Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

A blush that could light up a dim room flared up on Tris’ face, and Colt cracked a smile.

“If it’s all coming back then I guess we’re spared the crash course to get you up to speed.” He thought of six different ways to tease the girl, but kept them in. A time and a place exists for everything, and even if the mood had been everywhere this morning, it could stay on track a little longer. Even if that blush did nothing but invite a merciless assault from anyone that might see it. “Don’t worry though, I’ll run you through it all later.”

Colt leaned back and crossed his arms.

“The glass tomb though, huh…” He clenched his teeth and inhaled through them, recalling a painful memory. So vivid and strong that just thinking about it caused him to relive it, if only for a second. “You’re on the mark. Sleeping Beauty here was napping out deep in the woods. I found her in a clearing, right in the center of a… crater. It looked like a dang meteorite had crashed in the woods, and she was in the center, sealed up in some high-tech sarcophagus-coffin thing with a glass top.”

Colt closed his eyes and pictured the sight of Gradient as he’d found her.

“Whatever she was locked up in had taken a beating. Lots of exposed wiring, but I couldn’t find a way to open it. So I sorta…” He tilted his head and opened his eyes. “Well, there was an opening, and I slipped my hands in, and it was a bit… kinda… really hot.”

He nervously laughed at his own idiocy.

“Well, anyway! Remember when we found her on the night of that storm? I reckon the rain hit all that wiring and screwed the thing up and popped her out. But the weird thing is…” Colt turned to Gradient, now dressed like a normal person. “Remember how we found her? She was wearing a shirt. Like, a normal shirt.”

He paused for a bit, memories of the man who carried the scent of gunpowder and death surfacing along with the rest.

“There was a man in the woods… keeping guard. Watching her. He called himself Hawthorn, and he demanded I hand Gradient over to him.” The boy grimaced. “That was when Tris showed up.”

Clearly not interested in talking about Hawthorn any longer than necessary, Colt clicked his tongue and moved along.

“Anyway, your man in rust is definitely Tommy, who lives over at the Junk Garage. Whatever happened here… with him and Gradient, I have business there too. I’ll be going there today or tomorrow to talk to him. He knows about my…”

Whatever Colt wanted to say got caught in his throat. There was a tight feeling in his chest. The boy bit his lower lips as his brows furrowed.

“… I have business with Tommy. I can take Gradient, or we can go together. It’s probably safer that way.”

For a time Colt stared at the floor. His hands that had been crossed were now tightly gripping the sides of his shirt.

That’s right. Tommy, and…

“It’s kind of personal, so…” Colt looked up, trying to force a neutral expression. “I’m not dumb enough to say ‘lemme take Gradient to Tommy’s by myself,’ but, when we go, I’d like a minute to talk privately with him.”

Then, Colt looked toward Pyry.

“And Pyry, I can’t promise that everyone in our class is a good person, but at the least,” the sight of a small, crying girl screaming at and berating herself passed through the boy’s mind. “Xylia is a victim too. And I… don’t resent her for what she did. I don't want anybody to do that on my behalf, either.”

Finally, he said it.

[Verg Avesta]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Field - Behind the Stands
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

The fist met the waiting doll.

And just like that.

Almost like shattering glass.

The

Doubt

Emotion

was purged without failure, like erasing all the colours used to paint onto a canvas.

At the same time, there was a considerable shockwave of Odic energy that rushed forth from the collision spot, striking the back of the stands and disappearing into the grass slope beyond, as well as slamming the doll agains the ground. Flickering, fragmentary particles in the air shone in the diluted sunlight for a moment, almost like fractal sequence as the order of the world was reset once more.

And then... it was over.

Just like that.

What was left behind was Prushka, and the lifeless doll at her feet, now sprawled on the ground with its limbs and joints pointing in weird, inhuman directions. The emotion, and in turn, the appearance, was gone. What remained was nothing else but a wooden doll, finely hand-crafted and automated so that it could carry out the emotion that it had been granted.

But without it, it was just that - a doll.

... And somewhere in the dormitories, Hisa suddenly felt a strange sensation as she realized the doll she had set up today became nonfunctional.

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Field - Behind the Stands
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

It's gone.

The masked puppet vanishes as reality erases the emotion sustaining it from existence.

All that remains is a featureless wooden doll, and me, standing over it.

"..."

There are no answers to be found here. No reason to stay.

But, for some reason, my feet won't move.

"..."

Something red drips onto the doll's head. A soft wind sends sharp pain surging through my knuckles.

"Oh..."

Stupid. There was no reason to hit it so hard. Just a touch would've been enough. Now I'll need to wash this out and hope there are no splinters.

As I dig through a pocket for a handkerchief or tissue...

Something else falls onto the doll.

"Eh?"

Was I bleeding from somewhere else? No, that can't be right, it's only my hand that hurts - oh.

That's what it is. The reason I can't move from here.

"Hisa, you idiot... why?"

"Why did you do this?"

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why won't you talk to me?"

"Why...?"

There is no answer.

No matter how long I wait, no matter how many tears I give it...

That doll won't move again.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

“That’s what I was wondering as well...which just makes me wonder if there wasn’t something else that happened last time. Between her getting out of that thing, and us finding her.”

Could it be that it had something to do with that person she drew last time? Or was that someone from way before?

“Still, guess we got the people we need to talk to then. Tommy...Jake, and a heiress at Owl’s Nest. Judging by the title...it might be the daughter of whoever owns that place.”

Even disregarding Gradient, it would still be worth talking to these people. Jake seemed to have multiple ties to him...Almost too many ties. Gradient, Angelica’s advice, the last class of the school, the sports storage, the pool building...The hotel was similar, just for its library alone, and...in the end, that’s where I was supposed to be looking for the first mystery that occured to me here.

Reaching out towards Gradient, I patted the girl’s head.

“I’m quite sure that we’ll find what we’re looking for. It’s hardly a lead that we could get wrong, and...I’m sure those people will cooperate as well.”

