Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

I waited patiently for any potential enemies. The initial second became a minute. That minute became several minutes. I considered going back to my normal alertness level if only because keeping myself this frosty for too long was counter-productive. However, my perseverance had to be paid off… In a way. Earlier I remarked no plan survives contact with the enemy and I was right. I forgot to consider one more possible scenario. What if we needed to rescue someone out there?

At first, when I heard the sounds of fighting I felt my suspicions to be confirmed that something was out there and waiting for us. I thought that if it was the away team, they would know to immediately run to the dorms instead of trying to engage whatever it was inside the mist. However, that all changed when something was sent flying towards me. That something became very familiar when I saw that it landed approximately around 15m away.

It was Tonkori. If he was fighting something, then that means Subaru Iburi was nearby as well… I have some vague memories of her and today she viewed me as a possible murderer suspect as well. Any hint of friendship we might have had disappeared when ‘I’ decided to reset myself. While she was right on one part, she was wrong about when and who I killed. It would be easier if I let a volatile person die.

‘Lucille. I need both of you down here right now. Tonkori was severely injured fighting something. I need you with me to save Subaru while Aleen grabs Tonkori.’

If that was the case, then why was I revealing some of my abilities so easily. Even if they knew I was related to the Turnside, they didn’t know how immersed in it I was. For all they knew, I was just a child soldier who had a brush with it like Lobo thought. But now, they knew I was most definitely a part of it and would raise their guard accordingly. All I had to do was close my eyes and ears to this fight and Subaru Iburi would be dead with any threat that she had. Yet, I still did it without a thought.

The only thing I managed to successfully squash down was the urge to immediately run to Tonkori. It wouldn’t be good if I just ran out with no back-up. It was just asking for me to add to Lucille Faraday and Aleen King’s problems if I ended up getting injured next to Tonkori or running by myself towards where I thought the fight was at. While I could relay information over the link, I wouldn’t be in range anymore once I run out there… So I’ll wait till Lucille Faraday and Aleen King show up before running towards Subaru Iburi’s fight. Hopefully they can at least follow me if I physically lead them.

Vier Wolff

Stats

STR	?
WIL	?
END	?
INT	?
AGI	?
EGO	?

Equipment

Gun (?)

• A gun of some kind? Can't really get a good look at it from below. All you can tell is that it's not a pistol.

Guitar Case

• Currently holding something? A weapon? More supplies?

Ability Revealed:

Telepathy (Rank E)

• Range: 20m
• Target: 1
• Allows Vier and target to talk via thoughts. Commonly used when Vier needs to subtly converse with someone and she might be heard.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Ghostwood National Forest
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“Huh? Ah, no, I’m not all that good…” I replied as I momentarily paused with treating the boy’s wounds, “It’s mostly just basic stuff.”

First aid, after all, wasn’t something that took ages to learn - someone with just the slightest aptitude could pretty much master it in a week or two.

With most of the work done, and as I was talking anyways, I took a moment to look through his body for any other wounds that I might have left out and to think about further treatment - something that would certainly be needed, unless his body manages to completely regenerate by the time we get back to the dorms. His chest would need to be properly bandaged again, once it’s...actually whole. Same for the burns, could probably use some proper lotion too once they heal a bit more…Still, for now, that only leaves the cuts on his face, and then we’re done for now...

“There weren’t really any hospitals or doctors back where I lived for a while, so...it was sort of necessary to learn certain stuff.” I said as I prepared some more plasters and ointments, “But then conventional medicine only gets you so far, especially when the supernatural is involved.”

Leaning closer to the boy, I gently touched his face with one hand to keep his head in place;

“This might sting a bit too, but don’t move too much.” I explained, then started disinfecting, then covering the cuts one by one - a process that didn’t take quite as long as the other wounds.

“There...should do for now. But more importantly...can you stand?”

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Ghostwood National Forest
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Elise took a sigh of relief in the fading light of her thaumaturgy as she watched the healing magic she'd just invoked help Pyry's regeneration along. The golden specks seemed to glow brighter, and there were fewer disconcerting noises coming from inside of Pyry. She watched as his body continued to slowly knit itself back together, fascinated by the entire process.

That wasn't nearly enough to put him all back together again, thought Elise as she eyed Pyry's still incomplete torso, but every little bit helps. I'm pretty sure Pyry would be dead at least three times over if not for his regeneration, so thank goodness for that.

"I don't mind bit, Elise. I mean... not only am I in no walking condition, I'm sorta interested in seeing someone with your frame lugging me out of this forest. No offense, of course. Just... a funny mental image, you gotta admit."

Elise laughed at the image of very average sized and not-short-at-all her carrying a very large Pyry, "Heehee! No offence taken. We probably will look a bit silly. Still, while your size will make you a little bit unwieldy, I'll be able to manage."

"Back at the beach party... you have no idea how tempted I was to throw Ubon back in your direction after I caught her," said Elise whistfully, "I probably could've gotten some good distance too, considering how lightweight and aerodynamic she is..."

"It's... well, honestly, it's kind of like honey. Honey from heavens, bathed in the river of Tuonela. Long story, honestly... but, basically, it's what makes this thing inside me function. Think of it like gasoline in a car... or blood in my veins, if we're totally honest. It spreads around when I get this badly damaged... but then gathers into these pools, and flows back into me, accelerating the regeneration process. It's a long story, and, honestly, more is generated once the Arc-Relic can spare some resources from making me not-dead."

"--- In other words, if we wanna get outta here fast, we don't need to wait for it. Because, honestly... I agree with you guys. This forest gives me the creeps."

Elise glanced about the clearing, and at the copious amounts of blood coloured honey-like substance coating it.

