Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Verg Avesta]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: End's Beach
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

“Right. Lead the way, then. How far is it?”

"Not far," Shane excitedly explained as they walked forward, out of the sand and towards the town. "We just hop over the railroad tracks and it'll be right there. The big red neon sign with A.D. over it. Can't miss it!"

Thus did the two very different people start their way towards the Avery's Diner, which promised the distinct (and somewhat odd) choice for a quick lunch: pancakes and bacon. As Shane put it, they extremely tasty when taken with coffee and maple syrup... or so Shane had heard. Boy admitted eventually that coffee was still too bitter to him and he usually just took juice or a soda to go with it. But his brother drank practically nothing but coffee, and even he said that it was combo he found great. So Anna should definitely try it with coffee!

In the meantime the sun was descending past the horizon, dying the town and its surrounding forests with an orange flame that made shadows grew distinct and large. From somewhere far away, in the direction of the towering lighthouse, both could hear the forlorn sound of a harmonica being played, sea wind carrying its melody across Road's End. Shane shivered a bit, muttering something about how it was a 'Ghost of a Sailor' and refused to explain any further.

Still, maybe because he was a bit scared of the song, or because he had finally grown somewhat accustomed to the girl's presence, Anna found that Shane practically glued himself to her side until they got to the other side of the railroad tracks.

And thus did the evening of Road's End continue...

Anna Vandemeel: Friendship Rank Raised!

[Ayakashi]

--- Vivienne Bianchi Date: 06.09.1994. Location: Pinefall Dormitories Alex's Room Phase: Evening Phase Weather: Sunny ---

Vivienne observed the newly created tomato before her. Once more she tilted her head, hinting at confusion... but most likely this time it wasn't induced by Alex's actions, rather she was probably trying to figure out what to do. At the very least, she must've been happy that Alex had realised he was going in the wrong direction, seeing how she made a small nod to herself as she... reached forwards?

Putting the cup of tea down, she reached for Alex's head and... decided to pat the blonde Frenchwoman's head. It may have been a pleasant experience, to feel those golden, soft strands as Vivienne moved her hand in a stroking motion.

"It's alright. Everything... fine. You... funny..."

A master patting their pet? A mother consoling their daughter? The scenery was most likely something akin to a fusion between those two.

In her own attempt to help, Vivienne refilled Alex's cup with tea and offered her more of the snacks that had been on the table. The host was now the one being pampered by the visitor, so it would seem...

"Miss Alex... must make nice news articles. Very passionate."

[Verg Avesta]

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Pinefall Dormitories - Alex's Room
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

"Miss Alex... must make nice news articles. Very passionate."

"Nnn... Thank you."

Still sounding like she'd rather dig a hole and disappear into it than continue this conversation after her mistake had been brought up to light, Alex took one of the butter cookies with her both hands and began munching on it, the redness on her face slowly receding. For about ten seconds the room was filled with nothing but silence occasionally broken by the sound of Alex munching on her cookie. Those stubborn eyes stared at her shoeless feet, the brightly colored and patterned socks clashing with the professionalism of the room itself.

"... I try my very best," Alex eventually said, breaking the quiet atmosphere. "... But I admit, I do sometimes get swept up my by own chain of logic. If I decide that one side of the truth is what really happened, I stop questioning the validity of it or other perspectives. It has gotten me to trouble more than once."

With a sigh, Alex finished her cookie and took hold of her tea cup once more. She took a dainty sip from it, setting it back to the table. Then she intertwined her fingers together, putting her hands down on the lap.

"The worst case was when I was investigating a rather... unique series of murders happening in France," Alex admitted. "I was so sure I had found the trail of the criminal, even if the police forces told me to give it up, but yet... I did not. In the end I nearly lost my life and had to spend two months in hospital."

It was a rather chilling admission from the reporter, one that clashed with the atmosphere of the room.

"Laugh if you want, but it is that same stubbornness that partially brought me here as well," she admitted. "There were some similarities between the case I was investigating and what has befallen the late members of the McLampet family. I tried to leave well enough alone but..."

She gave Vivienne a rather dry and sarcastic shrug.

"... I am here, am I not?"

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolf
Location: Avery's Diner.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

There was an awkward silence after I tried to apologize to Cathie. The cause of the silence was the fact that she didn’t respond to me… In fact, this kind of reminds me of another person who did the exact same thing earlier. A certain person who has issues with being honest.

"... Whatever. Not my problem. I brewed the coffee after all."

After she said that, she hurriedly went back to the kitchen. However, I didn’t get the feeling that she was really mad at Aleen.

"Sheez! What's her problem? Totes rude!"

"Sorry about my daughter. She's... at that age. You know, right? Doesn't listen to her parents, doesn't listen to her teachers, both listless and rebellious… I wonder what's the problem with youngsters these days, really...? Thinking they can get by with just a shrug and a 'whatever'..."

While these two were complaining, I just let out a small smile.

