Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Verg Avesta]

John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Common Room
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“I don´t recognize where the name ‘Coastrise’ comes from; it doesn´t sound East Asian like your first names. It is very unusual.”

Zhou giggled at the question and shook her head.

"Oh, it's not East Asian~" she replied, eyes fascinated by the turned off TV rather than John. "It's our Papa's last name~ He's American, you know~ So that would make half of our genetical make-up that of the people of United States of America~"

It... did explain something. However the way Zhou put it just made the explanation sound slightly off, slightly weird. She did, in an afterthought, add that she didn't mind John using her first name though. The more one talked with this bespectacled girl, the easier it was to see that her brains didn't exactly seem to work on the same wave-length as those of the people around her. Whereas Yeong-Hui was muted and wary, whereas Minato was standoffish and brusque, Zhou herself was... well, not-quite-there. In other words, a stereotypical airhead.

However, as if to continue the conversation, Minato was the next one to speak.

"... Yeah. We got the name from our Papa," he explained. "Our first names we got from where we were born. Papa liked the theme, I guess. He's weird like that."

At the mention of this all three siblings, even the happy-go-lucky Zhou, suddenly slumped their shoulders and a well-coordinated sigh escaped from their lips. It was like watching three people who were reliving some quite awkward trauma that wasn't enough to actually make things sad or uncomfortable, but was still a sore spot to talk about... because it was somewhat embarrassing.

"My Mama was Chinese~" Zhou explained, being the first one to talk.

"My Mama was Japanese," Minato added, being the second one to talk.

"... My Mama was Korean..." Yeong-Hui concluded, being the third one to talk.

They all shook their heads. This was something they had clearly gone through many, many times, and it never got any easier.

"Ahaha~" Zhou chuckled, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "Papa a certain interest, I guess~"

"Fetish you mean," Minato commented, rolling his eyes angrily. "The guy was into East Asian women."

"... Womanizer..." Yeong-Hui said with a nod. "... Men are all wolves..."

----------- So there it was.

The answer to the mystery of the strange names that each of the siblings had. It wasn't that they were named with some sort of odd intent, or that their last name was actually a foreign word that simply sounded natural to an English-speaking person. It wasn't even that they had chosen their own names, whether it be the first name or the last name.

The answer was very simple, but that made it even more awkward.

"Our Papa was three-timing all our mothers..."

That came in perfect unison, a synchronized condemnation of the person that was their father.

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

They hate it? What's with these kids? Are they that sore about being told to shape up? Or maybe it's just too quiet of a place for them. Too clean, too simple, too traditional. For someone used to the busy streets and sticking it to The Man, somewhere like this might feel alienating.

But I can't know for sure. This is only what the books and movies say.

I sip on the cola until it hurts my teeth, and then swallow it down at once. And then, since I was just subjected to that, I pass along a head pat to Xylia while she's busy sucking on her di - straw. Straw! "Is it really that bad here? Road's End is quiet and there's a lot of nature and some really dark stories and everyone I've met so far has been pretty nice. It feels like a lot of the awful stuff going on in the big cities just passed by here."

I'm sure the humans here are awful as well, but at the very least it feels like they're not as effected by society's awfulness.

"Or is where you all came from just that much better?"

Where would Xylia be from, that her friends could just ride down to visit?

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: End's Store and Post
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Lucille Faraday came from a household where she was mostly praised. Lightly reprimanded, sometimes, but for the most part, Lucille was used to a smattering of platitudes like “polite,” “well-behaved,” “kind,” and any other positive moral behavior. That was her. The best, most model daughter anyone could ever ask for.

“Adorable” was not in this list of praise, at least not like this, and Lucille could hear the echo of Sakura’s teasing laughter in the back of her mind. That imaginary sound made Lucille both more incensed and more embarrassed, to the point where she hastily grabbed a notebook off the shelves and held it up to her face, pretending to peruse its blank pages for who knows what.

In the end, though, she realized the futility of this terrible charade, and decided to address the problem at its source, with her usual, direct manner.

“Please don’t tease me like that!”

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Entrance
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“...You two bellboys are nice. Want some juice? I got lots.”

“Oh, yeah sure. Than… ks.”

Potato flavor.

Colt did a double take. Turning the box around and inspecting the back. To his bewilderment this was no failure of literacy. He had been handed a box of potato flavored juice.

A creeping sense of worry arose at the thought of the juice box’s contents. But even more worrying, was the curiosity nibbling away at that worry. In just three seconds he had gone from shocked and moderately grossed out, to genuinely interested in trying the juice.

“Thanks for the assist, man,” a voice speaking directly into his ear pulled Colt out of his thoughts, “Really helped me just now….”

“No problem.” Stabbing the plastic straw into the juice box, Colt glanced over and took a sip.

Potato flavor juice.

Much to the surprise of nobody, it had the taste of potato. And sugar. Sugary potato liquid. A strange taste, much like it was strange how John Dove’s voice faded into nothing right in his ear. But also pretty nice, sort of like John. Or at least, like the first impression John had given. Because that first impression was all Colt had of him.

“That…might just be the second—no, third most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.”

Still sucking away at his potato juice, Colt looked over at the incredible thing.

“The shrimp is uh… you know, I don’t think I can ever take her seriously. Not after seeing that thing. Sucks, cause she seems to be pretty alright.”

The straw returned to the mouth. For some reason, he just couldn’t stop. It was like someone had sprinkled confection sugar over French fries, then made him drink it. It should be terrible, but he just couldn’t take his lips off the straw.

"Hey, Colt. Is that offer still open for a day out?"

“!?”

The juice box caved into a mess. Bulging eyes shot over to spot the voice he hadn’t heard for a while. The voice asking the question he never thought he’d hear. The parting words of John Dove never reached his ears.

“Y-y-y-y-“

The sheer shock rendered him incapable of speech. Stutter after stutter, until finally Colt shot a hand to his mouth and forced it shut.

Taking a deep breath through his nose…

“Yeah!” Hell yeah! Absolutely. Definitely. Yeah. For sure. Where ya wanna go? The beach? The woods? The beach? The store? The beach? The mountain? The beach?”

[Daneel Rush]

Pinefall High Dormitory—Common Room
Morning Phase
10.09.1994
Overcast



“…I see. Well, it does not seem to have impeded your relationship with your father, in any case.”

If Minato’s way of addressing him and Yeong-Hui’s longing for the man amount to anything, that is. Furthermore, at first glance it does not seem in any way connected to how they ended up at Pinefall. In any case, perhaps another person would have apologized for bringing up the issue. John merely accepted the information and moved on…not quite.

“Wait, do you have more siblings, or did all three Coastrise siblings happen to end up here at Pinefall?”

His attention then focuses on Zhou.

“Would you rather I turn on the TV for you, Zhou?” He speaks between sips of his unconventional juice. “Not that I know if there is anything interesting at this hour.”

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Now that I could actually look at him, I started taking in as many details as possible. He was roughly around my age. While I heard that he was impassive, I took note that he was very much in control of his body and emotions. If I deceived people by throwing on various masks to fit my area, then he was a person who wore a single unchanging mask. And he kept that mask up while he took a nice, long drink from his coffee.

