One Morning, first week of Spring semester

[Shihab]

Shihab headed into the library, an unusually studious expression on his face, and a thick, heavy, very old-looking book tucked under his arm, pages dog-eared, paper yellowing, cloth hardcover ripped, stained, and scratched in places. Nevertheless, he held it securely, and very carefully, unlike the fairly nice backpack which was slung carelessly over his other shoulder.

Selecting a table out of general sight, and therefore, he assumed, quieter, he set down the book, and somewhat cautiously left it there, snooping off in search of other materials. The book, if anyone happens along, is The Book of Arabian Nights, written in Arabic, and about three-hundred years old. The notebook is unmarked, save for doodles, mostly either swears in various languages obscure and common, or rather artistic renderings of flames and fire. (On the inside, it is pretty clearly an attempt to garner some kind of meaning about jinn, djinn, what all is known about them, what they can and can't do (and what jokes and tricks can be performed with said abilities), where they came from, and why in English it is permissible to write "genie" but "gene" is just a name. He's easily distracted.)

Nearby the table, a few stacks in, Shihab is muttering frustratedly to himself, things like "humans... bloody scribes... destructive little existence... fire? Why don't they say anything about firespeak?"

[Parum Callidus Diabolus]

Parum casually strolled over to the boy at the table, looking at the old book he had brought in with him.

"Is there anything I can help you with?"

[Shihab]

Shihab looked up from where he'd briefly paused to dump an armful of research books (anything he could find that touched on the Middle East and the supernatural). "That depends," he said, straightening, and putting one hand over the old book. "Do you have any lighters, lighter fluid, or candles on hand?" He managed, through years of practice, to keep his face completely straight and serious.

[Parum Callidus Diabolus]

Parum kept her friendly librarian face on.

"Yes, they're all next to the detention with your name on it. Would you care for both?"

[Shihab]

Shihab threw back his head and laughed, not quite as loudly as the motion suggested-- this was, after all, a library. The proprieties must be observed!

"Ah, well. I guess not, then. Perhaps there should be a rule, so as to avoid confusion!" He grinned, a bit maddeningly. "Wouldn't want other students to fall into the same trap, now, would we? You never know, some poor mage might drag a live brazier full of coals in here, or someone might decide to do a glassblowing experiment!"

[Parum Callidus Diabolus]

Parum sighed. She had a feeling by the end of this semester, her rules would would be as tall as she was.

"Live fires should be considered 'Inappropriate' as the rules say, but I suppose I should put another rule that states you need to bring your common sense into the library. No live fires."

She bopped Shihab on the nose with the end of her finger with her last statement, and began to walk back to her desk.

[Shihab]

Grinning, Shihab bit back any further witty comebacks, even those concerning the options of dead fires, or the fires of lust. Instead, he pushed his books into a neat stack, sat down at the table, and started rapidly taking notes. Before long, he was muttering under his breath again, alternating between furious, excited, and generally rambling.

[Anna Carlisle]

Anna Carlisle walks into the library. Her posture and way of walking suggested that she was lost.

Directionless, she began to explore.

[Parum Callidus Diabolus]

Parum noticed the woman in the library, not recognizing her as a student or a professor.

"Ma'am, may I help you? You seem a bit...lost."

[Anna Carlisle]

Anna turned around to see Parum. She smiles.

"Ah, yes, I'm sorry, but I just wanted to take a look at where my husband will be working at."

She extends her hand to Parum.

"I'm Anna Carlisle, Professor Yang's wife: bibliophile."

[Parum Callidus Diabolus]

Parum takes her hand, and shakes it with a smile.

"Well, if there's anything I can help you find, please don't hesitate to ask."

[Anna Carlisle]

Anna shakes Parum's hand back.

"I won't. I have a feeling," she looks around the massive library, "that I'll be spending some time here."

[Parum Callidus Diabolus]

Parum nodded, then gave a short bow before returning to her desk.