2022-07-29: Pigeons in the Library

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  • Log: Pigeons in the Library
  • Cast: Josephine Lovelace (as a certain pigeon), Magilou
  • Where: Xenobia's Library
  • Date: July 29, 2022
  • Summary: <Summarize!>

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    Wherever you are, there are pigeons. If there is one constant across the whole of the two worlds and even almost all the continents and nations, it is the continuity of pigeons. Rare is the nation that does not have a flock gracing its streets, clustering together for safety in worlds that lack it.

    Coming across a flock of pigeons is expected in most places as a consequence.

    It is a little less common to encounter a cluster of them in a space such as this, carefully investigating the cracked and mossy stones outside the edifice of the library. Amidst the Calm Lands it's rather more the usual thing to run into pigeons near the encampments, feeding on the refuse of the people who wander the plains. But no one lives here... right?

    What's more, out of the more typical pigeons that are often found in Spira -- browns, mottled colors, a few stray white or partial whites -- one among them stands out.

    The head and whitetips are black. The rest of the body is stark, pure white.

    It struts among the other pigeons as if it were the queen, walking with purpose across the broken stokework. This pigeon stands out. This pigeon commands attention.

<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.

    "Magikazam!"

    The magic spell which illuminates the dark, mysterious library... is a dove, shining brightly and fluttering out into the archives. White as driven snow, it is a conjuration of sorcery, not a living creature -- but it's certainly a fine facsimile of one.

    Following it is a woman who stands out, just the same, in jester's clothes and books all about her skirt. (A skirt made of books.) "Kept yourself busy in your long exile, mm...?" Magilou muses, as she steps into the library, looking up at the tall, tall shelves...

    Which are...

    "Oh! Presently occupied, is it?" Magilou interrupts herself, cheerfully, as she notices all the other pigeons flocking here. The light dove flutters overhead, shining, as Magilou turns her gaze over the gathering...

    And settles her gaze on the very fanciest. "So! Are you the librarian, or just the new proprietor?" She asks the queen of all pigeons, with a sly grin, a hand coming to rest on her hip.

    If anyone is surprised at Magilou talking to pigeons, they should really see her having deep philosophical conversations with dogs on the street.

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    It would seem that Xenobia did not waste her time, given the stacks upon stacks of tomes. Many hail from the old continent. Others are from closer afield.

    But the books -- and distantly, as Magilou may well know, the Fiends -- are not the only residents.

    Perhaps this black-and-white one might be the closest the place has now to a 'librarian'?

    There is gentle cooing from above. Lift the head. Lift the gaze higher, higher still...

    Oh. Perhaps that is the reason they've taken to this place. Not only is it (reasonably) well defended against the elements and only modestly populated by Fiends, but there on the shelves...

    It's become something of a dovecote. There are nests visible amidst some of the shelves.

    This has become the castle for this particular pigeon empire. Given how the others appear to defer to this strangely-colored bird as it continues its strut closer, closer to Magilou, perhaps this one might even be the reason why so many have come to call this library 'home'.

    The bird shies not away from Magilou, approaching her as if it intends to take her measure. The others make way for it and Magilou alike, parting in the way many feral and semi-feral pigeons might. But this black and white one isn't the same, is it? It must have been someone's pet, once.

    That, or it was never a pet in the first place and has in that head something more than 'merely' a bird's brain. But what would the odds of that be?

<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.

    Up flutters the light dove, illuminating the dovecote. It perches, on the edge of a shelf, shining and cooing just like any dove does.

    Magilou looks up, too -- and grins. "Making yourselves at home, huh?" She asks, gaze lidding with a mysterious smile. "Good for you. Better pigeons than people, in a place like this."

    Why pigeons would be better suited to this library than people is a detail Magilou leaves to the doves.

    Magilou doesn't shy away from the pigeon empress, as she strut-strut-struts forward. Her hand rests on her hip, as she curls the other at her chin, looking to Penelope just as Penelope looks to Magilou. She's a very brave bird. Or, perhaps...

    "Oh, Xenobiiiaaa?" Magilou lilts, with a veiled smirk. "Is that you? Come, now! There's no need for a trick like this around me! You've already made a good impression~!" A good... first impression, surely?

    Surely.

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    The other birds coo back. There must be children in the nests. Eggs, even, yet to hatch. Fiends have little interest in eating the eggs of pigeons, and predators of pigeons have little interest in becoming the prey of Fiends. This is an excellent place for a bird to make its home, assuming they do not press too far into the library, that is. But they have not lost their wariness around humans. They make way around the interloper.

    All except for the one, that is.

    Magilou calls out a name, as if suspecting the true identity of this bird.

    There is no miraculous transformation of bird to woman. No sparkling shine of magic shimmers throughout this space. There is instead merely the black and white pigeon, who cocks its head curiously at Magilou, dark eyes shimmering.

    When it launches hitself right at Magilou, then, it might be a surprise.

