Video

[singlefaith]

E-excuse me.

[There’s a young woman with wide blue eyes on the screen. She presses her lips together briefly, trying to find the right words.]

Is . . . there a way to get a message home? Either with this or with my phone?

[She has the strong sense that there isn’t any more than there is to get home in the first place. But she has to at least ask and eliminate the option before she can go any further.]

I just don’t want them to worry about me.

[Though in all truth, she’s not sure she’s completely ready for the answer.]

And Dad and Conan-kun . . . they’ll have to figure out dinner. And Sonoko may have to take some notes for me . . . for a while.

[She trails off, pressing her lips together, looking away again. Only for a moment, though, before she pulls herself back, doing her best to summon a smile.]

Thank you in advance.

Comments

[Video]

[spoilsfun]

Ran-neechan? When did you get here?

[singlefaith]

C-Conan-kun!

[Cue looking both worried and relieved at the same time. She's glad to see him, so glad to see someone familiar, but . . . he should be at home where it's safe, not caught up in this.]

About an hour ago? . . . Maybe a little more?

Where are you?

[spoilsfun]

I'm just back in the dorms. Are you near the reception desk? I can come find you.

[singlefaith]

No-- [She glances behind her, and suddenly the background is more visible: A wide pool of faintly steaming water, with archways gleaming beyond in a very Greco-Roman style]

I think . . . it's a bath?

[They're beautiful, but they don't look quite like the baths in Japan.]

[spoilsfun]

I know where that is. I'll be there in a few minutes.

[singlefaith]

Okay.

[She can't deny that she's eager for that. Some familiarity right now would be very, very good.]

[spoilsfun]

[And just a few minutes later a very very small boy appears in the entrance to the baths, looking around the space anxiously. ]

[singlefaith]

[She's not far from the entrance, having returned where he could easily spot her. Hopeful light comes back into her face at the sight of him, and in a moment, he'll find himself caught into a hug.]

Are you okay?

[From all that she's seen so far, it's a big, uncertain place here. And from what little she knows so far, possibly dangerous.]

When did you get here?

[spoilsfun]

[He squirms a little as she catches him in the hug, but then relaxes and looks up at her.]

I'm okay. I've been here a few days, but nothing much has happened.

[singlefaith]

[Her only "tell" at the moment might be holding on just a moment too long, squirms or not, the hug just slightly too fierce.]

[Coming away, blue eyes stare back at him.]

I guess . . . it's true what that other person said. Time doesn't pass at home. You weren't missing at all.

[This is an awful thought -- the idea that someone could be missing and you never knew they were gone or in trouble.]

[spoilsfun]

Well, I guess its good to have proof. I didn't really believe that when someone told me.

[singlefaith]

[This is one of his very adult-sounding moments -- when a wry, older voice sneaks into his speech. It always reminds her a lot of Shinichi.]

[For the moment, she doesn't comment on it, settling in full onto her knees -- both a slow release and a means to stay at his eye level.]

There's no one else from home here, is there?

[spoilsfun]

I haven't seen anyone else, and I've been exploring for the last few days.

[singlefaith]

[That's both a relief and not. Good that no one else has wound up here, and not in that more familiar faces would be welcome right now.]

[Gently, because it sounds like he's getting invested here if he's been exploring:] We should go home.

[spoilsfun]

We can't go home.

[Well, maybe Ran could. But Conan couldn't leave. Not knowing there was a threat to their home here that he could do something to stop. ]

[singlefaith]

[Her eyebrows press inward a bit.]

We don't belong here, Conan-kun.

[spoilsfun]

Maybe. But did anyone tell you what could happen if they can't stop the corruption here?

[Video]

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Well, after the chaos that was Valentine's, this question seems downright simple.]

I don't think time's passing in our worlds while we're here? You might want to talk to the Head Librarian if you're really worried you're missing something at home, though.

[singlefaith]

It's not so much missing things, I think, just . . .

Dad and Conan-kun depend on me.

