Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Kuroyuki]

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


Normally when I did this kind of conversation, these kind of lines would grab them hook, line, and sinker. As soon as they express interest, I would start to walk away and they would have to chase after me. From there, I would have an advantage in steering the conversation and they would assume that I have more information than I really have.


Instead, I was awkwardly standing up from my table as I waited for him to react. He just flipped his newspaper nonchalantly at my declaration. Was he really that unaffected by my news? That means he was more experienced than I thought he was, or he just didn’t care it. When he pulled out a piece of paper, I thought he was taking out a cipher. However when I saw how he was looking at the sports section and his slip back and forth, I realized… He was just checking out his bets.

"... Uh-huh."

At those words, I decided to move. Either he is uninterested in anything I had to say or he was doing the inverse of what I was trying to do. Forcing me to talk and slip out information by accident in an attempt to get him to break out of his shell. So I decided to cut my losses, I started walking away and move to a table out of his earshot. I’ll settle for receiving nothing and barely giving anything away.


Hopefully, Rachel comes by with the food soon so I can just start working. Well low key information gathering on everyone here, but I am going to be cleaning things properly so this should work out.

[Bloble]

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

"And so she runs away."

"..."

Yes. This can be classified as running away, from one perspective. From another, I'm just getting out of the way. It's no surprise which she has chosen to apply.

Xylia's insults each feel like an arrow in my back, but they don't stop my stride towards the door.

Yes, I don't know how to handle this situation.

Yes, I have not once faced the same kind of needling I routinely give others.

Yes, this is rather pathetic.

Yes-.

"And tell that hoss I'll pick him up tomorrow. God knows I'm actually doing him a favor fer getting him outta yer reach..."

As she launches the most painful barb of them all, the door swings shut behind me.

...

...

...

"Ow."

...

...

...

Moments later, the door swings open again.

"..."

I stomp back over to the booth and take a seat once more.

"..."

Xylia's right. Every word. Well, almost every word. But even if she's right, I still have something to do here, and that goal doesn't care about anyone's feelings.

I can't tell Elizaveta "sorry, but I was feeling like crap, so I didn't try to find you".

I can't tell Pyry "sorry, Xylia was being really mean, so I decided to leave her to you".

This booth is like a sauna. The mugginess of outside seems to be seeping in through the window, and the cool air conditioning can't blow it away. And the heat. Even though it should be just under room temperature, I can acutely feel everyone else's stares on me. Stares of derision and judgement. Each one is like a miniature sun. It's embarrassing just to be here, to show off how flawed and awful I am.

"I don't get embarrassed about stuff because I have never done anything to be ashamed of!"

It's embarrassing. It's ridiculously embarrassing!

"YA ASS!"

Normally, I wouldn't be able to take it. Not even close. I don't know how to deal with this feeling... as a human. But I'm not human. So I can cheat, just a little. I can hold back the volley of insults stewing about in my stomach, waiting to be thrown back at her, and I can hold back the nausea, and I can hold back the slow realization that's sure to keep me up at night, for many, many nights.

And I can manufacture the strength to stare Xylia Pheme right in her flaming sun eyes and not flinch away.

"You're an ass. And you smell like car oil. You're mean to kids just for looking at you. Your mouth's filthier than a public washroom. You don't know how to accept an apology. You call me short even though you're just as tiny. You try to piss off everyone you meet and that's disgusting. When you get embarrassed, you also want to run away and you do. You keep talking about s-s-sex despite also looking like you're ten years old and that's gross. And you automatically think everyone you meet is s-shit, and get pissed off when anyone disagrees. You're awful even when you're trying to be helpful."

Oh. They slipped out. Dammit. And those last two also apply to me...

"...and you've got a point. That's what you wanted, right? Got any more constructive criticism before breakfast?"

[Daneel Rush]

Pinefall High Dormitory—Common Room
Morning Phase
10.09.1994
Overcast

“Nothing. At least nothing interesting. Or worth sharing...whatever.”

John might have believed him were it not for that “whatever” at the end. The half-Japanese has already used the word before, and John recognizes it as a means of dismissal, a(n involuntary?) defense mechanism to escape from scrutiny and interactions.

The boy does not want to talk. John can accept that. If anything, it is a return to form; before Pinefall, people his age willing to talk to John Dove were the exception rather than the norm.

Meanwhile, Zhou dwells further in her detachment while enjoying a new juice box, this time…onion…and butter?

That…is a flavor John Dove finds hard to conceive in his mind. It might be because humans’ sense of taste is not as well developed as that of other animals. It might be an automatic defense mechanism as a living, rational being. It stirs his curiosity, even if devoting even an iota of his attention to that…thing, feels like a mistake somehow. However, before he can address the eldest Coastrise, the youngest chooses to speak. And then…

“...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 happens.

Were John Dove any knowledgeable of the languages of the Far East, he would ponder something like “why is the Korean girl using Japanese onomatopoeias?” Alas, he is not, and thus he must work with…well, that. And because he is John Dove, who accepts everything unto himself, he most certainly tries to make something out of…that.

A green one and a purple one. From all the gesticulation, some sort of confrontation? A conflict? A fight, even? No, for all he knows they were moving out of town, but that would not be something Yeong-Hui would call “weird”, John believes. Actually, why would a fight be “weird” in the first place? Whatever the case, the narration did not involve additional actors, so John assumes Green and Purple were interacting with each other. The nature of this interaction is what Yeong-Hui finds “weird”, and it is likely related to the foreign words (!?) she used.

In conclusion, John cannot make any concrete interpretation. He would like to inquire about the foreign expressions, but the unchanging look on the small girl’s face suggests it might be prudent not to betray her (unreasonable) expectations. In that case, John Dove merely has to do as he always does.

He nods. Assertively, appreciatively, and gratefully.

“I see. You do make it look and sound like quite the event. I guess you two did not see this…encounter,” he says, briefly regarding the other siblings (and the most particular juice box) before refocusing on the younger-looking child.

“Yeong-Hui, I take it you did not see these ‘Green’ and ‘Purple’ clearly, did you?” Otherwise, she would have used more specific words, right? “You couldn’t see what kind of…”

The sentence trails off, for something seemingly stronger than John himself pushes him towards burying his face in his right hand, the other hand used for a sort-of-apologetic gesture.

