figured she would probably notice before it got too bad. He then winced and covered his head, inadvertantly aiming at the torch at her smacking hands. "Oi oi oi! What the??? Are you possessed or something??" He scooted away a bit before looking down at the torch and letting go of the trigger. He then moved over to the burning book and squatted down to take a closer look. "Yep.... it's burning alright." Can't fault a cute little gnome for stating the obvious. He looked at her with a smile. "But it isn't wet anymore!" (d)
Caoimhe: As soon as the book caught fire she shrieked again and threw it as hard as she could - at Boomsworth if possible, but definitely away from her own self! It landed in a pile of snow and the flames went out, and she'd stare dumbfounded at it for a few minutes, her mouth hanging open. "What made you think setting a book on fire was A GOOD IDEA?!" Kivvy had turned an interesting shade of purple, the librarian was going to kill her unless she could find a replacement and try to pass it off as the original! Crawling over to the fallen tome she inspected it and sobbed, it was beyond repair .. unless there was a handy mage around that could reverse time long enough to prevent the book from getting damaged anyway. Where were all these mages when you needed them? Grabbing the still smouldering book, she ignored the curious onlookers and crawled back to where Boomsworth sat and started waving it in his face again. "How are you going to fix this? The book is ruined! Look!" She poked it, and the corner crumbled into ash. "See?!" [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "I did fix it!" The gnome said incrediously. It wasn't wet again until she threw it into the snow! "I helped! You are the one who made it worse!" Hmph! "Humans!" He said all hurt before standing up (yea he "stood up") and brushing off his clothes. "You try to help them and they get all upset because you didn't help in the way they wanted!" He put the flame spitter into a holster now that it had been released and looked to the other books. "Don't think I'm going to help with the others!" Looking around he noticed the onlookers and waved to one of them off in the distance. There was a yelp and thump as the man, who for some reason was missing eyebrows, noticed Boomsworth's wave and took off in the other direction. The gnome smiled all ammused and innocent. "What a strange fellow..." Looking back to the girl he gave her a small wave before moving to walk past her. "Good day miss, you really should watch how you treat your books.... They look in really bad shape..." (d)
Caoimhe: "You made it worse!" She sputtered incredulously, her eyes wide and her skin shifting between various shades of red and purple. She only had to adjust her line of vision a fraction as he 'stood up' and she went from waving the book in his face to smack him a few times in his rotund belly. "I did not ASK for your help, but if you had helped in a way any normal person would have the book would not be a charred mess!" Soon she too stood up, hands on her hips and a dried bloody smear across her face, eyebrows meeting in the middle as she glared down at the gnome .. and had to resist the urge to kick him. She looked in the direction he was waving, saw the man, and her voice and expression became rather dry. "...did you 'help' him too?" She sniffed, flicked her braid over her shoulder and moved to lift up her pile of books. Now she would have to return to the Inne and look into spreading them out in front of the fire place to dry them evenly. "In future, if you want to help maybe you shouldn't set it on fire!" Judging by the eyebrow-less man, that seemed to be his first response method! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "Humans! Always paying such close attention to the details." He shook his head and pointed "it wasn't wet anymore!" He followed her gaze toward the man who had run away and nodded. "Why yes I did! His stove wouldn't heat enough to bake the bread he wanted so I made him a new source of heat." He was rather proud but frowned after he noticed she put soot and ash on his clothes. "You really are clumsy." He brushed off the specks and sighed, knowing that ash didn't come out of clothes too easily.... an occupational hazard. Shaking his head he began to make his way toward the inn, which perhaps was the same one she was heading toward? Either way he didn't may much attention unless she said something more to him. He was just marching his hot little gnomish self down the road.(d)
Caoimhe: She had half a mind to sic a spirit on him to make his life a misery. When he reached for that tripod, it would have been moved three feet to the left. When he went to unholster his flamespitter, he would find it upside down and out of ammunition. When he went to cut that deliciously cooked slice of bacon on his morning breakfast plate: it would be GONE! Spirited away! But Kivvy wasn't a malicious sort, so she kept it all in her head as she muttered and cursed and stomped off with a loud clop of boots. Of course, that stomping would become more pronounced when it seemed that they were both walking in the same directrion .. and she would speed up, skidding a little on the patches of ice found in the court yard but luck would be on her side and she wouldn't pratfall again! Not this time! At least not yet /.. though she would make it to the Obsidian Heart Inne without any mishaps, glaring at the gnome if he made it that far as she found a table close to the fireplace and dropped her books in the center with a loud bang. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Perhaps the spirits were messing with her by sending the gnome in her direction! For whatever reason it was like a school of fish in completely synced up: where she went, how she went about it, he did too! He wasn't laughing, looking at her, or really doing anything other than mimicing her. In fact when they got to the inn he turned back and looked at the distance they had come as if he wasn't even aware they had traversed it already. Shrugging his shoulders he walked past her, not even really noticing she was there, and went through the door, letting it close behind him. No matter how long or short of time it took for her to enter she would soon find him by the main fireplace, sitting in a comfy chair, flipping the pages of a book with drawings and specifications within. O.b.l.v.i.o.u.s. (d)
Caoimhe: She glared daggers at the gnome as she unbuttoned her coat and slung it over a chair, doing the same with her scarf before stomping up to the bar. "Tea, please." Her tones were clipped with frustration and the bloodsmears got more than their fair share of strange looks from Hana, though no comment was made as it would not be the first time Kivvy had rocked up at the Inne looking a complete state! And if the spirits were messing with her .. she would eventually find out and give said spirit a lashing it would never forget! As she waited for her tea to be made and brought to her, she returned to her table and set about opening up some of the books and displaying them in front of the fire so they could begin to dry. "Do. Not. Touch." More daggers were glared at the cosy comfy gnome .. why, with the amount of daggers she was throwing everywhere she should set up her own little business selling blades to adventurers! Soon her tea arrived, and she would sit down and sip it carefully as a watchful eye was kept over those books .. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -He would wave to Hana after some time and motion for his usual. It wasn't until Kivvy actually spoke to him after putting the books in front of the fire place did he really take the situation into view. "Huh?" He tilted his head as if trying to place her face, "haven't we me....... oh yes! What brings you here? Want me to fix the other books?" He even went as far as to reach for his fire spitter. "I just need to adjust the flame a bit..." He said absently before placing his book off to the side so he could set the flame splitter in his lap. He whipped a weird knife looking object and began to open up the side of the "gun" while humming to himself. "I just need a moment or two..." A spring suddenly shot into the air, his gaze and head lifting to follow it as it arced and bounced onto the floor between them. "Huh.... ok maybe three." (d)