"Is it-is it edible?" asked Elise hesitantly, "Not-not that I'm looking for a snack. Just-just curious."

[Verg Avesta]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Road's End - End's Mercy Hospital
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“Right, I’m done. The door’s open. Time to put your moose-treating skills to use, Doctor.”

Travis snorted.

"Well, I'm betting you the storage room is locked too," he shot back. "So better keep your lockpicks ready - there's bound to be more work."

Having said that, Travis waltzed over to the door and threw it open, revealing the empty, dark hospital corridor behind it. The spiky-haired boy cocked his eyebrow at the sight, muttering something about "goddamn haunted house attraction" but decided to press on forth with nary a pause. He, almost naturally, placed himself to the front of the duo - almost like he was planning on being the first to be hit if something did decide to charge at them from the darkness. Very uncharacteristic of the boy... but this was a weird day altogether - and he had made a promise of sorts with Caleb.

Still, while the hallway was dark and the shadows were long, and the atmosphere was almost ripe for something dangerous to be lurking out there in the building... so far the two of them had been safe.

The only thing with them was the darkness and the silence.

And the emptiness of the hospital that should have been full of life...

"Yeah, no way in hell am I taking the fucking elevator," Travis spoke as the two of them walked past a pair of automated metal doors. "I've seen enough horror moview to know where that goes. So, yeah, to the stairs, Scarecrow."

He pointed to large concrete stairs that led to the second floor and above, most likely... though at the same time, they did also lead down. Travis frowned as he watched the corridor descend deeper underground, and disappear from sight. While the lights in the lobby had given enough illumination to send them on their way, here it was starting to get hard to see details. They both had kept an eye out for more light-switches, but with no success. And that was why they had to make do with what they could make out in the darkness, and by using their hands to feel the walls.

But here, in the staircase that led both up and down, it turned the corridor into a gaping abyss where no light entered.

A foreboding sight to say the least.

"... Five bucks says that the secret lab you talked 'bout is down there," Travis said quietly, nodding downstairs. "Seems just creepy enough for that sort of stuff. Nooooo thank you..."

And with that, Travis headed upstairs, decidedly ignoring the stairs leading down.

... stairs where, Anna could swear, she had seen slight movement at the bottom the moment she had averted her eyes...

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

There’s something in Lucille that makes her instinctively want to refute Aleen’s words, but she isn’t sure the other girl would listen. Not as anything that’s happened today would support an optimistic perspective. In spite of that, her lips move anyway.

“You can say the same about sunshine, you know,” Lucille says, forcibly mustering a tone that sounded somewhat energetic. “And really… I’d be more surprised if you didn’t feel overwhelmed. Just… you can trust me, alright? It’s my job to worry about everything, including you, so let me do that, at least.”

Being alone was the worst, wasn’t it? no matter what, Lucille thought, in times of crisis, people wanted someone to rely on. To trust.

And naturally, she’d gladly take that role for herself. Her life was meant for saving others, after all.

‘Lucille. I need both of you down here right now. Tonkori was severely injured fighting something. I need you with me to save Subaru while Aleen grabs Tonkori.’

“And duty calls… but at least it looks like Vier has some sort of conscience,” she jokes, as off-color it may be. It was remarkably positive news, at least. “Let’s get going. Even if Subaru is out for vengeance… I can’t leave her alone, at least.”

With that, Lucille makes her way back into the main lobby, notions of duty eroding the unpleasant worry and despair in her heart.

It was much easier to forget about her own problems by drowning herself in resolving that of others.

[Verg Avesta]

John Dove
Location: Road's End - Streets
Phase: Afternoon Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Ovecast
[BGM]

The town was either dead or dying.

The air was either dead or dying.

The fog was either dead or dying.

Because, after about fifteen minutes of following both his own knowledge and the directions given to him by Zane Mitchell, John Dove realized something... or rather, he finally had to admit it to himself. He had probably noticed it minutes before, though even by then it had been far too late to do anything about it. That was why the stubborn part of his instincts, his lizard-brain, had refused to acknowledge the obvious truth that was staring him straight in the face... at least, until, it was too obvious to even delude or fool oneself into not believing. The obvious truth. The obvious danger. The obvious trouble. The prison that had snaked itself around John and driven him into a corner from where there was no escape.

In other words, to put it in less poetic terms...

--- John was, totally and utterly, lost.

The fog was almost like a heavy blanket thrown over his head, covering his eyes with an endless expanse of opaque greyness, one that refused to budge even though he ventured further and further into it. Slowly came also the realization that he no longer saw even the asphalt street under his feet. He couldn't even reach the walls of the buildings that must have flanked the road, like they had disappeared altogether. There was only the mist... the mist and whatever slightly soft yet hard that he was walking on. Grass? It certainly felt like freshly-cut lawn, but at the same time, this smell of dust wafting through the moist air was something altogether artificial.

John Dove had been captured by the fog, and he could no longer hear, see, taste, smell or feel anything else.

Almost like he was the prisoner of his own mind at this point.

Frantically, his eyes search for anything, anything at all, to focus on... something to give him a heading and to orient himself with.

--- And there, about 30 meters ahead, he saw something.

A vaguely square shape.

With wooden frame and a wooden surface.

With a brass knob to turn.

A keyhole.

And some sort of placard set to the eye-height.

In other words...

------ A door, in the middle of the mist?

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi & Elise Pelltier
Location: Ghostwood National Forest
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“There...should do for now. But more importantly...can you stand?”

Pyry hung his head, eyes unblinking, staring straight ahead.

