Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Verg Avesta]

Momoi Hisa
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Y-yes, um, myself!? I... I am not sure if I really a-am that interesting, j-just a simple country-girl from Niseko," Subaru said, looking still a bit flustered at the sudden attention targeted at her. "I, I have worked at my family's shrine since I was 5, I am sixteen years old, my h-hobbies are skiing, poetry and ban'ei races, this is my first time abroad and... and... err, what e-else is there...?"

Why did this suddenly feel like a marriage interview?

It was becoming clear that Subaru Iburi was a rather literal person. When asked about herself, she started listing off traits like from a trading card and when given focus by another person she acted like she had to somehow meet their expectations. As the smaller girl still mulled over what else to tell about herself, the Akita inu puppy peeked its head from within the bag once more, those button-eyes of it staring intently at Momoi.

... Was the dog smiling?

"O-oh, and this is Tonkori!" Subaru said in half-whisper, scratching the puppy behind his ear. "He is the youngest hunting dog we have, and, well... I did not simply want to leave h-him behind. He would have gotten lonely if I did..."

It was quite clear which one of the two had gotten lonely had the dog stayed behind.

"And y-yes, I would very much appreciate help in taking care of him," Subaru continued a little sheepishly. "He is quite the rambunctious young man, and a comrade would be a great help when taking care of him and, um, hiding him."

Apparently realizing it was being talked about, the Akita inu puppy wagged its tail once more, the whole backpack rustling as it did so. His eyes were now aimed squarely at Momoi, and even the girl could see there was a surprisingly significant amount of intelligence behind them. It might have not been just a superstition that hunting dogs were almost as smart as their owners.

... Actually, speaking of smart.

While Subaru's words had been clumsy as she introduced herself, hadn't she avoided the topic of 'why was she here' completely and quite naturally?

---

Vier Wolff
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"The pamphlet had useful information like that on it?! I wouldn't have thrown it away if I knew it had something past the normal boring overviews and goals on it! I'm really thankful, I met you Aleen!"

You could practically see the anxiety melt away from Aleen's face. It was replaced by quite relieved and slightly flabbergasted expression of 'Wait did that really just work?' Another self-conflagration from the blue-haired girl avoided (quite nimbly at that), it seemed that Vier had managed to smooth out the wrinkles from this story so that it sounded at least plausible on paper. Of course it was clear that Aleen was a terrible liar and had a habit of getting way too into her own excitement (a dangerous combination if any), but she didn't seem like a bad person?

"Y-yeah, it had all that stuff! For reals!" Aleen hurried to affirm, nodding again and again. "L-lucky for you I got it all memorized, so we don't even need the physical pamphlet once we get to stretch our legs. We can just head out there the moment we want."

As she said this, Aleen turned towards the window once more. Her red eyes reflected the passing scenery, and this time, the stare wasn't as intense. A small smile was playing on the blue-haired girl's face as she took in the sight of the approaching town. They had now passed the woods and had entered the last stretch of asphalt-road leading straight to the center of the town, and from there to the school on the other side.

"... I'm all sore from sitting in this dang thing anyway," Aleen added. "Can't wait to get to stretch my legs again~!"

As if to emphasize her words, Aleen actually did stretch her whole body with fervor.

---

Elaine Winters
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

Honestly, this conversation was a bit like a minefield. Every syllable falling from Elaine's lips seemed to make Gabi shiver in fear, like she had actually expected the girl to start yelling at her. There was being afraid of strangers, and then there was... whatever this was. But just like meticulously and carefully making your way through said minefield, being patient and persistent had been the key here. It was barely noticeable but at the end of it, wasn't Gabi a bit more comfortable in her seat?

Or rather, she wasn't attempting to merge with the window anymore.

Progress, nonetheless?

"... My mom buys all my things," Gabi quietly answered. "... Not much. She buys what I need."

While there was nothing exactly wrong with what Gabi had said, the way she said it... even Elaine could immediately feel something was a bit off there. Or rather, wasn't quite right. Like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle connecting just fine, but still being wrong because they came from different sets. Still, setting aside the oddity in how Gabi had put it, this did explain something about her. While her hair was meticulously taken care off, her clothes were quite unassuming and drab. The grey hoodie did not do any favors for her. Heck, the most colorful thing about her was her eyes.

Speaking of said eyes, they were currently staring at Elaine's right arm, probably because Gabi didn't have the courage to actually look the other girl in the eyes.

"... You don't look butch," Gabi said, the first proper thing spoken out of her own volition. "... It's not we-"

Rest of her words disappeared in a sound that was like hitting a squeaky-toy, as a sudden paper airplane out of nowhere crashed straight into Gabi's forehead with its sharp beak. Letting out an animal-like whimper Gabi shielded her face with her hands for any further paperplane-related assaults, curling up a little on her seat. The spot where the previous offender had hit was now growing bright red; either the thrower had considerable arm strength, or then Gabi's pale skin was even more sensitive than it looked.

"... Owie..."

No, it was probably the whole person who was sensitive.

---

Elise Pelltier & John Dove
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Oh, right, right, the ocean!" Sakura exclaimed, nodding in agreement. "It might be a bit too chilly soon to go for a swim, but we should definitely hold some sort of get-together at the beach. Maybe build a bonfire, get some food, cook said food, eat said food, get to know each other... isn't that how it goes in TV shows and books? Or rather, it's supposedly an American thing, right? Parties at the beach with a bonfire?"

Just what sort of shows had this girl watched...?

Nevertheless, that sparkle in her eyes didn't die out. If anything, it grew and grew as she heard both John and Elise tell about their hopes for this trip. Maybe she just was such an easily excitable person, or maybe there was bit more to it than that... nevertheless, at least she was a good listener. She didn't deem either goal for the journey worse than the other and nodded encouragingly to both as they spoke these goals out loud.

