6th ♥ [Audio]

[lightyourway]

So, suppose time works differently between here and other worlds.

Do you think we can change the things that happen there?

[That sounds silly, and she pauses as she tries to think of a way to explain.]One of my friends doesn't remember some of the things that happened to him on our world. I mean, they haven't happened to him yet. Or they hadn't,

Comments

[Audio] -> [Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

[Guess who still doesn't know how to seal!]

G-Got it.

[And so, instead of asking any more about this, Xanth just goes to gather some snacks. He gets a whole bunch of apples and some bread rolls.

As he makes his way to the library can't help a little apprehension. This is another call-out, and that makes him worry. Don't, he tells himself. This won't be bad. He won't have to hunt after any creepy pumpkins or hurt anyone or make any uncomfortable confessions.

Kairi's treating him normally, too. That's always a plus.

When Xanth gets to the library, he's managed to talk down one anxiety, but another one springs up. He's not fond of the library.

Still, he pushes on in.]

H--Hel-- Hello?

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

[Kairi's behind him. She runs to catch up as she sees him enter the library, but she can't go too fast. Her arms a full of pillows and two flasks that she's trying to keep from upending all over her.

So it's only as she enters the tower that she really catches up.]

Xanth!

[Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

[Xanth turns around, eyes wide, and then he breaks into a smile.]

H--Hey! Uh, I, I-I thought you'd-- b-be here al-- already.

Wh-- where are we, uh, s--setting up?

[He'd take some things, but his arms are kind of full too.]

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

In there.

[She nods to a door, slightly ajar, one leading into a study she'd never been in before. She didn't want to be thinking about the last time the three of them were in the library together, not when she was trying to study.]

[Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

[Xanth follows Kairi's gesture, then nods in turn.]

O--Okay.

[He goes on ahead and pushes the door open. But before he goes to set his things down on the table, he stands at the door, propping it open with his leg. She can't get the door with all those pillows, after all!]

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

[She takes the door's weight on her shoulder on the way through, almost upsetting her drinks as she goes. And then she's left standing, at a loss for how to get the two flasks off the stack of pillows. She'll need to shift the pillows on to one arm, the same way she picked them up...

Instead she waits for Xanth to help.]

Heh, Xanth? Could you help?

[Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

O-- Oh, uh, s--sure!

[And he rushes forward to put all his supplies on the table, so he can free up his hands to grab those flasks.

Which he does! And then he sets them down on the far end of the table so they won't be knocked over by impending pillows.]

Wh-What's, uh, what's-- i-in those?

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

[Kairi avoids the problem by dropping the pillows on an available chair instead. One immediately topples off, but she doesn't pay any attention to it.]

Well, that one's apple cider, I think.

[She points to one flask. She's never had apple cider before, but it tastes like apples and is different to juice, so that is her guess.

She points to the other flask.]

That one's some kind of milk.

[It was eggnog, something Kairi had also never tried before and didn't recognize. She only knew the milky flavour.]

I thought about just bringing water but... Well, these seemed like more fun.

[Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

[Xanth does! For sake of neatness, he picks up the pillow, then sets it on the table. Gee, that looks like a comfy pillow.

But then he looks to the flasks as Kairi points them out. The cider, he knows, but the milk...? Quizzically, he looks at the thing, and then he picks it up to inspect it. He unscrews the top and takes a sip.]

O-Oh-- wow, that's, r-really sweet.

[But he thinks, licking his lips, in a good way. He closes the flask and sets it back on the table.]

I-I, uh, I'm not-- sure what it is, th-though.

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

You don't like it?

[She gives the flask a skeptical look. She had thought it smelled okay, but she hadn't actually tried it. Maybe she should go and change it for water.]

[Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

O-Oh no, n-no! It's-- i-it's good, just, y-you know. A--A little... uh... u-une-- unex-- unex...pected.

[Come on, words. Don't fail him now. There's no reason to fail him now.

He glances around the room for a subject change.]

S-- So. Uh. Y-You-- you wanted to-- r-research s--something? T-Time?

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

[She almost catches herself trying to mouth the word along with him, but bites down on her lip fast.

This might not be the same Xanth she first met but she's pretty sure he wouldn't like it, no matter how kindly it was meant.

When he changes the subject, she's glad for the distraction.]

Sure. It's something we have to go on. We could start researching ways to travel between worlds but, well...

I don't think that would work.

[And what's more, she doesn't really want Riku testing the practical limits in that regard.]

[Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

Y-Yeah, I-- I-I'm... not sure it-- it would.

[There might be methods of otherworldly travel, but like hell anyone ever found any on the Elegante.]

S-So-- d-do you know where... we should s-start? D-Do you-- think they'd have a-a whole section, o-on time?

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

Well, I don't know.

I guess there must be theories. Maybe... They're in the philosophy section?

[Is there a philosophy section? And if there is, philosophy of time sounds way more complicated than she can handle, and out of the three of them she's pretty sure she's the one who's had the most time in school.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea.]

We could ask the librarian.

[Commentlog]

[stillseecracks]

O-Oh. Um-- yeah.

[Xanth bites his lip and glances towards the door, as if said librarian would walk in at any moment.]

H-Have you-- have you e-ever actually-- m-met the l-librarian?

[Commentlog]

[lightyourway]

Well, no.

[Couldn't pick him out of a police lineup either. She'd have better luck identifying heartless.]

Heh, have you?