"Make it stop... m-make it stop..." the boy muttered, again and again like a man possessed, as he was lifted up from the ground. "P-please hear me... Hisa... Elise... you guys NeEd To RuN nOw...!"

The voice coming out of the boy's mouth was barely his own anymore. It sounded more metallic, animalistic, like something of a monster or a beast of olden days - a mythological creature of pure fury. With Elise's and Hisa's forcible help (though mostly Elise's - as it turned out, the brunette was freakishly strong despite her small stature) the boy was made to stand up once more. He had an expression of utter horror on his face as his body bent forwards for a moment, warping uncontrollably as the metal from within started growing rapidly and blackening as it did - the runes glowing in crimson. At the same time the desperation from his face evaporated as his lips curled back, revealing rows upon rows of snarling sharp fangs through which saliva dripped. His eyes became those of a feline beast and started to glow, while his nails became closer to claws. Pyry's form was changing rapidly, becoming that of an animal who was slowly being enclosed in a cocoon of ancient metal growing from within his flesh and bones and fueled by rage... but even if it did, his eyes still held that same look of desperation within them, bitter tears streaming down from them.

"Is it-is it edible? Not-not that I'm looking for a snack. Just-just curious."

Pyry let out a sound that was somewhere between a roar and a cry. His eyes turned towards Elise at the same time as the metal burst from within his tearducts and started wrapping around his face in plates.

"GggooOOoooOOooo...! RuuuUUunnnnNNN! YoU gUyS nEeD tO lEaVe NoW---!" Pyry let out a miserable, wretched sound of hollow metal. "IiiiiIIi dOn'T wAnT tO hUrT yOu---! FoR tHe LoVe Of GoD PlEaSe JuSt GoOoOooooo!"

Ahead of them, the trio could hear Mercedes click her tongue and sigh, and as they turned to look around, they saw that the actress was shaking her head at their current topic of discussion. Still, on her face was a slight look of amusement that she was trying to hide... most likely she was just as relieved that everyone was alright, and that they could still joke about stupid things like this without reservations. Of course, Mercedes being Mercedes, she also did her best to hide it... but that was just who the actress was.

"Yeah, like, let's discuss about Mr. Muscle's bodily fluids back at the dorms, alright?" Mercedes snarked, cocking an eyebrow at them. "I mean, gawd, can you believe these three Gra---"

Suddenly.

A pair of panicked eyes scanned the clearing.

"... Gradient?"

The starlet whirled around on her heels, taking a good look at the whole grove... but it was all for naught. Now that attention had been called to what was obviously missing from the picture, it could be no longer denied. No matter where the four of them looked, no matter how they called out of the name of the mysterious girl without words... she was nowhere to be seen. Not on her lookout spot, not on the outer edges of the clearing, not even poking at the pools of "blood" on the ground.

She was simply... gone.

--- And immediately upon that realization, a chill ran down the spines of all those who were present.

"W-wait, where the hell is that dummy!?" Mercedes asked, her voice rising an octave as proper and honest worry entered it.

Nobody had an answer to give.

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday & Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“And duty calls… but at least it looks like Vier has some sort of conscience. Let’s get going. Even if Subaru is out for vengeance… I can’t leave her alone, at least.”

Aleen blinked owlishly at this sudden turn in the conversation, her mouth half-open and a forkful of tuna pasta still on its way to it. Whatever the telepathy that Vier had used to contact Lucille with (one that she could have brushed aside when she felt it knocking to the door of her mind), it clearly hadn't alerted the bluehead to the situaton. That was why she was left staring at the blond with a slightly dumbfounded look on her face... one that lasted all the way until she realizied that Lucille was serious and that she was already heading out of the door.

"B-but, what about the foo--- Oh, whatever! Wait for me!" Aleen hastily exclaimed and hurried after Lucille. "What's this about Subaru? W-what the heck is going on? Did you get some sorta message from someone or--- Gah, just explain for those totes outta the loop, a'ight!"

While Aleen was full of questions as the two girls hurried down the stairs that led to the first floor, all of those questions had their answers the moment they made it to the lobby and the half-open front door. They saw how well the mist had made its way across the campus grounds, they saw Vier waiting for them while keeping a close eye on the situation outside, they saw that specks of blood had formed a small dragging path to the greyish grass near the yew tree... and they saw what had actually made that path.

Tonkori.

Subaru Iburi's puppy.

Desperately clawing its way towards the dormitory with its front paws while its hind legs refused to work after something had clearly hit it to the ribs.

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

Earlier, Vier had thought about no plan surviving the first contact. There was some truth to that proverb that was repeated across the battlefields from here to Middle-East. However, the reason why that proverb rang so true something that should also be given some thought to. After all, why in the first place did battles turn so chaotic that no plan could see one through a whole fight and emerge victorious? What was that random element, that seed of chaos, that threw a wrench into every single plan made by humans?

... The answer was obvious.

Humans themselves.

Case in point...

"------- TONKORI!!!"

Letting out a desperate cry, and having apparently completely forgotten her two friends, Aleen rushed out of the lobby with tears in her eyes. The shape that the small dog was in had kicked her instincts into overdrive. Perhaps the ditzy bluehead had felt the whole day so far as something she couldn't affect, something too powerful for her to change... and here a clear and obvious situation appeared where she could help. Perhaps that was why she rushed out of the dormitory without a second thought. Perhaps that was why she forgot all logic and what they had discussed before about being careful. Perhaps that was why she didn't even look at Vier and Lucille as she raced towards the wounded dog at the edge of the mist.

... Or, perhaps, the reason was the first actual chance to save someone on a day that had been full of corpses and death.

Still.

Brave or an idiot...

