Ta da, a chapter done hours after my lovely mathematics test...I hope this turns out all right, after seeing the HORRIBLE things Microsoft Word did to my HTML...
shanejayell: The original story didn't have Nenene in it, and I don't think this one will either. This story takes place when Yomiko joins the British Library (I'm really trying not to spoil here, people), which happens before the manga and before she meets Nenene. She's mentioned in passing though.
Chapter 3: When in the Library, Do as the Librarians Do
The trek back to Yomiko's apartment was rather uneventful. Yomiko lived in a small apartment building, only a short walk from the school she attended. It was also a rather deserted area, as they passed only one or two other bystanders who gave the pair strange looks, and halfway through the walk they had to hide to avoid a van that raced down the streets. Donii made another comment about STN-J, but Yomiko didn't ask.
Yomiko's apartment was a dull brown building, seven storeys tall and in need of a good uplift of appearance. They took the elevator to the fifth floor, then Yomiko helped Donii down the hall to her room.
"Ano, I'm only renting this place," she explained, embarrassed by the state of her living conditions. "It's close to the school where I go."
"It's fine," Donii said as Yomiko unlocked the door. "It's – "
He was immediately silenced by the sight of books haphazardly placed everywhere. Not just school books – the majority were random-seeming literature crammed into shelves and boxes, and several more still littered the floor. Donii stared at one title and reached for it.
"Ano, you should lie down!" Yomiko said.
Donii winced as pain shot up his back. Right. The bullets.
"You can rest here for now," the young girl said, leading him to a small, dusty sofa. "Ano, it hasn't been used for a long time…" As Donii sat down a cloud of dust puffed up, enveloping him. Yomiko giggled as the man was thrown into a fit of sneezing.
"I…see…" Donii finally managed, the dust settling down. He removed his jacket and examined the back; it was coated in green orbo as Yomiko had pointed out. The Library would be picking up the tab on this one. Disgusted, he gently draped it over the briefcase Yomiko had placed next to the sofa and lay down on the sofa.
Yomiko hesitantly found a perch on the low coffee table in front of him. "Ano...Donii-san..." she began, unsure of where to start asking questions.
"Mm?" Donii adjusted his glasses and turned his head to look at Yomiko. "Well, I see how you can be the next Paper Master."
"Ano? Paper...Master?"
"Someone who manipulates paper…" Donii began. He didn't look sure of where to begin.
"Like how you...killed...those people?" Yomiko asked. Donii nodded. "But why did they want me? Am I a Witch, like they said?"
"No, they're mistaken," Donii answered. "Witches have an altered genetic code. Paper Masters like us just have a special love for books." Before Yomiko could ask about those, he forged on. "I'd like you to come to Britain with me so you can train to be the next Paper Master."
"Ano?" Yomiko blinked. "But I...ano..."
Donii winced. Maybe charging ahead lacked too much tact. "You have...a power that can be trained," he explained. "The Imperial Library of England is always looking for someone to help serve it, someone with paper manipulation powers."
Yomiko looked away awkwardly. She could certainly trust this man, after seeing what he had done. But suddenly be swept away halfway around the world with him for an organization that she didn't even know about? It definitely sounded like a plot for a Sumiregawa novel, of course!
"I should get us something to eat!" Yomiko suddenly chirped, her face full of brightness. "Is there anything you would like for dinner? And you will stay the night, of course?"
Donii nodded. "That would be wonderful, Yomiko," he said. He could understand that it would be a lot to take in at once – it would be better if she had the night to sleep on it.
"Okay!" Yomiko said, then bounced off over to (presumably) where the kitchen was. Or attempted to, after tripping over a stray book with a wail. Donii could help but chuckle at the cute girl's antics.
"Cute," he said, looking back up at the ceiling.
Dinner was a simple affair: white rice and a side dish of fried vegetables. Yomiko returned to the coffee table to eat with Donii.
"So what do you do?" Donii asked.
Yomiko swallowed a vegetable. "Ano, I go to school nearby," Yomiko explained. "I want to be a teacher."
"Do you have any parents?"
"They live outside of the city," Yomiko said. "I rent this apartment because it's close to school. What about you, Donii-san?"
"I was a librarian's assistant until I was hired by the British Library," Donii said. By the tone of his voice he sounded as though he didn't really want to divulge into his past, and Yomiko left it at that.
"How do you...you know..." Yomiko played with her hands, unsure of how to describe her power.
