Xaviers!

"Stuck?"

"One day I woke up and no one could see me anymore and now that is my life.

I mean, I was intentionally invisible before when I accidentally on purpose snuck up on you. I enjoy being invisible around here because people are more comfortable in the library if they don't know they are being constantly watched, which is why I wear the suit the University gave me in here.

But the condition that causes the invisibility isn't something I am turning off and on. I just am invisible."

"Cool," Murphy says.

"Yes, many people think so.

What about you Murphy? What's your thing?" He asked, wanting to shift the conversation away from his invisibility.

"Copying animals," Murphy says. She smiles again, showing off her sharp teeth.

"Are those teeth your originals then, or did you borrow them from something else?" Borrow seemed the appropriate word, right?

As an answer, Murphy shifts her teeth back to normal, human teeth.

"Interesting. They are very intimidating." He said it as a compliment, assuming that was what she was going for.

Murphy beams proudly, looking like a happy, big dumb puppy dog.

Basil laughed, despite himself.

"Alright Murphy, would you like a few more books besides the ones you have now?"

"Yes," Murphy says, a bit forcefully and full of unrestrained enthusiasm.

Murphy likes books.

"Alright. If you want, I will take those ones up to the counter and prepare them for you so your hands are free to grab a few more."

Murphy glares at Basil, looking suspicious. This felt like a trick.

"You realize I have the authority to just take them if I want them even if I don't have the physical strength, don't you?" Basil gave her a moment to ponder it. " I promise you can take them with you so long as you promise to bring them back in two weeks like the rules dictate."

Murphy smirks, "Authority?"

There's a playful gleam in her eye.

"Yeeessss. Authority meaning I call someone else to physically force you to give the book back." He laughed.

Murphy sighs, "Boring."

"You don't know this exactly, but you're probably half a foot taller than me, and potentially weight more than I do by the look of you. Trust me, you can take me. Also, my condition causes me to be invisible to the eye, but yours causes you to turn into a deadly killing machine that can probably smell me just fine. You win by default."

"Giving up," Murphy says.

"No, calling in someone to do my dirty work is playing smart, not giving up.

Smaller animals have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves to escape being prey, wouldn't you agree?"

"You're prey?" Murphy asks, looking amused.

"Comparatively, yes. " He chuckled.

"Very sad,"Murphy says.

"Being insulting isn't going to help you get these books out of here any faster."