Closed The Little Scholar That Could (Scarab)

[Sebastion]

The Little Scholar That Could The 2nd of Winter 512 A.V. Shim could still not believe it was winter. His skin detected the faintest drop in temperature, a falter in the aridity on certain occasions that dried out his clay a bit too fast for his liking, but it was so minor no one seemed to pay heed to them save the little figure exploring the massive city. Speaking of how large Ahnatep was when taking it on with only 6 inches to your being, Shim was tired of living on the streets. All things considered it wasn't too hard for the Pycon, only needing to consume clay a couple times a week, a substance not hard at all to come by in Ahnatep. It was Snow that the Pycon was most worried about. While his lifestyle may not have suffered much from the substantially less comfortable living they had enjoyed in Mura, the poor Sled Dog was showing signs of wear. Her coat had thinned, the nice healthy plumpness in her stomach had turned into an exposed rib cage, and every day in the sweltering heat was a trial for her. Shim admired the dog's perseverance and drive, for though she always seemed tired, she was quick to lick her clay companion and expose herself to the many hands of the constant steam of Eypharians. That being said she got more cruel glares than affectionate pats these days, and Shim knew he had to do something for her if not for himself. But before he could find a place to live he would need to procure a job. To be sure he hadn't really tried, most Eypharians listened to him up until he stopped amusing them then went their seperate ways, which meant he was going to need to garner some real attention. Before he did that, however, the Pycon needed to find a prospective spot to sell himself as a valuable employee. And he knew the place as soon as he saw it. Polished and shining, yet simple compared to the extravagance of the city, The Scholar's Sanctum rang of potential and hidden truths waiting for tiny hands to uncover. The Pycon left Snowflake outside, giving her muzzle a reassuring stroke and a light peck from dry lips to a damp nose before proceeding inwards. Have you ever tried to gain someone's attention? Usually it requires the sound of your feet scraping against marble, or perhaps the clearing of your throat. A bit of eye contact or a nice hello help as well. They do not aid so much when you are not quite tall enough to see over the front desk, let alone determine where anyone is. Shim, however, was quite used to living in a world created for giants, and thus decided to take these challenges in stride, after all, what kind of a knowledge seeking adventurer gave up when they had only just walked in the door? To his right Shim looked up and up and up to recognize one of the guards of Ahnatep. At first the jackal didn't even see nor hear the small creature approach, and when he did, it was clear he couldn't quite fathom how to respond. Shim gave a jaunty salute with two hands and cleared his throat, speaking in a voice much too deep for his delicate feminine frame. "Excuse Shim, ser, could you direct him to the owner's of this fine establishment?" Wordlessly the guard just gestured to whoever was sitting behind the great wall of a desk that the Pycon could not see beyond. Shim prepared his voice to cross a larger distance to whom ever was behind the desk. "Forgive the lowly Pycon Ser or Madam, but this one has a problem with height. The name is Sebastion Hyacinth Isabella Mordecai, and he has come looking for a job at this place of learning and study."

[Scarab]

Kharne re Menehat was in a good mood. He had recently finished writing several pages of the sequel to his acclaimed text Everyone's A Critic, and then spent the remainder of the morning detailing ideas for a book of personal poetry. He'd even made Naskre an offering for the Day of Mercy - a new quill, to make up for the one that Kharne had snapped in anger several days earlier. All in all, he considered the day a successful exercise in productivity. Now, seated at The Sanctum's front desk, he had decided to shift his focus to the business of running the library. He was just beginning to draft a plan for the first quarter of the season when a low, resonating voice piped up from the doorway. Kharne squinted at the stranger, confused. It looked as though someone had placed a statue of an eypharian female at the door. A Day of Mercy offering, perhaps? But the statue continued to speak, introducing herself (himself? Did Kharne actually care?) as a pycon. And it all became clear. "A job!" Kharne laughed, unable to conceal his mirth. It was the Day of Mercy, not a day of mischief. Perhaps the foreigner was confused. "Come closer," he commanded in Common, indicating for Sebastion to come around the side of the desk and stand near the eypharian's chair. The pycon, being so small of step, took longer than he'd expected, and he was driven to tap his sandalled foot in mild impatience. Once Sebastion was at his side, however, Kharne began to speak once more. "Well, dwsa, I do believe you've come to the wrong place. This is a library, little one. Not some common circus." He leaned back and crossed four of his arms against his bare chest, leaving the remaining two resting on the chair. "What, pray tell, could you possibly do for me that I couldn't find an eypharian for? Catch rats? Dust the lowest shelves? I've no doubt the Slave Market could offer me any kefasha girl with the same claim - and she wouldn't have to worry about getting disintegrated by dust bunnies." Although it is a shame that kefasha don't understand the nuances of a scholar's work, he added silently. The tragedy of being brilliant was a complete and utter inability to find competent employees. He couldn't imagine this creature would be anything other than inept. Still, Kharne looked down at Sebastion expectantly. The eypharian was in the mood to be amused, and he was certain that the next words from the pycon's mouth would do the trick. "Do tell me what you had in mind. I'm sure it will be... riveting."

