Chapter 14

Looking for a Great Big Book of Everything

-~:{+}:~-

Having followed the directions Elain had given to her on a piece of paper, she made her way by train towards the same flowery fields she walked past first arriving in this strange world. The world continued to get stranger for her still.

{Hopefully, this library will have some answers for me.}

Pushing open the large front entrance, she returned to the place she stomped out of previously. It was still grand and beautiful, the sun illuminating the circular area nicely, with warm rays.

"I must be such a bookworm then. I just love the smell of old books."

Although the library was under the care of someone, she was not going to look for his help. She had loafed about in classrooms and houses without the knowledge of people before by complete accident. Why couldn't she do that on purpose for once? She scanned the shelves, running her hand against the spines of the books. She had no clue where to start, but she wanted to simply look around at this point. The place was beautiful, and peaceful. And despite being empty, it didn't feel abandoned, it felt warm, in a sense. Of course, that was ruined after coming across a large sign.

If you sleep in the library you may disturb other patrons if you snore, and your unguarded belongings will be at risk of theft. -Thank You, The Head Librarian.

{W-what is this? I feel like this is something I'd find off the internet…}

"I'm going to head towards the reference section now… That sign just killed my happiness among these books…"

Despite her tone, she did find it amusing, and certainly would have loved it if she had internet here. Thing is, she didn't, and the sign reminded her of who else was probably here. She found herself passing through the very bottom of the large circle, with the balconies of various levels seen making up a good three-fourths of the circle, the rest being a wall with windows, ladders, and bookshelves. The base area was even two steps lower that the rest of the first floor, just to emphasize the area. Looking up and around, Elise didn't notice any signs of life until she ran into someone.

"Eh!"

"Hello again, Tenniel…" The librarian seemed just as annoyed by her presence as he was on her last visit. "So what are you doing here in my library now?"

"I came here at the urging of Aria, if you must know." She spat back. She was really getting a bit tired of this librarian. "I'm supposed to be finding some information about this 'game' I found myself stuck in."

"You became part of the game?"

"Yeah. I took Lily's place. It's only until I fill this…" Pulling out the vial, she decided to carry it around with her as a precaution, and perhaps to make him comply more with the fact she was stuck here. Less arguing the better. Her little ploy didn't work.

"That's… That's the potion of hearts… Why on Earth did you drink that if you were trying to get back to your world?"

"Hey, that wasn't my fault! I was… tricked…"

{Damn, I hate admitting that I was bested…}

He let out an exasperated sigh. "What a stupid girl…"

"I already told you, I was tricked! I was in a life or death situation and the Red Queen told me that this would help me!"

"The Red Queen?" A bit of a suspicion flavored his words.

"Regardless, I'm going to need to read up a bit about, anything about this game I still need to know, and maybe a bit about the potion… Which reminds me. You haven't introduced yourself."

"What?"

"You haven't introduced yourself. If interacting with you will help me get home, then you might as well tell me your name."

Grumbling, he complied. "Roland Schuyler"

"Alright, then I'm Elise Tenniel. Nice to meet you." She swallowed as much contempt that she could, and held out her hand. They shook hands.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to lead you towards the correct section."

-~:{+}:~-

Apparently, Elise was terrible at research. Not because she didn't find the information, not even because she hated research. Elise actually enjoyed learning new things and liked reading for information, but her scattered mind caused her to read the next chapter, and the next chapter, and the next. Without something to calm her mind down, she kept reading information that she had utterly no use for. It was quite impressive how easily she could digest and analyze the facts, but it really was more-or-less useless. Roland had left her to work on her own not long after he lead her to the proper section, and returned to find her under the table stacked high with books.

"Did you already go through that many?"

"Yep. Reading one about the Castle of Hearts' architecture now." Elise was very nonchalant about the whole thing.

"Wait, you're reading it? Not skimming it? Plus what doest the architecture have to do with anything?"

"Uhh… I dunno. But it's interesting."

"You've seriously read all of these?"

"More-or-less, yeah."

"Did you even write any notes?"

"Why would I do that if it's for my own reference? My mind should be able to hold the more striking information, which is probably going to be the stuff that matters anyways." She spoke with such a fact-of-the-matter attitude, it made Roland feel even more annoyed.

"Admittedly, that is impressive, but useless. Did you already forget what you came for?"

"Ah- Oh, you're right! How long have I been sidetracked like this!"

"How am I supposed to know? I wasn't watching everything you've been reading up to this point. I have a job to do."

"How do you do your job when you look like you're all alone?" she questioned.

"Well, it helps when people aren't scattering books they don't even need all over the aisle." He retorted.

"Do people even come to this library?" Sarcasm crept into her voice. She was trying to antagonize him again.

"It rare, but I do get a few patrons, though they're often annoying, and just trying to find some way to get ahead or cheat…" He readjusted his glasses. "Well, hurry up then. You can't take forever here. Plus I'll have to put those books away when you're done." With that he left, probably to do more work, whatever that was.

{This game the world plays… It really doesn't seem like everyone likes it. I guess people have little use to come here. I wonder if he likes being the librarian, but I guess that's his role. I read that this is neutral territory, and he is the only neutral role-holder here… hmm… Even though the world isn't a theater, the play still has to go on, doesn't it? Whether they like it or not, it seems to be irrelevant. It all seems, kinda, sad…}

After a while, the time period changed directly to night, and he decided to check on this foreigner. What he found was a much cleaner table than earlier, with only three books left on it instead. Elise had decided to put the books she finished back herself. It wasn't too unusual for her to do such things, she always wiped the tables and stacked the dishes at her seat at restaurants out of pure habit. Still, she was tired, and decided to use an open text for a pillow. She liked the smell of the book anyways.

"Hey! Wake up! Don't use a book as a pillow like that!" Roland practically slapped her on the back of the head.

"Ow! That's not how you wake someone up!" Rubbing her head, she wondered why the library was darker than before.

"Time period's changed. It's night and I told you that you couldn't spend too much time here, idiot."

"Night! Seriously! I have to get back! Ohh… Where do these books go again!" She tried to gather her things and place the books back on the proper shelf. "damnit, damnit, damnit…" Elise kept whispering to herself.

After watching her scramble around for a bit, Roland thought something over.

"Wait." Sighing a bit, it was one of exasperation. "You might as well stay here for the night. But only until the period changes to something… brighter. From what I've seen of you, you'd probably run into a tree during the day."

"Oh, you're just so kind." She replied sarcastically. Though she sorely remembered missing the giant archway and running into a wall earlier today.

"If you don't want to stay then fine. Get lost in the middle of the woods during night. Don't mind me if you get attacked by wolves or bears or something. I'm not sure what lives out there."

{Ah… He does have a point. It's not like I know where I'm going during the day in this world. I even used a map to get here.}

"Fine, I'll take your offer."

"Alright then, there's a spare room on the top floor." Grinning a bit, "Hope you don't mind the walk." It was a five story building. At least they were already by the stairs on the second floor, but still.

Notes: It's difficult to not have them argue at this point right now… So far, everytime I have them in the same room I imagine them arguing. I think it's entertaining. I think the fighting could be why chapters with him in it are a bit longer.

This also hints that the librarian does have some sense of humor. Just look at that sign, would you not blog it or something?