Lost In the Library [Shinya]

"Yeah.. we'll see if the arrow stays or changes direction." Shinya replies as he leads the two back the way they came. Shinya was actually very intelligent.. but he hasn't used it in a long while so it kinda went to waste on him for a bit. But now that he's in a situation that requires him to use his brain; the rusty gears are starting to turn faster and faster. Let's just hope they don't break.

Looking around, Shinya looked for the mark of the arrow somewhere nearby. Hoping against hope, he was wishing that he was right in this instance.

"Good plan..." Mia followed much like a little duckling, staring up at the man in a bit of awe. Arrancar... Man...he was definitely really cool! She blushed and smiled, her hand squeezing his for a moment. It'd been years since she'd seen anyone and talked with them that...wasn't the Captain or her mother. Even then the Captain forgot her existence...

As they walked, a clue made itself known. The arrow was pointing the same way it had been when they made it. <----. It seems...it looped around on itself in a never ending loop.

Or...did it? They would keep passing the intersection... Mia blinked at the arrow, an idea coming to her. "Say... if it... points the same way... what if we went down the other hallways? And..marked them too..."

Shinya furrowed his brow at this new discovery, wondering what sort of madman made this place? He'd best not tell the others back at Los Noches or else they'd start constructing all sorts of weird traps. That is, if they haven't already. He was never sure about such things.

But it was a clue, a significant one. And just as he was about to figure things out... Mia squeezed his hand. This caused all thoughts to fly merrily out of his ear and down the hallway never to be seen again. Blushing, he squeezed lightly back as she spoke of an idea. It was a perfect idea! "That's perfect! Let's give it a try!" Shinya says as he leads her to another hallway. They were onto something, he just knew it!

Shinya's enthusiasm was a reward in and of itself! Mia followed until they had traveled a ways down the hallway, just the same as the other but lacking the marking of the arrow. Tugging on his hand, she held up her shikai'd blade with the other and motioned towards the wall. "I-I'll mark here..."

Dragging the blade like usual along the wall, she left her mark as she pointed in the direction they were headed before allowing Shinya to lead her on again. Walking straight ahead without taking the intersection led to an interesting development now though... As they came upon the arrow... the wall on the other side of the hallway now carried an arrow. It was the first one she had made and it was pointing in the opposite direction! Mia hmmed to herself, marking the arrow that was the second one with a two now. "This is weird... B-But we are making progress!"

"What does it mean, though?" Shinya said aloud as he hmmed and led Mia down another cooridor to mark it. "This must be some sort of weird repeating puzzle where you gotta go in the right order to get out."

This reminded him of a puzzle! Wait.. where did he hear that from? Was it that professor something or other? Naaah.. couldn't be! BUT ANYWAY, it did remind him of a puzzle from that one adventure game that Esmerelda gave him where in order to get through the forest he had to go in specific directions. Maybe that was the case here?

"M-Maybe...we should... go down all the..directions and see... We took a right at the intersection...m-maybe left this time?" Mia nodded at his suggestion, it was possible! She had no idea what it meant or what to do, but maybe if they kept marking things they could find the way out!

This time she was leading, so Mia gently pulled Shinya along behind her with a determined walk. At the intersection, Mia took a left and headed down the hall a ways before beginning to mark the wall once more.

Shinya nodded to Mia as she took the lead, heading down the hallway she desired and marking the wall. He was keeping track of all the ways they went so far and how the walls responded. Some twisted the direction back the way they came while others didn't go anywhere. The ones that changed directions seemed to be the right way to go by his guess.

They still had some testing to do to be sure, but it felt as if they were finally making some headway into this weird crossroads in the library.

As they continued down these confusing and confuzzling halls, Mia made sure to keep marking things. She never stopped, knowing their only chance could be these marks.

Poor Shinya, he was stuck with her... along for this weird ride. She looked up at him and gave him a brave smile, knowing it was nicer to have had someone along...especially since it'd been a few decades since she talked with someone new. Stopping before her next mark, she squeezed his hand. "Thank you...Sh-Shinya...I-Its nice to have...company..."

Shinya wasn't too upset, considering the fact that he was stuck here with Mia of all people. It could've been much much worse when he thinks about it. As she squeezed his hand and thanked him for being there, Shinya couldn't help but blush and smile bashfully at her. "It's no problem.. I'd rather be here with you than with anyone else!" He replies happily. "We'll figure this out for sure! Let's just trust in our ability to figure this thing out!"

But the current problem is trying to figure out what exactly are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to follow a set pattern or are they supposed to do something else..? Shinya began to look around as they marked things to see if there's anything to press or touch.

Mia turned a red that could only be described as burning with the fire of a thousand red giants at Shinya's words. It took a lot of will but she spoke rather determinedly. "We...We can do it!"

There was nothing to press or touch, but it quickly became obvious that they were once again headed for that weird main hallway. The marks she had been making...covered the walls. All pointing in one direction until...they reached almost an invisible line and began pointing in the exact opposite way.