Eventually, his eyes narrowed at my seemingly uncaring smile. I’m sorry am I supposed to be intimidated by your narrowed eyes? Buttering a piece of toast would probably be a bit more intimidating considering that you are a close quarters expert. At that thought, I noticed him move his legs in my peripheral view. It wasn’t anything worth worrying about. It was just him crossing his legs. Then finally he raised the newspaper between us.

"... Wrong person."

“Is that so… In that case, I guess I should move away from you.”

I placed a slightly confused tone to my voice as well as a look of confusion before getting up to move to a different table.

“Because I heard that someone similar to you was being watched by a watchdog. And I don’t want to get caught into it when it bites.”

[Ayakashi]

--- Vivienne Bianchi Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT) Location: Pinfefall High Sports Field Phase: Morning Phase Weather: Overcast ---

Vivienne Bianchi had ended up here, sandwich and coffee in hand somehow. Maybe that she was not really awake or sleep walking? As she sat down on a bench, Vivienne looked skywards, entranced by the grey clouds above. Her eyes never left the clouded sky as she took a bite in the sandwich she had taken from the cafeteria, nor when she took a sip of the cup of hot chocolate she had also taken from there.

Daydreaming? The most likely explanation to what she was doing here, but then maybe that she hoped that she would find a silent place where she could relax before the day would start.

But... would fate let her have such a luxury now, was the question?

The sports field at any rate was what felt like the closest sanctum of quietness, perhaps carrying with it the allure of being deserted at such an early hour -- Vivienne was no stranger to how dedicated some people would be, but it was most likely that she hoped that with such a weather looming over head, and the fact that it was Saturday, people might just feel like... taking a good rest.

Perhaps a bit of an optimistic hope, if that was the case.

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Sakura arrived, and ushered them into the kitchen. She tossed an apron at Elise which she pulled on, and set about collecting ingredients from the fridge.

"Can one of you heat up the pan? Sprinkle some olive oil on top before you do though. We don't want this thing to stick to it, and if the other could start mincing this onion, that'd be lovely. I'll start the rest of the prep work for an omelette. I guess... we're gonna need enough for the three siblings and ourselves... maybe John too if he poor guy gets roped into playing a host... maybe for one or two more just in case anyone wants seconds..."

Sakura delivered her marching orders, and Elise was quick to follow them, egged on by the promise of breakfast.

“I'll get the onions!” volunteered Elise.

The cruelest vegetable, thought Elise as she collected several large onions and set them by the sink, I wouldn't want to condemn someone else to the tortures of chopping them.

"... I can't even be annoyed with them, considering I sorta get their situation. Especially if they are students who are supposed to be here. After all, the empty rooms did make me wonder if somebody was missing, but for it to be three siblings... well, I suppose stranger things have happened."

“Just what is their situation?” asked Elise as she collected a knife and cutting board, “Alexstrasza and I were late to whatever that was by the front door and missed most of that brouhaha. Are they other students no one's been told anyone about? Did they just show up expecting admission?”

I suppose Xylia showed up somewhat unannounced too, depending on who you ask.

Elise set her cutting board down by the sink, and placed the knife down on top of it. She washed her hands, and then set about pulling the brown outermost layer of the onion, and discarding them in the sink and placing each skinned onion aside on the cutting board.

"Oh, and sorry for dragging you two into this mess. Don't worry, I just need a pair of extra hands. I'm not gonna make you two cook anything too complicated. Maybe brew some coffee because I sure as all heck am gonna need it."

“No worries! I hadn't thought much beyond breakfast yet anyway.”

Elise shot a glance at the coffee machine. She had to admit, the stuff was beginning to grow on her, even if she ended up with a concoction that was mostly milk and sugar at the end. She looked back to Sakura, with clear signs of exhaustion on her face.

“You sure as all heck do look like you're going to need it, Sakura. You don't look like you've slept since Wednesday. Everything alright?” asked Elise.

Just what has been keeping you up at night? she wondered.

With the last of the onions skinned, Elise went to the cutting board, and prepared to chop the onion, steeling herself for her impending suffering.

[Frantic Author]

Elise Pelltier & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"Alright, let's get this over with."

Snapping my book shut, I look upwards, following Sakura inside with a smile, lazily twirling a hand before I reply to Elise's question. "Nothing all that interesting. Just some ancient history."

I move. It's a spring in my step, a faint smile on my lips, that really sells the image. Breathe. Move. Let go. It's a process, to reaffirm my mask, but it's not something so impossible for me to do.

Placing the apron around myself, I move to heat up the pan, returning the book to my pocket. It's with an easy grace that I turn the oven on, lazily opening the olive oil and pouring a bit onto the pan. It sizzles, at first, swirling around in the blackened steel, before stilling, inertly staying on the pan.

"It's not so much trouble," I murmur, more to myself then to Sakura as I peer at the oil. "I've assuredly done worse things then this."

The two girls chatter away, clearly having a conversation and connection that I will never manage to achieve, no matter how long I stay at the academy. I am not the sort of person who connects with others, let alone truly bonds with others. I'm a monster pretending to be human, with all the sorrows that entails. Mercedes is right, in the end. I'm simply fake, down to the very core of my being. A fake human, a fake monster, a fake mage, a fake student, a fake teacher, a fake child.

Although one may profess to understand the nature of humankind, it's true essence is beyond even the wisest of our species' reach. That quintessential part, the thing that makes a person 'human', is not so easily reached, is it?

Breathe.

Smile.

Let go.

My ears hear of Sakura's tiredness, and my mind races to connect the dots. I have only ever spent the night awake here on a single occasion, and that was for a purpose. What on Earth could the girl being do all night?

After all, she's here alone at a school.

Wait.

I've read about such things before!

"My my, Sakura," I say, leaning against the stove as I absentmindedly twirl my hair. "Have you perhaps found that... quintessential, high school romance?"

A girl, alone in the world, who is simply kind to others. A boy, similarly alone, who understands others.

It's a tale as old as time. I nod, having finally understood the girl in front of me a little better.

"It's not good to sneak out every night to meet with a lover, you know," I lightly admonish her with dancing eyes, finally having found some center in this place that I now reside. "Without sleep, how can you two dream that singular dream together?"

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

The blonde girl puffed out a small breath, "Yep, just a chronic case of needing to save people, that's me," She rolled her eyes, "Most of the time it's nothing but trouble."

As for languages...

She shrugged, "Never been anywhere farther than Western Europe, all I got that I considered worth a shot was French or Spanish, never been in any situations where anything from Asia was very useful."

Sometimes it was rather counter-productive, even.

Elaine closed her eyes for a moment, humming in thought, "Janitor, huh? Might be worth a shot, maybe. Especially if he's seen rosters, records 'n such, but you'd need a pretty good reason, unless he likes to play fast and loose."

She flopped an arm in the air, "Eh, whatever, I'm looking into something else in the meantime, but nothing solid yet, gotta meet up with a guy later, we're working something out."

The blonde girl paused for a moment, considering, "I've also been thinking about looking into that hospital down the way, because, just between you an' me..."

She sucked on her teeth for a moment, considering her still-eating charge.

"Girlie there had a torn-up hospital gown on when I found her in the street last night, maybe it's just my rustic sensibilities," She said with a sarcastic lit, "But when terrified little girls are running away from hospitals, scarred to hell and terrified of strangers, I get concerned."

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday
Location: End's Store and Post
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“Please don’t tease me like that!”

