Heavenly Shae

Shae blinked and shook off the Elder's qi pressure and barely noticed the expansive library lobby. Open vertically, it showed off the full six stories of the building's vertical scale. Spiral staircases shot up the sides like two skeletal pillars holding the floors up. Thin balcony railings curved around the room, rib-like yet barely blocking the view into the upper floors. There appeared to be very little affordance for fall safety, making the space seem like it was cut out of a more normal library instead of being intentionally open.

The lobby itself was a narrow rectangle, much like the outside windows. A semicircle capped the rectangle at the center of the building with a circular hardwood receptionist desk placed in the center of the arc. A large deep blue disc hung over the desk, held up by a pillar of white stone that Shae wouldn't have been able to reach her arms around. That pillar extended above the disc with a narrower column and that supported a second smaller disc at its top. A variety of potted plants sat on the smaller disc and around the column, leaving most of the larger disc empty. A single small orchid sat on the hardwood desk, centered to perfectly face Shae or anyone else entering the building.

Just to the right of the desk, a lone female attendant stood in front of two book-filled carts. She had looked up as Shae entered, though she had been too distracted to notice.

Shae had fully crossed the open space before she let out one final shudder about what 'punishment' she might receive, probably harsh physical training, and her attention returned to the present. She took a quick glance around, then circled around the carts to be in the woman's line of sight. "Hello, Senior. Are you the only librarian on duty tonight?"

The twenty-something woman looked up then slumped sideways to lean against the desk. "You're new. Why show up in the middle of the night?"

"I had some free time before an early appointment. How are you so sure I'm new?"

"I'm also with the alchemy department. We haven't had any recent accidents like yours." She flicked her dark hair over her shoulder and the black locks shimmered red as they fluttered, then settled back to black.

Shae's eyebrows jumped at the unique sight, then she caught up to her words. "Ah. This wasn't from alchemy."

"Then it's a cleansing accident which wouldn't happen to anyone that's been here a year. That does mean you're ahead of the curve, though. Congratulations."

The last was said rather flatly, though Shae didn't think it was sarcasm. "Uh. Thanks? Could you help me find some books, Senior... Uh?"

She sighed, pointed to a placard on the desk behind her, then held out her open hand. "Sect token?"

Shae produced it and the woman blinked in surprise.

"Wow, I didn't think you'd actually have one." She dropped her hand without taking the token. "I can't actually read it like an elder. What's your name?"

"I am Wise Shae. Nice to meet you-" she leaned sideways to read the placard, "Librarian Ahjuan? Really?" Shae slapped a hand over her mouth as soon as she said it.

"Hmm? Something wrong with my name?"

"No, Senior Ahjuan." She bowed quickly, yet deeply. "I haven't seen many names use the ah prefix. I like yours, though. It sounds nice, like azure."

"Hm. I'll ignore that slip up. I don't like blue, though."

Shae grimaced.

"Now, what did you need help with? Just the first-time tour, I assume? I don't really have time for that." She pointed a thumb at the two carts.

"Oh, ah. I've spent a decent bit of time in libraries before. I assume it's alphabetical by brush-stroke, like a dictionary. Is there a card catalog? Maybe a map?"

"Hmmm." Ahjuan hummed and squinted at Shae. "I suppose you think you don't need the normal orientation, then? You should just be able to walk the stacks right away?"

"Ah, I didn't mean to imply that." She bowed again, quickly though not as deeply. "You just seemed busy..." She swept an open palm at the carts.

The librarian's expression went flat and she followed Shae's gesture to the carts. "A single person orientation should go faster than normal, yet I still need to get this work done. Your reading also needs to be tested before we let you loose... Why don't you help me sort these?"

"Um, sure. And then you'll help me find a book or two?"

"I might. If you do a good job." She smirked.

Shae nodded and stepped up to the second cart. "Do you have a third cart to sort into our just do it in place?"

"In place. Any with this mark," she pointed to a small green circle on the spine, "can be moved to this cart. They are first year textbooks."

Shae nodded and got to work.

"You've done this before," Ahjuan stated.

"Hmm. Yes, something similar, different language, though."

"Oh? There's a story there."

Shae shrugged, then looked around the empty lobby. "I suppose. Can you keep a secret?"

"If you're saying it in public: it's not a secret."

"Hah. Fair point."

A quiet breath passed between them before Ahjuan said, "So..."

"So I'm not saying it." Shae passed over another book with the green textbook marking.

"Good." Ahjuan huffed, and passed back one without the marking, as she had done every time before.

Shae looked at the spine and frowned. "Is punctuation first or last alphabetically?"

"It's ignored. Stops us from having to sort it."

