Page 1 Transcriptions
. CHAPTER 5 The Number Garden “ And over there you can see the nests where the Spinnsters weave , ” Noir said . He pointed at what looked like a metal tower . From inside , Kira could hear a sound like tiny metal feet tapping in impatience . Kira looked at the tower . There were millions of spider webs inside . A black shadow moved along one . Its hundred eyes all flashed green . “ Ew ! " Kira said . She missed the soft , curving shapes of Space City . Seeker jumped into her arms . “ Spiders ! I cannae stand spiders ! ” “ The Spinnsters take getting used to , ” Noir said . “ Come over here to see the • 46
Page 2 Transcriptions
לל Mother Board . She's the largest computer in the Multiverse . " “ Is everything here useful ? ” asked Kira . " What ? " asked Noir . “ Everything you've shown me makes or does something , ” Kira answered . “ The best parts of a city don't do anything . They're just fun . . . or pretty . Isn't there anything here like that ? ” " No . . . well , yes , but ... Noir blushed . “ Great ! ” Kira said . “ Let's go see it . ” “ I don't know . You may just say “ Ew ! ' again , ” Noir said , walking toward a large junk pile . “ You're hard to please . ” “ Och , tell me about it , ” said Seeker . “ Or you have a very ugly city , ” Kira said . Noir led Kira to a high wall behind the junk pile . It had a small , child - sized door . Noir took a key from his pocket to open it . He bent down and stepped through . Kira followed . .47 .
Page 3 Transcriptions
1 9 3 4 1 8 WELCOME TO THE NUMBER GARDEN ! 105 53 5 8 2:19 7.9 7 6 HELD . 9 .
Page 4 Transcriptions
Kira gasped . Numbers fell like rain . They dropped to the sand where crystal roses grew . Metal flowers covered dark rock . And a small ocean of pebbles moved in perfect waves . “ Wow , this is amazing ! ” Kira said . “ I can't believe a place like this is in Iron City ! " “ Iron City is not as ugly as you think , ” Noir said . He looked down at the flowers . “ Tsk , ” he said , picking a bug from a petal . He showed it to Kira . Then he crushed it between his fingers . bzzzz 프트 SILICATE FLY ... THEY'RE MURDER ON THE ROSES . • 50
Page 5 Transcriptions
לל وو Noir sighed . “ They're back . I just sprayed ! ” “ This is YOUR garden ? ” asked Kira . “ Mmmaybe , ” Noir said . “ You grow roses ? ” asked Kira . “ What if I do ? " Noir said . There was anger in his voice . “ It's just ... ” Kira sat down on a rock . “ First , I find out that my idol is now evil . Then , I find out that he spends his time growing roses . " “ I never asked to be your idol . And I'm not evil . I'm just old enough to know that things aren't as simple as they seem . ” “ How can right and wrong be anything but simple ? ” asked Kira . “ In ten years , you'll see , ” answered Noir . “ Nothing is what it seems — me , you , this city ... nothing . ” Noir fell silent . They both sat for a while , listening to the numbers fall and the silicate flies buzz . • 51 .
Page 6 Transcriptions
Kira looked at Noir . “ You said you'd tell me about the Madrassa Incident . " " I changed my mind . Let's go back , " said Noir . “ Hey , that's not fair ! ” said Kira . " Life is full of letdowns , " said Noir , getting up . “ Och , ye cannae be talking out both sides o’yer mouth , lad , ” said Seeker . לל “ What do you mean ? ” asked Noir . “ Ye say it isn't simple . Then ye say that ye won't explain , ” said Seeker . Noir thought for a moment . “ You're right , ” he said finally . “ I'll tell you . ” • 52 .
