Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

‘I go out to the streets, my hands in my pockets”

Canard

“I still cannot leave this place…”

“Even at the end of all this, I cannot be free…”

“Am I not allowed to have a dream that is beyond my means?”

A long fall, a sudden jolt, and once more the Dreamer slips more into slumber, hopefully this time for good. 

After having spilled out his sins to his friends and seeing the rest recoil from what he’s done and Basil melting down refusing to look at him when all the others in the room had left, ( should have kept watering the garden dummy~ ) he has decided to spill whatever is in that skull of his on the pavement outside the hospital. 

Thus the long derived conclusion of this child's theatre act comes to a close with an encore of a whole town and 4 friends in grief once more, as expected of such a tragic book.

“Yep, I concur you still haven't suffered enough.”

The Dreamer, feeling a jolt hit him throughout his entirety, now finds himself adrift in a stranger place that his broken mind could easily fathom. 

It was as if the child was floating and sinking into a mighty reverse waterfall and a river all at once. 

It had split into 25 great streams of light which branch further into smaller streams and smaller branches above the ground. 

Which rained/shined down drops of light and sometimes falling branches onto an earth that was an ocean also. 

It contained turbulent currents with carefully hidden branches rooting within the drops flowing throughout. 

What he now sees at the base is a great and wide City, and there inhibited many monsters here throughout in that great and terrible City, as much as he can somewhat make out from atop this great tree of light. 

“You had an endearing story I tell you. 

In full honesty there are many stories he and I can see through that child’s mirror, but your story and especially that ending of yours struck a chord with me.”

Hearing a warm voice, the child brings his view onto nearby branches where two sit. 

Someone who Listens, a woman with eyes blood red and brunette hair tied up in a ponytail by a stylized cartoon bear rubber band. 

She is also clearly the owner of that voice. A voice that carries a somewhat nostalgic and familiar bright cadence he thought he would not hear again. 

The other is Someone who Faces, a man with dark black hair and brilliant golden eyes that see all.

Yet still he won't relent to let his gaze wander too far on anybody or anyone except her. 

“Only a few more moments and you would have your catharsis and a happily ever after but I guess you couldn't bear to face your fears. 

Ah, back then I would have really liked to have you in our facility. You would have been a team captain and you would have learned to face the fear.” 

The child stares at the two who sit on opposing branches. 

The man not relenting to break his watchful gaze on the woman, the City and throughout what he now realized his body is being kept in. 

A fragment of a mirror that has been broken in a taxidermied geniuses workshop along with his wings and the sole place he can truly call his own, he starts rationalizing that he should be feeling something in his head. 

He half consciously shudders to remember that the last sound he last heard before the sunny( heh ) lady was monologuing was of his own head cracking like a walnut right on the—

“Ah A***, our child moves her E.G.O., Someone must have broken in, and it seems that the tear caused by the entry draws a current. 

Which means you Sunny are going in too,  isn't this is great! 

So while you are at it I am going to have to ask this favor to help those two down there. Now this time, you should go face your fears and build the future. 

You still have one last duet to perform after all.” 

The man grunts in a little displeasure at the nostalgic phrase or most likely at the notion of what she refers to as their child as the ironically silent gloomy child named Sunny feels a downward current carry him from the top down to what seems to be the origin of all this Light. 

The man merely spares a glance at him and the sunny lady cheerfully waves him a farewell for once more he is sent hurtling down from another height straight down into the City. 

Past the Nest of the 12th District and further deeper. 

Unto what was known as the former main facility of L-Corp. 

Unto the unsuspecting back of an intruding Grade-9 Fixer.

Chapter Text

“Aigoo…”

“Damn that Purple Tear…”

“Can't believe this is how she handled it”

The Grade-9 Fixer that had intruded into what appears to be a closed library shifts off a weight pinning him to the ground and then looks about the surrounding scenery.

“What the hell happened? What’s with all this smoke?”

“*sigh*…Guess I will have to trust her…hmm?”

He affixes his gaze downward seeing a boy or more accurately a malnourished teen on the ground writhing in the same pains he suffered right next to him, one of eyeballs bleeds out as the coverings come loose, this at least isn't according to the plan he thinks while he gingerly picks the boy up.

“Huh,.. now where did you come fr—”

“I will only say this once” 

Both intruders turn about to see a woman clad in a dress of dark feathers staring at them as she continues speaking.

“I detest verbose and roundabout speech that doesn't get straight to the point. 

So don't try to get wordy. Just answer my questions. You don't get to question me either. 

Where did you come from, how did you enter this place, and for what purpose”

Unconsciously the boy runs behind up to the Fixer’s back hiding as he replies—

“Well who are you to… Ugh boy my back hurts and I'm starting to feel nauseous— ”

— and is brought to his knees as his right leg is torn off from a blow the boy can't see.

“AHH!!! MY LEG!!!”

“I warned you, and you crossed the line.

 Let me ask you one more time. 

Where did you come from, how did you enter this place, and for what purpose?”  

Despite hyperventilating at the sight of gore and realizing it means this is not Headspace and this is no dream, the boy helps the Fixer up as he answers back…

“… I was just walking around, and ended up here before I even realized it.

 I have no idea how I got in here. 

Ah, thank you kid, dammit, blood is gushing outta my right leg… I swear I wasn't trying to trespass. I don't even know where this is.”  

Leaning heavily on the teen that should have collapsed already the Fixer continues his rant.

“I woke up around 1pm and started walking around the streets of District 13. 

Since I was up and about, I figured I could go wherever I wanted, so I decided to drop by HamHamPangPang. Heard they served a weekly special sandwich.”

“Anyway, I had bills to pay, got no jobs, had to make a living somehow as a one-man Offi— ARGHHHH—”

His right arm goes off on the boy's face, knocking both of them down on the ground.

“You dragged on too long. 

I will be taking the boy’s right arm and right leg next. 

You have no purpose and you don't even know how you got here… and now boy just who are you?”

The boy can't answer, the words stuck up in his throat at the worst possible time.

“I'm.. just an ordinary Fixer who has hit rock bottom and I don't know this boy, he might have met a similar fate going into this place. 

What the hell is this place? And who are you?” 

“Gaaaahhhh!!!”

“Hey-y! Taking two limbs is cheating, leave that poor little guy alone…” 

“I'm the one asking questions. Your names?”

“Roland…”

“...s-Sunny”

  “Good. Welcome to the Library. We’ve yet to serve any guests, but then you two suddenly appeared out of nowhere. 

It took me quite a bit of effort to ensure no uninvited guest could enter you see.

“Dammit, those limbs are all I had… I don't have any cash or mortgages to get new ones now.”

The boy’s sight was fading in and out, the pain in where his arm and leg used to be numbed down and the boy once more saw darkness.

“Seems they fainted”

And with a sudden snap of a finger—

“Wake up”

The boy awakens for the second time today with him the Fixer known as Roland, both in an area of this so called Library for a reception area complete with a front desk, he sees the women formerly draped in feathers now by at the front desk dressed in three piece dress of blacks and whites under a blue long coat with a fitting stylized feather cravat carrying a book.

“*gasp* *huff* *huff* My leg! My arm! Wait, they're all intact again?” 

“You should be able to swing your arms and walk again. I also made a few adjustments to your bodies to make it a bit easier to move. Although you both trespassed into my Library, I also took both of your limbs away without consent, so I’m giving them back as an apology”

At the sight of him and the words of the woman the boy also checked himself and felt relief that both limbs are back and surprise that his eye also came back, thinking this dream was simply feeling more realistic than usual.

“I’m quite generous and patient, you see”

“Patient my ass, am I really supposed to be thankful for this?”

Roland perfectly spoke his sentiments that he wouldn't dare speak out loud.

“And uhhh… your warning isn't in effect anymore right?”

“Nope, not anymore I had a few thoughts while both of you were knocked out, and my thoughts conclude as such. Both you will be helping me out here”

“What? Huh? Do Syndicates these days kidnap people this way too? Or is this one of the Wings? I hear rumours that they abduct test subjects here and there. 

An acquaintance of mine apparently began jumping between dimensions as a side effect by working for them. ”

The boy's head swam struggling with the unfamiliar terms as the Fixer helped him again to his feet, especially about the part of jumping between dimensions.

“*sigh* My life really is an unlucky mess.”

“This is a library, I don't know the “Syndicates” you’re talking about, but this isn't a Wing, not anymore at least” 

“Doesn't really matter, Whatever the case I’m trapped here you will be exploiting me and the kid right?”

“Yes I am letting you two live for two reasons.” First, I need an analysis of how you two could enter this place uninvited. Sending back or neglecting both of you could pose a significant security risk. 

Well, it's not like you two could leave without my permission anyways. Second, from now on, I will collect books about the City, searching for the one absolute book and both of you will be helping me.

Especially you Roland, unlike Sunny you are a resident of the City, I expect you to be helpful in various ways.”

 Just his luck, if what she says is true he can't leave until the magic librarian lady won't let leave until she finally finds her one book.

 Looking around he sees scores of books around the library with some cavern space left to spare. 

Remembering the entirety of the city from high up in its immensity, assuming he and Roland can survive well enough not to die and don't limit their search to just the potential libraries around and below the City it would take eternity.

After eternity had passed and they scoured the whole City and didn't find the book there then it would most likely be here because she forgot its whereabouts. 

For as if a whole mountain had been hollowed out and filled it with books that would be a humble description of this lady’s Library. 

The volume of its immense collection from what he could see was packed about the walls in the unfathomable distance and some stacks of literature so high it quite nearly touched the unfathomable sky, thus becoming quadruple eternity. 

The saddest part about this he thought is that he was coerced into doing this without proper pay. 

“... I knew this would happen to me someday. People would vanish without a trace, only to be found as chunks of flesh much later. 

I used to laugh at those poor folks for being careless or unlucky, but now I see it has nothing to do with being careless or anything, huh. Just happens at a moment's notice…”

Being turned into chunks might be a little bit better than this endless searching Roland.

“Don't be concerned about your life. You aren't allowed to die unless I permit you to.”

“Dammit so this was a crazy laboratory style deal. Do you like, shove random stuff like corn kernels and clockwork into people’s stomachs and turn them into walking popcorn-spewing-popcorn-machine-men or something?”

“Pffffft”

Popcorn-spewing-popcorn-machine-men. Popcorn-spewing-popcorn-machine-men.

“This has got to be the worst… I’d rather die and be over with it all.”

“If you sprout such and be humored at nonsense one more time. I will gladly turn both of you into a human popcorn machine as you so wish. 

I've already gone through cycles of bullshitery, responding to every bit of meaningless garbage”

“s-Sorry…”

“Sorry ma’am…”

At this apology the magic librarian lady took great pleasure in hearing, lightened up and leaned back into her quite comfortable chair, setting down her book with a rather smug gaze.

“Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Angela, I am the head librarian and director of this library”

“Ange-la… That is a good name”

Sunny, now seeing more clearly for the first time in 10 years, could have sworn to see Roland turn a tinge of blue. The signifier of Sadness in his Headspace had appeared for a quick moment at the quick mention of the magic librarian lady’s name. 

Either this is still another bizarre Headspace dream of his or this is the adjustments the magic librarian lady was talking about. 

How would she know of this if this was his reality now and even so, how come Roland's sadness had reached a darker or deeper shade beyond Miserable.

“So what are we supposed to do?”

“Your role is to “welcome” the guests that enter the Library. 

I will carefully determine what guests to invite and write an invitation accordingly, and you will entertain the guests once they accept the invitation and arrive at the Library. 

Roland since you have actual experience working as a Fixer, I am sure that you could teach Sunny to be able to do as you do and  give the various types of guests a much better reception than I could ”

“I'm just a washed up Grade-9 Fixer though” he says sparing a glance at Sunny.

“p-promise I won't let you down Mr. Roland… i-I can help as, as I have done a lot of jobs around!”  

Sunny strains his feeble vocal chords as confidently as he can, for in the span of three days he spent all day long helping the inhabitants of Far Away as best as he could.

