[Open Log] Research at the library...

[detective_shirogane]

Who: Naoto Shirogane, Open

When: Spring 3rd.

Where: Bower Village Library

What: Researching where they've ended up, hoping to find answer for how to get back home...

Rating: Projected PG to PG-13 for possible mild language.

Naoto was not one to just sit around and wait for something to happen to her. When presented with an unusual case, after all, the best thing to do was to go and gather as much information as possible and start to build a theory from there. That's what she had done in Inaba and here was no different. 

Thus, she found herself the next day at the Library, asking for Mary's assistance in trying to discover anything and everything about this new place, any sort of leads she could find on how they could possibly get home. It was rather disconcerting that Mary had no idea where 'Japan' was, let alone Inaba, but that did not stop Naoto from delving into the book collection.

You'd find the Detective Prince busy somewhere in the corner of the Library, nose buried in 'The Cape at the Throne of the King', hoping to find something useful...  

Comments

[topgun_textiles]

They'd gone their separate ways: He chose to poke around the lay of the land, and she would take to the library to work out more on where they were. It played to their strengths; his near-boundless stamina and long stride carrying him along long distances, along with his photographic memory taking stock of anything interesting while she could decipher helpful tidbits from history books and dusty tomes. The latter would have easily made his eyes cross or leave his mind to wander.

This was why she had better grades in school than his dumb butt.

But today had been enough that Kanji all but charged through the doors of the library, nearly bowling over an aspiring scholar in the process. With a quick, hushed apology and a face stinging pink, he gave the person a wide berth and tried to find the person he'd come here for. She said she'd be here for most of today-

...There was a blue hat poking up above an open book. Pushing down that swirling feeling in his stomach, he hurried along to the corner and took a moment to catch his breath. "Find anything good?"

[detective_shirogane]

She was nearing the end of The Cape at the Throne of the King when Kanji appeared, jolting her from her thoughts. Looking up, she sighed softly, shifting the book so it rested in her lap.

"Nothing that would indicate how to return to Inaba, unfortunately... though I did discover who likely was the one who brought us here."

Turning the book in her lap, she lifted it up to show Kanji an illustration of a rather elegant looking woman with buns on the side of her head and a single braid lowering down from it.

"It seems the pool we landed in yesterday was the 'Goddess Grotto'-- a place of worship for the Local Harvest Goddess. It would be logical to conclude then, that she was the one who drew us here."

Frowning, Naoto turned the book back around, studying the woman herself.

"At the very least, she seems to be a benevolent Goddess, but considering the towns folk here, it doesn't explain why she needed to draw others to this land..."

Glancing back up at her team mate, Naoto tilted her head to the side.

"Did you find anything of interest?"

[topgun_textiles]

He immediately settled into a seat at the table across from her and leaned in to take a look at the illustration of the elegant woman. Just like the 'push' given to Souji, Adachi and Namatame, their reason for being here was due to the whims of a goddess.

But then he remembered what he was told, and he swallowed. So this was the one that they were referring to. The question brought him pause, and he looked away. Well, how should he put this-

"...I did." Excellent. Now, it was time to not be so damn vague. First things first:

"I messed around a little with the necklaces we got when I met this girl yesterday with really long hair. It changes color when ya think about people- it turned pink on hers n' mine when we thought about our moms, but it turned yellow n' green when I thought of you guys. ...But ours would turn a little purple when we talked to each other. I think they're kinda like mood rings or somethin', and we figure if we wear 'em long enough then all the inky black stuff'll go away."

And just like that, the heart he hadn't bothered to cover up was that vague yellow muddled in the dark. But he hesitated. This next part was going to be weird...

"I, uh, also ran into somethin' pretty weird walkin' back from that big mountain to the north. These little dudes about this big-" He held his hands apart to indicate the size- "Walked up to me n' that girl I toldja about. Said they worked with the Goddess and they needed our help. They had this spot with a pond all overgrown, but they told us if we clean it up real good and make use of it the Goddess'd be happy."

He looked unsure, then, and pulled a book about farming closer to him. "Maybe makin' her happy'll grab us a way home. ...So I, uh, sorta told 'em I'd do it."

Make a contract with me and become a farmer!

[detective_shirogane]

Naoto's eyebrow raised as Kanji told her his tale. The girl with the long hair? ...She had thought she'd seen a young woman with blond hair that she couldn't seem to see the end of, but she thought she had just imagined that. Was that who Kanji was speaking of?