“…I’m sorry. I can´t stop myself. It’s the weekend, after all,” he says as if that explained anything. Then, he turns towards Zhou.

“I have to ask: what does that taste like?”

[Frantic Author]

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


Again, again.

I stare at the garlic, poking it with a knife, feeling a sniffle in my nose as I hold back a sneeze. Crushing it with the flat of a blade, I look up at Elise with a smile, ready to answer her question.

"I first heard of her yesterday, from a Mister John Dove. But I'm afraid I haven't a clue who she is outside of that."

This is truth. I have no need to lie here. But something dangerous is afoot. I absolutely have to speak to John Dove and tell him of my worries. I must tell him not only of my own name, and demand his, but I must dissuade him from searching for Elizaveta Vyraj. Not because she is dead, or dying, or vanished in some mysterious way, but because there's an unflinching knowing in my gut, a shiver that runs up and down my spine, and the feeling of iron in my spit.

This girl is unimportant. It's a distraction for something more dangerous.

It is not hard to come to such conclusions. From those who I have already seen involved with the world turned on its head, this place is infested with our kind. A school for those who have 'fallen from the levels of normalcy', huh? What a joke. It's a school for a collector. We're being collected, measured, and tested against some unknown measure for a plan that the principal does not wish to share with us. This whole facade of normalcy...

It's a lie.

An ordinary school would never accept myself or Cesarina into its halls. Nor would it ever dare to allow the likes of Souma to roam them freely. He after all, has something that very few people have in this place. The stench of death clings to him like an insect to flesh, seeping a scent that I no longer wish to have in my nostrils. I have changed. I must have changed. I will change.

I hiss, as the knife nicks my skin, glaring at the small drops of red welling up, staring as red begins to encroach around the wound as the garlic enters my system with a sigh. grabbing a paper towel, I rip it into strips, methodically, cleanly, and begin to slowly wrap one around my finger with a smile.

"And for people arriving all too late, it's entirely possible it was simply a bit of confusion, no? It's not as if everyone here had a... stable situation to come here from. I would not be surprised if they arrived as fast as they could."

Every lie is hidden in a veil of truth. Three more people was simply three more personalities for Gaap to assume, and yet I already know that any associated with Elizaveta Vyraj can be thrown out the window. No demon of deceit would ever leave such an obvious trail, and with so many people left untouched by it. This was no demon's work, for a demon is cunning and sly, and to its anger and envy, a thousand years is simply a blink of an eye.

I'm a pawn on someone else's chessboard. The books Mercedes reads, John Dove's knowledge, Souma's abilities, Subaru's soul -- all of them point to the most dangerous truth of all, the one that everyone is carefully dancing around so as to not mention outright.

This city is a haven for that dark, dreary world that is hidden on the upside down.

I smile, a small, quiet thing, as I glance at the other two girls in the room, holding up my newfound bandage as I finish tying it off with a satisfied nod.

"Or perhaps they didn't even want to come here at first. Perhaps they had to be caught and put here. Perhaps they were ordered here. Perhaps they were left here. The possibilities and reasons for their lateness are as numerous as stars in the skies, or knives in this kitchen. Speculation and gossip is... sad, isn't it? They are our peers, after all. We shall treat them as such until they are expelled."

In a kitchen with two girls I barely know, I've come to realize an important fact. I cannot change who I am, for it is what makes who I have become. However, the future is something entirely different, open and vast beyond all belief. A little while ago, I entered a school where I knew no one and cared for nothing. And now, I await the return of my truest friend from wherever she has hidden herself.

And when she comes back, why not tell her a little bit of the truth?

[Cheetose]

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

Hearing even more complicated - and for now seemingly meaningless - riddles makes me rub my temples in attempt to prevent a massive headache.

The only thing that could mean sense right now...Is the woman looking for her child. Could that be the kid that Elaine found? But even then, what’s the catch?

Still...What’s more mysterious is how he can perceive details like that, things that one normally can’t figure with a glimpse of an eye.

Staring at the vast, somewhat turbulent sea while absentmindedly drawing shapes on the rock I’m sitting on, I decide to just confront him about the case - I didn’t exactly have the time nor was in the mood for all the riddles and secrets.

“You aren’t exactly an ordinary human, are you? The way you read between the lines...is not something a normal person can do, no matter how wise they are. You are ‘reading’ even me, I suppose you know exactly who I’m looking for, you are just trying to not give yourself away.”

While I had quite a few guesses on how he did it...It was just that, a lot of guesses, all of which could work based on what I knew.

“Even the man you are looking for, Gildenstern...You know very well that he isn’t from this world, at least not the way he is now.”

I wasn’t exactly sure how much he knew, and what his purpose was with with this whole thing...For what I knew, he might be a lot more dark and sinister than how he appears to be.

“You are mysterious. I’m not going to question your ways, not for now at least...But you can’t fool me with the shoe salesman act.”

It wouldn’t be too hard to find out, but…

His mind may just be too twisted, something that I wouldn’t necessarily want to witness.

“And a shoe with a waterproof sole...That’s like putting on a raincoat but not zipping it up or pulling up the hood. It might protect you from the rain to some degree, but in the end, you’ll still get drenched. So how is it better than not wearing the raincoat at all, or in this case, wearing an ordinary shoe?”

[Mormarth]

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

She waved absently to Hisa as the girl departed, having rattled something off in what she presumed was Japanese, likely a question if she could speak it.

Judging from the lack of response, Elaine's current ward could not, or alternatively, would not. It's hard to give a proper test to someone if they may be failing on purpose, or not understanding the test at all, or is refusing to take it.

It's difficult, basically.

Hmmmm.

Well, now that she'd just about finished up her toast, she'd let her little friend finish up and then drag her off to see her favorite gossiping househusband-in-training.

Location: Pinefall High Main Building

Thankfully, she didn't have far to go, walking along with her new shadow in tow, Kean was probably hanging out in the music room as he was days prior, though who could say, really?

Her eyes flicked around the quiet, sullen halls, ears catching only the dull shifting of an old building, the dust seeming to hang thicker now that the weekend had come, activity slowing to a lazy calm as the rain approached, humidity and damp caressing through her hair.

Bleh.

Though, really, who the heck else would hang around school on a Saturday, punks with nothing to do?

[Verg Avesta]

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

It didn't take too long for Rachel Halloway to return.