"Hmm... something to feel passionate about?" Sakura put a finger to her lips, thinking intently. "That's sorta deep, isn't it John? I know we've all been sent here for important reasons, but to want to find something like that on top of it all... that's a lot to think about."

Then, as if getting an idea, Sakura snapped fingers and beamed a smile towards the two of them. She slapped herself few times to chest, as if to emphasize her trustworthiness.

"Aw, what the heck! If you ever need help in finding that something, just tell me! I might not look like it, but I'm a pretty good thinker," Sakura exclaimed proudly. "Same goes for meeting others. If either of you needs someone to chaperone you, or don't have the courage to talk to someone, don't hesitate to ask me! Since we're all spending a year together, we should make it the best year possible!"

She puffed her chest proudly at her own words, even though at the end of the day, it was a rather humble chest.

---

Lucille Faraday
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

The embarrassing moment was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

Before Lucille even properly realized it, the smell of willowherb was gone. Instead it had been replaced by furious sounds of a pen sliding across a paper. The large notebook that Caleb had was open once more, and with surprising speed a scene was appearing upon its surface. First came the rough-looking cliff and the terrain around it, a rocky extension of the hilltop where dark woods and sycamore trees remained. At the very edge of the cliff formed a sturdy, if old, building. A venerable lighthouse of many years that had seen better days. It braved the wind, the sea and the darkness to guide ships back home to the harbor and to loved ones. Indeed, this was a duty it had been bound to for many, many decades.

But as the scene of the lighthouse by the sea began to form, Caleb seemed to add one more detail to the picture... one he didn't even seem to realize.

A humanoid figure was standing in the shadow of the lighthouse, staring out to the sea. Long hair flowing in the wind, one hand on her cheek, eyes gazing deep into the distant horizon... and a young seagull perched on her shoulder, looking into the same direction.

"..."

Well, there was no getting around it. While the clothes were different (she had never worn an attire fit for a sailor, really)...

... That was Lucille herself, wasn't it?

---

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"... No, that is quite alright."

Alex Terrot's response to the sudden game of charades and picture puzzles was a subdued, quiet sense of confusion. Whatever this person was thinking, they were clearly trying not to let it show on their face. Maybe out of politeness, perhaps out of fear that if they let their actual thoughts to the surface, the whole situation could become so much worse. Whatever the actual reason, the fact of the matter was that Alex Terrot declined politely and set the notepad back into the vast pockets of their considerably large coat.

"My apologies, I do not think I caught your name," Alex Terrot then continued, a hint of French accent creeping into that voice. "While I have my doubts about the validity of this school, at the very least we can be cordial with each other during our time here, yes?"

A gloved hand (very fine leather, actually) reached out towards Vivienne. Not to shake, no, but to take a hold of it for a greeting much more old-fashioned and fancy, one often reserved to noble ladies and upper-class individuals. And it wasn't even conscious effort on Alex's part. All of this happened as naturally as breathing, meaning that either Alex greeted everyone this way... or then Vivienne had been 'categorized' in Alex's head into a group that deserved such a greeting.

---- As it turned out, maybe Alex Terrot was quite the gentleman?

"I know I said it before, but allow me to introduce myself once more," the blonde youth lowered their head a bit. "Alex Terrot, freelance journalist at your service, Madame...?"

The question was left in the air, waiting for a name.

New Person Met!

---

Prushka
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Pyry. Pyry Leijonamieli."

It seemed like now that Prushka's eyes were no longer bloodshot and the look on her face was not one to chill someone to their bones, even the lanky boy was able to relax. He leaned once more back on his seat, clearly glad he had gotten his cord back too. As he did, he listened to the girl's complains, small grin rising back to his face. However, unlike the one from before, this one wasn't full of ridicule. Well, it was still somewhat annoying grin, but this time there seemed that there was nothing personal in it.

He was just amused by the situation.

... Maybe a little bit amused by Prushka.

"Yeah, I know, rings a bell, right? Can't help but to think 'where have I heard that name again', right? Well..." Sounding a bit too self-satisfied, Pyry looked at his own fist. "Here's a hint: November 12... Denver, Colorado... McNichols Sports Arena... Royce Gracie lying flat on his ass after he was knocked out by a knee to the forehead..."

The oaf seemed to be waiting for Prushka to have some grand revelation, almost as if this was common knowledge and something everyone should have known. No, more than that, it was like he was expecting her to be amazed for some reason. Maybe that was why the boy was looking so smug once again - like someone thinking they're about to completely shock another person with something grand.

"... Pay-per-view event of the year...?"

And now he was starting to sound a little desperate.

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Don't knock it till you try it, Anna. They're kind enough to feed and house us for a year here, so might as well let them try to impress us."

“Try what? Freezing sea-water and pine trees?” A wry undertone was clearly audible in the raven-haired girl's voice. ”Trust me, I have given both of those things far more chances than they deserve.”

“Give it a month or two and it will be wet, even colder and windier, and there will be mud absolutely everywhere.”

"I just pray that it gets cold enough for proper snow. I truly will become "unfit for society" if I have to deal with another winter filled with goopy slush and half-melted sleet."

Anna stretched out her arms above her in a somewhat futile attempt to banish the muscle stiffness caused by the long trip. Meanwhile, Road’s End itself loomed ever larger in the windows of the bus, magnificently living up to the image conjured up by its, aptly chosen, name.

“Well, I don’t really want you to misunderstand though… I don’t particularly have a grudge against this town or anything.”