I listened to Colt’s suggestion, before I turned to him to respond.

“That could work, though...yeah, should take someone else with you too at least. No offense, you are entirely capable, but...Not sure if you could protect yourself against something from the Turnside, and there might not be beautiful big breasted knights showing up to save you all the time.”

The last part, even though I didn't really want to say it, somehow ended up slipping out. I couldn’t quite tell what was bothering me that made me say it, but in hindsight it was so embarrassing that I could feel my face blushing as I tried my best to look away from Tris.

“W-what I’m saying is, that it’s best for the safety of both of you. I...I want to make sure that you are safe as well, so that…you don’t have to go through something like that again.”

I wasn’t really sure if I was going to be able to keep that promise. So far, it didn’t seem like I was capable of protecting anyone, but...I was definitely going to try harder this time.

“Anyways, perhaps we should save meeting with Tommy for tomorrow. There’s plenty to do even aside that, and we might just be able to get something out of Jake as well before that.”

I looked up at the clock, seeing how our time was ticking away so dangerously fast.

“Should probably get going though in that case. I still want to get at least something out of the way before the classes start,” I said as I stretched my arms before I stood up, “Right, Ru should know how to pick locks, shouldn’t he?”

[Airen]

Liana Skye
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

"As for myself, well... not exactly a thesis. Not yet, anyway. See, I'm studying at the Department of Folklore back home so this just the sort of stuff I'm here for. Road's End is rather interesting in that regard, as it shares legends from rest of United State, the tales of local natives and stuff that has crossed the border from Canada. Many weird tales and fables, really. Perfect for a student like me."

"Sounds like fun! Used to be into those sorts of things as a kid myself... Well, in my case it was more Arthurian Myths at first, but I enjoyed em all the same."

Seeing other people enjoy their work was always an interesting experience, it's an infectious sort of energy that makes you want to get involved with it too, and perhaps because of this...

She responds to Nora's more curt smile with a gentle one, less curt, more casually friendly...

---Putting aside all of the supernatural events for a moment, she had certainly been encouraged to try to make more friends; yesterday had been a bit disastrous in that department -with a bit of a redemption at the end with John and Prushka- but today...

Things seem to be going a bit better-!

"As for whether or not you lot are famous, well, one could say you are. Road's End is a small town, so every outsider gets a lot of scrutiny form the locals. Even I've gotten my fair share of suspicious looks," she explained. "But your situation is a bit different. After all, you'll be staying here for a year and the whole Oceandrop Program sank a lot of money into this bodunk little town. Some hope that it will help revitalize the economy around here, others are worried aboot the possible problems that might come with it."

---Of course, this bit doesn't surprise her too much; she had gotten quite a few odd looks from the elders on the way down here, and while she had been willing to think it might have just been because of her odd method of transport (skateboards probably weren't too common down here) the idea that it was simply because they were seeing someone 'crazy' hadn't passed her by either, and really-

"Some even say that the program turned Pinefall into a glorified mental ward," she added. "Mostly the eldest of the locals. But even if that were the case, it's still quite rude. Mental problems are not something to fear, but to try to treat."

-it's not like it's untrue.

Everyone that had been brought to this school had their own little quirks... Of course, the massive amount of supernatural activity going on was part of it, but everyone...

Definitely had their own issues.

She was no exception to that rule.

"Glad to hear you think of it like that," she smiles, "Everyone is trying their best. We've all got our quirks, but I think we'll be fitting in just fine before long... Or well," she laughs, shaking her head, "Hopefully we will. I haven't heard any complaints about the concert at the beach last night, so I guess we weren't reported as a noise disturbance... Which is a good enough sign, I guess! Now I just gotta charm people as a waitress..."

She chuckles.

Preserving good will with the public was important...

Made jobs a pain if everyone hated you on sight...

"And aboot the book you asked, well... it's aboot a local legend - the Disembodied Man. It's some sort of local spirit said to haunt the woods and prey on both locals and passersby, making them lose their way and disappear without a trace," Nora said. "A man in an old suit, a silhouette more than anything else, that you can see on the edge of your vision. If someone goes missing, the locals used to say it was the fault of the Disembodied Man. If he took you, you would be never seen again. A variation of your typical fair folk legend, or so I thought, but..."

Of course, back to business, or to put it more simply...

What she had come here to actually find out; according to John, the Disembodied Man had claimed responsibility for the events of "Sunday," amongst other things...

Was there a spirit capable of replicating the effects of a Tipler Cylinder Engine?

Seemed unlikely.

Like.

More or less impossible, but...

She can't say the phenomena are unrelated just yet; but that's fine, figure out the information behind one target at a time...

If you chase too many answers at once, you'll never actually reach any of them...

"... It's a one that's persisted till this century. And with the disappearances of local saw-workers it has kept itself relevant over the years in the minds of the locals," she concluded. "I guess it could just be an explanation for those who get lost in the woods and die of starvation or of an wild animal attack, but I don't know... it's strangely persistent. Even the fact that it's a man in a suit, and not something else, is somewhat odd."

That is... Strange...

Still...

Nora seems normal, so...

"Well, Road's End does seem like a small town... Any events that happen here would stick out in the minds of the locals for awhile right? Could just be someone who lived in the woods and wore a black suit, if they kept enough to themselves that no one knew much about em -sort of like the town outcast- that could be enough cause for them to become the local boogeyman in the town's eyes..."

People like to make up stories in their heads to explain things after all, of course, the Disembodied Man is apparently very real, but such entities can also be born from belief in their existence...

"And once you have your boogeyman, it's just tradition to pass it on down in that form. These sorts of towns tend to resist change if they can, so it's not... Implausible to think they'd do the same with their stories. Preserve a local legend..."

Although at this, she shrugs, although the light in her eyes makes it clear she's gotten interested in the idea behind the tale...

"Although if you're saying it's strangely persistent... How often does it show up in the town history? Does Road's End have a history of unfortunate events? Fires? Missing fishermen?"