Indeed, the girl soon pushed open the door to the kitchens with her shoulders, carrying two plates, one in each hand. On those plates were what looked like heavy chunks of french bread, some bacon, sunny-side up eggs, and thick slices of what must've been chocolate cake. A rather heavy for a breakfast, but there were also two cups of coffee to wash it down. With her spoils, the redhead made her way to the table where Vier was sitting and put the plates and cups down, sitting on her own chair.

"Well, there we go. I grabbed what I could, so hopefully this'll be enough," Rachel said, handing fork and knife to Vier and preparing her own. "It's one of the perks working here, the food. I mean, A.D. Diner is nice and all, but---"

At that point, the redhead clearly saw something in Vier's expression and body language that gave her a pause. She tilted her head in momentary confusion, before arching her eyebrow and leaning in a bit closer.

"... Something wrong? You look... well, I'm not gonna say miffed, but like you encountered something unpleasant," she asked, curious. "Since you haven't seen the state of basement yet, I doubt it's anything about your cleaning duties, so..."

Rachel speared one of the pieces of bacon with her fork and brought it to her mouth.

"What's eating you?" the young woman asked.

---

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

“…I’m sorry. I can´t stop myself. It’s the weekend, after all. I have to ask: what does that taste like?”

Zhou turned to look at the boy with mild confusion clear in the way that she blinked. Then, like it was the most obvious thing, she raised the juice carton so that he could see it in its entirety. All from the light brown color of the packaging to the weird logo of a buttered up onion roasting in what appeared to be sunlight. Whoever had designed it had clearly spent way too much money on the design of the logo... especially considering that nobody in their right minds would actually drink stuff like that.

"Butter and onions~? It reads so on the label," Zhou answered innocently. "Ah, are you having trouble reading~? I know that feeling~ Whenever I forget my glasses it's a real hassle~"

The girl chuckled at her own words, before leaning forward and sticking her hand out so that the juice box was right in front of John's face with the straw aimed towards his face in an almost demanding manner.

"If you're curious go ahead~" Zhou continued. "You can taste it if you want~"

Minato, who had been watching this all from the sidelines, rolled his eyes and busied himself with the gossip magazine (3 years old from the looks of it, and from Seattle) that had been left on the nearby end table. The boy, being the most stand-offish of the siblings, clearly didn't feel at ease even if the atmosphere had grown much more relaxed when compared to before.

Meanwhile, however, Yeong-Hui stared at what was happening with her eyes wide as plates, slowly lifting her oversized sleeves to cover her face like she was trying to block her own vision... and yet insisted on peeking between her hands.

"...O-ooh... Indirect... kiss...." the small girl said in hushed whisper of awe, like she was witnessing something illicit. "... Eonni... how daring..."

There might have been some sort of misunderstanding brewing here!

---

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

"Or perhaps they didn't even want to come here at first. Perhaps they had to be caught and put here. Perhaps they were ordered here. Perhaps they were left here. The possibilities and reasons for their lateness are as numerous as stars in the skies, or knives in this kitchen. Speculation and gossip is... sad, isn't it? They are our peers, after all. We shall treat them as such until they are expelled."

Sakura was clearly somewhat surprised by Alexstrasza's words, but soon enough her tired expression melted into the first properly cheerful smile from her this morning. She nodded, now continuing her work with the breakfast with a little more gusto.

"You know, Lockhart, you're right. Whatever their situation, if they do belong here, we shouldn't treat them like strangers! I mean, there are plenty of us who had no choice coming here. So if those three feel that they should be here, and that they belong here... we shouldn't give them the cold shoulder. We should encourage them instead!" Sakura spoke as much to herself as to the two others. "Make them feel like they belong and that they are our classmates, not--- Oh!"

Sakura froze momentarily, seeing the blonde student wrapping the paper napkin around her finger as a makeshift bandage. Without hesitating for a moment, Sakura grabbed Elise and set her in front of the pan, and instead walked over to Alexstrasza herself. Muttering something that sounded like "These clumsy kids..." she fished a small metal case from her skirt's pocket and opened it to reveal a very small, and very basic first aid kid. From there she procured a band-aid (Home Alone themed).

"Oh, give it here, you're just going to get it infected like that," Sakura gently said and grabbed a hold of Alexstrasza's hand. "If you don't take care of it properly, you're just going to make things worse. Especially in a kitchen."

Showing clear expertise in what she was doing, Sakura took Alexstrasza's finger and quickly sucked out the blood that had been gathering to the skin. Then she wrapped the band-aid around the finger - tight, but not too tight, and fastened it. Satisfied with her work, Sakura nodded to Alexstrasza and even patted her on the head in a rather... elder sister-y way. It was times like these that made the brunette feel clearly older than rest of her peers.

"There you go! Now don't go putting too much pressure on it or getting the band-aid wet," Sakura advised. "And if it does get infected, go see Miss Leuzinger immediately, you hear me? Even small cuts can be dangerous, you know?"

With that said, Sakura turned around, towards the frying pan and Elise. Having gotten some of her peppiness back, the spark of natural curiosity had also returned to the Japanese girl.

"Now, you were talking about someone... E-Elizaveta, was it?" she asked form Elise. "Is she a friend of yours who lives here?"

Looks like despite her fatigue, Sakura was back to normal.

---

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


As it turned out, Kean Loinnir was not in the music room, which turned out to be completely empty. However, he wasn't that far either, nor particulaly well-hidden. Instead the odd sounds and merry chatting of male voices eventually revealed to Elaine that her kinda-maybe-friend was instead at the computer lab of the school...

... And he wasn't alone.

Indeed, in that room were also Travis Gagnon and Hwan Bin. And as for what the boys were doing, well...

"Hah! Take that you filthy Canuck!"

They were engaged in a war of sorts... through video games.

Each of the boys had taken over one of the computers in the class, and on each of their screens Elaine could see some sort of first-person view of a character running around a futuristic military base or something. Each character was wielding the most ridiculous gun and shooting the holy hell out of the two other characters also running around the base... which must've been the characters on the two others screens. In other words, the boys were playing some sort of multiplayer game in which the goal was... to kill each other. In rather violent ways, from the looks of it.

"Oh hell no, you ain't getting one over me!" Travis Gagnon growled, his eyes completely focused on his screen. "Eat rockets, Potato Boy!"