But that thought trailed off for now as he continued to explain. His notes about the necklace was fascinating, and she wanted to experiment with him to confirm his findings as an inkling of an idea was starting to cross her mind. That thought was cut short as he explained meeting...

"Do you mean--" She turned a few pages of the book in her hand, before turning it for him to see. The illustration now were of cute, tiny sprites, compared with the size of a human body, "These creatures?"

Wait a second. He told them he'd...

"...'clean it up real good and make use of it'. Kanji-kun, what exactly does that entail?"

As she eyed him picking up the book on farming, Naoto's expression became all the more flat and annoyed. Oooh no, Kanji, you did not just make some sort of contract for a long term investment with the local mythological figures, did you? Without talking it over with her or investigating it further than some sort of imp you met in the middle of a field?!

Kanji would probably derp his way out of a Kyuubey contract... "PET THE BUNNY"

[topgun_textiles]

Kanji turned to check out the illustration, and pointed to it. "Yeah, those! There was a little green guy and a couple of 'em in red."

But Naoto didn't seem too impressed, there. When asked what exactly what he'd said entailed, a little niggling doubt formed in his mind. His decision to take it all on was kind of an impulse, and how cute the Sprites were didn't help any. That flat, annoyed look cut to the bone, and Kanji quickly looked down at the book in his hands, slipping it open to stare at the table of contents instead.

The Shirogane Stare. Few could survive the Shirogane Stare, least of all him. But he couldn't back down here. With a shake of his head, he explained:

"It hit me after I got back to the inn that I told 'em I'd run a farm... a damn farm! But I think- I think it'll work for me." A brief glance her way, but she was still glaring, and he turned back to the book.

"I wandered all over this place, Naoto, and I couldn't find anything that looked like a way out. No buses, no trains, no taxis... not even a damn airport. But I got to thinkin': Izanami wanted to test the 'potential of humanity', and those Sagiri things had a reason for doin' what they did, even if we didn't agree with 'em. If the Harvest Goddess brought us all here, she wants us here for some reason... and I think it's 'cause she's hard-up for help. That camp had nothin' on it but weeds and random plants and stuff! I couldn't back down from that."

A firm nod, and he looked back. "I think we're here to fix it up. If we do that, then she's gotta send us home, right? So I'm gonna give it my all!"

Pet the Bunny is always the right option.

[detective_shirogane]

"Run a farm?!"

Naoto's voice raised for once, and she sat up, that glare becoming more intense.

"Kanji-kun, do you even know how to grow crops or raise herd animals? Do you realise how much of an investment this will be?! You can't just agree to do this without some serious thought...!"

She was angry, yes-- angry that he'd run on impulse and not THINK over the consequences of his choices! She took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down and listen to him as he continued. Okay... perhaps he had thought a little more about this then she'd given him credit for, and his logic did make some sense. She sat back again, giving him a hard stare as he reaffirmed his decision.

"You are entirely too rash, Kanji-kun."

Another part of her wanted to ask 'so what am I supposed to do now' out loud, but she swallowed it down. Kanji wasn't her responsibility, not really, and she wasn't his either...

[topgun_textiles]

"H-huh!? - N-naoto, we're in a freakin' library-" He glanced away, and they were definitely being stared at. His face burned, and he took a minute to settle that racing heart as the detective pelted him with... honestly? Some pretty damn good questions.

But he wouldn't let even good questions deter him from this decision. When Naoto settled down, he let the chiding slide right off of him. He propped that farming book in his hands and flipped to the introduction to make a point.

"A man's gotta stand behind his decisions, and give it everything he's got. I dunno how to grow crops or raise animals, but I'm gonna learn how, damn it!" He paused.

"And I'll put together a damn nice place to stay. For me, for Rapunzel, and... and y-you..."

He quickly focused on the book's pages and shrugged stiffly. "Y-y'know, if y'want it, but it's totally fine if ya don't! You're pretty- pretty private and that probably sounded really weird n'..."

[detective_shirogane]

"I'm aware of that, Kanji-kun."

Meaning you angered her enough that the social situation didn't matter to her when it came to scolding you.

Her expression didn't change much as he continued, frowning more when he spoke of what a 'man's gotta do'. Did he not think she did not know about male behaviors, after all?