 “... well, shouldn't be shocked since you can almost carry about half your weight, you have potential but experience is still a no-go…” 

Roland replied looking lost in the past before snapping out of it and turning once more to the magic librarian lady.

“So what’s this “reception” all about anyway? Do I catch their eyes, or be a waiter for them or something?”

“It's simple. You just have to deal with the guests. In a physical manner, of course. 

The Library presents guests with an ordeal, and books will open up in the process. 

The guests who have overcome the ordeal will be deemed worthy to earn their books. 

There is a possibility that you may die in the process of reception, but it's only temporary. You’ll get back up once the Library closes. No one here will rest without my permission.” 

So instead of running around the whole City they will have the books come to them, that's good. 

Problem is that Sunny and Roland are part of the private army of two that would have to convince the guests coming to part with their books forcefully. 

In Headspace he can turn nearly anyone into toast, but even he, a former hikki-neet, had ever even conceived a thought to harm anyone.

L̶i̶a̶r̶

“Do you happen to have weird fantasies about Fixers? 

Aren't you expecting too much from a Grade 9? I am not as talented as you think. y’know”

But the boy…

“That's none of my business. I have prepared a manual for you two, so go ahead and figure things out for yourself.”

“Hmm hmm, I think I get the gist of it now. So how does this invitation exactly work?”

“Open up the invitation and register the books you wish to serve to your guests”

 “And next?”

“The invitation will be naturally sent to those who need the books”

“That’s it, sounds a bit too easy”

“The invitation is another carefully crafted work of mine, much like the Library. Yes, think of it more as a compass. It would be easier to understand that way ”

“Ah a compass? The tool used to tell directions?”

“That's right. The invitations will guide me towards the one book I truly wish to obtain. 

And sometimes the invitation will turn red according to the books you’ve registered. 

A red invitation will indicate it can be sent to the special guests who will reveal the one absolute book. 

Until we register the books that match what the red invitation wants, our journey will be halted for a bit. ”  

“But there is no guarantee the guest will always respond to the invitations correct?”

“In fact there is, they are destined to come. And the guests will accept their invitation of their own will and enter the Library.” 

“That's surprisingly fair and polite for something that takes place in this city. Most of the time people's lives are taken away by others without their consent or agreement.”

Once more a flash of blue deeper than Miserable.

“Well anyway, once we get these books what comes next?”

“The Library is a place of limitless possibilities. Even I cannot fathom the infinite space and power of this library just yet. That is why I wish to complete this Library by filling this space with books. 

And I will get my hands on the one perfect book and complete me and my library ”

How many receptions must we hold in order to be free? He muses looking about the entirety of the so-called infinite space of this Library. It drives a man to tears thinking about it.

“The perfect book, huh… I suppose those “books'' are different from the ones I know.”

Chapter Text

“s-so these books are the ones we should start with Mr. Roland?”

“Yep I suppose that reception will be easy enough for me and you both. 

Just remember to breathe easy and don't panic, because if you don't then it's truly over”

“b-but aren't I supposed to be training how to fight?”

“Oh Sunny-boy, this is training.”

Just as so, Sunny follows the manual and registers down the appropriate books for the Rats. 

“Hey! Hurry up and scrape them up right now! Those Zwei goons might arrive any second!”

“I’m doing my best here! I just can't seem to get a clean rip of his guts, the contents of this guy are weirdly different. I’ve never heard of a body modification procedure that does this.”

“Something is off about these organs. They’re looking really strange…”

“Dammit their footsteps are getting closer. Forget about clean cuts, just pull ‘em out and take ‘em! At this rate, our heads are gonna get nicely chopped offa our bodies''

“Why does he have this kinda stuff in his body?”

“Whatever, just take ‘em! We are out of time!”

“Just about time!”

“Now run!”

 … Well that was a way to deliver an invitation. 

As soon as he handed Angela the finished invitation she magiced it away in a flutter of pages flying about her book. 

Then later seen through the magical theatre screen into the guts of a freshly murdered corpse, this is expected of the magic librarian lady. 

Sunny thinks to himself while their guests are being presented fleeing from whatever the Zwei is through the screen-like theatre stage.

Especially making sure to breathe easy like M̶a̶r̶i̶ Roland told him too when taking in the gore.

“Phew… that was close”

“You’re a bold one Pete. Going for a gut harvest in the middle of a territory managed by the Zwei.”

“These are the only jobs we have left. We have to climb up by any means necessary. 

Whatever it takes… You know my dream right? To be a Finger of the Backstreets.”

“I’ll admit, it's rare to see someone with a dream these days. Let's sell off these guts we hauled off first. We gotta prepare enough cash to offer to the Stray Dogs”   

“True… This could be our chance to join an Urban Legend class Syndicate…”

More unfamiliar terms flood his head, so a Syndicate must be a crime syndicate as plain as day, the Backstreets is where they currently are living in. 

That Pete guy mentioned that becoming Finger of the Backstreets was his dream, a thing that has apparently become so rare in this world of the City. 

Is a Finger a Syndicate too? What even is an Urban Legend class?

“Alright, time to check out the harvest. Hey! Is this a joke? You sure you scrapped up the right stuff?! ”

“I told you. This guy didn't have a single proper organ in him. 

“I expected innards soaked in drugs like Enkephalin at worst… These are damaged too badly. It's almost like someone already blew them up”
“We only doused him with anesthetics. Didn't do no harm.”

“This doesn't even make sense… How could he have even walked around with these messed up organs?”

“... What if it's one of those? Y’know, rumors say there is a guy who skewers and threads people alive to turn them into dolls.”

“Yeah I’ve heard of that, too. But look at the state of these things! Not the case at all. 

I hear those dolls are made by threading flesh and bones together. But this sonofabitch didn't have any scars or stitches showing outside! ”

“... Now that I think about it. There was a round orange symbol on the back of his neck. 

I thought it was a tattoo at first, but he didn't seem the type to have one. He was a desk-working dweeb.” 

“Symbols? Tattoos? Damn it, please don't tell me we poked the wrong beehive”

He was gagging on the floor at the sight of the more graphic and honestly, more horrifying gore and thankfully Roland helped him to hold back whatever was in his stomach, was there even something in it?

He thinks back and remembers he hadn't eaten since he got here, nor does he even feel the need too. 

Back to common hiki-neet occurrences once more huh? 

Processing the further information, he begs by any divine deity, most probably those two up in the branches. That he may never hope to never have to fight a monster like that so said doll maker. 

“Besides that…”

The young woman Rat picks up the invitation and looks at it.

Dear Guest: I formally invite you to the library.

The Library's books can provide you with all the wisdom, wealth, honour, and power you seek.

However, an ordeal will await you in the library.

If you cannot overcome this ordeal, you will be converted into a book yourself.

-Angela

“He also has this envelope in his body”

“What the hell is an envelope doing inside a human body?! This keeps getting worse… Gimme that! 

An invitation to a library? What is this about…”

“Books? We can get books from the library? What a bunch of nonsense.”

“It was a flop afterall… The payment is due tomorrow… We have 7 hours, to be exact. 

That's too little for another round of gut harvesting… ”

“... We are heading to the library as the invitation says. I don't know what this book thing is, but we are out of options. We gotta take any chance we get.”

“Isn't that just suicide? We don't know what kinda place it might be.”

“Can't be any worse than dying to the Stray Dogs or the Zwei Association; we’re screwed anyway! Shut up and follow me if you want to live.”

“What was that we just saw?”

“Fragments of the invitation process. We can take a peek at the stories of our upcoming guests.”

“Didn't take you for a peeping tom.”

“It’s more convenient to know what kind of guests will visit us in advance, isn't it? Besides, this is the invitations will not mine.”  

“That’s a splendid thing you’ve got there ma’am. Pries upon people and then kidnaps them too. A perfect tool for crimes. 

Heck, if invitations can do all that, why don't we skip the whole reception part. 

Can’t we just teleport them into a room full of traps or something?”

A little too scummy for a dungeon master to use but for the state we are now it is the most efficient. 

He can get the cold disregard for human life the selfish magic librarian lady feels towards the lowly folk but he does admire Roland staying too cool for this. 

So this is what a Fixer is capable of, fixing problems for people in a morbid sort of way.

While he does appreciate Roland staying calm, he can't help but feel a sense of morbid apathetic nonchalance he exudes from his very being. 

He did say this was going to be easy for him and Sunny but he can't help but feel bad about the upcoming reception and what he will be forced to do. 

Sunny really hopes she would just set up traps, he really doesn't want to hurt people” 

S̶t̶o̶p̶ ̶l̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶r̶s̶e̶l̶f̶

“I cannot do that. We can only take a peek when it has decided the guests will come here of their own volition. And the invitations' power isn't wholly mine either, I’m just borrowing it.” 

There goes his hope of not fighting.

“Yeah yeah no way anything can go so smoothly in the City.”

“They are desperate guests.”
“Tell me, was the invitation responsible for that symbol and internal damage as well?”

“What? Not a chance, it doesn't have anything to do with what happened. The invitation simply finds a way to those who need it.”

The invitation knows where it is at all times. It knows this because it knows where it isn't.

By subtracting where it is from where it isn't, or where it isn't from where it is (whichever is greater), it obtains a difference, or deviation. 

The invitation uses deviations to generate corrective commands to deliver the invitation from a position where it is to a position where it isn't, and arriving at a position where it wasn't, it now is.

Consequently, the position where it is, is now the position that it wasn't, and it follows that the position that it was, is now the position that it isn't.

In the event that the position that it is in is not the position that it wasn't, the system has acquired a variation, the variation being the difference between where the invitation is, and where it wasn't.

If variation is considered to be a significant factor, it too may be corrected by the librarians. However, the invitation must also know where it was.

The invitation guidance reception scenario works as follows.

Because a variation has modified some of the guests the invitation has obtained, it is not sure just where it is.

However, it is sure where it isn't, within reason, and it knows where it was.

It now subtracts where it should be from where it wasn't, or vice-versa, and by differentiating this from the algebraic sum of where it shouldn't be, and where it was, it is able to obtain the deviation and its variation, which is called error.

“That means those weird happenings were someone else doing… I’ve never seen this kind of phenomenon back when I was a Fixer. It’s like something from the Ruins… ”

“ruins?”

“Ruins?

“... I don't know a whole lot, either. I had only heard stories of it. Should I describe it as… magic? That sort of stuff exists in the Ruins, apparently”

Magic as opposed to the stuff we have been dealing with the whole time? Then there should be no difference between this and that.

“In any case we should simply greet our guests. They seem to be low class but oh well.”

“Those are a bunch of lowly gangsters from the Backstreets. We call them ‘Rats’. Groups of half-assed thugs that barely qualify as a Syndicate. They don't have money or power. They’re losers who only think about meeting ends meet day by day”

Isn't that a little harsh—

“Hmm… I might have roasted myself there.”

Ah there is that humble façade he uses to hide. Hiding what exactly though?

“The Backstreets… I know of them.”

“You do?”

“Someone I know is from the Backstreets.”

That lady with that anti-social nature, knowing someone, apparently from the slums? Thinking back to a set of swings… it's not unlikely.

“Well, that's nothing special really. The Backstreets stretch all over the City like veins. Heck it might be harder to find someone not from there…” 

He speaks as we turn about and walk to the reception area to greet our guests.

“So this is a library. Looks fancier than I thought.”

“Could be a bunch of valuable things here.”

“Greeting dear guests. This is the Library.”

“And I am Angela, the librarian of my role’s namesake. You may find what you desire here, but you may end up forfeiting your precious possessions to us.”

“You the owner of the place? We’re allowed to take whatever we want here, right?”

“Indeed, you may earn books to be exact. If you are able of course”

“Are those book things really worth a lot, though?”

“Of course if the information they hold is valuable” 

“Mang-chi! Beggars can't be choosers. We gotta cling to anything we find.”

“May you find your book in this place then.”

 “And that's our cue Sunny-boy”

As Roland spoke curtains began to descend about them and their guests draping them in preparation for the reception that is to come.

