@iwakusufune; video;

[stresspoint]

Pardon me for interrupting, but I have something that needs to be said.

[ He's polite enough, standing out in the common area, but Nanami has a very serious expression on. Extra serious today, since he's holding one of the sad, worn real paper books in his hand. Considering he's made his appearance resemble a suit, he could pass for someone's stern PA. ]

The library on the premises is in need of more care, but it's still functional. The books in this world are mostly digital, so items like this should be considered rare specimens. Even though they aren't common in daily use, they're valuable you should look at them as precious antiques. Treat them as such. And YET-

[ He opens the book to reveal some heavy line scrawls over the page. Someone was apparently treating this as free paper for doodle practice! ...or map-making, sure, but doodle practice to him. ]

This item is an example of traditional printing methods that began over a thousand years ago. In this age, these techniques are already practically lost arts.

I would deeply appreciate if everyone would respect the library and leave it intact. I understand that the appearance isn't very inviting, but I will attend to that part personally. Please don't make things difficult for me.

[ Okay, maybe the PA of some gangster. Nanami does nod, though. ]

Thank you for cooperating.

[ And now with that out of the way, still riding a very serious wave: ]

Itadori-kun. I need a word in private.

Comments

video. @VESSEL

[eyescar]

[ Yuji looks... Very nervous, lifting his hand to wave. ]

Haha... Hey, Nanamin, what's up?

video.

[stresspoint]

You know where the greenhouse is? Be there in five minutes.

[ Clean and concise. ]

[eyescar]

Right! I'm on my way right now, I'll see you soon!

[ He even salutes! ]

> action;

[stresspoint]

[ Even though he said five minutes, Nanami is already there when Yuji arrives. He was trying to sort out the library anyway, so it's not much of a trip to get to the meeting spot. He's also apparently dressed in a suit. It's just the modification over his appearance, but it makes him feel better at least.

When he sees Yuji approaching, he faces him with arms folded. ]

You can have a seat if you like.

[ He even chose an area with one of the benches for him. ]

Itadori-kun, do you remember what we talked about at the hotel?

[eyescar]

[ Yuji's patented speed isn't doing him that much good when it comes to Nanami waiting for him, but at least he's not late; that would make the situation far worse, and he already thinks that he's a little too close to being in trouble again.

How many problems is he going to cause Nanami before they're finished here? He doesn't want to keep doing it, but...

Slowly, he steps over and sits himself down. This is definitely a scolding. ]

I remember. I know I was sleepy, but I wouldn't forget something like that.

[stresspoint]

The timing was inconvenient for us both, so I wanted to give you a chance to say whatever you might need to say now.

[ Fess up. Now is the one and only chance he's getting before Nanami takes the lead. ]

Any thoughts you might have held but couldn't say then, you should say them now.

[eyescar]

Ah...

[ Yuji wiggles with discomfort, lifting his hand and scratching his hair absently. ]

Honestly, Nanamin, I have been being careful! I haven't done any work for a while, and I'm making sure now to use the healing thing too much. I listened!

[stresspoint]

[ He waits, giving Yuji the extra grace to think about his answer, but after a few long, silent minutes, he frowns. ]

Why are you trying to be careful? Only because I asked you to? If that's your reasoning, I don't think you were really listening to me.

[eyescar]

[ This is like a quiz he didn't study for. ]

No, it's because... It's a lot otherwise, isn't it? So it's a good thing to... Rest?

[stresspoint]

[ 70% ]

Do you think you are adequately resting for the amount of effort you've been putting in? Be honest.

text; un: contender

[originbullets]

I assume you'd be pursuing some sort of library restoration project. If that is the case, I would like to volunteer.

( It's not as though Kiritsugu doesn't have his own reasons for so freely volunteering his services. It had been his intent to scour the material there to find any information of value, anyway. But he can appreciate Nanami's sentiment, being something of a voracious reader, himself. )

text;

[stresspoint]

I am. There are still good books kept there and it could be a good place to visit if it were properly maintained.

I would appreciate any help you are willing to offer. My name is Nanami Kento.

[ He knows the books aren't really full of information anyone wants, but he has a soft spot for stories. ]

[originbullets]

Team Revelation, right? I think I've seen you around.

( Kiritsugu may not be the most socially inclined, he's just annoyingly observant and chronically online. )

Emiya Kiritsugu.