“I don’t know, I think she’s a good girl at heart. Maybe a bit moody but definitely a good girl. Or at least much better than I was at her age.”

I thought briefly about the past with its few ups and many downs before asking the Owner something (?).

“Could you tell me a little bit about her if you don’t mind? I’m kind of interested in her.”

[Verg Avesta]

Vier Wolf
Location: Avery's Diner.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

“Could you tell me a little bit about her if you don’t mind? I’m kind of interested in her.”

Avery Walker nodded, putting her hands on the hips. While she got her thoughts in order to tell about her daughter, Aleen busied herself with her half of the pie, soon looking like an actual cannibal Aleen King, what with her face being smeared in the bright redness of cherries and her mouth being caked in the delicious, buttery crust.

"Well, not much to tell, to be honest," Avery started. "She's a good kid at heart, but she's a bit moody and tries her best with the whole 'I don't care about anything' attitude. Honestly, she used to be such a sweet kid growing up, I wonder where I went wrong...?"

Avery shook her head, as if regretting her child-rearing choices. Meanwhile Aleen muttered something like 'A jerk is what she is' under her breath, too quiet for the owner to hear, fortunately.

"It might be because she's got no friends of the same age in town, honestly. Of course there are the Mitchell boys, but younger is still just a little punk while the older is a punk of the highest order," Avery spoke, a momentary face of distaste passing. "Jake and Tommy are a bit too old to hang around with her, and being former alumni of Pinefall they're hometown boys. Meanwhile Cathie's gotten a taste of city life at Seattle so she's a bit restless, living out here in the sticks."

They could all hear a rather angry-sounding "Hmph!" from the kitchen, and Avery laughed dryly, cocking an eyebrow at the girls.

"See what I mean?" she asked. "The only girl her age around here would be the young heiress of the McLampets, or that Canadian weirdo hanging at Owl's Nest, but... well, the first one hasn't shown herself in fifteen years and Canadians are, well, Canadians."

Avery chuckled at her own words.

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High - Campus
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

Elise took the offered seat on the bench, sat down, and listened intently to Jake's story.

She remained silent for a moment after Jake finished as she mulled it over.

It really sounds like someone wanted to drive Road's End, or at least the McLampet family, to ruin. Who would even profit from that? Did Howell do something to earn someone's ire?

"That is a pretty tragic turn of events. A whole family torn apart by greed, and drags the entire community down with it. Not to mention all the suspicious deaths and disappearances. And no one's actually seen Howell's granddaughter in fifteen years? What about her mother, the widow?"

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Junk Garage.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

An orderly row of rustbucket Chevies, lined up like bodies at the morgue, their hoods popped and doors left ajar, lay in Colt’s wake. It wasn’t just the machinery under the hood or under the cars that he pilfered. Resourceful and diligent, the interior of the car was just as much of a playground to him as what was hidden beneath the hood. Inspiration could strike anywhere, buttons on the dash or console, or old doo-dads left behind before the car was left behind in the scrapyard, they were all equally exciting to rummage through.

At the moment the two were working a 74 Chevrolet pickup together. Everything under the hood was in working order and Colt had made a mental catalog of what was available the next time he visited. Tommy had moved to the truck bed itself, while Colt had wiggled his hand through the cracked window to unlock the rear passenger door. Seat pockets were thoroughly explored, fingers digging up old coins and dust. Floormats were lifted, finding old receipts and some cleverly hidden packs of cigarettes.

Popping open the center console, Colt heard a jingle he knew all too well. That of keys. Two on a brass keyring. One he immediately recognized to be the keys to the truck itself, perhaps a spare, but the other.

His eyes turned to the glovebox. Gripping the handle, he pulled, but nothing happened.

Pulling back Colt repositioned himself, looking at the glovebox from below, where he found an inconspicuous keyhole. Taking the second key he put it into the hole, giving it a wiggle, and turned.

Click.

Faint. Quiet and nearly smothered underneath the sound of heavy objects being shifted around in the bed of the truck, the glovebox unlocked. Once more taking hold of the handle, Colt opened the glovebox and pulled out that which had been locked away.

With methodical precision, he checked the safety and chamber.

For all the effort put into locking it away, Colt half expected to find something along these lines. Gloveboxes with locks were only ever used to hide three things. Car titles, money, and firepower.

“Looks to be chambered in .45, not sure about the model, seems to be in firing condition, not loaded…” Muttering to himself as he went over the pistol, Colt dug his hand further into the glovebox, searching for any nearby ammo. Not finding anything, he drew his hand back, and turned the gun over to continue his inspection.

Double checking that it wasn’t loaded, he turned the safety off and dry fired it. That satisfying rhythmic click reached his ears, and at the same time something heavy shifted in the bed of the truck, followed by Tommy’s voice announcing that he’d found the engine.

Putting the safety back on, Colt began to open his mouth to respond, when the color that didn’t belong on the gun’s handle finally caught his attention. In the lighting he had assumed it to be discoloration in the handle’s finish, but looking closer-

The dark brown with hints of red could only be a bloodstain.