"Ah. Makes sense, I suppose."

Ahjuan looked up at the younger woman. "You disagree."

Shae shrugged. "Not explicitly. Simpler is usually better. For this... I suppose it depends how distinct the rest of the title is likely to be. There could be confusion between two titles, one with punctuation and one without."

"Yet this way, you'd find both titles in the same place." The librarian smirked.

"Yeah. That's fair. That does make it more convenient..." She hesitated in continuing, most of her counter arguments only existed because of the internet. A massive variety of book titles that could be recorded and accessed through it. She flipped one of the books open, looking for a checkout card like they used to have before computers took over her school's library. She frowned at not finding one, then checked the back.

"Looking for something?"

"Checkout card. How do you track the books? -know which ones are from here?"

Ahjuan smirked. "If you knew that, couldn't you steal them?"

"Couldn't I anyway? I doubt you'd have tracking qi in every single book."

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Heh. Sure. That's a fair guess. Check the front again, a few pages in."

She did so and found a publication page that instead listed who had scribed the copy, when, and what for. Blank lines below left room for if the book was sold off. "Ah. Right." Shae stared. Every copy is hand written, so they can just bind in pages for whatever else they like. That's convenient. "Uh, though you do have a way to look up titles, right? I have a list and a card catalog would be easier than running around the building."

"Yes. There are ways. Though, most of you first-years will only need the basic textbooks." Ahjuan spun the cart while visually scanning it with an outstretched hand. "This one's done. Did you pick all the green labels out?"

"Oh! One sec." Shae missed seeing Ahjuan's curious expression: she quickly skimmed over the books facing her, then spun the cart and quickly found more to remove.

"Hmm. Let's have you sort them into this cart while I look into that list of yours."

"Ah, yes! Thank you, Librarian Ahjuan." Shae quickly found her lists and handed them over. "This one is medical texts, while this one has a few qi practices on it. Oh, and I have a note from Doctor Geish."

"That's quite a few practices."

"Err, I suppose I don't need all of them. Just the first or second from each list? Whatever's available. Oh, and did he add that cleansing book?" She quickly stepped in close to read Geish's list. "Umm, doesn't look like it. I think it was 'Getting Started with Cleansing?'"

"Are you asking me?" Ahjuan raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, sorry, no. I'm pretty sure that's the one."

The older woman sighed, walked around to the back of the desk then lifted a folding section to get inside the circular furniture. She pointed at the carts when she saw Shae was still watching.

"Oop!" The young woman jumped and spun, then bounced between the two carts until she remembered which she was supposed to be sorting.

A short time later, Shae was trying to squeeze the last textbook onto the cart, and Ahjuan walked back around the desk.

"So, most of your first list is available, though you'll need to find them yourself after a proper orientation. I put in a request for the first practice on the other list, it'll cost you a comp or two, so have that ready when you return to pick it up. Should take a day or so to know how long and get a cost. As for this note..." Shae tapped Doctor Geish's permission form. "I don't really want to do the paperwork for that tonight. I'm busy enough already and if you show up in the morning the library elder can take care of it in a snap." She handed the papers back.

"Oh. Okay, not the first time that's happened. It's it really that much extra work?"

"It can be. Since I don't know you personally, I have to fill out a form confirming your identity. Describing your appearance and qi signature. Then use the token reader to copy your public sect info down. Then make a decision about whether I think you're really truthful about the note, since I can't confirm it myself."

Shae frowned. "Huh. That's a lot more than I expected. Why not just file Geish's note away, and confirm it with him directly tomorrow?"

"Because the expectation is that you are not lying, and need to make use of the note's privileges immediately, not tomorrow or whenever we can confirm it directly. Get to know the attendants and they'll start vouching for you personally."

"Huh." She blinked and stared off into the depths of the library. "Alright. Tomorrow it is. On to the orientation? Oh and what about the cleansing book?"

"Considering it's a 'getting started' book, it's probably one of the textbooks. You can look for it while re-shelving this cart." Ahjuan gestured to the textbook cart with an open palm.

Shae frowned. "Am I getting paid for helping you do your job, Librarian Ahjuan?"

"Are you planning on paying me for the personalised tour and orientation?"

Shae flinched into herself. "Would that be expensive?"

"Considering I'm busy tonight, I'd like a few comp. Though, if you form a group of six recruits who can all read, it would be free during the day."

"Oh." Shae relaxed. "What about with just two others?"

"Hmm, depends who's on staff that day. It might still cost you a point or two." She shrugged, waved a hand, and a burst of qi swept over the textbook cart as it vanished.