"Manipulate paper?" Donii asked. Yomiko nodded. "It's a special ability. When someone has an affinity with a certain thing…you can gain powers from it. You love books, and eventually developed paper manipulation powers."
"Ah."
They ate in silence.
"Do you mind sleeping here for the night?" Yomiko asked when dinner was finished. "Ano, I don't have an extra room…"
Donii watched as her face went red at the thought of sharing her room with a male stranger. She looked cute, but there was only so much embarrassment Yomiko could endure.
"I'm fine, I'll stay here," he said. "It's quite soft, and I'm getting better."
Yomiko nodded with a bright smile. She picked up the dishes and left.
In the middle of the night Donii stirred, awakened by something. He blinked, then reached out to pick up his glasses off of the coffee table. In a moment Donii's world changed from fuzzy darkness to discernable darkness.
Donii looked at his watch - 3:07 AM. He frowned, then got up and padded down the hall. From under a door Donii could see light. He knocked gently.
"Yomiko?" No response.
"Yomiko? It's three in the morning." Still no response. Donii hesitated for a moment, then opened the door.
Yomiko's room was a terrible mess of books everywhere. Bookshelves lined the room and books covered the floor. Sprawled over her bed was Yomiko herself, still in her school uniform. She had apparently fallen asleep reading a book; the lamp over her bed was still on and her novel, still open, was lying next to her.
Donii smiled to himself. She really did love books. He reached over to pull a blanket over her, but whatever had awakened him made a sound down the hall. Donii pursed his lips, then clicked off the light and padded back to the door. He had taken three steps down the hall when he suddenly pressed himself against the wall, an index card sliding into his fingers. A beam of light passed over the spot where he just was.
Donii poked his head out and nearly hissed, catching himself in silence at the last moment. Three men had broken into the main room, clad in camouflage and holding rifles with scopes attached. They circled in, backs to each other. The Paper Master waited until the next light passed, then snuck backwards to find another exit. But a beam of light made him jump back – they must have found a window, he thought angrily. It looked like he and Yomiko would have to force their way out.
Donii went back into Yomiko's room and shut the door quietly. He went over to Yomiko, covered her mouth and shook her shoulder.
"Mmph!" Yomiko's yelp was muffled. Donii lifted a finger to his lips to indicate silence, then lifted his hand away.
"There're intruders in here," he whispered. "Get a book and run straight out the door when I tell you to." Yomiko nodded and picked up a book, tensing in preparation.
The door suddenly slammed open and light hit their faces. "The targets – "
Donii threw an index card at the man's throat, instantly killing him. "Run!" he ordered, darting forward and thrusting two more cards into soldiers alerted by the man's cries. Yomiko ran down the hall, screaming as gunfire tore up the floor around her; it stopped when Donii sent a flurry of cards backwards. He slowed just enough to grab his jacket and briefcase, then followed Yomiko out the door. Out in the hall Yomiko had stopped, waiting for him.
"Where are the stairs?" he demanded. Yomiko whimpered, then pointed. Donii gave her an irritated look, then grabbed her arm and pulled her with him. They burst into the stairwell and moved to go down, but the sound of booted feet storming upwards made Donii change his mind.
"Roof!" Donii ordered, pulling Yomiko along.
"But we'll be trapped!" Yomiko wailed. "There's no way out!"
"There's always my way!"
The pair emerged on the rooftop, and Donii sealed the door with the last of his cards. Yomiko looked around, frightened - there was no way they could survive a seven-storey drop!
"Yomiko, there is something I need to know," Donii said as he knelt and opened his briefcase. White paper whirled out, surrounding and obscuring him from Yomiko's view. "Will you be the next Paper Master for the British Library?"
"Paper Master, Paper Master, is that all you think about?" Yomiko yelled in frustration. Behind her someone pounded on the door. Donii picked a sheet out of the air, then turned to face Yomiko.
"Yomiko, I need to know," he said. "If you don't agree, then I will be forced to kill you. Compared to having STN-J capture and use you, this is more preferable."
"WHAT?" screeched the girl. Tears formed in her eyes. "Fine then, I will!"
Donii nodded, then returned to the paper milling around them. He waved the hand holding the piece of paper, and the mass shifted in the same direction. Yomiko stared in amazement as Donii built a sleek paper airplane that hovered in the air.
"It's crazy," Yomiko said to herself.
"Hurry up!" Donii yelled.
When the soldiers finally managed to enter the roof, all they could find were an empty, open briefcase and loose paper floating everywhere.