They always do.

Places like this always do...

The World isn't watching out here...

Not like it normally does at least...

"Or what was it... The McLampet Family? Heard about them in passing a few times last night..."

John did explain a bit of it to her, but...

Nora seems like she might know more...

"They were apparently ill-fated?"

[Verg Avesta]

Colt Davin & Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

It was a lot of information to unpack.

A mysterious crater in the forest, a glass sarcophagus where Gradient had been sleeping, the existence of this mysterious man known as Hawthorne who had accosted Colt (and who, as Tris reminded, she had driven away with her fearless gusto) and who was apparently guarding the place, the possible connections Jake and Tommy had to Gradient, and lastly the heiress of the Owl's Nest Hotel... it certainly was enough leads to be work for multiple days.

And then there was Colt forgiving Xylia for what she had done... or at the very least, not blaming her for it.

A fact that made Pyry nod with a tense smile, and Gradient beam proudly at the boy... though it might have been because she was practically purring now that Hisa was patting her head again.

"Yeah, I think Ru should be able to handle that," Pyry said. "Should we go get him now?"

He yawned a bit and smacked his lips.

"And, well, are we gonna go meet with Jake now, then? We'll probably catch him at the pool, that's where he always hangs out," the youth continued, finishing up and standing from his chair. "Might as well keep our eyes peeled for other suspicious activity around. If there are more people around who remember this 'other week' well... they might be making their moves too. It'd be nice to know who of those we can trust, 'cause having more allies in this doesn't sound bad."

He threw a teasing grin towards Hisa.

"Especially if they're, well... y'know."

He left those words hanging in the air.

And with that, the rest of the group started getting ready to head on out as well. There was still some time before the bells would ring for the first class of the day, meaning that they could certainly go meet with the lazy janitor in his kingdom of pool cleaning supplies and bubblegum rock from yesteryears.

Though, before they did, Tris lifted her head and gave a confused look - first at Hisa, then at Colt.

"Ah, apologies, but... I art a bit confusedeth of what was said by the fair maiden," Tris spoke, frowning in befuddlement and rubbing her chin. "Art thou sayingeth that Colt here ist already in the protection of something? This..."

She made a vague gesture, as if she didn't quite understand the concept.

"... Knightess of Enlargened Mammaries?"

Pyry spat out part of the coffee he had been drinking.

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994
Weather: Overcast

I sighed at Ramia’s words, “Well, I can’t beat up on him that much, he is family, doubt he even knew he had a kid, living the hobo life like he does,” I shook my head, “He’s an idiot, but not a bad guy. If he knew I was looking for him, he’d pop his head out, it’s why I’m honestly kind of worried about him.”

Then I raised an eyebrow, “But say, what kind of thing are you looking for anyway? Some kind of-“

I turned my head to Subaru’s sudden question.

“Hmm?”

I blinked down at Subaru, tilting my head for a moment as I mentally rewound and thought about her question.

I gnawed gently at my lip as I put some muscle into it, considering not only Subaru’s words, but the vampire listening.

I was not an imbecile, her using those words and in that context…

It was beneath her.

Still.

“Well, Subaru, I would have to say I agree with you on some points,” I began, “It’s a reasonable enough thing to do to seek out help from other people if you don’t think your own abilities are enough, or something about you is inadequate.”

I held my chin in one hand, humming softly, “It is slightly more difficult if what you seek help with is difficult for a lot of people to deal with, say they might get hurt, or put themselves in danger. Or if your difficulty is shameful, and people learning of it would impact both you and them.”

I smiled, “Ultimately, it’s probably the right move to reach out, but it’s not always that simple to ask. I’m certainly in the camp of going on the side of trust, and helping people who ask for it, but, well…”

I grimaced, “We’ve all got things we carry that we feel we’ve got to carry ourselves, you know? Especially if you’ve asked for help before.”

I shuffled about, exhaling sharply through my nose, “It’s a big risk, and you’ve gotta be pretty brave, even more so if it’s hurt you. But I-“

I licked my lips.

“I don’t feel that anyone should be alone when they’re suffering.”

I cast an eye to the vam- no, to Alexstrasza Lockhart.

“So no need to feel you have to go burning down the woods by yourself, firebug.”

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

The janitor, Jake. Tommy had insisted that if he needed a hand that he could depend on the guy, but somehow reality felt in conflict with that. The janitor inspired little confidence in his reliability. That, and most of the… no, all of the praise Tommy had given for Jake was for his ability to lie.

“I think I’ll pass on joining you at the pool.” Colt began compiling dishes. There was cleanup to do here. Even if there was a janitor meant to keep the school in order, that didn’t mean he was free to leave a mess wherever he pleased. “I have things I need to do anyway, and I doubt y’all need me around just to chat up Jake.”

Saying so, Colt turned to the chore he had given himself.

There was always the possibility of Jake knowing about that as well, but it wasn’t him who Colt wanted to hear about it from. It just didn’t seem right.

"Ah, apologies, but... I art a bit confusedeth of what was said by the fair maiden," Tris spoke, frowning in befuddlement and rubbing her chin. "Art thou sayingeth that Colt here ist already in the protection of something? This... Knightess of Enlargened Mammaries?"

There was a spitting noise from somewhere behind Colt, which upon spinning around he realized was Pyry losing his coffee. Colt shot eyes at Tris, then at Hisa, then at Tris again, then back to Hisa.

“Hisa.”

He gave her a look.

You clean that up.

Not the coffee.

His eyes shot at Tris again.

That.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

“E-err…”

My eyes momentarily met Colt’s, as he was clearly trying to tell me something.

“N-no, that’s…”

Of course, I would have had to be a mind reader to tell what exactly he was trying to convey with just his eyes. Without that, it was almost impossible to tell, so all I could do was to take a wild guess.

Still, I was quite confident that I managed to more or less understand his message.

