Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Sakura's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Oh? Hisa...? This is a bit of a surprise."

Eventually, the scarred girl had reached her current destination. She had walked past the common room where some sort of conversation had been brewing - one that would have sounded like normal teenager stuff if not for the bizarre situation - and had entered the girl's floor of the dorm. And now, she stood before the door of one Sakura Tsukioka. The door was slightly open, and the brunette in question was looking through the crack in the door with a bit of a surprised look on her face.

Her eyes took a gander at Hisa for moment, studying her... but then some sort of realization seemed to dawn on her and she sighed a little, a wry smile appearing on her face.

"Come in. You look like you have something to talk about, after all," Sakura said and opened the door more so Hisa could enter. "I was considering for a moment if it was really you but... well. Considering that look on your face, I can't imagine you being here to fool me."

Her face grew a bit serious as she closed the door behind the other girl.

"After all... you seem rather frustrated."

Offering Hisa a chair in the neatly-furnished and rather 'chic' room befitting a girl far more mature than what Sakura tried to pass as, the brunette sat down on the bed herself. There was an array of kunai laid on the bed - perhaps she had been maintaining them considering the wooden box with oils and rags next to them - but Sakura didn't even bother hiding it. For now, it seemed that she didn't deem secrecy necessary.

"... Is something wrong? Are you alright?" Sakura asked, worry gracing her face. "... Anything I can help with?"

It was on moments like this that she appeared most her age - unable to stop worrying over those younger than her.

---

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Prushka's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

What answered Prushka's call... was silence.

But only for a moment.

It was more of a prelude.

Because right after that, from around the corner...

"... He's not there anymore."

A familiar voice spoke out to Prushka.

Stepping out of the shadows and rounding the corner, a person who Prushka knew well appeared before her. A person who, right now, brought to mind who he was... but also someone else. That slightly cold, slightly intense, expression on his face wasn't actually befitting his own face... no. It was an expression far more fitting to the face of the one he resembled. It was an expression that Ahti Jalopeura, the fierce loner and a man unable to properly trust people around him, should have worn.

But now it was worn by his polar opposite - his reflection.

Pyry Leijonamieli.

"... Right. I wasn't wrong then. His smell is all over you," Pyry said with a little sigh and folded his arms across his chest. "It wasn't just a coincidence that his smell led straight to your door... you're in cahoots with 'him' aren't you?"

It was a strange sight.

Bizarre, surreal, even.

Especially when compared to the last week, when the only faces that Pyry had shown Prushka were a teasin grin, a big wide smile or few moments of emotional vulnerability. But now... his expression was cold. Doubtful. Suspicious. There was no recognition in his eyes about the girl, none of that same spark he had had during that time. As far as he was concerned, the only time he and Prushka had really talked was on the bus on the way to Road's End... and that was it.

That was why, right now... it was like Prushka was staring at a stranger.

Or perhaps Pyry was.

"------ Well?"

Pyry's voice grew a little harsher as he studied Prushka's expressions.

"Who is he? What's someone from Jukola doing here?"

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Sakura's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“Ah...no, just...saw something unpleasant. Not exactly what I came here to bother you with.”

My eyes wandered down onto my hand, still curled into a fist and bleeding slightly. Absentmindedly, I rubbed the skin with my finger, until a few moments later, the bruise healed, leaving no signs behind of it ever being there in the first place.

With that, the frustration was gone as well - albeit what replaced it was barely more than just a ghost of a smile.

“But right, I did not come here to fool you either. Why exactly would I do that?”

It almost sounded like Sakura was expecting something similar…

“No, I was just wondering if we could talk a bit about Lucille. And maybe the hospital plan.”

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Prushka's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"...ah."

The voice that greets me isn't the one I expected. In fact, it's the one I least wanted to hear.

I've never heard him sound like that. So closed off and and suspicious. Angry, yes, confused, disappointed, but never this. The expression on his face, when I muster the courage to turn around and look him in the eye... is unbelievably cold.

A shudder runs through my spine. A pang of heartache that I have to swiftly push down and lock up. This isn't the Pyry who would cheer me up if I were down. That Pyry doesn't exist for me. In all likelihood, he never will. We're not friends anymore. We'll never be friends again. In front of him now... he only sees someone suspicious.

That's how it is, Prushka. Just accept it and move on.

I force my arms up, fold them to match Pyry's. To face him as a stranger instead of a friend.

"Who is he? What's someone from Jukola doing here?"

Jukola? Is that what it's called? Some weird magic school or experimental base, maybe. The Finnish equivalent to the Institute? Or maybe just his home town.

It's just... isn't that strange?

I can't help but frown.

"You should know as well as I do. No, better."

How could you recognize the smell, but not the person?

"I mean... aren't you brothers, Pyry?"

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Sakura's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"About milady?"

Sakura blinked in momentary surprise, before her face melted into a smile.

"Ah, of course. Actually, if I'm honest... it might be weird to say in a situation like this, but I'm glad that so many people have been worried about her lately. Of course it's not a situation I want her to be in, but at the same time..." Sakura shook her head with a little smile. "Well, it's been a while. For the longest time there was only me to look after her. So her having friends and people that ask after her... guess it just feels oddly good."

While speaking this and that, Sakura set aside the kunai and the box and instead rose back up from the bed. She walked over to one of the shelves and took out a thermos-bottle and two cups. The cups were laid on the desk next to Hisa, one for her and one for Sakura. Then, after sitting back down, the older girl opened the bottle and let Hisa smell a what was inside. A refreshing, if a bit bitter, smell rose up into the air along with hot steam.

"Though before we talk about either thing, I recommend this - roasted barley tea. Made with my mother's recipe," Sakura said with a bit of a giggle, and poured some into the two cups. "Whatever unpleasant you saw, well, just a sip of this and it should refresh your mind. Not perhaps in a literal sense, nothing supernatural about this... though I suppose good food and good drinks could be called magic of their own kind?"

Sakura arched an eyebrow at her own joke.

"Well, I digress. In any case, please, drink up - if nothing else, it'll warm you up after being out in the rain," she said, taking a hold of her own cup and setting the bottle on the desk. "Then..."

She took a sip, let out a satisfied smile, and gave Hisa her full attention.

"What's on your mind, Hisa?"

[Verg Avesta]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Prushka's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"You should know as well as I do. No, better. I mean... aren't you brothers, Pyry?"

For just a moment, something broke through Pyry's cold facade.

Just for a moment, his eyes shot open in surprise - no, in shock.

Like someone had just stabbed him in the back.

It was the type of shock and dread that rarely appeared on a person's face.

"Bro... thers...?"

The voice he let out was stiffled, like he had to force himself to speak out the word he least wanted to hear. At the same time the tall boy's arms fell against his body and his wholy body recoiled ever-so-slightly as he took a step back. Something in what Prushka had said had not only caught him by surprise, but actually wounded him somewhere deep inside. Like ripping over an old scab covering a scar that had yet to fully heal. The golden eyes, now those of a stranger, stared an intense hole through the small girl.

"'

One

Codename: Juhani'

self-destructed after creation and

Two

'Codename: Aapo'

was killed in action...!" Pyry murmured, before something like anger flared up on his face. "Did those bastards survive and relocate after I trashed the base...!? Are they still creating more of us...!?"

The shock wore off. Instead it was replaced by fury - one not exactly aimed at Prushka, but since there was nowhere else to throw it at, it was reflected clearly by the boy's eyes as he glared at the small girl. Pyry took few rushing steps forward, his hands now clenched into dangerous fists. His approach was that like of an animal with its breathing ragged and sweat bulleting down his face.

Something was not right, and it wasn't just Pyry's disbelief.

It was like...

Almost like...

Someone hearing the villain they thought long-vanquished was still alive, and plotting revenge.

"Who is he!? What codename is he!?" Pyry roared, just barely keeping his voice in check. "I thought it was just some surviving scientist or other, but if it's an actual Brother model, then...! Goddammit! Perkele!"

Fist struck the wall and broke the wood.

"How many have they made after I destroyed them!?"

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Prushka's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

Pyry steps forward. I step back.

Pyry steps forward. I step back.

Pyry steps forward. My back is to the wall.

His fist strikes next to my head. Wood cracks. A few inches to the right and it would've been my skull.

"Pyry."

It's wrong. That expression on his face is all wrong. It's not the sort of expression he should be making. I should be the one yelling nonsense in this situation, and he should be trying to get me to quiet down.

"Pyry-."

Yelling about codenames and scientists and facilities, I can guess a few things. So they have an Institute of their own. A magical one. Not that this helps any.

"Pyry..."

That look on his face. Pain. I made him remember something awful.

My hand twitches. Rises of its own accord, extending towards his face...

It falls back down. No. He'd hate me even more.

"...you'll get in trouble if you bust up the school, Pyry. They'll throw you into detention."

I don't know what to do here. I can't get rid of that sadness of yours as I am. But I can at least try.

I motion to my room. The door's right here. And Hwan secured it.

"Could we - talk about this inside?"

[Airen]

Liana Skye
Location: Canseliet Clinic
Phase: School Phase
Date: 9.09.1994
Weather: Rain

---She hadn't lied, she really did like Aunt Dorothy a lot.

Of course the reason for that doesn't quite come to her consciously, certainly she bears a fondness for the fae because of how she was raised (not to mention what she was herself) but on some level, deep down...

There was a reason she got so attached to using that name.

A search for a maternal-esque figure? Even if said figure happened to be well... What she was?

Some would call it amusing, most would call it foolish, asking for trouble, but...

"Huh... Talking Moose... Pretty nice guy."

Symptom of mommy issues or not, it wasn't the only reason, Aunt Dorothy was amusing, and well...

Hanging out with the fae lets you see weird things sometimes!

Not that I haven't seen a talking animal before, but...

This one caught me a bit off guard!

Not that it should have really, Road's End was an apparent nexus for the supernatural, talking animals from the forest was something she honestly should have expected, still-!

Playing at doctor, too...

She wasn't that good at it without the use of abilities, but she still did her best... It was a bit of a gap in her knowledge, not a complete one, she knew first aid, but anything more than that required her to use Qi, a sort of round-about method of healing that had been brought about by her own fondness for the energy, a belief that it could do quite a few things if one put their mind to it, the 'breath' of life that flowed throughout the universe itself...

---Well perhaps it was simply a result of listening to Master's rants all the time, Qi was not about just punching or kicking things, it was, quite literally, a power that bound the universe together, a pseudo-religious concept that she could actually get behind, rather than the more traditional divinities...

Yin and Yang Rise, Purity and Filth Divide...

Or something like that-!

"But a Ms. Savage brought him over, huh?"

A leg wound, dealt by a hunter's trap.

Considering the Moose's ability to speak, it was likely some form of monstrosity, but... There's just something sad about a magical creature being damaged by something so... Mundane...

Well, there was a certain sense of sadness that came with animals being hunted at all, but seeing as how she did still eat meat, well, she was aware there was a bit of hypocrisy here-!

"Seems like it's rare for you to remember names... She come by often? Someone from our side?"

She did know to come to this place after all, and well...

This was the sort of house you'd miss if you didn't know exactly where it is...

"That human... she's the local, ah, what do they call hunting ground wardens these days... oh. That is right, 'ranger'. Yes, she is a local ranger. A very wilful young woman with a bit of a temper and rashness to her that is even more pronounced than in normal humans. If I had to compare her to something... why yes, she reminds me a bit of a fire elemental. However, whether she knows it or not, she has come to learn how to traverse the Ghostwood without disturbing its man spirits or drawing the ire of the woods to herself - quite the feat, if I am honest. However, her self-imposed isolation, I feel, stems from some sort of mental trauma..."

"I see... Sounds like an interesting person..."

---Of course the answer had been rather surprising, a fire elemental huh?

Hard to tell if it was just a convenient comparison or if the woman was actually a mage, the name Savage was also a bit too cool for her tastes, the sort of name that she could just see the girl's parents giggling about, but...

Traverse the Ghostwood without angering the ghosts?

That's a useful skill, one she ironically doesn't have herself; you'd think someone with her heritage would be more at home in dangerously magical woods, but alas...

She had been corrupted by the modern era... Or just hadn't studied hard enough, perhaps?

Ah well...

Moving on, after swiping one of the lab-coats from the closet to put it on herself.

Might as well look the part of the assistant after all, right?

Even if the one they were treating was a moose...

"So let's see... How about eye injuries then? Ever treat any of those? Seems like a bit of a recurring trend here in Road's End..."

"Ah, you are speaking of the strange amount of people who have wounded their left eye in this town, are you not? No, I personally have not. They do not fall under my jurisdiction, or at the very least the people do not search for me to cure those wounds. However, as you may know, the left eye is symbolic in many ways... and I do believe there is some sort of malicious force behind such wounds. What it is I couldn't begin to guess, and in quite honesty, a 'malicious force' injuring humans is not exactly novel or interesting to me, ahaha~!"

"Yes, I suppose it wouldn't be."

She shrugs at her aunt's laughter, although doesn't think too much of it beyond that...

The eccentricities of the fae bother her little.

In that regard, she was probably fae-touched herself...

Inevitable, really.

"I also believe it's a malicious force though, some crazy forest spirit from the Ghostwood..."

As for the left eye talk, well...

Eye of Thoth?

The Greeks and Romans thought that an evil heart could get to the eye...

It could be a lot of things really, from a permanent reminder of the existence of the thing that did it to you (and consequently reaffirming said entity's existence constantly) to some symbolic curse that allowed her to claim souls...

Muse's Ghostwood was a spiritual zone right?

Spiritual Wendigo...

Well, regardless... Dot. F Loonwaters...

Definitely a problem entity.

Although now that we're talking about spirits...

"That does remind me... You know anything about the lighthouse? Friend of mine told me ghosts get stuck there..."

"Aah, that... the spiritual trap. It seems to be something that traps human souls, is it not? Or at the very least, does not allow them to pass on. In all honesty, I do not really pay attention to it. It hardly affects me, after all. But if I had to guess... a beacon like that, which attracts human souls like moths to a flame, must have been caused by a great trauma, followed by an unforgivable death. A scar left to the town of Road's End so deep that it still festers on the metaphysical existence that is the town."

"Great trauma..."

---Well then...

That makes sense... To a degree...

It's still a freakish occurrence of course, a sign that this town was absolutely insane, broken to pieces, a supernatural nexus that was literally eating souls now, but... It made sense... To a degree...

Those sorts of scars can be left by great tragedies...

But was it's creation purposeful? Or an accident?

And how do you set the souls free?

Just leaving them in there... Well, she wasn't really one for most religions, but constantly tormented souls stuck in a prison that they didn't make shouldn't really be a thing...

Both for their own sake, as well as that of the town, but...

It sounds like too big a curse.

She was something of a curse breaker herself, but...

Hell lighthouse beacon... Was probably a bit beyond her power...

But time passes on regardless, and, soon enough...

----

Liana Skye
Location: Canseliet Clinic
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

---Brilliant violet eyes silently watch over the proceedings.

Different from her usually energetic self, the Liana that had taken a place up against the wall, leaning slightly against it with hands in the pockets of a borrowed lab-coat, is one that understands the atmosphere of this sort of situation, so...

For awhile, she's quiet.

She does as necessary to fulfill the role of the assistant... When the strange girl had come in flailing she had been the one to wrestle her into the restraints, a surprising amount of power still present in a girl that had clearly worn herself out long before reaching here, and one...

Who was looking up with hollow eyes even now.

...Some sort of mental breakdown.

---Those sorts of expressions stab at her heart, the hollow lifeless gaze of someone who wasn't looking at anything at all, whose light had been snuffed out by something she couldn't fathom, yes...

She has a bad habit of getting involved in the affairs of others.

This bad habit gets worse if it looks like people are in pain, but right now...

"..."

There's not really much she can say. She only understands the surface level of the situation, and words like 'It'll be alright,' and 'Just cheer up,' would obviously ring hollow coming from her, after all, of the three that had shown up here, only Colt really had cause to know her, and considering the circumstances of the class...

She hadn't been surprised when he had seemed to forget.

---Still, while a part of her knows that she should be on her way to the Country Club already, another part adamantly refuses to leave until things are more stable here, and to that end...

"She might be a bit out of it still, but talking should do her some good," Dr. Canseliet said with a strange grin. "Just don't go breaking her again. Oh, speaking of which, Liana dear... why don't you brew us some tea and get some hot towels? I think our little heroes would need them..."

...There's an idea.

"...Alright, that sounds like a good idea."

She smiles.

It's not as overly enthusiastic as normal, just a small smile as she pulls herself out of her lean, hands returning to the pockets of her lab-coat, voice laid-back and warm...