But it was his soft suggestion that she stay with both of --wait, Rapunzel? ...she'd get to that in a moment-- both of them that had her flush, looking a little embarrassed as she glanced down at her own book.

"...Are you certain you'd want me around? I'm not exactly skilled at farm work myself, either."

[topgun_textiles]

What followed was a nod, and an awkward silence as his eyes remained on the book before him. It was breezy and cool outside, but for some reason it was a little too warm in here. Too quiet.

Kanji cleared his throat and turned the page. "W-well, I ain't exactly a pro farmer, and... and we're a team, ya know?"

And in a weird-ass place like this, I worry about you, his thoughts added, and he held them back before they tripped and landed on his tongue, allowed him to voice such a thing. G-god forbid.

and then jane realizes she can't tell androgynous peoples actual genders oops

[healium]

Picking through books of all sorts, really just to get an idea of this world, Jane finds that when asking Mary about the books on other locations, other worlds(?), she pointed her towards a young man sitting nearly buried into the corner with stacks of books surrounding him.

With her notebook in hand and a couple books on old myths about little people who live in the nature around them, Jane approaches quietly and clears her throat gently.

"Um, excuse me! I'd like to know if I can look through some of these books as well? The ones you're not presently using, I mean."

It's common issue Jane, don't feel baaad

[detective_shirogane]

"Hm?"

Naoto looked up, seeing a young girl about her age wearing glasses looking back at her. At her question, Naoto offered her a faint smile.

"Ah, of course. I've already skimmed through a number of these--please feel free to take any you find interesting... I apologize for hording them."

This time she remembered not to deepen her voice. She was getting better! ...Slowly.

"I suspect you're another person who got pulled into the Goddess Grotto, yes?"

That's the name she had found for where they'd ended up, anyway.

[healium]

"Yes, that's correct. Don't worry about it, we're all trying to figure out why we got here, right?"

Giving a smile, Jane moves to have a seat across from the table, reaching for a book and mildly scolding herself for not realizing that the 'boy' is actually a girl. The voice gave her away, though then again with a closer look, she would have been a really pretty boy anyway.

[detective_shirogane]

"Indeed."

She nodded, pushing a few of the other books she had taken towards the girl, in case they interested her.

"I'm Naoto Shirogane... and you are?"

[healium]

Glancing over the titles of the books that were pushed her direction, Jane sorts them to the side for now, setting her notepad down to offer her hand across the table in a shake.

"Oh, excuse my manners. My name is Jane Crocker, it's very nice to meet you, Naoto! Your name sounds just like a detective's, if you don't mind my saying, hoo hoo! That's really neat."

[detective_shirogane]

"Jane Crocker... American or Canadian, I take it?"

The accent didn't come off as British, after all. Naoto smiled, taking Jane's extended hand and shaking it firmly. Her comment made Naoto's brow raise.

"You're rather astute then. I'm a member of the Shirogane family in Japan-- it's a long line of detectives going back several generations. I myself was working as a detective before arriving here."

She'd refrain on telling her the nickname she'd received for now...

[healium]

"American, right!"

Her comment being acknowledged as truth makes Jane's eyebrows lift, before she can't help looking downright estatic, smiling brightly.

"Oh goodness, that's amazing! I've always been a fan of detectives and their hard work, and I'd like to say I'm a bit of a gumshoe myself! Clues to find, trails to piece together, suspects to be mindful of, it's all part of the ever important job of protecting people and bringing the awful ones to justice!"

Naoto has to deal with a fangirl now, oh no.

[detective_shirogane]

"A-ah..."

Well then. She wasn't quite expecting to meet a 'fangirl' here. Though fortunately this one seemed a bit more interested in her work then dating her, which was a nice change of pace. Was she blushing a little?

"I see... are you interested in becoming one professionally?"

The girl was eager, at the very least.

[lasttrumpcard]

Ace was a man with logic, and any logical people could tell the best way to settle unknown things like this; adventuring the books was one of the best option ever. Put the two and two together and then you would get this.

He had quickly headed to the resource center by himself, giving Deuce the other things she was capable to settle by herself. After all, the people at the inn had already informed about where he could get further information about Cape Beryl, and he always believed that local library would provide the biggest information.

After some Q&A with Mary the librarian, Ace had resorted to grab two of the books himself: The Wonder of Rune and Creatures of Rune: Cape Beryl. Sure, he needed the information about the history of this place as well, but he couldn't seem to find it right now since the blue-haired detective had grabbed it first.