“I think Colt wants to say that...you are the big breasted knight, since he just...keeps looking at your tits, but…”

On a second thought, I might have messed it up.

I could feel my embarrassment growing, and I just wanted out of here now.

“I think he wants to talk about that in private with just...him and your boobs, so...we shall take our leave...right now.”

Without waiting for response, I turned around, and while mumbling something along the lines of ‘I’ll see you later’, I grabbed Pyry and Gradient and stormed out of the kitchen.

It was certainly better to leave the two of them alone with their things.

Thinking about it now, I might have been just too occupied with Tris’ breasts and got Colt’s message completely wrong.

Either way, any kind of blame was on him now, but I was sure that he could handle it perfectly.

More importantly...I had things other than big breasted knights to think about.

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

"Well yes, I can understand that. There aren't many places in the town that hire part-timers, so if it's money you're after, Owl's Nest is a good choice. This place is aboot as run-down as a hotel can get. As for myself, well... not exactly a thesis. Not yet, anyway. See, I'm studying at the Department of Folklore back home so this just the sort of stuff I'm here for. Road's End is rather interesting in that regard, as it shares legends from rest of United State, the tales of local natives and stuff that has crossed the border from Canada. Many weird tales and fables, really. Perfect for a student like me."

I’m pretty sure there was probably a job at Road’s End’s only store. With a high likelihood of maybe one job at Avery’s Diner and Big Boys. Actually if even a quarter of our students tried to obtain jobs, I’m pretty sure our supply would still surpass the demand for jobs in this town.

"Sounds like fun! Used to be into those sorts of things as a kid myself... Well, in my case it was more Arthurian Myths at first, but I enjoyed em all the same."

“Shares legends from the United States and Canada at the same time? Granted I guess it was inevitable to happen being this close to the border especially when once upon a time it was still considered the same country. German and French horror stories are kind of similar especially when it comes to ones related to their castles.”

It doesn’t help that those castles were actually haunted by vengeful spirits due to how often those castles flipped or used to house criminals. Thankfully, the spirits weren’t typically given the opportunity to grow given that most armies and kingdoms had members of the clergy or the lord’s personal magician to exorcise the area. Usually.

"As for whether or not you lot are famous, well, one could say you are. Road's End is a small town, so every outsider gets a lot of scrutiny form the locals. Even I've gotten my fair share of suspicious looks. But your situation is a bit different. After all, you'll be staying here for a year and the whole Oceandrop Program sank a lot of money into this bodunk little town. Some hope that it will help revitalize the economy around here, others are worried aboot the possible problems that might come with it. Some even say that the program turned Pinefall into a glorified mental ward. Mostly the eldest of the locals. But even if that were the case, it's still quite rude. Mental problems are not something to fear, but to try to treat."

"Glad to hear you think of it like that. Everyone is trying their best. We've all got our quirks, but I think we'll be fitting in just fine before long... Or well. Hopefully we will. I haven't heard any complaints about the concert at the beach last night, so I guess we weren't reported as a noise disturbance... Which is a good enough sign, I guess! Now I just gotta charm people as a waitress..."

If only it was just little quirks for us… At the very least, it seems like half our class is related to the Turnside for some reason with some of us having ripple proof memories.

“I don’t know about revitalizing their economy… We don’t even know if there’ll be another year of the program. So you can’t count on our program to bring in a stable flow of new cash. While some of us are rich enough to throw money at the town, it’ll be like giving it a fish instead of teaching them how to fish.” I sigh before continuing, “Also I can see why they would think we’re a glorified mental asylum. Mysterious billionaire purposefully selects 30 of the world’s most socially unfit and then effectively sets them loose in a town far away from normal society? It’ll take them some time for them to trust us especially if someone does something extremely polarizing...”

"And aboot the book you asked, well... it's aboot a local legend - the Disembodied Man. It's some sort of local spirit said to haunt the woods and prey on both locals and passersby, making them lose their way and disappear without a trace. A man in an old suit, a silhouette more than anything else, that you can see on the edge of your vision. If someone goes missing, the locals used to say it was the fault of the Disembodied Man. If he took you, you would be never seen again. A variation of your typical fair folk legend, or so I thought, but… It's a one that's persisted till this century. And with the disappearances of local saw-workers it has kept itself relevant over the years in the minds of the locals. I guess it could just be an explanation for those who get lost in the woods and die of starvation or of an wild animal attack, but I don't know... it's strangely persistent. Even the fact that it's a man in a suit, and not something else, is somewhat odd."

Last time, I broke the seriousness of the room by making a “dumb joke” about a two-headed bear with flaming heads. As dumb as it sounds, it did exist and it was actually very deadly for me until my best friend showed up to take care of it. Granted it was a rogue wizard’s attempt at making a chimera and not some legend.

"Well, Road's End does seem like a small town... Any events that happen here would stick out in the minds of the locals for awhile right? Could just be someone who lived in the woods and wore a black suit, if they kept enough to themselves that no one knew much about em -sort of like the town outcast- that could be enough cause for them to become the local boogeyman in the town's eyes… And once you have your boogeyman, it's just tradition to pass it on down in that form. These sorts of towns tend to resist change if they can, so it's not... Implausible to think they'd do the same with their stories. Preserve a local legend..."

Looks like Liana is deciding to just pour very likely and plausible possibilities to explain why the Disembodied Man was a real person.

“That would be weird enough to cause some long spread rumors. Double if they lived away from the village and lived in the forest or mountains. After a certain period, the original could have died and the occasional reappearances could be explained as descendants doing the same thing or copycats trying to use it scare others.”

Actually that was what I thought the Disembodied Man was originally. However, there seems to be several indicators pointing otherwise. Nothing decisive just yet, but the words that Agent Ferguson said earlier makes me believe that he’s probably not what I suspected.

"Although if you're saying it's strangely persistent... How often does it show up in the town history? Does Road's End have a history of unfortunate events? Fires? Missing fishermen?"

