Cultured Pearl

She brings the joy of books to the less fortunate all over Subeta.

Inside her shell is a magical compartment that can hold a thousand books, each carefully categorized and shelved by topic. With the muttering of a magical phrase, one of these compacted tomes would grow into a full-sized book, ready to be read. She has everything from classic favorites to the hottest new releases, all spelled against dirt and aging so that no matter how many appreciative readers thumb through a copy, that book will never be worn beyond the point of use.

She claims donations out of the bins in which Alexander puts all those books the loyal users of Subeta bring him for his quests. Unlike the books you or I can only read once, these are everlasting books especially made to benefit the homeless. Pearl takes them to the Adoption Center and does an outreach program for troubled youths in Centropolis. She helps citizens of Underground learn more about the living so they can mingle with wider Subeta in confidence. She even provides copies translated into the native languages of Atebus. Being born in space won't keep a Ziaran from being cultured, not if she can help it.

She's not a snob about genre, either. Any topic from astronomy to Ziaran dance moves will make a worthy addition to the collection. She prides herself on being able to find the perfect book for any reader, from very young pets still figuring out their letters to PhD candidates at Subeta University.

She adores visitors to Subeta who bring books from other worlds as well. No less than six planets are represented in the massive collection she carries.

Sometimes, she'll volunteer at the Library itself. She might help Alexander shelve books or host a reading hour for chibi pets. She knows the bookshelves of the Library as dear old friends and can help you find any book your heart desires.

In those rare quiet moments when she isn't helping others, she loves to catch up on her own reading. She loves a good fictional novel series and is quite fascinated by books that reveal more about the history of Subeta. She's always on the lookout for emerging authors and often does promotions of up-and-coming novels to keep fresh content from all over the globe coming into Subeta's market. Most of her dearest friends are authors and she has great respect for those who write. Get Mugged has seen many a budding young author nestled into a cozy chair across the table from Pearl.

It wouldn't go far to say that after Alexander, Cultured Pearl is Subeta's greatest champion of books and literacy.

Story by Pureflower