"You have black tea and milk around? Brown sugar? I think everyone could use a pick me up. That sound fine with you guys, Cathie? Colt? Tris?"

I don't get invited to use a kitchen often, so might as well show off a little...

Brown sugar milk tea was her own recipe, or well, she liked to think it was her own; useful for situations like this, Aunt Dorothy seemed to be a fan of sweets, and the sulking kids could probably use a bit of milk...

The tryptophan in it, you know?

Makes you feel better.

"Mind if I use your phone while I'm up there? Gotta make sure you-know-who doesn't do anything silly while I'm not around to keep an eye on him..."

Letting him know she might be late was the least she could do, especially after sending Scottie there...

...Felt bad about that one too, but she'd make it, just a little later than expected...

[Daneel Rush]

Location: Pinefall High Dormitory – John Dove’s Bedroom (Room 106)
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain



John Dove rests on his bed, trapped in that most fearsome of snares: decision paralysis.

“You should just stay here and do nothing. Can’t mess up if you don’t do anything.”

That is no longer an option.

It’s not as if he cares about being called a coward or a loser by Vandemeel, Winters, and Ramalsaqr. Being “manly” in front of the ladies—or at least not looking unsightly—is not a motivation that exists in this boy’s mind. Yet, he is driven to do something. Anything. He will probably fail, and then move to something else, at which he will also fail. However, he is now ready to keep trying, and keep failing, as long as he remains alive. Yet the critical “reason” for that urge eludes the child who remains unready to embrace an identity; to escape the comfort of detachment to become someone who takes responsibility for some of the burden of this world.

In any case, he is ready to act. In what way, though? Therein lies the current question. The matter of the hospital is better left to those more knowledgeable and better suited for infiltration. However, there remain plenty of other matters worth some degree of attention.

Liana Skye did not attend classes today, after all. It means he cannot ask her whether she has followed the map clue. This does not stop him from pursuing that line of investigation himself, anyway.

He could also check on their hidden classmate. As comfortable as she may be in her little refuge in the second floor, she is too far from everybody else. Unless somebody keeps constant guard over her, there might be no stopping a repeat of her death. Could she be convinced to settle in Prushka’s room, if only for the weekend?

There is also the lock keeping them away from the school’s further levels. Having Pyry break the thing down is too noisy, so…could Hwan Bin be convinced to pick the lock? He did say things to suggest he has some proficiency in such things last Sunday.

There’s always the matter of Mercedes West’s notebook in the back of his mind. Really, he should slip a note under her door telling her about the Vigenère cypher and leave it at that.

He could try talking to Inacio, see whether he can get more on Agent Ferguson out of him.

On the last iteration, this was the evening he spent with Subaru Iburi. The evening he became “friends” with Souma and Alexstrasza—

John is moving before he completes his thoughts. He almost forgets the matter of the notebook yet again, but quickly sits down to jot the CliffsNotes on the notebook and its contents: his successful decryption of the first line, the structure of the rest of the code, and the “key” necessary to decrypt the rest of its contents. Everything in the neatest calligraphy, of course. Haste is no excuse for subpar work when you are capable of more.

John has reached something like a solution.

A plan? He has no such thing. Leave the planning to the detectives, the mind readers, the magicians, and to anybody else who actually has a chance of unveiling the secrets and defeating the evils. One such as he can only go where his feet take him, and deal with whatever the world throws at him as best as he can. He can only keep on living, trudging in the mud of his own mediocrity for as long as he can. Doing something, anything, as long as it is within his reach.

Take the blow meant to slay one of his classmates? Sure, he can do that, if he is there to take it.

Take Cesarina Feroce’s place in the torture chamber? Sure, he can do that, if he is there to replace her.

Stare down the Disembodied Man or Dot F. Loonwaters or whoever, and haplessly struggle until he is unmade? Sure, he can do that, if there is nothing else to do.

Really, if he can call people as unnerving as Momoi and Mercedes West his “allies”, then anything else should be a piece of cake.

The only thing that matters is that he never stops. Reaching after everything within his reach; looking after anybody within his sight; questioning everything that stimulates his senses; without ever stopping to question the value of anything or anybody. If he lives like that, then maybe, just maybe, he will eventually stumble on the very simple “why”; the reason that pushes him forward. The single droplet needed to blossom the feeble, shriveled bulb that is John Dove’s soul.

After everything is in order in his backpack, and verifying that Ishtar Irkalla is in its usual place, John sets off with steps both serene and spirited.

It is the strangest thing. All of a sudden, he is bursting to the seams with wants—or at least, with things he believes he wants to do.

He wants to befriend Souma and Miss Iburi again. He wants to check on Cesarina and Alpa. He wants to apologize to Colton and Inacio. He wants to collate information with Momoi and Elise Marie. He wants to see a preparation of ceremonial magic. He wants to study his artifact with Ramalsaqr. He wants to have some of Sakura's fine cooking and tell her she can stop pretending to be somebody else. He wants to smack that idiot Prushka’s head. He wants to ask Pyry for his autograph. He wants to meet this “Moonchild” and elucidate the secret of their magic. He wants to find Her, Hawthorn be damned, and ask Her so many things.

And there is a certain person, the one girl who made him think “I want to help her” for the first time in his life. Because to see her falter felt blasphemous. Because a person so radiant yet so twisted could not be anything but inspiring and interesting. Because, if this girl did not have any color, then his logic was correct and nobody else in this drab world could possibly deserve it except for his dark savior. This one girl twisted him to such a degree that he gave her an empty promise he could never fulfill. Perhaps he is just seeing something of Her in that girl, just like he did in Adelaide Cheshire. However, he is not going to stop to question the underlying motivations.

He is going to be that girl’s friend. Even if she does not need him. Even if he is a talentless loser who will only get in the way. Even if he is a terrible person who encourages her worst characteristics.

That is the kind of selfish, unreasonable thing humans do, after all.

Well, those are his thoughts, but in the end, such things do not depend solely on him. In the end, he can just take it step-by-step, and see where those steps take him.

It is this John Dove who sets foot into the dorms’ common area. Let’s see what the world has in store for this hopeless fool this time.

[Frantic Author]

Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

I fiddled with my hair in my room as I mused on the events of today. It was... A different kind of day. An interesting one, to be sure, but definitely different. This time last week... Hm... Wasn't I dying? Alone and cold on the ground, bleeding out with a gasp? Potemkin might be right then.

I really haven't learned anything.

The class was over my head. I haven't read those books. I don't understand. Whatever Travis asked me to do is over my head. I haven't been in this situation. I don't understand. Even Potemkin is over my head. I haven't listened to myself in years. I don't understand.

But I have to try, right? That's what matters, right? So chin up, Zaza. I looked at myself in the mirror, jabbing it with my finger as I frowned. You can't go doing anything ridiculous like dying. Cesarina hasn't even woken up yet, after all.

Tapping idly on my and Potemkin's connection to let her know I was off to meet Travis, I looked around my room, how barren it was of any character, the books all placed away so easily, and grabbed my grimoire, flicking through it with a smile.

I took it with me, and left.

>>>Travis Gagnoine

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Sakura's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“You’re from Japan, aren’t you?” I asked as I watched Sakura pour the tea, “Well, I guess your name would suggest as much, but I’ve come to realize that it does not take much effort to lie about one’s name.”

Indeed, a name was both something full of meaning but also a part of our identity that was perhaps the easiest to throw away.

“Makes me wonder how you became such a...dedicated christian, so far from home. Disguised as a maid at that. Not that I can complain…”

I raised the cup of tea, and took a moment to just appreciate the pleasant scent that was steaming upwards.

“I love tea. Especially blends like this, they are a bit harder to get where I lived. Honestly, I’m not even sure how people can prefer that black sludge over this,” I said, finally taking a sip, “I have to say, my first impression of you was...questionable, at best. Especially after I got a hunch about your...occupation. I apologize for the offense, but I do not usually hold your kind in high regards.”

I took another sip, but my eyes did not break contact even for a moment;

“But I like how neat and tidy your room is. It speaks a lot about a person, and I can’t help but admire you for that. Perhaps just my subjective opinion, but regardless, I definitely think of it as a virtue. Similar to how you seem to be dedicating your life to taking care of Lucille, even though I take you for someone who would perfectly be capable of living their life more freely. It’s respectable. It puts things I considered borderline annoying about you into a different perspective. I couldn’t help but come to the conclusion that you’re actually a nice person.”

Ehm…

Why was I talking about this again?

“A-at any rate,” I said with an awkward cough, “What I was going to say was...just take it easy. You’re yourself here, not Lucille’s servant. Which is to say...First and foremost, I came to warn you about a few things, because I’m worried about your safety as well. Though, I am not sure how much you know about the circumstances.”

[Bloble]

Location: Pinefall High - Classroom
Phase: School Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

The journey to the nurse's office wasn't a long one. After Prushka had exited the classroom, leaving behind its buzzing sounds of discussion and various thoughts thrown about, she found herself in the empty corridor of the main building. Dragging her feet, she headed towards Ms. Leuzinger's door, which could be found near the entrance. Just few more steps, and she was standing right before it, and gave the thing a weak knock.

Knock that was almost immediately answered.

"Come in."

Opening the door, the small girl saw that the pink-haired nurse was sitting at her desk, writing a report of some sort... or something like that. However, she immediately set aside her pen when she saw the look on Prushka's face. The curt expression of the Nurse of Steel changed to a more worried one, and Ronja hurried out of her seat to help Prushka over to one of the beds.

"Oh dear... that doesn't look good at all," she said as she was helping the smaller girl to sit down. "Are you coming straight from the class? How are you feeling? Here, take this thermometer - it's used in your armpit. And just take slow, deep breaths. One-two-three, and out."

Having her switch so quickly from leisurely mode to a caretaker spoke volumes of just how professional Ronja Leuzinger was.

"Now, can you tell me your symptoms?" Ronja asked. "Or does your throat hurt too much to talk?"

---

Prushka

"Um, t-throat's fine, Ms. Leuzinger."

As I stumble into the room I'm immediately under attack, swarmed by a nurse at the top of her game. Ms. Leuzinger is on me in an instant, deploying a thermometer - which goes in my armpit as indicated - and roaming over me with her eyes, gathering information.

I sit on one of the beds and do an examination of my own, reflecting on my state.

"...stomach feels weird. And I can feel a headache coming on. Muscles are kinda sore, too."

Plus my mouth is dry, my hands are cold and sweaty and shaky, and my heart is beating a mile a minute - though that's just as likely to be from the nervousness as it is stress. The last time I felt like this was when I got home from Alaska and found out no one else had returned.

And that's not even getting into what my head feels like. Just focus, Prushka. Focus. Your emotions will lead you astray. Stay focused and forget how awful you feel. Even you can do that much.

"It wasn't that bad this morning..."

---

"Hmm... that almost sounds like an acute stress reaction. Maybe somatic symptoms."

Mumbling that to herself, Ronja gestured for Prushka to lie down on the bed and wait for the thermometer to beep. At the same time, she put some water to boil on the electric kettle and started rummaging through her cabinets for various small bottles. While she did so, she continued to talk... though this time with a slower, calmer, clearly comforting pace.

"You are rather far from home, aren't you? You lived in... Alaska, if I remember correctly. Well, a change of scenery and having to adapt to such a wildly different environment so quickly - it's only natural that you would feel stressed out. Or rather, your mind would, even if you don't realize it yourself," the nurse spoke, smiling gently. "That can often lead to your body experiencing symptoms that aren't exactly real. Just small stuff at first, but when you start thinking about them, those symptoms start occupying your mind and they start to feel even more real. This can lead to your heartbeat rate quickening, in which case we could be looking at a panic attack. Still... worry none, dear. We'll have you better in no time."

Strangely enough, there was a tone in Ms. Leuzinger's voice that there hadn't been before... or rather, one that Prushka had never heard before. It was... almost motherly. Like a woman looking after her offspring and making sure they would feel safe and secure.

"Here, drink this - it should calm your upset stomach."

After having dissolved some sort of powder into the hot water (and with the water now smelling faintly of lemon), she handed the mug over to Prushka.

"Though don't force it. Drink when you can, and remember to keep your breathing calm. 1-2-3, inhale. 1-2-3-, exhale. Count the breaths," the nurse continued. "Once we've got your mind to calm down, these pills..."

She gently set a bottle on the nightstand next to the bed.

"... Are for the headache. And this..."

She added a large Toblerone, still in its package, next to the bottle.

"... Will be our little secret. For when you think your stomach can handle something delicious."

Ronja giggled gently and winked at Prushka, miming zipping up her lips and throwing the key away. She was clearly about to say more, but at that moment, the phone in the office started ringing. Looking a bit surprised, Ronja walked over to her desk and picked up the phone, answering it in her usual curt manner.

... Soon enough, however, her tone changed to one of exasperation.

"Wait... what happened at the gym?" She asked. "The machines just... toppled over and... wait, Hiroto is trapped? What, did an unusually blustery gust of wind have a vendetta on him or something? Ack... oh, alright. Just hang on a minute. I'll finish up here first. Yes... a student. Yes, that does come first. He's a big boy, he can handle himself for a few minutes."

---

Prushka

"Eh, you know where I lived?"

What am I saying? Of course she'd know. Ms. Leuzinger is a professional. Doubtless she's ready up on every one of her potential patients, so as to treat them better.

And she's doing such a good job of it, too...

I wordlessly accept her instructions. The lemon tea, the proper breathing, the headache pills, and...

"A Tolberone...?"

My eyes widen as I stare at it. The holy grail of chocolates. Was she saving that?

A pang of guilt oozes up from deep in my mind. Here Ms. Leuzinger is, worrying over a stinking liar. An awful kid who shouldn't be here right now. It should be someone who's actually sick, whose feelings aren't a sham, who's actually worth treating. That warmth of hers should go to someone who deserves it.

"Ms. Leuzinger, I don't think I-."

A phone call interrupts. The kind nurse disappears as she answers the phone. That must be Hwan's distraction. So he came through.

Wordlessly I reach for the water, closing my cold hands around the warm cup, and bring it to my lips, blowing away the steam before taking a sip.

"It's... really dumb to be getting a stomacheache just over stress, huh. The others must be worried too, but they haven't ended up here over it."

I'm sure if it was someone stronger, like Pyry or Hisa, they wouldn't have been so affected. These symptoms only appeared because I was already mentally weak in the first place. Just a dumb kid way in over her head.

"You can help Mr. Hatou... I'll be fine. You said it's not real, right? Then it can't be as important as something real."

---

"Nonsense."

Having ended the phone call, Ms. Leuzinger walked over to Prushka and knelt by the bed, gently placing her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Even if it's not real, it can be scary. Even if it's not real, it can make you feel horrible. Even if it's not real, that doesn't mean that it's somehow lesser. The worst and the best things in this life can be just in our mind. Just because there's nothing there doesn't mean that it's not real to you," Ronja said, gently poking Prushka in the chest with her finger. "There's nothing 'dumb' about panic attacks or acute stress reaction. It can be scary and it can cause your body some real problems... but luckily, just as long as you can calm yourself down, you can overcome it. But the fact of the matter is that it's still something that ails you and makes you feel horrible... and it's exactly for those cases that I'm here."

With an encouraging smile, the older woman stood up and grabbed her bag from the corner of the room. Then she turned back towards Prushka and gestured her to just lie in a comfortable position, take it easy and wait for the thermometer to finish.

"As for what comes to others, don't you worry none about them. I bet they all feel like you - they just handle it in their own ways. We all deal with stress in our own ways, and there are a lot of worse ways than to turn to medical help," she continued. "If anything, it's commendable. Lot of people don't recognize when they need help, and just try to tough it out on their own. That is the worst case scenario."

The smile on her face made it seem like she was remembering some amusing scenario related to that thing in particular.

"In any case, I'll step out for a bit and go see what's wrong with Mr. Hatou. It shouldn't take too long. Just get some rest and drink that, and try to relax. There are some comics in that cabinet over there if you want something to read," she said. "I'll come back to check on you right after dealing with this."

With that said, she waved a small goodbye and headed out, closing the door gently behind her. And, just like that, Prushka was left alone in the nurse's office... just like she had planned. Only, the atmosphere wasn't exactly the best, or rather, it wasn't perhaps how she had expected to feel in case her plan worked.

... Still, sitting in that silence certainly accomplished nothing.

If Hwan had gone through with his distraction, and with an access to the stuff at the office, it was time to either start digging for what she had came here for, or...

... Or what?

Was she gonna let this chance slip by her hands?

Or was she going to take the bull by the horns?