“I’m more than willing to give the folks here a fair shake. Least I can do, considering we are just outsiders crashing into town. I’m just not particularly…” Anna’s hand vaguely waved at the surroundings whizzing past the bus window. “...inspired by the natural environment here, that’s all.”

The girl let out a lazy yawn, followed by a quick grin.

“Our friendly billionaire could have built this little haven for outcasts at Hawaii or Puerto Rico, y’know? Would do wonders for my motivation, at least.”

[Ayakashi]

--- Vivienne Bianchi Date: 06.09.1994. Location: On a Bus toRoad's End Phase: Morning Phase Weather: Sunny ---

"...?"

Alex Terrot was met with a gaze that was no different from the one they were given when they introduced themselves at first. But for the first time perhaps, Alex can witness it clearly, as these large, round eyes lingered onto them for a proper moment. Confusion? Surprise? Displeasure? It was impossible to tell what the girl was feeling, what kind of reaction she was trying to convey to Alex.. but, perhaps Alex could tell that as devoid of emotions as she was, it wasn't because said emotions or feelings were being masked, hidden away, nor that there was nothing being felt...

... indeed, she did at least have a reaction to him, and if she deigned reach out her hand as to accept his antiquated greeting, then she must have felt something... probably. Her hand had seemingly hesitated, at first coming in to accept a handshake before realising that this was no casual greeting and trying to adjust into something which would fit with Alex's action.

"..."

Her mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. Seeming to realize that, the girl nodded to herself before doing what could best be described as an apologetic motion, where she gave to him a quarter of a bow while meekly raising an open hand. Having 'excused' herself, she then quickly opened her drawing book once more and scribbled something onto it as well as... decorating what she had just written. Probably a self-portrait? Or did she try to draw Alex?

Who knows.

What she scribbled

Having shown Alex her newest creation, and as a result introduced herself in a rather... peculiar fashion, Vivienne Bianchi went back to a more 'classical' form of communication, that is signs and miming: she seemed to gesture reading a newspaper, then pretend to wordlessly speak into microphones before pointing at Alex, and then at Road's End outside the window. An inquiry of wherever he was here to report on the place and school?

It would make sense for someone to cover such a thing...

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

After I played dumb about reading the pamphlet, Aleen was completely relieved and openly flabberghasted that her blatant lie worked. You know I'm starting to get a little worried that you believed me that easily. Someone is bound to take advantage of you (like me). I might need to break that little trait if we hang out frequently. Either make her a better liar or keeping her cool should work. We'll have to see in the days to come.

"Y-yeah, it had all that stuff! For reals! L-lucky for you I got it all memorized, so we don't even need the physical pamphlet once we get to stretch our legs. We can just head out there the moment we want."

"Oh wow, that's amazing! There's no way I could memorize everything about the town. I'm looking forward to you showing me around Aleen!"

After I said that, Aleen looked out at the town again. This time more relaxed and a bit more relaxed. Instead of a small frown like earlier, this time around she was smiling. And a little thing like that reminded me why Zieg and I wanted to attend a normal school. Little moments of happiness were all it took. This moment also reminded me of our promise. How we would attend a normal school together and do silly things like everyone else. It'll happen... I just have to keep searching.

"... I'm all sore from sitting in this dang thing anyway. Can't wait to get to stretch my legs again~!"

While I was thinking about Zieg, Aleen started stretching. Now that I think about, I should do that too. While I'm used to long trips like this, a little stretching doesn't hurt. Just for the sake of looking normal, I should probably exaggerate my stretches just a little bit.

"I know right? It's not like these bus seats are especially comfy either. You would think with all of the effort used to get us. They would get a comfier bus or something right?"

A few cracks and pops coming from my body to accentuate my words despite me feeling perfectly fine.

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Some 20 miles from Land’s End
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 06.09.94
Weather: Sunny

So, it had taken a bit of doing, but it looked like Gabi was starting to stop clinging to the wall quite so much! Well done me, breaking down the walls of Jericho, hell yeah.

Still I gave a speculative glance after her response, ‘buys all her things, but not much, just what she needs’?

Hm, there’s something off there. Her hair’s done up all nice, but she’s not dressed for it, a hoodie and sweats. Trying to assert herself? Doesn’t like standing out? Doesn’t own many casual clothes?

Would go along with her nice hands, they were certainly a bit more ladylike than mine, which admittedly wasn’t a hard bar to clear.

“You don’t look butch,” She said, without prompting! Progress!

Okay yeah alright, I’m a bit too pretty to be butch, I’d be a solid tomboy, but my last boyfriend always said I was too pretty for that.

He was kind of shit like that sometimes. Weird sort of vaguely chauvinist, I’m a good looking lady so I can’t go out and dunk on you? Harrumph.

“... It’s not we-“

Donk, a sharp squeak darted through the air as she covered up a new red mark on her forehead, the offending paper airplane falling away.

Rude.

“Ah crap, you okay Gabi? Freakin a-hole, like to show him where he can shoot that off...”

I grumbled irritably as I gingerly reached over and plucked the paper up. Glaring around for the source as I unfolded it and gave it a look-see.

Swear if it’s something dumb, imma smack a fool.

[Cheetose]

Momoi Hisa
Location: Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Y-yes, um, myself!? I... I am not sure if I really a-am that interesting, j-just a simple country-girl from Niseko," Subaru said, looking still a bit flustered at the sudden attention targeted at her. "I, I have worked at my family's shrine since I was 5, I am sixteen years old, my h-hobbies are skiing, poetry and ban'ei races, this is my first time abroad and... and... err, what e-else is there...?"