Shae felt a flash of heat and steam, but with a more chemical tinge than the last steam qi she had felt. She blinked at a faint outline of the large object which disappeared as soon as she noticed it. "Wha-? Was there an afterimage?" She pointed at the empty space and scrunched her forehead at Ahjuan.

"Never seen spatial storage before? It's quite helpful. Follow me." The cultivator walked off immediately, heading for the nearest staircase.

"No, I have. It's just-" she cut herself off and jogged to catch up to the librarian.

Ahjuan talked about the library as they walked up the spiral stairs. "There are open study areas on each floor, but the space is limited and group work is forbidden there, simply to keep the sound down. Floor five and six are all private rooms, including larger group rooms and two small lecture rooms. Those are only sometimes used during the summer lectures."

"Hua~, what are those?" Shae wheezed.

"Out of breath already?" Ahjuan slowed to a stop on the third floor.

"You're... very fast." Shae gasped for breath.

"I'm not even trying. Don't worry, though, you'll get used to it. The summer lectures are... Effectively, they are single-lecture elective classes. The sect attracts people from around the empire to lecture on specific topics, for good coin of course. Make sure you save up comp for that. Most guest lectures start at a half-set per seat, and that's just for the boring or niche topics." She inhaled deeply and looked down over the balcony. "Though, it's hard to tell which are going to be the really good ones."

Shae continued trying to catch her breath.

"It's also a good reason to study hard in your chosen profession. The more you learn on your own, the more you can get from a high-stage lecturer, they say."

Shae took a deep breath and looked up, "They say?"

Ahjuan shrugged. "How much you comprehend varies from person to person. It varies even more when receiving it from a single lecture. Personally, they were helpful, but not quite enlightening." She waved at Shae to follow. "Come, last set of stairs."

Shae slumped briefly, just to be dramatic, then had to rush to follow.

"Floors two through four have the basic textbooks. Covering your first and second year classes, some of your third too, depending what you take. You can use them freely within the library, but must sign them out if you want to study elsewhere."

Shae felt a pulse of qi as she rounded the last few steps and found Ahjuan and the book cart waiting for her.

The woman looked Shae over, then nodded. "This floor is mostly second and third year books. Thus the slightly stronger qi pressure, which might be why you're struggling."

Shae took another deep breath, then frowned. "I'm not sure why I'm struggling. I practically ran here from Minlin, a few staircases should be easy."

"Hmm. A fair expectation. Yet the mountain itself has greater qi pressure, density, and thinner air. Lots of new recruits don't really appreciate that fact. I think it's why they bring you here so early, to get you to adapt."

Shae took a deep breath, trying to feel the air in her lungs. She couldn't tell any difference. "Okay. It's probably the air, then. My muscles may be stronger, but my lungs aren't. That or a bit of cleansing took more out of me than I expected."

"Hmm. I wouldn't want to guess about your cleansing. Come little Shae, we're shelving them in reverse order, just to test you a little more."

"Hua~. Okay." She looked up to follow, then deflated again as she saw Ahjuan hadn't taken the cart with her.

"Oh, hey. Yin-yang." Shae flapped a thin book with the dark half the recognizable symbol on the cover. "Is this a good place to start?"

Ahjuan leaned over her to read the cover. "The Tides of Yin. Ah, that one." She frowned and wobbled a hand. "It's more of a history book." She glanced down at the hopeful young woman. "You... haven't been-" she cut herself off. "When did you leave home?"

"About three years ago..." Shae frowned. "When my parents started planning my future without me."

"Hmph. Good for you. I suppose no one has talked to you... about womanhood?"

Shae sighed. "No. Not in detail. Though, I already have a good idea of it. And no, no one's explained virgin yin. They've just hinted a few times. Will this cover that?" She flapped the book again.

"Yes. It's a bit blunt, though. Being strictly history, and a little legal jargon near the back."

Shae flipped it open-

Ahjuan reached out and closed it. "No reading on the job, please." She pointed at their mostly full cart. "You can read it after. However," she paused and looked Shae over with a careful eye, "if it upsets you, please take it outside the library." She glared.

Shae pursed her lips and tried to look serious, then nodded.

"And by it, I mean your emotions, not the book. Damaging library property will cost you twice. The cost of the book, and your time to re-scribe another copy."

Shae frowned and rolled her eyes. "I can control myself."

"Good. Leave it on the cart, and keep an eye out for your cleansing book. It might be on this floor." She waved a palm at the rest of the third floor.

"Alright, just a beat." Shae stretched and rolled her neck around. It was an old habit caused by returning books to only low shelves. This library is way bigger than the one from my elementary, err, the last Earth library I wor- ugh. She frowned internally at her mental slip ups. Whatever. Can't be arsed to disconnect right now.