[Honestly, she's not sure how they'd eat without her, for one. Neither one of them are good at fending for themselves when it comes to anything domestic.]

[With a flicker of hopefulness, though:] Really? It doesn't move at all?

[Video]

[unfavorableinstigation]

I haven't been able to go back to my world, but I think I'd be able to feel if something had gotten to my world, y'know?

[She wasn't a visionary for no reason, after all. And most of the Fiction section was blocked by the Dark.]

[singlefaith]

You could feel it?

[What does that mean, exactly?]

[unfavorableinstigation]

Resonance.

[Nita gets a wry expression.]

If the books here represent entire worlds, and we were apparently summoned from them... there'd have to be some form of connection, wouldn't there?

[singlefaith]

I guess so.

[A little wide-eyed here. This is definitely not a direction she's thought of before -- though then again, she's never had to, either.]

What do you mean, though, by "resonance?"

[Video]

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Nita blinks. Maybe she just hasn't heard the word resonance before? Unlikely, but still.]

When you're connected deeply enough with something that you can feel its presence... or the presence of a person.

[singlefaith]

[By itself as a word, yes. The way Nita seems to mean it, though, seems to be something else.]

[She wonders if she's felt that before. There are times she thinks she thinks she's almost sensed someone in particular -- times when she's been so sure that he's there.]

[She's been wrong so many times, though. It's probably just wishful thinking.]

Is . . . that really possible?

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Nita gives a properly wry expression now.]

Whenever you start questioning something's possibility, something even more bizarre's going to happen in consequence. I speak from experience, I promise.

[She could provide examples, but Nita doesn't exactly know Ran's tolerance level for weirdness.]

[singlefaith]

A-Ah! [Quickly Ran waves a hand.] Not so much that! More that . . . we don't have that. At home.

[She really doesn't need anything more bizarre right now than it's already been.]

[. . . She's going to have to built up that weirdness tolerance level.]

[unfavorableinstigation]

Ahh. Sorry!

That's fair, really.

[Because while magic exists in her world, she's spent most of her life not knowing it was there.

So yyyeeah, better get building, Ran.]

[singlefaith]

[In this place it'll build fast.]

Where you come from has it, then? Resonance?

. . . What does that feel like?

[Video]

[unfavorableinstigation]

[Nita nods.]

... Like you're a better whole, even though you're separate.

[Because she knows better than to think that people had to be together as couples to be 'complete' or some crap like that.]

Knowing what they're going to say next, or when you're both thinking the same thing. Or, for a place, when you know when anything's just the slightest bit out of place, and if it's something to worry about.

[singlefaith]

Mm . . . [Her features smooth a little.] I think I know what you mean. Even if it's probably not the same.

[Video]

[enlightenedfeline]

[At first, there's mostly just silky, black fur in the image, then the Cat backs away so his eyes and the rest of his features are visible.]

No one from your home will realize you're missing. When you decide to leave, you will be returned almost at the same moment that you left.

Don't worry about your family. They will be safe while you're away. We would not ask you to come here if they were at risk without your presence.

[singlefaith]

[A cat! Ran's eyes brighten immediately at this new bit of familiarity (and cuteness).]

[. . . But then the cat talks, and all too soon, it's weird again.]

[Ran's read enough, though, to know that even if something isn't in your paradigm, you should still be polite. And he is trying to help.]

Thank you . . . that helps to know.

[Hesitantly,] I can decide to leave?

[enlightenedfeline]

Of course you may.

[He cants his head to the side, purring thoughtfully. The sound is supposed to be reassuring to some beings. Another reason why he prefers this form to others.]

I am the Non-Fiction Librarian. My companion an I asked each patron for assistance. Each accepted our invitation. None who arrive here are taken against their will and none are forced to stay. We do not mean to harm our patrons.

If you wish to leave, we will return you to your world.

[singlefaith]

[The purring is nice -- soft, and very soothing.]

Thank you . . .

There's someone here I need to see first before I can give you an answer.

[enlightenedfeline]

You're welcome.