Chapter Text

Sunny opened his eyes, and threw off the curtains covering him to see Roland fiddling with what seems to be a baton/club of some sort in his hands.

“Ah there you are! Thought I lost you in the curtains before the reception even started. Here I believe this belongs to you. As for me, its color suits me and this heft will do.”

He freezes up, it should not be here, yet here it was in the flesh changed but still the same.

Black covered its entirety from the handle unto the blade yet he knows it's the very steak knife he uses to stab himself.

So it is a dream after all he thinks to himself, and as he grasps his knife he automatically acts out its usage to get him out of this nightmare before he is suddenly stopped.

“Hey hey you should at least know that the pointy end must be pointed at your enemies right?” his senior says with a worried face of concern.

He can't take it anymore. He knows he can't bring himself to do this. He will only drag Roland down with him.

J̶u̶s̶t̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶r̶e̶c̶i̶t̶a̶l̶ ”

“Whoa now let's calm down for a bit, okay we got some time.”

He feels the knife out of his hands and pressure and warmth on his shoulders

“Can you take a deep breath?”

He ceases his wheezing and panting and does as he is told.

“That's it now let it out.”

“One more time”

He focuses again and once more breathes in trying to Calm Down.

“And out…”

“All right now can you focus on what you can see?”

He opens his eyes and sees as clearly as before. It wasn't as scary as he thought.

He takes a look at himself and finds that in place of his sweater and polo shirt he is now clothed in a black three piece suit with a collar-like suit collar on. 

His shorts and sneakers were replaced by white pants and shoes with a weird shin guards not unlike stirrups with its suspenders secured on the belt.

Even when killing people you should be looking your very best huh? 

He certainly thinks so because the fashion is giving him some semblance of confidence at least.

“what's that Mr. Roland?"

“That's umm, a playscript? Let’s have a look…”

They read the script made for them and see that their guests' attacks and theirs have been listed for their advantage.

“Well this got easier than before, is it Sunny? Now it seems that Pete guy and Mang-chi are both weak to slashes, that's where you come in. 

Since we are also faster than them I will be handling the other two and you will go take care of Mang-chi okay? 

Just dodge and let them tire out while you stab them and the reception is guaranteed. ”

Even if this reception was practically guaranteed, he still knows that he can't possibly fight on their level. So as the curtains rise on this reception he resolved to at least distract them so Roland can finish them off.

Scene 1

“Do I really have to do all this to make his dream come true?”

“Don't go easy on us, cause we won't.”

“*sigh* We only got a few hours. Let's get this over with”

The reception begins. He now finds himself on a bridge of some sorts cobbled out of books.   He peers over the edge and sees little stacks of books acting as towers and below what ground floor there is(also made up of books, a bit on the nose of the theme of “library” huh?)  what he can assume is an infinite chasm that will consist of more books.

He turns his focus from the sides of the book bridge to the guests and then turns once more to Roland, who throws one more glance at him.

“Alright let's do this.”

And all three guests launched themselves at him.

Roland parried and won the clash against Pete

He defended himself well against Lenny’s strike.

But couldn't keep it up against Mang-shi’s bash.

He couldn’t even act as bait, his legs froze up the moment the reception started and there is no way that h—

"F̶o̶c̶u̶s̶e̶d̶ ̶S̶t̶r̶i̶k̶e̶s̶"

In disbelief he found himself remembering something happy, and he also found himself slashing past Mang-chi’s side, slashing his back and piercing his other side faster than he thought could ever move.

"A̶s̶ ̶e̶x̶p̶e̶c̶t̶e̶d̶,̶ ̶u̶s̶e̶l̶e̶s̶s̶"

That voice…

“You little…” 

“Now where you were hiding that skill Sunny-boy?”
The guests took on a shade of red and Roland and himself took a yellow glow.

This could only be his work…

Scene 2

Mang-chi dashes straight to bash Sunny. 

Fortunately he persists through the bash and leaves him open for Sun O̶m̶o̶r̶i̶ ny’s Light Attack.

Both of them take it rather gracefully but the previous attacks still show their toll on them. If Mang-chi keeps it up he will be staggered and open to more attacks. The same goes for him, one more hit just as strong as that or even more would leave him staggered.

The other guests however…

Scene 3

“Guess I was a fool who dreamed too big”

“Hey… what’s wrong…You aren't dead for real, are you?” 

“Just don't be a nuisance.”

As the clash between them resolved, Roland pierced Pete's torso, and he burst into a pile of glowing pages not too similar to those Angela would commonly be seen using.

Mang-chi grew sad, and Lenny grew more furious.

“Whew, that guy almost turned the tide and got me there. My heart’s still pounding.”

Mang-chi once more dashed for him, Sunny surmising that since he is Sad his defenses would be harder to crack and he lost the clash he would take a big hit making him staggard. However since he had Calmed Down he guessed that this isn't strictly his Headspace anymore and he is still slower…

“I really didn't want to meet such an awkward end.”

Mang-chi spoke awkwardly and burst into pages after Sunny pierced his chest and lost the clash. 

Sunny was still faster overall and wasn't close to staggering so he would still win. 

Pages were the equivalent to Toast here huh, he thinks while running his hands through whatever was left of Mang-chi’s pages.

“I’d better not get impatient, and get things done for certain.” 

Roland spoke as he readied himself for what is turning out to be the last clash of the reception.

“Don't really care if you die”

Lenny cared too much and she should have shown it.

So it was that the two of them sped up at each other and ended the reception.

“Shit… knew I shouldn't have never come here…” she said as she felt her stomach spilling out her organs, bursting into pages long after.

“Oh Sunny, my muscles got all tense with worry there. I knew you just had to believe in yourself!” as the curtains descended once more closing the Libraries first reception. 

“See it isn’t that rough right. My shoulders are still aching though.” assured Roland while beginning to tussle his junior’s hair about.

“Now lets see what books they turned out to be”

“I wonder, is it so important for them to belong to a renowned Syndicate?”

“It's all part of the City life. You have to belong to a group, be it a Syndicate or anything else. Living in the City gets too tough otherwise.”

He breathed in and he breathed out. The bloodlust and the tenseness of battle was still about him, Roland said. He needed to Calm Down again and take note of his surroundings. He finds himself once more in the reception area, Roland by his side and the two of them leaning on each other while he and Angela converse.

“miss Angela… y-you did write down in the invitation that if they cannot overcome the ordeal…” 

“They would be turned into a book themselves, and here they are”

The Book of Rats. It took the form of a Paperback, as if it was a comic book. As soon as she took it out she then placed upon a hexagon plane that came as suddenly in front of them like the book itself. 

The middle hexagon which the book was placed in burst suddenly into flames and into ashes before Sunny could even take it all in. While he was still watching dazed Angela shifted through the shining swept ashes and then pulled out several charred pages, burnt at the edges and glowing”

“Here, these are combat pages. That would give you more strength to deal with the receptions to come. When the curtain descends you can just apply it to yourselves as you see fit.”

We are burning people without a second thought or care in the world to get stronger.

“This book is still missing more of its contents, so there is more we can glean from them. Once I set up this reception again you two will be heading back in there to complete the pages. The next order of business for you two is that to undergo this reception that will be repeated once more. Do so as many times as possible to acquire the rest of the pages and the Rats individual pages in order to fully gain their strengths, as well as one more book to put on the next invitation.”

We will be burning people again and again without a second thought or care in the world to get stronger. For the sake of continued existence in this world even though I don't want to be living in it anymore as much as the last one. 

I̶ ̶n̶e̶e̶d̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶p̶r̶o̶t̶e̶c̶t̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶S̶u̶n̶n̶y̶,̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶n̶ ̶e̶v̶e̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶w̶.̶

And his younger self that kept himself indoors for 4 years is back to manifesting in head. He felt so sick. 

He wanted to go back and get flung down a set of stairs by Hero.

He wanted to go back and get his head torn off by Kel and then dunked into a hoop smashing it in. 

He wanted to go back and get bashed beaten black and blue on all his parts with Aubrey's nailed softball bat(that would be so hot).

He wanted to go back and hold Basil’s hand as they were both drowning deeper into the lake, because that's what murderers like them deserve.

“Ahhh, give me a small break, especially for the kid, he needs a little more time.”

“Let us go Mr. Roland.”

His voice croaked out. He finally realized it. This was his cross to bear and inferno to suffer through. Being here is where murderers like him are meant to be. He must stop hiding and running to face the music and his fears now, without any hopes for the future.

“Your youth is envious, you know. Yet even still, I am not letting you go without me. You need more supervision and polishing which under my instruction you will be. Hell, maybe we can shave down the time on those guys to be a little more efficient and quicker to get those pages faster.”

So speaks the middle aged man, who now knelt to accommodate Sunny's emaciated short form, meaning to reach him heart to heart as “real men” he would say do just like the old times before...

“I would also tell you to speak about your troubles… but I guess you wouldn't like that, it’s also calling the kettle black for me I suppose… Besides, my muscles are still hurting so slow down for this old man would you?”

“I also object to going so soon, and approve the short rest, emotions must be kept high and intense in the receptions for it to work, and mindless work would impede that.”

“You hear the boss, so rest for a while I say and enjoy as best you can, trust me, you wouldn’t get any better in both mind and body if you keep going on like that alright?”

The sad broken man beamed a lonely broken smile which the boy reflected back with own.

On this seemingly endless task he thinks, if the Libraries power is so infinite and immense there is a non zero chance he could find a book that would give him the tools to live in the past.

When that happens there is no doubt he would be bursting with joy. For now despite the voices in his telling him otherwise, he resolved to cherish whatever few drops of joy and kindness he spends knowing these broken and lonesome people.

Faraway from Home. In this Library of Ruina.

Chapter Text

Five times in total. 15 Rats died a little more as he took their books and burned them himself as Angela taught them both. According to the manual of course. 

“Alright then, onto the next reception… huh a low grade Office, it's perfect to test your skills on Sunny-boy. I will have to ask you to please not be a nervous little rookie during the ordeal, that would be embarrassing for us to our fellow Fixers.”

“Noted”

He won't be, he promises as he registers the book, the Book of Rats, for the next invitation heading towards Yun’s Fixer Office. 

"Foiled again, I didn't go through all this trouble of becoming a Fixer to do mundane chores like this."

"You know how it is. Only a select few can rise through the ranks."

"But still, we might see the light one day if we start out with smaller tasks, don't you think?"

"I envy your optimism Finn, but a request like "Find my lost cat before night falls" is seriously not it."

"Garbage Offices get garbage requests."

"Yeah Finn, You probably had better things in mind when you became a Fixer. Y'know a bigger field to play on."

"I'm sure I can move to a nicer Office or become an Associate Fixer someday if I keep working hard. Then I might...

Huh that's odd... there's this envelope in my pocket, It says 'The Invitation'."

"Smells fishy."

"Cant overlook this. Besides, if what is written here is true, those books would be of interest to several Associations. "

"It's interesting, but... We don't know exactly what is in the library, right? We should report this to the Office first and take care of it formally."

"I ain't about to feed a garbage Office that wont feed me. We're going first if  you don't wanna."

So these are his so called near-peers in the Fixer profession. While its true that he once a short time ago, since he lost track of it a few short rests and Rat receptions ago, was a mewling greenhorn he personally thought he would not let this state of being happen to himself.

Even as Roland told to never under or over estimate every opponent he faces for one must always keep a cool head. This is so none of their bluffs or any attempt at hiding their weaknesses could get to you, but still. 

Sunny now had the lives of 7 desperate Rats who died fighting to their last weighing his blade down. Like a dough boy going through Omaha Beach he had since then ceased being a greenhorn and was now a middling combatant under the supervision of a very skilled senior.

Yet, graveyards are full of middling combatants, he should know this very well. His opponents unlike him are hardened by the circumstances that plague this cursed City. He can tell they will fight as desperately as, no even more desperately than the Rats he faced for 5 times. With better equipment and better skills with all they got because they all have a future on the line too.

Yet, they languish in their mediocre contracts dulling their bodies in various paperwork and fetch quests. Contributed by being lead on tantalized by hopes of a better life than this, giving them that desperate struggle, which is no use when the game is set from the start.

