"So where are we going?" Asked Lilly.
"We think there might be another monster around an old library," said Artemis. "It closed down ages ago, but there's still lots of books there." The moon-child's cratered skin glowed ominously. It was offset by the pleasant smile she had though.
Jenny felt a little sad hearing the library was abandoned, but she didn't know why. Computers always made things easier to look up information but... there was something very familiar about an old book. Something from the past? Maybe... her real parents used to read to her? She felt guilty at that thought- Muriel was her real mother in every way except.. biologically. Still whenever she had a memory or feeling, a part of her did wonder about it... but then another part would tell her, it didn't matter. And it was true, it did not matter. She was happy... happy being a magic girl, happy with her new mother... just very happy.
"Is this also about what happened yesterday?" Lilly asked. They had not gone into much detail on it.
Jenny and Artemis paused.
"There was some kind of a... thing. Time stopped." Explained Artemis. Something as that really disturbed her, given she was Selena's daughter. Time was associated with the moon, and experiencing a time stop was like being cut off- yet still aware of it. She was glad it was brief, and Selena was there to comfort her- but it was still scary. "Ev'n I was froz'n... the numbers were immune to it- an' any'ne they touched too. We dun'no what caused it. We went to look at what we thought was the center, but... when we got there, everythi'g had started up again."
Jenny nodded. "We kept lookin' but couldn't find anythi'g more. Just a... an echo of a portal... an' not much else."
Lilly gave that some thought. It all sounded a little familiar. Something she should know?
They arrived at the abandoned library. There was a cracked window, though it didn't look to have shattered. It bulged a little outward making the girls feel a little nervous. Something from the inside must have pressed on it very hard... and it was something magical, Jenny was sure. It was like a sixth sense telling her.
"Uh... LIlly, you wait outside here okay?" Asked Jenny nervously.
"W-what?! Why!" Lilly said indignant.
"Well- we dunno what's in there," said Artemis. "We could use your help keepin' an eye outside. To make sure nobody else follows us in. Please?"
Lilly's tails bristled a bit but in the end capitulated. "Well... okay. But- if you need me you'll shout yeah?" The squirrel-girl seemed a bit agitated about this but... she guessed there was a point to it.
The two girls went inside the library, leaving Lilly to watch outside.
Jenny and Artemis entered some kind of anti-chamber to the library. It was all covered in dust, and written on a poster were the rules. The first rule was of course, to be silent in the library. They quietly and carefully walked to the old check out system. Again Jenny felt a pang of sadness at these old unread books. Technology marched on, making these places easily forgotten.
Jenny tried to say something- but no words came out.
What the?
Artemis also tried to say something, but could not hear her own words. The moon child tried tapping a shelf, and found that it was all muted. Fortunately they realised their ears were not deaf, as they could still hear the sounds 'outside' the library.
It was at that point they heard a clock ping (apparently not all sounds were muted) indicating some kind of schedule. There was a click, and the doors automatically shut itself. They tried to go back to the anti-chamber, and pulled on the door but to no avail.
They were trapped...
... and worse, Jenny realised, if she could not speak, she may not be able to transform
Outside the library, Lilly continued to wait patiently, getting a little bored. She brought out her blue stick on a string again to see if it would indicate any direction. Curiously, all it did now was spin in a big circle.
meow
The squirrel girl blinked as suddenly, Sakura jumped trying to play with the blue stick as she had before. The little cat had somehow followed her? But that was impossible!
"W-what are you doin' here Sakura? You should be closer to home!"
meow?
Well the cat was here now, and seemed eager to stay. The squirrel girl picked the young kitten up, holding it close to her fur. It felt a little strange to her, to be this close to a real animal... but kind of nice.
She glanced at the library, still worried of her friends.
