Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Ayakashi]

--- Vivienne Bianchi Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT) Location: Road to Owl's Nest Phase: Morning Phase Weather: Overcast ---

Vivienne's head turned around slightly as the sound of the chasing hounds could be heard in the distance, and eventually, their rabid breath as they closed in the distance. An oh, how they closed the distance quickly. Even though Vivienne was extremely fast by normal standards, these wolves were moving at nearly twice her speed.

"Beasts huh... Ayane, turn around. No matter where you go, you will not be able to escape them."

The mask seemed to have a plan, or perhaps that Vivienne had a plan too. The fear was still here, present, urging her to run, but it was clear that she would not be able to outrun these hounds. Her hands were still shaking, her body was not entirely her own, yet the mask's attempt at steering Vivienne were more effective now -- she would at least listen to it. Being a fair bit more distant from the source of her fears, as well as not having direct line of sight to it must have been of a great help here...

"... lead them to some other place. We are in their home territory here, some where more open would be ideal. The man-made path, for once, is excellent! Come girl, stop trembling and move!"

Tilting to one side, Vivienne changed her path towards the road that lead up to Owl's Nest. To the chasers, it may seem like she was just panicking, or perhaps desperate and trying to find a place where she could run on foot, without being impeded by foliage and obstacles... but was this really her plan?

------


Turns Left on [妖] : 2
Current Buffs: STR and AGI up one Rank, Movement Doubled. Increased Proficiency in ??? and ??? to Rank B.

[Verg Avesta]

Prushka vs Lobo (Round 4, Turn 7)
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Third Floor
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

It was a complete turn-around.

Through the howling winds came the form of a tiny warrior, ready to mow down the monster in front of her.

Her body had become an engine that channeled forth the power brewing deep within her, accelerating to the poin that the air itself around her was vaporized into a steaming mist of iridescent colours. Flakes of power, like glittering mirror shards floating in the air, burst forward of her back as the supernatural energy within Prushka took on a physical form. The power within was simply too much for her body to contain properly and thus, to jettison the excess amount of pure energy, it created this cloud, these wings of resplendent shape - crowning the small soldier that barreled forward, her fist aiming straight and true towards Lobo's face---!

"That master of yours should have taught you 'run away', Hound of Currumpaw!"

Lobo's face twisted in surprise and fear as Prushka's hand, clenched into a fist, shot straight at him, far faster than he could have expected. Even if the beast-in-green would have wanted to avoid, he couldn't have. This counter-attack was too well executed. He had been lured into showing off with his power, he had been put into a situation where he thought he had the upper hand in every department. He had been the overwhelming force against the opponent that he hadn't considered a real threat, unlike the one who had escaped.

And now he was about to pay the price.

Now he was about to feel the fury of the girl he had hurt again and again.

Now he was about to eat the fist, covered in mystic colours and aura, with his face---!

It was an attack that made the world around it change shape simply by existing, becoming a tell-tale sign of just how much power was in that tiny fist.

An attack to turn the tables on the Lord of the Wild Hunt, to escape this nightmare that she had been trapped in since yesterday!

An attack to break free from the death that had been promised by the King of Currumpaw the moment they had met!

An attack to simply punch Lobo into his grinning, arrogant face and show just what a mistake he had made!

In other words...

------------------------------------- A counter-attack to survive, even in the face of the end, and triumph!

But.

Unfortunately.

A triumph has a way of turning...

... Into a tragedy.

Her attack flew straigh and true, and even Prushka knew she would make the hit. However, before she even realized what was going on, the argent spear sung and was lifted. The hands of the experienced monster twirled it around and caught the attack meant for him, meant for his face, with the long handle of the weapon. There was a loud clang and a shattering of sparks as they exploded in the air like a showcase of fireworks. The energies that Prushka had gathered evaporated in an instant, having been driven into the legendary weapon of eons instead of the man himself.

What Prushka saw was no longer pure fear or surprise.

It was, in a sense, disappointment.

Lobo - The King of Currumpaw...

For him, the hunt had come to an end, despite the mistakes of both the prey and the predator.