Yet, most of all, unlike them, he has the competent senior in the City coaching him and fighting by his side.

He also had lost the need for any sustenance thanks to the effects of being in the Library. He would not be bothered nor distracted by any constant bodily urge to eat, sleep or rest to its fullest degree. 

He would not dream hopeless dreams and think illogically to any sort of unknown situation. He would not let any sort of unknown situation register on an emotional level and do his duty with upmost diligence.

He would also very definitely find that cat before nightfall. Assholes that forsake cats, especially in this dangerous City, should be strung up on rope. He really hopes that Finn guy succeeds in finding it.

"They called themselves Fixers; do you happen to be friends with them?"

"What? Assuming all Fixers know each other is... Its like picking two random pedestrians and hoping they know each other.

Your question is basically asking these two strangers, "You're both humans, so must know each other right?" You get what I mean?"

"*sigh* I should expect to see many different kinds of Fixers if what you're saying is true."

"Pretty much."

He can tell under the annoyed expression of Roland that he was not only annoyed with Angela's assumptions of associations with them, but also Angela comparing him to them. As expected from someone who although is of the same grade as their guests, he unlike them took a risk formed an Office of one.

A bad decision but still proves he had more guts than them who suck up to superiors. This is also the second time they would be taking out the Rats Pages for a spin and both of them know as long as they both read the playscript carefully and make the right calls with it they could finish this in less than three scenes.

"If you really think about it Sunny-boy... how much do these pages have an effect on us?"

Roland perplexed wonders as he looks at himself in Pete's shoes, also his pants, shirts, jackets and weapon of choice. Sunny in Lenny's pants thought awhile with him stumped. Then he moved his hand to where a flatness should be and finds himself touching rather soft and tastefully petite mounds of flesh. At which he immediately retracts his hands off blushing pink.

"Ahhh... well ummm, lets just go according to plan just like we practiced and see if we can keep up our three scene streak alright?" raising a hand to which the youth meets his with in a high five as the curtains part for their guests reception.

Scene 1

"Nnh... I talked big but this might be a bad idea..."

"Going first should be advantageous to us, right?"

So much for Roland worrying about him being a nervous little rookie.

"Each of us has duties to follow in our own position."

His senior opened, grimly reminding them that they should have called backup. To Sunny's dread this they turned a monochrome hue. They are clearly afraid. 

One of them rushed at him, intending to hit him with a Preemptive Strike which he reflexively meets with a Charge and Cover. Despite his opponent striking preemptively and him still in shock, Sunny was surprised his steak knife slipped past his defenses and went directly through his throat, bursting him into pages. As he recovered and the pages faded into the nothingness in the Library, Roland looked over to him apparently having the same results with his clash.

"But... I thought you were stronger..."

"This Sunny-boy, is why you don't act like a nervous little rookie, also we just got really lucky huh."

"yes"

They were supposed to be better than the Rats as reflected in equipment and skill, but it didn't even take them three turns, maybe it was because the Rats outnumber them or like Roland said they were just really lucky this time.

"It is because they were scared and you were the better killer between them simple as."

"So, ready to this about 4 times more huh?" his senior quipped leaning back and forth to ease his back, as he does often.  

All is now clear to him after Calming Down, clearly the first thing he needs to know is how much his Headspace leaks into the Library and how to use it effectively in their favor.

It means more training in repressing his emotions and learning how to scare people aside making them mad.

Shaking his head and slapping his cheeks to drive away his other self, he nods at Roland he is eager to do this reception again, because maybe next time they would not be so lucky.

He had to be prepared for when that happens. 

Chapter Text

"Sir they still haven't responded back to us. Something must have happened in that 'Library'."

"Plenty of Fixers disappear without a trace. Whether they died or ran off, further lack of response means a violation of contract, and they are facing expulsion from my Office.

There is also too little evidence to back up your claim about this 'invitation'."

Four more times he clashed with this guy's Fixers and fours times they died the same way those 4 times, acting like nervous little rookies.

It was then first time he put on their pages he felt their wasted potential become his own to properly wield.

Well they really were better than the Rats in pretty much everything, they were still scared, just like OMORI told him. He has become a better killer, not an nervous little rookie.

"A door appeared out of thin air when they signed the paper, and they disappeared into that? Could be rich people shenanigans, or a Wing experimenting with its Singularity.

Yun's Office does not have any time to spare with things like that."

"I might still be a Grade 9 Fixer, but I can sense something is off about this."

"Oh really? How tragic that such good instincts of a Grade 9 Fixer were wasted on our humble Office."

"..." He really hopes they can end this sham of an Office and let Finn live, so he could finally be appreciated by an Office that values his loyal and friendly nature.

He really does.

"Listen up, little frog in a well. In this City, insane events happen every second of the day, most which you never heard of.

You wont have time feeling "off" about something when there's numerous other things that need your attention. If you cant present visible evidence right now, its not worth looking into."

"What about that envelope right in front of you, operator?"

"What? You little brat, trying to pull a little trick on me?"

"... I didn't do anything I swear."

"Get out for a moment."

"Hey, this is Yun's Office. Got a good lead this time.... Lend me some cash so I can hire a few. No seriously "

Ah the effects of late stage capitalism, he really feels Finn now as he remembers a certain pizzeria owner with beyond abhorrent handwriting, but Gino is leagues above this guy here.

"... True it can end up failing like you said..... I can check up one more time if you like. I'm not exactly fond of this method but..."

Oh he better not.

"Yep I have one guy fit for the job."

"It seems Fixers must report to their Office before they can even begin working."

"Well, that's formally the case. I could bypass that since I ran a one-man Office, though.

Fixers aren't any better than Syndicates when it comes to greed, and it looks like this guy's trying to exploit a naïve kid too."

Dammit he has to book Finn. Ah fuck, he's already here.

"Woah, so this the Library... Yeah, Yun said we might even get sponsorship from an Association if I succeed. I'll do my best! "

One glance at Roland he could tell he's hesitant too, only by a minimum margin.

"Greetings, Fixer. I am Angela, the librarian of my role's namesake."

"Hello. I am Finn, a Fixer at Yun's Office... Is it true? I can find a lot of books containing lots of information in this place?"

"Yes of course, you were given that invitation for that exact reason."

"I understand."

The guest turns his attention then to the two librarians. He between the two of them feels his gaze more keenly for the guest pauses for a a long while.

"I promise that will try to the best of my abilities to earn those books, nothing but my very best okay?" 

"May you find your book in this place."

The curtains fall, once more he can't find his words at yet again the worst possible moment, Finns going to die today.

"I know you don't want to kill your fellow rookie, I really don't want to either"

Roland opens as he settled into the clothes of their guests buddy letting his hands hang low, carrying their weapon a simple bat with nails and crosswire. Too bad for Sunny, his steak knife seems to always be his default weapon no matter what, for it once again changed form to serve him.

"... but we are Fixers, we have to follow our contracts and our contractor to the best of our abilities because that is what a good Fixer does, lest he be abandoned by his Office and gets his license taken away.  If it comforts you I will give that woman a piece of our mind later okay?"

He receives a hesitant nod.

"So now in this fight I want you to think about his weapon, yours and nothing else. I know he is just like you and you can see it.

There are only so much of the City's inhabitants that are still so..."

He pauses to think for a more proper term than naïve or soft-

"... kind, but he passed the Fixer examinations, although it would be low that means he is fair game because he knows the risks of this line of work, and you have 12 kills on you."

"If we hold back, that would be an insult to him who so far has survived living through hardships to get through here and who has promised to earn his prize earnestly. 

Those 12 lives you have taken because they were hardships you had to face would mock you as you join them because now is the point where you decided to hold back."

If he dies, he dies.

"There must be some reason you have to keep on living Sunny. If you can't find remind yourself that its too late to stop now. Besides, I still haven't taught you how to use that power of light more effectively"

With that pep talk the curtains ascend revealing Finn, standing there resolute with a brave face.

"I'm afraid... but I want to win." he admits nervously.

"Let's go easy now, don't wanna complicate things too much."

Both rookies ease down, and both sides rush to clash at each other.

Scene 1

Finn makes it past Roland guard breaking his stance and nearly skewering Sunny with a Thrust hadn't he Dodged.

He wasn't even holding back, it took all of his strength and speed to evade that.

Scene 2

Roland once more clashed with Finn to no avail bringing him closer to stagger. 

Sunny this time as soon as Roland failed his clash rushed to catch Finn off guard.

Finn, glowing a bright yellow, easily broke Sunny stance and nicked his knife arm.

Scene 3

"I see now, natural talent for using Light like you Sunny!"

"can you teach me how to use it better now?!"

Roland fortunately won the clash this time giving them time to strategize.

"Think of most emotional memories you have Sunny! I know you have plenty of them, the heavier the better!

Make sure to clear your head and let nothing but the swing of your knife and the memories be in it.

Now how do we deal with guys yellowness?!"

Scene 4

"... can you recite a Sad Poem Roland?"

His senior paused at that for while letting Finn catch his breath a little bit.

"I see... of course I can."

At the confirmation he dashed at Finn, who has now doubly resolved himself to beat these guys who stole his friends gear and come back alive no matter what, he has a sponsorship and finally a promising future to live for after all .

"I have nothing but my sorrow,

and I want nothing more.

It has been and still is faithful to me."

He quiets his already silent breaths. He clears his head. Looking for those memories he labored so hard to earn them back for the heaviest of them all.

A present box big enough to cover him.

A little violin bought by saving up a whole summer's worth of part-time odd jobs.

A set of stairs.

Catharsis arranged in a flower pot arrangement. The sweet sensation of falling sweeping it away

He faces them once more. He remembers them all.

A white egret orchid following him into his dreams.

A white egret orchid leading him into nightmares.

A single Wallop bringing Finn to final legs before staggering. Picassos favorite color enveloping both of the librarians.

Scene 5

"I...I really didn't want to die like this..."

Finn spoke his last smiling sadly.

One Thrust was the end of it. Courtesy of Sunny making his knife 13 lives heavier.

Better him than you Sunny.

A moment of silence of held, one funeral before facing him again next time. Neither began to move after a long while has passed and the curtains begin to descend.

So this is the power of Light.

The power of sin.

"Oh boy. Its not all delightful to see such a young rookie fall like that, all things considered." Roland grimaced in regret, bring a piece of their mind to their contractor.

"You said so yourself that our way is quite a polite and fair before, didn't you? That most of the time, people lives are taken away by others without any consent or agreement.

The Library is different. People who enter this place have agreed to enter this place in order to gain what they want. They signed the paper to show such agreement.

No coercion or compulsion is involved in the process. They make their own choice and pay accordingly."

"Well, yeah, fair point but still kinda feels dirty in a way..."

If not only Yan had sent him of all people, or maybe the letter was delivered to someone else other than his friends.

What was he even saying, the invitation wanted him, in his pocket and right in front of him, the game was set from the start. 

He can't save him.

Thinking these thoughts will bring him emotions that will unbalance him suddenly when he is fighting, but without them the Light wont be so effective anymore and he would lose his clashes.

He has to practice controlling his feelings more to find a balance between these two strengths of his, if not kept apart at the right moments that would be a disadvantage for him.

So it is then he brought sheets of music to mind, soft gentle strings on viola and piano fill it as he contemplates on the crosses he has to bear on this path. 

Chapter Text

He did his duty and acquired all the pages that compromised the Book of Finn.

He suggested that in order for Roland should stop yapping about his back Angela should let him sit this one out. Leaving him free to fight one on one with him all alone.

He read the notes left behind in his book. He had a older sister just like him. He held all his seniors and boss in high regard, even when they belittled him.

He thought they were keeping him safe because he was still inexperienced. He thought that once he could work hard enough he could save enough Ahn to apply for residency in a Nest, away from the Backstreets where they can life happily.

Remember Sunny better you than them.

He knows he can die and let Finn get away and he would still be fine, Angela said after all they wouldn't die while they were under her employ, but then what.

She clearly removes those memories and the invitation clearly wanted him. Once more there was nothing he could do.