The points converged in a small blank spot of the wall that SEEMED innocuous. Mia pointed with her free hand, unable to fight her excitement. "...Look! What do you think this means?"

Shinya began to notice the same thing, noting that all the points headed to a certain point then reversed. But there was a fine point of where it began and ended... almost like it was something they were overlooking this entire time!

When Mia pointed out the blank spot on the wall, Shinya hmm'd and peered at it. "Try touching it. If that doesn't work, try cutting it!" Shinya spoke up, stroking his chin. "It has to have something to do with this puzzle we're stuck in!"

Mia nodded and moved the hand holding his to the wall, letting go only with great reluctance. She placed her hand against the spot on the wall and noticed it shifted slightly... Her violet eyes widened with shock and a bit of relief as she glanced back at the red eyed man.

"It moved! Help me push please Shinya!" Maybe this was their way out! Yess!

"Alright!" Shinya replied as he pressed both his hands to either side of hers against the section of the wall. "On three! One.. Two.. Three!"

Once Shinya hit three, he pushed against the wall with all the might he could muster in his current form!

Mia and Shinya's combined strength pushed in the wall! It fell with a crash down to dust covered floors, the width only an inch or so thick but apparently one solid piece!

Hmming to herself, Mia stepped inside once the dust settled down and stepped up on the wall...before tugging Shinya along. "I-Its our only option. W-We have to go on..."

It was dark down the hallway the lead forward, though there seemed to be an odd sort of light once you stepped inside in glowing sigils along the wall.

Shinya nodded as he looked on ahead, wondering where this all would lead to. "Yeah, I'll be right by your side, Mia." Shinya spoke as he walked on in with her. The glowing sigils made him wonder what was beyond this hallway.. hopefully nothing dangerous for Mia!

"Where do you think this leads, Mia?" Shinya asked as they grew closer and closer to the light. "I hope it's nothing dangerous!"

Shinya wouldn't leave her! This was so nice... Someone to talk to and explore with!? How rare and just...exciting... Rare enough she had never had this happen to her before.

Mia was excited and happy now that they had gotten out of that hallway. "I-I don't know... I h-hope back into the main areas of the L-Library..."

The light grew and grew and as they excited the sigil lined hallway, a happy cry escaped Mia. This had been where she had been trying to reach! "Th-This is the alcove! I-It's safe!"

The room was huge and filled with old books and scrolls all oddly preserved behind what appeared to be glass cases. As Mia pulled Shinya out of the hallway, the wall...reformed behind them and sealed itself back up though Mia hadn't noticed yet. Where they had walked from was an archway that seemed just decorative on the wall and not...an actual hallway...

Shinya, however, did notice the weirdness behind him as he was inspecting the glyphs when it happened. "Mia! Look!" He exclaimed, pointing at the wall that formed behind the girl while she wasn't looking. He was happy they were in a safe place now.. but that didn't explain the disappearing pathway either!

Mia turned around at Shinya's words, startled to notice the...pathway gone... She blinked and shook her head. "I think...we were kicked out..."

It seemed like it, it had taken her exactly where she had wanted and now... she as never to return. Good riddance on it! It wasn't like she ever wanted to go back to that crummy hallway. Mia stuck her tongue out at it and then turned to Shinya with a soft smile. "Thank you...you..helped a lot..."

Blushing, Shinya rubbed the back of his head. "Aww.. it was nothing really.. your bravery really was the shining point when I think about it!" He says with a smile as he looks around. "So this was where you were trying to get to?"

He looked around at all the books and nodded; definitely seemed like Mia's forte here. Even though he found out she was actually a shinigami, it didn't bother him now after spending some time with her in her natural element. Mia was Mia and that's all there was to it.. though he did wonder how long he'd be here with her. Maybe until she leaves this sentient library?

Mia turned a beat red and shook her head, not wanting to get all flustered again but failing. "Th-Thank you... y-you were really brave too!"

"Y-Yeah...its got a book I really like..." She smiled softly and looked around, waving her arm out. "I-I can show you around a bit if you'd like?"

She felt find showing him her secret alcove of books! But as she spoke that, a large black and purplish rift appeared in the air nearby. Shinya would feel a strong pulling towards it, urging him on while Mia stumbled back a bit scared. "Wh-What is that!?"

Had they angered the library!?

"Oh.. umm.. thanks!" Shinya spoke, blushing and glancing away in embarrassment. When she offered to show him around, the white haired arrancar smiled and nodded. "Sure!"

But even as she spoke this, a large black rift appeared and Shinya felt a pulling towards it. "I.. I think.. it's time for me to go.." Shinya says softly, frowning a bit. He instinctively gave Mia a hug, then floated on into it for parts unknown. "We'll always be friends!" He called behind him as the rift closed.

Mia smiled softly and was pleased at the response. Shinya wanted to see the alcove! However that rift...ruined all plans. It seemed Shinya would have to leave... and she nodded despite her fear, returning the hug as best she could before he floated off.

His final words turned the soft smile into a much brighter one as she laughed and waved... The rift having faded, the memories of her time spent with Shinya turned into a sort of happy dream...