    Equally so may be the bird's target:

    Magilou's hat.

    Look again, Magilou. Look at the shelves. Look more closely at the nests.

    The birds didn't weave them from straw and bookpaper. There are... hats. A variety of them, including the faded caps used by the nuns of Yevon. The woven straw caps by travelers. Flat cloth hats.

    These hats...

    ...The pigeons are using them as their nests. And this bird intends to add Magilou's own to the collection.

<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.

    "Hmm... no? Well, you can hardly blame me for the suspicion," Magilou waves the question off, as the pigeon cocks its head. "So then, who are --"

    Penelope flutters right for Magilou's face. No, a little higher.

    "-- YOU!" Her voice rises in pique, as Penelope grasps her hat. It's a big, broad, impressive hat, which makes it all the more impressive that Penelope makes the attempt. Particularly given the way a dozen colourful scarves are shaken from it, with the jostling.

    "Hey!"

    ... just like an enchanted frying pan, property of Seraph Yvain...

    "Ow!!"

    ... and a picture frame featuring a sketch of herself, Bienfu, and Grimoirh...

    "Stop that!"

    ... and her stuffed scape-goat...

    "Why do I still have that?!"

    ... and an entire tent, with a pom-pom attached to one folded corner...

    "COME ON!"

    ... all of which fall directly from Magilou's Hat of Holding right onto Magilou's head, which explains why it takes this long for her to grab the corners of her hat and plant it firmly on her head again.

    "Why, you little--!" Magilou grouses, holding tight to her hat. "This is a witch's hat! You can't just steal it!" Her cheeks puff up, glaring, before she harrumphs: "But it's pretty bold of you to make the effort... I'll give you that. So, what, your whole organisation is pinned on hat theft?" She's definitely assuming that, because she's still holding onto hers. (She doesn't want Penelope to shake anything ELSE out of her hat.)

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    Penelope, for that is in fact the name of this particular pigeon, is but a normal pigeon. Try as she might, simply stealing away Magilou's hat is beyond her abilities.

    But this is a pigeon who would, as the saying goes, fight god.

    She might not be able but she will try.

    And try she does, grabbing again and again at Magilou's hat however doomed the attempt might ultimately be.

    However many things might tumble forth from the hat in the trying.

    The only thing that causes the pigeon to abort the attempt and swoop towards a nearby shelf to glower darkly at the witch is when Magilou grabs at her cap to keep it there on her head, as firmly as she can.

    Penelope, being a normal pigeon, doesn't answer Magilou's question. But...

    Good heavens, there must be an awful lot of hatless nuns. And is that a scarf??

    Penelope's eyes glitter darkly. There is a promise there in those eyes: oh, how many eggs might Magilou's hat hold, should Penelope succeed in capturing it?

    If there were ever a white whale -- second to Jacob the mechanical bird, that is -- then this hat would be it...

<Pose Tracker> Magilou has posed.

    Magilou grumbles, as she shoves her picture frame (incriminating!) and her frying pan (also incriminating!) and her scape-goat and her tent back into her hat. Shove, shove, shove.

    She decides to leave the scarves. They're the kind of things a performer normally pulls out of their hat, which means there's a lot of them, all tied together. "You know, it would be really funny if I made you undo all these yourselves," Magilou remarks, as she leans down to pick them up.

    "But I'm feeling generous!" She remarks, as she proceeds to slip out the knots tying one colourful length of fabric to the other. Each scarf, on its own, is light enough for a pigeon to handle. There's one for every element of the Blessing! Each one is printed with little cartoon Normin faces. (Normins also wear very nice hats, exclusively, and jealously.)

    They could, conceivably, be worn on someone's head.

    "/Here,/" she declares, as she lets the last one scatter to the floor and steps back. "Don't say I never did anything for the birds. Coo, coo~ o/`" She hums to herself, as she folds her hands behind her head -- clasped over her hat, thank you very much -- and begins strolling out of the library, humming casually.

    The light dove, roosting above, will eventually disappear... just like magic!

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    Penelope, perched up on the shelf, simply watches, dark eyes glittering in the light of the glowing dove. There are other eyes on Magilou as she undoes the many knots linking scarf to scarf, but only one regards her motions with a particular intent.

    There are times when a compromise is necessary.

    And there are times when an offering is sufficient. Penelope's acceptance of this particular gift is only made plain by one thing and one thing alone:

    Not once does she divebomb Magilou on her exit from this particular sanctum, her gaze instead on the scarves left on the floor.

    Soon.

    The scarves will have vanished when next someone enters into the library grounds, tucked away to form the basis of another nest of this city of pigeons.

    The birds will grow up protected here. They will grow up healthy, and strong. But is Penelope's aim merely to care for these pigeons, her ilk from another world?

    ...Or does she have grander designs than that? Might this someday become an army of strong, capable pigeons?
    Today, hats. Tomorrow... the world?

    Who can know what thoughts circulate in a pigeon's brain...?