Page 7 Transcriptions
THE MADRASSA INCIDENT . mi ma M IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO AND FAR AWAY ... IRON CITY WAS JUST ANOTHER PARALLEL WORLD UNDER SPACE CITY'S GUARD . IT WAS FIXED IN SPACE AND TIME . OD ODD00 CD Ooo 0 d MISERY WASN'T THE SAME THEN , EITHER . Maydoy , mayday ! The * crackle * Madrassa ... it's * crackle Azzzet WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM IRON CITY . Ccccceee m
Page 8 Transcriptions
Men nu har en helt WE SPED TO THEIR AID ... ... BUT BY THE TIME WE GOT THERE ... ... IRON CITY WAS GONE . THERE WAS NOTHING BUT AN UGLY SCAR IN ITS PLACE . WE LOOKED EVERYWHERE . 336 THAT WAS OUR MISTAKE . WE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED EVERYWHEN . THE MADRASSA WAS A TIME PARASITE .
Page 9 Transcriptions
THE NEXT DAYS WERE THE BLACKEST IN SPACE CITY'S HISTORY . FEAR WAS EVERYWHERE . MOOINO THE MADRASSA ATTACKED ONLY WEALTHY PARALLELS . ANOTHER PARALLEL WORLD THERE WERE THOSE WHO THOUGHT IT WAS UNFAIR THAT SOME WORLDS LIVED IN POVERTY . TO THEM , THIS FELT LIKE ... OOD ODO || JUSTICE . A FAIR WAY TO CREATE BALANCE . 0 WHATUSE ARE THE AGENTSE OTHERS LAY AWAKE , WONDERING WHEN THE MADRASSA WOULD COME TO SPACE CITY .
Page 10 Transcriptions
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG . o o 10 TIDS20 al 4oooo Ноооо THE LORDS GAVE US THEIR MOST POWERFUL ARTIFACT . JUUUU . IT WAS A BLACK HOLE CONTAINED INSIDE A RARE EGO . ILPIEDOD 1. a WE SET OFF . BUT WE KNEW IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE . B24 AT LAST , THE MADRASSA CAME INTO SIGHT .
Page 11 Transcriptions
O AND THEN IT SPOKE MY NAME . ERI lik DO Forum יום מן DO w DA
Page 12 Transcriptions
TO I'D LIKE TO SAY WHAT I DID NEXT WAS BRAVE AND IT WAS PLANNED . BUT IT WAS JUST A REACTION . of THE MADRASSA SWALLOWED US . IT FED ON THE TIME WE HAD LEFT AND THE TIME WE HAD WASTED . THE ARTIFACT WAS RIPPED OUT OF MY HANOS . I MADE ONE LAST GRAB FOR IT .
Page 13 Transcriptions
opo N
Page 14 Transcriptions
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I FLOATED THERE . IT FELT LIKE YEARS . IT COULD HAVE BEEN SECONOS . FINALLY , I WAS RESCUED ... RRRRRRR ... BUT NOT BY THE AGENTS OF THE CITY I HAD SAVED . ar NO , SPACE CITY WANTED TO FORGET ALL ABOUT THE MADRASSA . RRRRRRR THE QUEEN OF THE CITY THAT I COULDN'T SAVE WAS THE ONE TO RESCUE ME .
Page 15 Transcriptions
לל “ Sometimes , people make it through bad things together . Then they don't talk about those times , ” said Noir . He picked some of the garden's crystal flowers . “ But they still share something . Misery saved her city . I saved mine . We share the knowledge of what that cost us . " “ That's awful ! ” cried Kira . " I can't believe the Agents acted that way ! ” " Och , I can , ” said Seeker . Kira and Noir turned to look at the little badger . “ Ye dinnae get left behind because we wanted to forget the Madrassa , ” said Seeker . “ The Madrassa made us forget . It ate that period of time and our memory of it . Even the Supreme Agent disnae recall what happened . She knows it was very bad , but that's all . We thought ye were dead . ” “ But ... ” Noir said . • 61 .
