"You're impatient. Maybe it just seems longer."

"Yeah, it took us a couple hours then, and it's taken us all day this time. We're not even to the Mori yet, and we already had to stop for night."

"At least we're not in London."

"Good point." Silence. Susanne rummaged in her HammerSpace for the pack of hot dogs and took another one out. She stuck it on the straightened hanger and held it out over the fire. Roger finished his hot dog and started three more cooking. "Roger?"

"Hm?"

"Earlier... when we were just leaving London... you felt that too, didn't you?"

Roger chewed thoughtfully for a moment and swallowed. "Yes. Meredith's aura flared."

"But it was so fast..."

"I have no idea what happened."

"I'm just curious. She's fine now, of course."

Roger nodded. "Of course. We'd all know if she wasn't." 'Like Celly,' was left unsaid, but he knew that she had probably picked up that thought.

They were silent for a few minutes. Susanne finished her hot dog and decided against eating any more. She'd eaten three dogs, and she was stuffed. She laid down on the blanket that she had spread out and stared into the fire. Lost in her thoughts, she didn't really notice as Roger finished his food and laid down next to her.

Like she's in a trance, Roger thought. She's just staring into the fire like that. He couldn't tell what she found so fascinating. So, while she stared at the fire, he stared at her.

She wasn't seeing the fire. Not really. She was just staring off into space, not thinking much of anything. She could see Roger out of the corner of her eye, and she was deliberately trying not to let her mind wander to him. Finally, frustrated, she closed her eyes and let sleep come.

"Susanne?"

Her eyes shot open. The fire had almost gone out. Roger was asleep beside her. He didn't even stir. That voice...

"Good, you're awake."

Susanne looked over to see a figure sitting just at the edge of the light. It was the girl who had appeared in her dreams before...

"I'm glad you recognize me," she said. "Look, I'll be brief. My mom's on the rampage, so I don't have much time."

"Here to impart more chunks of wisdom?"

"If at all possible. Look, there's something that has to be made clear. I realize that this is uncomfortable for you, but Celly is telling the truth. You are fictional."

Susanne nodded. "If you say so. I feel real enough to me. I've decided not to worry about it."

"Okay, I needed to make sure that you knew. You see, I'm the management, but not the Moderator."

The Moderator? Wasn't that...

The girl waved her hand to stop the thought. "The point is, that I'm not always 100% informed. It was told to me that only by admitting that you and your world are fictional will you be able to access greater powers."

"Greater powers? How do you mean?"

"I'm not sure yet. There *was* a Handbook for the Otakus, but it seems to have disappeared. You'll have to ask Remy about that."

"Remy?"

"Shit," the girl said, looking over her shoulder. "There's the mummy... Susanne, good luck!" And with that, she vanished.