fandomhigh | Library, Wednesday

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Library, Wednesday

Sholeh and Zeela had started a small ritual. Whenever one woke up, they would immediately confer with the other about small things. Little details chosen at random. If they agreed on what they remembered, they'd escaped whatever the latest bout of...Fandom...ness...that was currently...Fandoming. If they didn't agree, they promised not to waste time trying to figure out which one of them was 'right.' It hadn't happened yet, but it comforted Sholeh to have a plan.

Along that same vein, she was still setting out books for any researchers that decided to wander through. This week, she pulled out books about memory, memory spells and charms, and amnesia. That wasn't the same thing as whatever was happening, with people actually changing who they were (Sholeh and Zeela both agreed that Cecil hadn't been an adult when he'd started school and certainly didn't have tentacles!), but it was somewhere to start.

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She's still herself, thank goodness. She and Zeela are both quite certain they've been spared!

"Y'know, I really don't think memory's the problem, here," Joker mentioned, looking at the books she'd picked.

"Not really," Sholeh agreed with a sigh. "But I'm hoping that if people look through them, maybe something in there will trigger an insight or a breakthrough or something useful."

Still, she picked up a few of the books to put away again. "I started looking for stuff about alternate dimensions, but the problem with living on an interdimensional nexus is that we're all alternate dimensions."

Joker nodded. "And I can't even find much on that, at least not anything useful. And even when the alternate dimensions are really close..."

He frowned, trying to figure out how to explain what he was thinking. "Okay, so, there are a few people here who are from my future. I'm not absolutely certain, but I'm pretty sure that if I go home and do everything opposite from the way they remember it, that's not going to change them any. Our universes are independent. But somehow, these other, evil ones are are not..."

"Do you think that maybe someone went back and started mucking up people's pasts?" Sholeh asked, wide-eyed. "Like, deliberately trying to change things? But for what reason?"

That was the problem. It just didn't make any sense for someone to do that. At least, everything so far had seemed pretty random.

"I don't think it's evil, though," she added. "I mean, a friend of mine now remembers getting adopted and growing up in a loving family. I hardly think that counts as evil."

It was probably safe to say that Yeul hadn't been touched by the weirdness, given that her extreme lack of concern or worry was just like normal.

"Hello Sholeh," Yeul said cheerfully, offering her a hot chocolate. "I thought I would come visit."

"Hi, Yeul!" Sholeh gave Yeul a pleased smile. She was feeling unsettled with all the radio news of strange people and familiar people acting strangely. Spending time with Yeul was actually a very good way to relax. "How are you?"

"I am well," Yeul said, smiling back. "Though Evan says I say that everytime I'm asked."

Which, well, she did.

"Are you well?" she continued.

"It's kind of comforting to hear," Sholeh confided. "Because if there's ever a time when you are not, then I know it's time to panic."

Not that she thought there'd be anything she could do in a situation where Yeul was not well. You know. Other than panic quietly in a corner so as not to disturb anyone else who might be better suited for whatever catastrophe was occurring.

"I'm okay. Zeela and I haven't noticed anything amiss with us, so we're better off than most of the island, it seems." It was a comfort to have someone to trade notes with that way.

"Please don't panic, Sholeh," Yeul said gently. "Even if something happens."

Other people would say panic was a totally reasonable response to a lot of things. Yeul wasn't one of them.

"Is Zhari well too?" she asked. "Most of the changes seem rather harmless to me. Do you think it's important?"

"I'll try not to," Sholeh promised, since it was the only thing in good conscience she could promise. "And I'll probably hand the body over to Zee if I do. She's pretty useful in crises."

Would Yeul think the changes were harmless after Sholeh answered her next question?

"...Zhari?"

She'd heard the name before, back when she'd thought Sparkle was playing a joke on her. But she wanted to know who Yeul thought this random person was.

Yeul blinked.

"Zeela certainly is." She looked searchingly at Sholeh. "Excuse a silly question, Sholeh, but... don't you have two sisters? It is in your name, Sholeh Zeela a Zhahar. Have you not heard from Zhari lately?"

That was... well. Yeul wasn't quite sure what to make of it.

"Noooo," Sholeh said, now looking fretful. Unconsciously, she started wringing her hands. "We're Sholeh a Zeela. We never had a third sister."

::Right?::

=Right,= Zeela soothed. =Neither of us remember having one.=

::So then why does everyone else?::

Zeela had no response to that.

Yeul's serenity, and her faint smile, didn't fade, though she tilted her head a bit more thoughtfully. Her eyes were considering.

"I think that the island has, perhaps, gotten to both of you as well," Yeul said carefully, but honestly. "I would not tease about something like this, Sholeh. Zhari is someone I remember. I have celebrated your birthday with all three of you, and invited the three of you to my home. This change is... one I am not certain of."

It didn't seem like it was harming them, exactly, but one of them was missing, like she'd never existed, and wasn't that a sort of harm in and of itself?

