Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)
Location: Some 20 miles from Road's End.
Phase: Morning Phase.
Date: 06.09.1994.
Weather: Sunny
[BGM]
Tires occasionally bumping against the old, worn-down asphalt road. Yet another old, solemn song crackling out from the ancient radio. The moquette of the bus seats stinking of dust and cigarette smoke, practically sweating thanks to the sun outside shining far stronger than it should in early September.
This had been your reality for better part of the day.
The journey to Road's End was nearing its end, but at the same time, that same journey had yet to properly even begin. This bus trip across the country, one that had taken quite a long time all-together, was just the prologue. Soon enough you'd be arriving to the small rural town at the back roads of Washington State, nestled between sea and the mountains. There the much-talked-about school of Pinefall High awaited – your home away from home for the next year. It was in the sticks to be sure, much more than any of you had ever really experienced. Only about 3000 people lived there, apparently. But it was away from the hustle and bustle of the world, surrounded by beautiful nature and most importantly of all... it was quiet.
In other words a perfect location for what was basically a nursing home for society's rejects – a mental hospital disguised as a high school.
Your reasons for attending Pinefall High School for Troubled Youth were your own, but it was clear that there were many like you. Twenty-nine in total, to be exact. These youngsters would be your classmates for the following year and judging from how quiet it was at the bus... each one of you was thinking approximately the same thoughts:
“Is there really any point to this?”
It wasn't completely dead silent, of course. Few people were talking with each other and there was a low buzz of discussion joining the droning rumble of the vehicle's tires, but that's all it was. The loudest thing was the radio, and even that had been turned down low so that it wouldn't bother the passengers,as per request of the woman sitting on one of the front seats. She was quite the striking figure, as strict as a whip and with clear fire in her eyes. Her dress was casual but still carried the air of formality around it, giving you an unpleasant image of a military school faculty member. The only saving grace was the smile she occasionally flashed when she looked at the other passengers – it had the calming effect similar to a veterinarian approaching a wounded dog. It was clear this was not her first time when it came to dealing with youngsters like you.
Before you had stepped into the bus,she had introduced herself as Ms. Leuzinger, one of your teachers during the following year.
The stuffy atmosphere of the bus,mixing with the clear dust hanging in the air revealed by the rays of sunlight streaming through the dirty windows, was not the most promising. Indeed it felt a little less like you were about to embark on a new journey – an adventure even. Having been forced to sit in this vehicle for hours upon hours, the atmosphere was more akin to a bunch of young criminals being carted off to a juvenile hall.Trickles of sweat down your neck, uncomfortable numbness in your body that wouldn't shake off no matter how much you changed the way you sat, repetitive song after repetitive song coming from God-knows-what local station specializing in Dad-Rock. Combination of all these factors, along with hundreds of other little thing that kept bothering you, slowly but surely made this situation unbearable for you and the others, until you were sure that someone very soon would scream out in frustration. But just as this boiling point began to approach---
"This is your driver Mainfield speaking,” the PA system of the bus blared out suddenly with the voice of the driver. “We have now reached Road's End, so if you'll look to your right..."
--- The scenery changed, revealing something new and exciting behind it.
A small town nestled next to a large cliff, surrounded by forest and impossibly large ocean and a towering mountain of green reaching for heights behind it. Small buildings of log and stone and concrete shining in the sunlight, looking like they had been there for centuries. A small town of unquestionable rustic beauty and with an aura of old ways resonating from it. Somewhere, the fresh scent of pine trees entered your nose. Douglas firs and sycamore trees whistled past and eventually gave way to a perfect view of this approaching small town, one that welcomed you in with open arms for the next year.
It seemed peaceful – almost kind. Old but reliable grandfather that lived alone but was always happy to see his grandchildren.
And today, you'd become one of those hundreds of grandchildren.
Today you'd become a resident of Road's End, Washington.
The sudden appearance of your destination caused a sudden stir in the passengers of the bus. Teenagers stirred from their apathy and took a look at the town, each one displaying a different expression. Some viewed with clear interest, some with disdain, some with completely neutral expression... and some just glanced at it and went back to whatever they were doing.
And the people around you specifically...
For Vier Wolff this trip had been slightly more bothersome than to others. A rather rude white-haired punk had been kneeing her seat to keep himself entertained during the trip, and while you had told him to stop it,he had only acted like he didn't understand a word you said (he definitely did, though, judging from his shit-eating grin) and ignored you. Meanwhile the girl next to you had kept her nose buried in her book -Sophie's Choice- and ignored you during the journey. However, now she had finally roused from her trance and took a look at the approaching town... quite the intense look, in fact, like she was challenging the town into a fight.