REVIEW!
REVIEW!
REV - ::BRICK::
shanejayell: The original story didn't have Nenene in it, and I don't think this one will either. This story takes place when Yomiko joins the British Library (I'm really trying not to spoil here, people), which happens before the manga and before she meets Nenene. She's mentioned in passing though.
Chapter 3: When in the Library, Do as the Librarians Do
The trek back to Yomiko's apartment was rather uneventful. Yomiko lived in a small apartment building, only a short walk from the school she attended. It was also a rather deserted area, as they passed only one or two other bystanders who gave the pair strange looks, and halfway through the walk they had to hide to avoid a van that raced down the streets. Donii made another comment about STN-J, but Yomiko didn't ask.
Yomiko's apartment was a dull brown building, seven storeys tall and in need of a good uplift of appearance. They took the elevator to the fifth floor, then Yomiko helped Donii down the hall to her room.
"Ano, I'm only renting this place," she explained, embarrassed by the state of her living conditions. "It's close to the school where I go."
"It's fine," Donii said as Yomiko unlocked the door. "It's – "
He was immediately silenced by the sight of books haphazardly placed everywhere. Not just school books – the majority were random-seeming literature crammed into shelves and boxes, and several more still littered the floor. Donii stared at one title and reached for it.
"Ano, you should lie down!" Yomiko said.
Donii winced as pain shot up his back. Right. The bullets.
"You can rest here for now," the young girl said, leading him to a small, dusty sofa. "Ano, it hasn't been used for a long time…" As Donii sat down a cloud of dust puffed up, enveloping him. Yomiko giggled as the man was thrown into a fit of sneezing.
"I…see…" Donii finally managed, the dust settling down. He removed his jacket and examined the back; it was coated in green orbo as Yomiko had pointed out. The Library would be picking up the tab on this one. Disgusted, he gently draped it over the briefcase Yomiko had placed next to the sofa and lay down on the sofa.
Yomiko hesitantly found a perch on the low coffee table in front of him. "Ano...Donii-san..." she began, unsure of where to start asking questions.
"Mm?" Donii adjusted his glasses and turned his head to look at Yomiko. "Well, I see how you can be the next Paper Master."
"Ano? Paper...Master?"
"Someone who manipulates paper…" Donii began. He didn't look sure of where to begin.
"Like how you...killed...those people?" Yomiko asked. Donii nodded. "But why did they want me? Am I a Witch, like they said?"
"No, they're mistaken," Donii answered. "Witches have an altered genetic code. Paper Masters like us just have a special love for books." Before Yomiko could ask about those, he forged on. "I'd like you to come to Britain with me so you can train to be the next Paper Master."
"Ano?" Yomiko blinked. "But I...ano..."
Donii winced. Maybe charging ahead lacked too much tact. "You have...a power that can be trained," he explained. "The Imperial Library of England is always looking for someone to help serve it, someone with paper manipulation powers."
Yomiko looked away awkwardly. She could certainly trust this man, after seeing what he had done. But suddenly be swept away halfway around the world with him for an organization that she didn't even know about? It definitely sounded like a plot for a Sumiregawa novel, of course!
"I should get us something to eat!" Yomiko suddenly chirped, her face full of brightness. "Is there anything you would like for dinner? And you will stay the night, of course?"
Donii nodded. "That would be wonderful, Yomiko," he said. He could understand that it would be a lot to take in at once – it would be better if she had the night to sleep on it.
"Okay!" Yomiko said, then bounced off over to (presumably) where the kitchen was. Or attempted to, after tripping over a stray book with a wail. Donii could help but chuckle at the cute girl's antics.
"Cute," he said, looking back up at the ceiling.
Dinner was a simple affair: white rice and a side dish of fried vegetables. Yomiko returned to the coffee table to eat with Donii.
"So what do you do?" Donii asked.
Yomiko swallowed a vegetable. "Ano, I go to school nearby," Yomiko explained. "I want to be a teacher."
"Do you have any parents?"
"They live outside of the city," Yomiko said. "I rent this apartment because it's close to school. What about you, Donii-san?"
"I was a librarian's assistant until I was hired by the British Library," Donii said. By the tone of his voice he sounded as though he didn't really want to divulge into his past, and Yomiko left it at that.
"How do you...you know..." Yomiko played with her hands, unsure of how to describe her power.
"Manipulate paper?" Donii asked. Yomiko nodded. "It's a special ability. When someone has an affinity with a certain thing…you can gain powers from it. You love books, and eventually developed paper manipulation powers."