This...doesn't feel right, but maybe I just haven't warmed up to her enough yet to make her feel comfortable enough to talk about herself. Maybe I could just --- no, that wouldn't be right. But I should still try something? As she is seemingly lost in thought trying to figure how to continue, I quickly take the opportunity in attempt to encourage her a bit. With a partly genuine, partly pretended sense of amazement in my voice, I start explaining her :

"See, just based on those few things, you're already way more interesting than I am. Thinking about it, I'm not even sure if I could say a single notable thing about my past."

Ah...When I realize that I'm not exactly comfortable talking about my past or my being here yet either, it starts to feel kind of awkward that I'm trying to get more out of her...

"You know" - I start speaking more slowly and quietly, while also changing my tone to make it sound more melancholic - "my scars are probably what define me the most. Yet, ironically, they're what I hate the most about myself, as they should change absolutely nothing..."

Crap, I shouldn't work myself up too much. No good, now I've probably piqued her interest, even though I had no intention of going into details...Maybe we can still go back to the original topic?

"But hey, let's go back to talking about you. To be ho---"

As the smaller girl still mulled over what else to tell about herself, the Akita inu puppy peeked its head from within the bag once more, those button-eyes of it staring intently at Momoi.

... Was the dog smiling?

...Ah. This should be a good enough distraction. But what is up with this dog...Can I just...No, I can play with him later.

"O-oh, and this is Tonkori!" Subaru said in half-whisper, scratching the puppy behind his ear. "He is the youngest hunting dog we have, and, well... I did not simply want to leave h-him behind. He would have gotten lonely if I did..."

"And y-yes, I would very much appreciate help in taking care of him," Subaru continued a little sheepishly. "He is quite the rambunctious young man, and a comrade would be a great help when taking care of him and, um, hiding him."

"Oh, I'm sure about that. I can already see that the two of you were just meant for each other, so I hope it will all turn out okay. And I'm glad I could help."

...There is certainly more to this puppy than just meets the eye...

While the girl is busy with the fluffy creature, I took my time to look around the bus once again. I noticed that the baseball cap girl was holding the paper airplane in her hand - so I guess the message did reach her...But why is she looking so displeased? And what is the girl next to her doing? did something happen while I wasn't looking? Ah well, won't be able to find out for now anyways. Shifting back into a more natural sitting position, I take a quick peek at the seats in front of me - being slightly worried about what I was going to see, knowing how not long ago there were some rather...embarrassing things going on...Luckily, the situation appeared to be more normal now, though the guy seemed to be deep in focus while drawing something...Can I just...Ah, that is interesting.

With nothing else really going on, I turn towards the girl next to me once more. I see that she is still petting the puppy, while also trying to hide him from sight as much as possible - quite an entertaining view, thinking back about how she practically wouldn't even let the dog peek out of the backpack not long ago. I take a few more moments to gather my thoughts, then continue from where I had originally left off.

"Ah, so as I was saying earlier..." - I patiently wait until she shifts her attention towards me, and while looking deep into her eyes, I explain in a rather serious tone - "While all the things you said are pretty amazing, is this really how you would describe your life, or yourself? See, you don't have to impress me. I'm just truly interested in who you are, and I can promise you that no matter what you say I would still stick with you and find you an intriguing person."

[Daneel Rush]

John Dove
Approaching Road’s End
Morning Phase
06.09.1994.
Unexpectedly Sunny

"Well, I think you're in luck, we're certainly a colourful group of people here."

Colorful (with a slightly British pronunciation), huh…yes, I guess others would see it like that. But it’s depressing to follow that line of thought; let’s stop at that.

Besides, even if we are all hollow, the people in this bus are supposedly unique among the whole that is “humanity”. Or, at least, particularly unique compared to the average, “unique” human.

We are to attend a “special” school, so the students and teachers should all be “special” people, right? And, if they are indeed “special”, then maybe, just maybe, I can find the answers I’m looking for here.

Yes, I can look forward to this year. Whether I should feel excitement or trepidation…well, I’d rather not get ahead of myself.

For example, this young woman, whose name…I think I have not quite caught. At first glance, she does not seem to match the idea of a “problem child, unfit for society”. Of course, first impressions are deceitful; this I know all too well. However, her apparent…normalcy, does point out something I had failed to take notice of.

Personal space. It’s a thing people have. I’ve never put much thought into it; rather, it is so engrained in everybody else that I never needed to mind it myself; everybody naturally keeps their “safe distance” from me.

Sakura’s personal space seems to be nonexistent. Even as the night-haired girl speaks, Sakura’s face remains unmoving, almost intimidatingly close to hers.

Should I…do something about it?

"Oh, right, right, the ocean! It might be a bit too chilly soon to go for a swim, but we should definitely hold some sort of get-together at the beach. Maybe build a bonfire, get some food, cook said food, eat said food, get to know each other... isn't that how it goes in TV shows and books? Or rather, it's supposedly an American thing, right? Parties at the beach with a bonfire?"

I went to a “party” at a beach once. Didn’t end up well.

No, I don’t think I’m up to it.

“Ahaha~” I hope that came out right; I don’t think I have enough practice laughing. “I don’t think we should use TV shows as a reference for anything, but a get-together does sound like something to look forward to.”

The practiced smile again. It’ll be good to know how well it works early on.

“Sakura, I’d say it’s stuffy enough in here as it is; there’s no need to stick so close together, hmm? The heat might get to, um…”

Apologetic smile, head tilted a few degrees downwards, fixated on her cheekbones, not her eyes.

“…ah, how embarrassing. I have forgotten your name.”

Did she even give it in the first place?

“Let’s, um, let’s try this again. I’m John Dove.”

"That's sorta deep, isn't it John? I know we've all been sent here for important reasons, but to want to find something like that on top of it all... that's a lot to think about."