While very direct and honest response to what was going on with the adults, it did not have the desired effect. If anything, it made the situation slightly worse. Now Sue was looking like she was holding back from bursting into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand and cheeks puffed from the exertion. The shop-owner might have been kind and polite, but seeing the prim-and-proper young lady so desperately trying to hide her embarrassment seemed to launch the British woman straight into "D'awww!" territory.

Jack, on the other hand, was not as courteous as that. He, instead, broke into a guffawing laughter, slapping his knee and taking some support from the counter as the man almost doubled over, wheezing thanks to the amusement he had found. Finally, after some twenty seconds or so of gathering himself, the man finally reigned himself back in and wiped the tears of laughter from his eye.

"Oh, erm, ahahaha, oh man... S-sorry about that, Miss Faraday," the man chuckled. "Didn't mean anything bad with it. It's just that, well... has anyone ever told you that you have quite the interesting reactions? I suppose not that many people have told you something like 'you're adorable' or the like?"

Sue scoffed and swatted the man on the back of his head, managing a pout despite looking just as amused as the one-eyed man.

"Hey now, that's rude to a girl! Besides, who could look at someone like her and not think they're adorable? Even high class young ladies like her have every right to be cute!" Sue proclaimed, putting her hands on her hips. "So if anything, I think you should apologize both for teasing her and for saying what you just said!"

Jack, hearing this, cocked an eyebrow at the store-owner.

"But you were teasing her just as much..."

Clearly preferring to ignore the man's very good point, Sue turned back towards Lucille and flashed her a smile.

"Heck, why don't you have Mr. Old-Man-Smell in here buy you something from the store as an apology, love? I'm sure Mr. Pinkerton would love to make amends with cold, hard cash!" Sue suggested with a slightly devious glint in her eye. "No need to be shy. After all, backing away now would not be very manly of him... and not being manly would make him unpopular, wouldn't it?"

Sue winked at the blonde student, clearly indicating that Lucille should take every advantage of the situation. Meanwhile Jack Pinkerton shivered in discomfort when he heard the word 'unpopular'. From the looks of it, there might have been some deep-seated traumas from his youth associated with that word...

End's Store & Post: Inventory

Item	Description	Price
Jurassic Park Band-Aid	Restores 1 Hit Point.	$2
Bubblegum Painkillers	Restores 3 Hit Points.	$10
Tiger Balm Salve	Restores 5 Hit Points.	$40
Jolt Cola	Restores 2% of your maximum ability Resource, rounded up.	$3
Pepto-Bismol	Cures Poisoned condition of Rank D or lower.	$5
Eye Drops	Cures Blinded condition of Rank D or lower.	$5
Cotton Buds	Cures Deafened condition of Rank D or lower.	$5
Pop Rocks	Cures Charmed condition of Rank D or lower.	$5
5-Hour Energy Drink	Staves off the effects of Fatigue. When you drink this, you automatically succeed in the next Phase's Fatigue Resistance roll.	$15
War Heads	Taste the sourness unlike any other. Causes ???. However, some people might like these...	$3
Twinkies	I don't think I need to tell you about the Twinkie. Causes ???. However, some people might like these...	$3
Crystal Pepsi	Looks like you're drinking water, tastes like your drinking Pepsi. Causes ???. However, some people might like these...	$3
Ring Pop	No preschool romance is complete without a proposal with one of these. Causes ???. However, some people might like these...	$3
Garigari-kun	A foreign ice cream that arrived to this store under dubious circumstances. Causes ???. However, some people might like these...	$3
Smoky Mirror	A lacquered, handheld mirror with smoke-like pattern on the glass. Surprisingly heavy for its size.	$25
Union-Jack Scarf	A long, warm scarf that is in the colors of red, white and blue. You can almost smell the tea and crumpets.	$29
Super Nintendo Console	Comes with two controllers and five games: A Link to the Past, Super Mario Kart, Turtles in Time, Mega Man X and Super Mario World.	$600
Fishing Gear	Become a true man of the seas and bring home your own food. Includes a 'How-To' manual.	$200
Vampire Princess Doll	A cute doll based on a character from a now-canceled animated show from overseas. Seems very haughty, and has a pronounced canine tooth.	$15
Lion Monk Doll	A cute doll based on a character from a now-canceled animated show from overseas. Apparently the guardian of the other doll. Looks very humorless.	$15
The Hoss Chronicles	A book about survival in the wilderness in the most manliest way possible. Reading this would make you more adept in Survival.	$20
Doctor Sexy MD	A book about the life and times of a Manhattan doctor with really great hair and sexy jeans. Reading this would make you more adept in Medicine.	$20
Flannel & Cigarette Butts	A book about the rise and fall of a teenage grunge band, and how parents just don't get them. Reading this would make you more adept in Performance.	$20
Don't Whisk that Disc	A book about computers and how to use them for both work and for fun (fun is a subjective term). Reading this would make you more adept in Computing, you nerd.	$20
Baseball Bat	A wooden baseball bat. Perfect for sports, or to smack someone on the head. A basic melee weapon.	$60

---

John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Common Room
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“Wait, do you have more siblings, or did all three Coastrise siblings happen to end up here at Pinefall?”

Minato shook his head.

"Just us three. No other family than our respective parents," the boy explained, his eyes now glued to the grey clouds outside the window. "We've lived together for a long time though. All got invited here as well. It's... a complicated story. One I'm not interested in sharing."

Well, as standoffish as the boy was being, he wasn't alone in that. After all, everybody in this school had a reason for being at Road's End... and those reasons were more often than not painful. Even cheerful, nice people like Sakura, Ubon, Pyry or Colt must have had some skeletons in their closet to be categorized as "Unfit for Society" and be shipped over to Pinefall. The same was true with these three siblings. The fact that they were siblings just made it, of course, something of a rarer occurance... though, then again, depending on what the problem was and from where it stemmed from, it might have actually made more sense that they were all here now.

Not often does misery come alone - or affect only one person for that matter.

“Would you rather I turn on the TV for you, Zhou? Not that I know if there is anything interesting at this hour.”

Zhou shook her head slowly, that same dopey smile still on her face.

"No, that's alright~" she answered, fixing the position of her glasses on her nose. "I like this show~ I've always loved talk-shows after all~ And they've got all three guests on at the same time in this one~"

Err, what?

What was this girl talking about?

After all, the TV wasn't even on. Thanks to that the only thing the dim screen showed was the reflection of the common room, where John sat on one side and the Coastrise siblings on the oth---

Oh.

".............."

Yeong-Hui seemed to be the only one who noticed the strange situation John had gotten himself into. As if to answer that the small girl gave him a shrug, as if to say: 'Don't mind it'. From the looks of it the two younger siblings had to deal with their sister's weirdness on a daily basis. Maybe at some point one would get used to it.

... Still, it was like she was living in a completely different world or a wave-length, that Zhou.

---

Vier Wolff
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“Is that so… In that case, I guess I should move away from you. Because I heard that someone similar to you was being watched by a watchdog. And I don’t want to get caught into it when it bites.”

It was a delibirate poke, an attempt at catching the young man's attention and piercing that armor of cool exterior he had created around himself. By dropping a hint of something that concerned him, something dangerous, along with a clear time-limit was a typical technique used to force someone into a conversation. Or rather, have them be dragged into a conversation where you controlled the flow. The same was true here. This 'threat' that Vier mentioned should have gotten the young man's interest, while threatening to move away would force him to speak up and make hasty decisions before he had time to think them through.

