"Miss Angela?" a small voice called from down by her desk, and the director took a look down. There, by her desk, was her little companion.
"What is it, Snaust?" she asked.
"Um, would it be okay if Miss Angela could give Snaust some blank paper and a pen?" the timid creature asked.
"I see no problem with that" she answered, earning herself a wide smile from the little snail-like being "What brought it on though? Is the book I've already given you not enough?"
"No! I mean yes! I mean no!" Snaust shook her head in denial, the action too energetic for her, making her eyes spin and head hurt a little.
"There there" Angela cooed as she picked the small being up, and it eeped cutely as it was placed on her lap. She looked into her sparkling blue eyes and stroked her fluffy hair for a moment, enjoying the sensation "So, why do you need paper and a pen so suddenly?"
"Um, Snaust is sorry if Snaust is asking for too much-" the little creature began before Angela denied the building self-depreciating tirade with a gentle boop on her nose.
"It's not a problem at all" Angela assured with a gentle smile.
"Miss Angela is so kind..." the little creature looked up at her with wonder in her eyes "Um, anyways, Snaust really wanted to try writing things on her own. Snaust needs to practice!"
"I understand, can't become a scholar without being practiced at writing" Angela said with a nod of her head.
"Exactly!" Snaust confirmed enthusiastically. "Snaust will become a great scholar and learn all the things!"
Angela thought to herself for a moment, making the cute but nervous creature on her lap squirm adorably. She could just give it what it wanted here and now, but after a moment of consideration she happened upon a much better idea.
"How about once we are done reading for today you go out a bit and take a look around?" Angela suggested "See if there isn't any blank pages or pens lying nearby? You could then take any you find with you"
"Um- I mean-" the skittish being hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the idea "-Snaust would rather not go out too far..." it finally said.
"I see" Angela replied with a slight frown. This was what she suspected, her little companion was entirely too skittish and afraid of leaving the place she felt safe in. It spent most of it's time in her little alcove where she collected little odds and ends, and her desk was as far out as it ever dared to venture alone. Angela tried to encourage her companion to open up a bit and overcome her fear, but it was a slow process she didn't want to rush. If she wasn't ready yet, she wasn't ready-
"-but if it's for Miss Angela, then Snaust will do it!" the little snail-like creature suddenly said firmly, surprising the Library's Director with its resolve. She smiled in return, internally happy her gentle coaxing has finally worked in getting the little snail out of her metaphorical shell.
Snaust's Diary
Snaust went on a super important mission today.
Snaust really wanted to get started on writing her book for Miss Angela, but Snaust had no paper or pens, so Snaust went searching the Library like Miss Angela suggested.
At first Snaust looked around her alcove and the desk Miss Angela usually sat by, but there was only a few blank pages laying around. Snaust still collected them and stuffed them inside her shell to keep them safe. There weren't enough for a book, but it was a start!
Snaust searched around her alcove and Miss Angela's desk several times, but couldn't find much more. Snaust even climbed the tallest bookshelf all of her own to take a look around! Snaust was so scared, the bookshelf was so high and Snaust is very scared of heights since Snaust keeps falling down all the time! Snaust is afraid Snaust's precious beautiful shell will crack if she falls down too hard!
What Snaust saw from top of that shelf made Snaust feel really dizzy and happy and scared! Happy because Snaust saw so many books to read everywhere! Scared because there was so many bookshelves even taller than the one Snaust was on top of! What if Snaust climbed one of those and fell and broke her shell? And Miss Angela didn't like Snaust with an ugly broken shell? Snaust would be devastated!
Snaust thankfully spotted some few blank pages tucked under a book just a shelf over, so Snaust carefully climbed down and scuttled over to gather some. She then found some more and then some more and before Snaust knew it, she had a few dozen only slightly crumpled pages tucked under her shell and couldn't fit any more so she went back to her alcove near Miss Angela's desk.
On her way Snaust found a few bits she could use to bind the paper together, and someone dropped a pencil by Miss Angela's desk! It was probably one of those clumsy Assistants or that lazy servant she sometimes talks about! Snaust hasn't seen anyone besides Miss Angela in a long time so Snaust wouldn't know anything about them. Snaust usually hid when others came around, and so far only Miss Angela ever found Snaust.
Snaust was feeling very lucky that it was only Miss Angela who had found Snaust, someone else might've not been as kind as her.
Snaust was also feeling lucky that Snaust managed to find so many pages and a pencil! Snaust's book will be finished in no time!
Roland grumbled as he turned over yet another pile of books, collecting more blank pages into his bag. So far he managed to retrieve a few thousand of blank pages, several dozens of pens, pencils and quills, as well as some paper clips, binders and what felt like half of an office supply store besides.
"Tell me again this isn't just busy work for the sake of busy work" he grumbled towards his companion in misery. The cobalt-haired assistant librarian remained steadfastly silent, not that would stop him from complaining about his boss "First she has us hide away all this crap all over the library, and now we have to collect it all back? What the hell is that woman even thinking?" he continued before sighing heavily.
The Assistant Librarian merely glanced at him for a moment, the seemingly perpetual frown still on her face, and silently went back to work. Roland's further whining was summarily ignored.
