fandomhigh | Library [08/29]

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Library [08/29]

Jonothon had been in desperate need of the familiar today, and waking up this morning to realize that the person who was sleeping in Jak's bed was most definitely not Jak had been jolt enough to spur him into actually getting to his feet of his own accord, pulling on his cleanest dirty clothing, and making his way down to the library today for his shift.

That he was now moving through the stacks like a man possessed, looking over the course calendar for the semester and setting out displays of books that he thought other students might find topical to each and every class... That was something else. Now that he'd immersed himself in the familiar, he was hell-bent on not letting himself think too hard about why he'd needed it so badly.

The library was open, and was possibly almost too ready to face students new and old.

[The library, it is open.]

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Jono might have bustled by poor Faramir about three times before actually realizing that he wasn't alone in the library at the moment. Might have, only Faramir was standing in the most direct route that he had to the display on books about underwater shipwrecks that he was setting up, and now he had to stop and look at what it was that was going to make him detour.

... Ah, yes. A person.

Please, Faramir, do pardon the bandaged boy who was now standing there staring, with one eyebrow raised questioningly. It was about as close to 'how can I help you' that he could manage without just outright saying it.

It took an instant before Faramir realised someone was watching him... or thought he was standing in the way. He'd been too caught up in taking in the rows and rows of books, all of which he'd not be able to read.

"My apologies," he said quickly, wondering if perhaps he'd broken some sort of rule. He drew to his full height before giving Jono a small bow. "I am Faramir, son of Denethor. I arrived to the island yesterday and was told that I might find aide here. If you would be so kind as to tell me to whom I could turn with my questions, it would be much appreciated."

Jono's brow furrowed a bit at that, and for a moment he was tempted to just see if he could find Mr. DeTamble, because whatever questions this Faramir fellow had, Henry would probably be far better suited to dealing with them at the moment.

But he hesitated. And he shrugged, sidestepping to set his armload of books onto a nearby cart.

//I'm Jonothon,// he said, warily, watching Faramir from the corner of his eye for any reaction to his voice. //And today, that would be me.//

The reaction came all too soon and Faramir jerked his head upright, light eyes studying Jono for a moment, taking in the bandages.

"You did not use your voice to speak to me," he concluded. No one had warned him for this.

//This is my voice,// Jonothon replied, with all the enthusiasm of a person who had explained the very same thing at least a hundred times before. //Only one I've got.//

He looked back at Faramir, and his eyebrows were twitching upward again.

//Problem?//

There was sympathy in Faramir's eyes as he added the answers and the bandages together. Perhaps it wouldn't be wanted by Jonothon, but Faramir was incapable of not giving it.

He inclined his head in acceptance of the answer. "There is none. I meant no disrespect and hope you can forgive me if my remark caused offence. I fear that I spoke out of ignorance of this world, something I hope soon to right."

Edited 2010-08-29 13:21 (UTC)

Jono watched Faramir for a moment, not quite ready to take his words at face value so easily. But he seemed earnest enough. It was only the sympathetic look in his eye that Jono wasn't willing to accept, after a moment.

//Most people would have reacted th'same,// he allowed, finally. At least Faramir hadn't demanded Jonothon get out of his head, or anything. //I'm not exactly from around here, either.//

"I have been told that most people here are not," Faramir remarked, letting the subject drift away to something that might not offend his companion. "Is your world much different from this one?"

//Th'world itself, no,// Jono replied. //Th'people... to some degree, yes.//

He shrugged. //I'm not as far out of my element as I suspect you might be.//

"I fear that you may be right," Faramir admitted with a crooked smile.

He reached out towards one of the books, letting his fingers brush the strange letters. "I find myself incapable of deciphering this script. I was hoping that perhaps you would books to aide me."

Jonothon considered that for a moment, and then gave his shoulders a shrug.

//I can't imagine why we wouldn't. I suppose asking you what alphabet yer used to would just end up confusin' us both, but...//

He pause, thinking on it, and then nodded toward the stacks. //We'll find something. Where and when are you from, mate?//

"I'm from Gondor," he replied. "It's the year 2999 of the Third Age. The script I know is called Tengwar, there are some variations, but either should at least be more clear to me. Do you have books in the Elven tongue?" he asked. "Sindarin or High-elven even, though my knowledge of it is less profound."