"Hey, you're shooting at me!" Hwan Bin complained. "I didn't do anything yet!"

"Yet!? So you were gonna shoot me in the back!?" Travis asked, glancing at the white-haired boy who just cackled in response.

"That's what you get, trusting a snake like that," Kean said smugly and on his screen, two characters were turned into a bloody mess by a shotgun. "I mean, I could've told you from the get-go he wasn't going to do any alliances. Besides, this is a deatmatch. Every man for himself. Like so!"

Gatling gun roared and cut down Hwan who had just returned to the game after his death... but at the same time massive blow from the rocket-launcher blew Kean's character into giblets and messy parts and the silver-haired boy shut up, starting to take the match more seriously.

"-----------!"

Meanwhile, behind Elaine, the small girl was practially squeezing the life out of her leg, shivering at the pure bloodlust wafting in the room thanks to a damn computer game. From the looks of it, the girl had no idea how to react to three grown men reverting into caveman-like thinking thanks to whatever it was they were playing.

---

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

“And a shoe with a waterproof sole...That’s like putting on a raincoat but not zipping it up or pulling up the hood. It might protect you from the rain to some degree, but in the end, you’ll still get drenched. So how is it better than not wearing the raincoat at all, or in this case, wearing an ordinary shoe?”

Rosencrantz gave a quiet chuckle at these words, like a man whose slight prank or a jest had been called out.

"Well... sometimes that's the only thing we can do. If we don't have the necessary equipment needed to survive what's to come, we just have to weather it the best we could, lest we... get soaked to the bone," the man said, closing his eyes for a moment. "If the only thing we can is to keep our feet warm, I'd say that's miles better than suffering from the cold. Wouldn't you agree?"

Ending his words with a little hum under his breath, the old-yet-young man rolled his shoulders and finally opened his eyes. They were trained straight at the sea ahead the two, their unknown depths reflecting those of the murky waves. Whatever this man thought, whatever the intent behind his words... secrets like that would not come out unless he decided so. That was much was clear. But whether he was talking just to keep up the illusion of a mystery, or because there was something that forbade him from speaking, that was still unknown.

Whatever the case, the man was as enigmatic as ever.

"Still, I am a shoe salesman. Even I have to make my living somehow," Rosencrantz continued. "Consider the humble cat. In daylight, it is a pet of the humans. A source and target of affection to people. But when our eyes are averted, it hunts in the night, killing little animals for sport. A rather jarring duality, but not unlike what most of humans have."

The eyes of the shoe salesman slowly glanced at Hisa.

"If anything, maybe I should say that you can't fool me with that student act," the man said, smiling that smile of his. "But I won't. It would be unnecessary. Instead, yes... I think it's finally time."

Using his cane for support, the old-yet-young man turned completely towards the scarred girl, focusing his whole attention on her now.

"I have three things to tell you. Are you ready?"

---

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

A moment of silence, and then...

"Hah! Oh wow, shitface, you got blown the fuck out!"

Xandra's rough laughter rang inside the diner, accompanied by the quiet cackle coming from Xeni. While Prushka's return had taken all three by surprise, none of them had been ready in any way from what came from the smallest girl's mouth. Indeed, the silence that had followed it all had been palpable, to the point of being able to cut it with an imaginary knife. But whereas the two outsiders found it all-too-funny that their comrade was subjected to a bout of verbal abuse of her own, Xylia...

... Xylia Pheme snorted in derision and made room once more for Prushka to sit down.

"Well look at ya, Virgin Mary - Did yer balls grow three sizes today?" the dusky-skinned girl asked, refusing to look at Prushka. "Though if ya think just spewing insults gonna get ya far, yer even more naive than ya look. But... since ya seem to accept that yer just as shitty as the rest of the world, guess that's a step into the right direction."

The insults and the rude language was still there, but the barb had been backed down a notch... just a notch. The verbal venom of Xylia wasn't as highly potent as it had been moments before. Perhaps Prushka's decision and what she had said had lifted the small girl's ranking in the trio's eyes. Indeed, they seemed to embody what was being talked about - about being horrible human beings but not making any excuses about it. These three were whoever they wanted to be, and didn't give two hoots about what others thought about it. They even admitted it themselves.

And by doing something similar, Prushka had... well, not exactly 'proven' herself, but something close to that.

"Plus she's got plenty filthy mouth when she gets going," Xandra laughed and winked at Prushka. "I think we can make her into a proper degenerate yet. Who knows, she's got the looks and if she has the proper attitude, I wouldn't mind letting her ride with us. Could use some eye candy like that as well---Ergh!"

A hit to the solar plexus cut Xandra's words before they ended properly, delivered by annoyed-looking Xeni, who proceeded to roll her eyes. The girl then leaned at the table with her elbows, looked at the empty glass of cola before her with a mountain of soaked sugar on the bottom, and started scooping that same sugar up with her index finger. While she busied herself with that, she talked.

"Like I said. Talk shit. Get hit. You're seriously the worst. Absolute garbage," Xeni commented, glancing at the doubled-over Xandra. "I don't care. If she hangs with us. Or not. Unless. She starts bawling. Again. About inane shit. We've heard it. All of it. Before. I mean. Look at us. You're not unique. Or the first. Still. We got over it. This..."

The panda-eyed girl gestured towards her own, undergrown body.

"... Isn't gonna stop me. I do what I want. Enjoy what I want. Because I deserve it. And. Nobody's gonna tell me. What I can do. Or. What I can't do."

It was a prideful attitude - a very headstrong one. Yet at the same time it was the attitude of someone who was sick and tired of her own limitations and had just said "to hell with it".

Hearing all this, and what her comrades had just said, Xylia Pheme cackled maliciously and finished what little remained of her soda.

"There ya go. As long as ya don't try to go all high-and-mighty on us again, I see no reason to give ya shit. I mean... scum respects scum, or something like that," the dusky-skinned girl said. "If ya don't try to tell us what we can or can't do, we have no reason to give ya any shit either. Just say or do what ya want, we'll do the same. Who the fuck cares about what other people th---"

"Alright, lovelies. Here's your pie!"

