And the Failings of Fortune - For Tom Mason

[bookbrawler]

cw: ptsd, mentions of war and war atrocities, violence, gore, death, torture, paranoia, abuse, kidnapping/abduction



He wouldn't trade it for the world, but being the Librarian wasn't easy. Being the Librarian with a bounty on your head, even worse.

Jake couldn't remember the last time he's walked down the street without feeling paranoid, without needing to carry a weapon on his person at all times because the Serpent Brotherhood would just not quit.

Apparently being a living artifact was exactly what they wanted to help bring magic back to the world. And he really, really didn't want to find out what they'd do if they got their hands on him.

That, of course, was also a direct result of him being a Librarian in the first place. If he'd have said no, if he'd have torn up the card, he wouldn't have been shot twice with knock-out darts that morning. It was by sheer luck that he got Jenkins to call up a door for him in time and make it through before they got him.

Jacob wakes up painfully on the cold floor of the Annex, flat on his face. Jenkins must have removed the darts, but decided to just let him sleep it off.

"Ow." He gets up, sitting back, and suddenly there's a cup of tea in his hands and Jenkins with that not-smile of semi-disapproval. Jake tries a disarming grin, as he sits back against the table, not bothering to get up. "Thanks. Again."

"Mr. Stone, you know that I...in your terms, 'have your back,' but this is really just luck. And I can't always be on the lookout for you. You need a Guardian."

"I know, I know, but I got my own style, y'know? I've been doin' this for awhile and--"

"Especially with your...unique condition."

"My condition." That just gets an eye-roll and a loud slurp of his tea. "Y'know, I just think they have it in for Librarians."

"Mr. Stone." Jenkins' voice isn't unkind, but it's cutting and firm. "If it were up to me, you'd never leave this Library. It's the same thing as if we let someone walk off with any one of the artifacts. If you keep getting into these...situations, I will be forced to take measures."

There's a long pause. "Measures. You gonna trap me here?"

"Yes. By any means necessary, up to and including getting a new Librarian. What you don't seem to understand, Mr. Stone, is that it's your job to keep magic out of the hands of the untrained and the evil--that includes keeping yourself out of their hands. You find a Guardian, or I find you a spot on the shelf next to Flutes of Pan. Is that clear?"

Jake slams his cup of tea down and gets up from the floor, staring him down. Jenkins meets his gaze, and as much as he'd like to think he could take him, Jenkins was an immortal, millennia- old knight of the round table with massive knowledge of magic and how to use it...he wouldn't see it coming.

"Yeah. Crystal." It's a growl and he storms away, into the Library proper. He needs to punch something, hit something...

Comments

[bookbrawler]

And that's definitely guilt pooling in his stomach. To take him away from his fight, even if it is on pause...just for himself?

"I don't know how we can get you back." It's sympathetic, but he wishes it sounded better. He can think of a way to say it in two or three other languages that might convey the tone better, but... "These are Djinn. There's nothin' we got here, nothin' we can do for it. I'm sorry."

A pause. "You think maybe you might need the five-year break?"

[historicizing]

"I'm not going on a break until the last damn alien has left my planet."

Tom shakes his head. "There's gotta be a way to break this contract. ... Which is still not a contract."

But he doesn't sound as heated as before. He has tried firing on these things. He has seen how powerful they are. He can feel the tingling sensation in his hands (which he tries not to freak out about), making the situation uncomfortably real.

"... If you're lying to me about this..."

[bookbrawler]

Jake notes the change in the sound in his voice, which is...better, all things considered. He keeps his own tone as kind as he can muster.

"I'm not lying. Look, you're more than welcome to do the research here yourself." He gestures towards the stacks of books. "You might even find somethin' me and Jenkins haven't discovered yet."

[historicizing]

Research. He can do research. If there's a way back he will find it, with or without these two, and this is the best place to do it. Tom glances around. At all the books, all the knowledge he can practically breathe in. From a strategic point of view it's sensible to play along, to not turn his back on these resources.

"... Alright." He nods. "I'll be your Guardian."

Still, it feels wrong to lie. Or at least to not play his cards straight to a certain point. "But just so we're clear, the moment I find a way back? I'll take it. I'm out of here." He glances down at the lines on his hands, back up at Jake. "And I won't look back."

[bookbrawler]

"Okay." It's weird for him too, man. Jake nods, Tom's 'terms' sound just fine to him.

He shrugs. "You do what you gotta do." He doesn't think he's gonna miss this guy once he leaves, anyway. He seemed nice enough, just...when it really came down to it, he didn't really want a Guardian.

He didn't need one. He could take care of himself.

Maybe.

[historicizing]

"Okay."

Glad that's settled. Tom continues walking with him, trying to stay focused but his eyes get drawn again and again to the books.

"Tell me more. What are we dealing with? What kind of weapons do you have?"

Something that's a little more effective than his firearms? Maybe against Djinns? (Maybe best not to mention that thought aloud.)

[bookbrawler]

"Well, to be honest with you," he points at his own head. "Our minds are the best weapons we have."

That's not the answer he's looking for, but he smirks anyway, and continues. "Physically though, I mostly just use my fists. Maybe a staff. I'm pretty good with a staff. Occasionally, and by occasionally I mean rarely, an artifact is used. I don't like usin' magic to fight with if I don't have to."

He nods over to the stacks and the artifacts lined up in a row. "But in terms of actual firepower? More than half of those could probably destroy the world if you knew what you were doin'."

Jake grows a little quieter, more serious. "And we're usually dealin' with people who want to use those artifacts for their own gain. At no matter what cost."

[historicizing]

That draws a chuckle from Tom. "The pen is mightier than the sword?"

But he looks over at the artifacts keenly because if what Stone is saying is true... maybe he can take home one or two souvenirs. He's seen what those Djinn could do, who knew what these gadgets here were capable of?

"You mean like evil people trying to take over the world? ... What about guns?"

[bookbrawler]

"Literally, in some cases. I've seen it."

And Jacob recognizes the look on Tom's face, the cynical part of him zeroes in almost instantly on what Tom likely wanted to do. And as much as he wanted to trust him, he was still on his guard. He'd have to be, he'd have to watch him closely for a little while. He was a stranger, after all.

"Guns ain't no match for some of these things. And half the time they use magic anyway. And yeah. We get various evil factions all the time. Mostly with a snake or scorpion theme."

[historicizing]

"What about magical guns?"

He tries to think back at sitting with Ben, reading Harry Potter to him, and points down at his rifle. "Can we enchant that?"

Obviously he has no qualms at using what he can get here.

[bookbrawler]

Jacob pauses.

"...I haven't actually seen it done, but yeah, it's possible."

He fixes his gaze on Tom and frowns, because that's a little much?

"You want a magical gun for some reason?"

[historicizing]

He shrugs.

"Pragmatism, really. I'm not that well-versed with a staff. I do know my way around firearms."

[bookbrawler]

...well, that made sense, but it seemed so against, well...everything the Library was it takes him a second to come to terms with it.

"You're not gonna need magical guns here. We don't really use weapons here, it's your mind that's the weapon. And fists, occasionally."

[historicizing]

Tom hums. Fists, he can work with that, but it's definitely not his favorite choice here.

There's a moment where he kind of steps outside of his own body, watching himself, surprised how disturbed he is at the thought of not having a gun. Funny how things change. Oh well, he still have his rifle, unmagic but very reliable so far.

"Guess it'll have to do."