Growing Old is Mandatory, Growing Up is Optional

Location: Redwall Abbey's Library/Great Hall

Characters Involved (In order of appearance):

Darkmane

Ayita

Jo

Ayita realizes that maturity is an optional trait, and while she could do with a little bit more of it, knows that her childlike sense of fun keeps life interesting. Also, Darkmane swears to take "revenge" on her for scaring him, Jo and Ayita have a chat in which she voices her firm dislike of reading and libraries.

Darkmane steps into the library and starts directly toward the bookshelf with woodland lore without really looking around having become quite used to this place being fairly empty most the time.

There was, in fact, another beast present in the library: a young, excitable ottermaid, to be precise. Ayita was busy, dare she say it, *reading*. Why would she waste such valuable time doing such a thing, when she could be outside enjoying herself, or talking in the great hall, or..something else along those lines!? However, luckily, a distraction came in the form of her overly-tall friend: Darkmane. And only one thing was on her mind now: Revenge. Young Ayita closed her book as quietly as possible and slid up behind the horse, and taking a deep breath, she lunged forward shouting "BOO!" as loud as she could.

Darkmane while he dosn't actually emit any sound from the surprise he did seemingly jump somewhat into the air in surprise as he rapidly turns around to face the source of the sound, his posture somewhat agressive until he sees exactly who it is. his words mimicing Ayita's from last night. "Not. Nice." His eyes glowering down at her as his lips quick slightly upward in a smile.

Ayita crosses her arms in a self-satisfied manner. "Now YOU know how it feels!" she gloats, turning and returning to her previously occupied armchair, picking up the dusty book and returning to her page. "Historys boring..." she says, frowning deeply and turning the page. Sigh.

Darkmane shakes his head slightly as he moves over to where Ayita sits back down "what exactly are you looking into if i may ask." His lips having shifted into a wry smile as he looks down at the book "and you know this means revenge right?"

Ayita sighs again, looking up from her deadfully BORING book. "Its history. If I'm going to be in the order, I need to start studying a little...and then I can go have fun outside." As he remarks on the subject of revenge, the ottermaid rolls her eyes. "That WAS the revenge. You can't take revenge on someone taking revenge. Duh."

Darkmane dips his head slightly "True enough, atleast you get to have a lot of fun after yer done right" his lips quirking slightly as he settles down near Ayita "And ofcourse you can, thats half the fun."

Ayita settles her chin into her paw, resting her elbow on the arm of the chair. "I guess. But then my heads all filled and fuddled with this stuff, that I'll go to take a swim and start thinkin' about stuff that happened centuries before I was even born..." she shrugs "But I guess it is time for me to start settling down a bit, I mean I see how other beasts my age act and think and its like I'm stuck on 3 seasons old." she shakes her head and shrugs, her grin reappearing. "But, hey, whatever. Makes life fun. I got *spunk*" she taps her nose cheekily at Darkmane "See, this whole 'revenge for revenge' thing is exactly the sort of thing that starts wars!" her grin slides off her face. "I'm doing it AGAIN!"

Jo arrives from the Great Hall..

Jo has arrived.

Jo comes in, red in the face and embarrased. "S-sorry, I kinda er dozed off." He says, knowing it isn't a good excuse towards the ottermaid.

(Darkmane has Disconnected. IC assumed he dozed off.)

Jo raises an eyebrow at Darkmane as he falls asleep at a table.

Realizing that this would, in fact, be a perfect time to play some sort of cruel, yet funny, practical joke on the sleeping horse; Ayita refrains. Instead, she turns her attention to Jo who'd just entered. With a giggle, she replies "Tehe, its not a problem. I'm just...you know...reading..." she glares down at the book, and with a particuarly bored note in her voice, adds "...history..."

Jo nods and perks his ears foward as he leans against the edge of the table with both his arms in the sleeves of his habit. "It is quite interesting actually." The otter grins at the grand feats and awesome victories of those of the past who lived in the abbey.

"Yeah-" she argues "-but its dead boring to read about." Finally, she shuts the book in frustration. "I talked to Brother Lucas about becoming a novice, so I thought I should study up a bit, you know, so I don't seem *totally* clueless...but I'm starting to think I'd rather go with looking cluless then waste my time in the *library*..."

Hiding a wide smile behind a paw, eyes grinning Jo thinks whether or not she would try to do chores around the abbey much less 'Learn about the abbey history and its inhabitants'. "I don' mind reading up a bit, I like the histories quite a bit."

Ayita rests her head against the tabletop, forhead down; her face completly hidden. the book across the table to him. "Knock yourself out. Its the biggest, dustiest, most boring book on history I could find."

Jo asks, "Which history is it?" Jo asks curiously, perhaps he has read it? Perhaps not.

Still facedown on the table, Ayita shrugs her shoulders, her voice floating out in a muffled sort of way. "Dunno. Just says Abbey History. Talks about a bunch of Abbots, some blokes with swords...etcetera. Its history. Its always the same thing."

Jo grins understandingly at Ayita. "What would you have wanted Martin to do things differently?" He says, hiding a laugh in his voice

Ayita finally drags her head up to stare blankly at the other otter. "Nope. Just wish the beast who wrote it down took more care in making it sound more interesting to the reader."

Pondering the inside cover Jo peruses the page for the name of the author, "Who wrote it?"

"You expect *me* to know?" she asks, her voice squeaking slightly in indignation. She lets her head return to its lackadasical position on the tabletop. See what libraries do to her? They make her sleepy.

Jo pats Ayita on the shoulder with a paw and asks, "Do you wanna go down to Great Hall instead?" Sympathy rising in his eyes

Instead of an answer, the ottermaid jumps up and practically runs out the door. "C'mon, bookworm! Get out before the place infects you!" she calls over her shoulder as she leaves, her voice growing more distant as she runs toward the Great Hall and away from the horror that is... THE LIBRARY.

Jo runs after Ayita dropping the tome on the table, the pages flip open to reveal the author to be a whole list infact of authors, starting with John Churchmouse

(Room Change to Great Hall)

Ayita races into the Great Hall, skidding to a halt by a table. Of course, despite the authors being revealed, Ayita may never know: She was too far gone by that point. "Oh great guppies, fresh air!" she calls out melodramatically.

(RP continues loooong after that, but I'll just cut it off there.)