Again, the Aura of Motherhood spread over the table and each of the three girl snapped straight at the presence of this mythical existence once more. They stayed silent as grave as Avery Walker set up the plates and finally put the bright red cherry pie at the very center of the table. Next came the utensils and finally, refills for their glasses. During this whole time not Xylia, not Xeni and not even Xandra opened their mouths. Avery was able to work in peace, humming cheerfully as she did like she was setting up a kids' playdate.

"Now then, girls, enjoy to your hearts content!" Avery said with a wide grin when she was ready. "And if that's not enough, I already put another in the oven, so there are plenty of seconds if you need them!"

The three delinquents were practically sweating bullets under that gaze.

"Y-Yes Ma'am!" came from three mouths in unison.

Avery Walker nodded, satisfied, and began to maker he leave... until she remembered something and turned around halfway, shooting a warning stare towards the whole table.

"Oh, and girls? Watch the language," she warned again, causing a chill to shoot through the four. "I think I heard some words that no young lady should let leave her lips. Understood?"

The three girls nodded furiously, eyes glued to their own shoes like out of shame.

"Yes Ma'am!"

... Curious was the authority of the older woman, who now disappeared back into the kitchen, whistling as she did.

Perhaps a parental figure like her was naturally strong against young delinquents like them?

[Katie]

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

Hate was too strong a word, but Lucille found the burning sensation in her cheeks to be rather unpleasant. Even if it was in jest, this was simply just an experience she never would have had if she had stayed home. Perhaps she had begun to take it for granted, but she was used to others stepping on eggshells around her, treating her with the utmost respect she merely had too mirror in kind. This, though…

Lucille wished she had the courage to run, but it was sorely lacking.

"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?"

“Um, o-okay!”

Suddenly startled by the request, Lucille automatically agreed without thinking. Awkwardly, almost mechanically, she turned around to inspect the shelves for anything else that wasn’t school supplies. Taking a moment to pause as she passed by some random toys, Lucille realized there was an incredibly large problem at the moment.

No matter how she felt, taking advantage of Mister Pinkerton was obviously, clearly wrong. She’d definitely not let him buy anything for her.

Still… that didn’t mean she could get some revenge of her own, even if it was a bit petty. An eye for an eye, Lucille tried to justify.

Lucille decided to thoroughly inspect the shelf she was at, only for her eyes to lock on the vampire doll. Holding it out with both hands, she gave a stern stare, as if she was a collector appraising a fine valuable. One of her thumbs briefly hovered over the doll’s fang, before she put it back down, biting her lip.

…

“It’s not very cute.”

Her evaluation finished, Lucille wandered deeper into End’s Store and Post, trying to find something that would suit her needs.

Oh, that was it!

The baseball bat caught her eye because it reminded her of Mercedes, honestly. If she collected baseball cards, maybe she’d like a bat as well? The starlet was certainly athletic enough to play, no doubt. But at the same time, she was hiding that hobby of hers… So maybe it’d be a bad present? Lucille wasn’t particularly certain, but her eyes found the price tag and she nodded in understanding.

Although she wasn’t planning on accepting Mister Pinkerton’s forced charity, she felt justified in giving him a bit of a fright.

“How about this?” Lucille said, flashing a brilliant smile empowered by the exhilaration of turning the tables.

[Verg Avesta]

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

“How about this?”

"Oh?"

Out of all possible reactions, a sudden twinkle of curiosity and excitement in the eyes of the older man might not have been what Lucille expected. Indeed, Jack Pinkerton walked over to where the blonde girl was and bent his knees so he could investigate the baseball bat she was presenting. Looking through the piece of sports equipment with an inspective eye, the one-eyed man hummed once and twice and finally gave an approving nod, followed by a grin and a thumbs up.

"A Louisville Slugger, eh? Ash, even, so that's not gonna break any time soon. Looks good on the balance-side of things as well, and the grain seems pretty tight. You got a good eye there, young lady!" Jack said and turned towards Sue, who was staring at what was going on with surprise clear on her face. "Alright, sure! If it's for the sake of fellow fan of America's Greatest Past-time, I don't mind shelling out the money."

This was followed by the man fishing out his wallet from the pocket of his jacket. He started counting the bills he had (it was a rather thick wallet, from the looks of it). At the same time he turned back towards Lucille. Perhaps this choice had hit an unexpected bullseye, as now the man seemed more excited than ever. Almost as if he had found the most surprising comrade in the most unexpected of places.

"Hah, would have never guessed you to be into baseball! You play professionally, Minor League or stuff like that, or did you just get inspired by that movie? You know, A League of Their Own? Wouldn't blame you, I absolutely adored that flick!" Jack said and laughed heartily, finally coming up with $60. "Well, not that it matters. I'm just glad there's someone else in this town now who's into baseball! It's nothing but swimming or football around here, I swear..."

It was completely honest, innocent, almost naive joy of finding a comrade-in-arms out of the blue.

The worst possible reaction to a revenge.

"Say, if you want, I've got plenty of other equipment at the country club. If you and your friends ever want to play a proper game, I wouldn't mind lending it to you guys," Jack continued cheerfully. "Hell, I'd even pay the ticket price to come watch. It's been a while since I've seen a live game!"

Meanwhile, in the background, Sue Popplewell was hiding her face with her hands.

It seemed like the young woman found it too tough to look Jack Pinkerton in the eye right now.

[Cheetose]

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

"Oh?"

Finally turning back to the man, staring deep into his eyes, my lips curl into a smirk;

"I guess you could just apply the same logic there. I am a student - it is my attempt to be part of this society. But that doesn't change the fact that there is something more to me, seemingly hidden behind this 'facade'."

Not like I ever wanted to be the way I am, anyways.

"Regardless, I'm not trying to fool anyone. I'm not an actress, and anyone looking carefully enough will understand rather quickly...Especially if this 'anyone' is similar in certain aspects."

Certainly, no one would have problems deceiving a normal human being. Even if they do notice things, their minds would reject any sort of possibility that is outside of the boundaries of their beliefs. It takes a certain kind of perspective to be able to perceive and unravel the small details that people like me fail to hide...

"A similar situation is how I could instantly tell that there was a lot more to you than just an ordinary shoe salesman when we met."

Something that I became pretty much convinced about shortly after...

And I guess it was true, after all.

"But...I'm ready, for whatever you have to say...?"

I wasn't sure what to expect, especially with the sudden seriousness that seemed to fill the air.

Until now, he always felt sort of dreamy, someone who wasn't even paying too much attention, yet now..