He was at least looking forward to this after all, as he came back from reading he finds his senior and boss already in their reception area peeping through the magical theatre screen.

"Finn has failed as expected. He wasn't going to last too long, anyway. He was just mediocre.

He should have gotten a decent modification surgery, or had enough talent to make up for his lack of experience, but he wasn't any of that.

He was nothing more than a overconfident brat "

"Too bad, I kinda liked his cutesy attitude. Though I agree, he was bound to die sooner or later."

He is really looking forward to this. He cant wait even.

"Congratulations, by the way. You must have more options now you are a Grade 8 Fixer."

"Yep! So you'd better be careful. If you don't pay me well enough, I might move to another office. Heard you're barely covering your taxes these days, let alone the monthly rent for this Office space. am I wrong? "

"... I believe the case I had Finn handle could make a breakthrough."

"You mean the Library and the invitation you talked about earlier? But you said it appears randomly, no? How are you going to get another one?"

"I wouldn't call you if I didn't have any certainty. I have recently received another invitation."

"Hmm, is that so?"

"The existence of our Office depends on this case. The Library is sure to be profitable. I have a hunch so we are giving it everything we have."

"Aight, lets roll in some dough! I just bought this lovely thing here from a workshop, too."

"These guests seem quite determined. We should prepare accordingly."

"A whole Office coming after us, huh. It may be a small and insignificant one, but it could prove a little tough for the Library right now. What if they make it all the way to your room?"

"doubt it."

"The guests cannot act outside the space we've prepared for them. It's how this place works. After all this place is created with limitless power."

"knew it"

"Yet you two somehow jumped in my room, when you two weren't invited."

Senior and junior both reflexively rubbed their necks and check if their limbs were still attached.

"Anyways, I'm capable of protecting myself, so there is nothing for the both of you to worry about."

It's nice to see some loners share camaraderie together.

"Greetings, dear guests."

"You must be the owner of this place."

"She doesn't even look that strong."

"They will be taking my place in your ordeal" she says as she directs their gaze upon her two wageslaves.

"Finn must be here earlier; what happened to him?"

"Ah, that one has become a book."

"I see, you turn into a book if you die here~"

"...."

"Acting all sentimental when you were the one who sent him here, knowing he'd fail?"

No its the kid starring daggers in his direction, but cant let them know.

"Shut up, we all get exploited and abandoned at some point in our lives. "

"... now is the hour."

The hell is this place, really?

"May you find your book in this place."

"If we kill that guy do you think you would feel better?

"maybe..."

He earned Finns key page now, it would perfect to use against that prick, ironic even.

His own knife had even changed forms to what was Finn's sword so he can finally have some reach advantage.

He personally feels that the ease with which he could swing this thing was due to fighting him so much he can emulate his every move.

Maybe it was the fact it was still his knife meant that he needed no further training on how to use.

Most likely it was because he wore its owner as a key page.

"I think it would, I hope it does, anything to bring you out of your self loathing."

"..."

"Just let all out and finish it."

"I know this wont bring back Finn..."

"But it stops him taking advantage of any one ever again, right?"

"Right"

"Alright, here we come." 

The curtains descend once more

ACT 1

Scene 1

"How long do we have to fight them?"

"Is operator coming here or not? Aw crap..."

"Lets start slowly, no point in getting nervous.", Roland delivered with a mocking face.

"Even if he could he can't save you." and OMORISunny spoke the truth.

Now that both guests were now properly scared, there is no contest as which group won their clashes.

"I don't want to die... I want to live..."

ACT 2

Scene 1

"Have the ones who came before us all died here?"
"Hmph, think I'd lose against a gang of half-baked nerds like you?"

The guests asked.

"yes to both"

"Don't be impatient and do this properly." 

A stern reminder and death threat was their answer.

Two losing clashes later and the librarians found themselves on the backfoot. No matter the game was set from the start.

Scene 2

Yun was going to do his Preparation, Eri can hold them back for-

"mediocre"

He lost the clash against Sunny's Struggle. At least Eri won hers, so he better keep his cool.

Scene 3

Sunny hacked away at what was the place Yun stood, but he was Too Slow. 

Roland fared better than him as he nearly put Eri to stagger, but she began to glow redder.

Scene 4

He lucked out and found himself landing a Preemptive Strike as Yan was busy Commandeering. 

Memories recalling a late night scuffle landed along with it heavily tearing through his chest.

"...should have gotten a decent modification surgery"

He really not let this get to his head.

Scene 5

"...should've had enough talent... or experience"

He really should not let this mumbler get to him, he's hallucinating that he is glowing faint monochrome now for crying out loud.

He has to finish this. Let him swing and miss-

"..."

The memories of leaving a friend on the floor in a pool of his own blood along with some of his flowing out of his own eyehole struck the guest in a Wallop.

He hadn't had the opportunity huh.

Scene 6

"So I'm turning into a book as well... This isn't what I expected."

"Tsk, they were bound to die sooner or later."

The final coup de grace of this reception ended with Eri skewered between Sunny and Roland's Thrust and there was nothing left to say about it.

The curtains were really taking their sweet time descending amidst the defusing air, so Roland spoke up to fill the dead air.

"That is that, and this is this."

 "ah um..."

"Feeling better Sunny-boy?"

"a little..."

"Hope to feel like you soon."

"Excellent, this guest named Yun could make an especially valuable book for us."

"They're all like moths diving into flames."

They were all once more seated in what is now called the Floor of General Works resting area, a short walk from Angela's reception area and room.

"Even that Yun guy seemed the clever sort, but even he ended up jumping into the fire to get what he wanted."

"Once you've had a taste of desire, it comes in an unstoppable wave.' Its a quote I heard a long time ago, but is that desire true to one's heart?"

"Well aren't you funny? You said you despise roundabout speech, and now you're being all poetic. Ten out of ten, a certain librarian I know would have taken an arm and a leg off if she heard that."

"*sigh*, get back to sorting the books."

That is that, and this is this.

Chapter Text

Another day another banger.

These were the most tedious hours of grinding he had ever experienced ever since he got here, in this Library.

Damnable Yan and his bullshit You're Too Slow, and Eri's fancy smancy workshop club/sword.

He could tell that even Roland was getting tired of it too, as they are as custom after a reception, resting in the resting area of the Floor of General Works.

Which as usual, Angela elected to join them. There could only be so much choice for company in this enormous Library.

"You two seem to be doing your job meekly and well for sluggards who complained too much."

Really magic librarian lady? 

"What else did you expect after greeting us in such a manner? Think about Sunny for a moment.

You find yourself in the middle of nowhere and they first person they meet gets their limbs blown clean off.

If it wasn't for your reliable senior you wouldn't have got the gist of the receptions as quickly as you would."

"... hmm hmm"

"Though I think I can say for the both of us we have a complaint"

"Complaint?"

As if not missing a single nano beat they were hit with the instant limb loss stare.

"Sheesh man, again with that stare, can't say a thing..."

"Just tell me what you mean."

"receptions hard."

"I mean well... Sunny's right its kind tough to receive our guests with just the two of us.

Guests arriving by pairs and trios are doable, but then a whole group enters and we are stumped when first thing that comes to mind is: 'How the hell am I supposed to fight all of them?'

There's got to be a point where the two of us are no longer enough, right?

Its only working right now because all we've facing were minor Syndicates and stuff, and the fuss about heightening emotions... you said we cant kill them in ambush or by trap right away because of that."

"..."

"What's that odd face hinting at?"

"There is a way technically speaking. Although I'm not certain its for the best..."

"You're going to join in the fights yourself?"

"No. There are entities that could be of help, however"

"And those 'entities' are?"

"Those beings that used to wield tremendous strength and power, but are now too transient to maintain a physical form, hardly holding on to existence..."

He doesn't like where this is going. We had to fight for every scrap of power in here. This will be the hardest fight he will have so far, he just knew it.

"I don't remember seeing any living being in this Library other than the three of us."

"They're asleep inside books where the perfect environment for them is stimulated, along with librarians who will be of assistance to you."

"Librarians? Entities inside book?"

"That's all you need to know about them for now. What matters more is that they can be useful for the Library's growth."

"Alright, lets say that's the case... How are those sleeping entities supposed to help us exactly?"

"You two have to enter their books and free the librarians trapped within. I believe they're under the influence of the Abnormalities' power for some various reasons. 

Since they're highly unstable, they wont easily trust us."

"You're basically saying they'll take us for invaders?"

"Correct. If you can overcome all ordeals presented by them, they will come to accept you."

"Instructions still unclear ma'am... You said they're mighty as wet paper now. You sure they can give any help?"

"We are not making the Abnormalities receive guests for us. If they can be understood and accepted, they will empower the librarians, directly or indirectly."

"Still too ambiguous, I've got to say... Anyhow, what you're saying is they'll present us with ordeals basically, and we will have to overcome them to earn their recognition and borrow their powers.

Entering a book... sounds like something out of a fairy tale..." 

"We'll need their power to heighten the emotions of our guests to the peak, after all... I wish you two success in there."

She directed her arm to a space previously unseen and opened a route for them to take. Which ends in partition between shelves with one of those screens that one would expect 18+ works would be hidden in.

"Sure, sure anything you say ma'am..."

Doing as instructed, they walked awhile to the rows of shelves that had been parted for them, up to the ominous screen that denoted Somethinga bath tub filled with blood.

"so... this is an Abnormality..."

"... haaa lets get this over with and make our lives a bit easier shall we Sunny?"

An affirmative nod gave the go ahead for them to step in through the screen. In that standardized shelf space they find a room filled with wet and soggy books, blood dripping out of them. 

Right in front of them one single seemingly unblemished book depicting what to Sunny's gaze, familiar eyes closed. He knows those eyelids and he knows those and himself should not be here.

Yet there they are and there he is finding himself gingerly opening it.

Scene 1

Recite the Litany against Fear Sunny, else you're done for.

"Oh hell Angela was right, this place is really bizarre. There just had to have really creepy blood clots all over the place..."

Those were her very same pair of eyelids that covered the space. Bigger but those were the same eyelids he could really tell because he had once look at them every chance he got.

The figure before them with black hair all over her and blood dripping all over her scars that covered her all over was as tall and same build her. It was her and Sunny was in down to rights panic.

He let go of his knife in the form of Finns sword. He froze up and closed his eyes he must get out he must get out he must get out-

"Snap out of it Sunny!"

He couldn't dodge and he was grasped by Pale Hands.

"A knife driven by a vaguely aroused will doesn’t have what it takes to end a life. Come inside. Get into this dreadful pool of blood."

They dragged him down into the blood bath tub. He found himself content to be drowned and just give up, before finding himself on the blood clot filled floor dazed.

Scene 2

His staggered and terrified form could do nothing but watch on dazed as Roland easily beat down Marithe Abnormality.

"How many more failures must I bear until you’re satisfied?"

He even if he wasn't staggered he was sure that he cant move a single muscle. He cant go kill her again.

You utter fool

Scene 3

That just looks like her get up and finish it. The nerve of this thing looking like her. Kill it. Kill it. Kill it. Kill it. Kill it. Kill it.

OMORI became Furious.

With a kiai he unleashed Focused Strikes on this imposter bringing it to stagger.

"Scars are but marks of failure… You won’t be any different. Can your petty courage leave a deep enough scar?"

"Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up You aren't her Shut up Shut up Shut up Shut up "

Scene 4

"Reminded you of something painful I can see that."

The Bloodbath was suppressed. Its paltry three pages make for a powerful deck that focused on staggering guests making the receptions easier as Angela said.

Sunny found himself curled up in the corner of the bloody book shelves with Roland on bended knee to look at him directly.

Eyes to eyes and man to man.

"yeah..."

"Ahh... we are really are just here to suffer aren't we?"

"yeah..."

"That last clash of yours really showed it a lesson or two huh?"

"yeah..."

"It reminded you of someone you know, and you were really mad at it, that's why you really tore open its scars huh?"

"yeah..."

"Wanna to talk about her huh?"

"no..."

