(Open) - Research and Plans

[true_noir]

WHO: Chloe and whoever stops by
WHERE: The public library
WHEN: 6/3-6/10
WHAT: Researching blueprints, discussing plans to investigate further, plotting of a more clandestine nature.
WARNINGS: N/A

Chloe, as she had told a few people, was easily found during her off hours at the public library in Recolle. She wasn't hard to find, though she'd backed herself in against a wall, so that she could see anyone who happened to be approaching and conceal some of the things that she was looking at if she didn't know them for certain.

Anyone happening across her was going to find architectural books and drafting books around her (two of them at least yellow-bound and labeled 'for Dummies.'). She seemed to be looking over a set of blueprints, though only two of the documents were really of importance to her, both hidden until she was sure someone was a person she knew as they approached. The rest were there for practice.

She was doing a lot of frowning today, but didn't seem to be in too bad of a mood, just very busy, and a little cagey. Thankfully it was a quiet enough part of the library that a low whisper could be heard without bothering any patrons. It was a beautiful, gray day outside. People weren't usually in the library on days like this.

Comments

[okitactless]

There really aren't many people in the library today, which is why Yamato's been pulled from the children's section to help out here and there. He's taking his time meandering from one area to the next, and since they aren't busy, he doesn't feel guilty about wandering over in her direction.

"That looks pretty complicated," he comments, nodding towards the blueprints--and the entire stack of books she's got, really. "Are you studying for a test?"

[true_noir]

She looked up at him for a moment, before blinking and remembering that face just slightly. Yes, she'd spoken to this one at least once. The hand that had been shifting a photocopy of a fragment out of sight stopped and left it out where it could be seen.

She shook her head and smiled, all too innocently. "No, I'm not really an architect, but I'm trying to understand a piece of an old blueprint I found." She tapped the corner of the fragment, right where the photocopy of the retrospec symbol was visible. "Hard to find civil engineers after all, no?"

[okitactless]

For his part, Yamato recognizes her, as well. He's worked here long enough by now that there are a handful of faces he's grown accustomed to seeing. But he doesn't really know her well enough for more than a quick "hello" and some small talk--at least until he sees what she's looking at, and his eyes widen.

"Where did you get that?" ...Actually, wait, never mind that. He probably doesn't want to know. Still, he moves closer, eyebrows knit together with concern. "Is it just this piece?"

[appraiser]

[ Every time he sees the grey sky outside, he keeps forgetting and thinking it's about to rain; when he was a child, the library was where he ducked in to pass the rainy spell, so despite the clear skies, he's drawn inside today.

Not really looking for any books in particular, he finds Chloe, silently approaching as he turns his head to read the title off the cover. ]

...for dummies... I guess you couldn't find anybody to read them?

[true_noir]

Oh, hello Ryoji. No, not yet. Actual architects aren't on the app, so I'm having to make do. It's... oddly simpler than I thought it was. Some of this feels a little familiar to me.

[She motioned for him to join her and smiled warmly. Was she immediately admitting why this felt familiar? No, but building layouts were kind of valuable if you were going to break in and stab some dignitary in the face with minimal fuss from guards. So, while she wasn't understanding all of this, it was coming to her a bit quicker than she'd expected.]

I think... I might know something about this fragment, though. It looks like the building was supposed to be a lot bigger than what we see today.

[darkinferno]

[It's about 2:00 when Dante stops by the library, just as he'd promised he would over the network. After everything that's happened through the past month, he figures it's about time the two of them compare notes again.

It takes him a couple minutes to find her, seemingly walled in with her books and the wall at her back, but once Dante sees the familiar purple hair he'll be making his way over, not waiting to be asked before he pulls up a chair.]

Chloe.

Good to see you again. You look like you're pretty busy.

[true_noir]

I try to keep my nose to the proverbial grindstone, Dante. It's a little hard with how little we have, but it's a start.

[She motioned to a seat next to her, paused and glanced at him for a second.]

Remind me, did I give you a decoder ring yet? I've been handing them out. More to give people the idea than because they're actually that useful.

[She wanted the idea of speaking in code to sort of begin instilling itself in people's heads. They were going to use the app. She knew that now, and it wasn't something that they were about to stop doing. It was the fastest way to communicate, but at the same time, there was a part of her that was getting a whole hell of a lot more familiar with being stealthy and careful, and she didn't like handing Retrospec any freebies.]