Frankly, it was a textbook example of information gathering techniques.

"............."

But... the young man didn't seem to react at all. No, instead he simply moved onto the next page on the newspaper he was reading, eyes glued to a story about Seattle's ice hockey scene. At some point he fished something out of his pocket - a piece of printed paper with odd letter combinations and numbers. Some sort of coded message? A cipher? Something similar? Well, whatever it was the young man switched his attention between the newspaper and the paperslip, staying in the section where it announced results of various games and---

--- Wait, was he checking his sports bets!?

Not only had he completely ignored Vier, he had already moved onto other, far more mundane things such as seeing if the team he had bet on had won, and if he had made any money in the process! Clearly this was something far more bothersome than straight up ignoring... it carried this hint of insult that the girl wasn't even acknowledged despite the clear threat she had laid on the table. No, that threat had been swept aside for damn sports results!

"... Uh-huh," the young man finally grunted, as if he barely remembed to offer a non-committed answer to Vier's words.

His eyes hadn't even left the damn newspaper!

---

Elise Pelltier & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"It's not good to sneak out every night to meet with a lover, you know. Without sleep, how can you two dream that singular dream together?"

Sakura blinked in confusion when she heard this... before reverting into a troubled smile and slightly awkward laugh. The brunette scratched the back of her head before busying her hands with the prep work for the omelette, though she still kept her eyes at Alexstrasza and the conversion going.

"Mm, I sorta wish it was something as juicy as that... but I think the boys in here are a bit too immature to my tastes," Sakura answered, cracking eggs into a bowl. "If anything, everyone else here feels like bunch of younger brothers and sisters... not that it's a bad thing! Ahahaha, it's just that... well, I wouldn't mind for some dashing Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet... though right now, I wish I was swept off my feet by my own bed, ahahaha... haa..."

Sakura heaved a heavy, listless sigh and shot a slightly wistful look towards the coffee maker - almost like her mere glance might have changed the fact that it was still empty and with no help for her situation anywhere in sight.

"But no, I've been running some errands, and... eh, I guess I take school work a little too seriously. I was up late last night because I was doing some research into what we learned this week and..." Sakura tried to stifle a huge yawn but failed miserably. "... Well, you can see how well that went! Ahahaha..."

While the three were talking, the prep-work was done in a sufficiently fast time. Taking over the pan from Alexstrasza, the brunette student started to prepare the omelet itself, and soon enough the sizzling sound of breakfast emerged from the pan, as well as a delicious smell. While she worked, Sakura had the other two girls hand her the stuff that she needed, or get something she might have forgotten (like garlic, for example) to prepare previously.

And as the morning continued, Sakura returned to the question that had been asked earlier by Elise.

"Oh, but those three siblings... well, from what I understood, they're Pinefall students too, only that they had mistaken the day they were supposed to arrive. And since they didn't come with the bus ride arranged directly by Oceandrop Program, they ended up staying at Owl's Nest Hotel, waiting for next week when they thought the school would open its doors... until they heard some Pinefall students had visited the hotel," Sakura explained. "That's when they realized that they had the wrong days marked, or so that boy Minato told me. And then they came here, expecting that the places promised to them would still be free."

Another tired sigh and Sakura rubbed the back of her neck, trying to drive some power into her shoulders.

"I suppose the faculty might have changed the accommodations after they thought those three had skipped on them. It's a confusing situation to say the least. I just hope Miss Min or someone else is still at school so we can work this out without unnecessary drama..."

Well, it sounded like a troublesome turn of events to be sure.

---

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Pinefall High Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Strangely enough, even though there was always a chance of meeting with someone or getting dragged into some sort of trouble in Pinefall and Road's End (small places as they were), for now it seemed that Vivienne Bianchi had found momentary peace.

Sitting on one of the benches near the edge of the field, she was able to eat her breakfast without being bothered by anyone. Even though she could see the sights of some people leaving, Jake Briggs running to the main building to get someone to help with the situaiton brewing at the dormitory, and even some people arriving... nobody came to bother her or to talk to her. The only company she had at the bench was her cup of coffee and the wind that slowly pushed from the forest, bringing with it the promise of storm that would hit the town come evening.

Still... it was quiet.

Nobody to talk to (as if Vivienne even talked in the first place) and nobody to listen to... not even really anybody to watch nearby. Just her and her breakfast. And nobody else.

----------- The whole field was otherwise empty, after all.

Well, no, actually scratch that. There was something to watch.

For some reason the field was full of oddly-shaped tears in the grass, like somebody had been swinging a lawnmower around haphazardly.

... Wonder what that was about?

---

Prushka
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"Don't touch me you little shit!"

There was a loud sound of hand meeting flesh as Xylia slapped Prushka's hand away as the latter tried to headpat her. The anger in the eyes of the dusky-skinned girl was palpable, and she held that same hand aloft. Clearly Xylia was ready to actually slap the taste out of Prushka's mouth if she ever tried something like that again. Something had struck a nerve, and now Prushka found her fellow Pinefall student in a fouler mood than before - even the slightly better cheer that had come from meeting her old comrades having evaporated.

"Hey now, watch it Xylia," Xandra chuckled dryly and leaned over the table. "That's no way to treat a cute girl, is it? Here let me see..."

For some reason Prushka now found the hand that had been slapped in a gentle hold of the silver-haired girl's own hands as she studied it... rather meticulously one might add... for any sign of redness or bruising. Apparently satisfied that there wasn't even a blemish on the skin, Xandra turned her gaze towards the girl herself, a strange sort of grin on her face.

"Did it hurt? I know Xylia can be a total fuckhead at times, but as long as you stick with me, you have nothing to worry ab---"

The rest was swallowed by a yelp of surprise and pain as Xeni whacked the biker-girl on top of her head with a slap of her own. The tired-looking girl let out a frustrated groan and rolled her eyes, yanking Xandra back to her own seat with enough force to make Xandra's head hit the back of the seat rather painfully. Xandra doubled over, hissing in pain and holding her head, trying to catch her bearings from this surprise attack.

"Seriously. Give it a rest. Seriously," Xeni snorted at her friend, before looking at Prushka. "And you. You gotta be kidding. This place is total shithole. There's nothing here. And people are weird. Too forward. Suspicious. I wouldn't want to live here."

Hearing that, Xylia Pheme scoffed and shot Prushka a look of derision before looking at her two comrades.

"Ya don't know the half of it. The school's a total shitshow. Everybody acting like nothing's wrong even though we all know there ain't nothing but lunatics in that place. It's pretty sickening to look at. Just fake smiles all around and pretending to be normal," Xylia spoke with distaste clear in her voice. "So yeah. Even having no home at all like us is better than... this."

She made vague gestures to the diner around them.

Then, a sneering grin rose to her face.

"At least there it isn't just a buncha girls who are bitches and buncha boys who should be my bitches."

Hearing that, Xandra cackled mockingly at the dusky-skinned girl, having finally recovered from the hit she took. Still rubbing the back of her head, she shot a toothy grin and a raised eyebrow at Xylia.

"You're still on about that? Shit Xylia, if anyone actually became your bitch, you wouldn't even know what to do with them! As usual it's nothing but bark bark bark, but the bite's nowhere to be seen!"