Caoimhe: She stared at him a moment or two, before darting away from her tea cup and putting herself between the books and the pyromaniac with her arms spread wide. "NO!" ....shed coloured as she realised how loud her voice was and dropped it to a hiss. "No thank you. Your help is not required." Her arms gradually lowered as she watched him tinkering with the device, curious despite her common sense and instinct for survival. Indicating the weird knife looking object with a lift of her chin, she rather flatly stated. "Actually. If you can aim that flaming device at your face and it does not burn, then perhaps I will consider letting you 'fix' my books. Otherwise .. no, no thank you." [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -He looked up at her while offering her statement a giggle. He pointed the weird screw driver thingy-a-bob at his face before shaking his head. "Are you kidding? Fire and hair are bad, let alone fire and skin!" He then shuttered as he cupped his beard first and then cheeks. "Besides, this is too nice of a beard to torch..." He giggled once more before going back to work on the gun, seemingly ignoring her comment about not wanting his help. "Almost done here." He then looked up and tilted his head, his fingers still working on the gun in his lap. "So what are you doing here anyway? Did you follow me?" His facial expression as he asked the question very visbly stated that he hadn't made up his mind if he should be flattered or concerned she actually followed him.(d)
Caoimhe: "And that is why you will not point that wretched contraption at my books: fire and paper do not mix!" She waved a hand in the air dismissively, she was not in the right persona to appreciate the nuances of facial hair, though Finn would have definitely been nodding his head and agreeing, why, if he had been a separate entity at that point he would have even scowled at Kivvy for even daring to suggest that this noble gnome should sully his own beard! But Finn wasn't here, Kivvy was, and so she made her way back to her table and lifted her tea cup from the saucer, taking a sip of the soothing liquid that would soon be choked down as she sputtered. "No I did not follow you!" Those daggers she had been glaring? Upgraded to spears. "I LIVE here!" She snorted delicately, before amending. "Well, not here here. Up in the living quarters. I don't sleep in the tap room obviously." And those spears would continue to watch the dastardly gnome to make sure he didn't do anything wretched to her books! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Reaching into an unseen pocket along his far leg he would pull out what looked to be a lizard before it lit up red, flicked a metal tongue and shot off his hand and toward the spring on the floor. Grabbing it in its mouth it skittered back over to the chair and then up the side before placing the spring on the armrest. Reaching out to pet the lizard he quickly puleld his finger back with a giggle as it tried to bite him. He then looked back to her as he placed the spring back inside. "So.... you joined the Heart huh? Was it because of me?" He still hadn't made up his mind if this information was a positive or negative thing.... and wouldn't for some time as a pillar of fire erupted right in front of him. "Well now, that isn't good." Moving his finger a bit the flame went out and he went back to work. "Silly spring..." Even the lizard looked a little worried now, turning its little head to flick it's tongue at the girl while gazing at her with red, literally lifeless, eyes.(d)
Caoimhe: "Oh..." She watched the little red lizard skitter and scramble about the place to gather up that spring and bring it back to its gnomish overlord. "How cute! .. err." Involuntarily she had began to lean over in order to pet the .. creature? .. herself, but upon observing it snap at its own owner/creator she changed her mind and pulled back, returning to her tea. She watched the little thing in fascination for a time, falling into her own thoughts for the umpteenth time that morning before she realised that Boomsworth had spoken to her again, giving herself a slight shake. "What? Oh." A pause. "What?! No! I mean, yes I joined the Heart but it wasn't because of YOU!" She scowled again, so full of himself, were all gnomes like that or did she just have the phenomally bad luck of running into one of the bad ones? "I just joined, and this is my first time even seeing you." Hardly surprising, he was so short she wouldn't be surprised if she overlooked him each time he was in the Inne! Though given how much chaos he seemed to bring with him she doubted he would be hard to miss afterall .. case in point. "Stop that! You're scaring people!" A hand was lifted from her tea cup and waved in the direction of Hana. Though Kivvy did not know this personally, Hana was afraid of fire after the volcano incident that led to the scarring on her face .. but all Kivvy knew for sure was that Hana looked a little spooked as the pillar of flame burst almost to the ceiling of the building! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "Interesting..... I wonder if I'll get a recruitment bonus....." He said absently before putting his face over the opening to make sure all was well. "I think that will do it." He began to put it back together before looking up at her last statement. Seeing Hana's expression the little gnome frowned and bowed his head slightly. "I apologize on behalf of the new member Hana.... She was having a book issue, that's why the fire is out and about today. Don't worry though, I'll be done shorty and promise not to hurt you....." He added after a second. "or me..." Hopping down off the couch the lizard gathered up some speed along the armrest before leaping into the air and landing just right into one of Boomsworth's pockets. If Boomsworth declared he wouldn't hurt himself or Hana then they were the safest places to be and Bommsworth just happened to be the closest. If it was possible the little thing would offer the new girl a mournful expression before disappearing into the safety of the pocket. "Ok, which book is first?" The gnome was making his way toward them again! oh no!(d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy was quite the picture of a slack jawed yokel, if her jaw could have hit the floor it probably would have! She had no words, only vague noises as she tried to remember how to speak coherently after this gnome obliviously tried to throw her under the metaphorical donkey cart (in lieue of a bus, as they had not been invented yet). She was beginning to utter a rather strangled 'how very dare you' when he then continued on as if nothing had happened, and began to move towards her books! If kivvy believed in the gods she would have surely started praying for them to save her from this insane gnome and his determination to land her in serious shit with the local librarian! "No no no no no no no what do you think you are doing no no get away from there right this instant!" She leapt up from her chair and sent it backwards with a clatter, hoping that she would be able to insert herself between the gnome and her books, saving them from his mad quest to set everything on fire. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "huh?" He seemed confused, looking from her to the books and then back to her. "Oh of course! I see now!" He slapped his forehead before waggling his finger at her. "Good thinking miss! I'm glad I was able to get you to join!" Yep, he chose her devotion was a positive situation after wall. "I'll be right back! I can't believe I didn't think of it!" He walked past her and then disappeared out the front door, letting it close behind him. It took about 30 minutes or so but soon she would hear, if she had stayed there, the sound of something heavy being drug toward the inn. Soon the door would be pushed opened by a little leg before his butt stuck out so he could heave the object through the door. What object do you ask? Well the turret set mega-flame-heaver 15 (don't ask about the first 14!). Toward the books, or at least where the books had been, he would begin to pull the monster of a book dryer!(d)