[tokencanadian]

Victoria tended to visit the library more these days, or less depending on when you ask her. It seems like her mind is preoccupied whenever she visits, even as she's pouring through materials for a project... or in effort to learn more about the city.

But this time, she notices Chloe. And, being too curious for her own good, she wanders over.

"Hi, Chloe?" She peers over all the literature Chloe has enclosed herself in. Yellow books, and... Her eyes widen a bit at the blueprints. "Is this for an essay? Or...?"

[true_noir]

"Research into Retrospec." She said it without looking up at first. Victoria's voice was familiar, which meant that it was safe to assume she could be trusted. Admittedly, the paranoid voice of someone else in her head said not everyone on the app could be trusted, but she wasn't willing to be that way. They were all in this together, damnit, so she was going to trust all of them until proven otherwise.

Slidiing a photocopy of a blueprint fragment out, she showed it to Victoria when she finally looked up and smiled at the gray-eyed girl, doing her best not to wince at that sight. They really were pretty green eyes normally. "I found this... somewhere I'd rather not say, and I'm trying to figure out what little I can. It's just a corner, but the retrospec logo's on it."

[megabond]

As he promised on Retrospec, Augustine arrived at the library two days after their network chat. And not only he brought his bag that contains his journal and everything he needs for research, but also the picture of the maps he took on his phone.

Once he sees her looking over the blueprints, he notices that she's somehow frowning for some reason. This made him wonder what happened to her recently. "Hello there. Hope I didn't take your time away from reading," he quietly said as he slowly approaches her.

[true_noir]

She glanced up and smiled, shaking her head and motioning to the seat next to her. "Not at all, Professor. I'm glad we can have the chance to talk," she said, shifting what looked like a piece of a blueprint on a photocopied page. It was a corner, the rest torn off. The Retrospec symbol was there, prominently. "It just doesn't match with the building we see... and I am pretty sure that these are the approved plans."

She tapped it. "The building should be ... well, bigger, for lack of a better word. A lot bigger." And the fact that its inside kept changing... was it becoming the building it was supposed to have been?

[prometheanflame]

After work, Mohammed changes his usual trip to the bus stop and walks to the public library. Normally, if he wanted to do some serious research or find a good novel, he would go to the university library, but he had known of Chloe's plans of researching further into the city. Togusa had asked about looking into historical maps of the center of the city

After greeting the librarian at the front desk, he headed to the history shelves.

Chloe would have been overlooked if Mohammed didn't know her well.

"Chloe?" He looked at the books surrounding her.

[true_noir]

She blinked and looked up at Mohammed before smiling and motioning to a nearby seat. "Mohammed, it's good to see you. Thanks for stopping by," she said, shifting. She wasn't bothering to hide the blueprints she was working on, one of which had the Retrospec logo on it, even if it was only the corner fragment of a torn paper, photocopied so the real one was still tucked away safely.

"I hope the colors haven't been getting to you too much."

[uncagedbird]

[Things have a way of moving for Ari, so it isn't too much trouble to rent out a little side room for Chloe and her research a day or so after their network conversation. She texts Chloe through the app to make sure she'll be there, and to let her know the reservation time.

Ari gets an envious look from the few people sitting in the common area as she brings in a plastic bag full of hot Indian food. She smiles and speaks some pleasantries with the librarian, and then she goes to find Chloe. It doesn't take her long. Ari waves to the woman she recognizes from her adventures in gardening though she doesn't say anything until she comes over.]

It looks like we have the Seuss room for a couple of hours. Are you hungry?

[true_noir]

[Chloe looked up as soon as she smelled the saffron rice and whatever else had been brought with it. It was a really good way to know that Ari was coming in. She smiled over at her and shifted the papers so that there was plenty of room for the food to be brought in without disturbing anything.]

Ari! I'm glad you were able to come by. Thanks for reserving the room, and I will admit that I am close to starving. I didn't have time to eat at work today.

How have you been? We have not spoken since the party have we?

