I Hunt Vampires in the Library of Babylon: III - Chandler

The minotaur studied Kenichi. He lowered his glasses. He closed the book he was reading, marking the page with his finger. “Can I help you?” he said.

Kenichi was at first confused by the question the creature had asked him. “I'm lost,” he said, his voice weak.

“That is obvious,” said the minotaur. He went over to a table and, after placing a bookmark in the book to replace his finger, set the book down on the table. Then he turned a knob on the lamp, increasing the light in the room. “You're not one of us,” said the minotaur.

“No,” said Kenichi.

The minotaur pondered him for a moment. He wore a white button-down shirt and grey trousers, and on his face was a pair of round spectacles. The creature was a wall of muscle, but he composed himself with a certain noble gentility.

“What were you running from?” the minotaur asked finally.

“My friends and I had a run-in with some guy named Shalecut and his army of pasty vampire zombies.”

The minotaur chuckled. “They're closer to ghouls,” he said. “They're former Analysts who have been turned, but unsuccessfully. Nobody knows entirely what causes it to fail or succeed.” He sat down in a loveseat, managing to take up the entire thing on his own. “Oh,” he said. “Where are my manners?” He rose again and proffered his hand. “My name is Bucephalus.”

Kenichi took his hand and gave it a shake. The minotaur had a firm but comfortable handshake, not like some people who squeeze too early or too hard as some sort of petty power play.

Bucephalus motioned for Kenichi to sit at an adjacent chair. He resumed his seat, crossing his ankle over his knee. Kenichi could see his well manicured hoof.

“They're both wrong,” said Bucephalus in a way that made it feel like he was letting out a breath that he had been holding for far too long. “But you can't convince either of them that there's a better way.”

“What is the better way?” Kenichi asked, leaning forward.

“Working together,” said the minotaur. “It's the most obvious thing in the world. But between Chandler and Acula, neither of them wants to concede to the other. I'm afraid they'll just keep fighting until they've destroyed the entire Library.”

“How can we get them to work together?”

The minotaur shrugged. “Perhaps if they had a common foe. They could work together to defeat that, then along the way, learn the values of teamwork.” He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “But my guess is that once the new foe was defeated, they'd go back to their antagonistic ways.”

“Can I do anything to help?” asked Kenichi.

The minotaur looked at him for a while. “I doubt you have it in you to be the common foe, but perhaps helping others see how they can get along. Like that young man who has fallen in love with Acula's daughter.” Bucephalus laughed. “Did you know that he's Chandler's grandson?”

“I didn't,” said Kenichi. “But there's a lot about this world I don't know. I don't even know how to get around in this confusing place.”

The minotaur pointed to the book in Kenichi's hand. “Didn't you realize you were carrying a map?”

“Salt an atlas,” said Drowsysword.

Kenichi looked at the book. He had never actually opened it before. He cracked it open and flipped through the pages. Within was a grid with cleanly labeled rooms, showing most of the known Library. It was page after page after page of maps, including an index to let him know where each thing was.

“Maybe that would help,” said the minotaur. “Because, in order to get to where you want to be, it helps to know where you are.” He stood and walked over to the table where he had set his book, then he started reading some more.

Kenichi flipped through the book, finding his location, and finding the location of Chandler's office. He plotted out a path to get there. Once he had done this, he stood. “Thank you,” he said to the minotaur.

“My pleasure,” said Bucephalus.

Kenichi stepped into the doorway.

“Oh, one more thing,” said Bucephalus.

Kenichi turned.

“I much preferred the unabridged Eternal Blade of Tenrai.” He set down the volume he was reading. “Seven chapters is much too short for an interesting story. Plus, there were a lot of loose ends.” He gave a wink.

Kenichi blushed, and not knowing what else to say, headed out into the Library.

It was quiet, so he was able to find his way to Chandler's office without much problem. The door to the office was closed, and before he could knock, he heard voices from within.

“I don't care what he thinks, he's a fool all the same,” said Chandler.

“But he loves her,” said Romanà.

“It won't be any different this time around,” Chandler said. “Or should we ask your parents how it ends up working out?”

“My parents are dead!” Romanà said.

“I know,” Chandler said. “That was my point. I'd send a pigeon to Acula to see if he can help stop the madness, but they all seem to be out now.”

Kenichi heard footsteps coming toward the door, so he stepped aside so it didn't look like he was eavesdropping. Romanà stepped through the door, her pale face angry. She saw Kenichi, and in an instant, she resumed a more neutral expression. “Why, hello, Kenichi,” she said, any sort of frustration or sadness that might be lingering from her heated conversation with Chandler evaporating into the air.

“Hello,” said Kenichi.