Yet, before Prushka could come to a decision, the door opened yet again, almost like Ms. Leuzinger had returned only a minute after leaving. Perhaps she had forgotten something?

... No.

As Prushka turned to look at the doorway, she realized that wasn't the case.

Instead of Ronja Leuzinger, the person standing in the door way was...

--- Hisa Momoi, looking as surprise as Prushka to see the other person here.

---

Hisa Momoi

The walk down the dorms and through the still rainy campus grounds was enough to cool my temper, even if it still hasn’t completely subsided. There was just something about people like this that ticked me off even more than usual. Hence why I would normally just ignore them. But that was hardly an option here, when they were so intent on throwing an imaginary wrench into my imaginary plans…

Sometimes I really should just change my approach to things, and accept the fact that some people can really only be reasoned with through force.

Hair soaked once more, I push the door of the main building open. Far as I remembered, time was still well into class - meaning that it was unlikely I would run into anyone. Then again, the infirmary really was just a corner away. In fact…

After knocking lightly, I figured I would rather wait inside than outside, and opened the door slowly.

“Excuse the---”

Rather than no one, however, I immediately spotted another person inside. Someone who was clearly not the nurse.

“Oh.”

No, it was the midget.

Well, she could be here for a whole lot of reasons, couldn’t she?

“What’s up with you?” I asked in a rather neutral tone, “And do you know where the nurse is?”

---

Prushka

"...sorry, Ms. Leuzinger."

I'll apologize to her for real after this. I'll buy her another Toblerone too. Ten Toblerones. A great big giant Toblerone.

But for now...

I lie back and sigh. The temptation to just lay there and sleep is palpable. Sleep will be a refuge. A refuge from this awful day. A chance to rest and not have to think. But that would be even worse than doing nothing.

The tightness around my arm is familiar. A reminder of why I'm doing this.

"...right."

I take another sip of the lemon water. It soothes my dry throat and brings some warmth to my clammy fingers. Then after glancing to make sure there's no one at the door, I roll up my sleeve and untie the cursed bandana, slipping it back into my backpack. Now the symptoms should slowly get better... in an hour or two. Until then, it's still stress city.

Just as I'm beginning to look around the room, thinking of getting up and sniffing around... the door opens again. But it's not the nurse this time.

It's her.

“What’s up with you? And do you know where the nurse is?”

My head throbs. Maybe I should take one of the pills, too.

"...acute stress reaction. Ms. Leuzinger got called away. Left about a minute ago."

Hisa doesn't seem too happy.

"You too?"

---

Hisa Momoi

"Acute stress reaction? You?"

An eyebrow raised, I observed the smaller girl both with curiosity and a hint of disbelief. After all, her powers were all about emotions. She was supposed to be good at sensing, controlling, and getting rid of them if needed. So the fact that she was here, with 'acute stress reaction', would mean that she was up to something...

Well, who knows.

"No, I was just sleeping," I continued, letting the matter go for the time being, "Figured I would at the very least tell a teacher about it. And the nurse would be the one who piques my interest the most, I guess."

I looked around the room quietly, contemplating whether I should just wait there or try to see where Leuzinger headed. Latter sounded somewhat of a pain in the ass...while I had no idea how much time formed would take.

"What then? You gonna just roll around here like a miserable sack? I took you for the diligent kind who wouldn't skip class."

Deciding that I would go with the first option now, my attention turned back to Prushka.

---

Prushka

"...wouldn't be the first time. It's not something you can push away for long. Real feelings always come through in the end."

Except that time it was worse. I was insensate for weeks. Not that she needs to know that. For all the reassurances Ms. Leuzinger gave me about this sorry state being nothing to be ashamed of, it only takes one look from Hisa to reminds me that it is.

It's fine though. Getting irritated is good in this situation. Helps lift my thoughts up to somewhere useful.

"And I'm... not skipping. I properly asked to be excused."

I push off the bed, standing on unsteady feet, giving Hisa a tired look.

Having gotten her scent from the cup she handed me, I can now trace Ms. Leuzinger's movements around the room.

Which I do, taking a deep breath and exhaling. 1-2-3, just like she said. Now I just need to see where she stopped for any period of time, while scanning the room for anything that might look like it hides a safe. Is she the type to leave it open, or is it behind a painting somewhere-?

"...she went to the gym I think, if you want to go after her. But if you have time, we really should catch up."

---

Hisa Momoi

"I am made out of time right now."

An honest claim, for sure. Certainly, I could have just went after the nurse, but...It's not like I had anywhere else to go afterwards, not for a few more hours at least.

As such, I pull out one of the chairs, and take seat. But before I speak up again, I take a moment to tap the wall behind me once - just out of caution. One can never know what to expect, after all. Then, my attention turns back to the small girl in front of me, as I eye her with a blank expression with only a hint of curiosity in it.

While trying to decide whether I should confront her about the beast in her room or not, I could not help but notice how - almost as if looking for something specific - her eyes were scanning the room. A nurse's office couldn't have been that interesting, could it?

"Looking for something?" I asked finally, breaking the momentary silence.

---

Prushka

"...not anymore."

Found it. Well, it could be a fake, and the real one elsewhere, but it's fine to start here for now.

I just need to cross the room and - wait. There's an impostor running around. Hisa's good at impersonating people, so she wouldn't begrudge a bit of caution, right?

"Um, could you... say something only Hisa would?"

So I ask a weird question first. To make sure it's her.

---

Hisa Momoi

"Oh wow, you're even more paranoid now, aren't you?"

With a sigh, I cross my legs, my eyes still locked onto Prushka.

"You could smell me out the first time with that dog nose of yours, does that not work now? Do you want me to hold the end of your spoon again?"

---

Prushka

"...yeah, that's you."

I walk across the room and kneel down next to the safe. Then I raise my hand, reach out towards the electronic keypad, and...

Run my fingers over it. Not quite touching, less than a millimetre away. Smelling for a scent.

If there is a certain combination to open it, then there will be imprints left on the numbers used to make it. If possible I'd like to get their order, but... well, let's see what can be done first.

"Keep an eye out," I murmur, though I don't expect her back any time soon. "I have a reason to be paranoid. There are at least three impersonators walking around the school and you're only one of them."

"...and this safe is probably a decoy. The report said a 'small box' that was hidden, not in plain sight..."

I back away. Looking over where a small box might be hidden in this office. Behind the books, in the drawers maybe. I make sure to tread lightly, not moving anything, leaving as few traces of my search as possible as I set about methodically looking for this hidden lockbox.

---

In the end, the lockbox that Prushka was looking for was found in the drawers of Ronja Leuzinger's desk.

There, underneath a stack of papers that seemed to be various medical reports, was a rather sturdy-looking metal box, the size that you would need both hands to lift - and surprisingly heavy too. It had no visible seam, but running one's finger around the upper edge revealed that there actually was one - it was simply very thin and almost disappeared into the matte-black color. Then, on top of the box, there was an electronic lock.

Ten buttons in total. Three rows of three, one under another, and one singular button at the very bottom. Each one had been marked with a number, going from 0 to 9.

And then, on the LCD screen above the numbers... eight empty spaces were slowly flashing, in and out.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

---

Hisa Momoi

“Excuse me, I’m not an impersonator.”

I certainly wasn't. During my stay here, I only got around to using those kind of abilities once, and even then the attempt fell flat rather fast. It was not even close to being as efficient as an actual shapeshifter either…

Well, whatever.

The more important matter right now was whatever this midget was up to. And the manner in which she was operating - something that made the corner of my eye twitch just slightly.

I should check it later, perhaps something is wrong with my nerves.

“Are you going to fill me in on what exactly are you doing, or am I just expected to watch how you are rummaging through the personal possessions of the nurse?”

Pft...right, and I almost believed the whole deal about her ‘acute stress reaction’. It was just an excuse, wasn’t it? She just wanted to break in here, and by the looks of it, was specifically looking for something. The nurse must be away because she lured her somewhere, too. Truly a nasty gremlin.

---

Prushka

So it's here. That report wasn't just a random piece of paper. I don't know why I doubted it in the first place.

"Last night." My head aches. My arm is still shaking. I sigh, and before continuing, pop open the bottle Ms. Leuzinger provided and take one of the pills, gulping it down . "Ahti and I went to the listening post up on the mountain. The Devil's Dishes. There we found... just look. The report's in my bag."

This lockbox... it's filled with regrets. They're so strong it blots everything out. I can't find out the combination this way.

"This might - ugh - have answers. If I can get it open."

At this point it's a guessing game. One I'm in a poor state of mind to try at. But dispelling it would be wrong. Not just because it's a waste of Odic Energy, but because I deserve at least this much for tricking Ms. Leuzinger like that.

Let's think back. To the 'regret' of this woman, who would protect anyone no matter what was ordered of her. To the date she wants to lock out the most.

"...like I said, Hisa. We should catch up."

---

Hisa Momoi

"Ahti? So that's what that childish beast in your room is called then."

The words escape my lips before I even realize that I decided just minutes ago not to bring this up. Too late now, at any rate.

"Real smart to just bring some simpleton assassin looking for revenge back to the dorms."

There's a certain edge to my tone, but the anger and resentment from earlier remains repressed.

"I would have expected you to know better by now that we already have more than enough trouble to deal with than to bring someone like him here as well."

Perhaps for the better. I lashed out at her way too often, and way too harshly, without her even really deserving it. Most likely. I too should know better by now that she had no evil intentions, even if I could not agree with a lot of things she did.

"Do you need help with that?" I added, as I gestured towards the box she was holding with my head.

---

Prushka

"You..."

Why is it that every time I want to get along with Hisa, she does something like this? I'm not wrong, am I, to be furious? She went into my room. Which was locked. She's insulting Ahti, who isn't even here, without knowing a thing about him. She's wrong, right?

No, I'm probably wrong. When it comes to her, everything I do turns out wrong. Even what I'm about to say-.

"You don't know a thing about him. I'd kindly ask you not to invade my room and insult my friends again."

Forget it. Last time I got angry, I was wrong. So clearly I'm wrong to be angry here, too.

I just hope she didn't do anything to you, Ahti. Because if she did... whatever I do next, I won't care how wrong it is.

"Do you need help with that?"

"Not unless you know a lot about Ms. Leuzinger's past."

For all I know, they're best friends already.

"If you want to be helpful, share what you found out yesterday."

---

Hisa Momoi

I blink once, twice, and a few more times, looking somewhat baffled, before I speak up again.

"Did it not occur to you that perhaps I just knocked on your door looking for you, and he happened to answer?"

She was rather fast to jump to conclusions. There was certainly no 'invasion' to speak of, and to begin with, it was not me who started throwing insults around and acted like a child. But then, the theoretical situation I mentioned wasn't entirely honest either.

"I didn't invade your room. I can gaze through objects, and I happened to catch a glance at your 'friend' after I peeked into Xylia's room. Who is, for your information, building grenades and bombs in there as if her room was some arms factory."

She was another one of Prushka's 'friends', wasn't she?

"Nor did I insult him any more than he did me. I can put two and two together, at any rate, and he certainly said enough for me to be able to judge. But don't worry," I said as I waved dismissively with my hand, "I didn't do anything to him. Threatened him a bit, maybe, but I feel I did so rightfully. He is a potential threat both to Pyry and our survival with that mindset of his."

I had to wonder how the midget picked her friends. If she considers me shady, then how exactly does she fail to realize how dangerous those others seem?

"I don't know anything about her. My attempt to get a bit more acquainted with her ended up with me finding you here now."

My eyes wandered onto the metallic lid of the mysterious box again;

"But you don't know her either. And yet you know that there might be important information in there, and that our time is short. Of course, we could just call her back and sit down with a cup of tea, and listen to her life story while at it. Not going to lie, it would certainly be interesting, since our fields align to some degree."

Then, they jumped back at Prushka.

"Or you could just let me try opening it, if you can't. I should be able to trace the combination back from her fingerprints."

---

Prushka

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Beep.

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Beep.

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Beep.

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Beep.

Four combinations are entered as Hisa speaks. Each one is a date around April, 1994. All four end in failure.

"Threatening my friends. Not much better. Just leave Ahti alone. He's no one's problem."

I'll stop him. We promised that I'd stop him if it ever came down to that, so it's fine.

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Beep.

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Beep.

Neither date works. I need to think broader. The United Nations. And the ones most involved ini that debacle were... France. What were they infamous for? What awful decisions did they make?

Maybe... Operation Turquoise?

Click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click. Beep.

"...it's fine. I might not know everything about her, but... I know Ronja Leuzinger is a human that cares. She cared so much that it still hurts her to this day."

Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Click.

---

Beep, beep!

Suddenly.

With a flash of green light, there was a quiet click that echoed from underneath Prushka's hands that had been working ceaselessly while the two girls had been talking. At the same time, the smaller girl could feel how the top of the black lockbox suddenly shifted ever so slightly, as if it had been released from a vacuum seal of some sort. Then, when she removed her hand to look at the lockbox, she saw, just for a moment, how the LCD screen now showed something else.

But this time, instead of numbers, there were letters.

Letters clear enough for both of the girls to see.

S A V E T H E M

A clear and precise message of eight letters.

With that, the top of the lockbox swung open, revealing the contents that awaited inside... contents that couldn't have been more surprising. There were no stacks of paper, no hefty folders, not even an array of notepads where secretive information could have been stored. There were, simply, three things...

First was an old, old birthday card. All but faded now. One celebrating Ronja Leuzinger, with a picture of a skiier coming down the alps. And on the back of it... dozens and dozens of signatures from what seemed to be children, or teenagers. All of them wishing her well and congratulating her. Signatures and people now forgotten by time.

Second was a picture. A picture of a man with tall back and broad shoulders, walking in what looked to be a city somewhere in the Mediterranean - a city both old and as if it had been through a battle. Twilight's rays were streaming through the building, and the man had a hearty laugh on his face as he carried a small girl on his shoulders. The man... was clearly Mr. Oceandrop. And the girl... the girl could be no one else but Xylia Pheme, smiling far wider and happier than she ever had.

And then, finally, the main object in the lockbox...

--- A CD.

With something written on it with a marker.

DDS Observation Log

---

Prushka

"..."

I don't know what I expected. But it certainly wasn't for my heart to ache.

This isn't an impersonal account of a science experiment. There are no charts, figures, unethical studies. Just two pictures full of so many feelings that it hurts to look at them. A past so happy that it illuminates the miserable present all the more strongly.

What hurts the most, though, is seeing Xylia's smile.

The smile of the girl who broke down last week and killed someone. The smile of the girl who hates those around her. Not a single student in this school knows what she looks like when she's happy, except for us.

"...Hisa. You looked into her room. But did you look into her heart? Neither one of us knows what's in Xylia's heart. But... I'm sure Oceandrop knows. Maybe Ms. Leuzinger knows, too."

With a click, the box closes on its dear treasures. I lift up the papers and place it back where it was found, arranging everything so that it was as if I'd never touched it.

Except for the disk in my hand, of course.

I carefully fold up the CD in a tissue and place it between the pages of my rigid notebook. Then I sit on the bed again, the softly steaming lemon water welcoming me back.

"We can look at it on one of the school computers later."

As I replace the notebook, I hand Hisa the report.

"Read it. Then I'll tell you more. And you'll tell me more. And we'll work together. And maybe no one else will have to die."

---

Hisa Momoi

I watched with an eyebrow raised as the lockbox finally, miraculously opened, revealing its contents - which did not seem to be that much. Pictures, only really holding importance to the person they belong to. Memories that we cannot really understand. Along with a CD...Haven't I already heard about this DDS before? From Ubon, who heard it from the FBI agents or something...

It was at least distracting enough that I momentarily forgot about the rather snarky remark that I was going to make. But then, the lockbox closed up once more, without the CD this time, which was now resting inbetween the pages of Prushka's notebook.

"Looking into her heart is hardly going to help if she'll try to blow me up or burn me to death."

Not that I really knew what the deal with Xylia was. All I could tell was that, in her current state, she certainly couldn't be considered stable. She is making tools that are meant for murder and destruction, and last time, she killed Colt. What's inside her heart would some second after making sure that she does not murder anyone this time, I felt.

Before I could argue further about the matter, Prushka shoved the 'report' she mentioned earlier into my hands, and I could not help but end up reading it.

"Sounds like someone who has been looping for a while, and went mad from the experience. Kind of understandable, especially if you cannot change those around you who are not aware no matter how you try."

My eyes ran through the words and lines once more, then I looked back up at Prushka and handed the piece of paper back to her.

"I guess some answers about this DDS should be on that CD...but since I've never even heard about it, it must be some secret and isolated medical condition. Probably some mental disorder, if it has to do with Gottlieb. Their main field was researching antipsychotics, far as I know. And Patient Zero...That's a longer story, but I connected some dots regarding her. Albeit I think she might not be alive anymore."