[Verg Avesta]

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

Slowly, very slowly, Rosencrantz nodded.

"Very well. I shall now tell you three things. If you find them true and helpful, I will tell you more. Even if I should have no reason to believe that I even told them to you in the first place," the young-yet-old man said, cryptic as always. "No further questions, no further inquiries, no asking for elaborations... what I will tell you is all I'm permitted to say."

Nearby, on the beach, the wind picked up once more and waves crashed against the shoreline: softly on the sandy beach and violently against the jagged red rocks. Howling of air itself echoed from the abandoned lighthouse, striking whatever glass panes it had left. Shadows stretched under the morning sun that had climbed higher behind the clouds, and grey turned lighter in color. It was, in a word, a moment ethereal - close yet near. Close yet not clear. Somewhere in the middle.

And it was at that moment that Rosencrantz told three things to Hisa Momoi.

"First. When viewed in different light, what was done may be something else entirely."

A hand was raised, palm towards Hisa. Along it rose the index finger, counting the number of things told.

"Second. If you ever want to start over, make sure you do not follow the same tracks."

On the hand that was raised, the middle finger was rose to indicate that the number of things told was now two.

"Third. Do not try to find all the answers at once. Find one string and follow it to the end."

On the hand that was rasied, the ring finger rose to indicate that the number of things told was now three.

---------- Three.

As much as Rosencrantz was willing to tell, or how much he was permitted to say.

In other words, he had come to the end of the things he had wanted to convey to Hisa. That enigmatic smile on the man's face grew a bit warmer, a bit wider, like a grandparent watching over their child who was beginning to ask questions and showing true curiosity for the world around them for the first time. It was an unfitting expression for a face that was both old yet young, and thus it served only to add to the enigma that was this man with colorless hair.

But one thing was certain from that expression.

He held no malice or evil intentions towards Hisa.

This man, this Rosencrantz... honestly wanted to be of help.

"Let's hope that these words are of some use in what's to come. I'll see you later... even if it is under strange circumstances and odd events. It might sound daunting for now, but I'm sure you can do it."

He said that.

................

And Hisa Momoi blinked.

................

And when she opened her eyes once more...

... She found no man on the beach, no footsteps in the sand, not a single sign that anybody else had ever been there but herself.

And by checking her own watch, and the coldness of her body, she soon also realized that she had sat a good hour alone on that rock.

[Bloble]

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

So that's it, huh?

They're a bunch of rebels. Not in the sense of wanting to take down society, but rather, people who've found their freedom along its outskirts. I wanna say it's a dumb way to live. That nobody should think of themselves as scum. But...

"... Isn't gonna stop me. I do what I want. Enjoy what I want. Because I deserve it. And. Nobody's gonna tell me. What I can do. Or. What I can't do."

That's...

"Cool..."

It's not as if my heart is lightening or anything. I still feel awful because I am awful. Earning their approval doesn't change that. But maybe, just maybe, being awful is something people can learn to deal with. Not accept, never accept, but live with, like a burden to be shed.

"Alright, lovelies. Here's your pie!"

"T-thank you, ma'am!"

The reply comes out on its own. She still makes me instinctively shudder.

Staring at it now, as Avery retreats...

This pie looks amazing.

I want to dig in right away. But that would defeat the point.

"R-right. So! Ground rules!" We came here for a reason! "Xylia, this pie's still a bribe. I wanna ask you some questions..."

But... It looks so good...

"...forget it. Let's eat first. Not on an empty stomach."

[Verg Avesta]

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

"Bla bla bla, you're way too slow, Bobblehead!"

Indeed, while Prushka had been considering whether to speak now or only after getting some food (and coming to a conclusion eventually), the table had erupted into a squabble over who got which slice of the pie. Xylia had practically lunged forward, only to find herself in a deadly lock of arms with Xandra who had a determined, bestial grin on her face. While the two girls were practically wrestling over the right to go first, the ever-sneaky Xeni slithered in and used her utensils to grab the absolute biggest slice available, slowly attempting to steal it away, when---

"Ah, hey, that's my piece you damn junkie!" Xylia protested, removing one hand from the lock to grab Xeni by her forehead.

Unfortunately, this left the dusky-skinned girl herself rather open, and suddenly Xandra leaned forward and caught her in a noogie-style headlock, trying to bring the small girl down.

"Let go. You ass. You don't get this. It's mine!" Xeni retorted, trying to escape Xylia's hold though the latters fingers held true.

Meanwhile Prushka's classmate was letting out gurgling sounds and loud curses, trying to get out of the situation she now found herself in. Xandra, on the other hand, let out a victorious, sneering laugh and reached for one piece with just her fingers, determined to get that big slice even if it meant making a mess.

"You girls still got a long way to go! That piece, no, this whole pie is mine~" the silver-haired girl gloated, grasping the slice that had been in Xeni's hold for now.

Of course, such an action only caused the piece to get squeezed in the middle and start crumbling rapidly.

It was... an absurd scene without mercy, where it was every girl for themselves and no pity given to those who were left under the bus. Survival of the strongest was the law, even when it came to a cherry pie and those that lost had no one else to blame but themselves. Indeed, this was the kind of world that Prushka had returned of her own volition...

... Yet at the same time, one couldn't argue that the three girls weren't having a good time in their own twisted way.

.......

And so, about ten minutes later.

After a squabble that ended with Xeni getting jabbed to the nose, Xandra's face being smeared with cherry juices, and Xylia's fingers having bitemarks in them thanks to a certain panda-eyed girl (and Prushka suffering as much as she dared to enter that fray), the table of the four girls was finally more or less silent. Everyone had their own slices of pie, more or less equal in size. The large slice from before had... pretty much disintegrated thanks to the fighting, and in the end, nobody got to enjoy it.

Not that it mattered in the grand scheme of things.

After all, the reason for the current silence was simple.

"... Holy hell. This is damn good pie..." Xylia mumbled, unable to believe what she was tasting.

Xeni and Xandra nodded in agreement, no words doing justice to just how juicy and tasty the cherry pie was.

[Cheetose]

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

Opening my eyes, I couldn’t help but laugh.

A laughter filled with all kinds of emotions - surprise, sadness, and relief, among others.

“Mhm, I see.” I mumbled to myself - not that there was anyone else to hear me, anyways.