Anger twisting her face, Xylia reached over the table and caught Xandra by the collar, bringing the two girls face-to-face.

"Keep talkin' and I'm gonna rip yer face off, ya little carpetmuncher!" Xylia growled, expression warped by fury.

"Bring it, freakshow. I'll break that stunted spine of yours in half," Xandra retorted back, her face a cold, slightly insane mask of murderous intent.

Meanwhile, Xeni...

... calmly added packs of sugar to her cola.

"You guys are embarassing. Totally. Pathetic losers."

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast
(OST)

"All bark, huh? That doesn't seem right."

Stinging, the pain in my hand reminds me of something. When I last tried something like this and got burned.

I don't feel proud of my behaviour in general, these past few minutes. Just being around this girl is throwing me off. It feels disgusting, like I'm being corrupted by her negativity. But that's not true, not really. If someone does something awful, that's usually because the capacity to do so already exists within them. Which means, when I laughed at her, when I threatened her, when I tried to pat her head despite knowing she wouldn't take it well...

Disgusting doesn't even come close to that gnawing sensation in the pit of my stomach. The feeling of knowing that the awfulness of humans has been rubbing off on me. I hate it more than I hate humans.

But it's an awful human that ignores their flaws. I'm better than that. I'll confront this head-on.

"Sorry, Xylia... I don't really know why I did that. I'm sure it wasn't a good reason."

"And you. You gotta be kidding. This place is total shithole. There's nothing here. And people are weird. Too forward. Suspicious. I wouldn't want to live here.

"Ya don't know the half of it. The school's a total shitshow. Everybody acting like nothing's wrong even though we all know there ain't nothing but lunatics in that place. It's pretty sickening to look at. Just fake smiles all around and pretending to be normal. So yeah. Even having no home at all like us is better than... this."

"...oh."

No home? Does that mean... these two are Xylia's family? Just three young-looking girls and a bike on the roads? But how-?

No. Don't get distracted. Her circumstances are her business. More important is...

"That's wrong. I mean, you're right, but not really. Everyone here is putting on their own act. Humans are awful, everybody lies, nothing new. But that's not unique to Pinefall, or even Road's End. It doesn't matter which town you go to; it'll be the same or worse. I mean, compared to LA..."

It's like night and day. Or rather, dusk and eternal, pitch-black night.

"That place is so fake that even the bricks and trees don't feel real. Everyone's like an actor in a bad play. At least here it's not as bad. Society doesn't reach as far. Getting a bunch of 'lunatics' from all over means you'll also get those that don't fit in the system. People trying to do their own thing. People that can almost sorta say what they actually mean. Like you. Well, almost."

I may have misjudged Xylia Pheme. At least it feels like I'm beginning to understand her a bit. At the very least, her abrasive attitude isn't entirely an act. It might just be how she grew up. But her resemblance to Elizaveta Vyraj feels uncanny. They're so similar, yet so entirely different. When I think back to our discussion... is that even how it happened?

"Well, I'm one of those embarassing lunatic losers too. Can't really comment. You can't really ever be normal when you've still got the body of a ten year old at sixteen."

I slump down onto the table as my stomach gurgles, not at all buoyed by the fizzy drink. Xeni and Xandra and Xylia... what a weird bunch. But I don't think I could've said something like that to anyone else.

At the very least, they've probably also been in a position where they had to get a ladder to fetch something from a high shelf.

"So, if everywhere sucks, where would you rather be, Ms. Sunshine? It better have good pie at least."

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“Hmm…”

I guess it’s worth a try then. Though somehow I doubt that someone from that far would just end up here like that…

Shifting my gaze towards the smaller girl once again - who has apparently been staring at me this whole time while relentlessly stuffing her mouth with various kinds of food - and opened my mouth to speak a language I haven’t used in a while.

“Nihongo o hanashimasu ka?”

But judging from her expression, I could instantly tell that she had no idea what I was saying.

“Well, I guess not. I could try something else later if you won’t get any further. Back at the dorms, in privacy.”

If something then I could find some stuff out about her hospital experience…

Finishing the remainder of my toast and tea, I turn back to Elaine and eye her with a somewhat worried expression;

“Anyways, just be careful where you go and what you do. The townspeople cannot be trusted, and if you end up getting busted doing something suspicious...It might not end well for you.”
I guess the letter might be kind of right, after all.

“Especially around the hospital. I could easily imagine some lunatics abducting you and doing crazy experiments on you:”

With a small sigh, I stand up from the table and grab my backpack;

“Gotta go, at any rate. Got a drunk moron to find. Probably better if we investigate separately as well...Can cover a lot more ground that way. With all this shit going on, we wouldn’t get anywhere if we just followed the same tracks.”

And with so few people to trust, she can definitely play a big part here.

Hope Prushka is doing something productive as well...

“Good luck. You can find me in the evening if you won’t get anywhere with the girl.”

As I leave for the door while waving goodbye, I turn back for one last though;

“Ah, and if you see Pyry, tell him that he is an ass.”

Outside, I notice that Pyry’s car is still in the parking lot. Not that it means a lot.

But he probably can’t have gone too far then. Other side of the town is pretty far on foot, would have been a long walk to sober up as well…

Where would a drunk person go to make themselves feel better...

Worst case he could be anywhere in the forest, maybe actually got kidnapped, but not much I can do about that.

Let’s just start somewhere within my reach…

Hisa Momoi
Location: End’s Beach
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

A small walk and I find myself on the beach again, looking quite less charming after yesterday’s rain, but still…

Maybe I’ll find something here?

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"It's not good to sneak out every night to meet with a lover, you know. Without sleep, how can you two dream that singular dream together?"

"Mm, I sorta wish it was something as juicy as that... but I think the boys in here are a bit too immature to my tastes. If anything, everyone else here feels like bunch of younger brothers and sisters... not that it's a bad thing! Ahahaha, it's just that... well, I wouldn't mind for some dashing Prince Charming to sweep me off my feet... though right now, I wish I was swept off my feet by my own bed, ahahaha... haa..."

Elise continued mincing the onion, listening in on, and somewhat amused by Alexstrasza's accusation of Sakura's late night romance. She glanced over to Sakura as she diced a tomato to see her reaction to Alexstrasza's accusation when she remembered a comment from Travis the previous evening. Instead, she focused on Sakura's hands, her knife, and how she held it, before turning her attention back to her onions.

I think it'd be impossible for two students at Pinefall to have a romantic relationship and it not being common knowledge within a day. Even hours, really. We're such a small gossipy group. I certainly couldn't imagine Sakura being that subtle in her affections anyway... thought Elise as her knife cleaved through the next onion, cutting it in half.

Elise paused, her knife hovering above the onion as she prepared to slice it.

Oh.

A realization dawned on Elise.

The late nights... the extra research... "a bit too immature"...

The final pieces fell into place as her mind reached the only logical conclusion.

Sakura must have a crush on one of the teachers!

Elise glanced about nervously and quickly returned to chopping the last of the onion in an effort to regain her composure, lest someone take notice her revelation.

With the prep work complete, the three soon turned to actually preparing the omelettes, with Sakura taking point with the frying pan. As the morning continued, and breakfast began to take form, the topic of conversation soon returned to the three guests and/or new arrivals downstairs.

