Chapter One - The Library Dictator [Video]

[knowitowl]

[Now that things seem to have gone back to relative normalcy here in the land of Luceti, Wan Shi Tong decides that it is time to introduce himself to the community. Thus there will be a video feed of a very tall owl as he stands over his journal.]

Greetings citizens of Luceti, I am Wan Shi Tong, he who knows ten thousand things.

Due to my abduction from my own world and library, I have commandeered the one within this village. I will be the sole authority of the collection from this point on, and as such, there are a few new rules.

First of all, anyone who wishes to use the library must first offer new knowledge to add to the collection.

Secondly, none of the material within can be used for malicious intent. There is no exception to this. I do not care how noble your cause may be, whether it is against each other or our captors here.

Finally, I will no longer allow any materials to be removed from the building.

If these rules are not followed, there will be consequences.

Also, in regards to the last rule, all outstanding books and media must be returned for inventory. If you do not comply, I will send my assistants to retrieve them.

That is all.

[And with that the feed will end.]

Comments

Video

[that_is_asecret]

Only ten thousand things Mr. Wan Shi Tong? You must have been neglecting your studies.

[Xellos sticks his tongue out a bit]

[knowitowl]

[This does not dignify a response so he's totally ignoring you Xellos.]

video

[takesyoubytheheart]

[The first rule was kinda interesting, but that last one...]

Uh, shouldn't we all decide on this sorta thing before you start makin' rules?

[knowitowl]

This is not up for debate. If you have a dispute it will be noted.

[action]

[windandrain]

[Rather than bother with responding to this, Saori just goes straight over to the library. Her housemate is the previous keeper, and while he'd been a child and she'd been a child...and...a Zapdos and a few other things it hadn't come up. Which means that this bears investigation. Now. Because if this was done without Helios' consent? Or if the owl had harmed him in any way...

Not to mention how ludicrous the new rules are.

She'll open the doors and step right into the room, a serious look about her. Her voice is sharp, but formal enough for another spirit.]

Wan Shi Tong. I would speak to you.

[knowitowl]

[It does not take him long to appear. The giant owl walking out from behind some shelves to calmly approach. Standing over her, he looks down at Saori with his large dark eyes.]

What is it you wish to discuss?

[Though he likely already knew. His new rules were creating quite the stir.]

[respect_points47]

[A bird has taken over the library...that's a new one even for Rikku.

So she'll raise and wave her hand to head level to get his attention.]

I see problems with the first and second rules.

[knowitowl]

Everyone's a critic. Do enlighten me.

Video

[misterbrief]

You're going to send assistants, huh? Go ahead and tell me exactly how that will work.

[Guess who stole all the DBZ manga out of the library when he found out it existed, this guyyyyyy]

[knowitowl]

To what end? So that you can destroy them or the materials you took?

[Vegeta plz. What do you take him for?]

[Voice]

[spellfeather]

[Hello Wan Shi Tong, that little snowy owl is back!]

I don't recall that such rules would be appropriate for a library that isn't a private one. [And she sounds very bitter!]

[knowitowl]

[Well hello again little friend.]

I believe these rules are even more important now considering the circumstances.

voice;

[unfringed]

How can you call yourself someone who knows ten thousand things and not know that what you do deprives others of knowledge?! Despot! Tyranny!

Re: voice;

[knowitowl]

[Sigh. Humans.]

It is these particular violent tendencies of you humans that have led me to this. Your insults will not get you anywhere.

[Video]

[foundafamily]

"New knowledge"? Are you kiddin' me?

[knowitowl]

It is a small price to pay to have such knowledge at your disposal. To take you must first give. Is that not reasonable?

[He is trying so hard to be "nice" but reasoning with all these humans and otherwise is getting tiring.]

[Action] 1/2

[savedtheworld]

[Aang actually missed the memo. So that afternoon, he casually strolls into the library, ready to check out some books. He casually waves to the giant owl spirit when he sees him.]

Hi Wan Shi Tong!

[Action]

[savedtheworld]

[...And then, almost immediately, he stops and does a double take.]

Wan Shi Tong?!

[video]

[ribbonbon]

[She's not exactly the type of person to argue with a huge talking owl, but she's started actually making use of the library and this could be something of a problem.]

Um...Isn't that like, a little unfair, though? I mean for some people, everything they know is probably already in some kind of book in the library. [Some people like her for example.] It's like, kind of hard to offer new information when you don't have any.

[knowitowl]

You mean to tell me you know nothing beyond what is kept in this library?

[Excuse him if he finds this a little hard to believe.]

[written, camera obscured]

[readytobe]

You have no authority in this place.

Re: [written, camera obscured]

[knowitowl]

Neither do you.

[video]

[quantumtangled]

Would it be permissible for me to give enough knowledge for two people?

[knowitowl]

Hm, perhaps. Do you have a specific case in mind?

video;

[universal_charm]

Really now? An owl guarding a library? Aren't you clinging a bit hard to stereotypes here?

[knowitowl]

I took this form in the mortal world because it seemed appropriate.

[aerialassault]

Uh. Those rules are nice and all, but I thought the point of the library was to share.

[And, you know, take dumb action books out for a weekend and not die of boredom.]

[knowitowl]

It seems that most of you are misinterpreting my rules. Just because materials can not be taken from the library does not mean they are unavailable for use within it. This rule is a precaution to prevent loss, theft, and the misuse of knowledge.

[How is this so hard to understand? But then he has to remember that mortals are not as wise as he. Still he grows weary of having to spell things out for these simple minds.]

written in poor handwriting

[forelocked]

Typical, someone has power, and they go use it to put other people down.