Caoimhe: "....what?" She wasn't sure what was going on, but he had stopped progessing on her precious books like the big bad wolf after the three little pigs. While he was gone, she stared at the open door a minute before gathering up the books in one pile. She was considering taking them upstairs, but the longer he took to come back the more she felt the threat had passed .. and like a fool, she pulled out her chair and began to drink a fresh cup of tea that had been brought over by a confused looking Hana. She was just beginning to breathe a sigh of relief when that damn gnome came back again: this time dragging something massive in through the door? Oh please oh please let the doorframe be too small for the machine. She near enough spit her tea across the table when she finally saw it, stammering out her question and wondering if she'd be able to grab the books and run before he set whatever that was loose on the inne. "Wha..what....what is that? What are you doing?" She really, really should have picked a different day to go back to the library! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "You were right! It was ridiculous to try to dry them all out one by one! With this baby we can get it done all at once!" He kicked a special part of the base and the turret came alive, unpacking itself with mechanized sounds and thuds as it anchored itself into the floor of the inn. The barrel, well barrels, would begin to rotate in opposite directions, all four of them, as the system warmed up. Boomsworth would look like a proud father of a child who just literally saved the world. He even had to flick away a tear from one eye! As everything powered up the gnome scrambled up and took his spot in the tiny seat before he began to type in calibrations and measurements. "How many books is there again?" He called out from behind the screen as the targeting sequence began.(d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy was in complete shock. That thing looked like a monster from her nightmares, she may even be having flashbacks of spirit induced traumas as the metal beast unpacked and began to threaten the inne with those whirring barrels. "S..s..surely that is not safe to use in here???" Kivvy wasn't very good at quick thinking .. or quick anything .. and she was really really beginning to wish that she'd taken the books and ran while she had the chance. "Won't that just burn the books, the wall, the Inne and all its occupants? The small one was bad enough!" Hesitantly she began to edge away from the table and insert herseld between the pile of books and that mechanised monster: but at this stage, wouldn't it be better to cut her losses and run? She was a changeling: she could leave Kivvy behind and that nasty librarian would never know .. But .. books! She couldn't let the poor books be abused by this tyrranical gnome! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -A very pleasant female's voice would suddenly appear around them. "Countdown commencing. T-Minus 10 seconds until ignition. Please stand clear to avoid any burns, melting, or death. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated, however, we are a very accomodating group so your cooperation isn't required. Your presence signifies you agree to our terms and conditions which state, in part, that we won't be held responsible for any damage, to property or person, as a direct or indirect result of this invetion's use. Thank you very much and please have a nice day." Of course with everything that was just said what had been 10 seconds suddenly became 2 after the statement was completed. As the voice pleasantly stated 1 and 'pistons engaged' the barrels were suddenly molten orange and red before a column of liquid fire, almost like a laser, erupted and punched through the books and into the ground. Oh yea, while the pleasant voice was talking Boomsworth popped his head up from behind the screen. "Uhhh, you may want to stand back a bit more!" (d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy was shocked. Where was that voice coming from? What did it mean? What was happening? She handn't had enough time to process exactly what was taking place before suddenly there was FIRE EVERYWHERE or so it seemed to her, and she was instinctively diving out of the way and under the table while the poor poor books were utterly slaughtered! Oh the humanity. Kivvy had a tear in her eye, but it wasn't because she was proud, oh dear no, she felt that attack as keenly as if it happened to her own body. Well. Almost. She would be in far more pain and probably making a lot more noise than she was currently if she had been the target of that strike, but that was neither here nor there. "Please don't do that! Make it stop! Turn it off! You're wrecking the Inne!" Man Maria was going go be so pissed! She'd make the librarian look like a harmless fluffy kitten. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -The flame grew brighter still as it continued to pump into the ground. Boomsworth was looking at the events before him with rapt, near 'gasmic', attention as his face showed pure bliss and pleasure. IT WORKED! Of course it worked but still, IT WAS WORKING! As the flame burned into the ground it was traveling much faster and further than anyone knew. In fact if anyone happened to be looking at the planet in general in about 3 more minutes a pillar of light would erupt from the surface across from where Boomsworth and the inn sat before erupting into space where it finally began to cool down. The world ended....
Mr. Boomsworth: Just kidding, the world didn't end. The blast was so hot that as the turret began to wind down the earth (rock, minerals, dirt, etc.) filled in the hole like water rushing in, sealing it back up to avoid any castosprohic endings. As the barrels finally stopped spinning and the place of the books had been was a cooling pool of lava Boomsworth let out a cheer! "A job well done!" (d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy let out a wail as she saw what remained of her precious books, crawling out from under her shelter and hovering around the edge of the lava pool. In the very least the Inne was still standing .. but her books were not! And she had just finished reading them! What would the librarian say? Aside from slapping a four figure fine on Kivvy's account to replace the now decimated books. The Shallotan farmgirl soon saw red, pulling away from the bookish grave site and rounding on the gnome. "A job well done? A JOB WELL DONE?! The books are GONE! Destroyed! They have shuffled off this mortal coil! Kicked the bucket! Run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible! They are now ex-books! What part of all that is a job well done?!" She very very nearly smacked the machine he was operating .. but thought better of it, as she did not wish for it to suddenly fire up again and decide that she was a far more attractive target than those books had been! She was not in the very least fire proof .. and besides .. there may be some iron in that thing. Iron burned. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Iron?
