[Return] [Voice]

[aetherweaver]

[There's a vaguely British-sounding voice emitting from the journals, and those who recognize Nara'a will note it's not his usual calm tone.]

Would anyone, anyone like to explain what in the hells just happened? 'Oh, the town or the spaceship or the book closing sound?' All of it.

[He takes a breath, lets it out.]

Right. Everyone back here? All appendages accounted for?

Comments

[bashasasdemon]

I haven't got a fucking clue

[alas, if Kai had the appropriate skill, it would be clear how exhausted he is, but he does not.]

All appendages counted for. And no extras.

[aetherweaver]

Good.

[He just sighs and tries to unclench his jaw. His head is aching.]

I think I recognize the writing... Kai? ... Sorry about... before.

[bashasasdemon]

Yeah it's me, sorry.

What for?

[please don't apologize for being weird to the aliens, the aliens fucking deserved it. Even if 'Kaiisteron' was genuinely trying to help.]

[Text]

[aetherweaver]

[He's just going to swap to text for this one.]

I ended up dumping a lot of stuff on you, even if I didn't really realize it was you.

I shouldn't be dumping that stuff on anyone.

Re: [Text]

[bashasasdemon]

[The problem with this is that Kai still has the knowledge of how to respond to this- somehow, he knows what kind of things he should say, how to continue the conversations they had.

He is absolutely not going to do any of that.]

It's fine. And I won't talk to anyone about it. Just more of the weird situation we were in.

voice

[angel_of_baal]

[Someone is very displeased because what the fuck was that. ]

It was a violation of our autonomy, whatever else it might have been.

[aetherweaver]

[Ah. He recognizes that voice.]

It was, yes. I don't think I care for it very much. ... Nor for the methods some of those off-worlders used.

[angel_of_baal]

I did not care for it at all.

[It was terrible. Entirely.]

The. The xenos were trying, I think, to not cause harm or distress. [Says the former xenos. ]

[aetherweaver]

... Xenos?

[In that context it would be... ah.]

Yes. I think they were trying to help. Yourself included, so I don't think there's reason to feel bad about it?

Handwritten. Nonhtml cuz phone.

[curzed]

It began with a book and ended with one. My knowledge of sorcery is limited, but there are technologies that can simulate such things.

Was any of it real?

[Voice]

[aetherweaver]

... That depends. What counts as 'real', I suppose? We remember it. The people were there. We could interact with it.

Is that enough to be real?

[curzed]

No. While our lived experiences are not false because of it, if it was the creation of a machine spirit or the product of sorcery, then there is no defenseless human world left behind.

[aetherweaver]

... I'm not sure. Either way, we can't seem to do anything about it at the moment. And the off-star people were not intending to do harm, at least...

text

[scienceofthearcane]

I only have a theory?

[aetherweaver]

Go ahead. I'm listening.

[scienceofthearcane]

Well, before this happened, I had looked at many of the books, and they were mostly unfinished. If the theory that this library is a natural nexus between many words is correct, then I think this is how we are meant to finish the stories. The only trouble is, we can't tell when another story has started if we only have memories that are part of that story.

[aetherweaver]

You're correct, that's a large problem that I see with it. Besides... if it intends for us to finish all the stories we'll be here longer than the span of our natural lives - most of them, at least.

[aetherialshackles]

I am here. Erich.

I don't know what happened, honestly, still I look at the whole event as some weird 'collective unconscious' event? It's something we did for specimens that needed special enrichment back 'home' and it may make sense considering we spent quite some time wandering a rather limitless yet 'limited' space in here.

'All is library', you know...

We know we weren't in our bodies, at least I wasn't and my beloved mammet was some kind of keychain during that 'thing'. We know some of us couldn't recall themselves properly. We also know we could meet each other in there. The question now is: how much of that was real? It could probably be interesting to have a proper gathering to discuss the matter, right?

My only, possibly silly, comment is: I miss being everyone's size.

[aetherweaver]

I'm not sure - I was altered, but definitely there. Or at least, I couldn't sense myself not being there? I'm not certain if I'd be able to, though. I can't see aether like one of my fellows can.

A proper gathering likely wouldn't go amiss, though in a bit. I think some of us need to recover a little from all of that.

... It was nice being able to sit next to you properly.

[aetherialshackles]

I was mentally present, I think. I wonder if it would be appropriate start keeping personal journals, just in case, but so far I think I kept my own self here. And, while it took me quite some time to accept that, being able to perceive aether (or interact with it) isn't everything- we still know each other and we are forming bonds with others. Let that be our guiding light.

We will figure this place out, my friend. We just have to find the right path to do so.

I am aware. In case I can provide refreshment. As long as I keep things within my field of view? I am able to summon items from books. You should try this p i z z a thing.

I feel the same. Your presence warmed my heart.

[aetherweaver]

... We can still spend time together. It might not be the same, but I still want to spend time with you.

As for pizza, I am familiar with it. A few different styles. I've as of yet been unable to summon things from books.

[ugh_emotions]

[The typed message appears some time later, after SecUnit has had time for a full search.]

Five people are missing.

Library Assistant Richard is useless and knows jack shit about what happened to them.

- Rin

[aetherweaver]

[Oh, hells.]

I assume you have a list? ... Maybe I should see if I can get Phillip to answer anything, he seems more... friendly.

- Nara'a

[ugh_emotions]

Human with long white hair
Human with short brown hair that's also on their face
Kallig
Sentient Organic Being with face tendril things
Scarlet El Vandimion

[aetherweaver]

I see. I'll keep a note of this. If I get a chance to ask them, I will. If someone else goes missing please let me know.

Did you encounter them in the story at all, or only in the library?