Page 16 Transcriptions
“ Nae buts , " Seeker said . “ Ye have been mad at us all these years . But we dinnae mean to hurt ye . If ye had come back , we could have cleared it up . ” Noir stood up . “ Yes , well , that is little comfort now . Time to go back to the tower ... and our front - row seats . The Agents are about to fail Iron City again . ” canzo The three made their way back to the Tower . But along the way ... “ You two go ahead , " said Noir . " I have to make a phone call . ” .62
Page 1 Transcriptions
. CHAPTER 5 The Number Garden “ And over there you can see the nests where the Spinnsters weave , ” Noir said . He pointed at what looked like a metal tower . From inside , Kira could hear a sound like tiny metal feet tapping in impatience . Kira looked at the tower . There were millions of spider webs inside . A black shadow moved along one . Its hundred eyes all flashed green . “ Ew ! " Kira said . She missed the soft , curving shapes of Space City . Seeker jumped into her arms . “ Spiders ! I cannae stand spiders ! ” “ The Spinnsters take getting used to , ” Noir said . “ Come over here to see the • 46
Page 2 Transcriptions
לל Mother Board . She's the largest computer in the Multiverse . " “ Is everything here useful ? ” asked Kira . " What ? " asked Noir . “ Everything you've shown me makes or does something , ” Kira answered . “ The best parts of a city don't do anything . They're just fun . . . or pretty . Isn't there anything here like that ? ” " No . . . well , yes , but ... Noir blushed . “ Great ! ” Kira said . “ Let's go see it . ” “ I don't know . You may just say “ Ew ! ' again , ” Noir said , walking toward a large junk pile . “ You're hard to please . ” “ Och , tell me about it , ” said Seeker . “ Or you have a very ugly city , ” Kira said . Noir led Kira to a high wall behind the junk pile . It had a small , child - sized door . Noir took a key from his pocket to open it . He bent down and stepped through . Kira followed . .47 .
Page 3 Transcriptions
1 9 3 4 1 8 WELCOME TO THE NUMBER GARDEN ! 105 53 5 8 2:19 7.9 7 6 HELD . 9 .
Page 4 Transcriptions
Kira gasped . Numbers fell like rain . They dropped to the sand where crystal roses grew . Metal flowers covered dark rock . And a small ocean of pebbles moved in perfect waves . “ Wow , this is amazing ! ” Kira said . “ I can't believe a place like this is in Iron City ! " “ Iron City is not as ugly as you think , ” Noir said . He looked down at the flowers . “ Tsk , ” he said , picking a bug from a petal . He showed it to Kira . Then he crushed it between his fingers . bzzzz 프트 SILICATE FLY ... THEY'RE MURDER ON THE ROSES . • 50
Page 5 Transcriptions
לל وو Noir sighed . “ They're back . I just sprayed ! ” “ This is YOUR garden ? ” asked Kira . “ Mmmaybe , ” Noir said . “ You grow roses ? ” asked Kira . “ What if I do ? " Noir said . There was anger in his voice . “ It's just ... ” Kira sat down on a rock . “ First , I find out that my idol is now evil . Then , I find out that he spends his time growing roses . " “ I never asked to be your idol . And I'm not evil . I'm just old enough to know that things aren't as simple as they seem . ” “ How can right and wrong be anything but simple ? ” asked Kira . “ In ten years , you'll see , ” answered Noir . “ Nothing is what it seems — me , you , this city ... nothing . ” Noir fell silent . They both sat for a while , listening to the numbers fall and the silicate flies buzz . • 51 .
Page 6 Transcriptions
Kira looked at Noir . “ You said you'd tell me about the Madrassa Incident . " " I changed my mind . Let's go back , " said Noir . “ Hey , that's not fair ! ” said Kira . " Life is full of letdowns , " said Noir , getting up . “ Och , ye cannae be talking out both sides o’yer mouth , lad , ” said Seeker . לל “ What do you mean ? ” asked Noir . “ Ye say it isn't simple . Then ye say that ye won't explain , ” said Seeker . Noir thought for a moment . “ You're right , ” he said finally . “ I'll tell you . ” • 52 .
