I feel like that has to have been done at some point, but I don't know enough about typewriters to say. They're an older thing for my world, more niche than anything.

[Still, they're mechanically interesting, he thinks.]

Maybe you'd just attach the stamping parts to some kind of plate that moves the way the paper normally does? But then the keys would have to move too, unless you had some other way to connect them to the stamps. [HMM.]

I'm guessing you met them through their trip to England, right? [Just from the name...]

I'm sure there's a way to move the page while it's still attached, or even the whole journal. Maybe it would just need a larger opening, actually?

[But ah, it's coming back to him now. It's been some time since that date with Susato... he wishes his memory wasn't so shoddy these days.]

That's right, she said Baker Street. Isn't it?

[He's sure she said more about her roommates there... but what was it...]

I'd think it would have to major no matter what method you chose.

[............. wait.

Hm, um... maybe it's better to not mention that the residents of 221B Baker Street are fiction where he's from? Yeah... he'll stick with that thought for now...]

Now that you say that, it does sound kind of familiar. [If he's vague enough, maybe she'll provide enough information for him to play along?]

[Aha... that is... very interesting. Herlock Sholmes... isn't that the character in the Lupin books?]

What do you mean by that, "made sure?"

[He just... wants to be clear here, what role she's... playing? Has? He doesn't remember enough about being ten to guess at whether she might be pretending or not.]

That's pretty impressive.

[If true. ... he doesn't necessarily think she's lying, just...? It's weird to think of an alternate universe where one of the differences is that a renowned Scottish author is a small girl instead. Or maybe it's one where it's her instead of the military doctor??]

So [he very nearly writes Holmes.] Sholmes lives with you? Does that make him your dad or guardian or something?

[It was going well, the conversation, but he had to bring up this topic, didn't he? The envy from earlier just comes back in full force, just a slightly different flavor. He means the words he writes, but they hurt all the same.]

It sounds like you're lucky to have each other. I'm sorry he's not here with you.

I bet it would be. And there a lot of other nice people here, too.

[... he tries not to think very hard about if, somehow, he met his own parents here.]

It's good to meet you, though, Iris. I hope you can figure out the typewriter thing if you decide you don't want to write by hand.