Later, Neptune and Jaune were getting to the New York Public Library.
"As a friend I have to tell you, you've finally gone 'round the bend on this ghost business." Jaune says. "You guys have been running your ass off meeting and greeting every skitzo in the five bros that said they've had a paranormal experience, what have you seen?"
By then, they actually got into the main area of the library where Ren was examining something on the under-side a table.
"Of course you forget, Jaune, I was present at an undersea, unexplained mass sponge migration." Neptune responded
"Oh, Neptune, the sponges migrated about a foot and a half." Jaune said
Jaune then groaned, which actually started intriguing Ren a little. While he was making the groan noise, he knocked his hands along the table, eventually picking up a book and slamming it down on the table, getting people to look over and Ren to jump up a little.
"Oh, you're here." Ren said, still a tad shook from the slamming book
"Yeah, what have you got?" Jaune asked
"This is big, Jaune, very big." Ren answered. "There's definitely something here."
"Ren, this reminds me of that time you tried to drill a hole in your head, remember that?" Jaune asked
"That would have worked if you hadn't have stopped me." Ren responds
The head of the library then came over and greeted the three.
"Are you the men from the university?" The head of the library asked
"Yeah, i'm Dr. Arc," Jaune started, then pointing to Neptune. "That's Dr. Vasilias," he adds before pointing over to Ren. "And Ren."
"Thank you for coming." The head of the library says. "I hope we can take care of this quickly and quietly."
"Let's not rush things." Jaune states. "We don't even know what you have yet."
They then walked over to where the librarian that had been scared by the apparition was laying down and was sort of having a psychologist appointment of sorts.
"I don't remember if it had any legs but it definitely had arms, because it reached out for me." The librarian said
"Arms? I can't wait to get a look at this thing!" Neptune said excited
"Ma'am, i'm gonna ask you a couple of standard questions, okay?" Jaune asked, to which the librarian nodded. "Have you, or any of your family, been diagnosed schizophrenic, mentally incompetent?"
After some silence, the librarian said, "My uncle thought he was St. Jerome."
"I'd call that a big yes." Jaune comments. "Are you...habitually using drugs, stimulants, or alcohol?"
"No." The librarian responded
"Just asking." Jaune sad. "Are you, ma'am, menstruating right now?"
"What has that got to do with it?" The head of the library asked
Jaune looked at him and said, "Back off, man, i'm a scientist."
It was then that Ren came back from wherever he was, holding the PKE meter he had.
"Neptune, it's moving." Ren said, gesturing to the stairs to the lower levels of the library. "Come on."
The three scientists then went to the lower level where whatever scared the librarian was seen, Ren leading the group. When turning a corner, they saw symmetrically stacked books.
"Look!" Neptune exclaimed, getting some footage of the stack
Ren had his PKE meter aiming at the stack of books, and it was decently high, but not super high.
"This is hot, Neptune." Ren says
"Symmetrical book-stacking." Neptune commented. "Just like the Mistral mass turbulence of 1947."
"You're right, no human being could stack books like this." Jaune said
After almost one split second of silence, Neptune spoke up again.
"Listen! Do you smell something?" Neptune asked
When going to follow Neptune, they eventually reached the card catalog that had gone crazy during the initial scare the librarian had. The drawers were covered in actual ectoplasmic residue.
"Talk about telekinetic activity, look at this mess!" Neptune exclaimed
"Neptune, look at this." Ren said, aiming the PKE meter at the slime covered drawers before reaching into his pocket and handing Jaune a small container and saying, "Arc, get a sample of this."
"It's the real thing." Neptune commented
Jaune walked over and grabbed the container.
"Somebody blows their nose and you wanna keep it?" Jaune asked
"I'd like to analyze it." Ren replied as he followed Neptune to elsewhere in the library
"There's more over here!" Neptune said as he walked to where most of the cards ended up piling up
"I'm getting stronger readings over here." Ren said, looking towards one of the corners the librarian turned in her initial scare. "This way!"
Jaune then started getting some of the slime into the container but when he closed it, some had gotten on his fingers. He ended up touching his head a little, but not enough to get a serious amount of the residue on his forehead. He then proceeds to wipe his hands off on excess notes on the shelves and books before eventually walking to where Neptune and Re were.
"Ren, your mucus." Jaune comments, handing Ren the container of ectoplasmic residue
The bookshelf behind them then falls over, nearly hitting the three. And it would have had they not jumped a little, getting out of the way.
Jaune then turned to Neptune and asked, "This happen to you before?"
Neptune shook his head slowly.
"Huh, first time?" Jaune asks, to which Neptune nodded
Ren then walked forward, Neptune and Jaune following as Ren was using the PKE meter to locate the ghost. When they turned a whole other corner, the PKE meter spiked up and in front of them was the ghost that had them called there in the first place. The ghost was organizing books like it was it's job.
"It's here." Ren commented
The three were silent for a few seconds until Neptune said, "A full-torso apparition, and it's real."
"So what do we do?" Jaune asked
Ren and Neptune look at each other without an answer.
"Could you come over here for a second, please?" Jaune said as he grabbed Neptune's ear and pulled him into some of the shelving, Ren following to not disturb the ghost. "Come here, Francine,come here."
When they were back behind a shelf, Jaune let go of Neptune's ear.
"What do we do?!" Jaune questioned
"I don't know, what do you think?" Neptune responded
Ren then started looking over a calculator until Jaune slapped t away and snapped, "Stop that!"
"We have to make contact." Neptune says. "One of us should actually try to speak to it."
"Good idea." Ren responds
The two then look over at Jaune. who rolls is eyes and walked out to talk to the ghost as Neptune snaps a couple of photos with a handheld camera he bought as a personal item.
"Hello, i'm Jaune. Where you from?" Jaune spoke to the ghost in front of him. "Originally."
The ghost put one of her bony fingers to her mouth and went, "Shhhhhh..."
"Okay, the usual stuff isn't working." Jaune said as the three walked back behind the shelf
"Okay, I have a plan." Neptune said. "I know exactly what to do."
The three then slowly walked out from behind the shelf and towards the ghost.
"Now stay close...stay close." Neptune whispered. "I know...do exactly as I say."
The group got closer to the ghost.
"Get ready...ready?" Neptune said as they got ready to run at the ghost. "GET HER!"
The ghost then roars as it transforms into some hideous and terrifying thing.
The sight was enough to send the three running. They were booking it out of the library.
"Did you see it?! What was it?!" The head of the library asked as they went out of the library
"We'll get back to you!" Jaune responds
"Wait!" The library head called out
However, the three were long gone from the library, what they just saw having scared them too much to want to stick around.