Page 7 Transcriptions
THE MADRASSA INCIDENT . mi ma M IT WAS A LONG TIME AGO AND FAR AWAY ... IRON CITY WAS JUST ANOTHER PARALLEL WORLD UNDER SPACE CITY'S GUARD . IT WAS FIXED IN SPACE AND TIME . OD ODD00 CD Ooo 0 d MISERY WASN'T THE SAME THEN , EITHER . Maydoy , mayday ! The * crackle * Madrassa ... it's * crackle Azzzet WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM IRON CITY . Ccccceee m
Page 8 Transcriptions
Men nu har en helt WE SPED TO THEIR AID ... ... BUT BY THE TIME WE GOT THERE ... ... IRON CITY WAS GONE . THERE WAS NOTHING BUT AN UGLY SCAR IN ITS PLACE . WE LOOKED EVERYWHERE . 336 THAT WAS OUR MISTAKE . WE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED EVERYWHEN . THE MADRASSA WAS A TIME PARASITE .
Page 9 Transcriptions
THE NEXT DAYS WERE THE BLACKEST IN SPACE CITY'S HISTORY . FEAR WAS EVERYWHERE . MOOINO THE MADRASSA ATTACKED ONLY WEALTHY PARALLELS . ANOTHER PARALLEL WORLD THERE WERE THOSE WHO THOUGHT IT WAS UNFAIR THAT SOME WORLDS LIVED IN POVERTY . TO THEM , THIS FELT LIKE ... OOD ODO || JUSTICE . A FAIR WAY TO CREATE BALANCE . 0 WHATUSE ARE THE AGENTSE OTHERS LAY AWAKE , WONDERING WHEN THE MADRASSA WOULD COME TO SPACE CITY .
Page 10 Transcriptions
WE DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT LONG . o o 10 TIDS20 al 4oooo Ноооо THE LORDS GAVE US THEIR MOST POWERFUL ARTIFACT . JUUUU . IT WAS A BLACK HOLE CONTAINED INSIDE A RARE EGO . ILPIEDOD 1. a WE SET OFF . BUT WE KNEW IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE . B24 AT LAST , THE MADRASSA CAME INTO SIGHT .
Page 11 Transcriptions
O AND THEN IT SPOKE MY NAME . ERI lik DO Forum יום מן DO w DA
Page 12 Transcriptions
TO I'D LIKE TO SAY WHAT I DID NEXT WAS BRAVE AND IT WAS PLANNED . BUT IT WAS JUST A REACTION . of THE MADRASSA SWALLOWED US . IT FED ON THE TIME WE HAD LEFT AND THE TIME WE HAD WASTED . THE ARTIFACT WAS RIPPED OUT OF MY HANOS . I MADE ONE LAST GRAB FOR IT .
Page 13 Transcriptions
opo N
Page 14 Transcriptions
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I FLOATED THERE . IT FELT LIKE YEARS . IT COULD HAVE BEEN SECONOS . FINALLY , I WAS RESCUED ... RRRRRRR ... BUT NOT BY THE AGENTS OF THE CITY I HAD SAVED . ar NO , SPACE CITY WANTED TO FORGET ALL ABOUT THE MADRASSA . RRRRRRR THE QUEEN OF THE CITY THAT I COULDN'T SAVE WAS THE ONE TO RESCUE ME .
Page 15 Transcriptions
לל “ Sometimes , people make it through bad things together . Then they don't talk about those times , ” said Noir . He picked some of the garden's crystal flowers . “ But they still share something . Misery saved her city . I saved mine . We share the knowledge of what that cost us . " “ That's awful ! ” cried Kira . " I can't believe the Agents acted that way ! ” " Och , I can , ” said Seeker . Kira and Noir turned to look at the little badger . “ Ye dinnae get left behind because we wanted to forget the Madrassa , ” said Seeker . “ The Madrassa made us forget . It ate that period of time and our memory of it . Even the Supreme Agent disnae recall what happened . She knows it was very bad , but that's all . We thought ye were dead . ” “ But ... ” Noir said . • 61 .
Page 16 Transcriptions
“ Nae buts , " Seeker said . “ Ye have been mad at us all these years . But we dinnae mean to hurt ye . If ye had come back , we could have cleared it up . ” Noir stood up . “ Yes , well , that is little comfort now . Time to go back to the tower ... and our front - row seats . The Agents are about to fail Iron City again . ” canzo The three made their way back to the Tower . But along the way ... “ You two go ahead , " said Noir . " I have to make a phone call . ” .62