“Tommy.” Calmly, he leaned toward the window, raising his voice slightly. “I think you should take a look at this.”

Technically, this belonged to the now-owner of this car. That being Tommy himself.

Were it just an unloaded gun, Colt might have just put it back and mentioned it later.

But a man deserves to know when a bloodstained pistol is lying around on his land.

“It ain’t a good find.”

[Verg Avesta]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High - Campus
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

"That is a pretty tragic turn of events. A whole family torn apart by greed, and drags the entire community down with it. Not to mention all the suspicious deaths and disappearances. And no one's actually seen Howard's granddaughter in fifteen years? What about her mother, the widow?"

"Yep. Not a hair nor hide of the little princess," Jake said with a nod. "Her mother claims she's still around at the mansion, but without anyone seeing the heiress, well... it raises some eyebrows, right? Makes people suspicious. Especially, since if she's really there, she's supposed to be at the cusp of becoming an adult. There'd be one new inheritor for the logging rights. But still she won't appear, so things are as they are. And her mother doesn't help things. Josie McLampet, née Liú, rarely exits her mansion and when she does she wanders around the town like a ghost, staring at people and muttering to herself. She might be traumatized by everything that happened."

It definitely wasn't a happy tale. A family that was the beating heart of an already small town torn apart and ruined, robbed of their own fortunes by a series of disappearances and death, causing both a blooming industry and a growing commune to disappear in a blink of an eye. The only things left behind were a grieving widow and a daughter that might as well be non-existent.

No wonder the name 'McLampet' was something of a taboo these days at Road's End.

"I know only the main facts, though, so if you want to dig deeper you might wanna talk to people like Ol' James or some of the older members of the town," Jake added, taking a drag off his cigarette. "Be careful though. Lots of old wounds and scars with that story, so it might get some dirty glances thrown your way."

Jake patted Elise on the shoulder, both encouragingly and with a sense of 'be careful'. It looked like as a younger member of the town, Jake himself was removed enough from the happenings to not care, but his words of warning were logical.

"Anyways, anything else you want to know? There's practically a story about every spooky place around here," Jake said, taking a look at his wristwatch. "I have time for one more prattle before my break ends and after that I need to go sweep your classrooms. Gotta get those rooms clean for tomorrow. I mean, nobody wants to study in a dusty room, do they?"

Jake grinned dryly.

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Ghostwood Overlook
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

"An old legend. It speaks of the Disembodied Man. It's a sort of.. ah, local folktale that has been passed round for a while. Of the man in the woods. Guildenstern was rather intrigued by it, asked about it a lot. From the locals, from me, from the natives," Rosencranz explained, head bobbing back in forth, as if in time to phantom music.

"Of course... the natives are no longer here. Only their blood, and only a pint-full of that. But he knows, he knows..."

Uh, what.

I took my hat in my hands and fiddled with it for moment, frowning in thought. Talking with this guy's like a fever dream, the words all make sense, but when it's all put together...

It sounded like nonsense, but it was sticking together in a way that meant something more, it tickled at my reflexes and put me on edge.

The shadows were growing longer, and we still had to get back down through the trees, we should probably get going.

It was going to be dark soon, after all.

I put my hands in my pockets and rocked on my heels, antsy.

He spoke at bit about the poem to Hisa, and I watched, slightly impatient.

Owl's Nest, huh?

Maybe poke around there sometime, when we hit the town.

"As for your offer of a ride, I'm afraid I must decline."

I shrugged, oh well, never hurts to ask.

"I want to stretch my legs just a bit more, and I think I saw a trail leading a bit further in. I think I shall see where that leads me... at least for a while."

With that, the man called Rosencrantz shifted his posture, taking a firm grip on his cane and hefting the heavy-looking briefcase with an ease that belied his sickly appearance.

He tipped his head and clacked off toward the shadowed trees, a strange beauty to it, like the cover of an old, favorite book.

Then he paused, and something changed.

"... Oh. Yes. Something I think I had to mention to you. At least... I believe so."

He turned, and those eyes that pierced in the face of a man who should be in a sickbed stared the pair of us down.

"... There is an impostor among the people of Pinefall."

An imposter, what? Who? Why?

How does he know?

Then there was silence, and the wind howled and the shadows danced, the sharp scent of wormwood clinging to his person filled the overlook, a storm of leaves assaulting us, and we shielded our eyes for a moment, only a moment.

When we looked again, he was gone.

Silence hung like a shroud, and I shifted my feet, the craggy surface scraping under the soles of my boots, somehow bringing a sense of surety to me, that there was still earth beneath my feet.

I took a deep breath in, and blow it out through my mouth.

"Well then. Looks like we have a mystery on our hands."

Just putting the ominous words in perspective, couching them, framing them made it all seem a bit more palatable, less otherworldly.