“I’m going to guess it has something to do with what you mentioned earlier about disappearing lumber mill workers? But from the sound of things, it goes past that too.”

“Or what was it... The McLampet Family? Heard about them in passing a few times last night… They were apparently ill-fated?”

“...Actually weren’t you reading a section on that when we first got to the library? I get the feeling we’ll get the answer if you continue reading that book… But it sounds ominous regardless.”

Less I get the feeling and more like I know the book will tell us all about the McLampet family and the Disembodied Man.

[Ayakashi]

...

A small figure standing all lonely by itself. A fallen, broken doll lies motionless on the floor. A crime scene? A funeral? Perhaps both. Tears roll down her cheeks, as she asks herself why did things happen that way, what series of misunderstandings cold have lead to such a bitter outcome?

In this solitude where there is no one to tell her wherever she is right or wrong, in this cold, desolate environment where the only thing that echoes back are her cries, frustrations and anguish... what relief could she possibly find? What could possibly pull her out from this cesspool of negativity? Bad after bad, setbacks after setbacks... was there an end to all this?

Of course not.

The clock was ticking.

Time does not wait.

The World is not something that has Mercy after all. That is a human concept, it is something illogical, unnatural.

Even so... a glimmer of light shines upon the crying girl. A kind spirit of sorts offers her a handkerchief, gently pressing it against the wounded knuckles, tying up neatly so that it may serve as a makeshift bandage. The little girl may perhaps think that she is dreaming, but the hands that tended to her are real -- they shift from the role of healer of the body, to healer of the soul. Resting against Prushka's shoulder, their light weight announces a comforting presence to the girl's wounded spirit, showing a sign of encouragement.

Who is this that has silently come behind Prushka? A figure not so different from a Mother, from an elder sister, always here to provide a shoulder to lean on in one's hardest times.... who was this that was offering this support that while wordless, could mean the world?

Ah.

Yes, of course.

Actions speak louder than words, than thoughts.

But what are actions worth when the thoughts behind them cannot be felt? What is substance without matter?

Prushka only had to 'smell' the person that was providing her comfort to know the answer of who was this good samaritan. One single touch was all that she needed to know what would await her when she would turn around, and stare into those blue eyes, cold and empty as the cloudless, sunless heavens...

"Prushie...?"

She finally utters the little girl's name, having preferred to remain silent first. Vivienne had an idea of what had happened, somewhat, but in a situation like this it was best that she didn't rock the boat too hard, at least that was her logical conclusion as to how to approach the current happenings...

... not that she had expected to come across this turn of events. Vivienne had found her way here after having confirmed her evening's plans with Alex, asking fellow students and staff members where they had seen Prushka go to. It wasn't too hard to track her down, considering that finding people was... a bit of a work habit for Vivienne. In a sense.

But comforting them is not necessarily something she is good at. Qualified at. One could say even, that with her current condition, she may be the worst person on the planet to do this.

Perhaps that is why she stays mostly silent.

[Frantic Author]

Alexstrasza Lockhart & Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Overcast

I listened intently to Subaru with a small smile on my face, pondering her statements. In this world of lies and deceit, it would be hard to truly 'trust' any of the people around me. Well... I suppose some are slightly more trustworthy then others. Even if they happen to smell like wet dog. Of course, out of all the people, here the only one I truly pity is Elaine Winters, a girl who simply made the naive decision to save a monster, because she was also a monster.

Ahhh... dogs are a bit too loyal, now that I think about it.

“So no need to feel you have to go burning down the woods by yourself, firebug.”

I give her a thumbs up and a wink, letting the dog know that I was in on her little game.

"I would most certainly not burn down the woods by myself. It would be pure happenstance that I were in the area while it happened!"

It would not be. I am banned from three separate forests around my previous school, mostly due to the explosions. But the people here are quite a bit more interesting then my previous compatriots. It simply would not do to leave them out of such occurrences, as it would allow them to place themselves in danger. And it appears danger is fraught in this city with a crying sky and empty roads. To allow those around me to endanger themselves would be...

...

It would be...

...I don't really have a word for it. I suppose 'unpleasant' would work, as it is an 'unpleasant' occurrence to have to bury a friend. But as I was once told, that unpleasant, festering feeling that digs into your soul like a knife is called 'despair'. As a person, it is hard for me to recognize, honestly. I have spent the vast majority of my life in despair, surrounded by it, entangled by it, and enamored by it. 'Despair', as it were, is something that I have known since I was a child, and as such, I am incapable of judging what brings true 'sorrow' compared to an ordinary person.

"Of course," I said with a raised finger, "I suppose it would be most impolitic to set a fire when none are around to see it. So never fear, my f-f-friends!"

While it was hard to say, I definitely did it without stammering. I raised another finger on my hand, to form a tiny 'V'.

"I will most assuredly bring you along if I feel the need to set something ablaze!"

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Overcast

"Personally, I'd like it if ya didn't burn down anything," I said, grimacing, "Townsfolk are already grumbling 'bout the school full of loons, let's not go and spice things up with some arson."

I say, having probably committed several crimes last night.

But it's fine, for a good cause and all that.

Definitely.

"If people already don't like you because they make big fat assumptions just based on who you are and what they've heard, s'best to not go outta your way and give them an excuse to act on it," I shrugged, "Assumptions are fleeting, actions are forever."

"Assholes are gonna be assholes one way or another, no need to raise the level of dickishness in the world out of spite," I folded my arms.

"You do that, all it's going to do is make a lot of people that could've been friends into enemies," I half-smiled, "Then you're going to have to break those arrows by yourself. An' we already got enough Teen Drama without flaring it up into plagues on houses and a whole bunch of nonsense that just causes problems for everyone."

I paused for a moment, thinking.

"But, I can't say I don't understand how you feel," My smile curdled a bit, "I mean, shit, you want some major blow-up, ask me about my last bad break-up, hoo boy."

Please do not actually ask me, I might cry.

