#sometimes he comes in with an absolutely savage rip with no remorse

[sennokami]

I'm really loving your OCs - Togakushi was my fave at first (the boy's hot, for sure) but Kou may be the new fave (I've got an unfortunate soft spot for the 'sad bois', plus, I am the eldest child in my family). One of my younger sisters grew up bigger, stockier, and more athletic than me and one time when we were teenagers she beat the snot out of me in a physical fight (so I feel you, Kou). I'm also into archery, another plus. He looks like he could use a little understanding : D

Thank you for the love, boo. I’m finding that in general, people are drawn to Toga at first (and I get it... I did draw him first for a reason :ppp). Kou’s bit of a sour skittle but who knows -- with a little love (and probably a lot of assurance...) he could end up actually being likable.

Alright, maybe I’m being a bit harsh. As is, he’s less “unlikable” and more... has got certain issues and hot buttons that make him difficult to deal with. So, basically your average Uchiha. He’s decent -- as long as you’re not comparing him to his little brothers.

[whitetigerdemoness]

I went full deus ex here to do some things and I have only slight shame. This is NOT the final chapter.

Foxes will often fight by standing on their hindlegs and placing their forelegs on their opponent’s chest. They try to push each other over in a trial of strength. The loser is often chased and may be badly bitten or savaged if they fail to escape.

Master Post of All Chapters

Marinette wasn’t quite sure what happened after Volpina had snatched Marc away from them. Everything felt numb and distant, almost like Reverser had altered her again but without the clarity.

“Is she going to be ok?” She heard distantly. The voice sounded worried. Worried about her. Someone was worried about her, why were they worried about her?

“She is in shock. It is not surprising, considering recent events.” A man, older. Who? Did it matter? Nothing she did mattered. Every time she thought they had finally won, fate cruelly laughed at her and kicked her in the face.

“Dude, you of ALL people don’t get to say shit about this.” Boy. Younger. Angry. She could relate. She was...she was angry.

“Nino...please. Not now.” Why not now? Now was the perfect time to be angry, to be frustrated. 

“Why do things keep falling apart?” She asked, angry tears pooling in her eyes. 

“Marinette? Are you back with us? Are you ok?” Tiki.

Marinette rubbed the tears from her eyes and struggled to focus. The red kwami was hovering close, looking very concerned. There was a warm pressure on both sides. Sitting to her left was Luka, gently rubbing the back of one hand. To her right was Adrien, stroking her hair. They both looked very tired. Dry tear tracks dirtied Adrien’s face. Sometime between Volpina’s latest dirty trick and now they had moved indoors. Inside (Marinette noted the decor) the Agreste mansion? Standing around them were the miraculous holders who had been at the battle, including a remorseful looking Gabriel Agreste and...Marinette rubbed at her eyes again.

“Are you...Emilie Agreste?” She gasped, wondering if she was still in shock and hallucinating. The woman she had only seen in photos gave her a strained smile.

“Yes, though I’m not entirely up to date on events. It seems I have been...asleep.” Marinette’s mind spun. Adrien squeezed her shoulder.

“Your Miraculous Cure healed her.” He explained. “Believe me, we were all just as shocked when she called my father’s phone. Apparently your ladybugs dropped her in his study.”

“Wh-why-HOW?” She spluttered. “I’ve used my miraculous cure dozens of times, why do this NOW?” 

“Your cure can’t fix what you don’t know about. Well, sort of.” Tiki began to explain. “The cure works off of what you think should be right. So when the ladybugs fix akuma damage, it’s because you think that is wrong. You don’t have to know everything that broke or everyone that got hurt, just that they shouldn’t be.” 

“If I had known it was that simple...I would have still been after your miraculous but I would have explained. I cannot begin to tell you how deeply sorry, and grateful I am Ladybug.” Gabriel said, holding Emilie close. “I know that in no way excuses what I’ve done to this city, or to your personally but believe me when I say I want nothing more to do with the miraculous.” 

“You MURDERED dozens of innocent people, and you think you can just say SORRY?!” Alya stepped forward, jabbing him in the chest with a finger. Emile looked shocked, taking a step back from him.

“You what?”

“Volpina is the one responsible for this morning’s...unfortunate events.” Nathalie defended. Alya wasn’t hearing it.