I bounced on my heels for a moment, I'd always loved mysteries, the thrill of the hunt. We all did.

"Come on then, Hisa," I told her, eyes dancing, "The game's afoot!"

I brought the brim of my hat low over my face and strode off back down the trail, chomping a phantom pipe, fists clenched as I stalked an illusive impostor.

"Off to eat, I'm hungry!"

[Verg Avesta]

Colt Davin
Location: Junk Garage.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

"Hmm? What's up?" Tommy asked, making his way to where Colt was. "You sound like--- Whoa."

Tommy's eyes widened as he took a closer look at the .45 automatic that Colt held in his hand. It was obvious from the get-go that the weapon had been heavily modified, with shortened barrel and faint engravings running on the side. Whoever was the original owner had either commissioned a real personal piece or just had a distinct taste when it came to weaponry. But that all paled when compared to the fact that the gun had those clear stains of darkened blood running along its whole length, like it had been splattered with the red liquid years or decades ago.

Tommy's face had lost its usual humor, and he was uncharacteristically serious, even a little pale. He reached out for the weapon before realizing something, and fishing out a dirty looking handkerchief from his breast pocket. It was with that that he took hold of the gun, inspecting it under the light of the fast-setting sun.

"Okay, what the hell...?" Tommy muttered, looking the gun all over. "Where did you come from...?"

It took good ten minutes of total silence for the older man to inspect the weapon. It was clear that he hadn't held many a pistol in his life, but he knew the basics as he checked the magazine and found it without bullets (Tommy sighed in relief at this point), tested the loading mechanism, inserted a cleaning rod to the barrel to check it for functionality and even inspected the hammer and the safety for any sorts of problems. Realizing that despite its age, the gun was in perfect working condition, Tommy motioned Colt to stay where he was and ran for his barn. Few minutes later he re-emerged and climbed back on top of the junk heap.

Then, without any warning, he pulled the loading mechanism back, aimed the gun towards the woods and pulled the trigger.

A loud -ridiculously loud- bang echoed on the junk yard.

"Oooookay..." Tommy said, face serious and worried. "This definitely ain't good. I don't know whose gun this is or what's it doing in my truck... but I know for a fact that it wasn't there when I bought this car some four years ago. I used to hide my porn mags there before Rachel found out, see. So either we're both blinds as bats, or then someone stashed it there during those four years."

Tommy emptied the magazine once more and wrapped the gun into the handkerchief once more.

"... Shit. We should probably show this to the sheriff, shouldn't we?" Tommy asked, sounding a little anxious. "Though I don't even wanna know how troublesome it gets when the rest of the town finds out about this... and the word will get around."

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Junk Garage.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

“I won’t lie, finding a gun is usually the rare find that brightens up my day, like the cherry on top of a banana sundae, but lookin’ at things as they are, I’d rather have the awkward moment where I stumbled onto another man’s Playboy stash than this.”

Having stood by passively, offering minor comments on the gun’s make and details, as well as offering suggestions regarding the hammer, and mentally complimenting the man for his respect for the weapon’s safety, Colt stepped forward. The gunshot had rattled the peace of the evening, and the reality of the situation became even grimmer.

“I’ll get it out of the way and apologize for stumbling into your ex-stash, but I’ll come right out and defend myself. I think me getting my hands in there works out for the better.”

The gloom filled stare Colt had for the gun was one of abject empathy.

“I’m a little more familiar with the trouble a gun being found somewhere it wasn’t ever expected to be than I should be.”

With those words Colt produced two items from his wallet. A driver’s license, which had his full legal name on it, as well as a business card belonging to his father’s, Colt’s, company. It wouldn’t take more than a few seconds for someone to put two-and-two together, having them alongside each other. No genius was required to see that he had some history there, and perhaps a bit more than passing knowledge of those tools.

And it didn’t take any genius to see that something was a bit odd about Tommy as he handled the gun. The young man may have just met him, but Tommy Horse had given the gun just one peculiar glance. It was only for a second, but it was one of ‘recognition.’ Like something clicking into place.

The newly arrived Pinefall student wholly believed that the man never knew about the gun being there, but on the other hand, part of him believed the man might have reason to think he knows about that gun.

“You can take it to the sheriff. That’s one of your options, and it’s viable. Even admirable. Word’ll get out, the Law will be down here to check out your land, look for anything they think might be important. There won’t be any hiding that, and you’ll have cops snooping around places you probably won’t want.”

Those were words from experience, and Colt made no effort to hide that.

“Or you just ditch the thing, pitch it, do whatever you can to get rid of it and don’t tell anybody about it. Just make sure if you hide it, hide it so nobody knows you hid it.”

He weakly shrugged his shoulders.

“I can’t blame you for either. That thing’s an invitation for trouble no matter how you split it.”

Saying so, he returned his license and card to his wallet.

“It sucks. That gun’s got a lotta character to it. Not to mention the condition… If it weren’t hot, I’d try to haggle it outta ya.”