But yes, please, Miss Lockhart, don't run off and 'burn something down' without thinking about the consequences, even if in my case it was an accident.

Then you get three bullets in your chest and have to fight a super-vampire with some hacked-together flashbangs and some kung fu while barely sane.

Not an optimal condition for doing that.

I shuffled awkwardly, "But hey, what do I know? I'm just a hobo with my little sign that says 'Will Fight Crime for Food' over here trying to do my best and went off on a ramble there."

Well, crime and assorted ghouls and ghosts and monsters and what-not.

But public consumption and all.

I'm not some goober who's going to spill my guts to every Tom, Dick and Harry who stumbles by.

I'm a professional!

And professionals don't punch people in the mouth when they say something stupid!

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Field - Behind the Stands
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

The doll stares at the sky.

I stare back.

The doll stares at the sky.

I stare back.

The doll stares at the sky.

I stare-.

"Prushie...?"

I blink. When did this handkerchief get around my hand?

How long has that warmth been standing behind me, her hands on my shoulders? I didn't even feel it...

Ah, she's here.

"Oh. Hey, Vivi!" I turn, free myself from her gentle grip, and laugh at the silliness of it all. "You ended up finding me, huh? I was gonna go back to the dorms to fetch you, but this saves us time. Don't worry about all this; it's a silly story, really. Might even get a laugh out of you."

I bend down and scoop up the wooden doll. It's not too heavy, being wooden and all. I expected it to be bigger... but maybe the outer layer was all a fabrication of whatever Hisa did to make it move. Physical, perhaps? Or just a mental image? Either way it's not hard to carry it.

"Hisa has this creepy... scary... puppet thing in her room. Just sits there, answers the door, spouts ominous nonsense, and laughs at you. I thought she'd had enough sense to keep it under control, but... the trouble with powering things using negative emotions is they tend to warp into curses easily on their own. Y'know, like that one killer doll from Child's Play. Best I can figure is, this thing wandered out and followed me. Gave Mercedes a bit of a scare and interrupted my talk with Ubon earlier. Hope she's doing alright... I wanna go check on her..." I blink and try again. "But we can't just leave this thing lying around for anyone to find. And I'd hate to waste even more of your time."

My bag is pretty cramped, what with the swords and the food tray wrapped up in tinfoil, but there should be enough room to fit it...

"Thanks for the handkerchief. I'll wash this and get it back to you. Hand's just scraped up 'cus I had to give this thing a tap to stop it before it could do anything else, but... well, it's wood. Not exactly easy on the knuckles. Plus I'm rusty. Haven't thrown a real punch in at least a year. It's not too bad really."

Yeah, that'll work. Now nobody will see it.

"Could we make a quick stop along the way? Just to drop this off with its owner. I'll find her real quick, promise. She was supposed to be on her way here to talk with me and Ubon - oh right, Ubon. She got left with Mercedes... I wanna go check on her. She should come along. It'll be quick. Is that fine?"

I wipe my eyes and - good, no tears. Problem solved.

"I'm sure we'll be done before the eggs get cold."

[Ayakashi]

Prushka explained herself, as well as what had been going on exactly here.

"Oh... Hisa's doll... like Hisakura...?"

Did Prushka get in a fight with 'her'? The way Prushka was describing things though it didn't sound like this was Hisakura, but then some people were outright creeped out by dolls, so who knew. The news that Prushka had caused some property damage to Hisa was not exactly a welcome one however -- why did that happen, and how were they going to patch things up now? Prushka seems all happy and perked up to go meet Hisa but... was she really? The statement that the doll had interfered with Prushka's interactions with Ubon, as well as having a bit of a questionable run in with Mercedes... these were rather worrying allegations from Prushka. Add to that the claim from her that the dolls are powered by negative energies... going to ascertain Hisa's in all of this was for the best. If it turned out that it was her, understanding her modus operandi would be for the better, while if it turns out that this isn't her... well that adds another layer of mystery to this very thick cake that was called Road's End.

Yet... something is bothering Vivienne, as she stares at Prushka. Or is it? She is void of emotions after all, so what really is the girl going through as she stares at Prushka?

The girl that she saw in the distance, crying as she looked at the lifeless doll... where had she gone?

Oh but she is still here.

Very present.

Very palpable.

One who wears masks after all, cannot be fooled by others that do the same.

How much longer will she pretend?

How much more will she lie, lie to everyone, but most of all, lie to herself?

¡ǝᴉl ɐ llᴉʇs sᴉ sǝᴉ˥ ∀

"... noisy." Vivienne shakes her head, having seemingly zoned out. Who was she complaining too? There had been no sound, not a single sign of life in the area, yet she had complained about sounds... or was it whispers? "Let's go... see Hisa..." she tells Prushka, tugging at her as a suggestion to leave this place quickly...

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Field - Behind the Stands
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

I sling my backpack over my back.

"Did you meet this thing too, Vivi? Hisakura is what you called it? That's a pretty unfitting name for a plague doctor... really..."

I sigh...

"Hisa's gonna need a good scolding."

...and nod.

"And a lesson about responsibility!"

Yep, that's about right. Luckily I'm good at yelling at humans, so it shouldn't be a problem.

"Here, hop on! You've been carrying me all over, so how about I give you a ride this time? When it gets going for real, the breeze is nice. And we'll get there way faster."

I step onto the scooter and look back at Vivi...

"... noisy."

Huh. She seems... no, that's impossible. But maybe it's part of the act.

"Yeah, it's noisy."

This is a pretty quiet place, but if Vivi says it's noisy, then it must surely be so.

"Here, you can wear my helmet if you want. You're pretty lanky so if you fall it'll protect you. N-not that you'll fall! I'm a pro at this! I practiced all last week! And, um, if you pull the string over here... it's got a pair of built in mufflers! For the noise."

She's right. We need to go. There's not much time. But also...

