he's such a prude though

[if_at_first]

Sylvi settles in very thoroughly. She makes a point of going out on her wooden horse and wandering the city every day or two, even if she has no specific errand to run (although she does also place orders for lenses and very fine-tipped pens and new notebooks). She hugs Avedan when he has bad dreams and he hugs her when she does, if they successfully wake one another despite the long pillow between them on the bed. And she plows through piles and piles of old notes, and condenses her childhood for inclusion in the same library for future 'bels.

As of this moment she is up to her specialization in shines. Write write write.

Comments

[do_over]

"You're welcome."

He doesn't look at her notebook, he's already back to reading his own books - there are three of them that are open. He's switching between them and taking notes on each. Verifying things from multiple sources, maybe? Or something else entirely. Either way, he's apparently busy.

[if_at_first]

So Aly doesn't bother him, until -

"You haven't by any chance already read this through, have you? Specifically chapter four?"

[do_over]

"I skimmed it, so - jog my memory, what's in chapter four?"

[if_at_first]

"Golem ability to learn from experience."

[do_over]

"Ah - yes, I remember that chapter. What do you need?"

[if_at_first]

"I need a way for golems of the same make to share information that they acquire like that with each other."

[do_over]

".... Hmmm," he says, and then he searches through the books he's collected.

"If I'm remembering right, this one's got a good chapter on it," says the stranger, holding up a newly discovered book. "Seventeen? Or sixteen."

[if_at_first]

"Ooh. Thanks." She accepts the book. "Do you have a project too or are you just academically inclined?"

[do_over]

"You're welcome. Project, if yours turns out to be about medicine-delivering self-cleaning golems, you're allowed to just crib entirely from my notes if you promise to help."

[if_at_first]

"Mine's not that, but that sounds awesome."

[do_over]

That causes the stranger to smile warmly.

"Thanks. What's yours, then?"

[if_at_first]

Aly hesitates. "I don't really - I'm worried that it could become very political. I'm planning to stay anonymous."

[do_over]

"I'll leave it alone if you'd like me to," agrees the stranger. "I understand."

[if_at_first]

"Maybe once I know you a little better," she says lightly.

[do_over]

"Thank you. Well, hello, I'm Aydanci."

[if_at_first]

"Aly. Nice to meet you."

[do_over]

"Nice to meet you, too. Feel free to ask if you have questions about something. I don't guarantee that I'll know the answer, but it couldn't hurt to ask."

[if_at_first]

"Thanks. You're awfully helpful to random strangers with secret golem projects, aren't you?"

[do_over]

"Well, you're likely to figure out whatever you need for your secret golem project anyway, it might just take longer, and if I'm helpful and it turns out that your secret golem project is 'construct an army to take over the world' I have a much better chance of convincing you to not do that," says Aydanci lightly.

[if_at_first]

Aly giggles. "I'm not trying to take over the world with a golem army. If I were going to take over the world I'd prefer nonviolent means."

[do_over]

"That narrows it down a bit. Though, if it's 'construct a series of mind-control golems and take over the world' I will also try very hard to convince you to not do that, either. I do hope you're not heartbroken."

[if_at_first]

"Mind-control g-? How would that even...? I don't think that works, which is good, because if I thought that was possible I would never have a good night's sleep again."

[do_over]

"I'm pretty sure that doesn't work at all. And yes, that would be awful."

[if_at_first]

"So no, that's not my secret golem project either, you're not even close."

[do_over]

"Good, I'm glad, if I were close I would be extremely worried."