There was another detail Prushka mentioned that made me frown slightly.

"What do you mean by no one else though?"

---

Prushka

I silently turn my empty hand over. Palm up.

"Your way or my way. Either is fine."

This isn't Hwan's room. It's not secure. Anyone could be listening. But more than that...

Ever since that first night, we haven't been able to properly look each other in the eye and shake hands. That's no good. Not anymore.

"Isn't it about time already?"

---

Hisa Momoi

"Your obsession with this handholding business, I swear..."

An exasperated sigh escapes my lips as I roll my eyes, but I already knew that I was going to give in despite my disapproval of her methods.

"Fine, just this once. Take it as a gesture of trust or willingness to cooperate, or whatever."

I extended my hand, backing up the consent I expressed with my words;

"But we're not making a habit out of this. I certainly prefer my own methods over this."

---

Prushka

"Mmhm. That's fine."

I take her hand. With it comes a 'knock'. A connection is formed, the same one from the previous week, when we spoke in the woods amidst the rain. A primitive link that operates through feelings rather than thoughts, a crude comic in comparison to the literature Hisa is used to.

Through that shallow river between two lakes, thoughts and feelings muddle together once more. My mood flows through first, a dour mix of stress and guilt and irritation tinged with the faintest hint of relief at finally, finally being able to talk again.

Moments later the river stabilizes. I'm able to send over more complex ideas. Let's see. Where to begin... how about with her?

I first recount to Hisa that climb up to the second floor, the trek through dust, the ancient message on the walls - from the class that was massacred maybe - and finally the door with the symbol on it. Behond that door is...

"Alpa Bagha." A bright, cheerful girl. A scared, lonely girl. A shy girl, living by herself on the second floor, having traveled here hoping to make friends. "She's really sweet. Too sweet to be left alone. It's dangerous, isn't it? I want to invite her to stay with me, but..." She can't touch others after. We nearly fell apart again. Lots of worry. Anxiety. Everyone was hurt a bit, but it was fine. And then I finally got to hug Ubon and tell her-.

"The Devil's Dishes." Meeting with Ahti. Arguing. Lots of arguing. He's not a bad guy, really. Really really. The exhilarating journey up the mountain. The empty base. Half an hour of dull crawling through ducts. Finally breaking through. A tense climb. Heart thudding in throat. Seeing it. The corpse. Watanabe. Montauk. Vampire feed. The report. The dots on the screen.

"The outbuilding." Seven drops of blood. So much blood. Gabi's gone. Killed by no one.

"Oh. And Hwan's alright, too. 100% trustworthy. Small consolation, I know."

Through it it all... stress. The curse throbs.

I take a sip of lemon water. It warms my dry throat.

---

Hisa Momoi

As the connection forms, and Prushka starts telling her various discoveries through a flow of emotions that convey words and images, the other girl just listens quietly with her usual blank expression. Something that, far as Prushka can tell, the “lake” of emotions residing within her reflects quite well in its perfect stillness. A serenity only interrupted by an occasional ripple, a quiver that disturbs the surface of the lake just for a moment before it loses its momentum and subsides before even reaching the edges of the lake.

An image of harmony and peace of mind tended with great care - but Prushka should have known by now that it can’t have been entirely right. That there was just something...abnormal about it that she could not explain yet. After all, the other girl was perfectly capable of showing emotions, something that the smaller girl already had to experience firsthand more than a few times now.

“I did not say that he was a bad guy. I can’t be the judge of that. I just know that he is dangerous, because he just does what he wants, and he is after Pyry.”

The words form as they flow through the river - the connection established through the physical contact and Prushka’s ability - just as harmoniously and enter the “lake” of Prushka, diluting with her own emotions, or perhaps just dissolving after a few moments’ time. But as Hisa mentions Pyry, a small stream starts trickling alongside the main flow, becoming one with it eventually, adding a hint of affection to the emotion.

“I explained to him as well...but there are more important things for me to worry about than having to watch out for when he will try to get into a fight with Pyry. To begin with, a fight like that when the weekend is already upon us just reeks of stupidity...and as I said, I’m certainly not going to let something like this sabotage our odds of survival, especially when they are already so slim.”

This time, a hint of anger mixed in with the flow - but it died down rather fast, almost as if it was diverted somewhere else.

“Was that all you found at the base though? I would have imagined that there would be a bit...more to it, considering how much importance some seem to give to it. There’s also something about some secret military tech that was transported here from Mount Rainier, and I imagined the listening post would have been a good place for that…”

A small shrug, with the flow of emotions reflecting a lack of knowledge regarding the topic, and with that, a lack of interest as well.

“I think it’s best if she is left alone.”

An image of a certain corpse flashes up, the only form in which Hisa has ever seen the girl on the second floor.

“Or at the very least, left where she is. Forcing her to stay with you against her comfort and will is hardly a solution. Keeping the dorms safe, or getting rid of the source of danger would be more optimal, but...I guess we don’t know enough for that. And…”

There was just something unnerving about what Prushka said about the outbuilding. It certainly did not happen last time. So what went different, and why?

“I guess the dorm is already hardly safe then, isn’t it?”

Scratching the back of her head was certainly inconvenient with her right hand being occupied, but perhaps it was just her natural reaction to such a situation that she could not resist.

“If there’s blood, I might be able to find out more. How it got there, for one.”

---

Prushka

"There won't be a fight."

In contrast to Hisa, who keeps almost unnaturally calm throughout, taking everything in with a cool eye, Prushka is, as in the physical world, both oversensitive and completely transparent with how she feels. The surface of her lake, muddied by the mass of stress and negative emotions that Hisa can sense sitting in the center, ripples with each word.

"We promised. That I'd get in his way. So there won't be a fight. No one's dying. The one who healed Ahti's wounds was you, so..."

Prushka is imagining it. A theoretical battle between those two. In that imagining, thinking of Ahti and Pyry's faces twisted into anger... is heartache. Regret. Jealo-.

"There was more in the base." Reflexively, she pulls her thoughts back. While thoughts can't control feelings, they can direct them. "A door to somewhere deeper. I could hear machinery whirring in there. But it was locked by a keycard reader, and the vents were secured too. We'd need a way past. Either tracking down the card or finding a supernatural method of bypassing a solid metal door. Maybe someone good with computers could make sense of the readouts and screens, too. The vampire should be returning to feed as well. Probably tonight or tomorrow, in preparation for Sunday."

Hisa can feel how her dispassion towards the thought of Alpa unnerves her conversational partner.

"We can't leave her alone. She died. I don't want her... I don't want anyone to..."

The mass of stress and regret throbs. The mud thickens. Prushka takes another gulp of water.

"...I know. There's no time. We can't be everywhere at once. But maybe just having someone with her would be safer."

She moves on. Forces herself to.

"Check the outbuilding if you want... maybe you'll find something I couldn't. Traces that weren't concealed." The steps to the room are retraced.

Finally, Prushka turns her gaze towards Hisa once more.

"What about you? Find anything yesterday?"

Expectation. If anyone can solve it, it's Hisa.

---

Hisa Momoi

“I died too. So did most others. You included. Leaving her alone likely did not change much...if I just consider that I can barely keep an eye on those closest to me. Also...I already said it, didn’t I? If you worry about everything and everyone, and try to take care of too many things at once...you’ll just fail it all, and it will hurt that much more.”

Head tilted slightly, she observed the smaller girl with a complicated expression. It was hard to tell what exactly she was feeling...but at the same time, with how they were connected, it also shed light to something else. That is, if where emotions resided was to be that “lake”, then...certainly, there was a dam on that lake, keeping part of it isolated from the rest.

But what lied beyond it…

“Anyways…”

She sighed deeply, and the harmony returned to the connection.

“It was...a relatively productive day, in a sense, I suppose. We went to the hotel after school. Was originally planning on looking for some books, but we found a hidden room...almost like a prison cell, under the library. It turned out to be the room of some hitman, back from when the McLampets were still alive. He was spying on them...and I’m quite sure that he is responsible for some of the murders too. Especially since...while he is free now, I think it’s safe to assume that he is the monster responsible for a bunch of other crimes too. Like killing Xylia last time. And he resides in the sewers under the school now.”

The words were accompanied by some flashes of memories too. The state of the room. The meticulous notes written about the daily schedules of the McLampets. The giant, one eyed monster from the flashback witnessed at the old dorms. The lonely photo of Remmie, a detail that was still shrouded in mystery for now…

“I’ve been planning on going down there...but there is a lot to do. Though, sooner or later...or rather, sooner than before it’s too late, it will be necessary.”

A hint of uncertainty accompanied these words. She was still mostly clueless about these things - and most of all, unsure if she would even have the power to deal with them.

“At any rate, I’m quite certain that he is one of the big players here. He’s been around ever since things started going south here, if all this information is correct. Still, other than that...we also learned that Inacio has been sneaking out to the hotel to meet with someone. He has this modern radio receiver there that’s...connected to some weird channel that is just looping this unnerving song.”

Just thinking about it made the girl shiver a bit. It scared her, and freaked her out more than most supernatural weirdness she’s ever witnessed. Perhaps it was her love and talent for music that amplified the effect to such a degree. The fact that she did not just listen to music, but that she tried understanding it. To take it in. Prushka could almost feel it too, even if such a connection was not the best way to convey sounds.

“I’m...not sure what he is up to, but he is doing something behind everyone’s back, that seems apparent. I took a peek into his room too this morning, just out of curiosity, and there was some similarly green haired girl sleeping in his bed. Quite a mystery, really.”

The song she was reminded of still seemed to be haunting the girl, rippling the surface of the lake relentlessly, until she could finally move on to a different topic. Something that, perhaps, was just as troublesome.

“We also found Angelica’s room. She wants to meet on Sunday.”

With how vague this part of her explanation was, it was clear that she was not too keen on talking about it. Perhaps that is also why she moved on rather fast - and probably for the better.

“There was also a photo...or rather, a painting in Halloway’s room that I accidentally spotted while looking around the library. I didn’t get a good look at it...something that I very much regret now, but it was a painting of him and a woman. A woman who closely ties into the story of the Girl in Blue.”

---

Prushka

There is much that Hisa Momoi recounts. Her trip was exhaustive, uncovering many leads with unsettling implications. However, at some point, as she is winding down her recollection, she notices it.

Prushka had been quiet. Her feelings fuzzy and indistinct. Hisa herself was similar, with her 'dam', so she hadn't realized at first. Only when she paused to take a 'breath' did it become apparent: it wasn't quiet she was hearing. It was simply that those feelings were too all-encompassing. Compared to the somewhat structured thoughts from before, molded in such a way as to be easily communicated, there was only one thing on Prushka's mind. A storm. A hurricane, swirling about, drawing everything into itself, roaring out a single word:

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A silent scream. A frozen stare. Every feeling at once, crowding around one mind. It wasn't that she hadn't been thinking of anything; proper thoughts just couldn't form in such chaos.

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I'm a wolf you let among your sheep.

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"I think it’s safe to assume that he is the monster responsible for a bunch of other crimes too. Like killing Xylia last time."

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"...Or, if we had talked before this, I could have told you my tech picked up Sneg's Odic Signature on the campus on the night between Tuesday and Wednesday."

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"... Especially considering the wound they find on the boy later during the medical examination. See, he didn't get away unscathed during the struggle. Instead, on the bicep of his right arm, there's a a mark, a wound... like his skin slightly melted or something."

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\

Let me get to the point.

One of your siblings is at Road's End.

You remember [S]now? Sneg, as the doctor used to call him.

Snow.

Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow. Snow.

A young pale-haired boy looks up from his cereal. His sour expression eventually crumbles away into a shy smile.

Snow!

The connection breaks as Prushka lets go.

"..."

---

Hisa Momoi

The moment I finish my explanation, and my attention turns back to Prushka, I realize immediately that something is off. The disarray and panic flowing through her link, and the fact that she withdraws her hand moments later makes it even more obvious.

“W-what the heck…”

Somewhat perplexed, I pull my hand back too, and rub it with the other, almost as if the unpleasant, stinging feel of the emotional mess she was conveying left a physical sensation behind as well.

However, the confusion was gone moments later, and the realization dawned upon me.

Now I’ve done it, haven’t I? We sailed straight into an iceberg, and now the ship is sinking at an alarming rate…

She was not even listening to half the things I said, was she? I mentioned the guy in the hidden cell first, so everything after that…

Aaah, this is a pain, isn’t it? I was running my mouth...or rather, thoughts for nothing. And what’s the deal with all this? She really is a bad judge of a character, isn’t she? Everyone around her just turns out to be such a controversial figure. Why does it always turn out like this, anyways? As if I had nothing better to do.

Still…

I stood up from my seat, and took a step towards her, enough to close the short distance. Then, raising my arms, I pulled her into a hug, and held her tightly.

I could relate almost too well to how she must have been feeling right now. I knew she was too emotional, and that she worked herself up too easily. That she wasn’t used to this. She wasn’t broken like me, or devoid of emotions like Vivi. And she had to face such a revelation with that in mind, so for once, I could not blame her for feeling like this.

I caressed her back gently with my hand, while slowly spreading a cool, soothing sensation along it.

I would have lied if I said that I was particularly fond of her. She was annoying and noisy, always trying to oppose me, and indeed, she was too emotional. It was almost a disaster in a sense. Still, not even sure why, but I did not wish for her to feel like this. But it was just the two of us here. There was no Ubon or anyone else to cheer her up and hug her or whatever. I really had no other options, did I? Indeed, there was nothing else to do, almost as if I had to go into a battle that was already lost by the time it started.

Long minutes pass by, and I finally let go of her. An awkward little cough escapes my lips as I look her in the eyes again, but I manage to regain my composure fast enough.

“Now…”

With that, I raise my hand once more, hovering it just a few inches in front of her head. It was easy enough to tell what I was going to do - but before even giving her a chance to react, I flick her forehead with a moderate force, achieving the desired amount of hurt through the use of my artificial finger rather than just with physical strength.

“You’re jumping to conclusions way too fast again. There’s a big inconsistency here after all, if you didn’t notice. The person I was talking about has been here for decades at least. And if they were here for the murder of the McLampets and the first incident at the school, then I would assume that they were born least half a century ago. That can hardly be your brother, right?”

It certainly hardly made any sense, unless some other weird sort of time traveling was in play...or something similar to that.

“Besides, there has to be an explanation. You barely know anything about the case. What’s the point of breaking down now? Save that for when things turn out to be bad for real.”

---

Prushka

There are no words. No ugly sobs or weak protests. No effort to pull away.

For a moment, Prushka is completely stiff as Hisa's arms envelop her. Then she slowly, slowly, like a block of ice under the sun, melts into the older girl's embrace. The mass of negative emotions built up over two weeks of being alone in a strange, dangerous place - that, too, melts away. Until only the present is left.

The sound of her breathing fills the room, right by Hisa's ear. One-two-three. One-two-three. One-two-three.

Eventually the taller girl lets go. And unleashes the final part of her remedy: a bionic finger to the forehead.

"...........ah."

Prushka falls over backward from the force of the flick. She splays out on the bed like a broken doll. She is still for a moment. Several moments. And then slowly, slowly, she begins to move. She raises her hand to her forehead.

She sits up, massaging her head, eyes watering, a blush slowly, slowly building across her cheeks.

"...ow."

She pays attention, at least. To what Hisa says. Takes the time to listen. To really listen.

And then...

Slowly, slowly nods.

"I haven't seen Snow in three years," Prushka says quietly. "He wasn't - wasn't the type to hurt anyone. We were thirteen. Just kids. But... the letter that I got, on the way here, said he'd become a mercenary. That he'd come to Road's End chasing his prey. So... you're right. He couldn't have been responsible for those... those things. He must have gotten here only recently."

She frowns. Her hands ball up into fists as she stares up at Hisa.

"Of course we'd wondered what it would be like. To not be chained up. To be able to choose our own path. But... 'freedom' never meant being a murderer."

A massive, one-eyed creature. Xylia, killed after murdering Colt. A young boy who'd never done anything wrong. They cannot be reconciled.

Prushka wipes the unshed tears from her eyes with her sleeve.

"...you said he's in the sewers. Then that's where I'll go next."

---

Hisa Momoi

I note with relief that she seemed to have calmed down a bit at least. If it did not work, I'm not sure what I would have done, without resorting to something more drastic. Though, what follows was perhaps something that I very much expected.

"You're not going down there alone. Not just with...Ahti either. Brute force does not help against brute force. And without being able to patch things up, dealing with that acidic thing might be way too dangerous."

