[It's probably not proportional, but it probably is monotonic. If we got home now, less time would have passed than if we got home tomorrow.]

[How do we know?] says Jellybean.

[It's the simplest explanation for what Jane noticed about her clocks when she came back last time.]

[Why is it the simplest - you know what, never mind, I don't care,] says Celo.

[What did Scary Fighting Teacher even say?]

[I stayed after class and she asked me if I'd met anybody interesting lately. I said 'like who?' and she said 'like anybody'. It's the same thing she asked me and Bella when we ran into her at Milliways that one time.]

[...She knows about Milliways?]

[Is there any way to interpret that which doesn't make it sound like she wants to meet us?]

[Yeah, there's the interpretation where she's yanking my chain because she knows something I don't know she knows,] snorts Celo.

[Was Jellybean there when you talked to her? Did she notice him?]

[I am not even slightly interested in going down that road,] says Celo.

[How are you even alive, Aether, how did this world not drive you to take your own life when you were five,] despairs Amariah.

[I can still do things! Just not - big things!]

[I am giving this world three days to present us a door before I go talk to Callahan, if one of you better-than-me-at-socializing types wants to preempt me you're welcome to it.]

[No - no, please don't,] exclaims Aether, [that is such a bad idea, please, this is not just your life you're playing with.]

[Yeah, for fuck's sake, if one of you guys is gonna talk to Callahan don't send the extra cocky one,] says Celo. [Unless you think getting nailed in the face with an axe will tone her down a little.]

[I don't know what happened to Jane! This world might've killed Jane and I don't even know! I know we don't usually act like she's my kid but she kind of is, and she might be dead!]

[I know, I know, but - Celo's right, you are not the best Bell ambassador, not to anyone besides more Bells or Jokers. And putting yourself in possible physical danger is not the best way to keep Jane safe if she's not dead.]

[Yeah. Let's - not do anything nuts, okay, let's find our bearings, and if we're desperate after a few days me or Amariah can go talk to this person.]

[Thank you,] says Celo. [Fuck. And let me introduce you, okay? If she fucks you up she might let me heal you afterward.]

[Rose says her aura does healing, but the rest of us have never had cause to test that aspect.]

[Don't trust it. Local healing is pretty good, though. And if anything complicated goes wrong with you that Celo can't handle, Amariah and Aegis at least could borrow my student ID and get into the healing center.]

[Yeah. Anybody want cookies?] says Celo. [They just came out of the oven.]

[I could definitely use a cookie.]