( You know, the guy in Revelation haus known for having the flavor palette of a 12 year old, and listening to depressing music from his dorm all day. )

[stresspoint]

That's right. I haven't actually seen you, Emiya-san.

[ It's okay, he can assume some of his teammates are trolls living in hermit caves... And he's honestly too strict about personal space to invade anyone else's to interrupt him. ]

I had assumed you were engaged in important business. But if it's not too much trouble, I'll gladly accept your assistance.

[ And maybe learn a bit more about his mystery dorm mate. The guy seems as aloof as Megumi. ]

[originbullets]

( Funny that. Kiri and Megumi have been making fast friends. )

It's quite alright. I could use the distraction, frankly.

( The alternative, of course, is moping about the base and dwelling on Mage Bullshit™️. Renovating the library at least sounds like a productive use of his time. )

[stresspoint]

[ He would not be surprised at all to hear that. Megumi is a well behaved and easy to get along with kid as far as he's ever known. He should make more friends too. ]

As long as you don't mind some labor. It's still in bad shape.

[ And with how low the priority is for paper books, no one has been trying to change that. It seems to be used as a free scrap source more than an actual library, which bothers him on principle. ]

text; un: joker

[1797]

can i have it back now

[Is he standing like...right there? And still texting Nanami? Maybe.]

Video; Action;

[stresspoint]

[ Is he… seriously texting him even though he’s in the same room? Nanami looks up with a mix of annoyance and awe at this response. ]

So you can keep drawing in it? I’d like to hold onto it for now.

[1797]

[This is what happens when you give him the ability to type with his brain.

At least he just gives up when Nanami insists on being a wet blanket, crossing his arms instead with all the stubborn attitude afforded to a teenager.]

For now? What are you going to do with it.

[stresspoint]

[ He could probably keep texting and Nanami would have to keep accepting it, because he's well aware of teenage habits. In the past, he probably would have done the same thing just to be petulant, but now he expresses that same stubbornness in the opposite way: by speaking out loud instead. ]

This? I'm going to copy the material over to a different book. You can have it back once I've saved the text.

[ Because he obviously thinks that's worth his time. ]

[1797]

[He's considering if he could just grab the book now: is he fast enough, would this guy use his powers (because he presumably has powers) to stop him, etc. Not that the book is really worth that; the most practical thing to do would be to take the L. At worst, it's a ding to his pride and a reminder not to leave anything sitting in the open.

Also, if he really needs more paper he could just...steal another book. Lesson: unlearned.]

How long will that take? [There's enough text to prove unwieldy.] It's barely even readable.

[stresspoint]

[Nanami looks at this young man who is apparently determined to keep defacing the one thing he really likes on the base: the library. He frowns, staring over the book into the indifference in front of him, and squints.]

One night. And I'd like you to refrain from using the library for this kind of thing in the future. The authors of these books put their hearts and feelings into their work. If you care about what you're doing with this, you should understand.

I'll return this one to you, but spare the rest. They've survived this long and deserve respect.

[1797]

[He turns that over in his head a moment. It's not necessarily that he disagrees, but—]

I'll make a deal with you.

[Brazen, for a kid who got caught. But when Ren wants something, even if it's frankly kind of dumb, he doesn't give up so easily.]

You let me have any books that are damaged beyond repair—after you get whatever you want out of them—and I won't touch anything else.

[He hadn't intended to be indiscriminate to start, but Nanami's idea of what makes a book salvageable is much more precise than the metric Ren is using.]

[stresspoint]

[That's definitely a bold counter offer, considering the damage is already done, but there's just something familiar in Ren's stubbornness, the way he negotiates, that feels so familiar to him that he can't help but stare back at him.

Was he really like this when he was younger? It feels like arguing with himself.

He sighs deeply and shifts the rescued book to his left hand so he can hold out his right one.]

Just let me look at them first.

[1797]

[He shakes Nanami's hand like he never had any doubt he'd agree. Shameless, even if he's actually wondering if this guy is less of a hard ass than he seemed in the initial public shaming. Or maybe he's taking it exactly that seriously.]

That's part of the deal.

[His tone turns a little wry.]

The library wasn't my first choice for paper, either, but there aren't exactly a lot of options.

[Not ones that reasonably fit into his budget, anyway.]