I rest my eyes on the small girl for a moment while I contemplate what exactly I could do about her issue. Something that is rather difficult while I do not even know what to do about my own issues, or where exactly to go.

"Though before drawing up any plans, it would be best to finish this...'catching up'. I know a few more things at least that might interest you, specifically about that old lady you seem to be so fond of. And if you have anything else to share, I'm listening too."

Of course, the connection was broken now, so once again we resorted to actual words. Not that it was particularly hard to set up another channel...but was it even necessary?

"On a different note, you reckon there is someone around who can spy on people from far away?"

My gaze turns towards the wall next to us, and I extend my hand to tap it once, twice.

It should have been enough to rule out anyone listening in on us from a respectable distance. That, and I would have noticed if anyone was nearby in the first place, especially with my eye. But with how perceptive some people seemed to be...even then, it was hard for me to imagine how exactly someone could keep watch on us here, even if I knew that it was likely possible.

---

Prushka

"Wouldn't be dangerous," Prushka murmurs, more to herself than Hisa. "If it's really him, it won't be dangerous. Family's nothing to be afraid of." The words are quiet. Said with derisive self-awareness of just how easy it would be to prove them wrong.

Prushka stares at her own hand for a moment, as if imagining what it would be like to see it melting away.

"Right. Catch up. You said something about creepy songs and pictures of girls and - oh, you found her." Prushka smiles brightly for a moment, a ray of happiness momentarily piercing her gloomy mood. "That's one piece of great news, right? You'll be able to see your family again."

Her eyes follow the tapping of Hisa's fingers, and the gears in her head are nearly visible. She nods to herself, concluding that it's a sort of sonar effect to watch for others.

"On a different note, you reckon there is someone around who can spy on people from far away?"

"I don't reckon. It's a certainty." Now that she's in a better mental state, Prushka's words have become more guarded again. "Dunno who, but it'll be someone. Or a few someones. If it's not the staff, it'll be one of the students. There's always some perv trying to peep."

Information is too valuable a resource to be neglected. Especially by those who plan on using it soon. It's impossible to keep everything from leaking out. Just like it's impossible to catch everything that leaks out. No safeguard agaunst spying is perfect in the Turnside, just like no spell or ability can catch everything. All they can hope for is to keep as much to themselves as possible.

That's why her hand is outstretched once more.

---

Hisa Momoi

"It's a rather disturbing though, isn't it," I form the thought after I grab her hand once more, "Not that I would refuse the ability to do something like that. Counterintelligence is like fighting a losing battle, always being one step behind. And despite your best efforts, someone will always find a loophole in your defenses. Especially when it comes to the supernatural. No matter how many things you prepare yourself for, with the vast number of options the supernatural enables chances are that you'll always end up encountering someone you are helpless against."

"Anyways, my ranting aside," I continued as I waved dismissively with my other hand, "It's definitely dangerous. Either because, as we established, it might not even be your sibling, or...because the premise of family is a convenient weakness to be exploited by impersonators and beings that can possess and control others."

She did not forget, did she? It was her exactly who was talking about people masquerading with others' identities around the school, and it was easy enough to extend that logic to the rest of the town and its surroundings too. After all, for some reason, there just seemed to be too many beings that were capable of doing such things around here...

"Just like how it is with Angelica. It's..."

The thought stopped as I bit my lip. I did not want to theorize and stress myself over it. I knew nothing, really. I could only assume, and assumptions like that only hurt. Same with being hopeful. There really was no reason to have any expectations.

"Did you know that the old woman you talked about, Beatrice, was, and sorta still is, the maid at the McLampet Manor?" I changed the topic rather abruptly, "She knows a lot, supposedly. As one could expect from someone who's been here ever since things started going south. She knows about the Girl in Blue too. A reporter I met this morning said that he was going to interview her about it tonight, at the manor, but..."

Feelings of suspicion, distrust, and worry poured into the flow. An ominous feeling about a tragic event that I was quite certain was going to happen.

"I think it's a trap. From what I've learned, the Girl in Blue was...a malicious being. An evil witch, you could say. She arrived here with the McLampets when they started the business, but...there are claims that she was poisoning the mind of Howard. That she made him infatuated with her, and drove him into massacring the natives, along with committing their other questionable deeds. Then, the same woman appears on the painting I mentioned, with Halloway. And guess what - some people say that it was Halloway who killed Howard. It's also certain that this assassin was serving him, and it's easy enough to tie the cases with the liquefied hearts to the assassin's name. It sorta explains why the topic of the Girl in Blue is a bad omen and a taboo around town. Though I am not sure where to put the news about her being dead yet."

"Lastly, this reporter found out that this woman, the Girl in Blue, was referred to as Patient Zero. Whatever that means, though, I don't know. But with that aside...I think this Beatrice might be danger. She served the McLampets, she likely got her fair share of the Girl in Blue's influence, and she clearly can't have been just an ordinary, oblivious to all maid with all the things that have happened. I feel that there's some horrible revelation to be made about her...and that this reporter will be silenced tonight, in that manor."

---

Prushka

Prushka spends some time thinking. She nods at Hisa's warning, accepting it, heart calmed. Each piece of information is slowly dissected and put back together, placed in a tapestry that... well, is still full of holes. The dissatisfaction that flows along the mental link towards Hisa is proof enough of that. But it's something.

"Beatrice seemed like a nice old lady. I don't think she's malicious. She told me to be brave... and let me see that ghost in the lighthouse. She's definitely got lots of stories to tell and isn't shy about sharing them. Must've known the Girl in Blue - Patient Zero - personally."

It certainly doesn't gel with the idea of the woman being dangerous. Yet that doesn't mean there can't be danger associated with her.

"Last week Alex disappeared looking for info on the Girl in Blue. Maybe this time it'll be this reporter you're talking about. Unless someone interferes."

But who would be best for it? She herself can't; she's never been to the manor, isn't very strong, doesn't know this reporter, and has already promised Elise help with Samuel Lowgate. Maybe...

"Oh." She'd answered her own question. "Vivi might want to know about this. She's been talking to Alex. The real Alex, not her double, that's Xeni. It sounds like there's a scoop here they'd be interested in. One that won't lead to anyone disappearing."

"Meanwhile, I'll see if I can't use one of the hospital computers to read this log while I'm over there. It's also linked to Patient Zero. This DDS thing."

The pieces are slowly coming togther. But not enough to form a picture. Only outlines that are not quite connected, that can be filled in by a bit more info.

"And of course we have Dot... someone will need to look into Pinkerton and the Country Club, but I'm not sure who's been there... and there's that animal cult Vivi mentioned... what happened to that furry guy, by the way?"

There really are too many things to do. And not enough time or people to do them.

---

Hisa Momoi

"Ah, guess that would be a good use of the trip. The computers here are likely harder to access with the teachers and whatnot."

The flow is tinted with a hint of disappointment. Feelings of being left out and isolated. But just as fast, these emotions are filtered out of the link, as they cease to exist, or perhaps get pushed behind the boundary that Prushka cannot sense. However, it's hard to tell why they were there in the first place.

"If I'm being honest here, if we wanted to avoid Alex disappearing, the solution would be to slow her progress down, not to accelerate her into her eventual demise. I don't reckon that she knows any more than us, and I would rather not have someone as rude and selfish as her breathing down my neck while trying to make progress with the case. It's quite dangerous, and it would seem that I already have some defenseless reporter to babysit as it is."

Instead, they were replaced by her usual grumpiness, and her words carried a certain edge once more, as opposed to the still harmony that Prushka experienced earlier.

"I might sneak into that interview to see what the whole deal is here. It's kind of a one time opportunity, so missing on it would likely be unwise. So if you just want to fill Alex in on it to give her the scoop she wants...then at least wait until I am done with that. On a different note, Ru is doing okay. I don't know about any sort of animal cult...but then we did not have the chance to talk all that much. Not that he would talk about something like that in the first place, anyways."

"What's the deal with this Dot, anyways? And Pinkerton? And this Country Club?"

---

Prushka

"Oh! I didn't tell you. Sorry, it's hard to keep track of everything." A twinge of embarassment flows down the river. Lucille, Elise, John, Lia, Vivi... been having to explain lots of stuff lately. Um, the long and short of it is, Dot. F. Loonwaters is a freaky one-eyed lady that lives in the dream and smells like a volcano and talks with a weird Southern accent and kinda sorta ate half my face last week. Might've eaten more if Mr. Currumpaw hadn't shown up. We talked a little about this before, remember?"

Prushka holds a hand up to one eye, the memory of phantom pain returning on reflex even though it's completely fine. But she can't help but remember. The grin. The drawl. The cruelty. The sanity-shattering fear of a nightmare.

"Muse and I think she's some kind of malicious spirit, or demon, living in the dream world, stalking the woods outside the safe area. I think she might be like Muse, but twisted. And if she's a demon, then by leaving her mark on others, she'll get them to acknowledge her, and manifest eventually... probably on Saturday or Sunday."

She recalls conversations. With a small girl in a hood. With Lucille. With Vivienne. With John and Liana.

"So anyone missing an eye, like Fyrtio or Ahti or Souma, might be bearing her mark. Though uh, it's probably on locals. There's a one-eyed guy called Jack Pinkerton who runs the country club and supposedly smells like sulfur and called her his 'muse'. When Vivi went there - or was it Liana who told Vivi? - she said there was a statue of a one-eyed woman who looks just like her. I think the guy's up to no good. Might be the one-eyed man Angelica said to accost."

Then of course there are the other things Vivienne had said. Like a bunch of people's families being linked together to the McLampets. To Fairchild Air Force Base. The mysterious Dr. Satel she had met there. The other report. All is conveyed quickly, details brushed over in favour of broad strokes. Ronja might be back any minute now.

"As for Alex... if she has a double, she might've been part of the Turnside from the start. But I'm not worried about her. Because she has Vivi by her side. So she'll be fine."

Certainty. If there's someone by her side to hold her hand, then... that overpowering obsession she'd read on the walls of that room, that mad determination, that all-encompassing desire to know more won't destroy her. In comparison to Hisa's grumpiness, Prushka puts forward cautious optimism... though still mired by uncertainty and the bittersweet knowledge that someone had already died under their noses.

"And Alex knew a lot, when we went through her room last week. She had tons of notes on the McLampets for one. And she was looking for the Girl in Blue too. You'd have to ask Vivi more about that, though. She's also the one who told me about some... weird animal people cult that works for the McLampets? It sounds like a conspiracy, but if Vivi's the one saying it..."

Prushka scratches at her head, taking another sip of the now cooling lemon water. The ache in her head is slowly beginning to fade, the physical symptoms of her panic attack finally receding with time and good conversation.

She sighs.

"This party's getting crazy... and I'm still no closer to finding Elizaveta, too..."

---

Hisa Momoi

"Just do me one favour - and don't relay this information about the reporter, Beatrice and the interview to them. Knowing Alex, she would likely stroll there without any thought, and...as I said, if it's as dangerous as I think, then having to protect that other reporter would already make things difficult. If it's just the information she needs, I can tell her about it in great detail afterwards, but it's better me getting into danger than her."

I gave Prushka a stern look, even though I knew that she would rarely comply with my suggestions.

"She disappeared last time, didn't she? After meeting a guy who had a photo of the Girl in Blue. Something that the reporter I mentioned happened to have. But he couldn't hurt Alex even if he wanted to..."

The memories of the fat, cowardly, constantly sweating reporter came to mind as he pulled a half eaten, mostly melted chocolate bar out of his pocket.

"So for the meeting to have such an outcome...it could be that last time something happened to the reporter when he visited the manor. Maybe got possessed, replaced, or something like that, and the person who ended up meeting Alex was not him, but someone who was there to kill her."

I shrugged.

Of course, this was just a theory...but the fact remained, that there was likely something potentially dangerous going on.

"And regarding the missing eyes...Ahti was supposedly made like that. He didn't lose it to Dot, he told me as much, since I asked him, exactly because you already mentioned that there might be something wrong with one eyed people. I figured you would have already asked him that."

Or maybe she did, just wasn't satisfied with the answer?

"I haven't been to this Country Club so far. And Souma...I don't know. Neither Fyrtio. Last time we met her tonight at the saw mill, so maybe she would be there again, but..."

Was trying to seek her out really worth the time, especially with all the other matters at hand?

"There's Billie still, the old janitor I mentioned. I think she is also one of those people who know a lot more than what they give away...I mean, she was the janitor during the school incidents. I was planning on talking to her, tomorrow morning, maybe."

That was when I went last time as well. I twas a good opportunity to talk, since it was just her and Carrie there, and latter is certainly an interesting figure to question too.

I don't know who Ru works for, at any rate. He is a weretiger...so is his sister, supposedly. And they are here to find some piece of stolen tech, some sort of an apple shaped and sized mechanical gadget. One of the students have it, or so he said. While I can't say that I trust him too much...perhaps I'm too fast to not be suspicious of him. And too lenient. Should have just read his mind, really."

---

Prushka

"I'm telling you, with Vivi there, Alex won't be in danger. But fine, I won't say anything." She might not agree with Hisa's decision, but Prushka's feelings don't carry any traces of guilt or intent to decieve. Her mood stabilizes again, towards the grumbling normal.

"Old one-eyed janitors, doppelgangers replacing reporters, weretigers looking for stolen technology, Fyrtio tonight at the Saw Mill, this Girl in Blue that Halloway, Pinkerton, and McLampet were all infatuated with... we really just don't have enough people to handle every angle. Not without spreading ourselves dangerously thin."

Not to mention the other problems. Like what had happened after Hisa left - a spat between Lucille and Mercedes that had led to a duel-at-noon scenario being set up. And Prushka agreeing to help Elise with something at the hospital, something regarding a 'Samuel Lowgate' in a coma, haunted by spirits - maybe due to the Lighthouse that traps ghosts, as Vivi'd said.

"We need more manpower. More info. More allies. More of everything really. Maybe John would know something... he's trying to stop the tragedy too. We haven't met up since that night. Lia, too, but she hasn't shown up lately." A pang of worry. Hopefully the girl with a bright smile hadn't gotten herself killed. "There's Colt, he said he knows something about Elizaveta. Subaru and Hwan too - I haven't talked to Subaru in ages..."

A pang of guilt. Prushka had distanced herself from the small girl in hopes of not dragging her into danger, but now she was involved anyway.

"...here. I took notes." She draws a cute pink notebook out of her bag and hands it over to Hisa to look at. "Haven't been updated since yesterday, but there might be something I left out. Just skim over any of the personal stuff."

What else? Her mind can't properly categorize everything. Even when studying you never try to hold things in your head like this.

"Oh, um, if you took anything from Snow's room, could I see it? Might have his scent."

---

Hisa Momoi

"Well, I took everything we found," I said while slowly flipping through the pages of the notebook, "Bunch of papers for the most part, but I don't think you'd find those particularly interesting. Lot of it was written with a typewriter too, so doubt those would have a...'scent'. But they are in my room, at any rate."

This handwriting was...sickening. Reminded me of Ubon for some reason, but perhaps even worse. It was almost hard to read. Too fluffy. Too inefficient. Did she really bother with putting those hearts everywhere? Is she in love with these mysterious and unnerving cases? Urk...

Putting the notebook aside for a moment, I reach into my backpack and after some fidgeting - finding things with one hand turned out to be rather difficult - I pulled out a small plastic bag containing a single razor, and another one with a few pens inside.

"Don't dig too deep," I continue as I hand them over to Prushka, "If there are some of these so called 'emotional traces' left on them, I could only imagine them being associated with anger, madness, and feelings of vengeance."

Then, my attention turns back to the notebook, and flipping back to the beginning, I start pointing out certain things I noticed.

"I did not do anything to Fyrtio. Not that I wasn't just a moment away from trying something, really," I pointed at a certain part on one of the pages, "She was surprised by Vivienne. The fact that she was there. She did not look exactly happy about it...but I guess Pyry showed up before it could escalate."

Then, next...

"I can try healing eyes. Certainly a bit finicky, especially regrowing one from nothing, but shouldn't be a problem," I tap my finger on another one of the lines, "Unless there is some hocus pocus curse included with it. Also, hardly solves the mental scar that an experience like that would leave."

Another page flipped.

"Pyry actually went to the library last week looking for this. He found a list that apparently 'contained the names of way more cosmonauts than official sources'. Elizaveta was mentioned working as one there, except that it was back in the '60s."

A moment of silence. Then a shrug.