[viktorymaker]

Viktor wasn't too used to visiting the library. He'd always been more of a bookstore person, as his time for reading used to be at airports or planes, or at home with his dog, and now he seldom had time for reading at all. But he knew his way around libraries nonetheless, as he did most everywhere due to his not-as-former-as-he'd-like job as a spy. He might have his issues with the profession itself, but not even he couldn't deny that the knowledge that came with it had its perks.

He looked around for a bit, recognizing Chloe from her Retrospec profile picture and approaching, and he waved his hand to say hello the moment she looked up. He'd sent her a text some fifteen minutes before arriving, just as he left the dance studio. Not much of a heads-up, but coming from Viktor Nikiforov, it was actually quite considerate.

"Hi~! Chloe, right?"

He spoke in a much lower voice than he would normally. He was in a library, after all.

[true_noir]

It took her a moment to recognize him from his icon, but she did so. Her smile came before the light of recognition was there, and she waved back to him. Finally, right about the time he spoke to her, she made an 'oh' motion and nodded. "You must be Viktor, yes? I remember from the other day. Please feel free to join me."

As she motioned to the seat, there were practice blueprints all around and a 'drafting for dummies' textbook in front of her. She'd been scribbling a lot of notes lately on a notebook.

[toushiro]

[ hitsugaya doesn't frequent the public library all that much--the school one's just fine. however, he's here to find some books for a research paper he's doing for summer classes.

but then he seems someone who looks familiar at the corner of his eye. hitsugaya turns to look on over towards the architectural section across the way. certainly...this is someone he remembers having to meet...

ah. right.

he closes the book in his hand and carefully makes his way over. ]

...Chloe, right?

[true_noir]

[She looked up, blinked and then smiled. Hitsugaya was nothing, if not a touch memorable even in icons. It was just obvious enough when she saw him approach that, by the time he spoke up, she remembered his name.]

Yes, and you must be Hitsugaya. Feel free to join me if you like.

[commandertoolbelt]

With the little extra time Leo had, he’d decided to stop by and look for those code books they had talked about on the network. It took a bit of doing to locate them, and the whole section on cryptology and ciphers was a bit smaller than he would have liked, but it was a start. With a few starter books in hand, he headed off to find a table.

Instead, he found Chloe herself, surrounded by her own set of books and looking busy.

“Hey, fancy meeting you here! Are you the one who took the rest of the cipher books? I thought there’d be more over there.”

[true_noir]

She chuckled and shook her head. Waving to a spot next to her, she pointed to one of them. 'Architectural Drawing for Idiots' was the title, and everything in front of her looked like blueprints, several of which were covered in notes.

She'd brought practice papers, which also served to look like she was legitimately studying Architecture instead of planning another break-in. "Well well, Leo, yes? We met on the network. No, I think I have a good code I will use in the future," she said. "Right now, I'm trying to read a piece of a blueprint. It's rather difficult."

[wordcarvings]

Koutarou was in the library to look up some books about birds - the more illustrations the better - for a personal project. On his way to find a seat, he came across a familiar face. Once he was close enough to be able to whisper, and knew that she had noticed him, he nodded in greeting, a slight smile on his face. "Good afternoon, Chloe-san."

[true_noir]

She waved to Koutarou, waiting for him to come in closer and speaking in a low voice. "Ah, hello Koutarou. How are you today?" It was nice to see him, pretty much anytime, so she was more than happy to offer him a chair. "What brings you to the library?"

[trivialization]

"You look like you're getting pretty into it."

Was about all Catherine could say at the pile of books. She'd researched her way into a few book-piles in her time, but her general view was that it went a lot smoother if you'd already read your materials through and were simply referencing...

Still, she'd been invited here, and she figured she might as well lend a hand.

"You know what you're trying to figure out? Or just hoping something jumps out at you?"

[true_noir]

Chloe looked up when she heard Catherine's voice, briefly curious before she smiled over at the older woman and motioned for her to join her. Her eyes went back down to the documents in front of her and she frowned, reaching up to rub her chin.

"This may sound a little strange, Catherine, but I am attempting to jog my memory. My mind has been full of things lately, things I know are not mine, but that could help." She tapped a blueprint. "And I am looking at these to help and see if I can apply it. These... it is like looking at so many paths, so many ways to enter, to leave. I almost feel like my mind is trying to form a plan."