[Sebastion]

If there was one thing Shim had learned living a season under foot of the Eypharians, it was that they saw only his size and his race. He was the lowest on the totem pole of status, a great trial to overcome when job searching. All things considering the Pycon felt this reception had gone significantly better than he could have hoped, at least the man didn't have the jackal pick him up and toss him outside. He would only get one chance as this, however, for as soon as this Eypharian ceased to be amused by him, this opportunity was done and over. "Shim doubts any kefasha would offer you the services that he can provide, ser." The Pycon eyed the layout of the chair and the desk, if one was going to sell themselves he couldn't simply due it from this low position that only heightened the class differences between the Pycon and the children of Ahnatep. He had become to grow more accustomed to his Eypharian form. It was not as reflexive as his other female appearances, but his transformations were taking less and less time every attempt, and as he vaulted off the ground, two hands traversed a pile of books while a second pair slid from his clay body to propel him further upwards. In all the Pycon jumped and flipped onto the surface of the table in one fluid motion, clinging to the edge of the desk then flipping himself over, landing not as gracefully as he had hoped, but he collected himself in short order and face the man, glad they could see more eye to eye from here. "For instance. Say you did buy a nice girl from the markets. She would be taller than Shim for sure, could reach and grab, and carry more than his poor little clay form could ever hope to. But would she see this place for what it really is? Shim sees knowledge and opportunity." He crossed the table and ran his small hands over the cover of a book labeled A Collection of Ethaefal Accounts, flipping it open and rummaging through the contents a moment, nodding, making small exclamations of delight as he read. He had encountered this book more than once, but had never had the room to carry it with him, perhaps now he would finally be able to finish it. He smiled a bit to himself then glanced up at Kharne. "Perhaps Shim can request the first volume of this? It seems like an insightful read." He shook his head a bit. "Apologies, Shim is at an interview and even then he cannot contain his desire to read. Where was he? Ah, Yes, what he sees in this place." The Pycon made his way back to the center of the table, four arms curled around his back, staring straight up into the Eypharian's gaze. "You see Shim's small size as a disadvantage, but will you not also see the benefits? Think of how delicately he could repair damaged books, and clean dirtied ones, or how a being so small, Dwsa or no, has spent his entire life devoted to the small details, the intricacies of the written word and all it entails. Do you not require this kind of keen eye in your establishment, for research and study that no common slave could ever fully give you? You strike Shim as a highly intelligent being, who no doubt craves the company of like minded individuals. Tell Shim that he is wrong, that it is easy to come by those who understand the life of someone who dedicates themselves to such a noble cause as knowledge?" The Pycon now sat down, awaiting his reply, two hands extended with palms upward in the polite fashion he had seen Eypharians give to each other on some occasions. He would convince this picky Eypharian yet, Snowflake and his own sanity was riding on it.

[Scarab]

OOC : Thank you so much for your patience! I'm very sorry this reply took so long. Let's get you a job, shall we? The look of expectation on Kharne's face had slowly faded away during Sebastion's speech, and he peered down at the small pycon with sobered seriousness. It appeared that the little dwsa(Dou-za) Derogatory term for monstrous races. wasn't joking about wanting to work at The Scholar's Sanctum. What was more surprising was that Kharne grudgingly found himself very nearly swayed by the creature's plea. "Yes... Yes, I suppose you're correct. We do have a hard time finding first-rate staff, and your passion is admirable. And I'm sure someone devoted to books and knowledge is more likely treat these precious treasures with care..." And then the eypharian came back to reality. "But all this doesn't change anything. You're still a dwsa... pycon, creature. If someone as highly intelligent as myself - I'm not surprised you noticed - can't see how this would work, then I'm not sure what hope you have. Do you even speak Arumenic? Nearly all of our books are written in Arumenic, you know. This text is an exception." Kharne nodded briefly at A Collection of Ethaefal Accounts before glancing back at Sebastion. "Hmm... good eye, by the way. The ethaefal are a divine people. As are we eypharians, of course. We may even be more divine. Children are a gift from the gods, after all." Where did I read that, again? "I digress. I just don't see someone as... little as yourself being able to handle such a big, important job," he continued, patronizingly. "Do you have any experience with book care and repairs? And how will you manage your work? I don't want to have to follow you around all day, pulling the heavy books off the shelves for you. I'm no one's phetA usually comely household slave used for all indoor purposes., and neither is anyone else in this library." Kharne paused, and then snickered childishly. "Except perhaps for Naskre." Good one. He picked up his quill and dipped it into the small pot of black ink to his right. By all accounts, it looked as though he had dismissed Sebastion from his presence. But perhaps if the pycon gave it one more try...

[Sebastion]

oocNo problem, it was worth the wait! Shim was still flabbergasted by the chance presented to him. He felt as if he was pushing against an immovable stone...which wouldn't have to be big for the Pycon in reality, yet somehow he still seemed to be moving it anyway. He stifled a grin, which would have only added to the monstrous quality that Kharne viewed him as, and planted all four hands on his hips, which was quite a feat. "Shim too is a gift from the Gods, Hejdw" Though the last term was one with positive connotations, the Pycon, an altogether pleasant and excited individual, spat it like human food from his mouth. "Shim's patron deity, the great and ancient Harameus, was the ripple behind his races creation, and guides his every step." His tone moderated as he spoke, becoming more earnest and less accusatory. "Mizahar is filled with wonder and the Eypharian race is surely one of the greatest, why do you think he enjoys this form so much?" He planted himself square and center, feet haning over the edge of the desk, refusing to be ignored. "But you are letting the way you were born and raised to cloud your senses, and Shim believes this one too clever to let an opportunity like this pass him by just because of his status. Shim has barely brushed the surface of the beautiful language Arumenic, but he is a swift learner, and surrounded by it on a daily basis will no doubt speed the process. One needn't fetch books for him, simply place all those that need work upon a table at the beginning of the day, same with ink and paper for writing. Though a pen is awkward for Shim, his penmanship is prime he assures you. He doesn't know much of book maintenance, but you give him just a few days of repairs and Shim thinks you will be pleased." He released his arms, letting them hang at his sides as he looked up the vast distance into Kharne's gaze. "So what is it to be, ser? Shall you turn Shim away because of his appearance and nature, only to hire a highly inferior minded individual who appears more beauteous to you? Or will you truly keep your pursuit of knowledge in mind, as Shim does?"