For Momoi Hisa this trip had been rather awkward. The incredibly tiny girl next to her (who went barefoot of all things) had fidgeted on her seat during the whole trip, clearly wanting to start up a conversation but not exactly finding the courage to do so. Then there was the backpack she kept on her lap. It might have been Momoi's imagination, but... sometimes it almost felt like the backpack moved on its own. And she was pretty sure there had been a subdued bark or two at some point coming from within its depths. Whenever something like this had happened, the small girl in red had grown incredibly flustered and nervous.
For Lucille Faraday this trip had been pleasant enough. The man who had sat next to her had offered her the window seat once she had gotten on the bus, being content with sitting on the aisle-side. He had answered politely enough to small-talk but was clearly not interested in talking, choosing instead to focus on drawing the scenery passing by the windows. His notebook had slowly been filling with picture after picture, each one more detailed than the last.
For Prushka this trip could have gone better. The man who had been sitting next to her hadn't bothered to give her the window seat – hell, he hadn't even acknowledged her existence in but the most cursory of ways! Just a single glance, a grunt, and then this young man who more resembled a lanky, ridiculously tall lion than anything else just put on his headphones and continued to listen his mullet rock blaring loud enough for even her to hear. In other words, she had been completely ignored.
For Vivienne Bianchi this trip offered no real points of interest, if not for the man sitting across the aisle from her who had claimed two seats as his own and kept everyone else at bay with rude words and rather angry presence. The person sitting next to her (either a very handsome woman or a very beautiful man) had curtly introduced themselves as Alex Terrot at the start of the journey. For the rest of the time they had been writing shorthand on their notepad that was bursting from the seams. Currently this person was watching the sight of the town, unreadable expression on their face.
For Alexstrasza Lockhart this trip had been a challenge in itself. The girl sitting next to her talked without a pause (mostly about herself after she got tired of her fruitless efforts of switching the seats so she could be next to the window) and showed no signs of stopping even now that they were close to the town of Road's End. She had introduced herself as Cesarina Feroce, her attitude close to a noble deeming to talk with a pauper, which was annoying in itself – but the worst thing was definitely her nasally voice. She was definitely the loudest person in the bus by far.
For Colt Davin and Adelaide Cheshire this trip had been a normal one. The two of them couldn't have been more different when it came to each other, but their interactions had been polite enough so far (perhaps caused by the tiredness that so often accompanied long car-trips). The only bothersome points were the constantly talking girl one seat ahead of them... and the other girl sitting across the aisle from them. She was one of those people who had claimed two seats for themselves, and had spent most of her time checking her make-up and looks from her compact. The looks she sometimes bothered to shoot towards Adelaide were rude to a fault, accompanied by a sneer that seemed to ridicule the fancily dressed girl.
For Anna Vandemeel this trip had been surprising pleasant... if a bit confusing. The girl sitting next to her (though she smelled of long roads traveled and sand) was a polite one, introducing herself as Ramia. She seemed to enjoy the prospect of 'having some time off' as she put it and entertained herself by playing a hand-held game console during the journey. She even offered to let Anna borrow her Sega Game Gear but after some futile attempts of explaining how it worked she simply laughed and told she could borrow one of her books instead. And as luck would have it, her backpack was full of travel guides to all sorts of places around the world. Now she was watching the view from the window with a glint in her eyes and a small grin on her lips.
For Elaine Winters this trip had been a quiet one. The person sitting next to her practically squeezed herself against the window in an attempt to keep the distance between them as high as possible. It was not out of rudeness, surprisingly enough, but more likely fear of strangers. This person was a text-book example of a shrinking violet, answering with a quiet, meek voice and short bursts of words to any questions asked. The only thing this oddball had done during the trip was stare at her hands that were white and soft – hands of someone who had never done a harsh day's work in their lives. Now this person's eyes were glued to the sight of the approaching town, myriad emotions displayed in their depths.
For John Dove and Elise Pelltier this trip had been surprisingly fun... for whatever it meant to the both of them. They had sat at the back of the bus, a place with far more leg room to stretch at. In addition to this, the third person sitting there was just a bursting with energy and goodwill. Having introduced herself as Sakura Tsukioka, she had spent the day having pleasant small-talk with the two of them and even offered them lunch from her sizable basket of sandwiches and soda that she had brought with her to the bus. Now this ball of joy was excitedly talking about the town they were seeing, clearly looking forward to arriving there.
A clear air of excitement, tension and waiting grew inside the bus as the town of Road's End got closer and closer. Soon enough you all would be arriving and then... your year away from your homes would begin. Soon enough you'd start your new life at the boonies, away from the rest of the world. Soon enough you'd experience a school life unlike you might have experienced so far, as provided by the Oceandrop Program.
No matter what your thoughts, motivations and expectations were, one thing was clear: This was going to be a whole new start in so many ways.
------- So why not make the most of it?