So you get to control who reads what, and if people are worthy of having knowledge. And I bet there's some knowledge that's forbidden and no one gets to have it.

What are you gonna do if somebody breaks your rules?

[Farlan mostly looks up edible plants and various field guides, but wow, this is rude.]

[knowitowl]

No knowledge is forbidden unless you have the intent of misusing it. Your question also seems to suggest you may have this in mind. So tell me, who do you wish to destroy?

video

[silversnowfall]

With all due respect, Mr. Tong, you are not the sole proprietor of this library, nor will you force our residents into conducting themselves in such a way as to restrict the freedom of knowledge in this village. Your world may abide such rules; this one is different, and it will not. We are trapped together here and the best we can do is stay as informed as possible, as often as we please.

It is no more yours than it is anyone else's. For better or worse, that is how life in Luceti works, and you will do yourself a great service to grow accustomed to it - and to a greater understanding of the sort of trust it takes to survive here.

[knowitowl]

With all due respect Ms. Osborne, I am the most qualified for this position as I have centuries worth of experience. I will be able to care for this library with greater skill and efficiency than any mortal. As I do not require any of the resources of this village, I believe that a few simple rules to protect this knowledge from the wrong hands is a small price to pay for my services.

The knowledge is still available, but I am guarding it more closely. Until everyone has proven themselves truth worthy, which is unlikely, the rules shall remain.

[Video]

[complicatedliar]

[So bored.]

I am Loki, god of the kitchen sink and folder of paper. I eat words and sleep wrapped in a cocoon of sentences.

You and what army?

[knowitowl]

If you are going to lie to an all knowing spirit, you should put a little more effort into it.

[Audio]

[tearmeanewone]

Excuse me, you can't just show up here and change all the rules of the library because you say so. Maybe if it was your private collection that would be one thing, but it's not, it's the village's library. It's public.

And I'm in the middle of at least four books, I'm not returning them, or the others I have out, until I'm finished.

[It probably says something that Elizabeth is more outraged by being separated, involuntarily, from her books than she is about how dictatorial the scenario is. That bothers her too, of course, but the books are very important.]

[knowitowl]

I will give you a week to return them. If they are not back by this time I shall have them retrieved.

[He can tell already that debating with this one will be a waste if time.]

[Action!]

[feistytrader]

[It's interesting- and almost a little familiar- to hear someone talk about protecting a specific location the way this huge owl is. Wan Shi Tong. He sounds just like...

Silver makes sure to head over to the library- he has a book to return, after all. He took out one on animals some time ago and if this creature wants all books returned to the building, he's not about to deny that.]

[knowitowl]

[When Silver arrives he will be almost instantly met by the huge spirit. He approaches and dips his head to look at the boy.]

How may I assist you?

[video]

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor is actually in the library when she sees this, curled up in her usual chair in the corner with a pile of books on the table next to her. She's reading a comic book, of all things, and she just looks...bewildered at the owl thing in her journal.]

...You cannot be serious.

Re: [video]

[knowitowl]

I am always serious. And I know you're already here.

[Video]

[halfnhalf]

With all due respect, sir, but a lot of people've used that library for a while now, and it's been treated pretty well. They put all the books away, keep the place clean... and there's always new books that pop up if any are taken away. If you put limits on everything, then people aren't going to be as willing to go there and learn, you know?

[knowitowl]

That is where you are wrong. I am already aware of cases of theft. I seek to protect this knowledge from misuse and I have yet to see any reason to trust anyone.

[deathsdoctor]

[Silky smooth.]

I assume you're after the medical library at the Dome as well?

[knowitowl]

So that is where the medical texts have gone. I would indeed prefer that they be returned.

[Voice]

[magicalesbian]

[Someone is in a very bad mood after that last little shift fiasco, and seeing this guy isn't doing anything to make it better. So apologies in advance for her being a terrible person -- not that Wan Shi Tong isn't doing something deserving of the treatment, of course.]

Wow, you know, your name is really fitting! I mean, that was One Shit-ton of bullshit you just spewed out over the journal.

[Kari plz.]

I think I'll just go ahead and ignore your "rules" thanks. I happen to like living in a house full of books.

[knowitowl]

Then you can expect my assistants to retrieve them.

[The rest of that does not deserve a response.]

1/2

[endgames]

[Man, shit like this is why the Nara Clan leaves no written records of their abilities. 8|

It's a shame the rest of his world didn't go by the same policy; in hindsight he's grateful he's hoarded all the books he's found from there. The only thing left in regards to his world in that library should be a series of manga named after Naruto, of all people. He guesses he should keep an eye out for "assistants", or something.

What a pain.]

[Voice]

[endgames]

[Returning his world's books is the only thing he takes personal issue with. He'll deal with that later. Wan Shi Tong's other demands are simple enough. Incredibly flawed, but simple.

But it's something people will get worked up over. He already sees this heading to a bad, bad end, and surprisingly few people working to keep it from getting to that point.]

Hoo boy, I see this getting messy fast... Have you considered a mediator, Mr. He-Who-Knows-Ten-Thousand-Things?

tooootally not here

[ahappylie]

[Well....this will make his weekly pilgrimage a little harder. Souji is just going to watch this entire post and keep a look out for anything that will help him find a way around this crazy bird thing. Because like hell he's going to let someone else read about his life or the lives of his friends.

Time to start sneaking into the library at different hours and keep on destroying all material relating to the Bakumatsu, yup.]