"...just gonna swing by and see how Ubon's doing first. I'm worried about her. And she'll want to talk to Hisa too, so we're probably headed in the same direction."

With that, I rev the engine, turn the scooter around, and head back out to the field.

I hope it didn't go badly between you two. Mercedes is definitely a good person, but... well, if you're not here, I'll know where to go next to find you, and Hisa too.

After all, there's no one under the sun whose feelings I can't sniff out.

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi, Prushka & Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Pinefall High Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

Having left Colt behind, the quartet of Hisa, Gradient,Pyry and certain someone else had exited the quiet dormitory and taken to the campus of Pinefall itself. While there were few students to be seen here and there, nobody seemed to pay any attention to them - and nobody seemed to notice Gradient either. Either they were too busy with their own things, or then they were just lost in their own little worlds. Nevertheless, the group quickly made their way across the stone-slab-paved paths and the greeneries, heading straight to the large pool building that awaited in the distance. As they walked, Pyry explained that Jake could be most likely found at the basement, where his office was. The janitor had, apparently, repurposed the old swim team coach's office to act as his own personal home-away-from-home, and even slept there sometimes. So, indeed, that did sound like the best option.

But, as they were almost to the entrance...

"... Huh? Isn't that Squirt and... who are those with her?" Pyry suddenly said, peering towards the green sports field not too far away. "Vivienne? And Ubon?"

Gradient mimicked the way the boy shielded his eyes from the sun and stared in the same direction.

"Foooo...." the girl said quietly, with an agreeing nod.

Indeed, they had spotted a familiar-looking trio who had just gathered back together, Prushka and Vivienne arriving from somewhere with the former's trusty pink scooter. It was hard to say by their faces what sort of meeting this was, but something in the air told that it wasn't all sunshines and rainbows. Indeed, everyone in the group could feel that, even Gradient - at least, judging by the way the girl let out a slightly worried sound and looked at her friends.

As for the mysterious fourth member of their group.

"Wow, looking at it in daylight, that sports field's even bigger than I thought!"

It was someone who had been, back when they left him earlier this morning, still looking like a mixture between a human and a cat.

In other words, this was Ru... and Ru's "disguise".

Apparently the explanation was more of a technical one, something about adapted illusionary field, but honestly... it just looked like your typical illusion magic - even Pyry said as much. Then again, there was no point in complaining, as it certainly made moving around the campus with the boy much easier. And since they had asked for his lockpicking skills (and Ru had said he could certainly handle most locks), it had allowed him to simply join their group instead of staying cooped up in Pyry's room.

But still, he was the only one who didn't seem to realize that there was something a bit off in this meeting.

A meeting between Hisa's group...

... And Prushka's group.

Prushka who had just arrived back to where she had left Ubon, but this time with Vivienne in tow. As they arrived, the cyanhead gave an uneasy wave and a slight smile to them, nodding towards Vivienne as if to give a silent "Good morning!" to her. From the looks of the athlete, she was still a bit under the weather when it came to her mood, and judging by how Mercedes wasn't anywhere to be seen... well, it might have had something to do with that.

Once the two had come to a halt, Ubon let out an awkward chuckle.

"Aheh, Mercy, uh... she said she wasn't feeling well so she decided to head out. Guess it's just us, then! W-well, at least we got Vivi to pitch in, right?" Ubon said, clearly trying to lift the mood a bit. "So uh... what's up, Prushie? You left in totes hurry so I didn't even get to answer and..."

While talking, Ubon had been walking in awkward circles... which in turn made her notice something on top of the slope, near the entrance to the pool building.

Namely, a quartet of vaguely familiar people.

"O-oh, isn't that Hizzie and the others? Wonder what's up with them?" Ubon asked, putting her hands to her hips. "I didn't catch that she was going to go for a swim when we talked..."

Most likely that was not it.

But whatever it had been, well... it came to a momentary halt when the two groups noticed each other.

---

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

Back in the kitchen, one boy had been left alone in a wasteland of awkward social tension with no one to protect him.

Opposing him was a young girl, probably around his age, with very little sense of social etiquette... at least one that wasn't horribly outdated or twisted beyond any comprehensible recognition.

It was like some sort of horrible social D-Day and by the time the ships beached and let the dogs of war loose, Colt noticed that he was the only one who had bothered to show up against the enemy.

And he was in his underpants.

Metaphorically, of course.

"U-uhh... C-Colt, that is, um... w-well, I art flattered that thou doth desireth to make, um, conversation..." Tris stammered, growing redder and redder in face and fidgeting her fingers. "... C-conversation with my m-mammary glands, yet, I hath to, um, i-informeth thee... t-they are incapable of conversation on their own, as thou shouldst well know. S-so, no matter how thou doth desireth it, I c-cannot grant thy wish, unfortuantely..."

Oh god.

Even Tris wasn't stupid enough to not realize the implications.

Hence why she was now hiding her body with her arms, hugging her shoulders, and shyly pointing her chest away from Colt while keeping something resembling an eyecontact thrown his way over her shoulder... though mostly she ended up staring at the floor.

And now her face was as red as a tomato, almost to the point of glowing...

"A-and, um, a-although it art slightly flattering, I admitteth that if thou dost stare overmuch, I, um, umm..." The blonde knightess continued stammering. "... I f-felteth a tad overwhelmed. I-it art not proper for a gentleman to so strongly gaze upon such t-things. E-even though I art thy knight-protector it still art... um... i-improper..."

Oh no.

Her voice was now a mewling whisper.

"I-it... i-it leaveth me a tad troubled..."

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

"Hi Ubon, sorry about leaving suddenly like that!"

I wave cheerfully to the girl as I walk by. She looks a bit troubled... but there's no frown that can't be turned upside down.

"I just saw something behind the stands that couldn't be left alone, so I had to hurry and grab it before it ran off. Mercedes might've gotten spooked because she noticed it even before I did... she's got pretty sharp eyes, doesn't she? Maybe that's an actress thing? Either way, I hope she didn't say anything too rough. And hey, Vivi showed up too! Pretty nice timing, huh?"