Not…really? Isn’t it something everybody does at some point? Look for their calling in life and all that? It’s a part of the bland process I see everybody else go through, so I guess I have to do—well, pretend to do—the same.

"Aw, what the heck! If you ever need help in finding that something, just tell me! I might not look like it, but I'm a pretty good thinker," Sakura exclaimed proudly. "Same goes for meeting others. If either of you needs someone to chaperone you, or don't have the courage to talk to someone, don't hesitate to ask me! Since we're all spending a year together, we should make it the best year possible!"

Perhaps…the colors this girl sees are not as bright as I thought.

The want—the need?—to fill the lives of others with color…does she realize her own color through the reliance of others?

“As expected of Pinefall”, I guess?

But, that kind of attitude is not something that should be smothered or snuffed out. It is just…well, it’s not my place to dwell on it. She just wants to be…

“Haha, what a reliable big sister.”

No, wait, how old is this girl again?

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

Aw shoot. I have to get into the habit of keeping these things outta sight. Heck, this is the same schematic that got me into the trouble that put me on this bus.

"Not that steady, this work's so covered in screwups it's plum embarrassing. Can't draw a straight line to save my hide on this bus. I can't show anyone something like this, hold up..."

With a convenient excuse, I flip back a few pages. Gotta get that thing outta sight and... are any of these something I could show to some blueblood British girl? Schematics for the... no, not that. The Extreme Rod for Deep Casting... no, pops told me to keep that one under wraps too. Is he really planning on breaking into the fishing market? Whatever. How about... oh, next page is that.

"This is a much fairer presentation to showcase my skills."

I flip to the correct page. A rough sketch of schematics for a machine to press metal into cookie cutter molds. A genius idea of mine. Sure it's not a new idea. People have made plenty of machines that do the same thing. But mine does it cheaper, faster and most importantly I have all the parts to make it scattered around here and there in the workshop. Which makes it better than any alternative.

"Anyone can sketch something like this though. A bit of practice, a good firm desk, and a few rulers and other tools to help keep things looking neat."

I'll spare her from anything about the specifics of the sketch itself. One thing I've learned, that takes a girl's attention from 100 to zero in three seconds flat.

So why am I even showing her this in the first place?

[Verg Avesta]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Hah! Why not a floating city in the sky while we're at it?" Ramia chuckled, her husky voice filled with mirth. Then, thinking about what Anna had actually said, she scrunched her nose. "Besides, those places are overrated. Hawaii is full of stuffy military-men and the whole place reeks of sweat, meanwhile Puerto Rico... well, it has its own problems. That political barrel of explosives is still smoldering, and might explode any day."

The tense tone in her voice spoke volumes of Ramia's personal opinion on these places. It was most likely she had extensive experience on living in both locales, and if her book-collection was anything to go by, lots of other places too. That probably also explained how she smelled of countless roads and was dressed in a rather... weird, way. The weirdest thing had to be the pilot helmet on her head. Maybe she actually was one? At least she wouldn't have looked out-of-place in the controls of a biplane.

"But it's good you're willing to give 'em a chance," she continued. "I know some of these kids ain't going to give 'em the courtesy. Suppose it makes sense, considering where many are coming from, but still... I don't think these Oceandrop guys have nasty motives. I did some digging before signing on, and they seem to be on the up-and-up."

Ramia's curious eyes moved form the scenery back to Anna, and she seemed to stare at her intently, almost like pressing the image of the other girl into her memory.

"Not like our classmates. I don't think even one of them hasn't got something suspicious to them," Ramia said, her words clearly carefully chosen. "Even Miss Hollywood over there has got plenty of suspicious rumors floating about her."

She nodded towards the girl at the back, dressed in fancy, modern clothes and currently painting her nails.

---

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Unfortunately, while I would like to say that was the only reason I was here for..." a dry smile floated to Alex's face. "... That is not the case. Just like all of us here, I am a student of Pinefall High School... or, well, will be one in about half an hour I imagine. I have my fair share of troubles and the doctors the Oceandrop Program has at hand are best in their fields. Thus I have been forced to put myself in their hands due to my own... situation."

Alex's voice might have been polite, but it was clear there was no desire to further elaborate on the subject of this 'situation'. Whatever this young reporter was here for, it was only for them to know. Then again, that could be said about everyone, even Vivienne herself. Nobody was here without a reason, and more often than not these reasons were quite personal and quite painful. Just blatantly gallivanting them around would have been both in bad taste and making mockery of the troubles of others.

And Alex Terrot ill-seemed a person to do something so crass.

"But that does not mean I do not intend on continuing my work while I am here," Alex continued, this time with a little warmer expression. "My correspondent at Paris is eagerly awaiting for my report of the mundane life at such a place such as Pinefall High... with names and likenesses obscured to preserve the anonymity of us all, of course. I hope that I can deliver him an inspiring tale rather than a depressing one. While I know I cannot match the reports about the fall of the Iron Curtain, I would like to give readers of Le Monde something uplifting at the very least."

It was a rather lofty goal, all things considered.

"Let's just hope we'll have a school year capable of producing such a story."

---

Momoi Hisa
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Ah, so as I was saying earlier... While all the things you said are pretty amazing, is this really how you would describe your life, or yourself? See, you don't have to impress me. I'm just truly interested in who you are, and I can promise you that no matter what you say I would still stick with you and find you an intriguing person."

For a moment, Subaru could do naught but stare at Momoi, clearly taken by surprise by her words. It was abundantly clear that this was not what the smaller girl had expected to hear. She had tried to list off anything interesting about herself, and in the process, only came across as awkward and quite clumsy when it came to social interaction. By listing her hobbies and interests like she was reading from a trading card, she managed to make it all sound nothing but clunky exposition.