--- Aleen's actions had taken both Lucille and Vier by surprise, and they had but a moment to act if they wanted to make it in time.

[Ayakashi]

--- Vivienne Bianchi Date: 11.09.1994 (SAT) Location: Road's End - Streets Phase: Evening Phase Weather: Overcast ---

Vivienne showed as much surprise as she could at the sight of Hwan's violent outbreak. It wasn't much, but it is the thought that count, isn't it? Her head downcast, she looked away from Hwan, as if afraid to meet his gaze. Perhaps that she felt that part of the blame was to be attributed to her. In the end, things may have gone differently if she had tried to fight her fears... but then could she really have done so considering how she has a broken soul in the first place?

"You... protector for her? Sorry... I couldn't..."

...in the end, dwelling on such a matter would help no one. If one was to proceed logically, there was no reason why Vivienne should feel upset over Prushka's death. The outcome that they had found together... ultimately one was saved, at the price of the other one. It was better than both of them losing their lives.

"We went to... Owl's Nest... wanted to see what was in the Library... and I wanted to meet Alex again. There was... bad weather, so after arriving at Owl's Nest and meeting up with Prushka accidentally, we decided to stay at the hotel for the Night... then in the morning... a man in green armor with spear attacked us... he called himself Lobo..."

Vivienne paused, thinking back to the chain of events that had occurred back then. Nothing pleasant to remember at all, but she should share the details with the man that was responsible with keeping Prushka safe... thought that lead to the question 'why' he wasn't with her during any of the dangerous encounters they had previously. Perhaps that Prushka had stormed off on her own? Knowing her that was... possible.

"Prushie... did something to me that made me run in fear... but after I came back to my senses... I went back to see what had happened... she was... already asleep... forever... but then there was something else that came and fought the man with a spear... a monster of sorts. I saw that the Lobo person lost to the Monster and died but then I ran away after the Monster showed that it would kill me if I didn't leave..."

In her usual, fragmented and empty Voice, Vivienne recounted the tale of her tragic morning at Owl's Nest. She did omit a few details, but the most important happenings had been conveyed to the two boys. What would they do now that they had been told all of this?

[Daneel Rush]

Location: Road’s End – Streets
Phase: Afternoon
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast



John Dove is lost.

“Right, that’s how it normally goes.”

The fog is all-encompassing; an unreasonable, unnatural blockade to all five senses. Forget about worrying for Miss Popplewell, John himself is the one wandering into the unknown. It does not matter whether he searches calmly or frantically, it is the same in every direction. As if the world has finally decided to agree with him and made itself truly and wholly grey.

And then there is the door. Just…standing there.

“Hmm.”

That cannot be anything but suspicious. On the other hand, the fact remains that night approaches, and it would not be wise to remain outdoors when darkness falls. About as unwise as going through this awkwardly placed door, in all honesty.

What are his choices, really? Open the door, stay where he is, or keep wandering no longer following any direction, because any attempt to follow the directions Zane gave him leads to nowhere, as he has already verified. All choices seem troublesome, maybe even dangerous. In that case, better the danger right in front of you than the one lurking unseen in the fog, right? Objectively speaking, both are equally unknown. Even if this whole decision process rests on the assumption that staying in the fog at night is dangerous, well, he is also assuming that opening the door leads to danger.

Long story short, there is no difference between going through the mysterious door and staying where he is, lost and immersed in the fog. Besides, this is John Dove we are talking about. The man who takes everything at face value. Unless his instincts scream danger at him (which they aren't), why would this lunatic even worry about some weird door standing in front of him?

Keeping an eye on his surroundings for any change in the uncannily uniform world of fog, John takes his time closing the distance to the door, wholly intent in opening it and seeing where it leads.

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

The brief tense moments waiting for them probably would’ve been worse if I was closer to Tonkori, but because I wasn’t… It felt easier to just watch him crawl towards the dorms. Eventually, I heard loud footsteps approach from upstairs. Looks like Lucille Faraday did get my message and told Aleen King to come down as well.

I was about to calmly explain the plan to both of them once they got down here. However, I forgot about one thing. No plan survives first contact with the enemy and I was right when I thought about that earlier.

"------- TONKORI!!!"

Because the second Aleen King saw Tonkori, she burst out into the open. Instead of cursing her impulsiveness, I remembered what ‘I’ wrote. “You’ll know who it is when they do something stupid.” Well I hope she’s the only one idiotic enough to run out like that.

“Lucille on me! We’re going to see if we can get to Subaru. Aleen get Tonkori and bring him back to the dorms!”

If we survive the upcoming fight and Aleen isn’t targeted while we’re gone, I’m going to scold that idiot for running out in the open. Until then, I’m going to focus on saving Subaru. I started running in the direction that I saw Tonkori come flying from. Hoping that I wasn’t too late and risking our lives for nothing.

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Ghostwood National Forest
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Elise and Hisa were able to haul Pyry back up to his feet. He still seemed a little unsteady, being careful not to put too much weight on either of his legs. Thankfully, he had Elise and Hisa to support him.

I was fully prepared to try and fireman carry Pyry out of here, but this is probably a lot less awkward. Not as funny though.

All in all, it looked like everything was going well until Elise asked whether or not the blood-coloured honey was edible. She was hesitant to ask the question at first, but ultimately her curiosity won out, and then she immediately regretted asking.

"Well, I guess so? Though, uh, I'd advice against it. Eating something that comes out of another person's body, man... you should save that for, erhm, another situation. Though yeah, it's supposed to be honey so... I'd imagine you could eat it? Just, I won't be taking responsibility for any side-effects. Who knows what that stuff could do to you..."