[His ears perk up, obviously pleased by her manners.]

Who do you need to speak with? If they're in the Library I can direct you to them. If they aren't, then things will be more complicated.

[Video]

[light_of_willpower]

So first, take a deep breath.

[Because he can recognize someone trying to remain calm--and they're actually doing a pretty good job.]

Has anyone talked to you yet about where you are, and what's going on?

[singlefaith]

[In her surprise, not thinking about it, she actually does, tugging in air and releasing it slowly. Her eyes slip closed for a moment, re-centering herself.]

[And then she realizes what she's done in front of a stranger and pinks a little, waving a hand.] Ah -- sorry.

. . . That does help, though.

I heard a little bit from someone -- that the books are wrong somehow and need to be fixed? And that this is a library . . . between worlds?

[Honestly, it all seems pretty fantastic, and in spite of her front, she's having a rough time with absorbing it.]

[light_of_willpower]

[Don't be--it's why he told her to breathe. Staying calm is the first and most important step.]

It's a little bit more complicated than that. Are you familiar with the idea of other dimensions?

[singlefaith]

Not . . . really. Except in movies or science fiction. They're not something we have at home.

[The challenges of coming from a modern, average canon: Nothing prepares for this.]

[light_of_willpower]

[Even coming from a non-average/modern canon, this isn't the easiest thing to deal with.]

Alright.

[Hmm, where to start.]

Well, here--it's real. From what I can tell, this place takes the appearance of a Library, and the books are more than just 'books'. They're more like gateways, containing worlds that are the stories. This place--this Library--it exists outside of normal Time and Space. Outside of known dimensions.

[Following him so far? Remember to keep breathing.]

[Video]

[dog_of_the_sun]

[At first, there is a white paw and then a dark wet nose--before Ammy backs up. There is a large white wolf, with sacred red-markings along her fur, and a blue-disc that fades in and out of view above her shoulders, flaring with a Sun's corona.

A large pad of paper is propped up against a shelf, and as Ammy looks at it, sitting near it, her tail twitches lazily. Writing--Ancient Japanese no less--appears on the paper, while any translation needed appears on the video screen.

彼らはまだあなたが行方不明であることを知っていない可能性が高いので、彼らはあなたについて心配するべきではありません。 あなたはここでも安全です。 あなたは招待されており、この場所を手伝うよう依頼しました。]

They should not worry about you, as it is likely they do not yet know you are missing. You are safe here though. You have been invited, and asked to help this place.

[There is a deliberate bow of her head and shoulders--very Japanese, despite being a canine. Then some more writing--after this, Ammy'll need to get a new page.
私は天照です。 私は神話を担当する助手司書です。 どのように私はあなたを助けることができますか？
]

I am Amaterasu. I am the assistant librarian in charge of Mythology. How may I help you?

[singlefaith]

[It's . . . a wolf. At the sight of it on her screen, Ran freezes. She's never seen one before -- or at least one that was free, not in a book.]

[It's not quite like any wolf she's ever seen before, though, with those markings and -- what is that blue thing?]

[She's not any further reassured when writing appears on the paper like magic. Possibly it is magic. Or a gho-- no, no, no, she can't even go there.]

[When all else fails, good to be polite? Again, Ran has read enough fairy tales to know that.]

A-Ah -- thank you. [She bows back.]

Honestly, I'm not sure . . . I'm not really sure how I can help this place at all. I'm just a high school student at home. Dad or Shinichi could probably have done more.

. . . Are you sure you want me?

[dog_of_the_sun]

[There is a hint of canine-smile, and Ammy lays down. Letting her tail wag lazily, the sheet of paper she had been writing on flutters to the ground as if cut from the pad. More writing appears on the new, blank page.]

あなたが手伝ってくれるかどうかは、あなた次第です。 しかし、あなたは私やこのフォームを恐れる必要はありません。 あなたは私の子供の一人です。 日本の子供、はい？ ]

It is up to you if you wish to help. But you do not need to fear me, or this form. You are one of my children. A child of Japan, yes?