[TOTM-JUN25 : Gift] Library chat!

In silence, two tatsukoi sit at a wooden table with in a library. In places like these, especially for these two acquaintances, hours go by without a word being spoken between the two : that’s how They like spending time with one another. This is the place where they met, finding common interest in the same literature as the other, and so formed a quick but tight knit bond between eachother. Caelus Escaping the busy townsfolk, and with Syrup’s partner, Sandwhich, being away from home for a while, they both crossed paths again in the same part of the library, and have once again found themselves going through pages upon pages of different books on magic, beasts, floral writings, and history books. At a time like this, it’s almost like the library gets quieter around them, you could almost hear a pin fall.

“Hm..” looking at one of the books, Syrup’s ears perk up for just a moment as he tilts his head at the page in front of him. “That can’t be right…” he mumbles under his breath.

“What’s that?” Caelus whispers in response, hearing Syrups inner turmoil, breaking from his intense focus.

“This can’t be right..” Syrup’s nose scrunches up, not in anger, but simply in confusion. They turn the book over to Caelus’ view, revealing an entry on healing magic. “you know more about his magic stuff than I do…it says here that you need to wave your staff…or…magical object, I suppose, in a circular motion. However, on the page before that it clearly states otherwise.”

“Hand me that.” Caelus takes the book out of Syrup’s hands and examines it, flipping the pages back and forth, reading the contents. “You’re clearly mistaken. This version is the simplified spell” pointing at the previous page “and this, my friend, is the more accurate and harnessed version only great spellcasters can achieve.”

Syrup squints. “nooo…that can’t be right either..” they mumble, taking the book back and looking at the pages again. “I saw Butterscotch practicing this exact magic last week..since she takes care of animals? But…she’s not an experienced spell caster, not that I personally know of.”

“Well, she was only practicing it. And who’s to say for certain she was even meaning to practice that exact spell..” Caelus responds in a blunt tone, grabbing another book from the pile he’s collected from the shelves. “maybe you didn’t see it right? A lot of other spells have that exact same motion.”

The air seems to shift around them. A couple tatsukoi have stopped what their doing to watch the two discuss. From the outside, it looks like a passive agressive fight. However, this is just how Caelus and Syrup talk to eachother.

“Correct, but she was defenitly chanting the incantation mentioned here…I’m also pretty sure any other spells with this similar motion are not meant for her profession. The only spells I can think of are-“ Syrup gets cut off by Caelus cutting in.

“Yes, yes, I already know which spells you are going to mention, and I believe you’re right. I don’t think a farmer would use an ice or infernal spell…unless it was meant to light the fireplace. Quite an explosive way to do that though” He chuckles slightly, before continuing to read on.

For a moment there’s silence.. the people watching them seem to move on, realising the discussion was probably over. maybe five minutes go by before Syrup speaks up again “ugh…this still doesn’t make any sense.. I can’t be reading it wrong..I’ve read it over about six times now…is there simply just two different ways?”

“I don’t know Syrup, maybe it’s just a coincidence.”

They share a look, and turn back to their studies afterwards.

As the two continue reading on, syrup picks the book back up now and again, grumbling every time trying to decipher what the right way. Caelus doesn’t seem to be bothered, it’s happened before where books contradict themselves, they are written by people after all. Not every person experiences the same kind of spell, that’s how they discover new one’s exist. However, once Syrup’s tails start flashing around, that’s when he finally takes the book from Sryup, looks it over once again, and notices something. “Huh.” He takes one of the pages out of the book. It wasn’t attached to the other pages, it was simply wegded inbetween them.

“This page isn’t from this type of literature. I think someone just accidentally ripped a page out of a different book and put that there.” He places the loose page on the hard wooden table, next to him and Syrup. They briefly examine it. “Huh, yeah…the coloring of the pages are also different…and..”

Syrup stops talking. A moment of silence occurs as their eyes widen.

“Caelus....I don’t think that’s…. written in ink…” unnervingly they look up at him, and slowly hands it back to Caelus. Examining it one last time, the page seems to be written in a dark red ink. Caelus doesn’t know what to make of it. The cogs in his head turn.. ‘red ink?’

Syrup comments to confirm Caelus suspicion. “You don’t suppose that’s… blood, do you?”

“Unfortunately….i think it is. Looking at it further, i think this is a different kind of healing incantation… a forbidden one. this…this could be Dark magic.”

At the mere mention of dark magic, they both feel the library go completely, and eerily, silent. They both make eye contact, noticing a shift in the air.

Before they can say anything else, the librarian magically appears behind them, out of nowhere, and snatches the parchment out of Caelus’ claws. “I have been looking for that!” They chime with a cheerful tone, before leaning in close to them and mumbling in a much more threatening voice. “We specifically keep these kinds of things out of the public eye..I don’t know how that got there, but I suggest you forget anything you read in this page. It’s not good for either of you.” they point at the paper, before rolling it up, and walking away from the two.

They exhange a look. Both stunned, and a little sweaty from that encounter, Syrup picks up another book, trying to move on, before Cealus grabs his hand and pulls him close.

“You said you read it six times, right?”