"That's not what I- I'm not going- I was just curious- H-honey has various medicinal properties and-" stammered Elise as she blushed furiously.

John was right. I do need to be more careful about what questions I ask. Although I'm fairly certain this is not the sort of scenario he was thinking of, groaned Elise to herself as she silently wished for a hole she could crawl into.

Still, a bit of laughter at her expense seemed like a small price to pay for a bit mirth on a day like today.

"Yeah, like, let's discuss about Mr. Muscle's bodily fluids back at the dorms, alright? I mean, gawd, can you believe these three Gra---"

Mercedes stopped abruptly when she turned to Gradiant and did not find her. She looked about frantically, and Elise followed suit, as best she could while still helping to prop up Pyry. The coloured drained from Elise's face as she could find no trace of the mysterious girl at all and everything suddenly felt a lot less like it was going well at all.

She is pretty mysterious. Maybe randomly disappearing is just a thing she does from time to time? thought Elise hopefully.

"W-wait, where the hell is that dummy!?"

There was no answer. Gradient was simply gone.

The forest seemed as still as it had before. Everything seemed to be in place, except for Gradient. There was something. Elise blinked as she looked around. The forest seemed as still as it had before. Everything seemed to be in place, but there was almost an oily sheen over everything. The light seemed to shimmer and warp in an odd way. It was worse at the edge of her vision where it just dissolved into a chaotic mess that made her want to scratch her eyes, but any time she tried to look to focus on the shifting light, it just turned into a smudge that then suddenly looked like it should. She rubbed her eyes but that didn't seem to make anything any clearer. Or less clear.

Still, the was no mistaking the stinging smell of ozone that now assaulted her nose, nor the sudden sense of danger she felt. Without her noticing, her free hand had already wrapped itself around the hilt of her dagger.

"Magic. Some sort of illusion? Be on you guard, there's something dangerous here," warned Elise, "If you look carefully, there's sort of an oily sheen to everything. Maybe-maybe Gradient's still here, but we can't see her now because of it?"

So either someone wanted to cut us off from Gradient, or else maybe Gradient's just immune to this nonsense so she didn't get drawn into it? Either way...

"Let me try something..."

Elise whispered a short prayer, politely informing reality that something was wrong.

New Ability Revealed!

Reinforce Reality
Element: Prana
Rank-C
Mana Cost: 12 MP

Range 10 meters. [REDACTED]. If this thaumaturgy is used to target an ongoing magical effect, compare Ranks. Magical effects of C-Rank or lower are immediately erased. Meanwhile, those of B-Rank have a 50% chance of momentarily faltering.

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi & Elise Pelltier
Location: Ghostwood National Forest
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

It took someone pointing it out to make others realize too that something was definitely wrong.

Looking at the forest around them, the group saw nothing out of the ordinary... at least, nothing where they focused their eyes and their gaze. However, at the edges of their vision, in the spots that were already blurry and mere momentary flashes, they could sense how the world took on an oily sheen, like a blotch of petrol fallen onto water. Shimmering, warbling and warping light and colours - all the tell-tale signs of something supernatural covering the forest around the clearing. It was like a glitch in the air itself, wrong way for light to bend (what little came down through the overcast sky and canopy of pine trees).

--- And it was at that "wrongness" in the air that Elise targeted her next miracle.

Her thaumaturgy reached out in form of a harsh, concentrated light of truth - the World's rules itself concentrated through a recited prayer and made into an arrow of sorts that was then shot out towards the affronting phenomena of the Turnside. Crush the supernatural, reinforce the laws of reality and bring back the normal world... in other words, a wonderwork that was the bane of mages and their ilk, grinding magic under its heel in an effort to bring back the divine domain of man!

That arrow pierced the veil of oil, the petrol-like sheen that covered the air, momentarily revealing it to the focused gazes of those who were present...!

... But it also passed right through it, ripping a large hole in it but at the same time not finding a proper target to connect with. The arrow of light zoomed deeper into the forest, eventually fading out of sight and leaving but a clear rip into the air where it had passed... rip that had, on its edges, iridescent gleam as something magical tried to return to fill the hole that had been made.

Elise understood immediately what that meant.

It wasn't that they had any sort of spell surrounding them... no, the thing around them was the shine of mana, magical power within bodies of those who carried inhuman blood - mages. Something that should have become crystallized prana when it existed outside a mage's body, yet now... it was here, and it existed. The stinging scent of ozone came from the pure magical power that was surrounding them and the clearing, seeping into the forest air.

This wasn't a spell.

This was the presence of something magical.

--- Something that practically breathed magical energy out, generating it naturally and saturating the air with it, almost like a mythological beast of old.

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Lucille winces when Aleen yells. She knows that inevitably she has to accompany Vier into that misty expanse, but considering the nature of their foes, Aleen would be in immense danger when they left. Anything that could draw attention to her could already spell her death. And it wasn’t as if the barricades could stop anyone halfway competent. It was mostly there to slow someone down, just a tad.

Still, if Subaru was in immediate danger, they had to help her… No point in doubting. Decisive action. She just needed to pray for Aleen’s safety. May the Lord watch over her. May the dog not drag her into the mist.

“Be careful,” she says to Aleen, hoping her words will get through. “Grab Tonkori and hide. Vier and I will be back in a flash.”

That sort of statement is a lie, because that fog is terrible beyond belief, but she says it anyway because she is a fountain of white lies.

With that, she follows Vier Wolff into the white unknown, hoping Subaru is okay.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Ghostwood National Forest
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“Well...That... didn’t seem to work?” I said after observing the result of Elise’s magic - whatever exactly it was.