The...Advice he gave was just as cryptic as ever. It sounded simple - but at the same time it could have meant quite a few things.

...Find one string, huh?

Quite amusing how I came here without too much of a purpose, and now my hands are filled with more than what I can really handle...All the while everything has too much and at the same time nothing at all to do with why I’m here.

Still...How do I know which string to pull, and how all these threads intertwine? It’s not quite as straightforward as that…

Taking my small notebook out of my bag, I scribble down some stuff, shapes and seemingly meaningless drawings, then, with a deep sigh, I let go of these thoughts for now.

I can always just think about these later, but for now, it would probably be better to get going.
But where, anyways?

Jake is still probably busy, I have no idea where Prushka went, and Pyry…

Bah. I suppose that so called bar is pretty close from here, might as well just take a look there. Could easily make a turn from there and explore the rest of this side of the town as well...

[Ayakashi]

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

"..."

Vivienne observed those strange marks on the grass from afar, sipping her coffee and munching on her bread quietly for a bit. Her eyes never left these weird shapes, their odd presence definitely having captured Vivienne's attention. If this was the work of a gardener, perhaps that she may be simply a bit of an admirer of this rather... avant-guard style?

With her bread finished and her coffee emptied, Vivienne made a rather tidy display of good manners by walking to the nearby garbage bin and throwing in there her tissues, tissues that had been dirtied up in the valiant task of stopping the sandwich's sticky mayo and butter from dripping down onto Vivienne's hands.

With these formalities done, Vivienne walked over to the strange marks that had been left in the ground, crouching down as to inspect them closer, and perhaps have a better idea on what was their cause. Though the typical lack of expression on her face made it rather hard to tell exactly what she was thinking as her eyes narrowed, as if realizing something, it wasn't like there was someone to observe her here in the first place... was there?

Vivienne looked around her once more, she was by herself, crouching down in the middle of the sports field, and inspecting some weird marks on the grass. It was entirely possible that there was someone around that she hadn't noticed who was observing her out of curiosity. Heck, people would sometimes just gawk at her right as she passed by them -- that much she knew, but how she felt about it, most likely not even Vivenne Bianchi could tell.

Anyways, after something dawned on her as she was inspecting the marks, one could say that curiosity killed the cat.

Or maybe Vivienne Bianchi was just a different person when she had had no sleep at all.

"шаман"

She uttered a word that was definitely not English, before reaching out for some strange-looking accessory from her blouse's pocket... a... mask? Something that was made of the skull of a young bison, and and could easily cover the upper part of her face. How she kept such a large thing hidden in her pockets was one likely question, but what was going on, was perhaps even more important of a matter to know of.

As Vivienne donned that strange attire, there was a glint in her eyes, a peculiar sign of what Vivienne had not shown since she had first set foot upon Road's End...

...emotion. It wasn't your typical smile, more like the one someone has when they've witnessed something quite amusing, expressing a certain form of pity and sympathy for what just occurred.

"This is certainly a rather unwise and brash decision, but what can be done to douse the rash fires of youth? Ah, weeping for spilled rice brings us no results, let us fulfill the child's desire."

Who was she talking to? Or was that even Vivienne talking?

There was no answer for any of that, for now, all that one could tell, was that Vivienne was once more inspecting the grass, though this time her approach was quite different... rather than observing it and approaching it like a scientific person, she closed her eyes and one could tell it was as if she was 'feeling' the grass, as if commuting with nature.

[Daneel Rush]

Pinefall High Dormitory—Common Room
Morning Phase
10.09.1994
Overcast

“If you're curious go ahead~ You can taste it if you want~”

“Very well, if you´ll excuse me…”

Unhesitatingly, John Dove closes his lips around the straw and takes a sip of the bizarre drink. Now, before anything else, it must be emphasized that John Dove never judges. He is not picky about food either, regarding it solely as the object of sustenance necessary according to the rules governing this world. However, that does not mean he does not distinguish between “tasty” and “non-tasty” food, as his exchanges with Sakura Tsukioka have already shown.

What John Dove now perceives with his taste receptors is almost disappointingly underwhelming, for it is precisely what it says on the box. It is the mathematically exact combination of the flavors of onion and butter.

“This…this is quite something,” he begins. “It is truly nothing other than what it claims to be. There is solely onion and butter in equal combination. There is no sugar nor other additives in an attempt to mask or modify the flavor; it is…quite bold, in how straightforward it is.”

He swigs the unbelievable juice in his mouth.

“…just who was this made for? Certainly not for children. Based on my understanding of people’s preferences in beverages, I cannot recognize this…juice, as a profitable endeavor. It´s almost admirable, then, that this company has hold on to whatever ideals drive the creation of this product, over the pursuit of maximum profits.”

He swallows.

“…it is not something I see myself consuming regularly, but for whatever reason I feel it was a good thing to have tried it out this once.” Nodding to himself, seemingly satisfied with the…experience, he looks at the owner of the juice box and smiles. “Thank you, Zhou.”

Easing back on the chair, John ponders how much longer it could take for a member of the faculty to show up. Sakura is rather efficient, so he expect the Coastrises’ meal to take not much longer. A brief glance at the whole situation before him, and he ponders as to whether he could do anything to improve Minato’s attitude before either arrives. Unfortunately, so far John only knows the boy is standoffish and clearly protective of his sisters, and neither thing seems prudent to use. On the other hand, there is this thing that’s bothering him…

“I…might be touching a sensitive issue, but…um, you seem to have a good relationship with Mr. Coastrise. Is he alright with you guys coming to, well, this place?”

[Thalraxal]

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

"I first heard of her yesterday, from a Mister John Dove. But I'm afraid I haven't a clue who she is outside of that."

“Hm, thanks, Alexstrasza. John asked me about her too the other day, which got me wondering.”

That's one more for the 'Does not remember Elizaveta' list then.

"Or perhaps they didn't even want to come here at first. Perhaps they had to be caught and put here. Perhaps they were ordered here. Perhaps they were left here. The possibilities and reasons for their lateness are as numerous as stars in the skies, or knives in this kitchen. Speculation and gossip is... sad, isn't it? They are our peers, after all. We shall treat them as such until they are expelled."