IRON??? Oh she would have been given a LOOK if she had even suggested anything THIS gnome had put together contained IRON. Oh the nerve! Either way, she hadn't said it so the turret and gnome hadn't changed it's attention toward her in a bad way. Boomsworth climbed down and lovingly rubbed the side of his turret. "Thatta girl." He then looked to the fumming newbie and simply stared at her. What was she making such a fuss about? Leaning past her he would look toward the visibly shaken Hana. "Can I please have a glass of water?" It took a moment, and he endured Kivvy's verbal assault until it was brought over. Looking down into the glass he nodded before simply splashing the water onto Kivvy's face. Was water cold like iron. "Pull yourself together girl, it's embrassing considering I recruited you." He then pointed to the spot where the books had been. The floor was back to normal, the books were back, also back to normal and soon she would hear the floor beneat hte turret returning to its normal state, pushing the anchors out of the wood. The inn was enchanted after all, all damage was undone. He didn't know how it worked just yet, but he had seen it. So by destroying the books the enchantment had replaced them when it replaced the parts of the inn destroyed. "See? A job well done!" A matter of fact glance was given to the girl, how dare she doubt a gnome!?(d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy would stand there with water dripping down her face, staring blankly at the gnome in question. A more primal part of her nudged her and tried to get her to bite this gnomes head off in a more literal manner .. jaw seperating as it took on a more snakely aspect with teeth lengthening to points. But Kivvy had a reputation to maintain and so despite the internal struggle this urge would be stamped down and smothered until it shut up. Slowly, she turned to face the books in question and saw that they had been returned to their previous condition. Later, she would inspect them to see if they had also been returned to their soggy condition as they had been brought into the inne like that! Gradually, the farmgirl would heave in a deep breath and then slowly release it, as if the very act would calm her .. before reaching out and grabbing the gnome by his shirt and shaking him like a red headed stepchild. "Why didn't you tell me that would happen?! You scared me half to death!!" She also included a few choice curses in Castillon, the young girls face growing red and angry with her tirade until eventually she simply dropped him, muttering something about gnomes and fireworks and grabbed her scarf to wipe her face down. In the very least, her impromptu bath had washed away the dried blood! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Boomsworth stumbled after being put down, stumbled some more and then fell on his ass as the room spun around him. His upper body was even still moving in the same fashion that she had been thrashing him just a second before. He finally got a statement out before he fell onto his back and closed his eyes. "You're welcome." It took a moment but soon even if the darkness stopped trying to make him throw up and he managed to sit up, thought with a slight headache, to look over at her. "For someone who treats her books so badly you sure seem to get mad at others for fixing them.... Do you not like books or something?" (d)
Caoimhe: Her eye twitched spasmodically as the gnome continued to try and dig his own grave. Instead of answering immediately, she just stalked over to the bar and requested a Shallotan tea .. which was basically your standard cup of tea but with an added shot of whiskey in it. She wasn't much of a drinker (in fact was technically underage but they didn't know that) but she felt like the situation warranted it. Hands shaking, she sat down and took a few fortifying sips of tea before she answered, glaring poignantly at the prone gnome. "I like books .. just fine. I do not like little busybodies setting fire to them without explaining the consequences first!" But if Boomsworth HAD explained it, would she have believed him? Not on your nelly! She'd have demanded an example before subjecting those poor books to an inflammatory fate. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -She may be unaware of how she ended up on the ground, spread out, but it would seem that there was one thing for certain: there was someone under her! For those that had seen antics of Boomsworth one may think that he was just a little gnome creeper trying to get in good gropes with the ladies. However, that was the farthest from the truth! He just really had bad timing and location abilities. Either way, if it were possible, she would feel pressure, though not squish squish this time, beneath her chest and part of her torso. Lumpy at best and squirming just a little. She may even hear a bit of muffled protest coming from somewhere (BENEATH HER!) very close by. When she removed herself and peered down a gaping mouth, red as an apple, with exposed teeth and tongue would peer back. This was of course Boomsworth gasping for air once it had been returned to his existence. Gasping and coughing the little gnome laid their on his back upon the ice. "Great lug wrench!" Wheezed from his tiny body after a few more breaths.(d)
Caoimhe: Her immediate concern was the blood streaming from her nose, and more specifically how it had stained the cover and outer pages of the book she had borrowed. It would take a few moments before she realised she had landed on something *alive* rather than some particularly weird shaped stone or even her books .. and once she did she would shriek in surprise and scramble up, scooting over a few paces so she could see what it was she had landed on. Once she was sure what it was (though, that was only a guess at most) she began apologizing .. but then stopped. "That is not a nice thing to call someone!" She was personally affronted: she didn't recognize the words the little person used, but she certainly recognized the tone! Maybe. In any case, she soon had the end of her scarf pushed up against her face to staunch the bleeding, her free arm used to rescue as many books as she could find. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -The little gnome would finally move to sit up.... "Ou..ch.ch.ch.ch.ch" Lifting a hand to his head he would cup his right temple before rubbing gently. "Eh?" He asked at her statement before tiling his head at her. "It is an expression..... You know, like 'oh dear lord'?" There was a tiny pop as a something in his lower back popped at a movement he tried to make. A groan and hand placement for another rub followed before he added. "Though in retrospect I would rather get attacked by a lug wrench that have someone your weight land on me..." He wasn't being mean, he was just being his oblivous, gnomish self. When you are as small as Boomsworth weight meant a great deal and whether or not the little woman was in fact large or not, she was huge compared to his downsized body. Looking back to her he asked in a suddenly curious manner, "just what are you carrying under all those clothes that weighs so much?" Inquisitive to a fault he was. (d)
Caoimhe: "Oh. Ok then." Sniffing through the scarf she scooted left and right and up and down until she had every tome gathered and sorted into a neat pile. Unfortunately there was some damage: water had seeped into the pages and would need to be dried out before she could return them otherwise she would face a fine .. in the very least the ink wasn't running. If there was something she liked about the Sarkotos library it was the fact they were leaps and bounds ahead of Blacktree's tiny collection! Though if they were able to enchant the pages so the ink didn't run, why on earth didn't they go so far as to make the entire book waterproof? Madness! Kivvy got lost in her own thoughts for a while, so it'd take a moment or two befoer the gnomes words registered with her, and when they did, naturally she went as red as one of those killer tomatos that had been all the talk just a few weeks ago! "Wh..wh .. what are you talking bout?? Well I never .. how .. what ... oooohhh!" She sputtered and stammered and stumbled over her words before finally lifting a book and waving it in his direction threateningly. "Never you mind!" Kivvy was very fortunate that the man she had literally ran into was significantly shorter than he was, she was not crippled by her 'tall imposing man' anxiety even one jot! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "Eh?" Was his response to her reaction and book waving. "Stop moving it about! I can't dry it like that!" He said this, of course, while holding a torch. Wait, a torch? Yes, a torch. He too noticed the wet pages of the books and frowned in thought. He then snapped his fingers as he remembered his handy dandy portable fire spitter! Reaching into a small pocket he would pull out a small orb before pressing a button on its top. From the small pop and cloud of smoke a contraption would unfold itself to form a gun looking dealio. Pulling the trigger while getting closer to the pile the tip would sprout flames before forming a continous source of "drying" heat. "You don't have to get so uppidty! It was just a professional question! Now would you stop waving that thing around! I'm trying to help dry it out!" Yep, flame and paper.... it was a gnomish oversight that would then need to be fixed afterward. Probably why he was alaways so busy. He even went as far as to reach out to try and grab her dress so that he could pull himself up and closer to the book she was waving around.