At the very least, it didn’t seem to work as expected. While it momentarily pierced the veil - which was now quite obviously there, even though I wouldn’t even been able to tell its presence moments ago - it seemed to fill the holes just as fast. Which, however, raised different questions and concerns.

“What now?” I asked, my voice clearly filled with frustration.

Since, after all, I had pretty much no idea whatsoever what the optimal course of action would have been here. It felt to be way beyond my forte - with how I didn’t notice the presence of whatever this thing was until Elise pointed out, and how I could not notice Gradient’s disappearance, or anything related to it. It was frustrating, infuriatingly so, considering how this was the one thing I was supposed to be good at.

I didn’t like being absolutely out of control like this…

“Should we try looking for the source? Maybe that’s where Gradient is?”

Obviously, there were a few more things I could have tried to make the situation a bit clearer, but if it really was dangerous...Would it have been a good idea to exhaust myself with that, only to then face whatever this godawful day throws at us with no tricks up my sleeve…

“It has to come from somewhere...And it would be too much of a coincidence for it not to be the cause of Gradient’s disappearance.”

Of course, we could have just ran away. Escape the forest along the path that was still clearly marked, back to Mercedes’ car, go back to the dorms to meet up with the others, let everyone rest…

But was that really an option?

Would I leave someone behind even if looking for them could mean certain death?

No...The only reason why I even considered this option was because this meant dragging Pyry, Mercedes and Elise with me as well. One who was human, one who was injured, and Elise, whom I barely even know…

To ask them to risk their lives for a person they themselves barely even know? A person I barely even know?

“It shouldn’t be too far at least. If we stay together and close to the clearing, or mark out path, we wouldn’t have to worry about getting lost…”

I looked at Elise and Pyry with a pleading expression - both since I was hoping that they’d know something more about what was going on, and that they wouldn’t just leave behind Gradient either.

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Ghostwood National Forest
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Elise watched in dismay as the hole her thaumaturgy had punched through the oily veil began to refill.

"Okay. So. I was completely wrong," admitted Elise, "This isn't an illusion, or any sort of spell, we're... we're actually in the presence of something magical. Something that's just naturally saturated the air with mana is nearby. It's probably been here the whole time, and we just didn't notice it until now."

Of all the clearings in the forest, Pyry collapses in this one.

“Should we try looking for the source? Maybe that’s where Gradient is? It has to come from somewhere...And it would be too much of a coincidence for it not to be the cause of Gradient’s disappearance.”

"That's what I was thinking too. We might have only just sensed it, but what if Gradient noticed it first and left to investigate?" agreed Elise.

“It shouldn’t be too far at least. If we stay together and close to the clearing, or mark out path, we wouldn’t have to worry about getting lost…”

Hisa looked over at her and Pyry with a pleading expression. It was clear that she didn't want to leave Gradient behind, and that option didn't sit well with Elise either.

"I don't want to leave Gradient behind in the forest either, but-"

She paused and looked over her companions. Pyry was badly injured, Mercedes was an ordinary human, and Hisa was the one who knew how to navigate back to the car. While whatever was out there probably wasn't overtly hostile, it probably could've eaten Pyry hours ago if it was, there was little doubt in her mind that whatever it was was dangerous.

I don't like the idea of splitting up, but I don't like dragging everyone else into danger even more...

"I can go back and look for Gradient if the rest of you want to keep heading back to the car. It wouldn't be hard for me to follow this ozone smell back to its source," suggested Elise, "I can go look for Gradient, and then we can catch up with the rest of you on the way out."

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Road's End - End's Mercy Hospital
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

The corridors past the door were filled with darkness, illuminated only by the most limited amounts of ambient light. Not enough to actually illuminate anything of worth, but more than enough to paint everything in long, sinister-looking, shadows. No doubt their minds would be playing tricks on them soon enough. There was plenty of dark atmosphere to work with after all…

Hmph… maybe it would have been better to come alone, after all? No, that would have never worked…

"Yeah, no way in hell am I taking the fucking elevator,"

"I've seen enough horror moview to know where that goes. So, yeah, to the stairs, Scarecrow."

“Mhm.”

Anna merely gave an affirmative-sounding mumble in response. In reality, either option was fine with her. She hadn’t seen any of the movies Travis was referring to, but neither did she care that much. The main issue with the elevator would probably be that they could potentially get stuck in there because of temporary power loss or something else along those lines. Considering how dark and dimly lit this place was, the End’s Mercy was probably mainly running on backup power at the moment.

Well even getting stuck in the elevator wouldn’t too difficult to deal with… Though it would be an utter pain in the arse, I suppose.

"... Five bucks says that the secret lab you talked 'bout is down there,"

"Seems just creepy enough for that sort of stuff. Nooooo thank you..."

“Well, either that or the morgue, I suppose.” Her eyes scanned the inky blackness of the staircase. “But you’re right. It's not really something we should deal with at the moment.”

And so, instead of heading downwards into the bowels of End’s Mercy, they headed upwards, towards the second floor. However, the very moment Anna’s eyes left the stairs leading below and started to turn forwards, she caught a glimpse of motion behind her. Whatever, it was, she couldn’t really make out its features clearly, her eyes still needed to adjust to the darkness of the hospital, but...

Walking a bit closer to Travis, Anna spoke to the boy in a slightly hushed voice.

“I think I might have seen some movement in the bottom of the staircase. It’s not there now and it might be that my mind is simply playing tricks on me, of course, but…” Anna let out a small amused snort. "Unfortunately, I feel like this half-assed haunted hospital is more interested in following rather than subverting horror stereotypes.”