"There's certainly something weird about it, but I did not really have the time to look more into it...if I even knew where to start looking for it in the first place. Though, thinking about it now, there's some weird similarity between her case and your sibling. She supposedly worked as a cosmonaut in the '60s, probably much older, then she was here in the present, as a teenager...while your brother, if it is your brother, would have had to be here even before the '60s, working as an assassin, and yet in the present, he was at...wherever you came from, as your sibling."

Time travel? Perhaps. It would be more believable with just a single person, but the moment the number of such individuals rises...

"Subaru and Lia... see, I had a pretty elaborate theory on infinite alternate timelines and that every possible outcome to every possible situation exists in some form, each in their separate timelines. Something that would explain why Subaru's hair changed. Like, how maybe one morning she just woke up, and in one of the timelines she decided to cut her hair in the way she had it last week, and in another, the one we are in now, this way. They are just minor changes, but timelines that are 'nearby' to each other should generally converge when it comes to more major events. Meanwhile what Muse did was that the kept our memories in her 'dream world', which is separate from time and space, and thus we could carry our beings from one timeline to the other. Though...that's just a really short version. It would take too long to explain now."

I proceed to flip through the rest of the pages, but the rest is just mostly things I cannot add much to, or we've already discussed. It wasn't much I could help with - but more than nothing, which is already something.

"That's as much as I can tell."

Closing the notebook, I hand it back to Prushka as well.

"Also, stop using that damn heart on my name. It's worse than Ubon's ridiculous nicknames," I form the thought with the same serious tone, but my lips curl into a small smirk, "And don't call yourself useless. That stupid dog nose of yours alone would make many jealous with how useful it is, what with all the other things I figured you can do...Really, it's just quite an overwhelming situation. Everyone would feel helpless. So don't go looking for the faults in yourself, just blame the situation."

---

Prushka

"It's fine. I can take a bit of anger. We were all angry for a long time." Prushka accepts the razor and the pens. Then she looks at it, frowning. "Wait a sec... he's shaving? Snow-!" Somehow, she pouts. "What happened to our deal? We were supposed to be the runts of the litter together, then you go off and grow up without me-!"

Still, she holds the razor and pens tightly. This close, Hisa can sense the Odic Force swirling about, like a bubble moving about the smaller girl's body, stretching, shifting to her fingertips as she sniffs at the 'scent' in the items... "Hey. This razor is old. Probably not his. Maybe the previous occupant's. I'm going to draw out its history. It'll get flashy, so... could you make sure there's no one around?"

Meanwhile, she goes through the notebook together with Hisa. In no time the taller girl finds herself sitting side by side with Prushka.

"Frytio was surprised by Vivi? Maybe she saw her movies..."

...

"Elizaveta was a cosmonaut in the 60s? What, was it her mom? Maybe she was just really old... or she'd been frozen in space for a while... hm, you're thinking time travel? Isn't that impossible? Either way, even if it wasn't, there's no reason for my brother to attack the Mitchells like that. Especially not in front of their kids. I can't imagine him being so heartless. Probably there was just another assassin, and he stayed in their room for a while. Speaking of which, maybe Rachel or Halloway know more. That room has to have been there for years."

...

"Alternate timelines? I guess that makes sense... no way to prove anything though. I know last week Tonkori was a lot smarter. This time she's just a cute Shiba."

...

"W-what's wrong with hearts? It's not dumb, it's cute! What, do you want a skull and crossbones instead, Ms. Too Cool For School? A pentagram maybe?"

...finally, they come to the last page. By now, Prushka has gone from sad, to hopeful, to shocked, to, finally... flustered.

"Useless - d-did I write that?" Prushka peers at the page, a mortified blush spreading accross her cheeks. "Aaaaaah! Geeze! That's it, next time it's white-out!"

She stuffs the notebook into her bag, clearly regretting... everything? Everything.

"It's, um, it's, um..." Somehow, Prushka finds herself unable to form a counterattack. Hearing motivational words from Hisa is just too strange. "I d-don't feel like that all the time! Just, it's... sometimes... when it comes to fighting, y'know..." For a moment she struggles to find the words. Then she remembers. There's no need for words here.

I want to be there for them.

It's a childish feeling. Rather than the princess cowering in a corner, she'd always wanted to be the knight in shining armour. Or maybe the dragon, that would be fine too. Someone dependable. Someone who could fight. Someone tall, maybe.

Then maybe people wouldn't get hurt because of her. Wouldn't only see her as 'someone to be protected'. For her entire life she'd been helped by others, but had never been able to protect anyone else, never been able to return that kindness. She knows it's not that simple. That violence isn't the answer, that her abilities and thoughts aren't useless. Logically, she knows that.

But still, feelings don't change because of a few facts.

"...I always thought you looked strong, y'know. And Pyry... he looked so soft and weak."

Prushka mumbles, looking down. Coming to a decision.

When she looks up, there's something in her hands.

"Hey. This is too much. Wanna split it?"

A big yellow Toblerone.

---

--- To look beyond the years. To smell the fragrance of old.

Like fingerprints left into dust never-moving.

The deeper you dive back, the harder it is to get back. The further you dive, the harder it is to swim back up. The longer you dive, the harder it is to know which way is back up. That is, of course, natural. To find the traces that have already grown faded, nigh-nonexistent, one must abandon the roar of their own emotions. Nay, not just the roar. The everyday lull. The very static that fills one's mind even if they don't think about it or are actively trying to suppress it.

Everything feels emotions. And it is that static of one's emotions that one must kill to hear the faint whispers of the past.

Yes. Kill yourself, further and further, to reach down deep below. Drive a dagger further and plunge yourself deeper to catch that fragrance of yesteryears.

But always keep it in mind.

The further you dive, the further you drive, the sooner your own emotions grow atrophied.

The sooner they are eclipsed.

--- Hey diddle diddle, the cat spoke a riddle.

Prushka dove into the emotions of the razor she was holding, and the air around her bubbled. The mirror-like flakes of odic powder danced, and in that dance, Hisa could see the emotions bubbling forth from the item in question. So many invisible things put to sight, made visible and naked - but incomprehensible at the same time. For how does one visualize a smell?

--- The girl jumped beyond the moon.

It was starting to be hard to keep a hold of one's own ego, one's own identity, in the raging storm of silent emotions that were so fragile they were impossible to touch. The further she spent down here, in the blackness of the descending mind, the more Prushka lost herself. If she lost it all before she got out, it would be all over.

Like a diver desperately holding their breath.

--- The little god laughed to see such sport.

But they were there. Definitely there. Within arm's reach. So, like a maestor directing their orchestra, Prushka had to guide those emotions closer to the surface, closer to the present moment where they could once again bloom, once again achieve a form that was tangible enough to smell and to understand.

The locked-away feelings spun a merry pirouette, and with that expert guidance, taught over the years, she sent them cascading ever upwards.

And Hisa saw how even more impossible things sprouted in the air around Prushka, like fractal flowers blooming on the night sky.

--- And the thief ran away with the tune.

It was time to go.

Paddle as fast as you can.

Head upwards, ever upwards, back to the light. Back to those emotions you rescued.

For if you stay here, if you stay here, if you stay here...

Empty past awaits you.

And you'll be trapped here forever.

The past does not wait, after all.

It is the great-mawed beast that hungers at the heels of the present, ever-hungry and ever-salivating.

And it is at the bottom of this darkness that those fangs of history are waiting for anyone foolish enough to descend too deep.

--- I've run away from a big ol' fang.

--- A hunter of man.

--- And I can run away from you, I can...!

...The emotions found, in the end, were both complex and surprisingly simple.

But one thing even Prushka could not deny anymore. The smell of this person, of their emotions, of their feelings and how they floated around the two girls like such blooming fractal flowers spinning in the aether around them... yes. This was a smell most familiar. A smell of someone she had known for so long, yet now felt like she hadn't known at all. Or perhaps it could be said that this smell...

... It had changed terribly lot.

The smell of her brother.

--- Six years ago.

Regret. Sorrow. Loss. Fear.

Hate.

--- Seven years ago.

Desperation. Hope. Obsession. Regret.

Hate.

--- Eight years ago.

Happiness. Joy. Salvation. Innocent love.

Hate.

--- Nine years ago.

Doubt. Fear. Uncertainty. Hope.

Hate.

--- Ten years ago.

Hate. Hate. Hate. Hate.

Fury.



That was all there was to it. The emotions of someone who had grown from nothing but hatred at everything around them to learning to trust again, learning to feel something else than their misery, learning to enjoy their days and trust in someone else... and learning what it felt like to watch someone and feel utter love at their beauty and their smile and how they lighted up their life.

And yet, in the end... it all came crashing down.

One way, or another.

It led... back to hate.

---

Hisa Momoi

Moments earlier...

“Me? Strong? Please.”

Laughing quietly, I reach out to take a piece of the chocolate, and start eating it slowly piece by piece.

I couldn’t help but disagree with her. But at the same time, there was hardly a reason to argue about something like this.

“Real world is not just helpless princesses and knights in shiny armour, at any rate. You’re into military stuff, aren’t you? Just think of a theater of war. There are dozens of separate and fundamentally different units working together for a singular goal. They all have their roles, and are generally irreplaceable, making them all just as important as the other. You can apply that to our case, just on a smaller scale. It’s essentially the same, after all.”

“So just because you can’t be the one throwing themselves onto the frontline to exchange direct blows with your opponent, it doesn’t mean you can’t fight. You just have to realize your strengths, and work towards making the most out of those, and see how they can help those around you as well. Sure, it’s nice to dream about being big and strong...but in the end, it’s just foolish, isn’t it? You have to accept who you are, and know that in some sense, and in someone else’s eyes, you’re exactly the one who is big and strong.”

After I finish the thought and have a few moments to think, I raise my hand to wave in exasperation, feeling as if I swallowed something particularly unpleasant.

“Blargh, look at what you’re making me say. It’s supposed to be Lia or another one of her delusional kind that gives motivational speeches like this. Really, after this we’re going back to normal.”

Still, somehow, it ended up turning out like this way too often, didn’t it? There was just something ironic about the awkward, antisocial, emotionally broken person providing emotional support to others.

“Speaking of which, who do you think I am, John? I’m not that edgy, my handwriting is simple and practical at best. And if I was cool, I wouldn’t be sitting here holding hands with some nasty gremlin. I just needed some rest, and it felt more important than repeating classes I already took part in. It was a long night last night.”

---

Prushka

"Hehe... big and strong in someone else's eyes, huh? I like that sound of that."

There's a smile on Prushka's face. A bit of a mischievous one... but the look in her eyes is very soft. It's a softness she has rarely shown Hisa Momoi.

"But I don't know, Hisa... for someone who says she hates motivational speeches, you're pretty good at 'em. Maybe you accepted who you were a bit too quickly. 'Cus from the sound if it, you've still got some foolish dreams left in you."

Prushka sits back, sighing, raising the bar of chocolate so Hisa can take the first bite. Along with that sigh, something else leaves her. Remnants of stress, building up by the minute. She's a high maintenance girl who can swing from terrified to confident in no time flat, shedding tears of sadness alongside tears of joy. Yet now, in a rare case, she has found some sort of balance.

"John's not edgy," she murmurs, staring at the ceiling. She gives a wave. Is Alpa watching? She really should come down once in a while. "He's just a jerk to little girls. Well, I guess that kinda is edgy when you think about it..."

For a moment they eat chocolate in silence. It's really good of course; it's Toblerone.

"...mm. Yeah. This is great, but... maybe it'd be cooler if we were drinking. Or smoking. Or like, playing one of those bar games where if you lose they chop off a finger..."

Just what exactly is her definition of 'cool'?

"Anyway, give this nasty gremlin a second. I've calmed down enough."

Prushka stretches her hand out. In it, the old rusty razor sits. She opens her mouth, exhaling, then inhaling slowly... and becomes still, holding the breath. Her eyes unfocus as she slowly withdraws from herself. Her Odic aura emerges from her fingers, a fragile thing much like a soap bubble, dissolving from contact with the air... and it licks at the razor, soaking into it, diving deep, deep, deep...

Until suddenly that aura is flaking away, becoming images, colours, sounds, smells, sixth sense sensations...

...in the end, her eyes regain their focus. After nearly a minute of holding her breath, which is finally released slowly.

"..."

Prushka doesn't say anything for a moment. Her eyes are still staring far away, at feelings years in the past.

Previously, when the girl was overcome with emotion, it was obvious. Stronger emotions elicit stronger reactions. For a happy feeling, she would be grinning ear to ear. For a sad one, tears would be gathering in her eyes. And yet, here, now...

Her gaze is clear.

"...mm. He really did grow up without me."

Through their link, Hisa can feel an echo of those feelings. But from the girl who bore witness to them first-hand... not confusion. Not despair. Not elation. Just a quiet sense of renewed purpose.

"Guess it's my turn. To protect him from despair."

---

Hisa Momoi

Figuring that I would not disturb her while she was at work, I decided to just watch quietly as the rather flashy phenomenon unfolded itself. In a sense, it reminded me of my own work - except that it was not as contained and seemed to be based mostly on emotions, whereas mine was more of a flashback, more or less devoid exactly of those emotions.

But rather than just seeing it, I could actually sense the story that the emotions within the razor told. Perhaps because of the connection that was still intact between Prushka and me...after all, its exact purpose was to transfer feelings. Certainly, a weird experience...and not necessarily pleasant. Still, at the very least, it shed some light to certain things, especially in Prushka’s eyes.

“That’s more like it,” I nodded approvingly at the smaller girl’s newfound resolve, “Much better than the miserable sack of negativity you’ve been. Now just remember, try not to bite more than what you can chew.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if she just tried to dive into the sewers alone after this. She was certainly stubborn, and when something as important as this was just hanging right in front of her nose, she’d likely be impatient as well. Enough to just rush in on her own without any planning…

As the memories ended, the effects of the spell faded along with it, and my thoughts were soon back on the matters from earlier.

A detail that I just found too disturbing and at the same time amusing.

Enough that my mind could not let go of it even though of the sudden interruption.

Yeah, Prushka’s definition of cool…

I just could not help but imagine her in a suit, sitting in a leather armchair, smoking a cigar and drinking whiskey...only for the image to change, as her short legs barely dangle off the edge of the chair and the cigar turns out to be chocolate, while the whiskey just oolong tea with ice in it.
A grin spreads on my face, and I muffle my involuntary chuckling with my hand.

But then…

A different kind of image pops up, if just for a moment, before I wave the thought away. Only then I realize that even though I have not said any of these out loud...she could easily sense it all.

My eyes wander down onto my scarred hand still holding onto hers.

Oh well.

“Anyways,” I project the thoughts more consciously this time, “Anything else you wanted to talk about? Your hand is sweaty and I don’t want anyone to see us holding hands, so if there is nothing else you want to hear…”

---

Prushka

"Gahahaha." Prushka laughs out loud as Hisa's own mildly embarassing fantasy comes to light, pulled from the depths of her mind by the smaller girl's prodding.

She then takes the pose Hisa imagined. Munching on a block of chocolate. Cup of lemon water in free hand, while a pen in place of a cigar is held between her fingers. Legs waving in the air past the edge of the bed, not quite reaching the floor. "So that's what you like, huh?"

She conjures up an image of her own in response. An old memory from about a year ago.

"Gahahahaha!"

The small girl stands in the middle of a storm. Beneath her feet is Soviet steel, strong and unbending. A line of KV-2s and T-34s stretches out to her left and right. They are all hers to command against the enemy.

The howling wind is beneath her. The snow's cold cannot put out the heat of her boiling blood. She puts it all to shame.

"All you awful humans, bow down before me! Now-!"

She stretches out her arm.

"All units, fire-!"

Of course, they don't fire. These are old, decommissioned tanks that cost too much to retrieve from this icey land. They'll never move again. This graveyard has merely been her playground for months now.

Not that she lets those inconvenient facts get in the way of the fun.

Back in the world of reality, her hand falls, as does her mind, returning to thoughts of what is ahead and what is before them.

"Hm... I think that's about it. We've got our leads. Nothing to do now but go after them. I'll see if I can't talk to one of the others that remembers, but there's no guarantee of that."

She's shared about everything as well.

"Still, these feelings from seven years ago..." Her thoughts turn to the razor. "Don't you think Snow might've been involved with the Pinefall class from back then? It's gotta be time travel, no other explanations. Didn't want to open up that can of worms, but it seems inevitable now."

---

Hisa Momoi

"Maybe. There're likely other ways of manipulating time as well...I'm not sure. But as I said earlier, he was involved with them. He was at least partly responsible for both incidents that happened at the school. He was the monster Jake and the others ran into in the forest, after all."

For a moment, I think back about the razor and the memories Prushka extracted out of it.

"He had a photo of Remington. The feelings of love could have to do with that...While regret and loss would likely be connected to her death. But in the end...that's just speculation. Would need more information to be able to confirm anything regarding that."