"Then lets leave it at that, like I said about the pot calling the kettle black. This really is the kind of pain that would not go away no matter how long we rest you think?"

"yes"

"Still you are getting overwhelmed these couple of... days? I think Angela will allow for an extra long rest this time don't you think"

"yes"

"Lets go have it then. That monster really took a number on my back."

His senior extends his hand which the junior takes, lifting him from the blood soaked ground. They took a few moments to squeeze out the blood that got in their clothes and then found themselves dry once they stepped out of that shelve space.

With a shrug they make their way back to the break room for that extra long break they need right now. 

"how... can you still keep going like this Mister Roland."

"I said before Sunny, you covered my weak and aging back so many times including now. So I think we are past formalities like mister.

As for how I can carry on... I think you already know how Sunny-boy"

"that is that... and this is this"

"That is that and this is this"

The Library shakes and stirs, where there was previously blood soaked shelves gave way to a staircase.

On this new floor there a young lady and young man reflect on their failures to help the ones they held so dear.

Chapter Text

The human skull is the bone structure that forms the head in the human skeleton.

It supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain. Like the skulls of other vertebrates, it protects the brain from injury.

The skull consists of three parts, of different embryological origin—the neurocranium, the sutures, and the facial skeleton (also called the membraneous viscerocranium).

The neurocranium (or braincase) forms the protective cranial cavity that surrounds and houses the brain and brainstem. The upper areas of the cranial bones form the calvaria (skullcap).

The membranous viscerocranium includes the mandible. The sutures are fairly rigid joints between bones of the neurocranium. The facial skeleton is formed by the bones supporting the face.

It is one of the hardest bones that compromise the human skeletal frame under the femur and tibia. 

It is not however like most things impervious to blunt force, especially the blunt force applied when falling from a high rise building.

He was there at that last day where everything went wrong again on the parking lot of the hospital regressing back into that maddening state he was in 4 years ago.

After 2 years at med school he knows that the blunt force applied from a fall down a single story flight of stairs would not be enough to kill someone.

If only someone immediately called 911 when the fall happened. If only someone was thinking in the right mind and didn't drastically in a spur of the moment hang the fall victim.

If only he was there for her instead of two scared 12 year-olds.

He leaned back and cracked the cartilage and muscles that cover his spine.

Despite suffering from heavy mental trauma the board exams and time past gone wait for no one.

Fortunately for him he still had an effective support system when he came back for college which cannot be said for the rest of his childhood friend group.

Turns out if you do enough favors for everybody in the medical department that will earn you free therapy sessions from the most promising future therapists and no credit loss from absences and surprise vacations.

Back then that day, Kel reached him in a moment as he was breaking down in the parking lot.

He couldn't even try to push his dear little brother away a second time as he embraced him.

He also a promise to keep, no matter what they were all going to be there for each other this time, especially now.

He also has to find it in heart to forgive those two scared 16 year-olds, and make sure he knows that it was not their fault.

The two brothers make their way unto the hospital's entrance colliding in the pathway of Aubrey who walked outside in a state between sadness and fury.

The trio meet each others eyes but before anyone can say a word a body came hurtling down from the heights up above, head first.

As the result of which its braincase was thoroughly shattered, the joints holding together came lose as was the facial skeleton, which lost charge of its last remaining eye and twisted its mandible into a grotesque shape.

Kel should have not binged on Orange Joes while waiting in the lobby.

The funeral of the boy he regarded as his second brother was understandably a closed casket affair.

He just needed to make a call to his darts partner and baking buddy the head of the medical department to tell him he has to extend his break.

He also sent photographic evidence of an oferenda adorned with a small pink ribbon, a pet rock, and a cookbook.

After seeing the grey matter that compromised the inside of the human cranium all of a sudden and remarkably up close it was understandable to some that he wouldn't be cooking for a while.

His eyes grow weary, but just after one more read through he would rest.

Taking exams tired out of your mind is just a failed mark waiting to happen. His eyes beg to differ, pleading that he needs rest right now, after then he can take the exam.

Then he can study more until his next break. Then he can go back home and personally check up on everyone to make sure everything was alright.

Then everything will be okay.

He finally closes his eyes.

He opens them to find out everything is different all a sudden.

"hmmmmmm"

He isn't in his dorm room any more, he sees shelves containing books in his line of sight but its not the library he often studies at.

This library was larger than any he had seen or read up on, it had on what could be considered the the ground floor, lanes with glass cases displaying various books. 

The countless number of lanes with display books on them lead his eyes on further to the horizon where impossibly high shelves fully stacked with books fill it up.

To where the lanes were elevated at differing layers beneath them would also be the top of book shelves, their bottom shelves reaching a point to which the light cant reach them.

Other than the horizon and abyss of shelves three structures of what seems to be a lighthouse, a chained up gear like tower and a tree like pillar amidst the background.

The room he is currently overlooking all of this in has a simple table set with comfortable seats and he is seated on one of those seats across another who seems is just only waking up from a long slumber. 

"ahhhh"

The girl in front of him was no older than he is, clad in a very light brown overcoat, the very same light brown that dominates the color palate of this whole place.

It covered over black jeans and a black vest judging by the different color of her collar, tied together by you guessed it, a bow tie adorned with a glossy broach stone colored same light brown.

He doesn't mind the light brown one bit, it does pair nicely with her hair that is held back by a red headband giving variety in the sea of light brown, but her whole getup just screams with fitting in with the whole library as if this is really where she is meant to be.

She begins blinking awake and turns about and around gaining her bearings of this strange place, clutching to her chest what seems to be a bookmarked book, which means as usual it is time again to work his magic.

"Good morning"

"Oh hello... I believe we haven't seen each other in a previous life?"

Should he consider this greeting the shortest time someone had hit on him? Usually they start off a little bit shy?

"Er um... I believe this is the first time we are meeting?"

"Its puzzling that if you aren't one of my agents from before why would she let you in here?" 

"I really don't know any thing you might be referring to, I was just studying for my board exam, closed my eyes for a while and suddenly I was here."

She had a such sweet cadence to her voice, he can already tell she really was the sort of person to help anyone in need, almost a bit too much for their own detriment.

"Well... since she is coming here I will settle this matter along mine."

"Its just like Angela said Sunny-boy, we really got another floor to the Library."

After that SomethingAbnormality suppression and the long sleep which they got despite all of the tremors going on throughout the Library, they found themselves one member bigger and apparently one whole new floor larger.

They left that azure haired starry eyed girl who can say nothing but "Bong" or "Bong-bong" to warm up the seats in their floor just in case any guest tries something.

The ghosts that also popped up can keep her company as well as help sort the books. 

"Hey there~ my name's Roland and this is-"

"Angela... I still cant forgive you... Angela you...!"

"I thought we were already done with that topic."

He found himself in an argument between that light brown girl and a blue haired lady. 

He also found himself a little afraid of the girl's immediate shift in behavior and the apathy displayed by the lady, he better not interfere.

"You simply need to cooperate without complaint."

"..."

"That was the deal remember?"

"And do try to appreciate that fleshy body of yours you've finally earned back."

"Did you really think you could make me happy by just giving me a human body? Don't forget. I still don't agree with you!"

"... As you wish."

After that verbal smackdown the girl simply cast her gaze downward in sorrow while the Pale Lady that seemed to own this whole place simply took a look at him and sighed before walking past a middle aged man and-

"Sunny?"

He was wearing clothes that was too garish and formal even for his tastes. He had both his eyes back and his head wasn't splattered on the hospital pavement.

He was also so clearly alive with the way his face contorted in horror at the sight of him and so very healthy with the speed he displayed as he ran away from him.

"Hey Angela what about him? He clearly isn't from here!"

"As far as I surmised from the last one, he could function better or as the same as your previous agents, provided he isn't weak."

"Sunny! Please I just want-"

"Wait, wait a moment."

A man with a constantly tired look about him and a confused face that had been tensing up at this whole situation blocked his way.

"Damn that was tense." he spoke attempting to defuse the situation and keep the young man away from his charge.

"... Hello there. I'm the Patron Librarian of History... Malkuth!" the girl responds once more in that cheery cadence.

"I'm Henry but most people call me Hero." stopping his pursuit, that comes later, he needs know more about what is going on.

"And I am Roland, you could say I am now Patron Librarian of General Works? I do say you two make quite a lively pair. What was going on just now?"

"I have some unfinished business with Angela and Henry just came out of nowhere in front of me.

You probably heard bits of it, but... I have no choice but to follow her orders no matter what I feel."

"Just as miss Mal-kuth? said. I was in my room resting my eyes for a moment and suddenly I am here!"

"I'm in the same shoes as yours! As well as Sunny, though we all seemed to have ended up here for different reasons. You knew his name so I may assume you know each other?"

"I consider him my second younger brother, he is close to me like that."

"That reaction of his begs to differ."

"I wouldn't even believe I would be seeing him alive again..."

"Dead? He fell on top me as I got into this place and he has been assisting me all this through every ordeal we had to go through here."

"Last time I saw him falling was when his head cracked on.... Is he doing okay?"

"He has been going through a rough patch which I believe got worse... but I'm sure he will be alright."

"Poor boy..."

"That's good..."

"Ah really... this is getting hard... just give a little before he can open up, that sounds like him right?"

"Yes, that's exactly him."

"So... anything I can do for you two?"

"How can we get out of this place."

"I'm afraid you're the same as me Henry..."

"Yep no way out, the only way in is for the guests we receive."

"Guests?"

"Ah right! I forgot again. Please bring me books Roland. Since I'm in charge of the Floor of History, I'll be sorting out the books you bring and collecting those that are about history!

Us librarians will then read the collected books, gradually making our floors whole and completing this Library as a whole, and we'll naturally get to unlock more floors and awaken their patron librarians in that process!"

So that was this place called. What about the guests that come in with no mention of getting out. were they like miss Malkuth, Roland and poor Sunny?

Are they all trapped in here with no chance of getting out? There are more people trapped in here too?

"Alright ah, here is one I can give, here is the manual to this place everything you need to know. So the other librarians are asleep for now?"

"Yep they are!"

"I get the gist of it. You're surprisingly bright for someone who was so upset moments ago, by the way. I was worried I might have to endure some of that wrath."

"I am also ashamed that I had my worries about that too miss Malkuth."

"No worries! I can't let personal affairs get my way of my work now! I have still have my problems with Angela, but its not like getting mad about it will do me any good. I've got my own reasons to do my best with this work too!"

"So... all we have to do is sort out books?"

The man known as Roland merely gave him a tired glance as he spoke an answer to his question.

"And many other things too. Read the manual"

"Will do mister."

"Nothing to worry about too much, you have me Henry and I have you. Even though I am very sure you dislike this situation more than I do...

May I, Malkuth, the Patron Liberian of History ask for assistance and give mine?" 

The girl then bowed down earnestly. He could feel embarrassment being stuck in this situation, as well the same way he often plead to someone and to himself.

He only wished to give his help to anyone who asked, and pray he doesn't make the problem worse. That was already in his very nature to try so hard to help but then mess it up somehow, and Malkuth was the same as him.

"Mi mama would kill me if  I turn down any lady's request, so of course I will help."

"Thank you!" was said with all the determination and willingness to stand up straight, she would try her very best this time again, and not let any failure get on her spirits.  

"Okay then~ lets all give our best shot."

"Yeah!"

"Si~"

Now here he is, farther from passing the board examinations and helping a kindhearted well meaning girl, what would his parents think.

Well they would tease him about another girl friend and tell him although they are glad to see him moving on he needs to get his priorities straight.

With thanks to the Almighty for giving him this chance to properly express his feelings before he was too late again, Hero parted away from Roland and the staircase.

With Sunny somehow okay he is in no need to rush. He has to help Malkuth for now and solve the problems within his reach.

Despite his current situation being trapped in this space, coerced to work for goals beyond his knowledge he has a feeling that he thought he could never feel again after the incident and when he made his way back to collage.

He has a feeling that everything will be okay.

In this Library of Ruina

Chapter Text

... Why do these things keep happening to him?