“In any case, keep your eyes and wits about you and focused ahead. And on my end, I’ll make sure we aren’t bit in the arse by something that’s coming up behind us, eh?”

[Verg Avesta]

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Road's End - Woods
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

"... I see."

Hwan's response wasn't completely convinced. The boy still kept staring a hole through Vivienne, though now the intensity of the glare had lessed - if only a little. The air of suspicion and distrust laid heavily in the batch of forest that the trio were in, mostly coming from the white-haired boy. Vivienne, of course, didn't radiate any sort of emotion herself, but Travis... the tall thug also had a hint of doubt in the way he looked at her. No, not just her. That same emotion existed there when he looked at Hwan, too. It was like the area was a slowly smoldering pit of embers that refused to die, and if it was hit by a strong gust of wind just right...

... Everything might go up in flames.

"Well, like Travis here said, if you head back to the school, it's your funeral," Hwan continued bluntly. "I wouldn't be surprised if the whole lot was dead already. Weird shit's going on there, and monsters of some sort stalk the corridors. Best option would be to just skip the town and head to Seattle, but... yeah, I can't really do that. Not yet."

Hwan spat to the ground, looking annoyed by the whole topic.

"--- Comes with work."

Travis, on the other hand, was oddly silent. Leaning against the tree, the taller boy had listened in on the conversation so far, but hadn't offered no words of his own. His mouth did move, though, speaking some words that only the delinquent could hear. However, when the white-haired boy had finished, Vivienne managed to catch the tail-end of what Travis was speaking to himself. The whispered words were quickly caught by the wind, but they were clear enough to understand.

"... So Alex is gone too..."

Then, Travis turned his head towards Vivienne.

"... Speaking of which. I dunno how much you know about the freaks in our school, but there's something I've noticed that I think rest haven't," Travis started, and suddenly the air felt a whole lot colder. "... The fact that we've had too any students in our class. It's not often, and they're being very careful about it, but I'm 95% sure that there's someone at Pinefall who can disguise themselves as others. False appearance, illusion, disguise... something like that. The bottom line is, though, that some little shit's been masquerading as other students, infiltrating our school."

The eyes of the delinquent narrowed as he stared at Vivienne, studying her body language carefully.

"--- And on a day like this, they're the prime suspect for all this chaos. So..." Travis continued. "... Can you prove you're who you say you are?"

The unspoken question was clear... because when Travis said the last line, he glanced at Hwan, too. The suspicion was towards the white-haired boy too... and he realized it as well.

And that was why a dangerous, odd glow appeared around Hawn's eyes once more...!

[Verg Avesta]

John Dove
Location: Road's End - Streets
Phase: Afternoon Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Ovecast

Honestly... there was not much else he could do.

The fog was pressing in on all sides, and the world had disappeared from within his view, except for the ever-present grey, roiling clouds that blocked the town of Road's End from John. The only thing that was there to give him guidance was a strange wooden door with a window through it... a window that had some sort of symbol emblazoned upon it. A symbol that was, of all things, familiar, but within the opaque fog John could not make it out. Even when he approached the door, the smoked glass did not reveal its secrets.

The only thing he could make out was the plaque. A plaque which read:

"The Director."

... How odd.

But, following his intent, John Dove did the only thing that he could really do in this situation. He steeled his nerves, put his hand on the doorknob... and opened the door, walking through it.

Entering whatever waited beyond...

On the other side...

John Dove
Location: J. Edgar Hoover Building - Fifth Floor
Phase: ???
Date: ???
Weather: Sunny
[BGM]

The conversation inside the room died the moment John Dove stepped into the room.

A conversation between three people.

Three people, who each turned their eyes towards the one who had interrupted them... and stayed in their awkward silence, as if the last thing they had expected was someone to just walk in unannounced.

The first person John saw, the one closest to him, was an older man dressed in a snappy white suit. His wrinkled face told of many things he had seen over the course of years he had been alive, making him look even older than he most likely was. Broad shoulders and sharp physique were those of someone who kept themselves in shape in ways that most other people didn't - almost like an old warrior of some sort, a relic from a bygone era. The eyes of the man were kind, sure, but they were kind as an uncocked gun. In other words, they could turn into a danger at a moment's notice. Still, things looked like they were alright... for now. If anything, the man greeted John's sudden appearance with a confused smile.

The second person could not have been more different from the first one. Silvery hair, lithe physique, and eyes that hid within them a frightening amount of intelligence and a dash of aloofness - the type of aloofness that some would find charming, others grating. A somewhat goofy smile played on the man's face as he instinctively ran his fingers through his hair as he turned to look at John. Almost like it had been natural to hi, he nodded as a greeting towards the younger boy - like he was greeting an old friend.

And then there was the woman behind the desk...

If the second man had been silver, this woman was platinum. Cold, wintery platinum. Frighteningly tall and with eyes that were like a sheen of ice, she spied on John with an impassive face - only a nondescript smile on her lips. In her gloved hands she held an ornate pipe, smoke from it rising towards the ceiling. Her clothes, too, were rather expensive looking, though sharp and fitting of someone who carried herself with as much grace and nobility as she did. Indeed, her posture was that of a riding whip or a queen of some sort, without any softness in it. Indeed, she was the only one in the room who didn't let out any sign of surprise as she look at John, her gaze simply drilling through the boy's eyes as if she was trying to pick out every minute detail she saw.

Ten seconds.

Twenty seconds.

Thirty seconds.[

The silence continued...

Forty seconds.

Fifty seconds.

Sixty secon---

"W-what the hell, Dove? What are you doing here?" the older man asked, taking a few brisk steps towards John. "We haven't heard from you in ages! Ever since you left, it's been nothing but radio silence. And here you go, waltzing in like nothing had happened."