Caoimhe: "There is absolutely nothing professional about asking a woman what she keeps under her dress! Nothing!" She kept waving that book around, and moved it even more so when he pulled out a portable fire spitter! What, was he going to add flame grilled onto the list of offences the librarian was going to throw at her? "What .,. what are you doing??" She struggled to keep the book away from him until it became apparent that it wasn't actually going to set fire to the book itself, and instead just evaporate the water leaving the pages nice and dry! She settled down a bit so he could dry the books .. until he went all out and grabbed her dress, then she began waving that book around and may have smacked him on his balding head a few times. "Wh...where do you think you're touching?!" Smacksmack! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Apparent? When did such a thing become apparent? As soon as she let him near the book it went up in flames! Flames and paper are not a good mix! "Hmmm" Was all he offered as the book became kindling almost instantly. He would have warned her but he figured she would probably notice before it got too bad. He then winced and covered his head, inadvertantly aiming at the torch at her smacking hands. "Oi oi oi! What the??? Are you possessed or something??" He scooted away a bit before looking down at the torch and letting go of the trigger. He then moved over to the burning book and squatted down to take a closer look. "Yep.... it's burning alright." Can't fault a cute little gnome for stating the obvious. He looked at her with a smile. "But it isn't wet anymore!" (d)
Caoimhe: As soon as the book caught fire she shrieked again and threw it as hard as she could - at Boomsworth if possible, but definitely away from her own self! It landed in a pile of snow and the flames went out, and she'd stare dumbfounded at it for a few minutes, her mouth hanging open. "What made you think setting a book on fire was A GOOD IDEA?!" Kivvy had turned an interesting shade of purple, the librarian was going to kill her unless she could find a replacement and try to pass it off as the original! Crawling over to the fallen tome she inspected it and sobbed, it was beyond repair .. unless there was a handy mage around that could reverse time long enough to prevent the book from getting damaged anyway. Where were all these mages when you needed them? Grabbing the still smouldering book, she ignored the curious onlookers and crawled back to where Boomsworth sat and started waving it in his face again. "How are you going to fix this? The book is ruined! Look!" She poked it, and the corner crumbled into ash. "See?!" [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "I did fix it!" The gnome said incrediously. It wasn't wet again until she threw it into the snow! "I helped! You are the one who made it worse!" Hmph! "Humans!" He said all hurt before standing up (yea he "stood up") and brushing off his clothes. "You try to help them and they get all upset because you didn't help in the way they wanted!" He put the flame spitter into a holster now that it had been released and looked to the other books. "Don't think I'm going to help with the others!" Looking around he noticed the onlookers and waved to one of them off in the distance. There was a yelp and thump as the man, who for some reason was missing eyebrows, noticed Boomsworth's wave and took off in the other direction. The gnome smiled all ammused and innocent. "What a strange fellow..." Looking back to the girl he gave her a small wave before moving to walk past her. "Good day miss, you really should watch how you treat your books.... They look in really bad shape..." (d)
Caoimhe: "You made it worse!" She sputtered incredulously, her eyes wide and her skin shifting between various shades of red and purple. She only had to adjust her line of vision a fraction as he 'stood up' and she went from waving the book in his face to smack him a few times in his rotund belly. "I did not ASK for your help, but if you had helped in a way any normal person would have the book would not be a charred mess!" Soon she too stood up, hands on her hips and a dried bloody smear across her face, eyebrows meeting in the middle as she glared down at the gnome .. and had to resist the urge to kick him. She looked in the direction he was waving, saw the man, and her voice and expression became rather dry. "...did you 'help' him too?" She sniffed, flicked her braid over her shoulder and moved to lift up her pile of books. Now she would have to return to the Inne and look into spreading them out in front of the fire place to dry them evenly. "In future, if you want to help maybe you shouldn't set it on fire!" Judging by the eyebrow-less man, that seemed to be his first response method! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "Humans! Always paying such close attention to the details." He shook his head and pointed "it wasn't wet anymore!" He followed her gaze toward the man who had run away and nodded. "Why yes I did! His stove wouldn't heat enough to bake the bread he wanted so I made him a new source of heat." He was rather proud but frowned after he noticed she put soot and ash on his clothes. "You really are clumsy." He brushed off the specks and sighed, knowing that ash didn't come out of clothes too easily.... an occupational hazard. Shaking his head he began to make his way toward the inn, which perhaps was the same one she was heading toward? Either way he didn't may much attention unless she said something more to him. He was just marching his hot little gnomish self down the road.(d)
Caoimhe: She had half a mind to sic a spirit on him to make his life a misery. When he reached for that tripod, it would have been moved three feet to the left. When he went to unholster his flamespitter, he would find it upside down and out of ammunition. When he went to cut that deliciously cooked slice of bacon on his morning breakfast plate: it would be GONE! Spirited away! But Kivvy wasn't a malicious sort, so she kept it all in her head as she muttered and cursed and stomped off with a loud clop of boots. Of course, that stomping would become more pronounced when it seemed that they were both walking in the same directrion .. and she would speed up, skidding a little on the patches of ice found in the court yard but luck would be on her side and she wouldn't pratfall again! Not this time! At least not yet /.. though she would make it to the Obsidian Heart Inne without any mishaps, glaring at the gnome if he made it that far as she found a table close to the fireplace and dropped her books in the center with a loud bang. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Perhaps the spirits were messing with her by sending the gnome in her direction! For whatever reason it was like a school of fish in completely synced up: where she went, how she went about it, he did too! He wasn't laughing, looking at her, or really doing anything other than mimicing her. In fact when they got to the inn he turned back and looked at the distance they had come as if he wasn't even aware they had traversed it already. Shrugging his shoulders he walked past her, not even really noticing she was there, and went through the door, letting it close behind him. No matter how long or short of time it took for her to enter she would soon find him by the main fireplace, sitting in a comfy chair, flipping the pages of a book with drawings and specifications within. O.b.l.v.i.o.u.s. (d)