He didn't to play in a recital he just wanted to play music and spend more time with his beloved older sister.

He didn't want to push his beloved older sister down the stairs, he just didn't want to shame her by failing the recital.

He wanted to suffer in this inferno all alone, at least this in a roundabout way a fresh start but...

He saw herA filthy fake get it through your head or what seemed to be her, and then Hero shows up.

He shouldn't be here and yet here he is. The same could be said for him but it is understandable that he deserved this.

"I... I don't know exactly how to comfort you.

Giving these kind of things are a taboo in written form or in social norm in nearly all Districts in this City as alluded to or most likely mandated by the Head... and I and most likely everyone as well was raised in this sort of life but...

I really am sorry that I cant help in this sort of battlefield and know I all that I am doing is what I think is in your best interest."

His senior sat across from where he was. They were in the resting area of the Floor of General Works.

That stary eyed blue girl which seems to say and answer to the words BongBong was directing the ghosts in the same suit he wore to sort out the books that had accumulated in this floor of this Library.

"So umm... would working help keep your mind process this incident? It worked for me and many of the people I knew..."

"... who are we booking today?"

His senior jots down down in their reception book, an Invitation which he now sees taking a view Roland gave him, for the Brotherhood of Iron.

"Y-you guys should regularly refill your head with brain fluid. A-a dry brain dulls your thoughts."

"I-I knew I've been feeling so hazy these days."

"W-where are we going to rob this time?"

"I-I think we should go for a workshop. W-workshops are rich, and they have useful components, too."

"H-how about an Office? W-we could earn some infamy if we take down an office or two."

"I-I don't think we'll gain anything valuable from the Offices we can take on right now."

"A-a restaurant, then! I-I like delicious stuff."

"Y-you moron. D-did you already forget why we got our new bodies?!"

"B-because we wanted to focus on earning money without having to worry about food or sickness."

"T-that's right. W-we're enduring like crazy. T-these bodies just need brain fluid, fuel and some repairs from time to time.

W-we can make money without feeling hungry or thirsty."

"T-that's true. I-it costs a fortune to get ourselves whole-body replacements, b-but it's still uncomfortable.

I-I know I don't have to eat anymore but, I keep think about all the tasty things I had before, and it makes me want to taste them again."

"T-that's because we got cheap bodies from a cheap workshop. W-we just have to earn more. T-then we can replace our bodies with better ones."

"T-the most expensive ones can even adjust emotions and completely shut off desires, on top of having good performance...b-but those are almost as expensive as a Nest household."

"W-we can worry about that later. L-let's just focus on money-making now. I-it's all about money making in the end."

Here he was now, at the final stage stage of capitalism and the first stage of cyberpunk. This city has a lot less guns as far as he can see but P.K. Dick would most likely salivate all over this.

He really is still in the dumps about maybe it is his fault Hero got dragged into this mess he dropped into, but the way these rustbuckets talk elicits a giggle out of him even this grimdark situation.

He really deserves to be in hell if he keeps stiffing laughter at black humor like this, an irredeemable villain through and through.

"S-so don't bring up restaurants. Y-you're making me want to eat stuff too."

"M-mo! There's a piece of paper stuck in your body."

"I-I like how this body doesn't have sensory systems, but i-it's annoying to be unable to feel things like this."

"L-lets have a look at that piece of paper first. I-I don't think it was in your body until now."

"M-maybe we got too infamous and someone sent a calling card or something, o-or maybe a coupon for yummy food...?"

"Are all Syndicates composed of such half witted individuals? I was expecting someone more refined."

Magic librarian lady we just nearly just got bodied by a Grade-9 Office and you want us to fight higher ups? 

"It depends on the Syndicate. The City is crowded with them. You could even say there's one for every Fixer out there.

A number of thugs gather under up and do things under a name, and you get a Syndicate.

They're involved in all or sorts different businesses, so its hard to give a general description beyond that."

"They seem sloppy, are those machines?"

"They aren't machines or AI despite their appearance. Pure machines carrying their own desires have long since disappeared from the City. 

These guys are just using whole-body replacements, and low quality ones from a shoddy workshop at that..."

"I see..."

"Alright! Shall we prepare for the reception?"

"yes", Mari always kept going ahead even if there was troubles brewing, why shouldn't he?

"S-so we can find valuable stuff here, right?"

"W-we just have to chop up some monsters and take some books. T-this body has strength if nothing else."

"W-we came here for loot, but what if that piece of paper was all a lie? Maybe we were too naïve."

"There is no need to worry, dear guests. In this place we strictly play the rules written on the invitation."

"Y-yikes."

"Welcome dear guests. This is the Library and I am Angela the director and the librarian of my role's namesake.

In this library, you may obtain the books listed on the invitation. If you overcome the ordeal of course."

"M-must be a ploy by those rich folks. I-its all entertainment to them."

"I-I heard of that, t-they kidnap people from the Backstreets, trap them in a labyrinth no one can escape, and make them wander there fighting for eternity... 

Until they die, never to see light again..."

"W-we've already come this far, we have to do this. D-don't be so gloomy."

"May you find you book in this place, then."    

Scene 1

"T-this is a curious place, and quite big too..."

"M-monsters, I-I'll chop you all to pieces!"

"M-maybe I'd like the restaurant coupons more than books."

"Bong, bong bong" 

"lets not make this complicated"

He dashed forward with Focused Strikes, that never fails and it didn't, although the slashes weren't having much an effect as he surmised.

Roland had already known this and Thrusted through an mechanical arm with BongBong following after.

He was getting sloppy. He cannot allow that.  

Scene 2

He began Preparations for the attack that is to come, only to see his opponent doing the same.

Roland had staggered one of the rustbuckets but BongBong lost her clash, she bore it quite well.

Not bad or terrible especially when fighting against cyborgs. On the other hand they really were gimped out on by the workshop.

They should have considered about diminishing returns. It is truly debatable about how they are suppling themselves so far to reach here.

When you are always fighting against human being you could have brain fluid in short order, but gas and parts? 

Personally would not let that happen to me.

Scene 3

"M-maybe I should have spent more time enjoying my life..."

"I-It's been an honor to work with you. I hope you can rest now."

"... D-don't be so heartless, g-give me a moment."

He obliges, and begins Preparations again as his foe takes it in that there is no escape from his blade.

A D-dried Up slash comes at him, but he was prepared for it and easily parries it.

Roland and his junior had already began teaming up on the other one so he better end this quick.

Scene 4

SomethingBloodbath offers her strength, he takes Scars for the risky maneuver he is about to take, maybe might not need it as the state of his foe is pitiful.

One strike should send him staggering and its reception over.

Judging by the state of the other one it ends on Scene 5.

He begins to Charge and Cover.

Its hits.

Scene 5

"I-its cold, t-this feels lonely."

"I-I should have eaten a lot tasty stuff... I-if I knew I was going to die here..."

"im sorry i wasnt focusing right..."

A short moment of silence was held before he broke it.

"Bong, Bong"

"We all have our days Sunny-boy, but are feeling okay yet?"

"no..."

"Well, face your problem at your pace, I will help you along however I can."

"Bong Bong!"

"thank you guys... really."

"Ahh if only we had some drinks we could have celebrated BongBong's arrival to our Floor."

"Bong :("

"Shame really a true shame."

"See its not a good idea to keep your brain inside a hunk of scrap metal."

"Isn't it better than a frail human body though?"

"There are plenty of ways to enhance your body without replacing it for another. Heck, there are many options. Tattoos prosthetic limbs, medications and drugs you name it.

Its all possible as long as you have the cash. Replacing your body with a machine, on the other is a one way ticket you cant ever go back on.

Robotic bodies cannot resemble humans too closely, even if its for someone swapping out their flesh. Your life goes down the drain right away."

"When does one put their brain in a machine, then?"

"One, when you urgently need a huge amount of money. You can sell off your old body and organs for a good chunk of cash. Two, when you need to do repetitive work for a long time.

I heard mechanical bodies like that are bad for that kind of labor. Broken parts can be replaced, and desires can be kept under control, so it has its merits."

"Repetitive work for a long time... 

Well that set her off, but why?

"What, interested in getting a new body?"

"No I was reminded of my past for a moment."

So she was really a machine, she must have got her brain stuck in a machine once huh. Yet Roland said becoming a machine is a one way ticket and she is here in human form. Must be the magic then.

Speaking of the past he wondered... how is Hero doing?

Scene 1

"Nnh... I talked big but this might be a bad idea..."

"Going first should be advantageous to us, right?"

"I’ve got a good feeling that we can make it!"

He really has no time to worry about Sunny now. Two guys, Fixers I believe was said on the invitation, are now facing him and Malkuth. 

One of them make a stab at him but he dodges, and Miss Malkuth had just Dashed through the other like it was a Backstreet, leaving a trail of blood behind her.

All he knew is that both he and Malkuth poured over the manual left for them and then filled out a paper which they didn't realize at the time was an invitation, after which a curtain fell on them.

He was then fitted in a suit matching the all encompassing light brown that filled this floor to face these guys on the lanes with display books he was staring at when he first arrived.

Armed with nothing but a spatula fit for a griddle top. He had not even tried cooked for over two months now.

Scene 2

Although the spatula is sharp enough to cut its not a knife.

He promised he can help but he isn't sure can, its hard to do first aid on someone when there are two people preventing you from doing so.

Malkuth is looking okay for someone who got slashed and stabbed but he knows there is serious trouble coming along the way if it goes untreated.

The anger is threating to overcome him now and clouding his thoughts, what could even do in this situation cook?

As if to answer his question, on his spatula all of a sudden he finds his specialty chili, at 90,000 Scoville it is no mere flavor enhancer.

Thinking fast, pushing aside the absurdity of it all, he throws the deadly concoction at the thugs who came in here and stabbed his new friend.

Scene 3

"MY EYES"

It was a good thing he had not taken the Hippocratic Oath yet, even still it was justified.

He keeps the absurdity of the situation in mind and with his quick thinking he has thought of a way to help Malkuth.

Thinking back to the past, where the love of his life always healed his soul with-

"Eat this, if I am correct about my hypothesis-"

Malkuth quickly scarfed down the delicious cookie, which after consumption a stab wound through the kidneys and two slashes to the abdomen 4 and 6 inches each, disappeared as if nothing happened.

"No thanks can do you justice Hero, in all of my lives I have never tasted a cookie this good! I'm going to finish this fight now!"

In ecstatic glee and new found second wind she went through the paralyzed thugs tearing out their guts and staggering them with Focused Strikes.

Scene 4

"Hero how many of those cookies can you cook with that, can you cook other food too?!"

"Wait, wait, I think I need a griddle top for more than one at time I figure."

"So we can have some one at time while we take a break. Oh the books must be here."

The curtains rise and they are back again to the resting area, with the ghosts this floor already sorting out the sent books.

So ends the first reception of Henry Ramirez, the Assistant Librarian of the Floor of History. 

It so seems that the spatula can just magically conjure up food as long at it fits on it.

How he hasn't he given up already on basic logic already while in this place as it seems to be twisted somehow, but his quick thinking saved Malkuth.

He needs to help one person first, then he can help Sunny next, and then when he gets out of here with him then he can finally help his friends and everything will be okay.

To change the world you must start with yourself, the motivational poster on the way to study hall did have those words plastered on it. 

He must keep his cool, act quick and adapt to current situation first, putting on his oxygen mask before anyone else to say.

Besides he now realized that Sunny went through the same thing he went through.

He needs to catch up to his little brother.

"So should we help them sort?"

"No, General Works seems to have collected enough books to allow us to suppress an Abnormality."

"An... Abnormality?"

"We should rest up first, that ordeal will be a hard one and I am not sure I can go through with it without another taste of those cookies."

"... Bien entonces"

He thinks back to Mari and those perfect cookies of theirs and they appear, just like magic. So as they were, using some books as plates they had an impromptu snack and rest session.

All the while Hero this time, reads the manual carefully.  

Chapter Text

"So... if we can finish this ordeal we can get more help with this Floor?"

"The manuals did say so!"