"You know, Lockhart, you're right. Whatever their situation, if they do belong here, we shouldn't treat them like strangers! I mean, there are plenty of us who had no choice coming here. So if those three feel that they should be here, and that they belong here... we shouldn't give them the cold shoulder. We should encourage them instead! Make them feel like they belong and that they are our classmates, not--- Oh!"

Alexstrasza had nicked herself with a knife while cutting the garlic, and prepared a makeshift bandage with a napkin. Elise prepared to offer her first aid skills to help, she still had a few bandaids in her pocket from her last shopping trip, but Sakura responded faster, pushing Elise towards the stove and leaving her in charge of the frying pan as she moved to help Alexstrasza. Elise was thoroughly impressed by Sakura's preparedness, carrying a small first aid kit on her person, but she was fairly certain that... sucking blood pooling on the finger like that was not the most... sanitary way of cleaning the wound. Unorthodox at the very least.

Elise nodded, agreeing with Sakura's affirmation as she tended to Alexstrasza's cut, “We need to be there for each other, after all, we're all in this together. That said though, this whole situation is up to the faculty to resolve, not us. Still, there's no reason not to give them a warm welcome in the meantime.”

Sakura returned to the stove, relieving Elise from duty, retaking command of the pan, and overseeing the care of delicious omelet cooking inside it.

"Now, you were talking about someone... E-Elizaveta, was it? Is she a friend of yours who lives here?"

Elise blinked. That... was not the response she'd been expecting from Sakura. She thought back to Thursday morning, when Sakura seemed to respond to the mention of Elizaveta Vyraj with much less uncertainty.

“Elizaveta Vyraj. We talked about her on Thursday morning," said Elise with a worried tone, "John mentioned her when we were eating breakfast together here in the kitchen.”

Oh, I'm hoping this is just your sleep deprived brain and not something else.

[Katie]

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

Lucille tried to open her mouth before politely covering it instead. In a dazed sense of shock, she simply let everything happen, her brain trying to wrap itself around what just occurred. This was a situation beyond her wildest expectations. She couldn’t even feel flush with anger or anything. Her brain was busy trying to figure out how to resolve the misunderstanding.

After all, Mister Pinkerton seemed so earnest about the matter that refusing seemed like the wrong thing to do. Yet, at the same time, he was under a woefully wrong impression. The only things about baseball that Lucille knew were the bare basics and that her home team was the Los Angeles Dodgers. And explaining the actual situation would be a breach of Mercedes’ privacy, wouldn’t it?

…

She really put herself in a hard place this time. Even so…

Lucille thought she could fudge the rules a bit, for honesty’s sake.

“I don’t know much about baseball, actually,” she confessed, a sheepish expression on her face. “I just thought it’d make a nice gift for someone else at Pinefall that does…”

Well, now that the cat was out of the bag, she had to take responsibility, didn’t she? And refuse the charity that was unwarrantedly given to her.

“So, miss, I’ll pay for that myself,” Lucille said, fishing for her own bills from her purse. She hadn’t originally been intending on getting something that expensive, but her reasoning—getting this for Mercedes—seemed sound to her. Besides… if Mercedes was willing, which was still rather slim, perhaps Mister Pinkerton’s hopes could live on.

[Bloble]

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

"Too slow-? Wait, stop!"

They don't stop.

"It's not gonna run away, you don't have to-!"

They do. They do have to.

"We have plates, don't just throw it-!"

They throw it, and something lands in my eye. Not the way I had imagined first contact with pie.

"Rrrrrrrr, fine! In that case-!"

Some battles must be fought. The civilized must fight for their right to exist, even if it means using means they would not normally resort to. Against a foe this scummy, the only choice is to use scummy tactics of your own. If the choice is between pie or no pie, then obviously I'll take the pie, even if it turns me into a monster!

"..."

And that's how I ended up here, cheeks and chin so caked with sticky crumbs that it must look like I've spontaneously grown a beard.

"... Holy hell. This is damn good pie..."

My first urge, to blink at the words coming out of Xylia's mouth, is only half-fulfilled; one eye is caked shut and won't open. I wipe away the offending jelly with my thumb and pop it in my mouth. Instantly the warm, sweet flavour assaults my tongue, and I am brought to a place that never existed, warm and safe and full of delicious things. This isn't like MREs or television dinners at all; I can taste the love and care put into every crumb. That alone is enough to chase away the funk, if only temporarily.

"Mmm. That might be," I begin, mumbling around a finger, "the most correct thing you've ever said. I've never had anything this good..."

Maybe she's not so bad after all. This pie is proof that Xylia and I can at least agree on something. And it's proof that for all the awful stuff out there, some of it might just be amazing, too.

There's plenty that could be said to fill the silence. However, none of it feels right. Right now, all is well.

So instead I sip on some coke to wash down the sweetness in my mouth, and quietly enjoy one of the few simple pleasures in life alongside the same people that made me cry.

[Kuroyuki]

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

Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long because seeming after a minute I’ve chosen an appropriate place to sit down Rachel reappeared with some rather filled plates. And it wasn’t a plate of slop either. It was food good enough to be served at a restaurant like Avery’s Diner. If all I had to do was show up early, I might just do this every morning on the weekend. That’ll be another great incentive to the job on top of the pay and information gathering.

"Well, there we go. I grabbed what I could, so hopefully this'll be enough. It's one of the perks working here, the food. I mean, A.D. Diner is nice and all, but---"

So it is part of the perks of the job… Looks like my mornings will be spoken for from now on. My miffed attitude from kicking bastard rose a little bit as I took my first bite into the chocolate cake. People say I shouldn’t eat dessert first, but then again they haven’t had to defend their desserts from their best friend for the entire meal. Better for you to eat it first before someone snatches it from you. It was tasty enough for me to almost miss the pause in Rachel Halloway’s words.

”What's eating you?”

Internally, part of me was surprised because while I wasn’t suppressing my emotions I was placing in at least minimal effort to appear normal. Thankfully, I was midbite so any surprise I might have slipped through could probably be construed as surprise at the sudden question.

“What’s eating at me? Well I was considering stealing the recipe for this cake… But I’m pretty sure you’re not asking me about that.” I give a slightly joking laugh off before continuing. “Well I met an acquaintance and they acted like they didn’t know me. Despite the fact that I was still trying to be nice and gave some advice, they still ignored me. But it’s no big deal.”

I took another forkful of the cake.

“Especially now that I have this to brighten up my day.”