Caoimhe: She glared daggers at the gnome as she unbuttoned her coat and slung it over a chair, doing the same with her scarf before stomping up to the bar. "Tea, please." Her tones were clipped with frustration and the bloodsmears got more than their fair share of strange looks from Hana, though no comment was made as it would not be the first time Kivvy had rocked up at the Inne looking a complete state! And if the spirits were messing with her .. she would eventually find out and give said spirit a lashing it would never forget! As she waited for her tea to be made and brought to her, she returned to her table and set about opening up some of the books and displaying them in front of the fire so they could begin to dry. "Do. Not. Touch." More daggers were glared at the cosy comfy gnome .. why, with the amount of daggers she was throwing everywhere she should set up her own little business selling blades to adventurers! Soon her tea arrived, and she would sit down and sip it carefully as a watchful eye was kept over those books .. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -He would wave to Hana after some time and motion for his usual. It wasn't until Kivvy actually spoke to him after putting the books in front of the fire place did he really take the situation into view. "Huh?" He tilted his head as if trying to place her face, "haven't we me....... oh yes! What brings you here? Want me to fix the other books?" He even went as far as to reach for his fire spitter. "I just need to adjust the flame a bit..." He said absently before placing his book off to the side so he could set the flame splitter in his lap. He whipped a weird knife looking object and began to open up the side of the "gun" while humming to himself. "I just need a moment or two..." A spring suddenly shot into the air, his gaze and head lifting to follow it as it arced and bounced onto the floor between them. "Huh.... ok maybe three." (d)
Caoimhe: She stared at him a moment or two, before darting away from her tea cup and putting herself between the books and the pyromaniac with her arms spread wide. "NO!" ....shed coloured as she realised how loud her voice was and dropped it to a hiss. "No thank you. Your help is not required." Her arms gradually lowered as she watched him tinkering with the device, curious despite her common sense and instinct for survival. Indicating the weird knife looking object with a lift of her chin, she rather flatly stated. "Actually. If you can aim that flaming device at your face and it does not burn, then perhaps I will consider letting you 'fix' my books. Otherwise .. no, no thank you." [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -He looked up at her while offering her statement a giggle. He pointed the weird screw driver thingy-a-bob at his face before shaking his head. "Are you kidding? Fire and hair are bad, let alone fire and skin!" He then shuttered as he cupped his beard first and then cheeks. "Besides, this is too nice of a beard to torch..." He giggled once more before going back to work on the gun, seemingly ignoring her comment about not wanting his help. "Almost done here." He then looked up and tilted his head, his fingers still working on the gun in his lap. "So what are you doing here anyway? Did you follow me?" His facial expression as he asked the question very visbly stated that he hadn't made up his mind if he should be flattered or concerned she actually followed him.(d)
Caoimhe: "And that is why you will not point that wretched contraption at my books: fire and paper do not mix!" She waved a hand in the air dismissively, she was not in the right persona to appreciate the nuances of facial hair, though Finn would have definitely been nodding his head and agreeing, why, if he had been a separate entity at that point he would have even scowled at Kivvy for even daring to suggest that this noble gnome should sully his own beard! But Finn wasn't here, Kivvy was, and so she made her way back to her table and lifted her tea cup from the saucer, taking a sip of the soothing liquid that would soon be choked down as she sputtered. "No I did not follow you!" Those daggers she had been glaring? Upgraded to spears. "I LIVE here!" She snorted delicately, before amending. "Well, not here here. Up in the living quarters. I don't sleep in the tap room obviously." And those spears would continue to watch the dastardly gnome to make sure he didn't do anything wretched to her books! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Reaching into an unseen pocket along his far leg he would pull out what looked to be a lizard before it lit up red, flicked a metal tongue and shot off his hand and toward the spring on the floor. Grabbing it in its mouth it skittered back over to the chair and then up the side before placing the spring on the armrest. Reaching out to pet the lizard he quickly puleld his finger back with a giggle as it tried to bite him. He then looked back to her as he placed the spring back inside. "So.... you joined the Heart huh? Was it because of me?" He still hadn't made up his mind if this information was a positive or negative thing.... and wouldn't for some time as a pillar of fire erupted right in front of him. "Well now, that isn't good." Moving his finger a bit the flame went out and he went back to work. "Silly spring..." Even the lizard looked a little worried now, turning its little head to flick it's tongue at the girl while gazing at her with red, literally lifeless, eyes.(d)
Caoimhe: "Oh..." She watched the little red lizard skitter and scramble about the place to gather up that spring and bring it back to its gnomish overlord. "How cute! .. err." Involuntarily she had began to lean over in order to pet the .. creature? .. herself, but upon observing it snap at its own owner/creator she changed her mind and pulled back, returning to her tea. She watched the little thing in fascination for a time, falling into her own thoughts for the umpteenth time that morning before she realised that Boomsworth had spoken to her again, giving herself a slight shake. "What? Oh." A pause. "What?! No! I mean, yes I joined the Heart but it wasn't because of YOU!" She scowled again, so full of himself, were all gnomes like that or did she just have the phenomally bad luck of running into one of the bad ones? "I just joined, and this is my first time even seeing you." Hardly surprising, he was so short she wouldn't be surprised if she overlooked him each time he was in the Inne! Though given how much chaos he seemed to bring with him she doubted he would be hard to miss afterall .. case in point. "Stop that! You're scaring people!" A hand was lifted from her tea cup and waved in the direction of Hana. Though Kivvy did not know this personally, Hana was afraid of fire after the volcano incident that led to the scarring on her face .. but all Kivvy knew for sure was that Hana looked a little spooked as the pillar of flame burst almost to the ceiling of the building! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "Interesting..... I wonder if I'll get a recruitment bonus....." He said absently before putting his face over the opening to make sure all was well. "I think that will do it." He began to put it back together before looking up at her last statement. Seeing Hana's expression the little gnome frowned and bowed his head slightly. "I apologize on behalf of the new member Hana.... She was having a book issue, that's why the fire is out and about today. Don't worry though, I'll be done shorty and promise not to hurt you....." He added after a second. "or me..." Hopping down off the couch the lizard gathered up some speed along the armrest before leaping into the air and landing just right into one of Boomsworth's pockets. If Boomsworth declared he wouldn't hurt himself or Hana then they were the safest places to be and Bommsworth just happened to be the closest. If it was possible the little thing would offer the new girl a mournful expression before disappearing into the safety of the pocket. "Ok, which book is first?" The gnome was making his way toward them again! oh no!