And now Subaru was left in a strange position where she had to come up with something natural to say.

"U-um, the thing is... I am not that very interesting, to be honest," Subaru finally admitted, seeming a little downcast because of her own words. "I was raised by religious people, spent my days learning the rites and prayers of my family's shrine and secluded myself in my own studies. Even my hobbies were dictated to me by people as hobbies fitting for the daughter of the head priest."

Realizing what she had said, Subaru hurried to shake her head.

"O-oh, um, do not misunderstand me! It is not that I do not find those hobbies interesting," she hurried to correct herself. "I love ban'ei races and enjoy spending my time with animals. It is simply that... they are not hobbies chosen by me myself. They were assigned to me, out of necessity. After all..."

Something was wrong.

The expression that Subaru gave to Momoi next...

... Her eyes were completely devoid of anything, glassed over in a manner most alarming.

"... I am the Child of Gods, after all."

---

Elaine Winters
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

=Elaine“Ah crap, you okay Gabi? Freakin a-hole, like to show him where he can shoot that off...”

"... Hurts."

That was the whimper that came from the curled-up ball that had the name of Gabi. She was clearly still expecting more assaults from the air in form of paper jets, as her hands refused to lower their defensive positions. Red eyes peeked from within their confines, however, and it was clear some tears of pain were forming in their corners.

... The hit couldn't have been that painful, could it?

Was this person just that sensitive to physical contact?

"... Gonna leave a mark," Gabi continued, voice wavering. "... Everybody will laugh."

It was hard to tell which part of the girl had taken the most damage. Still... she wasn't exactly wrong. The red spot in her forehead (right in the middle of the forehead, amazingly enough) had grown somewhat larger, and against her pale, pale skin it shone even brighter than it normally should have.

Meanwhile, the hastily scribbled letter in Elaine's hands... its contents were perhaps not the girl had been expecting.

Letter Received!

"Hello! I'm the girl with the scars from the front of the bus, though you probably haven't even seen me yet; but this should change once we get off this thing. You look like a pretty delightful person, someone I'd be more than happy to get acquinted with. Was also just wondering if you wanted to explore this place together...there should be quite a few sights to see."

[Mooncake]

Adelaide Alvena Cheshire
Location: Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny


"Hmm..."

Adelaide peered over Colt's shoulder, looking at the schematics for his cookie cutter. No... something that made cookie cutter molds? She leaned in closer, slowly getting absorbed in the design.

"Hey, that's pretty good. I don't know much about about building machines, but..."

"Anyone can sketch something like this though. A bit of practice, a good firm desk, and a few rulers and other tools to help keep things looking neat."

"But there has to be dedication in the first place, right?"

She smiled at him absently, before looking back at the blueprint, delicate fingers steepled in thought.

"What makes it better than other molds? I don't know what would set it apart from your competitors, if you're planning to develop and sell-"

Adelaide cut herself off abruptly, letting out a small, embarrassed laugh. She hadn't meant to get too excited, she'd just got a little lost in her thoughts and before she knew it she'd started going off.

"I'm sorry, I started getting ahead of myself."

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Some 20 miles from Road’s End
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 06.09.94
Weather: Sunny

Ah, jeez.

”Hey, come on now, no one will laugh at you, just a little thing there, it’s cool. Now let’s see who’s starting going freaking postal all of a sudden.”

I glanced over the note, becoming less grumpy and more awkward by the minute.

Ah, oh, it’s like that, huh?

I gave the indicated girl a glance, waving a little.

Hm.

I gave the curled up ball that was Gabi a sympathetic glance, then looked back at the scarred girl, pointing at myself in query.

Gabi seems like a sweetheart, but I don’t think you had to be a social genius to get that she wasn’t Miss Outgoing.

”Looks like someone doesn’t have the best aim, you gonna be okay, Gabi?”

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

Lucille let out a breath that had been held in for far too long and sighed in relief. Patience had proven itself as a virtue in this scenario, and everything worked out for the better. Caleb had found his muse and she had regained valuable personal space. All said and done, she was glad that it had ended quickly.

She’d truly be at a loss if it had continued for any longer.

Her attention turned to her seatmate’s newest work of art—the lighthouse that enraptured him so. For something created in such little time it really was quite immaculate, but the inherent beauty wasn’t what caught her eye. Rather… It was the person he had drawn.

It was her, wasn’t it?

Should she say something about it? It wasn’t as if she minded—the seagull was cute—but that she was fairly certain drawing someone without their permission could come across as incredibly rude. Perhaps she could imply it indirectly somehow, or draw attention to it? Then again, if she said something like “It looks nice,” and he noticed what had he done, would it come across as vain?

Being seen that way was just so… unseemly. Still, there had to be a way to rectify the situation…

“Inspired?” she said, eyes scanning the piece, not judgmental, but resigned, as if it didn’t matter either way.

[Verg Avesta]

Elaine Winters
Location: Some 20 miles from Road’s End
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 06.09.94
Weather: Sunny

”Looks like someone doesn’t have the best aim, you gonna be okay, Gabi?”

"... Mm... maybe..."

Gabi rubbed her eyes and wiped her eyes to the sleeves of her hoodie, sniffling a little as she did so. Looking at how her body was shaking, part of the reason why she reacted the way she did was, probably, simply because she had gotten so scared at the sudden touch. Elaine's presence had already driven her to keep a good distance between the two of them. It was highly probably that this girl was very unused to physical touch initiated by other people.

... It would have explained much, really.

Perhaps the way Elaine had treated her had been the optimal way, after all. It was highly probable that Gabi was the type of person who needed to be eased into your presence, not forcefully made friends with.