Not that he minded. The two books that he had grabbed provided most interesting information on its own, especially the first book. It was rather unbelievable as he read and read the book, but he was starting to actually believe that this place had robbed him- no, everyone of their powers.

If Ace averted his attention over the book a bit to the side, he would notice Naoto reading the book he had also hunted, and probably vice versa. But you know the charms of a book... They would steal all your focus.

[detective_shirogane]

Naoto looked up from her book, not even partway through it as she noticed someone had taken a seat and was buried in a book himself. Ah, that's where that title went... she had been looking for those ones.

"Excuse me."

Her voice was low, hoping to not disturb anyone else who was in the library.

"When you're finished with that book, may I see it?"

[lasttrumpcard]

Hmm? Ace made a quick glance at the source of voice who had just called him. A guy... or a girl? Not that it actually served as a problem to him. Especially when his eyes had darted to Naoto's book, which piqued his interest as much.

"I'll trade it with the one by your side."

His tone was as low and as calm as well. Alas, he didn't really want to jump into conclusion, but from the looks of it, the person before him was-

"'Strangers' as well, I presume?"

Maybe using 'strangers' as the term of those who arrived from other world was not as strange as it had been anymore. Most of the villagers had probably even acknowledged that.

[detective_shirogane]

"Of course."

She nodded in agreement. Once she was done with hers, she really would need to cover the other things to do with this world. That word, 'Rune', kept up coming up, and it was making her curious.

At his question, she gave a wryly smile.

"Is that what people who were dropped into the Goddess Grotto are being called now? But yes, I would be one of them. I'm Naoto Shirogane... and you are?"

[lasttrumpcard]

Short, direct, and somewhat blunt, eh? How Naoto worded her words was making it harder for Ace to actually tell her gender. Not that he actually paid much to those things, regardless.

Her next words, however, brought a small and dry chuckle out of his adolescent mouth. Not to exaggerate things, but Ace could tell that he would come to love any conversation that he might have with Naoto in the future. Merely from the way she blatantly asked those things, which kinda resembled his.

"Temporary terms, I suppose," his chuckles erupted ever-so-slightly. "Ace, the honor's all mine, Naoto Shirogane."

A small pause as he considered what he had just said. Hopefully calling her by her full name wouldn't offend her in any way. Nonetheless, Ace threw that thinking away for a moment to ask the obvious question.

"Where are you from, if I may ask?"

[detective_shirogane]

"Ace... hm. I don't suppose you'd be a friend of Deuce-san then, would you?"

Call it a hunch, but number related names tended to go together, after all, and Deuce had mentioned her friend had come with her. At his question she tilted her head slightly.

"I am from the country of Japan... currently residing in a small town known as Inaba. It's on the planet Earth, though I am uncertain if that is familiar to you at all."

[lasttrumpcard]

An eyebrow quirk was performed as soon as the name his partner mentioned.

"You've met her, then." His smile curved into a small smile as well no sooner. "But yes, she's a dear friend of mine."

This person was rather sharp, huh? Ace was grateful that they were all on the same boat in this place, because it wouldn't be so pretty to have even one enemy with such intellect.

"Ah, Deuce probably have mentioned it, but both of us are from Orience."

To be honest, Ace was still thinking that it was the best movement to elaborate about both of their worlds, but as far as he could tell, reminiscing about them wouldn't bring them anywhere far from this place.

"I've heard that once, actually. Are you acquainted with a brunette named Maron, then?"

The last sentence of him was followed with the inquisitive tone of his.

[detective_shirogane]

"Yes. She was the one who lead me to the Inn when I first arrived, which was most appreciated, considering the dampness of my clothing."

She nodded, noting that name again. Orience... interesting. She wondered what such a world was like-- perhaps she should ask Ace later. At his question, she shook her head.

"No, not as of yet, though I'll keep that in mind that she is from there as well."

She frowned a moment, thinking deeply.

"It seems whatever being that brought us here is powerful enough to... I suppose cross 'dimensions', you could call it? Or Worlds, either way, and then pull people into her own. At the very least, it seems pleasant here-- there's no not of any sort of political strife or issues either from what I could gather."

Could it be Ace and Deuce could be considered 'aliens', or were they simple from an alternate version of Earth? All of this was rather confusing.