“Volpina? You mean the akuma HE created? The one that, unlike Penknight, he could still control? You think we’re going to buy that?!” Alya demanded. 

“Stop.” Luka’s voice cut through the growing argument. “Persecution can come later. We have bigger problems right now.” He looked down at her and continued “Penknight is tearing apart the city looking for Marc. We would have sent someone after him but…” He winced.

“Everyone was exhausted, our miraculous are gone, and you had checked off into lala land.” Chloe huffed from off to the side. “My suggestion to just let me take the ladybug earrings and deal with him was foolishly rejected.”

“And unanimously.” Adrien added. “We all really needed the rest. Penknight is mostly doing collateral damage and it may be selfish to think this, but that’s nothing the miraculous cure can’t handle when we do take him down.”

“He’s right Marinette, things can be replaced. You can’t. Your health comes first.” Tiki said, patting her knee. Now that she was coming out of her shock, she noticed the other miraculous she had been wearing were gone. 

“Where are…?” She started to ask, patting herself down.

“You were exhausted and in shock. Even if they’re not activated the miraculous take a tiny bit of strength from you. Just one isn’t noticeable, but with the amount you were wearing…” Tiki explained. 

“We thought it would be better to take them off. Don’t worry, they’re safe.” Adrien promised. “Plagg is nearby too, gorging himself on cheese.” The blonde boy looked exasperated, but fond.

“So what’s the plan, Ladybug, and don’t think I’ll forget that you didn’t tell me about that!” Alya asked, forcing a grin. Marinette looked around. They were all so tired. 

“I guess I’ll accept an inferior miraculous to help sort this out. If I have to.” Chloe was studying her nails in fake disinterest. Sabrina nodded with more genuine enthusiasm from her side. Luka was a warm, comforting presence by her side. Adrien the same on the other. Marinette took a deep, calming breath and made her decision. 

“Ladybug and Chatnoir are going to take down one last akuma.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Can you hear him out there? The poor thing has absolutely lost his mind. How pathetic.” Volpina mocked, pausing in her detailed (and ever changing) rant about how she was going to make Marc pay for humiliating her as a furious scream sounded in the distance. Marc squirmed in the rickety chair he was tied to. He had no idea where the shadows had deposited them, but it looked abandoned. Dirt, dust, and broken plaster lay about. Plastic rustled in the breeze as it failed to cover the single, broken window. The brief glimpses of the skyline Marc had gotten through that window suggested they were a few stories up, at least.

Volpina began pacing and ranting about what she was going to do to him again (were we back to being boiled alive? Cool, Marc thought absently) the kwami of her stolen miraculous hovering silently as they had been ordered to. Marc’s heart wrenched as he watched the Barkk try to comfort a shaking Ziggy. His jacket was torn from where Volpina had ripped the goat miraculous away. Even more heartbreaking were the screams that kept drifting through the window on the wind. Penknight had spent the past two days more or less protecting him, only to have Volpina steal Marc from him as easy as one might candy from a baby. He couldn’t imagine how the akuma was feeling right now. His more pressing concern was escaping from Volpina. He needed a plan.

“Are you listening to me?!” Volpina demanded, slamming the chair he was tied to against the wall with one hand, getting in his face. The fox miraculous dangled so close he could almost...touch it...this was the dumbest idea he had ever had. Lunging forward, he grabbed the miraculous with his teeth and yanked. There was a brief moment when Marc feared his teeth were going to be torn out as Volpina stumbled backwards, but the chain snapped first.

“How DARE you-!”

“Trixx, Let’s Pounce!” The fox kwami gasped, zipping to his side as he was released from Volpina’s command.

“Trisch, Letsh Pounsh!” Marc said through clenched teeth. Apparently that was good enough for Trixx as Marc felt the transformation take him over. He saw Volpina realize what he was doing mid transformation and lunge at him in slow motion. Not even a fraction of a second had passed from completing the transformation to Volpina slamming him through the wall behind him. Wood and plaster shattered around them in a way Marc was sure would be extremely painful with the protection of the miraculous. 

“That is MINE give it BACK!” Screeched Volpina, tearing at him. It was all Marc could do to keep her clawing hands away from the miraculous that now rested around his neck. Calling the struggle going on ‘wrestling’ would have been too generous. It was mostly just Volpina attempting to maul him as he frantically tried to escape. During the flailing his own hand managed to score lines across Volpina’s face. As she reared and shrieked, clutching at the bleeding cuts, he finally managed to scramble out from under her. Filing away the fact that he apparently had claws now for later, the unnamed fox hero dove for the open window. 