[Verg Avesta]

Colt Davin
Location: Junk Garage.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

"To be honest... the trouble's the last thing I need. I'm deep enough in debt as it is," Tommy admitted with a heavy sigh. "As much as I like the sheriff, he's gonna turn this place upside down and bring all sorts of shitty rumors to float around. Honestly, I agree with you in that I want to get rid of it and just forget this sordid affair..."

Tommy's body language told of a man who was wracked with a hard choice, one that he didn't really want to make. This gave a piece of insight into the man's personality itself. He was someone fun to hang around with, someone who could talk to just about anyone with ease, someone who always had brilliant ideas and with him there was no dull moment... but he shirked responsibility as much as he could. He didn't want to get tangled up in 'serious' stuff, almost like an overgrown kid who immediately got goosebumps when he would need to make choices with tangible consequences.

Which is why, when a choice like this was forced upon him...

... He decided to shove it upon the shoulders of someone else.

"Okay, listen, erm, Colt," Tommy said, walking up to the boy and putting his hand on his shoulder. "Can I ask you to do a solid for me? I dunno, either I owe you a favor, I'll wave the price on those stereos, whatever... but, could I trust you to get rid of this thing? If I start prancing around in the woods, burying guns, there's absolutely gonna be someone there to notice me and I'll be up the shit creek without a paddle. I need this to be handled discreetly and, well, judging from that card earlier you'd know exactly what to do."

Tommy offered the handkerchief and the gun to Colt, where the off-white weapon gleamed in the twilight sun, those strange engravings showing up clearer than before. From here, it seemed they read something. Something like... 'Everybody Run'.

"My old schoolmate, Jake, hangs around Pinefall as a janitor these days," Tommy said. "If you need help, he should be able to find a safe place to hide that thing. Jake's... Jake is good at that sorta stuff. What with being some sorta military nut."

[Mooncake]

Adelaide Cheshire
Location: Pinefall High Pool - Gym.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny


She breathed out.

It felt like an eternity had passed.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The shuttlecock - that was what it was called, right? It had flown back and forth so fast she hadn't believed what she was seeing. Back and forth and back again, until Mercedes had crashed like a falling star, pardon the dramatics, and Lucille had-

Had...

Adelaide watched it all, eyes half-closed, but paying no less attention for it. She-

Surely, she could-

If it wasn't too much-

If someone had been paying attention to her, and not the match, they would have seen it. The glassy, dead sheen that spread over Adelaide's eyes as she watched the two girls duel, putting something on the line, a formless bond being forged between them.

It passed over Adelaide like a wave, the competition, the stirring of friendship, and she let it wash over her head, never moving, head propped up on one hand, looking as if she was focusing.

A blink, and reality came back.

She clapped with the rest of them, John, Sakura, Inacio, Ubon, and Pyry alike.

Her hands never missed a beat.

She watched Lucille's back as the two hobbled away, and, well-

Maybe, she, too-

"..."

“Alright, Mr. Hatou? Clean up, will you?”

"Wow... I didn't think I'd see something like that."

She reflected to herself for a moment.

"Not that I've ever really watched sports... or played them."

Adelaide turned to the rest of the squad she had come with, curious.

"What did you think?"

[Verg Avesta]

John Dove & Adelaide Cheshire
Location: Pinefall High Pool - Gym.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"Wow... I didn't think I'd see something like that. Not that I've ever really watched sports... or played them. What did you think?"

"That was... uh, that was something alright!" Pyry answered, taking his time to recover from watching such a high-power game. "I mean, I always thought that badminton was sort of a sissy game, but WOW! Consider me mistaken. Those girls really put their everything in it, every bit of their bod... bod... uhm..."

For some reason John, Pyry and Inacio all fell silence as Mercedes and Lucille walked past them, heading for the lockers. Well, Lucille walked. For Mercedes it was more akin to sashaying while her hips swung from left to the right, to and fro, with limits to their movements. It was at that point it seemed like all three boys had forgotten that Adelaide, Sakura and Ubon were even there. Not quite a trance, but something akin to it. Like eyes of a patient caught by a hypnosis-pendulum, glistening with sweat.

"Peeeeervs!" Ubon suddenly shouted, sticking her tongue out to the boys.

That seemed to snap them out of the reverie. At least Inacio and Pyry were hiding blushes that had appeared on their faces, coughing awkwardly and refusing to meet anyone's eyes for a while.

"Y-yes, magnificent game if any," Inacio agreed. "Who knew we had such sports stars hidden amid our midst? My respect for the both of them has grown... especially how Miss Faraday handled the stubbornness of Miss West. Not many could have persuaded her to end the match there. I can see why Miss West would have grown to respect her during the game even if we consider her... less than pleasant character."

"Reeaally?" Sakura asked with an unamused face, cocking an eyebrow at the boys. "You lot sure you weren't just staring at their behinds the whole time?"

"No we weren't!" Both Pyry and Inacio shouted in unison.