If Ubon's usual positivity can't shine a light on this situation, then I'll happily step in!

"Now all we need is-."

At that moment.

Only a short distance away.

Just leaving the dormitory.

Four figures stop and turn to look at us.

"O-oh, isn't that Hizzie and the others? Wonder what's up with them? I didn't catch that she was going to go for a swim when we talked..."

"..."

Yes, it's them. Hisa, Pyry, and... two more people I have no recognition of. A girl with strange silvery hair and a boy with black hair.

There are no answers. Once more, I don't know what that person is thinking, being here like this. Yes, I can't understand. I can't understand, so...

"Let's ask, then! I'm sure she'll have an interesting explanation!"

"We'll race you there, Ubon! Last one's a slowpoke! Now hold on, Vivi!"

I gun it.

The Dragon purrs and the engine roars into action, pushing us forward on a cheery gallop.

Within moments, I expertly skid to a halt in front of the group.

"Yo!"

I wave hello.

"Perfect timing! I was just about to go looking for you, Hisa. Still got a minute? You're probably busy, and so am I, but I think we should talk now instead of putting it off. Plus I found something back at the field that you'll really want to look at."

Pyry, I didn't want to talk to you yet. I was too nervous. Having you here right now is really difficult.

"Hi Pyry! Sorry again about yesterday! I'm still thinking on how to make it up to everyone. Do you think treating them to pie would work? Or maybe something more personal? I don't really know what everyone likes yet..."

And the other two...

Who are you? Why do I not recognize you? Are you like Liana?

"Hey, I'm Prushka. Nice to meet you! Are you Hisa or Pyry's friends?"

[Ayakashi]

Well now this was quite a large gathering of people, some whose presence were unfortunately not so desirable, since the questions that were going to be asked pertained to Hisa's activities and the Turnside... but at least they had run across Hisa. Would there perhaps be a way for Vivienne and Prushka get Hisa away from here? Randomly asking for a private meeting would seem suspicious however, so --

"Let's ask, then! I'm sure she'll have an interesting explanation!"

... she didn't even have the time to properly greet Ubon before they were off again. While Vivienne did accept the helmet and seated herself on Prushka's Dragon, she was somewhat not expecting the little girl to drive as... recklessly as she did. Was this even allowed? Wasn't this going to damage the grass or something? Driving in enclosed spaces wasn't really legal was it?

Only the staff could give Vivienne the answers to such questions, though she had a hunch on how they'd answer. In hindsight, this was most likely a very bad idea to have accepted getting onto the vehicle... but such realizations and matters about law and society could wait, for now, there was dealing with the situation between Prushka and the others here. The tension in the air was somewhat... palpable. There was an uneasy feeling, at the very least -- though of course, as usual, Vivienne Bianchi was emotionless, thus on the bright side she was very bad at adding more oil to the fire.

"Hello..." she told the group as she gave them a timid wave. "Friends...?" she asked while looking at the two newcomers she had never seen before, indeed, the were not students for sure, and Vivienne had not met them at all during 'last week'... but they were with Pyry and Hisa, so if not friends, they were at least amicable enough acquaintances.

"Nice to meet you... I am... Vivienne..."

She lacks any sort of warmth or enthusiasm that a normal emotional being would display, but then she neither shows any form of disdain, hesitation or fear, so the boi and the silver-haired girl can interpret her stoic display as they wish...

... but while the two were interesting and Vivienne clearly wanted to know more about them, they had come here for one reason after all, and it was perhaps best that Vivienne tried to get a conversation between Hisa and Prushka going. They didn't have to speak here openly about these kind of things of course, but perhaps that arranging a meeting of sorts in private could help?

"Hisa... Prushka was thinking if she could... ask you some things later..."

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Pool Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (THU)
Weather: Overcast

“But of course…”

I sigh tiredly upon the discovery that Pyry makes, especially since it seemed that the other group in question noticed as well.

It looked like that I would just not be able to do anything at all without having to deal with that annoying brat.

“As if I didn’t have other things to do,” I mumbled, “A lot more pleasant things.”

I turned back to the group, giving them an apologetic look.

“I think I’ll have to deal with this. So...hope you don’t mind waiting a few minutes? Or you could just go along with the plan and talk to Jake, and I’ll catch up with you in a moment...”

I wasn’t sure how they could manage. Pyry still knew very little of the past week, Ru was not involved in any way, and while Gradient was going to be the topic of discussion...she couldn’t exactly communicate. Still, maybe they could still start asking some questions…

“Gah, I know this is unpleasant, but I’ll try to be fast and not make you wait too much.”

Why is it that any time she is involved somehow, it’s at the expense of time with the people I can actually get along with…

As the midget was already on her way towards us with her roller, I turned to Ubon and waved at her while putting on a small smile. Somehow, she looked...a lot less cheerful than how she was when she left my room. Was it Mercedes who ruined her mood again? Or was it Prushka?

“Tell Ubon to join us once she gets here, okay?” I glanced at Pyry, “We’ll...be in the girls’ locker, I think.”

But before I could say anything else, she already reached us. I could already tell from her annoying expression that this was going to be a conversation that would cause a massive headache.

Anything would have been more pleasant now.

...well, okay, maybe not anything.

But still.

“Hey, Vivienne,” I replied to the quiet girl as they arrived, “I was….about to do that. But you can have her back in a moment.”

Though, I wondered if she even wanted her back, and that I didn’t just take a burden off her shoulders. I can’t have been the only one who found her annoying, in the end…

Before Prushka had any more time to ask more questions, and probably bother Gradient and Ru, and very likely cause a scene again…

“Yeah, I got a minute.”

Grabbing the girl, I set off during the pool building with hurried steps, dragging her along with myself. It wasn’t until we were in the in the locker room that I stopped, and turned to open my mouth again.

“There, my minute. Now...what is it that you want to talk about?”