With a small yawn, I look up at the clock hanging on the wall.

"Been a while now. I assume the nurse will be back soon. She can be happy, your 'acute stress reaction' is gone too now..."

I let go, and stretch my arms above my head as I stand up.

"I dunno about you, but I'm certainly not looking forward to this weekend."

---

Prushka

"Tell me about it."

Prushka is in agreement. The weekend is not looking to be a fun one.

"I'm feeling a little better; it's wearing off. Never doing that to myself again... supercharged stress is even worse than normal... honestly, I just wanna get some sleep. Was out all night..."

She pauses, then, upon hearing something. That name... Remington? It tickles something at the back of her mind. Nothing important, just... a bit familiar. Like two small unimportant details that for whatever reason stick out.

Prushka reaches into her bag, rummaging around, and pulls out a thick book. A guide to Road's End she'd bought from the store. The author's name... a certain 'Remington'. She flips open the covers, looking for a picture, as some books are known to have, and...



"This Remington? The guide book author? No way, right? Just a coincidence...? Actually, who are you even talking about?"

It's clear as day that the name Hisa had casually mentioned meant next to nothing to the small girl. Save for the fact that apparently her brother might've had a crush on her.

"And Jake ran into what in the woods? When? Why?"

---

Hisa Momoi

"Yes, that Remington. What's so surprising about it?" I said with an eyebrow raised, "They roamed the town and its surroundings a lot, supposedly. So she decided to write a guide book. Except that the townspeople don't really want to read it...not even someone like Jake."

Did I not mention this to her before?

"And the monster. The one I mentioned. The one responsible for the tragedy, when Remington died and Samuel was hospitalized. After which the school was closed down. For why they ran into it...well, stuff like that just happens, doesn't it?"

Why do people run into monsters, indeed? What kind of question is that in the first place?

"Far as I know, they were going to look for the listening post, but then one of them went off alone...and the rest of them went to look for him afterwards. Then somewhere in the forest, they ran into that thing, but how exactly things went down, I have no idea. You'd have to ask one of those who were there. Jake maybe, if he is even willing to talk about it."

---

Prushka

"...."

pomf

Prushka falls back onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling. At the book in her hands, with a new light.

She munches on a piece of Toblerone.

"The janitor, huh... guess I could ask him. Or I could ask Samuel Lowgate."

She doesn't really know much about this 'tragedy'. However, she'll be visiting someone tonight who does. Elise had mentioned it, hadn't she? A monster in the woods, part of Pinefall's last class.

"Supposedly he's in a coma at End's Mercy. That's what Elise wanted my help for. I don't know if there's anything I could do to wake someone from a situation like that, but I'll do my best. If this is where this 'Remington' died, and Snow had a picture of her in his room, then..."

That might have been the source of his despair. But not his hate. She knows well where that hate is from.

Prushka glances over at the other girl. It feels like the conversation is winding down to its conclusion.

"Don't push yourself too far, Hisa."

Her fingers loosen...

---

Hisa Momoi

Hmh. How much is too far, really? Besides, if I wasn't pushing myself, then...I would not even be here bothering with all this stuff.

"We'll see how things turn out." I said with a nod - but there was not much else I could think of to say. Good Luck? Things will be okay? Or just be true to my pessimist self? Would it help to raise someone's hopes, only to make the inevitable fall bigger? Would demoralizing them do any better? No...just remaining neutral was probably the best option.

---

At that point, the conversation was cut by a sound that caught attention of both Hisa and Prushka. That is, the sound of approaching footsteps outside the door. This immediately let them know that their time was up, and not a moment too late. After all, soon enough the door of the infirmary swung open, and a rather exasperated looking Ronja Leuzinger entered the room, rubbing her temples.

"I swear, how do you even get tangled with gym equipment that way...?" She muttered to herself while she placed her medical case to the nearby desk. "Still, that man's physique is truly something outta this--- oh?"

It was at that moment that the nurse seemed to realize that something had changed in the room. No longer was Prushka laying down in the bed, as if trying to sleep. Instead she was clearly awake, and there was someone else in the room as well. The nurse took one look at Hisa, then glanced towards Prushka, and finally her eyes settled on the Toblerone being shared by the two.

Then, a hint of a warm smile spread to her face.

"Ah, good day, Miss Momoi. I see you've come for a visitation," she said and chuckled a bit. "No need to worry though. Your friend only let the new environment get to her a bit. All she needs is some rest and relaxation, and she'll be good as new. In other words, it's nothing life-threatening."

The nurse held a pause, before a slightly mischievous glint appeared in her eyes.

"That being said, a visit from a friend is a good way to ease her situation, so I suppose thanks are in order," the nurse added. "We all need support every now and then, so what you've done is admirable."

... Why did it feel like Ronja Leuzinger was teasing the two girls a little?

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Sakura's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“A-at any rate. What I was going to say was...just take it easy. You’re yourself here, not Lucille’s servant. Which is to say...First and foremost, I came to warn you about a few things, because I’m worried about your safety as well. Though, I am not sure how much you know about the circumstances.”

Sakura blinked in momentary surprise, but soon enough that look was replaced by yet another warm smile.

"Worried about me, huh...? Hah, I admit, it's been a while since I've heard anyone else but milady say those words," Sakura replied while sipping on her tea. "I suppose in that way, we are similar. Not a surprise, since I spent most of my youth acting as her caretaker, but... well, anyways. I'm still glad to hear that. The darkness that lurks in this place feels much farther away with every new ally we find."

The older girl let out a small relieved sigh, as if a bit of the stress she had inside her had been released. At the same time she glanced towards the rainy skies outside the window, and how the constant lashes of water fell upon the campus grounds. It wasn't the most refreshing sight, especially with the threat of the weekend looming above their heads, but at the same time... it didn't feel exactly as depressing as it might have just moments ago.

Perhaps it was the feng shui of Sakura's room that eased the load on one's mind, perhaps it was just sharing a quiet moment with someone else. Nevertheless, it was a small reprieve for both of them.

"Especially since, as you said... our organization doesn't have the best of reputations. We're often seen by the work our most zealous members - those who have fought against the darkness for too long and thus become darkened themselves. When you see the atrocities some denizens of the Turnside can inflict upon the common populace, it's easy to start hating it all. Easy to forget that in most cases, there's still humanity underneath it all. Vampires, werewolves, spirits, mages, mystics... at the end of the day, they're as varied as humans can be. They're still people. But, just as those people can lose themselves to their powers, we too can lose ourselves to our darkness... we can forget that our duty is not to destroy them, but to save them where we can," Sakura spoke with a clear, quiet voice. "A friend of mine in the Legion put it the best. We should see ourselves akin to firefighters. The darkness of the Turnside is the flame we have to control and snuff out, while the people caught up in it are the ones we have rescue. To a firefighter, who those people are makes no difference. They still strive to save them all."

Sakura held a small pause, after which an impish little smile rose to her face and she took a sip of her tea.

"Well, it's a bit weird to hear someone like me say it, right? It's not as if I'm your typical example of an inquisitor," she said with a smirk. "After all, yes, you're correct. I'm from Japan originally. And you'd be surprised - Japan has a long tradition Catholics being associated to being secret, to being hidden, to being unseen. Of course that is not the case these days anymore, but once upon a time, the term that was used was

Kakure Kirishitan

'Hidden Christians'

. It was a sect of Christians who, upon being persecuted, hid away their practices and their religion and turned it into something a bit different. Mostly these practises were passed down by oral tradition, and eventually became extinct after Christianity was legalized, but in some cases, such secrecy was still kept alive."

For some reason, a bit of a dry look appeared on Sakura's eyes as she stared into her tea, as if remembering something both pleasant and unpleasant... a family history that she didn't completely agree with, but also found something amusing in.

"... Especially in the case of those who had the Amakusa blood in their veins."

After saying that, Sakura waved her hand a bit, as if trying to refresh the air after creating slightly awkward atmosphere.

"Well, that's not important anyways! At the end of the day, my family's just former Hidden Christians who became a little too good at being hidden, and were eventually absorbed into a sect of shinobi - ninjas," Sakura said, flashing a slightly silly grin. "You should have seen the faces at Rome when I went on my first visit. The local legionnaires-in-training were so jealous about my, ehm, unique style. It was the big ninja-boom in the middle of the 80's, after all."

So she had been working with the Church back in the 80's already, huh?

Sakura Tsukioka may have accidentally revealed a bit more truth about her age...

"Still, my point here is that at the end of the day, I'm thankful that you came to talk to me, even if you had your reservations about me at first. After all, I can understand those feelings completely," Sakura finally said. "That being said... you said you had something specific to warn me about? I assume this is about the circumstances surrounding milady Lucille?"

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Vier’s Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain


Now that class was over, I decided to go chase down the one potential lead on Fyrtio. According to what Elise Pelltier and Vivienne Bianchi have said she should be at the old McLampet Saw Mill. However, they also hinted at the possibility that she was being affected by the loops as well. If I found her there, then maybe Muse’s ability was stronger than I initially thought and she did send us back in time somehow. If I didn’t find her there… Well I know why it didn’t affect her.

I grabbed my drab heavy raincoat in preparation for the heavy rain that I expected to come soon. The last thing I needed before Saturday and Sunday was to get a cold… I opened my door to find… a doll waiting for me. I looked around to see if there was anyone around. There wasn’t… This doll was definitely suspicious and if it was harmful in some way shape or form… Or at the very least, I’m going to assume so since I didn’t see this last week. Thus, I decided to pick up the doll by its neck. I wasn’t going to take any risks with mysterious dolls. If this so much as reaches for anything it can use for a weapon… I’m going to crush it and then bring it to the Church group to exorcise it.

If it doesn’t do anything… Well I can always lose it at some point on my way to the saw mill. I’m not going to leave this here especially with how deep the Turnside is here...

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi (Sakura)
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Vier's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“H-hey what are you doing!”

The doll, seemingly quite startled by Vier’s sudden strike, while also rather limited in movement while hanging in the air, started swinging its limbs rather furiously, the tough wooden heels of her footwear just barely missing Vier’s midsection.

“I know people like to carry me on their shoulders, but I’m too big for that right now! Put me down! Dooooown!”

It was rather obvious that whoever or whatever it was, it did not particularly enjoy the situation. Indeed, for an observer, it would have almost looked as if Vier was just mercilessly bullying a small child for no particular reason.

Was that a smirk on her face?

Was she even enjoying it?

Whatever the case was, her plan seemed to have backfired rather fast - the more and more fiercely the doll dangled its legs, the more it became obvious that her shoes were not holding onto her feet too tightly, and before Vier had the time to realize that, the ridiculously high wooden heel of one of the doll’s shoes hit her straight in the jaw before it dropped to the ground, while the other flew just an inch away from her head straight into her room, hitting the floor with a clacking sound.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Sakura's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“No...not about that,” I said as I shook my head, “I mean, you hardly need an explanation about that, don’t you? It’s the opposite in fact, since it was one of the things I wanted to ask you about. I said I would help out where I can, but to deal with a ghost it would probably be good to know about their circumstances.”

I was certainly not an exorcist, but much as I could figure was that a ghost would linger behind because of emotions and memories they cannot let go. That, and in this case, probably the lighthouse...but regardless, it would mean that going backwards towards the root of the issue was likely a good start.

“What I wanted to warn you about, though, are the other dangers of this place. There is at least one being here that can possess or impersonate others...and makes use of that to try and kill us. Whether that is spreading distrust and suspicion and making us jump at each other...or taking the form of our friends, only to lure us into a trap.”

Just like what happened to Gabi. There was no guarantee that Sakura wouldn’t be the next. Or anyone else. Even now, or maybe in a few hours, or later at night.

“It’s perhaps the most imminent danger. The most insidious, and the least expected...hence why I wanted you to be aware of it, and to keep it in mind at all times. Also...if you can, have some sort of a secret code with the people close to you. Something that helps you identify them. Unless this thing can steal your memories, it could help with keeping yourself safe.”

I should have thought of that much, much earlier. Right since the very first day...I should have been more serious about it. Even if it’s not a guaranteed solution, there is a small chance that it could work, and prevent more people from dying in such a cruel way.

“But in general, this town...it’s full of dangers. More than what you’d ever expect. As such...the other thing I would like to warn...or rather, advise about, is not to act on your own. Chances of surviving on your own...are likely grim. Having other people to work with and rely on is an irreplaceable advantage, especially at times like this.”

I took a long sip of the tea, enjoying the pleasant warm sensation in my mouth for a moment;

“How would you even become that good at being hidden? You’re only human, aren’t you?” I asked as my thoughts wandered back to the other things Sakura mentioned, “And Amakusa? As in, Amakusa Shirou?”

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location - Pinefall High - Principal's Office
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

A glum sigh, along with an equally glum look out into the rainy day, in the interim period between afternoon and evening, before nightfall, but when the day is no longer young.

I wanted to be doing anything else.

I wanted to go find Kean.

I wanted to track down that Liana girl.

I wanted to do literally anything to advance my goals at all.

But, for now, Elaine Winters would do this.

Because as little as she values herself, she values more her ability to help others, and is more than capable of realizing what is wrong with her.

There is a problem with her, it is true.

One does not be so adept at reading others without being able to identify your own self, even if there are parts you do not look at, you still know they are there.

There was, of course, a reason why the invitation to Pinefall had come to me, I could have come here by myself, independently, maybe worked an angle with Jo at the Sheriff's Office, it wasn't as if she was travelling with anyone, or had any engagements.

That person was the only family member...

No, it wasn't true.

I longed for my father's approval, and I wanted him to stop crying when I couldn't see him.

I wondered, in the late hours of the night, if that was why he had split off from us so frequently?

We met every month, of course, but he was gone in the morning.

That doesn't mean I don't remember what his face looks like during it.

Does it hurt, Daddy?

Is that why you won't look at me?

Are you angry with me? Because of me, you lost a lot of your friends.

Even Uncle Jeb didn't want to help.

Cures and treatments for Lycanthropy don't help, I've known that for years.

My condition is not normal, Canseliet spelled it out herself.

I've got a piece of something tied to me, that thing, the White Lady. She won't let me go.

We're tied together. Because of Daniel.

Because of him.

I shook my head.

The fact of the matter was that I was here for a reason.

Because I am a person who does not fit in society.

My condition is more than just Lycanthropy.

And it is why I am here.

So, knowing this, and affirming my reason to myself, I ceased staring at a blank stretch of wall, and moved the last few feet towards the Principal's Office to face my punishment.

I knocked on the door.

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Vier's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“H-hey what are you doing! I know people like to carry me on their shoulders, but I’m too big for that right now! Put me down! Dooooown!”

My suspicions were confirmed when the doll in front of my room started moving and started speaking. Since they confirmed it for me so early, there’s only one thing I can do. I took it inside of my room even as its shoe came undone and hit me into the jaw. I was considering if I should try to interrogate it first or silence it. After closing the door, I merely stared at the doll in my hand before ultimately...

“Two questions. Why are you in front of my room and who sent you? I would recommend telling the truth otherwise, I might be handing off a broken doll to a church inquisitor who can trap spirits.”

Curiosity won out. While I could probably silence this doll quickly, that wouldn’t give any hints on who sent it to my room and why. While I’m sure the doll couldn’t exactly feel the increasing pressure on its neck… I’m sure it would notice its material warping as I started tightening my grip more. Worse case scenario, I’m going to beat it with my fists until it breaks.

[Verg Avesta]

Colt Davin & Liana Skye
Location: Canseliet Clinic
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"......!"

After hearing the boy's words, after hearing his apology, a reaction finally showed up on that blank face of Tris... though it was not the kind of reaction Colt had perhaps expected. Those empty, hollow eyes turned towards the boy, and for just a moment, the girl looked simply... utterly lost. Like the map before her had been snatched by the wind, and she was stuck in the middle of a forest with no way of knowing where she should head to get back home. Yes, the look in her eyes was lost and, frankly, terrified. Her hands squeezed her crystal harder as her body shivered, and she stared at girl.

"Dost... dost thou meaneth... thou don't... need me?" Tris whispered. "Didst I... fail? Didst I perform my duties so... so poorly, that I'm now to be abandoned? I... I didst not meant to get hurt...! T-t'was just... just an insidious mental attack! F-from the House of Vile Darkness! Y-yes, forsooth, t'was the exact... exact same pain as whenevereth I see'eth that house! J-just, Colt, just... giveth me another chance! I know... I knoweth I can destroy that house's influence!"