As the stars of the match had disappeared from the gym and as Mr. Hatou started cleaning up the net and the rackets, the rest of the students gathered began to disperse too. Even the white-haired boy who had called them sighed, clearly bored that there hadn't been any more drama or an actual catfight, gave an exaggerated yawn and headed out. At the same time, looking outside it was clear that the sun was approaching the horizon, meaning it wouldn't be too long until the curfew would hit.

"So, a-hum," Pyry spoke, trying to gather the shreds of his dignity. "I guess that's that. We should heat out too. I wanna eat something before we gotta hit the hay, plus, erhm..."

Pyry mimed something odd to Inacio, who seemed to understand and nodded lightly.

"I agree," Inacio said. "But I have to admit, I had fun today. Maybe we could gather again in the future? In fact, I had this plan regarding Sakura's words about a beach party, and spoke to Miss Leuzinger about it. Maybe we could arrange a some sort of First Class get-together and introduction party at the beach? Barbecue and all that. It won't be long before the weather gets too cold for such thinggs."

"Oh, for sure!" Pyry agreed, nodding back and forth. "I'm always down for some meat!"

"Here here!" Ubon yelled out, almost vibrating out of existence thanks to her excitement. "Parties, music, friends, food... and big, long, hard piece of meat just for me! I'm so there! For realsies!"

There were some awkward stares and chuckles shared around, but at the end of the day, it was Ubon. During this afternoon, this group had learned that there was a spoonful of salt this birdbrain's words had to be taken with. Not to mention she didn't always think it through what she had just said. Or, rather, she never did.

It was just Ubon.

"Well, if we're arranging a party tomorrow, I'll handle the food!" Sakura exclaimed. "Time to wrap up my sleeves and show you guys just what I got!"

And talking these pleasant things, the group started to make their way out of the gym, back to the dormitory. After all, soon it would be a time for the curfew and nobody wanted to be caught breaking it during their very first day at Pinefall. So why not spend this little time they had before brushing their teeth and all that by getting along just like before?

Perhaps it was that jovial and good-natured atmosphere why nobody noticed John's body shaking, or the look in his.

Well, nobody but one.

Someone surprising.

"Don't break at the seams, Johnnie."

Someone who hid her words from everyone else but Joh.

"Your face's gonna look supah weirdsies."

And having said that...

... Ubon skipped ahead to join the others, leaving John behind.

John Dove: Friendship Rank Raised!

Adelaide Cheshire: Friendship Rank Raised!

[Ayakashi]

--- Vivienne Bianchi Date: 06.09.1994. Location: Pinefall Dormitories Alex's Room Phase: Evening Phase Weather: Sunny ---

Vivienne listened to Alex's continued story attentively. As always, her visage was bland, but her eyes never left Alex as she explained her stories and dangerous adventures back in France.

"You came here... not for help?"

Vivienne seemed curious to know if Alex had come to Road's End not because of the help offered, but rather, because there was something else for her to do here. Indeed, the way Alex's room was set up and her readiness for work all pointed towards such a thing being the case. Attending the school was possibly the perfect setup for inconspicuously doing one's research as a reporter...?

"You... hurt by murderer? Where? Okay now?"

The quiet girl asked as she tried to search for traces of an injury left on Alex. Her search was rather forceful, even if she didn't mean to. An emotionless person who has no sense of personal space can be quite... intrusive.

"Who are Mc Lampet?"

It was now turn for the quiet one to ask many questions to her host...

[Verg Avesta]

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Pinefall Dormitories - Alex's Room
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

"You came here... not for help?"

Alex shook her head.

"No, no, that is not... quite right," she admitted. "As I said, I have a problem with... obsessions. While part of the reason as to why I am here is certainly because I am interested in this mystery, there are also my own personal demons. They would not have offered a place for me if I did not have... problem. In here."

Looking a little ashamed, Alex tapped her forehead with her index finger. It seemed that her reasons were many and complex, to the point that she was clearly rather uncomfortable going too deep into them. But, at the same time it was given. After all, Vivienne was simply someone she had met on the bus on the way to this school. To talk about so openly, even right now was... quite surprising, all things considered.

"You... hurt by murderer? Where? Okay now?"

"No, not by the murderer. It was... mm, never mind," Alex shook her head again. "In all honesty, even I am not sure what I saw that night. Let us just say the experience was painful and the wounds I received are not somewhere you would usually see. They were... the type of wounds I would rather not talk about. I am sorry."

This was the first time that Vivienne had seen Alex look properly, actually uncomfortable. A small shiver ran through the reporter's side and she hugged herself with her arms, clearly trying to keep some unpleasant memory away. Whatever had happened to her was not a memory she wished to return to, not now and possibly not ever.

It was the type of trauma that easily brought someone to Pinefall High.

"Who are McLampet?"

Glad of the sudden change of the topic, Alex hurried to latch on to it. Her face once again adopted that professional air that came with a reporter's job.