Sholeh bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't remember," she said softly. "I remember our birthday and visiting your home, but I only remember it with Zee and you and me and Evan. There was no one named Zhari, no third sister. I don't know what to think. It's always just been me and Zee."

Re: Talk to Sholeh

pulseof_life - 2014-03-19 22:47 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Talk to Sholeh

3girls-1core.livejournal.com - 2014-03-20 05:21 (UTC) - Expand

"Hello. Um. I was wondering, if I could-- look at some books?"

Red had never quite dared to enter the library while the monks were there. Even though most of them seemed good sorts of people, the possibility that they'd find out about her meant she'd avoided the castle and library whenever possible.

"About portals. And travel."

Sholeh was still a little rocked by Yeul's confirmation of a sister named Zhahar, so it took her a few seconds to snap out of her daze and focus on the girl in front of her.

"Umm, hmm?" She blushed. "I'm awfully sorry, I didn't hear you. What did you say?"

This was what you got when you stewed, Sholeh. Ignored patrons!

"That's okay. Are you all right?" Red asked, a little worried. "I was looking for books on portals. Or time travel. I just arrived, and, well. I'd like to know how I can get home."

Edited 2014-03-20 08:31 (UTC)

"Oh, it's nothing, nothing," Sholeh assured her. She most certainly wasn't here to get all emotional at library patrons. At least ones she didn't know. "Hi, I'm Sholeh. Welcome to Fandom. You said you just arrived? And you're not sure how to get home?"

Sholeh wasn't an expert on the comings and goings of people in Fandom, but it seemed highly unlikely this girl would show up in the middle of the year and have it not be related to the current...crisis? Had this been updated to a crisis yet?...issues.

"We have lots of books about portals and time travel and parallel dimensions and things," she said, trying to sound reassuring. "I'll be happy to bring you right to them. And if they're not helpful, there's a Portalocity office in town that might help." Pausing, she added, "Are you here by mistake? Or just visiting? Do you even know what happened...?"

There were a lot of ways to get to Fandom island.

"I wandered in from the Preserve, this morning. From about seven hundred years ago," Red admitted. "I almost didn't notice the change, at first. But now..." She shrugged a little helplessly. "I live here, on the island, usually, but my cottage isn't even there now. Derek's been helping me."

Ooookay, that was new. Up until this point, Sholeh was pretty sure everyone who had changed had still expected to be on the island. On the other hand, this girl expected to be on the island, too, just not now. So was this a new wrinkle in how Fandom was changing people? Or something new entirely?

You know, Sholeh was willing to bet that no Dyad had ever anchored to a place as dangerous or confusing as Fandom. And that included the Dyads who ended up acting as anchors in warzones.

"Well, if you follow me, I'll be happy to show you where some relevant books are," she said, stepping out from behind the Circulation Desk to guide the girl into the stacks. "Umm, just as a warning though? It may be a little more difficult to get home than it was to arrive. I don't know what Fandom was like seven hundred years ago, but in this time the island can be...tricky."

Understatement.

"And it's kind of being tricky right now," she admitted.

"Joker said something was wrong, but he wasn't very specific." Red followed the younger girl, clutching at the edges of her scarlet cloak for reassurance. "Something about people-- changing? But that it's lasting too long." She looked around at the Library and said wistfully, "I didn't dare come in here, before, when the monks were in charge of the school. So many books." And she wasn't stupid, but this was overwhelming.

"It's like those weird changes, but, yeah, it's been going on for far too long," Sholeh agreed, frowning. "Weeks, now, not just days. And it's not just limited to the island. My whole family is different from what people say it used to be, including people who've never stepped foot on the island."

It was worrisome and frustrating and had Sholeh more than a little on edge.

...But not so on edge she didn't noticed the girl's reaction to the library. "Isn't it amazing?" Look. Nothing was trying to murder them at that exact moment, which meant that there was definitely a second to spare to appreciate books. "I've never seen anything like it. I've been here for almost two years now and it still takes my breath away when I come into work every Wednesday."

That was definitely disturbing, and Red wished again that Snow or Charming were here with her to see this place, come up with some ideas, or just reassure her that she hadn't changed. "That has to be very frightening, to think your family has changed. And to be going on for weeks..." Would it be weeks before they found a solution? Or longer?

She had to stop and just turn in a circle, looking at everything, half-stunned. "My-- a friend of mine, she lives in a castle. She has a library. But it's tiny compared to this. I didn't think there were this many books in the world. And you get to work here? They don't try to tell you to leave?" Because she was a girl, or not a monk, or so young. Pick one, any one!

"Who would send me away?" Sholeh asked, confused. "The head librarian hired me to work here. I don't think anyone could overrule him, not unless I did something horrible!"

And if there was a better incentive to continue to behave than the possibility of being banned from all these books, Sholeh had yet to discover it.

This was a much, much better topic than, say, the sister Sholeh couldn't remember!

"If you're not in a terrible hurry to get to the books about portals, I could give you a tour?" she offered.