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The Lair Mansion is made up for the huge anniversary party, most everyone of the current line-up is there with a family & friends. They are all living it up. Elsewhere in the Mansion, one man is still at work. Hallie knows this & goes to find out why.

Hallie's holographic form appears in the the Mansion's basement File Room & before the desk of Lee Bookman.

"Hello." Lee says as he continues to work.

"You know there is party happening upstairs?"

"Yes. It's quite loud, I can hear it from here."

"So, why don't you come up & join us?"

"I'm busy entering into the Lair Database all that has happened & a lot has happened."

"Sure, I think we all know that. But, it can wait."

Lee looks up from his paperwork & looks at Hallie. She can tell that according to him, It can't.

"A Librarian's work is never done."

"Can't you just come up for twenty minutes & have some cake. The Legion is celebrating 10 years!"

"I'll have some later. Plus, I wasn't around 10 years ago." Lee said as he went back to work.

"Very few of us were but that shouldn't stop us for celebrating."

Lee stops once more & looks at Hallie & says. "No, It shouldn't but I wasn't around 10 years ago, period. I've only been here in the Parodyverse for the last few years. Much like that of Mr. Bastion: I come from a different dimension."

Hallie thinks for a moment, going through Lee's file in her mind. "Oh yeah."

"I hadn't even heard of the Legion until I crossed over. " Lee said & then offhandedly said. "It's a good thing the IOL is not only intergalactic but also Interdimensional or I would have been out of a job."

"So, why did you come over?"

"All signs were pointing to a complete universal collapse but it didn't happen. But of course I didn't know this until a few years after the fact. I did need to leave that public library since the moon get blown up."

"It happens." Hallie said jokingly.

"Yes. I know. I've been monitoring that & have stopped a few attempts while I've been here."

"What?" Hallie has a said a bit shocked. She didn't know about any resent attempts to blow up the Moon.

"Yes. Some nut job attempts to blow up the Moon at least once or twice a year. I've gotten so use to it that I've stopped confronting them."

"So, how are they stopped?"

"I don't know. I've been sending A.L.F.RED to deal with it & he's never said."

"Ok." Hallie said changing the topic. "So, was it a wholesale transfer of your MPL from there to here?"

"No. The Library as it currently stands in the.. uh.. "Lee said, thinking about something. "Third, fourth, fifth version of it's kind built here, using purely Parodyversian materials. Only me & A.L.F.RED were the cross overs. Our third crew member stayed behind."

"Was she a version of D.D.?"

"No. Lynn was a flesh & blood person. Over in 12783, the IOL designation of that dimension, Librarian's were given helper droids like A.L.F.RED & assistant Librarians. Lynn was mine. She was... "Lee said & his voice trailed off.

Lee smiled as he looked to be thinking about something.

"Lee?" Hallie asked.

"Yes?" Lee said.

"Lynn was what?"

"Oh. Yes. Lynn was special. When we left her & ended up here, I didn't want another assistant Librarian, so Amy was put in place."

"Amy? What happened to D.D.?"

"Amy was D.D. precursor. Amy died during one of the destructions' of the Library." Lee said. The offhandedly. "We haven't had one of those in a while, so that means were due for one soon."

Before their conversation could go on, Hallie received warning. "I got to go Lee, Dream trying to spike the punch with god knows what. But try & come up for a bit, ok?"

"I try."

"Good!" Hallie said & disappeared.

Lee went back to work.

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

THE END

I do like these occasional stories where you convey the loneliness of Mr. Bookman. He's a workaholic, and that seems to be by choice, but it does add a little tragic spin to the character... especially when his past is laid out like it is here. Nicely written!

It's almost like a work requirement set up by the IOL to be lonely since Lee Is the only true employee at the Moon Public Library. Lee has tried to break up that loneliness with giving personalities to A.L.F.RED & D.D., going on missions with the Legion or just going out to gather up stuff for the Library's collection.


Thanks. I had been thinking about his past lately since I've gone back & looked at my past stories. Almost none of my character are all the way they were when they first showed up in the PV. I did mention most of the major events in Lee's life here. I didn't mention that he's died at least twice, worked for the Hooded Hood for a short time or that when we first saw him: he wore a uniform that was vaguely Kryptonian & a hooded cloak (I never explained why he changed it but no one made a big fuss about so I didn't explain that).

I have a similar story idea to this involving Ham-Boy but I will probably be of him reflecting on his in universe history since the current HB is like my 8th version of the character. But I guess I could explain all those past versions as alternate realities since most of them don't even connect to each other behind the name "Ham-Boy", the ham cowl & the power of assorted meat products. Costumes vary, origins vary, name vary on some (half of them claim Fred Harris as their secret identity). I doubt I'll do that.

:)

:)

:)