(d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy was quite the picture of a slack jawed yokel, if her jaw could have hit the floor it probably would have! She had no words, only vague noises as she tried to remember how to speak coherently after this gnome obliviously tried to throw her under the metaphorical donkey cart (in lieue of a bus, as they had not been invented yet). She was beginning to utter a rather strangled 'how very dare you' when he then continued on as if nothing had happened, and began to move towards her books! If kivvy believed in the gods she would have surely started praying for them to save her from this insane gnome and his determination to land her in serious shit with the local librarian! "No no no no no no no what do you think you are doing no no get away from there right this instant!" She leapt up from her chair and sent it backwards with a clatter, hoping that she would be able to insert herself between the gnome and her books, saving them from his mad quest to set everything on fire. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "huh?" He seemed confused, looking from her to the books and then back to her. "Oh of course! I see now!" He slapped his forehead before waggling his finger at her. "Good thinking miss! I'm glad I was able to get you to join!" Yep, he chose her devotion was a positive situation after wall. "I'll be right back! I can't believe I didn't think of it!" He walked past her and then disappeared out the front door, letting it close behind him. It took about 30 minutes or so but soon she would hear, if she had stayed there, the sound of something heavy being drug toward the inn. Soon the door would be pushed opened by a little leg before his butt stuck out so he could heave the object through the door. What object do you ask? Well the turret set mega-flame-heaver 15 (don't ask about the first 14!). Toward the books, or at least where the books had been, he would begin to pull the monster of a book dryer!(d)
Caoimhe: "....what?" She wasn't sure what was going on, but he had stopped progessing on her precious books like the big bad wolf after the three little pigs. While he was gone, she stared at the open door a minute before gathering up the books in one pile. She was considering taking them upstairs, but the longer he took to come back the more she felt the threat had passed .. and like a fool, she pulled out her chair and began to drink a fresh cup of tea that had been brought over by a confused looking Hana. She was just beginning to breathe a sigh of relief when that damn gnome came back again: this time dragging something massive in through the door? Oh please oh please let the doorframe be too small for the machine. She near enough spit her tea across the table when she finally saw it, stammering out her question and wondering if she'd be able to grab the books and run before he set whatever that was loose on the inne. "Wha..what....what is that? What are you doing?" She really, really should have picked a different day to go back to the library! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: "You were right! It was ridiculous to try to dry them all out one by one! With this baby we can get it done all at once!" He kicked a special part of the base and the turret came alive, unpacking itself with mechanized sounds and thuds as it anchored itself into the floor of the inn. The barrel, well barrels, would begin to rotate in opposite directions, all four of them, as the system warmed up. Boomsworth would look like a proud father of a child who just literally saved the world. He even had to flick away a tear from one eye! As everything powered up the gnome scrambled up and took his spot in the tiny seat before he began to type in calibrations and measurements. "How many books is there again?" He called out from behind the screen as the targeting sequence began.(d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy was in complete shock. That thing looked like a monster from her nightmares, she may even be having flashbacks of spirit induced traumas as the metal beast unpacked and began to threaten the inne with those whirring barrels. "S..s..surely that is not safe to use in here???" Kivvy wasn't very good at quick thinking .. or quick anything .. and she was really really beginning to wish that she'd taken the books and ran while she had the chance. "Won't that just burn the books, the wall, the Inne and all its occupants? The small one was bad enough!" Hesitantly she began to edge away from the table and insert herseld between the pile of books and that mechanised monster: but at this stage, wouldn't it be better to cut her losses and run? She was a changeling: she could leave Kivvy behind and that nasty librarian would never know .. But .. books! She couldn't let the poor books be abused by this tyrranical gnome! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -A very pleasant female's voice would suddenly appear around them. "Countdown commencing. T-Minus 10 seconds until ignition. Please stand clear to avoid any burns, melting, or death. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated, however, we are a very accomodating group so your cooperation isn't required. Your presence signifies you agree to our terms and conditions which state, in part, that we won't be held responsible for any damage, to property or person, as a direct or indirect result of this invetion's use. Thank you very much and please have a nice day." Of course with everything that was just said what had been 10 seconds suddenly became 2 after the statement was completed. As the voice pleasantly stated 1 and 'pistons engaged' the barrels were suddenly molten orange and red before a column of liquid fire, almost like a laser, erupted and punched through the books and into the ground. Oh yea, while the pleasant voice was talking Boomsworth popped his head up from behind the screen. "Uhhh, you may want to stand back a bit more!" (d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy was shocked. Where was that voice coming from? What did it mean? What was happening? She handn't had enough time to process exactly what was taking place before suddenly there was FIRE EVERYWHERE or so it seemed to her, and she was instinctively diving out of the way and under the table while the poor poor books were utterly slaughtered! Oh the humanity. Kivvy had a tear in her eye, but it wasn't because she was proud, oh dear no, she felt that attack as keenly as if it happened to her own body. Well. Almost. She would be in far more pain and probably making a lot more noise than she was currently if she had been the target of that strike, but that was neither here nor there. "Please don't do that! Make it stop! Turn it off! You're wrecking the Inne!" Man Maria was going go be so pissed! She'd make the librarian look like a harmless fluffy kitten. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -The flame grew brighter still as it continued to pump into the ground. Boomsworth was looking at the events before him with rapt, near 'gasmic', attention as his face showed pure bliss and pleasure. IT WORKED! Of course it worked but still, IT WAS WORKING! As the flame burned into the ground it was traveling much faster and further than anyone knew. In fact if anyone happened to be looking at the planet in general in about 3 more minutes a pillar of light would erupt from the surface across from where Boomsworth and the inn sat before erupting into space where it finally began to cool down. The world ended....