//We... might.// Jono glanced over his shoulder at Faramir, trying not to look as helpless in the face of so many words he didn't recognize as he felt. //I'm not certain if we have any Tengwar-to-Roman alphabet books floating about, mind.//

It seemed like the sort of thing that was perhaps a little too reality twisting to Jono to make sense. Even here on Fandom Island.

He pushed his way through the stacks regardless. He was a man on a mission, now, and Faramir was not leaving this library without something in his hand that would help teach him how to read.

//... I don't suppose you've ever heard of a CD player before?//

"I have not," Faramir said, following after Jono. His eyes kept scanning the books around them, hoping that a familiar script would draw his attention.

It was somewhat disappointing, finding that even the Elvish tongue was unknown here. They had left such a mark on Gondor and it was a daunting thought that the Eldar had not been here.

//I'll let you borrow mine, then. I keep one around for music, on slow days.//

Jono paused in front of a stack of language-to-language dictionaries, and he would have been frowning in thought if only he had been able. After a moment of that, he shook his head and pressed onward.

//I don't want you to think I'm somehow insulting yer intelligence, mate. But you know th'language already. What you need is some sort of phonics program, to teach you how to read what you can already speak.//

Half of what Jonothon was saying made very little sense to him. He glanced at the books Jonothon had only moments ago been looking at, but they made even less sense and so he was once more trailing after him.

"You are not insulting me," he assured him. "It is a strange thing to not be able to read a language that you know." He paused. "What exactly is a CD player?"

//It... makes noises. Sometimes, music, sometimes talking. It would probably be easier for you to work with, once I show you how, than me just throwing you a children's picture book and letting you muddle yer way through.//

And less insulting, for that matter.

Not too far down the same aisle, Jonothon found what he was looking for. And, he was pleased to note, there weren't just programs on the shelves to teach children how to read using pictures of apples and zebras. There were adult lessons, as well, designed for people who, like Faramir, had grown up speaking the language, but who had never had the opportunity to learn how to read it.

He loved this library.

For an instant, Faramir wondered about the music of this world, but that was not why he was here. There were other matters more important to him now.

"It could tell me what I am reading?" he guessed.

//In a way,// Jono agreed. //It works something like a book, that way. You can put a new one in, but th'words on a page aren't any more likely to change than th'sounds that it'll play for you to hear.//

Because Jono liked nipping things like new students talking to electronic devices right in the bud, because he was a spoilsport that way.

//If we find you th'right program, it should come with a workbook, and also a CD that'll dictate how to work yer way through it. And if you have any trouble at all, I'm usually in on Sundays, and we can find you something else that'll work.//

If he sounded a little proud of himself at the moment, that would be because this was sort of like his first real accomplishment since getting out of bed yesterday.

"So it is like a book in sound?" Faramir asked, trying to understand exactly. This world seemed to have invented many curious devices, but so far Faramir had all found them clever and useful.

"Thank you for your kind offer."

//Like a book in sound,// Jonothon agreed, pleased that Faramir had grasped that part of his explanation. He pulled one of the lessons from the shelf, looking it over for a moment before reaching for another. He wasn't a teacher, not by any means, but he'd be damned if there were two different courses and he ended up sending Faramir away with the inferior one.

After taking some time to scrutinize both, Jono settled on the first one that he'd grabbed, and he held it out to Faramir.

//Let's take this to th'front and show you how to make it work shall we?//

"That might be best," Faramir agreed, accepting the book from Jonothon. He couldn't resist opening it and running his fingers over the strange script. He recognised the signs that he been on the paper they had given him the previous day.

"Does it happen often that someone comes here and finds himself incapable of reading or even speaking the language?"

//Occasionally,// Jonothon allowed. //My last roommate couldn't read English, either. And, when he first showed up, he couldn't speak anything at all. He understood what people were saying well enough, though. That helped.//

There was a pang, again. Jonothon missed Jak already. Jonothon missed a lot of people already.

"Then I shall count myself lucky that at least I am capable of making myself understood," Faramir closed the book and started towards what he guessed Jono would consider the front. "Even if some of the expressions used do puzzle me sometimes."

//You'll get used to those quickly enough,// Jonothon offered, making his way to the desk and disappearing behind it for a moment to scrounge about for his portable CD player. //It's to be expected, going from one culture to the next.//

Really, now. How many other students in the school even knew what 'plonker' meant?

There was a brief battle between boy and technology while he grappled with the disc that was inside, looking for the case, and then finally the thing was set down on the counter for Faramir to look at. //You'll be needing this.//

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