“Shit shit shit.” He hissed as his leap thrust him into open air, the ground more than three stories away. Thankfully the miraculous must come with SOME sort of autopilot function as he instinctively hit the ground in a roll that brought him back to his feet, instead of splatting against the concrete. Two furious screams rang through the city, one coming from the condemned apartment building behind him, the other from further in the city.

Using his newly discovered claws to get to the top of the next building over, he headed for the more distant commotion. Volpina was so hot on his heels he swore he could feel her breath. The curses and threats she was screaming at him were certainly nothing he would repeat in polite company. The scenery streaked by him in a blur as he fervently hoped she would remain too incensed to remember she had more miraculous she could use. 

Up ahead he could see Ladybug and Chatnoir squaring off against an absolutely furious Penknight. The rooftop they were on was littered with gouges and odds and ends Marc assumed the akuma had created to throw at the duo. They hadn’t noticed him yet.

“Help!” He shouted, bounding closer. Volpina just screamed insults behind him. The next moment couldn’t have been more than seconds but felt like it took forever. He saw a lightbulb go off in Ladybug’s head, she shouted something to Chatnoir, Marc dove for them, Chatnoir’s baton whooshed over his face so close he could almost taste it as he limbo slid under it, Volpina’s screaming cut off with a choking noise as the cat hero clotheslined her. Marc panted as he lay where he had skidded, more out of adrenaline than anything. The miraculous protected him from being out of breath from his frantic run. Ladybug’s yoyo goes clattering across the rooftop as Penknight manages to use the sudden chaos to bat it out of her hands.

“It’s me!” Marc squeaked, jumping between the Akuma and Ladybug, Penknight winding up for another swing.

“Marc?” The akuma questioned, suspicious.

“MARC!” Volpina screeched, getting her wind back. Chatnoir was equal parts trying to fend her off and grab her miraculous. Any of them.

“It’s him!” Ladybug promised, retrieving her yoyo to help Chatnoir.

“How do I know you’re not an illusion?” Penknight hissed, looking conflicted. Marc stomped on his foot. Like someone had flipped a switch, the snarling akuma transformed into a beaming hug monster.

“You took her miraculous!” He gushed. Marc squirmed away from him.

“Details later, taking Volpina down now!” Marc scolded as Chatnoir went sailing past them.

“You’ll never defeat me. I hold more power than any of you could possibly imagine!” Volpina snarled backing up. 

“Don’t do it Volpina, you won't be able to handle the strain!” Ladybug pleaded, seeming to realize the vixen’s plan. Volpina just smirked.

“Wayzz, Barkk, Ziggy, Pollen, Roarr, Dusu, Unify!” What happened next was hard to describe. Multicolored light strobbed as wind pressure pushed everyone back. Volpina’s form rose from the ground and flickered like static, changing too fast for Marc to comprehend. The sound she was making was less of a scream and more of the universe ripping.

“We have to get the miraculous off her before they kill her!” Ladybug shouted over the wind.

“Why?” Penknight asked. He was ignored.

“How are we going to do that, My Lady? We can’t even get close!” Chatnoir asked, bracing against the wind.

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug shouted, a heavy object thumping down in front of her.

“Is that...an electromagnet?” Marc questioned, grateful for Penknight’s grip on him. For some reason his transformation had made him even skinnier than he already was. Of the four of them he was having the most trouble keeping from being blown away. Maybe it was so he could leap rooftops easier? The flute strapped to his back wasn’t any good for that, unlike Chatnoir and Ladybug’s weapons. Now really wasn’t the time to think about that.

“Is that honestly going to work? Are the miraculous even magnetic?” Penknight wondered.

“It’s magic!” Ladybug snapped, looking around the rooftop in an attempt to find clues on how to use her lucky charm. “It cannot be as easy as flipping a switch.” She muttered to herself.

“My lady, if you do that, what about our miraculous?” Chatnoir questioned. Volpina’s eldritch screams were losing steam. Ladybug looked panicked.

“We’ll have to hold on to them and hope, but if I’m holding my earings I can’t flip the switch!”