"I suppose the faculty might have changed the accommodations after they thought those three had skipped on them. It's a confusing situation to say the least. I just hope Miss Min or someone else is still at school so we can work this out without unnecessary drama..."

"Wouldn't that mean they'd have had to find last minute replacements then? That seems like it'd be a little impractical, consider the, ah, delicate nature of our, ah, nature," coughed Elise, "This sort of a slip up has to be bigger than them thinking classes started a week later than they actually did."

Although... I suppose Xylia is something a last minute replacement... thought Elise, I can't help but wonder... will any of us start believe that these three were here all along?

Or maybe... Maybe they're not late, maybe they've arrived early...

Elise considered Elizaveta Vyraj. She glanced over at Alexstrasza.

John and I broached the subject with Sakura the other day... and judging by what happened by the entrance earlier, John seems to know Alexstrasza... or at least is familiar enough to shout random Latin phrases at her... Still, the only way to solve this mystery is to ask questions and find out who knows what.

"Say, Alexstrasza? You wouldn't happen to know anyone named 'Elizaveta Vyraj', would you?" asked Elise.

[Verg Avesta]

Prushka
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"So, if everywhere sucks, where would you rather be, Ms. Sunshine? It better have good pie at least."

With their confrontation put on momentary hold by Prushka's monologue, Xylia took the time to throw one hell of a glare towards the smaller girl's direction. She then, clearly seeing this as more important as ripping into Xandra, let go and sat back on her seat. The silver-haired girl did the same, though she chuckled with that husky voice of hers for some reason. However, it didn't sound like she was laughing at her friend, no - it sounded like she was laughing at Prushka of all people.

"Who the hell cares? Anywhere but here. Ya don't seem to get it, do ya, Teddy Ruxpin?" Xylia asked, cocking her eyebrow in mockery. "Why does it matter if people are fake elsewhere? Like ya said, they at least feel fake. They know what they're doing, and everybody does the same. It's a courtesy, nothing else, and we all live with that. Nobody expects anything else of others, because that's how things are."

Xylia's eyes narrowed and an expression of distaste, even disgust, appeared on her face. It was, surprisingly enough, shared by both Xandra and Xeni. From the looks of it they had a similar opinion when it came to current topic of discussion.

"But here... ya can't trust anyone or anything. They don't even wanna admit they're faking it all. They masquerade as good people because they think they are. Just like ya," Xylia continued, focusing now solely on Prushka. "Putting on a cutesy act, being a klutz because that'll make people like ya more, faking yer childish ways... all the while looking down on humans like ya weren't one of them. Face it, doornail."

A degenerate grin split Xylia's face.

"... Yer just another shitflinging ape like the rest of humanity, no matter how much ya wanna think otherwise."

There was a snorting sound, accompanied by coughing and a momentary wheezing. All eyes turned towards Xeni who lifted her head, wiped her nose a bit and blinked multiple times in rapid succession. Then she threw the wrapping paper from couple of sugar cubes on the floor, apparently having used them for something.

Once the panda-looking girl was finished, she turned her cold stare towards Prushka while sipping on her cola - now with added floats of sugary islands.

"Totally. I don't even know you. But shitface is right. Just looking at you. It irritates me," Xeni flatly said, though without much of hostility - just annoyance. "Not to mention listening. Jesus Christ. Normal? You're whining. About your body. Gimme a break. People have bigger problems. World is full of shit. So boo-hoo. Tough luck. The fact that your body's a shrimp. Who the hell cares? It's not like you're dying."

Hearing this, Xandra chuckled again, patting her white-haired friend on the shoulder (Xeni immediately swatted that hand away.) Then she leaned against the table with her elbows, steepling her fingers and looking over them deep into Prushka's eyes. Even though she wasn't once again pushing into the smaller girl's personal space, it felt just the same. That stare was... intense.

"She might be an asshole, but Xeni has a point. Besides, you look... tastier that way," Xandra purred with a dry grin. "But I get where she's coming from. After all, there's a reason why people like you and Xylia... hell, probably Xeni and myself, are not fit for society. It's because the machine functions better without us. It's always nice to cheer for the underdog against the big bad establishment... but that's biased as hell. Pardon the pun, but the little person isn't always in the right."

Xylia cackled, folding her arms and leaning back in her seat. It seemed she was enjoying the turn this conversation had taken, what with both her and her comrades denying Prushka's words outright.

"Face it, garden gnome," Xylia laughed, once again that twisted sneer of delight on her face as she looked down on Prushka. "Yer bias, that is. What if isn't humans that are awfull..."

It was like being seated with three vultures.

"... But yer the one that's awful?"

---

Hisa Momoi
Location: End’s Beach
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

The waves of End's Beach were not calm.

But they were not violent either.

Instead they were a rolling, roiling grey mass that undulated back and forth like a patch of ooze stretching from the beach to the horizon, pulsating in an uneven rhythm that nobody could really make out. And as its opposite was the sand of the beach itself. A patchwork of darker and lighter splotches of grain that created something of a cohesive carpet that started from where the cliffs ended. Those cliffs, wrapped in long, thin shadows of the early noon and light streaming from the blanketed sky, towered on both sides of End's Beach like juggernauts of yesteryear, ever stalwart towards the endless ocean before them.

And above it all, the lighthouse - single piece of manmade structure that one could see from the beach itself. Again, as always, it was empty and lifeless, with no one to light its beacon anymore.

That was the world where Hisa Momoi had arrived to search for a friend that was more or less missing this morning... and, unfortunately, she didn't found him. The easily recognizable sight of Pyry Leijonamieli could not be seen toiling at the water's edge in a drunken stupor, nor was he laying on the sand or on the rocks, passed out thanks to booze imbibed last night. Not a hair or hide of the blonde athelete was in sight. Just the empty beach and its endless waves, and the distant sounds of a small American town behind her.

-------------- Still, this all did not mean that Hisa Momoi was alone.

Indeed, there was someone else at the beach, someone who had arrived before her. There, leaning to an old wooden post and gazing peacefully at the scenery of the Pacific Northwest and its troubled ocean, was a man more ghost than a living person. His skin and hair, both colorless ash in tone, were those of an old man even if his body retained a certain sense of youthfulness. A young man who appeared old, a paradoxical sight that Hisa now saw for the second time since arriving to Road's End.

Yes, she knew who this man was. For she had seen him on the first day of her arrival.

"Oh? Now there is a face I have not seen in some time," the man spoke without turning around. "The northern air seems to do wonders to your complexion. Troubled as you clearly are, you are still much livelier than last we spoke. A positive change, if any. But, ah... that does not change the fact that you are troubled, does it?"

This cryptic way of talking.

There was only one person in whole of Road's End, most likely, who used that sort of lilting, wistful tone.

------------ Rosencrantz the Shoe Salesman.

"While it is clear as smoked glass that you are looking for someone, I wonder, could I be of assistance?" Rosencrantz asked, turning around and smiling calmly at Hisa. "After all, we happened to meet in such an unexpected way again, so there must be some sort of rhyme and reason to it. Why would I have otherwise gone against my nature and come to be with my thoughts by the sea? That's hardly like me in many ways."

The young-yet-old man ran his fingers through his hair and chuckled to himself.

"But... I suppose stranger things are abound everywhere in this town today, are they not?"