"... Please don't laugh..." Gabi whimpered. "... I'm sensitive, it hurt..."

Understatement of the year.

"... I know it isn't manly, but I can't help it..."

... Wait, what?

---

Lucille Faraday
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"... Ah."

Caleb's hand froze in the air in under a fraction of a second, right in the middle of drawing the hair for the girl in the picture that was really starting to look like Lucille. Now, with the hair half-finished, she bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain professional wrestler known as Hulk Hogan... which didn't exactly help the case of the picture. Like hands of a rusty clock, Caleb's head turned to meet Lucille's gaze, and for a moment the boy stared at her with unreadable expression, eyes unable to meet hers.

Yes, it was quite clear that in his haste to put the scenery he had seen in his mind's eye, Caleb had forgotten to be even a little bit courteous, foregoing asking permission or even mentioning what he was about to do.

And now he was paying the price.

"... Urgh..."

Cheeks growing bright red, Caleb pulled his beanie over his eyes, almost like he was trying to hide within its vast, fluffy depths.

... No, he was trying to do just that.

"... Sorry 'bout that."

And since when had he started talking with a ridiculously thick Scottish accent?

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Oh, right, right, the ocean!" Sakura exclaimed, nodding in agreement. "It might be a bit too chilly soon to go for a swim, but we should definitely hold some sort of get-together at the beach. Maybe build a bonfire, get some food, cook said food, eat said food, get to know each other... isn't that how it goes in TV shows and books? Or rather, it's supposedly an American thing, right? Parties at the beach with a bonfire?"

“Ahaha~. I don’t think we should use TV shows as a reference for anything, but a get-together does sound like something to look forward to.”

"A beach bonfire party does sound like it would be a lot of fun, I'd certainly be up for it!" replied Elise cheerfully.

She admitted that she reads books! Ask her! thought Elise as she prodded herself mentally.

"So, uh, what sort of books do you like to read, Sakura?" asked Elise, idly drumming on the cover of the book sitting in her lap.

“Sakura, I’d say it’s stuffy enough in here as it is; there’s no need to stick so close together, hmm? The heat might get to, um…”

Apologetic smile, head tilted a few degrees downwards, fixated on her cheekbones, not her eyes.

“…ah, how embarrassing. I have forgotten your name.”

Did she even give it in the first place?

“Let’s, um, let’s try this again. I’m John Dove.”

Thank you so much for providing Sakura with a polite reason to extradite herself from my personal space. Now to hope she takes. Please take it, Sakura, please take it, hoped Elise.

"Oh, sorry! It's so easy to forget someone's name when you first meet them. I'm sure I'll forget everyone's names at least three times before they finally stick. I'm Elise, Elise Pelltier," said Elise.

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

Besides, those places are overrated. Hawaii is full of stuffy military-men and the whole place reeks of sweat, meanwhile Puerto Rico... well, it has its own problems. That political barrel of explosives is still smoldering, and might explode any day.

“It's going to stink of something anyway. Untamed nature reeks just as bad as people do. From my experience, boar shit smells just as bad if not worse than sweat does. But the weather is bound to be nicer at the very least.”

Having said that, the girl in the red-and-gold jacket let out a grunt of frustration.

“Baaah.”

“We are where we are. All this talk of holiday destinations only serves to make me jealous of you for being so damn well traveled.”

"I know some of these kids ain't going to give 'em the courtesy. Suppose it makes sense, considering where many are coming from, but still... I don't think these Oceandrop guys have nasty motives. I did some digging before signing on, and they seem to be on the up-and-up."

“Aah, don’t be too harsh on them. We all have our prejudices, whether we want to admit them or not. Smaller for some and larger for others but… Well, I have mine at least.”

“It's just that this specific case they really don’t apply and that’s all there is to it.”

Anna’s eyes were still dispassionately gazing at the passing scenery, but it was clear that the conversation between her and Ramia still held the vast majority of their attention. Pulling her eyes away from the town that was passing by outside, Anna’s crimson orbs met Ramia’s gray ones which were filled with a hidden intensity.

A glint of amusement could be seen flickering on their ruby surface.

“Can’t all be globetrotters, right?”

"Not like our classmates. I don't think even one of them hasn't got something suspicious to them,"

"Even Miss Hollywood over there has got plenty of suspicious rumors floating about her."

Anna simply gave a shrug in response.

“There is probably plenty suspicious about an organization that picks up all these suspicious folks, no?”

“Well, I haven’t looked into the matter myself so we can put that aside, I suppose. I’ll just take your word for it. As for the blonde…” The long-haired girl gave a brief glance at the “Miss Hollywood” in question. “She is an actor of some description, right? I swear I saw her somewhere, but I can’t really put my finger on it…”

[Cheetose]

Momoi Hisa
Location: Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"... I am the Child of Gods, after all."

"I..."

For long moments, I was left absolutely dumbfounded. I certainly did not expect a revelation like this, and wasn't sure how to react...To salvage the situation, just for the time being, I tried giving her some reassuring words while trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"Let's just continue this discussion some other time. It was probably too much for just one day, and wouldn't it be nicer to talk about things like this while sipping tea and eating cookies? Would be a lot more private as well with just the two of us and Tonkori."

...I think this will be okay? And hopefully I'll have some time to think about the events.

For the rest of the bus trip, things were sort of quiet between us. At one point, I noticed the baseball cap girl looking towards me, looking slightly confused, but since we couldn't really communicate with each other, I just waved at her enthusiastically with a wide grin on my face. I hope she noticed me...

[Verg Avesta]

Elise Pelltier & John Dove
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

“Haha, what a reliable big sister.”

"Mm-hm! That's me, a reliable big sister for everyone!" Sakura said proudly, nose towards the ceiling. "So don't be afraid to rely on me when the time comes!"