“Oh please, allow me.” Penknight said eagerly, turning his sword back into a tablet and passing Marc to Chatnoir. Ladybug hesitated for a second, taking in the sight of Volpina being magically ripped apart and put back together, then nodded, firmly covering her ears with both hands. Penknight chuckled darkly as he flipped the switch. Marc dug in his heels, Chatnoir’s arm iron around his waist, as the powerful magnet tried to drag him forward by the miraculous. 

At first Marc was worried the magnet wasn’t going to work, but then Volpina’s miraculous began to hit the magnet one by one with solid thunks. When the last one had been collected and Volpina lay dazed and panting on the rooftop, Penknight switched the magnet off. Ladybug stepped forward to check on Volpina, who only lay there and wheezed. Chatnoir began picking up the miraculous, handing the goat barrets to Marc with a smile when Ziggy zipped over to him for a hug.

“I can’t find her akumatized object.” Ladybug called to them, distressed. Volpina gasped a laugh and used the ledge of the rooftop to lever herself up.

“Oh, I’m sure you can figure it out if you think hard enough.” She mocked. 

“Lila please, you almost killed yourself with that stunt. Let us purify you so you can rest and heal.” Ladybug pleaded, hands out to catch the akuma if she fell. Chatnoir’s eyes trailed down to where Volpina was clutching her chest.

“No.” He breathed.

“Yes!” Volpina cackled. “My akuma might be second hand from that miserable wretch Prism, but at least he knew where to hide it. The only good idea he’s ever had, I’ll wager.”

“Her heart.” Chatnoir said sounding numb, “The akuma is in her heart.”

“You see Ladybug, no matter what you’ve done I’VE won! You’ll never get my akuma without killing me, something you pathetic heroes will never have the stomach for!” Ladybug looked horrified, backing away from the laughing akuma.

“It’s only a matter of time before I take your miraculous and- Hrk!” She coughed, cut off mid sentence by Penknight’s sword going through her chest. 

“Ugh, finally you stop talking. It’s a pity you’re probably going to be just fine after this, and I’ll have to go back to listening to your nattering.” Penknight grumbled, using his boot to push Volpina’s limp body both off his sword and the roof. Marc took in the akuma’s look of manic, wicked satisfaction as he watched the body fall and said:

“We have got to cure him.”

[thecrimsonarcher]

The Zion Mountain Chronicles--Prelude to a Fall, Willow’s Testimony, Part 2

The last public execution was held a few months prior to the Incident. There was a group of teenage girls walking around the town square, laughing and cutting up as kids that age would normally do. I recognized the girls almost instantly. They'd sometimes come into the library to do research for a class project. They were never disrespectful or crass to anyone else who was using the library at the time. They were always polite and considerate of others, which was what made this act of violence so reprehensible. They were walking around the corner of town square, where Main Street intersected with Bank Street. At the exact same time, there was at least 3 or 4 of the Legion soldiers patrolling the area. I'm not sure who was at fault, but that matter is completely irrelevant now. One of the girls accidentally bumped into one of the soldiers, causing him to fly into a rage. I saw all of it unfolding from the front door at the library. We were right across the street from where it happened. The girl apologized several times for what she had done, adding that she was not paying attention. The soldier, however, was having none of it.

I'll never forget her name, Maddie Garren. She was 16 years old at the time, a junior at the Zion Mountain High School. Her friend, Chelsea Moore, died trying to protect her. She was Maddie's age and was also a junior at the high school.

The soldiers grabbed her by the hair of her head, pulling her across the pavement like a rag doll. She had long, blonde hair, from what I could remember. This poor girl, she kept screaming at them to stop, to let go of her. They were hurting this innocent child because a group of grown men could not overcome their own personal superiority and accept her apology. Everyone on the streets were silent, afraid to speak up or do anything to make it stop. Her friends tried to run to her aide despite the risk it posted to themselves, shouting at them to let her go. But....they did not let her go. They would not let her go. Someone had to pay for insulting their fragile pride and their delicate ego and that someone was Maddie Garren, along with her friend, Chelsea Moore.