[Mooncake]

Adelaide Cheshire
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Entrance
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“!?”

Adelaide bit her tongue, trying not to laugh, but it must have shown on her face. There was no way it couldn't have.

“Y-y-y-y-“

Colt looked like his jaw was trying to simultaneously drop and explode outwards, the juice box in his hand completely forgotten. Adelaide's face hurt from trying not to laugh - not at him, just... he was funny. In his own way. A bit.

“Yeah! Hell yeah! Absolutely. Definitely. Yeah. For sure. Where ya wanna go? The beach? The woods? The beach? The store? The beach? The mountain? The beach?”

"Hmm..."

There was no betraying it now. Her eyes were definitely showing her amusement, but it was fine.

"Well... I'd like to go to the library at Owl's Nest Hotel, but other than that, I'll leave it to you. You said you were gonna show me around, right?" It was teasing, but there was a genuine smile on her face. "Although I don't have a swimsuit... I guess I'd have to make do?"

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: End’s Beach
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

In the end, I did end up finding someone...Even though it wasn’t exactly who I was looking for...Or someone who could really help me right now, at that.

But...How exactly did he know that it was me?

He never turned around, there are no reflections, he doesn’t have an eye on the back of his head, so clearly…

“Is it really hardly like you though?” I asked in a rather neutral tone, “Might be just misjudging you, but you seem to be fond of the scenery - and after the lookout, this is probably the next best candidate.”

The sight clearly was quite something, and if it wasn’t for the fact that there really was no time to waste, I probably would have spent a lot more time just exploring what there was to see.

“But you are right, I am indeed looking for someone. But even if you did see the person in question, I doubt that it would bring me a lot closer to finding them...The individual is not exactly rational or predictable, so they could have went anywhere since then.”

As small as the town might be, I don’t know Pyry’s habits and limitations that well...For what I know he could be sitting in the bar on the other side of the town or lying on the ground passed out somewhere in the forest.
“Still...What exactly do you mean by strange things? I know what I know, but you can’t be aware of those things...Meaning that you’ve seen something different that you found strange, and you’ve seen it today.”

Approaching the man, I sit down on one of the bigger rocks, and give him sort of an expectant, almost demanding look;

“Care to elaborate? I guess this is not a comfortable hotel room, but we might even have more privacy here, so wouldn’t mind discussing a thing or two.”

[Daneel Rush]

Pinefall High Dormitory—Common Room
Morning Phase
10.09.1994
Overcast




John returns the smaller sibling’s shrug with a grateful nod, but his attention remains on the eldest. To any onlookers, John Dove would seem to regard Zhou Coastrise as the most fascinating thing in the universe.

So there are even people like this in this world. Makes sense I guess.

“…I see. There´s no need to fret; if you do not care to share your circumstances, I do not care to hear them. Regardless, I hope you can settle here without further issue.”

John´s standard-issue “social encounter” smile changes slightly, allowing itself a measure of sincere satisfaction.

“I was neither for nor against coming here, but now that I´m here, I´d say it´s good that I´ve come. It´s been…different, in lack of a better word.”

It would be better if there weren´t more to this whole place beyond the altruistic if somewhat misguided intent to “rehabilitate” the outliers of society, but John Dove has never considered himself a fortunate person.

Normally, he would ease back on his chair and dwell in comfortable silence. If the Coastrises wished to ask him something, they very well can without his cue. However, that would betray Zhou’s expectations, would it not? Gotta be a good host and all that.

“So, you mentioned you’ve been here for a while. I haven´t seen much of the town, to be honest; anything caught your eye?”

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"Who the hell cares? Anywhere but here. Ya don't seem to get it, do ya, Teddy Ruxpin? Why does it matter if people are fake elsewhere? Like ya said, they at least feel fake. They know what they're doing, and everybody does the same. It's a courtesy, nothing else, and we all live with that. Nobody expects anything else of others, because that's how things are."

"Huh? That's ridiculous. How could anyone ever consider that a courtesy-?"

"But here... ya can't trust anyone or anything. They don't even wanna admit they're faking it all. They masquerade as good people because they think they are. Just like ya. Putting on a cutesy act, being a klutz because that'll make people like ya more, faking yer childish ways... all the while looking down on humans like ya weren't one of them. Face it, doornail."

"Faking? Putting on an act? Me? What are you talking about? I'd never-."

"... Yer just another shitflinging ape like the rest of humanity, no matter how much ya wanna think otherwise."

"..."


Does this girl know? Is she reading my thoughts somehow? Or is it just that obvious?

No. That can't be it. Xylia Pheme is just jumping to the worst possible conclusion based on what she's seen and heard.

Yes, that has to be it. She's wrong, as usual. I'm---.

"Totally. I don't even know you. But shitface is right. Just looking at you. It irritates me. Not to mention listening. Jesus Christ. Normal? You're whining. About your body. Gimme a break. People have bigger problems. World is full of shit. So boo-hoo. Tough luck. The fact that your body's a shrimp. Who the hell cares? It's not like you're dying."

"Whining!?"


Just from that!? I'm complaining? But they're like me too, so... so...!





"B-but - you're also-!"


I thought... I thought they'd understand! Even a human should be able to get it, so why!?

"She might be an asshole, but Xeni has a point. Besides, you look... tastier that way. But I get where she's coming from. After all, there's a reason why people like you and Xylia... hell, probably Xeni and myself, are not fit for society. It's because the machine functions better without us. It's always nice to cheer for the underdog against the big bad establishment... but that's biased as hell. Pardon the pun, but the little person isn't always in the right."

"T-thats, society is-."

"Face it, garden gnome. Yer bias, that is. What if isn't humans that are awful..."

Don't.

Don't say it-!

"... But yer the one that's awful?"

It feels like I've been physically struck. As if her words have shaken the whole world.

Me?

Awful?

This girl. No, these girls. They're..

They're ignorant. They don't understand, is all. Of course they couldn't. They don't know me. They don't know anything except what I have shown.

I've done some things I am less than proud of. Within the past few minutes, even. But awful? To call me awful, without understanding a thing, after I shared just a few of my feelings with them?

Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous. To think that the first time I would ever have the word 'awful' used against me would be today, by this girl of all people. It's absolutely ridiculous.





"Listen here, you-!"


So many things I could say, not even discounting the obvious. How dare she!? I'm the opposite of awful!


Except.


Except...

A small number of the awful things Prushka has done in the past week

You tried to pat her head, says the very small voice in the back of my head.

So? That was a momentary lapse of judgement. It's totally excusable!


You honked that horn right behind her ear.

Xylia deserved it! She was being mean to that kid!


You laughed at her.

She... she was threatening to do things to Pyry.


Pyry almost died.

That was... I couldn't do anything there...


Vivi was in pain.

I didn't know! I couldn't have known!


You let him go.

H-Hisa had it. Someone had to stay with the others...


You almost broke Pyry's precious headphones on the bus.

It... he was... being mean...


You turned down that girl, who just wanted to not be alone.

She... I couldn't trust her. Not after she lied like that.


YOU HAVE BEEN NOTHING BUT AWFUL TO XYLIA PHEME THIS WHOLE TIME.
But... she's... she's mean... and...

...

Well. When you put it like that.

...




"...enjoy your pie."