"Ah."
They ate in silence.
"Do you mind sleeping here for the night?" Yomiko asked when dinner was finished. "Ano, I don't have an extra room…"
Donii watched as her face went red at the thought of sharing her room with a male stranger. She looked cute, but there was only so much embarrassment Yomiko could endure.
"I'm fine, I'll stay here," he said. "It's quite soft, and I'm getting better."
Yomiko nodded with a bright smile. She picked up the dishes and left.
In the middle of the night Donii stirred, awakened by something. He blinked, then reached out to pick up his glasses off of the coffee table. In a moment Donii's world changed from fuzzy darkness to discernable darkness.
Donii looked at his watch - 3:07 AM. He frowned, then got up and padded down the hall. From under a door Donii could see light. He knocked gently.
"Yomiko?" No response.
"Yomiko? It's three in the morning." Still no response. Donii hesitated for a moment, then opened the door.
Yomiko's room was a terrible mess of books everywhere. Bookshelves lined the room and books covered the floor. Sprawled over her bed was Yomiko herself, still in her school uniform. She had apparently fallen asleep reading a book; the lamp over her bed was still on and her novel, still open, was lying next to her.
Donii smiled to himself. She really did love books. He reached over to pull a blanket over her, but whatever had awakened him made a sound down the hall. Donii pursed his lips, then clicked off the light and padded back to the door. He had taken three steps down the hall when he suddenly pressed himself against the wall, an index card sliding into his fingers. A beam of light passed over the spot where he just was.
Donii poked his head out and nearly hissed, catching himself in silence at the last moment. Three men had broken into the main room, clad in camouflage and holding rifles with scopes attached. They circled in, backs to each other. The Paper Master waited until the next light passed, then snuck backwards to find another exit. But a beam of light made him jump back – they must have found a window, he thought angrily. It looked like he and Yomiko would have to force their way out.
Donii went back into Yomiko's room and shut the door quietly. He went over to Yomiko, covered her mouth and shook her shoulder.
"Mmph!" Yomiko's yelp was muffled. Donii lifted a finger to his lips to indicate silence, then lifted his hand away.
"There're intruders in here," he whispered. "Get a book and run straight out the door when I tell you to." Yomiko nodded and picked up a book, tensing in preparation.
The door suddenly slammed open and light hit their faces. "The targets – "
Donii threw an index card at the man's throat, instantly killing him. "Run!" he ordered, darting forward and thrusting two more cards into soldiers alerted by the man's cries. Yomiko ran down the hall, screaming as gunfire tore up the floor around her; it stopped when Donii sent a flurry of cards backwards. He slowed just enough to grab his jacket and briefcase, then followed Yomiko out the door. Out in the hall Yomiko had stopped, waiting for him.
"Where are the stairs?" he demanded. Yomiko whimpered, then pointed. Donii gave her an irritated look, then grabbed her arm and pulled her with him. They burst into the stairwell and moved to go down, but the sound of booted feet storming upwards made Donii change his mind.
"Roof!" Donii ordered, pulling Yomiko along.
"But we'll be trapped!" Yomiko wailed. "There's no way out!"
"There's always my way!"
The pair emerged on the rooftop, and Donii sealed the door with the last of his cards. Yomiko looked around, frightened - there was no way they could survive a seven-storey drop!
"Yomiko, there is something I need to know," Donii said as he knelt and opened his briefcase. White paper whirled out, surrounding and obscuring him from Yomiko's view. "Will you be the next Paper Master for the British Library?"
"Paper Master, Paper Master, is that all you think about?" Yomiko yelled in frustration. Behind her someone pounded on the door. Donii picked a sheet out of the air, then turned to face Yomiko.
"Yomiko, I need to know," he said. "If you don't agree, then I will be forced to kill you. Compared to having STN-J capture and use you, this is more preferable."
"WHAT?" screeched the girl. Tears formed in her eyes. "Fine then, I will!"
Donii nodded, then returned to the paper milling around them. He waved the hand holding the piece of paper, and the mass shifted in the same direction. Yomiko stared in amazement as Donii built a sleek paper airplane that hovered in the air.
"It's crazy," Yomiko said to herself.
"Hurry up!" Donii yelled.
When the soldiers finally managed to enter the roof, all they could find were an empty, open briefcase and loose paper floating everywhere.
REVIEW!
REVIEW!
REV - ::BRICK::