With growing panic in her voice, Tris grabbed her crystal hard and brought in front of her face. Bullets of cold sweat ran down her face as she, almost maniacally, stared into the blue talisman and started, speaking, her shaking, shivering voice reverberating in the makeshift clinic.

"C-command! Command! Dost thou heareth me! I-I requestedeth a Level 5 clearance! T-thou must remove my limiter! The House of Ultimate Evil art attacking mine person, a-and I doth pose to lose mine charge if... if I dost not defeat them!" Tris hurriedly yelled into the crystal. "I-I-I knoweth it poseth a danger to this town, but... but...! I..."

There was a cracking sound on the crystal didn't seem to even notice.

"I-I refusedeth to be abandoned again! Please, command...! Answereth me...!"

Colt, who had been watching this strange play unfold, suddenly felt an oversized sleeve bat him to the back of the head softly, as if saying to him 'what did I just tell you'? Dr. Canseliet was standing there, having moved over from the doorway to the side of the bed. Then the strange doctor leaned over towards Tris and gently pushed her back to a lying down position, even if the girl tried to struggle back a little.

"I ask you do not yell in my clinic, child," Dorothy Canseliet said, firmly but softly. "You'll bother the neighbours."

Tris, gritting her teeth together, glared at the doctor with her empty eyes.

"B-but! The command dost notteth answer mine attempts at contacting them!" she protested. "The ringwoodite charm mayeth be damaged, or under evil influence, or, or...!"

Dorothy simply lifted her eyebrow, a strangely flat look appearing on her face.

"Girl..."

The woman pointed her oversized sleeve at the crystal.

"--- That is a piece of blue quartz. And in no way a talisman. I can tell it with a glance."

In that moment, Tris...

With a look of dawning horror on her face...

Let go of the crystal...

... And it rolled off the bed, hitting the floor with enough force that the crack in it widened further.

Meanwhile, Cathie Walker, still staying by the wall as if hiding there, turned her gaze away. The scene before her was clearly a bit too painful for her to watch, and while she hadn't exactly gotten along with Tris, judging by those tiny hands having been clenched into fists, she wasn't enjoying seeing her in such a state either.

As for Liana, she had been given the go-ahead and access to the contents of the mysteries of the kitchen, and judging by the sounds coming from the clinic, it would seem that tea and snacks was sorely needed right about now. So while waiting for the kettle to boil, the black-haired girl decided to use the surprisingly old-fashioned phone in the living room to give a call to the country club. She reached the reception soon enough, and after explaining who she was after, the bored-sounding lady manning the desk connected her to his room.

Thus, about a minute or so after starting the call, Liana finally heard a familiar voice.

".... Gh."

And he began with an annoyed grunt.

"... What is it Lia?" Hawthorn muttered, sounding rather groggy over the line. "I was sleeping, y'know. I mean, that's what we usually do during the day. And here I thought you got the hint."

--- Definitely not a morning person, then.

---

John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory – Common Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

The common area, draped in the rain and the lack of proper sunlight streaming through the windows, felt like rather different place than usual. Indeed, it was almost as if the general atmosphere of the school, and especially those affected by memories of a week that didn't exist, had caught up to the uninitiated as well. As John stepped into the room, he could feel that even through his own monochrome world.

In the room the TV was on, showing this or that rerun of a black-and-white movie where two state troopers entered a diner, eyeing the crowd suspiciously. The only ones two really pay any sort of attention to it were the two girls who had claimed the sofa for their own. Aleen King, slowly chewing on her fingernails out of what seemed to be boredom, had practically melted against the soft surface of the sofa. Ubon, of course, was being her usual self. She was sitting on the sofa upside-down, her cyan hair sweeping the carpet as she laid there, looking both bored and troubled by something. Occasionally John could hear her let out a listless raspberry, making the girl sound like a horse stuck in their stable.

The other two in the room were, as expected, Caleb and Inacio. The usual duo had taken the armchairs near the back wall of the room, and were in the middle of some conversation. Inacio was slowly plucking his guitar, making quiet sounds that filtered into the beating of the rain against the windows, creating a bit more somber air than was perhaps necessary. However, as if to counter-act that, the duo was actually chuckling a bit as they talked - not the rip-roaring kind of laughter, but a more quiet one that was both dry but genuinely amused.

"... My dad shot her, it was weird..." Inacio continued the story, and Caleb let out a chuckling snort.

Then, in the middle of that story, the two boys noticed John there, standing in the doorway.

"Oh, John? You here to be bored as well?" Inacio asked with a hint of a smile, gesturing the boy to enter. "Well, there's plenty of room. Sit wherever you like."

Caleb and Aleen greeted John with quiet "Hi"s and nods, while the lethargic Ubon let out another horsey-sound, accompanied by a listless wave from the floor.

Well, this certainly was quite the situation - and quite the difference to last Friday.

---

Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High - Campus Grounds
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Well, finally."

The greeting that welcomed Alexstrasza was an annoyed one, spoken by the thug-like boy wearing a raincoat and leaning against the school gates. Travis Gagnon had apparently been waiting for a while, judging by the grumpy look on his face... though he didn't seem that miffed about himself. If anything, the reason for his ire regarding the wait seemed to be the young girl (also wearing a raincoat, though this one far too large for her) who was accompanying him. Judging by Stephanie's expression, the girl was a little bit cold, having stood around in the rain for a while now - and she had huddled a bit closer to the boy for some warmth.

Which was most likely the reason Travis's cheeks were a bit flushed right now.

"Took your sweet-ass time," the boy grunted. "Never took you the type to get dolled up. Or wait... did you take the whole 'date' thing seriously? We're going to work, not to goof off. Besides this rain'll wash any powder of your face anyways, you dumbo."

Through her connection, the blonde girl could feel her shadow (literally in this case, as Potemkin had returned there to rest) laugh.

[Ah, cold on the outside but warm on the inside, ahaha~!] The creature cackled. [I wonder if there's some modern term for a personality like that~?]

Travis, on the other hand, continued scowling.

"Well, anyways, ready to head out?" He asked. "We'll be heading out, though what with this rain and having to babysit the brat, I guess we can't be in town for too long. Might as well take the chance to get something to eat. Still, bottom line is..."

He flashed a crooked grin.

"We'll be hunting wabbits. Lanky, Canadian, stick-up-their-ass wabbits."

---

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Sakura's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Something that can imitate or possess others, aiming to sow chaos and discord..."

Sakura muttered those words as if tasting them, as if thinking them, and nodded quietly. She paused long enough to pour herself some more of the barley tea and then offered a refill for Hisa as well, before returning to the subject. The steam rising from the two cups rose towards the ceiling, painting over the rainy scenery outside and making the atmosphere in the room feel quite pleasant despite the subject matter.

Eventually, the brunette nodded.

"Yes... in that case, it'd be paramount to develop some sort of secret mark. Or a specific code word we can insert in our conversations, just to test if the other person is who they say they are," she agreed. "Something inconspicuous enough, such as always greeting the other with a trendy two-finger salute, maybe a 'yahallo~'... no, forget that last part. That just makes me wanna retch."

Sakura pretended to gag and flashed a grin towards Hisa.

"In any case, thanks. That information is vital if we're meaning to work together going forward. And indeed... I do hope we can. Things got a little tense at the cafeteria tonight, but honestly... I don't think there are bad kids at Pinefall. Some are misguided, yes, some are rude and vulgar, definitely, some are traumatized enough that they can't connect to the people around them... but I can't say anyone would be evil. I've seen actual evil in my work, and it's not something found here. Or at the very least, I can't see it in anyone in our class... and yes, that includes Souma Nubatama."

Sakura chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"I don't think that guy's half as spooky and creepy as he sets himself up to be," she added, letting out a little snort.

However, right afterwards... Sakura's expression softened and grew a bit warm as she looked at Hisa.

"That being said... your other advice is also good. This doesn't feel like something we can solve on our own, and thus the fact that others are seeing the importance of allies as well feels... well, it feels good. It's honestly been quite a while since I've had allies I can trust with me," Sakura said, a suppressed shadow passing by her eyes for just a moment. "For quite a few years now, I've been protecting milady alone so having people I can trust in here... well, I can't say I dislike it. If anything, it feels like a tremendous relief."

Sakura ended her little confession by taking a sip of her tea. Afterwards she looked back at Hisa, this time seeming a little curious.

"Oh, and yes. Back in the day, the Hidden Christians codified their traditions in a way to mask their true beliefs from authorities and, indeed, from the people around them. Secrecy was the key, and that lend itself well to what we eventually became. And as the key to survival was secrecy in case of the many clans of shinobi... I suppose you could say that there was common ground there, which eventually led to a bit of an union," Sakura explained. "That being said, I'm surprised you know of Amakusa Shiro Tokisada. Then again, I suppose your name is Japanese, though... and pardon me saying this, you don't feel like one. But yes, we carry his blood in our veins - that is, me and my clan. Eleven or so generations down, straight from the Saint himself. My clan... we base our beliefs, our training, our lives in emulating that dualist view of rising up in rebellion in order to save those around you, forsaking ourselves in the service of salvation of others... well. It's a bit of a hard concept and a long story."

Sakura let out an oddly lonely smile as she stared into her cup.

"One could say that we swear ourselves by that flag of his, of our ancestor, and worship the Most Holy Sacrament - the lineage and physical body of the Son of God. To the point of building our bodies as close to Him as possible, down to the genetic make-up," she added, before chuckling. "Silly as it sounds, it is what gives our family a purpose..."

It seemed a rather heavy topic. Or perhaps a complex one.

---

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Prushka's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

The way the door closed, it sounded like the closing of a tomb.

"... So? Talk."

After Pyry's outburst, both him and Prushka had relocated into the latter's room... though while the boy had calmed down, the intense light in his eyes had not died down. Something about this topic seemed to touch more than a sore spot for him, and for once, he was letting his negative emotions reign as freely as he usually did his positive ones. Of course this didn't mean that he was being overtly violent or dangerous, but the amount of coldness and restrained rage in him... well, it was a side of the boy that he rarely, if ever, showed.

Ironically enough, it made him more akin to Ahti than perhaps he realized.

"--- I don't have much time, so summarize. Who is he? What number? And why is he here?" Pyry asked, his narrowed eyes wary of Prushka. "If... if by some miracle one of those two is still alive, if he's either Juhani or Aapo, we're in such a serious shit you can't even begin to realize, Shrimp. Serious enough to put this whole looping time thing that's going around onto the backburner."

When he mentioned those two codenames again, when he brought them up, something flashed in the boy's eyes that Prushka hadn't noticed earlier.

... Fear?

What about those two could cause a proper terror in Pyry?

"But... but if he's a creation of some of the surviving scientist, then... well, I suppose that's better. As far as 'better' goes here. In any case, that's still strange... how the hell did they rebuild their labs in just a year? Unless they had another facility ready...?" Pyry muttered, more to himself than to Prushka. "No, that's not likely either. Ange only found that one place. She would have mentioned if she saw any others..."

With a grunt, the boy shook his head and aimed his golden eyes at Prushka, leveling her a stern stare.

"... Whatever. First, information. Talk."

---

Elaine Winters
Location - Pinefall High - Principal's Office
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Enter."

With a simple acknowledgement of the knock, Elaine was allowed access to the principal's office. As she opened the heavy-set, creaky wooden door, she laid her eyes unto the rather tidy room where it almost felt like time had stopped. Perhaps it was the old-timey furniture, perhaps it was the pictures depicting sceneries of by-gone years or the photos showing flashes of the past that were long gone, perhaps it was that smell you could only get where someone who had lived a long life lived... well, whatever the case, it was almost like slipping into another world from the school proper.

And there, on the desk, an old radio played a somber yet bittersweet tone that fit the man sitting behind said desk.

Mr. Oceandrop was going through some papers or others, and Elaine saw glimpses of what seemed to be expenses and costs, perhaps some sort of accounting papers related to the school. It was somewhat funny to see such a broad-shouldered man pouring over such reports with an intense look on his face, but at the same time it fit the principal. His strong jawline and intense eyes were those of a person who took his job, no matter what it involved, seriously. Heck, it was the end of the schoolday on Friday and he hadn't even eased his tie at least a little.

However, as Elaine stood there somewhat awkwardly, Mr. Oceandrop tapped the papers against the desk to straighten them and set them aside. Afterwards he leaned his elbows against the wooden surface, steepled his fingers and gave the blonde girl a stern look...

Look that soon melted into a smile that didn't look disappointed at all.

... This was supposed to be detention, right?

"Ah, at least one of you showed up!" Oceandrop said with a short bark of a laughter, looking positively surprised. "And here I was about to throw in the towel and just head home. Not that it would have been a better option. The only thing waiting me there would have been a tin of spaghetti and some a Friday marathon of Jeopardy. Mm, I suppose that's how you know you've gotten old. Jeopardy suddenly becomes exciting."

The man chuckled to himself, before opening one of the drawers of his large mahogany desk. What he pulled out from there was a small notepad. After marking down something to it (Elaine saw a list of names that all seemed to coincide with those who had skipped class), he set those things aside as well. With a bit of an excited grin, like a schoolboy in a grown man's body, the principal turned his attention back to the girl.

"Oh but sit, sit. No sense standing in attention there. Plus, I have some questions I wanted to ask you, Winters," Mr. Oceandrop continued. "The first and foremost, and most important for this whole detention being..."

The man held a dramatic pause and lifted his index finger up.

"... How do you like hiking?"

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi (Sakura)
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Vier's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

With a mischievous glint in its eyes, the doll raised its tiny hand to cover its mouth, muffling a chiming sound that could only be laughing.

“Ka ka ka, you’re the silly kind, aren’t you?” it said with the corners of its mouth peeking out from under its hand, suggesting a rather wide grin, “I’m not a spirit, and you can’t beat me up either. So really, don’t bother~”

The grin slowly faded as it let its hand down, and a pouting expression took its place instead. Clearly, it was as if the atmosphere Vier was trying to create just completely eluded the doll...or that it just really couldn’t find Vier’s words threatening at all. After all, as it said, it wasn’t just a familiar or some spirit possessing an object...destruction likely did not mean much to it, nor did it really need to be afraid of losing its life.

“It’s extremely rude though. I’m certainly going to tell her about this, she really should have just sent someone else, dealing with brutes is not for me.”

As if trying to start its assault again, the doll started dangling its legs again, but immediately realized that it was already missing its primary weapons. So instead, it started staring intensely at its own feet...until, moments later, it gave up, likely coming to the conclusion that it wasn’t worth the effort.

“Miss Tough Soldier, can you finally put me down? I came to deliver a message from us. Her. Hisa.”

[Frantic Author]

Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High - Campus Grounds
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Well, finally."

Travis, as per the tradition that we had established, greeted me with his traditional pretend anger. I smiled at him, giving him a V sign and a wink, before nodding to Elaine's delicious companion.

"Took your sweet-ass time," the boy grunted. "Never took you the type to get dolled up. Or wait... did you take the whole 'date' thing seriously? We're going to work, not to goof off. Besides this rain'll wash any powder of your face anyways, you dumbo."

"Dolled up...?" I said, looking at him with wide eyes, before glancing over what I was wearing. It was fairly normal, apart from the parka I had put on to protect myself from the rain. "This... This is just what I normally wear though? And how would powder on my face help? Wouldn't I just have hives?"

Who put powder on their face in the first place? Did he mean gunpowder, instead!? Was he planning to blow me up?! W-wow... Maybe I should be more timely... These 'ordinary people' of Pinefall can be a little dangerous.

[Warm on the inside...? Don't be ridiculous. His body temperature would have dropped far lower due to the cold, Potemkin. Wait, personality? Do personalities even have terms like that?! M-maybe I need to study more...]

"Well, anyways, ready to head out? We'll be heading out, though what with this rain and having to babysit the brat, I guess we can't be in town for too long. Might as well take the chance to get something to eat. Still, bottom line is..."

"We'll be hunting wabbits. Lanky, Canadian, stick-up-their-ass wabbits."

"Rabbits? From Canada!? What a devilish kind of endeavor! I can see why you needed help, Travis," I said, smiling as I closed my eyes, nodding. Naturally, that was understandable. This was, in a phrase, 'chasing a manticore through the mountains'. It was more of a pretense for two people to go out into the world, then an actual objective. "But I am not so certain I know of any Canadian rabbits. In fact, I'm not even certain there are rabbits around this area at all..."

I paused, thinking.

"Perhaps my dear cousin could help! She does, after all, have quite the nose. For adventure, that is."

I winked again. Then I raised my hand like a gun, pointing it at Travis. Biting my lip, I cocked back my thumb, and a whispered 'bang' exited my lips as I shot the invisible bullet. Totally excellent. I was well on my way to normalcy already!