Mr. Boomsworth: Just kidding, the world didn't end. The blast was so hot that as the turret began to wind down the earth (rock, minerals, dirt, etc.) filled in the hole like water rushing in, sealing it back up to avoid any castosprohic endings. As the barrels finally stopped spinning and the place of the books had been was a cooling pool of lava Boomsworth let out a cheer! "A job well done!" (d)
Caoimhe: Kivvy let out a wail as she saw what remained of her precious books, crawling out from under her shelter and hovering around the edge of the lava pool. In the very least the Inne was still standing .. but her books were not! And she had just finished reading them! What would the librarian say? Aside from slapping a four figure fine on Kivvy's account to replace the now decimated books. The Shallotan farmgirl soon saw red, pulling away from the bookish grave site and rounding on the gnome. "A job well done? A JOB WELL DONE?! The books are GONE! Destroyed! They have shuffled off this mortal coil! Kicked the bucket! Run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible! They are now ex-books! What part of all that is a job well done?!" She very very nearly smacked the machine he was operating .. but thought better of it, as she did not wish for it to suddenly fire up again and decide that she was a far more attractive target than those books had been! She was not in the very least fire proof .. and besides .. there may be some iron in that thing. Iron burned. [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Iron?
IRON??? Oh she would have been given a LOOK if she had even suggested anything THIS gnome had put together contained IRON. Oh the nerve! Either way, she hadn't said it so the turret and gnome hadn't changed it's attention toward her in a bad way. Boomsworth climbed down and lovingly rubbed the side of his turret. "Thatta girl." He then looked to the fumming newbie and simply stared at her. What was she making such a fuss about? Leaning past her he would look toward the visibly shaken Hana. "Can I please have a glass of water?" It took a moment, and he endured Kivvy's verbal assault until it was brought over. Looking down into the glass he nodded before simply splashing the water onto Kivvy's face. Was water cold like iron. "Pull yourself together girl, it's embrassing considering I recruited you." He then pointed to the spot where the books had been. The floor was back to normal, the books were back, also back to normal and soon she would hear the floor beneat hte turret returning to its normal state, pushing the anchors out of the wood. The inn was enchanted after all, all damage was undone. He didn't know how it worked just yet, but he had seen it. So by destroying the books the enchantment had replaced them when it replaced the parts of the inn destroyed. "See? A job well done!" A matter of fact glance was given to the girl, how dare she doubt a gnome!?(d)Caoimhe: Kivvy would stand there with water dripping down her face, staring blankly at the gnome in question. A more primal part of her nudged her and tried to get her to bite this gnomes head off in a more literal manner .. jaw seperating as it took on a more snakely aspect with teeth lengthening to points. But Kivvy had a reputation to maintain and so despite the internal struggle this urge would be stamped down and smothered until it shut up. Slowly, she turned to face the books in question and saw that they had been returned to their previous condition. Later, she would inspect them to see if they had also been returned to their soggy condition as they had been brought into the inne like that! Gradually, the farmgirl would heave in a deep breath and then slowly release it, as if the very act would calm her .. before reaching out and grabbing the gnome by his shirt and shaking him like a red headed stepchild. "Why didn't you tell me that would happen?! You scared me half to death!!" She also included a few choice curses in Castillon, the young girls face growing red and angry with her tirade until eventually she simply dropped him, muttering something about gnomes and fireworks and grabbed her scarf to wipe her face down. In the very least, her impromptu bath had washed away the dried blood! [d]
Mr. Boomsworth: -Boomsworth stumbled after being put down, stumbled some more and then fell on his ass as the room spun around him. His upper body was even still moving in the same fashion that she had been thrashing him just a second before. He finally got a statement out before he fell onto his back and closed his eyes. "You're welcome." It took a moment but soon even if the darkness stopped trying to make him throw up and he managed to sit up, thought with a slight headache, to look over at her. "For someone who treats her books so badly you sure seem to get mad at others for fixing them.... Do you not like books or something?" (d)
Caoimhe: Her eye twitched spasmodically as the gnome continued to try and dig his own grave. Instead of answering immediately, she just stalked over to the bar and requested a Shallotan tea .. which was basically your standard cup of tea but with an added shot of whiskey in it. She wasn't much of a drinker (in fact was technically underage but they didn't know that) but she felt like the situation warranted it. Hands shaking, she sat down and took a few fortifying sips of tea before she answered, glaring poignantly at the prone gnome. "I like books .. just fine. I do not like little busybodies setting fire to them without explaining the consequences first!" But if Boomsworth HAD explained it, would she have believed him? Not on your nelly! She'd have demanded an example before subjecting those poor books to an inflammatory fate. [d]