She was covered in scrapes from the pavement and her hair was matted with blood. The soldiers had pulled her so violently they had ripped out a large chunk of her hair, along with some of her scalp. The Legion were abnormally strong despite mostly being reanimated corpses, which I believe is why no one even tried to step up and help. We were terrified of the soldiers, living in fear of their constant presence in town. Just what would happen if we stepped in? Those Good Samaritans would suffer the same fate as the girl, maybe even worse. That's how they were able to effectively keep us in our place, to prevent us from stepping out of line.

One of her friends[Chelsea Moore] tried in vain to make the soldier stop his brutality by coming up to him from behind and hitting him as hard as she could with a loose brick she had found on the sidewalk. Each hit did not make the soldier flinch, EXCEPT for when she struck him at the base of his neck, which appeared to have caused him to be in a lot of pain. He stopped striking Maddie for a moment, crying out in agony with this almost inhuman sounding scream at where the girl had hit him.

This one could actually talk, fitting Kevin's description of the Series 2 troops. He grabbed her by the throat, hoisting her high above his head as if she were a ragdoll, and threw her on the pavement as hard as he could. Even from where I was standing, I could hear this loud crunch or popping sound as she hit the ground. She couldn't cry out because the force of her hitting the ground knocked the wind out of her. He must have broken one of her bones or several. I wanted so badly to come to their aid, but I couldn't risk getting killed. Looking back, I wished I did. Even though I was defiant when it came to preserving our history, I was still very terrified of the Legion. You have to understand--everyone who was not part of the Order of the Southern Sky was frightened by them. Whenever someone dons a uniform, they automatically command fear and authority, often using it to their advantage to inspire "respect" through intimidation. They didn't necessarily need to raise a hand against anyone. Anyone they deem to be "beneath" them cowered in fear, knowing the outcome of their encounter wouldn't be favorable. That's how it was. I know that if you're reading this in the future, you might not understand. Maybe you will.

Right after he slammed the girl to the ground, he began to viciously berate her, calling her every derogatory name he could possibly think of.

"If you ever touch me again, you will be joining your friend. Do you understand me? This is something that doesn't concern you. She has committed a crime against the Order and she must pay for her transgressions!"

"What crime?" I can remember the girl[Chelsea] yelling. Even though she had been injured, she displayed no fear of this thing masquerading as a human. All she could see was their injustice and nothing else. "All she did was bump into you. She said she was sorry several times. It's not like she did it on purpose!"

"She was in direct violation of Code 7-7C. To bring blatant disrespect to the Legion is an offense punishable by death. To disrespect the Legion is to bring dishonor to our Lord and Savior, Kalona!" That's exactly how he said it. I'll never forget how cold and robotic he sounded, a tone made even more chilling by the gas mask covering his face. Just how many times had he repeated those words over the years? Part of me fears the answer--just how many died at the hands of the Legion prior to the Incident? I feel we'll never know the truth.

The girl wouldn't let up, fearlessly defending her friend in the face of so much danger. "You mean to tell me bumping into you is worse than killing someone? Can you even hear yourself talk? You think killing her is going to make us learn our lesson?"

Her words must have struck a nerve because in that moment, he absolutely lost whatever composure he had left and started savagely kicking her sides and beating her with the butt of his rifle, yelling, "I have tried to show you mercy, but you have given me no other choice, you ungrateful third class whore!" Chelsea was 16 years old. For a grown man to think it was okay to call a young woman a whore was just deplorable and disgusting. Regardless of whether they had been brainwashed into doing the Order's bidding or not, it was not acceptable.

While this was going on, I could hear Maddie screaming at the top of her lungs, pleading for the soldier to leave Chelsea alone. She was all bloody and barely able to sit up. But they would not listen. As I said before, their pride and enormous ego was far more important than human decency. That was the true beatitude of the Order of the Southern Sky, to treat those who they had deemed as beneath them to worthy of only one thing--to be erased from existence. Unfortunately, they succeeded....to a certain extent. 12 of us survived in spite of their desires to scrub the slate clean and the 12 of us will make sure to speak up no matter the repercussions.

One of the soldiers forcefully grabbed Maddie by the arm, jerking her up to her knees. I'm guessing he was a Series 1 because he did not say anything to her. He only loomed above her with his rifle pointed at the back of her head. He made some sort of hand gesture to the other soldiers(I'm assuming he was trying to communicate with them), who in return made similar gestures. Whatever was said between them, he didn't move from his spot.

