"That is," Shinobu amended, "Given you've been to school."

Liya flushed. "I-I've been to school," she said defensively. "They taught us that stuff in third grade."

Vlad jabbed Shinobu with his elbow pointedly. "That's pretty young, you know."

Shinobu ignored him. "And how do you explain the multiverse's structure to children?" she asked skeptically.

"Wull, they had us lather up some soap, and hold the bubbles in our hands," Liya explained. "They said each bubble was a differnt universe. And the bubbles that're stuck together are alike, but not the same. They're a little differnt each time."

"Like Earth and your world, then," Yoshi remarked. Liya could only shrug.

"I donno, I've never been to Earth."

"I've lived on Earth and in the Archipelago," Vlad said lightly. Shinobu appeared to be deeply considering Liya's example. "In some places they're completely identical."

"Well..." Shinobu mused, seeming thoughtful, "It's not a perfect metaphor, is it?"

"Why not?" Liya asked, but at that moment a worker wearing a pale purple and white uniform emerged from the cab of the bus, saying something loudly in Aetherian, apparently trying to get everyone's attention.