A quick rundown of several receptions later, he together with Malkuth by the effects of this Library, tirelessly went over every reception available to them, catching up to speed with how receptions go and Hero's new fangled abilities.

They quickly learned that Hero has unique pages that allow him to, heal allies with cookies or blind them with chili, meaning Malkuth for now has to bear the front.

It also works when not in receptions giving them the only source of tasty food in this Library.

It is still limited to what can fit on his spatula and its just the two foodstuffs so only so much of the limited menu can be made at a time, finding a griddle top and a cookbook is now their top priority.

"The reception should be... Ah over there!"

A short while from their rest area, deep in the rows of glass displays there lay a partition they must have missed before.

It was a small partition of irregularly tall glass displays covered with still scorching and ashen flaked cloth which stood in the midst of the regular glass displays forming an facsimile of a tent.

How did they even not notice this part of the Floor before?

"*cough* *cough*, It sure is dusty here."

"... this isn't dust."

A brick floor clattered beneath their heavily armored feet, Sunny passed by earlier dropping off these books with Malkuth's cheery attitude really helping to lighten the mood about them.

He could not know how to thank her enough for this chance, she answered that immediately by telling him to pay her back when he finally found a griddle top.

Now equipped with the Libraries latest acquisition and a promised moment to share between the two of them they stepped into the Abnormalities lair.

They find themselves surrounded by displays caked black with soot, before them a opened display with a flame tinged book, its cover illustrating a girl walking through the Backstreets striking matches.

"I know this story, its the Little Match Girl isn't it?"

"We called her the Scorched Girl."

"That so? You haven't still explained me what exactly are these A bnormalities exactly are."

"They are the manifestations of the human subconsciousness. The inner fears and desires of mankind. We used them to extract the energy supply for the whole City."

"The City uses the human subconsciousness as a fuel source?"

"Another time. We have to suppress the Abnormality now. Be ready."

Fear and painful memories streaked the brown entirety of Malkuth, as she put on a serious face as she reached out for the book.

Scene 1

Just like that, they were in the self same pages of the opened book, a stage with a brick road with medieval European buildings for the backdrop.

Facing them are what seemed to be two matchsticks with matchstick arms and legs, and a soot covered girl with a matchstick running through her, one could definitely say was Scorched.

"Here they come!"

"A warm fireplace… A plentiful dinner… Fancy decorations… What will show up when I light the next match?"

Those matchsticks don't have any eyes. No damage yet done to them so might as well join in.

Malkuth c-Chopped hers Up and he just in the nick of time blocked the other one gunning for her.

The Girl simply prepared her Light.

Scene 2

"You’ll leave me when the light of the last match goes out, won’t you?"

"It’s grasping onto that charred matchstick, like that’s its only hope…"

He slipped up, and a flaming brand pierced right through him setting him aflame.

Malkuth held up well, managing to parry her foe.

The Girl continued to prepared her Light, something bad will happen if this continues.

He was going to suffer for this isn't he.

Scene 3

"Hero! Are you still holding up!"

"I think..."

He lied. The flames were immolating him like a pot roast, slow cooked with no way to extinguish this heat.

He made sure this time he would make that thing pay, Malkuth had the same idea.

Both moved to b-Blow those matchsticks Up.

"It turned to ash in the end… Poor thing."

"Good thing we finished her before she could finish what she was doing."

"Si, so that is what being burned feels like huh."

"The payback for all that chili has finally come for you paisen. Also quite a strange choice for a condiment for these cookies, got anything sweeter to go with them?"

"Ha... ha... ha... I wish."

Exhausted and thankfully not on fire any more, He exchanged niceties with the newly manifested Assistant Librarian, former Team Leader of Control Team whose name is Oliva.

Joining them was their Head Librarian over a book-platter of cookies with a dipping sauce of chili.

It is true that they have no need for any nourishment in this Library, but the lack of flavor in life tends to grate on the soul.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and an oath was then renewed to scour this whole Library for a cook book and a griddle top.  

"So? Have the books helped?"

The frame of the Head Librarian of General Works and his trusty Assistant leaned out from behind the stack of unsorted books to introduce themselves.

Its strangely endearing to see the two side by side like that, both of them pale like and shady slim. 

Older brother and younger sibling, father and son even thought Hero.

"Yep! I'm sorting them all out somehow. It seems to be working thankfully!"

"Phew, that's good to hear, by the way I think I remember Angela saying something along the lines of you "earning a fleshy body" the last time we met?

Were you like, not human before?"

Good man Roland asking the questions he was too distracted to ask, or years of expertise with social communication told him was too close for comfort for his superior? co-worker? manager?

He invited Sunny over with the cookie platter and he went past his senior to take a bite.

The sight of him being alive and well again to taste Mari's baking might bring to tears, he could tell Sunny was remembering the good old days too. 

He really owes Roland one for being there for him in this strange place.

"... It was a replacement body. A change that couldn't be ever reverted."

"So you had a brain transplant surgery, but somehow managed to back to your old body here?"

Same as Angela then, thought Sunny while also thinking about the books he sent them, he hopes it didn't cause the nice lady to remember some bad memories.

As he chewed on the cookie he thought he would never once more taste, to those two in the tree branches he gave upmost thanks.

Still his nerves couldn't stop being shaky and shifty about what happens next after this.

The visions of his friends giving him those stares when he finally found his words come to mind.

Unfortunately this time there is no place to jump off that would guarantee to crack his head without him being brought back.

"That's actually impressive. Thanks to the Library's powers, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah I think so"

 "You cant let yourself be held back by common sense in the Library, huh?

I take it you don't really like having your body back? You didn't seem too happy back then."

"Oh no, I actually like it! Its just... this isn't how I wanted things to go down."

"What did you do in the past then?"

"... yeah I wonder. What was I in the past, really? You wouldn't believe it... but this is my third try at life.

This Library and librarians have a lot of history(heh) behind them"

"Third try? Can you come back from the grave or something?"

"It's the accumulated memories from my two previous bodies that were carried over, to be precise.

My past selves... I never thought about it this way before"

"A difficult problem you're facing there. How about your present self?"

"... I'm a irresponsible person who let everyone's efforts, and an idiot who reached for something out of my means and ended up causing trouble, I suppose... "

Malkuth's cheery façade then lowered into a expression Hero knew all too well, like staring a warped mirror.

He can start to imagine how that even feels, living so long and meaning so well, but all your efforts made it even worse leaving in you in a complete state of perceived uselessness.

The thoughts of being there nothing you can do to help anyone fill your mind, barring you from any outside and inner help.

He now quickly moves to hold her hands to help ground her back to reality, that helped him before and now as an acquaintance and fellow co-worker he has to help her.

He was hugged to snap him out of it but well...it doesn't seem so appropriate now.

"Whoa whoa, hold your horses. Lets not get too dark here."

"breathing exercise"

"What Sunny said, just focus on how you breathe now."

"Let's just calm for a moment. Take a deep breath~"

"Huuf~"

"Fwooo~"

"fuooo~"

"And let it out~"

"Pah~"

"Waaahh~"

"huuugh~"

"In~"

"Huuuuuf~~"

"Fwooooo~~"

"fuuoooo~~"

"And out~"

"Pah~!"

"Waaahh~"

"huuugh~..."

"Now is everyone is relaxed now?"

Sunny gave a thumbs up.

"I think so."

"Yeah, it really helped! Thanks Hero, and you two as well."

"De nada"

"I should know better than anyone that it's pointless to get upset over things I cant do anything about... I gotta start with the things I can take care of first!"

"Alright. I'll try hard with my work too. Let's go and take our time with the problem of our past selves."

These words spoken meant as a parting, Roland walked off unto his own floor to keep sorting out the books and setting up the next reception.

Sunny remained rooted up to the floor, having finished the cookie.

Hero was sure the cookie supply in the resting area was enough to last the other two Librarians awkwardly repairing the mood after her near breakdown, which Malkuth can use to catch up with Olivia on everything.  

He also has a promised meeting to attend to.

"So... Sunny wanna see the spot where we got the Abnormality pages?"

"... okay"

Here he is to shoot his shot.

The ashen flecked cloth that enveloped the display cases drooped about to the left smoldering no more and the display case that contained the book empty as a pilfered tomb.

Amidst this scenery the boy he knows as his second younger brother and would have been his brother-in-law in a better world, was shaking like a cold wet puppy refusing to meet his gaze.

Now this time more than ever he thinks definitely now would be the appropriate time.

"wha.. w-what i-m sorry iim sorry i-im s-orry im ss-orry."

"Nothing to be sorry for."

Clasped about the thin boy was his arms, embracing him not too tight but just enough just as he remembered how that touch avoidant child wanted it.

He was glad to know he gingerly reciprocated it with tears streaking down from his cheeks onto his shoulder all confused, a good sign so far

Which means its time to continue on the treatment and convey the words he should have spoken right before this young man with his life ahead of him bolted straight up the hospital stairs.

"Mari was... a good person, we all knew it, however try as she might she was not perfect.

I know especially since she can be very pushy of perfection with me, so I can make an estimate on how she was with you her brother.

We loved each other, and when you love you tend to share parts of themselves unto your love.

I really took an interest in cooking back then and I still do have a love for it because Mari joined me doing it, and my skills in it got better because we competed in it.

Can you see the pattern here?"

He knows that Sunny didn't like long hugs so at this point he relinquished him from his embrace to hold him by the hands.

Feeling up his fingers and his palm he can tell that even after 4 years the scars and calluses from the violin strings still remain.

He really had no one to be sorry for.

"Everyone has a way to show love Sunny, and this was hers. It might not have been what it seemed to you but it was how she was.

I'm not using that way of hers to justify how she treated you, all I am saying is that she really loved you.

And despite everything even if you made some mistakes at the recital, she would never have hated you.

You were just 12, she knew that you were growing up so even though she didn't want to lose her baby brother she didn't want to stop him either.

Back when I was going through my grief right after the funeral... I... I really prayed that I could be there early and if that prayer cannot be answered I would have prayed that you two could have talked it out somewhere else.

Even if those two prayers go unanswered I should have prayed even harder to go back in time and teach any or both you and Basil on how to tell if someone is still alive."

He goes down on one knee to try and meet Sunny's eyes and wipe some tears away from his and his own eyes.

He also knows this is the time to let go of his hands and finish up what he has to say.

He cant stop from choking up on his words but he knows he has to get them out and give them both their long waited for peace of mind.

" So... so even though I can already tell, from.. from the get go on how.. how y-you told us that it really was an accident I could n-not stop hating you.

You took away the best experience I may ever have in world Sunny, so it was too with Kel, Aubrey and Basil.

S-so while, you went up the stairs it was taking me a long while and Kel once more to compose myself.

I-i was going to tell you these things t-that I am telling y-you now but by t-then... I again was too late.

I don't know how or why but at least one of my prayers have been answered, since I am here speaking to you."

The two childhood friends meet eye to eye, sorrowful faces sharing a gaze into each other.

One asleep for a long while, the other awake many a sleepless night.

Henry now resolves to make it right and end the nightmares and wake Sunny up to the tomorrow. 

"You never needed to ask for forgiveness Sunny, or continue punishing yourself.

You never meant to push Mari down those stairs, You and Basil weren't quite yourselves when you both hanged her.

And Mari would have never wanted any of the last four years to happen to you. 

We made a promise remember. It seems I am here now because I must keep it.

We will be here for each other no matter what.

So, even still if that part of my heart that still persists in saying you are the one responsible for ending my own happiness, and for the endless sleepless nights I will never blame you for it ever again.

And even if the slightest murmur of the lie mi corazon repeats was judged by God to be true, I would still say that I forgive you. "

To his surprise Henry gets embraced by a Sunny trying to hold back his tears and he finds himself holding back his own.

Thinking back on it he would be weirded out by Sunny embracing him for this long, but in the moment he savored it.

He keeps his promise, and he thinks Mari would rest a little easier knowing that him and her brother can have some of their peace of mind restored.

And through it all he is sure that one day from now on he would be seeing that smile of his that his namesake was known for again.

In this strange Library of Ruina.