"They are the old owners of the saw mill in this town, and the family that held the logging rights... well, still do, if in name only," Alex explained. "After the death of their patriarch, Howard McLampet, the four children of his descended into an infighting over the inheritance. Only for the eldest to run away, the two middle siblings to die and for the youngest sibling to disappear under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind a possible widow and a young heiress who has been strangely absent."

Alex fished something out of the breast pocket of her sleeve - an old watch, of all things, and looked at it.

"The term used for this disappearance was that the 'woods took them', according to locals," Alex continued. "A term I heard once or twice during my investigation at France."

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Pool - Gym.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

Lucille moved mechanically, supporting Mercedes without complaint, even if the feeling of Mercedes’ equally sweaty arm made her just a bit uncomfortable. Measured, careful steps were taken so that Mercedes could keep pace with her, but that was a consideration born from years of dedicated altruism. Her mind was elsewhere, though, her brain trying to pick up the pieces left from the situation and process it all in.

The two situations were different. Incomparable in severity. She should have respected Mercedes’ wishes and continued. It would have been easier, normal to sweep the injury

she had inflicted on her

Mercedes had inflicted on herself

under the rug.

But it wasn’t. For Lucille Faraday, though she could conceive of the alternative, actually doing it was impossible.

After all…

That unyielding sense of

torment

guilt

was still the same.

Perhaps it never would change.

Maybe that was just how things were.

“Come, let’s get going. I’mma dying for, like, a cold drink and cold shower,” Mercedes spoke and flashed a momentary, genuine grin. “I mean gawd, can’t remember when’s the last time someone, like, made me run like that. You got a wicked smash, you know that?”

She wondered why Mercedes’ tone changed. Before, they were on parallel courses, unable to intersect. Was it because she showed backbone and had the tenacity to prove it? Was this truly enough for Mercedes to take the obvious bait, let Lucille bow out without running herself into the ground? Was there some ulterior motive she couldn’t conceive of?

Nevertheless, Lucille hesitantly nodded—accept compliments with grace—and tried to look more attentive. If Mercedes West was bothering to treat her like an equal human being, then it would be impolite of Lucille to just wallow in her own thoughts.

“Oh and bee-tee-dubs? I gotta know what you, like, do with that hair. How’s it still looking pristine!?”

“My conditioner, I think? I’ll check the brand when I get back to the dorms,” she said, though she wasn’t certain if this was any true at all. Mercedes was right from before, in that she, Lucille, wasn’t very fashion conscious, but she also didn’t think that her style was ugly, either.

She nervously tried to give a grin back, but it felt off.

There was something fake about this conversation. It didn’t deal with the elephant in the room at all, and Lucille couldn’t tell whether or not Mercedes wanted to leave it that way. As for herself, she was an honest person by nature, or at least she thought she was. Mercedes had given her an out, and it wasn’t going to be something she’d take for granted.

“...Thank you,” Lucille murmured, before trying to raise her voice just a bit more. “I’m sorry the match had to end the way that it did… I’ll make it up to you somehow.”

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High - Campus
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 06.09.1994
Weather: Sunny

I wonder if the granddaughter was offered a spot at Pinefall. If she's still alive, it certainly sounds like she'd likely meet the Oceandrop Program's criteria.

"Anyways, anything else you want to know? There's practically a story about every spooky place around here," Jake said, taking a look at his wristwatch. "I have time for one more prattle before my break ends and after that I need to go sweep your classrooms. Gotta get those rooms clean for tomorrow. I mean, nobody wants to study in a dusty room, do they?"

"What about the forest?" asked Elise, "It's easy to get lost in the woods, but you've made it sound like a lot of people just disappear in there. Plus they call it Ghostwood, and that's kind of a suggestive name."

[Mooncake]

Adelaide Cheshire
Location: Pinefall High Pool - Gym.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny



"That was... uh, that was something alright! I mean, I always thought that badminton was sort of a sissy game, but WOW! Consider me mistaken. Those girls really put their everything in it, every bit of their bod... bod... uhm..."

"Is that right...?"

Yes, certainly, there could be no mistaking it.

Adelaide's raised eyebrow... spelled some level of doom for Pyry.

"Reeaally? You lot sure you weren't just staring at their behinds the whole time?"

"No we weren't!"

"I don't know, Sakura... I don't think they were staring at their backsides," Adelaide's other eyebrow threatened to join in, the diminutive blond beginning to radiate the kind of cold only found in an arctic winter, the same kind of snowstorm that spelled certain death to those who traveled in it-!

"After all, weren't your eyes glued to Miss West's thighs?"

She relented as talk turned to other things. Honestly, she couldn't blame them. If she had been a man, and Mercedes had walked past... Adelaide shook her head.

"Well, if we're arranging a party tomorrow, I'll handle the food! Time to wrap up my sleeves and show you guys just what I got!"

She smiled at them.

"Sounds like a good plan to me."