She stepped past him once the formalities were over. He watched her go. As his eyes followed her out through the room, he thought about what Bucephalus had said. A common enemy might unite the two. Chandler even was willing to work with Acula to prevent Buch and Belle from forming a lasting relationship. He knew he could help.

He knocked on the door.

“Come in,” said Chandler.

He went inside. Chandler looked up at him. “Oh,” he said. “It's you. Have you seen Buch lately?”

The last time Kenichi had seen Buch was when Shalecut was attempting to hold them all hostage. He hoped that he had managed to escape. “No,” he said. “Perhaps Hartwig knows where he is.”

Chandler grumbled. “That no-good pooka wouldn't know his tail from a turnip,” Chandler said. He looked up. “If you see him, let him know I'd like to have a word with him.”

Kenichi nodded. “If there's anything else I can do to help, please let me know,” he said.

“I'll keep that in mind,” said Chandler.

Kenichi left the office and, using his map, found his way to Lapin Qui Lit. It was quiet. None of the Critics were there, and most of the Analysts were gone. Marumi leaned against the bar, flipping through a cookbook on curries. She saw Kenichi enter and gave him a smile.

He walked over to the bar. When he approached, she looked one way, then the other, then leaned forward and whispered. “I'd like to show you something,” she said.

Kenichi nodded. “Okay,” he said.

She pulled a book out from behind the bar and slid it over to Kenichi. He picked it up. It was the copy of The Eternal Blade of Tenrai that Hartwig had taken from him. “Oh,” he said. Then he looked from the book to Marumi and put it all together. Hartwig had taken his strategy and adopted it as his own in an effort to build favor with Marumi.

“Hartwig gave it to me a little while ago,” she said quietly. “Look at the note he included.”

A bit of paper was tucked into the front of the book. Kenichi pulled it out. It looked like a prescription paper, with HARTWIG APOTHECARY written across the top in fancy script. On the blank part of the paper was written a note in sloppy handwriting: “Thought you would enjoy this book. Hope you will find it in your heart for this Hart.”

Kenichi cringed when he read it. Marumi started laughing. “I get that it's his favorite book, but wow. It doesn't even have a single recipe in it.”

“You only like cookbooks?” Kenichi said.

“Everything else is uninteresting,” she said. “Who wants to read a story about a bunch of people running around a world trying to solve problems when you can cook delicious food instead?” She smiled. “Anyway, it was cute, even though Hartwig isn't really my type.”

Kenichi leaned forward. “What is your type?” he asked.

Marumi thought about this for a moment, then, was about to say something, then stopped. “I think you're trying to find out where you want to be,” she said.

“You can't get to where you want to be without knowing where you are,” he said.

She shook her head. “Kenichi,” she said. “I belong here. But I get the impression that you don't. It's flattering that you are attracted to me, but think of the long-term ramifications. When you're ready to move on and I'm not, what then?”

He leaned forward. “We'll always have now,” he said.

She smiled. “But I want tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,” she said. She placed her hand on top of his, and a brief spark shot through. “In another life, maybe,” she said. “But not here, not now.”

He slid his hand out from under hers. “You're right,” he said. “In another life,” he said. “Just not this one.”

He stepped away from her and made his way to the door. He stopped, turned, said, “Just give it a read. Not only for Hartwig, but also for me. It's my favorite book too.” He left.

He flipped through Drowsysword to find Hartwig Apothecary. He followed the map to get there. It was a small nook with a cushion on the floor and an old guitar in the corner. Instead of books lining the shelves, there were an assortment of bottles. Each one had a label written in the same ornate script that sat at the top of the prescription paper. One bottle in particular caught Kenichi's attention. “Eripmav Potion,” it said. “Reverses vampirism.” The color in the bottle was cyan. He picked it up and examined it. A thought occurred to him. If he gave this potion to Belle, then she could turn into a human, and then it wouldn't be so terrible and vampire and a human being together. She could become an Analyst, and then the problem would be solved. Then he wouldn't have to worry about trying to get Acula and Chandler on board with each other. He could be the hero that solved their problem, and then, he could tell them that it was a simple matter of finding a win-win solution. Everybody would get along, and maybe then he could settle down here. Maybe.

This was definitely going to work.

He went right to Chandler's office to let him know that he had a solution to all their problems. In one of the rooms, feathers were scattered all over the floor. That was odd, but so was the entire Library.

He got to Chandler's office and knocked. No answer. He knocked again. Still no answer. Then he opened the door.

In the office, the old man lay in the middle of the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood. His walking stick lay beside him. Kenichi rushed into the room. “Chandler?” he said. But he got no answer.

Chandler was dead.