The man with the silver hair nodded, though much more playfully.

"Here we thoughts West Virginia had swallowed you up," he added, chuckling a bit to himself. "That or you had gotten so engrossed in the case that you forgot all about us. Both a possibility when it's you, hah."

Why... why were they talking like they had known John?

Especially considering John had never seen these people before.

These people... one with a ID card on his chest that read "Agent Briggs" and another with a card that read "Special Agent Ferguson".

And the last one with a plaque on her desk that simply read...

--- The Director.

New People Met!

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday & Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“Lucille on me! We’re going to see if we can get to Subaru. Aleen get Tonkori and bring him back to the dorms!”

“Be careful. Grab Tonkori and hide. Vier and I will be back in a flash.”

"Mm! Got it!"

Even in the midst of her worried panic, Aleen was coherent enough to hear what the two other girls said, and gave them a hurried nod as she dashed forward. The bluehead made a beeline straight for the wounded dog, reaching out with her arms towards the animal. Tonkori, who had seen this all happen, let out a whimper that had both relief and surprise in it. The animal, as intelligent as ever, seemed to realize what was going on. And that why it started pawing at the ground twice as hard, trying his best to get to the girl rushing forward to save him.

Aleen had her mission clear in her head.

Simply get Tonkori and then get out, as fast as she can.

But when it came to other two...

"Be careful!"

With Aleen's last yell ringing in their ears, both Vier and Lucille rushed into the mist, towards the direction from where the animal had come flying out. While Lucille had not seen this happen, Vier had, and that's why the girl with the scar could guide them with pin-point accuracy to the direction of... whatever awaited within the fog. Weapons ready, they braved the opaque world of grey, and soon enough found themselves completely surrounded by the fog. Not only did it block all sight, making their fields of vision smaller and smaller until they could barely make out what was right in front of them, much less each other, but it also seemed to affect their hearing. All the sounds became dull, muted and slightly echoing, to the point that the sound of Aleen grabbing Tonkori not too far away and turning around her heels was almost lost - just as her dash back towards the dorms was.

The fog was everywhere.

It hid everything, almost making Vier and Lucille lose sight of each other within it.

The coiling and roiling greyness offered no answers.

No sounds of Subaru, the battle that Vier had expected her to have (it was not like there had been any in the first place)... even the culprit who had kicked Tonkori was nowhere to be found.

Instead, what the two found was the fact that the mist was pressing in on them ever faster, ever stronger... like something was making it do so.

--- Both girls could feel cold sweat break out on their necks.

... This wasn't just normal fog, was it?

To hide something this well... wasn't normal, right?

But where on earth was the one who had assaulted Tonkori, and for that matter...

... Where was Subaru?

---

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Road's End - End's Mercy Hospital
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“In any case, keep your eyes and wits about you and focused ahead. And on my end, I’ll make sure we aren’t bit in the arse by something that’s coming up behind us, eh?”

Travis chuckled as he turned back to look at Anna, higher up on the stairs.

"... Got it. If I'd had to choose, I'd much rather you'd bite my ass than anything skulking about here," he answered. "Now... let's get this over and done with. I want out of this hellhole."

With that, the two of them started ascending the stairs towards the second floor, leaving behind the way to the basement and whatever might have been lying in wait there, sneaking in the shadows. Instead they made their way up the concrete steps, one at a time, only their own footfalls and breathing echoing in their ears. The darkness and emptiness of the building seemed to strengthen each and every noise they made, to the point that instinctively both Anna and Travis tried to mute their steps. Talking was equally unattractive option, since their voices felt harsh and loud in the corridors. Thus, in silence, in the absolute quiet with nothing but the hum of air-conditioning to keep them company.

It sounded like the heavy breathing of ghosts, the wailing of distant steel blades of fans screeching disgustingly every now and then.

However, nothing lasted forever - even if it felt like so. Eventually the duo reached the second floor, and with Travis to guide them, they started making their way towards the storage rooms. Luckily up here, the doors in the corridors weren't locked - something that Travis noted with a slight surprise. This meant that they could enter the second floor hallways with ease and begin their search, following the small signs set up on the walls near intersections. Even if Travis seemed like he knew where to head, more or less, it was good that those signs were there - the building was like some sort of ridiculous maze, to be honest. As if it was made to confuse those walking its corridors and make them lose their way.

Still, as Anna noticed, the fact that they were taking such a roundabout, slightly wandering way towards the storage room meant that if someone was pursuing them they would have hard time following them.

Though, so far... no shadows had chased after them.

"Here we go."

Travis's sudden voice cut the air like a knife. The boy had stopped before a heavy-duty door, one of the many along this corridor, one marked: "Storage Room #2" with big bold letters. After trying the door it became clear that it was locked as that one door on the first floor, and with expectant eyes Travis stepped aside, gesturing Anna to do her thing.

"You take care of that lock, I'll stand guard again," Travis said, directing his gaze from where they had come from. "We're almost there..."

Silence fell as Anna began her work.

It didn't take long.

But the silence... made it feel much slower and longer work.

Perhaps that was why, or perhaps to simply give the two of them something else to focus on than the heavy quiet of the hospital, Travis suddenly spoke while still facing away from the raven-haired gil.

"... Hey. Scarecrow. This might be an odd question, but..." the delinquent started, fumbling a bit over his wods. "... You ever had to be someone you're not? Someone who's not the 'real' you? I mean... ergh, fuck... like, have you ever had to act like you're someone else? Keep your real self hidden?"

... Huh.

Now where was this coming from?