Chelsea was fading in and out of consciousness by this time, completely unresponsive from the brutal beating she had experienced. The soldier grabbed her by the arm and dragged her limp body across the pavement, stopping right next to Maddie, who was inconsolable. She tried reaching for her, but the soldier behind her took his rifle and slammed it down on her shoulder, causing her to collapse, only to be jerked up again. By then, I stood in the doorway of the library, sobbing at how unfair our situation was. They say the sights of hell are never seen or known. To us, living in Zion Mountain was the same as living in hell. Towards the end, this became an everyday occurrence. People were brutally murdered for alleged crimes that amounted to nothing more than little things that could easily be solved with little effort, in most cases, being an apology.

"Citizens of Zion Mountain! By the decree of the Order of the Southern Sky, we will pass judgement on those who deem it necessary to bring shame upon   the Legion. For the crime of assault against an officer, a direct violation of Code 7-7C, we have no other choice but to carry out their punishment as we see fit. To disrespect the Legion is to disrespect our Lord and Savior! To disrespect our Lord and Savior is an offense we cannot ignore!" I can remember those chilling words, even as I'm writing this out. I'm shaking at the very thought of it. As he was saying this, he drew out a handgun from his side holster and pressed it against the back of Chelsea's head. I could hear Maddie sobbing, begging for him to reconsider what he was about to do. But he would not listen. He was an inhuman monster whose heart was made of stone and not once did he regret anything he had done on the behalf of his wealthy masters. He was programmed to behave this way, to act without thinking.

"On the behalf of the Order of the Southern Sky, I hereby sentence them both to death! If anyone chooses to intervene with protocol, you will be charged with treason! You will meet the same end as them!" And with that, he executed his protocol, shooting her without single ounce of remorse in the back of the head. It seemed as though Zion Mountain was completely silent in that moment in time, collectively gasping in horror at how far the Order had fallen. Perhaps they did not have very far to fall, but....what little part of me had still clung on to the delusion of our small town being watched over by an all powerful God....it all swept away the moment Chelsea Moore met her end in the town square. It was all so callous, so cruel. He pulled the trigger as if it were nothing, as if it were the easiest task he could accomplish. As soon as she hit the ground, dead, Maddie let out this loud, ungodly wail that absolutely broke my heart. The soldier jerked her by the arm and put the gun against her temple.

Right before he pulled the trigger for a second time, he asked her to explain herself, to tell him why she did such a horrible thing and dared to walk in his direction--"Is there anything you'd like to say for yourself, you traitorous bitch?  You'd better. It's best you do it now so you won't have to live with any regrets."

To this day, her reply still stuns me because of how eerily prophetic it was--"I'm not a traitor. You are. All of you are. How can you call yourselves servants of God if all you want to do is hurt other people and kill them because you can't understand them and they can't understand you? Do you think he'd be happy? Do you think he'd be happy with this? If anyone around here has committed any crime, it's you and the Order! I think the biggest crime you've committed is believing you're right and using it as an excuse to do horrible things to people!"

"Why do you insist that we are cruel? If it weren't for the Order, you would be nothing. We offer you protection! We offer you a meaningful existence! Without us, you wouldn't know the true nature of God! You would be nothing more than godless heathen whose sole purpose in this world is to die. If anything, you should be grateful for all we have done for you. You should be grateful for your pain I have given you, but....if you feel that way, I have no other choice. You're beyond salvation and for that, you need to die."

Just like that, he pulled the trigger, and it was followed by silence, save for the sound of her body collapsing onto the pavement in dead weight.

I'd rather not discuss the details of what watching them die was like because it was a very traumatic experience, even with all the counseling and years of therapy. The only thing I can say is that after they were finished, the soldiers took their bodies and headed in the direction of the church. As a warning against anyone who harbored "traitorous" thoughts, they did not clean up the execution site. For several days afterwards, there was a big bloodstain on the pavement, along with brain matter and bloodied chunks of matted hair. The rain finally came on a Sunday morning, washing it all away. While their spilled blood was gone, the stains from those evil deeds remained, even until the very end. We were not allowed to talk about it. We were not allowed to acknowledge it. We simply had to move on with this lingering threat above our heads. No one knew what was about to happen to, not even until the final days."

--Testimony from Willow McKinley, former librarian at the Zion Mountain Public Library