I stand, and extract myself from the booth. My fingers, which had been clenched so hard that they feel numb, extract a ten dollar bill from my wallet and leave it on the table as payment.

There's nothing good that can be done here. Xylia wanted to hang out with her family, and she'll get to do that, uninterrupted. But I won't stay here to be their entertainment.

It's overcast outside. The rain hasn't fallen yet. I'll wait there and think about things.

That's the best an awful person can do.

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: End’s Beach
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast
[BGM]

“Care to elaborate? I guess this is not a comfortable hotel room, but we might even have more privacy here, so wouldn’t mind discussing a thing or two.”

Rosencrantz tilted his head while putting a finger to his lower lip, miming the gesture of being deep in thought. Indeed, just miming. It was clear he had no need to do that, for despite his cryptic way of talking this man definitely had a razor-sharp memory. Thus he must've done it only as a courtesy, as way for Hisa to settle down on her seat on the large rock before he began.

"Stranger and even stranger. Say, two brothers very much alike, yet with no parents in sight. A man haunted by the plastic bag found on this very beach. A woman who looks for her husband and child, even if she knows very well where both are," Rosencrantz started. "It is... like a petri dish. Made to culture and to showcase what becomes of the things inside. Society in its raw form is a rather interesting and alien beast, is it not? Even you..."

A ghost of a smile, a haunting expression, floated to the man's lips.

"... Ah, I do believe this is what we refer to as 'teenage drama' so familiar from programs shown in television, right? Not to diminish what you are feeling, of course, that anger and worry seem very real to me. But, perhaps as a jest of a term, if nothing else," the man said and chuckled, though it turned into a hacking cough he had to fight to make subside. "If I had to venture a guess, you are looking for a classmate, no? I doubt that any of the townsfolk in this fair Road's End would have caught your interest so quickly."

Rosencrantz sighed and leaned on his cane, fishing out a handkerchief from within his pocket. He used that to dab his mouth, putting away the last remnants of that violent cough he had been rattled with just before. Above the two of them, they grey clouds pushed ever onwards and the wind picked up. Hint of distant ozone mixed in with the smell of salt, a tell-tale sign of a storm.

"A natural reaction, if not a bit hasty. Mundane as they might appear, they are an exciting lot. Even if the lives they lead offer little in sense of outlandish, they more than make it up with the graveyards of skeletons in their closets," Rosencrantz spoke again, looking towards the sea. "In that sense this town is naught but a catacomb, but then again, so is every other town. Best to keep your wits about you whenever two or more people gather."

Then, out of nowhere, the man looked at Hisa with a glint of humor now in his eyes.

"Say... have you found any need for a new pair of shoes? As it happens I made a killing at the Sheriff's and have a few pairs still left for young lady such as yourself," he asked. "The perky assistant over at the sheriff's department didn't see a need for waterproof soles, but... ah well. Her loss."

---

John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Common Room
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“So, you mentioned you’ve been here for a while. I haven´t seen much of the town, to be honest; anything caught your eye?”

Minato stared at John for a moment... and then slowly shook his head, not breaking eye-contact.

"Nothing. At least nothing interesting," he said bluntly. "Or worth sharing... whatever."

Zhou, who would have probably had much to say to this sort of inquiry, had seemingly completely missed the question in the first place. Instead the girl was busying herself with yet another juice box, this one featuring the refreshing taste of onion and butter, from the looks of it. How her face didn't contort into a mask of disgust when she finally pierced the packaging with a straw and took her first sip was anyone's guess. Wherever she got these drinks, for whatever reason she was so fascinated with them... in the end, all those questions were meaningless in the face of the one true mystery about this whole thing.

--- How on earth was she able to drink them in the first place.

"... Oh." Yeong-Hui's voice suddenly piped up, the girl having lifted her hand like she was answering a teacher's question in a classroom. "... I saw something... weird..."

Even Minato looked surprised by this, and the boy gestured his younger sibling to continue. Yeong-Hui nodded and shifted her stance so that she was standing on the cushions of the sofa, raising her arms a bit. Even as raised as they were, they still were hidden by her oversized sleeves, making the girl look more than slightly comical when she started.

... And it was about to get even more comical in a hurry.

"... I saw it from the window. First there was the green one, going all patapata and the purple one nearby was kosokoso behind the building and I was all 'Oo?' and then the purple one went jaaan and the green one was all gorogoro and followed with batabata and purple one went tsudoon and dokaan and street was all pikapika and kirakira and purple one came from above tantan and green one went dede~en and it looked over but then green one jumped all shasha and purple one went eiyaa and green one went toriyaa and again another dokaan and after that the purple one was gone and the green one went sunsun and looked disappointed and uroruro'd out of there..."

That was... certainly a description of something. Full of waving hands and expressive miming of gestures and actions that looked mostly like the small girl was flailing around with her oversized sleeves, her poker-face unbroken like nothing was wrong.

But judging from Minato's completely blank expression, and Zhou staring a bit more intently at the empty TV screen... even her siblings didn't know what the hell Yeong-Hui was talking about right now.

Still, the worst part had to be the small girl's completely blank stare at John right now, like she had expected him to get it all, no questions asked.

---

Prushka
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"And so she runs away."

Xylia Pheme spoke that out loud, without mercy and almost like she had expected it. As Prushka left the table, leaving behind money for the pie that had been promised, Xeni simply closed her eyes and focused on her drink, apparently not interested anymore. Xandra, on the other hand, shrugged to herself as if to say it couldn't be helped, but didn't pursue things further. The only one who spoke out was the one who had caused this choice to begin with - the devil with the burning eyes whose hatred against everything and everyone couldn't be matched. A petty kind of hatred that was like a school of piranhas gnawing at the bones of those foolish enough to tread too close.

"Heh, should've known ya'd take the easy way out. The moment someone's not agreeing with ya, licking yer goddamn boots or pitying yer oh-so-pitiful little body, ya turn tail and run. Fuck, I've always known those full of themselves can't face the ugly truth, but this is just pathetic," Xylia continued, cackling to herself. "Or hypocritical or whatever's the word. Basically, if ya constantly throw shade on others, ya better learn to like shit getting thrown yer way because otherwise you're just a bitch."

Xylia snorted and spat on the floor after Prushka, making her emotions very well known. In the meanwhile her two comrades had withdrawn from the tail-end of this situation completely. Maybe even they realized that this had become something personal for the dusky-skinned girl which was why she was drilling so heavily into Prushka. Just from the look on Xylia's face it was easy to see that the mere sight of Prushka, at least right now, drove her to the edge of fury.

Which was, even though the other girl was walking away, she still continued.

"No matter how shit of a person, when they recognize it I can at least respect that a little. But people like ya... who think their shit don't smell, and when called out on it just flee... those types are so pathetic it makes me wanna throw up," Xylia continued, her voice cold now. "So yeah, go ahead and run away. That way ya won't get yer precious feelings hurt and don't have to realize ya ain't the only person in this world with problems. Feel sad for yerself, maybe that'll delude ya back into thinking yer the center of universe and everything ya do is fine, because it's you."

In a mocking way, and without looking back, Xylia raised her arm in a gesture of a goodbye.

"And tell that hoss I'll pick him up tomorrow," the girl added without mercy, twisting the knife. "God knows I'm actually doing him a favor fer getting him outta yer reach..."

They truly were ruthless words.