While John had commented on Sakura's unfortunate habit of being right up in the face of someone she was talking to (today's target being Elise), this comment seemed to have completely flown over the head of the brown-haired girl. Fortunately, she seemed to naturally lean backwards as the bus took a sharp turn on an intersection, giving Elise some room to breathe. This, though, had the side effect that Sakura nearly fell over backwards on the empty seat behind her, giving a rather suggestive flash under her skirt in the meanwhile.

Something the happy-go-lucky girl didn't seem to realize in the slightest.

"Oh, and books I like to read? Well, mmm..." Sakura finally got back to talking once she had straightened her posture. "Well, I've been really getting into Timothy Zahn's books lately."

Suddenly Sakura's face warped into an expression of embarrassment, like she had said something weird.

"Oh, erm, well, I mean..." Her eyes darted all over the bus. "I REALLY LIKE READING TONI MORRISON!"

Holy crap that was loud!

---

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

“Well, I haven’t looked into the matter myself so we can put that aside, I suppose. I’ll just take your word for it. As for the blonde… She is an actor of some description, right? I swear I saw her somewhere, but I can’t really put my finger on it…”

"I take it you didn't see Last Action Hero last year? She played the daughter of one of the main character's there," Ramia said, keeping her eyes on the haughty-looking girl. "But her real big breakthrough was when she stole the show as Mae Mordabito in that baseball movie. You know, A League of Their Own? Plus tens and tens of other parts over the years. I guess it goes to show that not all child-actors crash and burn in the most horrible of ways."

While Ramia laughed at her own words, she didn't seem to actually find it that amusing. No, not only that, it was clear that she didn't clearly think much of the actress. There was natural disdain in her voice, one that was a bit surprising, coming from a person who seemed so salt-of-the-earth as Ramia did. Perhaps it was just that they were so different, perhaps it was something else, but there was something there alright.

... And it wasn't exactly one-sided either.

After all, the blonde girl finally saw the two of them sneaking glances, and now stared right back at them. First at Ramia, which made a sneer rise to the actresses face, then at Anna... and her expression changed to that of a person looking at a piece of turd on the side of the road, nose scrunched up.

It was clear that neither of them had made it into her good books.

"Uh-oh, Spaghetti Oh's~" Ramia whispered with a sing-song voice. "Looks like she's not a fan of us~"

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

Lucille let out a giggle, the scene before her something she could find adorable and most definitely genuine. It may not have been in the way that she thought, but she managed to glimpse a part of the artist’s real personality after all. Though, it was rude that she was laughing a bit at his expense, an unfortunate guilty pleasure. She hoped she could be forgiven for that.

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” Lucille said with a carefree wave. “I don’t mind, but I was worried you might end up doing it to someone else less hospitable in the future. Better it be a painless lesson than a painful one, right?”

She hummed to herself, hoping that Caleb would take the lesson to heart. At the very least, being gently reprimanded had to be better than if she made a big deal out of it, she was certain.

Ah. But one last thing.

“Though, if it’s not too much to ask, could you mind finishing? I don't think that’s a flattering look on me.”

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Some 20 Miles from Road's End
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

“Though, if it’s not too much to ask, could you mind finishing? I don't think that’s a flattering look on me.”

A pair of eyes that still looked like they were in the middle of slight sulking peeked at Lucille form beneath the beanie as Caleb, slowly, ever so slowly, recovered from his social faux pas. The artist coughed into his balled-up fist in a very matter-of-fact way, trying to get back his bearings. Lucille could hear him mutter something about his own stupidity and insensitivity under his breath, a voice that once again betrayed the ridiculously thick Scottish accent that he had been trying to hide previously.

When Caleb finally could look the girl straight in the eye, he had returned back to his image of an unflappable artist of few words.

"... Sure. I'll finish it," he answered. "You're right. You have better features than this. Reminds me of Mary Pickford."

Having blurted that out, the dexterous hands returned to their work, lines drawn again and again upon the picture. The hair on Lucille's head were finished up, made to flow in the sea breeze, and the seagull on her shoulder got a friend that was flying in the air. The lighthouse itself was made a bit more presentable, it's large frame towering like a dependable giant next to the girl. If one didn't know the context of the picture, it could have passed as a drawing of a lighthouse guardian and her building, guiding ships in the night.

While Caleb might have been a bit awkward when it came to talking and keeping his artistic spurts of inspiration in check, he definitely had skills when it came to his craft. Indeed, it was something that one could have proudly presented in a gallery, even though it was but a sketch made in but a moment.

"You're a good girl, Lucy," Caleb suddenly said, while he continued drawing. "Polite, too. Considerate people are rare. Haven't met many."

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Some 20 miles from Road’s End
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 06.09.94
Weather: Sunny

"... Mm... maybe..."

I looked at Gabi sympathetically, for someone so clearly unused and uncomfortable with just being around other people, harsh physical contact like that's gotta take a toll.

Plus I'm not gonna lie, it was kinda cute, tugs on my motherly instincts.

What kinda life did this girl live to end up like this? Well, probably one that netted her in here with the rest of us.

"... I know it isn't manly, but I can't help it..."

Eh?

O-oh.

Ooooh. Okay.

I'm beginning to have a different opinion on he- uh, his mother. Well, I guess that's a little bit of egg on my face for makin a big ole' assumption.

I scratched the back of my head, smiling a little self-consciously, "Ah, it's alright, my dude. If I made fun of a guy who's a bit sensitive I'd be picking on one of my brothers all the time, and he's a real sweetheart, so I'd feel really bad. It's cool.

Wonder what Jimbo's doin' right now? Prolly college shit.