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Pool - Showers.
Phase: Evening Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny

“...Thank you. I’m sorry the match had to end the way that it did… I’ll make it up to you somehow.”

Mercedes West stayed silent when given an apology by Lucille, her face an emotionless mask that let nothing slip by.

That same silence continued when they entered the locker rooms to have a much needed shower after the grueling game. It carried on further when Mercedes walked over to one of the storage closets, and after a bit of searching, emerged with two towels, throwing the other one to the blend. It persisted when they both stripped down in complete quiet, hearing nothing but the distant sounds of their classmates as they walked by the closed door and back into the dormitory. It refused to end when they headed for the showers proper, ready to wash away the marks of the badminton game that they had just been through, a testimony for how much they had both put into the game.

"Hoookay, that's it."

It finally ended when they reached the shower area.

Not giving Lucille time to fight back or resist, Mercedes caught her by the wrist and dragged her off to the far-end of the shower area. Her free hand struck the valve open and soon enough pleasantly warm shower of water washed over them, making steam rise ever upwards like it was a tropical jungle they were in. Then, showcasing her surprising bodily power once more, Mercedes swung Lucille before her and backed the blonde into the corner of the shower, the two of them being inches away from each other while a torrent of droplets fell upon them.

"Gawd. What the hell, Faraday?" Mercedes asked, grinding her teeth together, looking absolutely pissed of because of something.

Her hand shot out, catching a hold of Lucille's face, the starlet's hands keeping a grip of her cheeks. Not painfully, mind you. It was almost like the actress wanted to make sure Lucille looked her straight in the eyes when she began to talk once more, not wanting to give the girl another chance to retreat into her own thoughts once more.

"I swear to God if you don't stop moping I'mma slap your face off," Mercedes said, her words strong, angry, and giving no room for rebuttal. "I mean, like, the hell you're doing? Apologizing 'cause I went and hurt myself? Get over yourself! It was, like, my choice! Got nothing to do with you bimbo blonde girl scout. So either you stop looking like a paparazzi I just slapped or I'mma act-ually get physical."

That was... an odd threat, considering the situation they were in right now, in the showers and all. But the way Mercedes said, it would have been enough to send nasty shivers down anyone's spine.

"Now listen here. You caught me when I wasn't myself and that got me, like, pissed off. That's given, lotsa things piss me off," Mercedes continued. "And then I got hella pissed off when you started running your mouth 'bout sports and-whatnot. See here, I do my own stunts. I train myself. I know my looks ain't gonna last forevah, so I got like zillion back-up plans. Healthy body's big part of that."

That was one way to describe Mercede's physical appearance, yes --- though the boys of their class would have, most likely, used different words.

"I'm not apologizing for what I did or said. Not my style," she said. "Still, never would've thought you'd give me, like, a run for my money. Hell, we both now you would've won the match after I went and ate shit. But till then, you didn't lose on purpose, you didn't give an inch. And you know what? I hella respect that. Nobody does that to me anymore. Either they brown-nose me or underestimate me or both. I'm either a piece 'o meat to them or a princess. And I ain't neither! And, like, for a moment you didn't treat me that way. So yeah, I respect that. Got a problem with that?"

Mercedes challenged Lucille with her gaze, letting go of her face and pushing herself closer until they were practically forehead against forehead. It was a different kind of challenge form before, one made without malice. This time Mercedes challenge Lucille to prove the starlet's view of the blonde wrong, to tell that she was wrong about the crackling connection of rivalry born during the badminton match.

"So, here's the deal, blondie," Mercedes said, easing her tone to a gentler one. "The people I respect? They're, like, my posse in my books. Dunno 'bout friendship or that shit yet, but yeah, you're cool enough in my books to hang out with me. You sit at my table during lunch, I ain't driving you off. Someone giving you the lip, I'll ruin their lives. Because my posse is my posse. You throw in with me, you share what I worked for."

The eyes of Mercedes narrowed and there was a forceful glint in them, like she wanted to make absolutely sure that Lucille understood and heard what she said.

"My posse wants for nothing, gets depsies outta nothing, is disrespected by nothing," Mercedes announced. "So get what my problem here is? I'mma let you, like, run with me and you start going all PTSD on me? Like hell I'mma let that happen. You got the face of missing something, you look hella depressed, you disrespect yourself? That ain't right my books."

It was an odd, possessive, arrogant and self-centered view of the world... but at the same, it had a strange sense of camaraderie that one could have never expected to get form Mercedes West. Perhaps here, hidden from everyone else and literally baring all, she was comfortable enough to thrust this upon Lucille.

"Because you do that and you disrespect me," Mercedes concluded. "And even if you're, like, my posse, I ain't gonna take disrespect. So... where's that Lucille Faraday who, like, earned my respect? Or do I need to get physical and drag her out? You got my respect, you're my posse. You're my posse, you're my problem. You're my problem..."

Those eyes gave no quarter. The sheer stubbornness in them would have toppled mountains.

"... I'mma fix you."