"Never trust your all to an attack that can fail," Lobo quietly degreed, his voice now cold and final. "You are asking for the world to cut your wings and send you plummeting to the earth."

Those ice cold eyes of the wild bore a hole through Prushka with their stare.

"To escape is a chance to live and fight another day, on your own terms," he continued, twisting the spear and lifting it above his head, tip aimed down. "Shame can be shouldered. Death is final. You won't get another chance."

The white-hot spear sang in murderous joy.

The man who held it did not.

This was simply his duty, for a reason unknown to all but him.

"That is the final lesson you will learn."

And so...

The argent spear came crashing down.



It was not a weapon meant for these days of men.

It was an instrument of death from ages long past.

Thousand years it had existed, as a form of defense against the would-be invaders from afar.

Some could call it a nation's soul.

Some could call it a knight's truth.

The essence of a true paladin, a true crusader.

But what is a knight, a paladin, but a murderer who has taken meaningless vows?

And if it is in accordance to those vows, he can take any life that is set before him, even if it were that of a young, small girl who was simply struggling desperately to live despite the hell she had been trapped in without her knowing?

It was a filthy truth, but it could not be avoided.

The weapon certainly did not care.

It had killed thousands during its legend, from the dawn of its myth to this very day.

But the man masquerading as a beast...

Or perhaps a beast masquerading as a man...

... He felt disgusted.

As the legenday spear, an eon old, pierced the chest of a girl only known as Prushka, he watched with no emotion as the white-hot glow turned to red and crimson fountain of blood painted the walls of the corridor. He shed no tear as he tore through skin, flesh, bone and heart with a single thrust of the instrument of death in his hands. It was light - not in weight but in essence - and thus it had become something of a ray of sun and flames that pierced its prey all too easily.

All, all too easily.

And it was drawn out, in a vermillion veil...

... All too easily.

---

[Miss! Hit chance on Lobo: 20% + 20% = 40% (Parry): Rolled 37!]

[Hit! Prushka: 14 - 2 = 12 Arc-Relic (Light) Damage (PHYS Defense)!]
[Prushka: -6 HP!]
[Prushka: Entering Desperation Turns...]

---

New Ability Witnessed!

[Flourish & Parry]
Cost: 30 AP
Sometimes it is not enough to be able to dodge. Sometimes you also need to be able to parry attacks, deflect them aside with your own weapon or limbs. Exchanging attacks like that leaves much less room for actually punishing the opponent, but at least you are keeping yourself safer. When you take this Perk, you can sacrifice one or more of your attacks on the Turn after your enemy has attacked you. For each attack you sacrifice, the enemy's attack has +20% greater chance of missing. If the enemy makes multiple attacks, you can divide the parry chance (in segments of 10%) to each of them. However, you cannot parry attacks of an enemy who has STR two Ranks higher than yours.

New Equipment Witnessed

???
Rank: A
Attack Damage: 8 + 6 (14)
Element: Light/Plasma?
Relic Charges: 1
An argent spear that must be nearly 1000 years old. This is a weapon Lobo - The King of Currumpaw, uses in his main had and his main weapon for attack. A twin of flames and light when compared to its brother, the twin of fear and light. However, something seems to be off about the make and handle of the spear, as if it has been modified a long, long time ago...

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Third Floor
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast
HP: -6/16

"..."

Blood. Blood pours from every orifice of the girl's body. If before, she'd been close to death, then now she has careened over the edge.

She is dead. It will merely take her a few moments longer to realize it.

That last-ditch effort had been, in the end, a dream. An attempt that might have succeeded, but had always, from the start, been destined for despair.

"......."

Prushka opens her mouth, as if to say something, but she cannot. Her last words have been denied to her. Her chest is in ruins, so all she can do is bleed.

There is still strength in her body. Enough for one last defiant attempt. She could try again. She could... but, what is the point? Is there a point?

...

Yes, she supposes. There still is. Even if she can't live for it, she can at least die for it.

The last of her life gathers in the other hand, glowing this time a pure, pale white, and...

[Verg Avesta]

Prushka vs Lobo (Round 5, Turn 9)
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Third Floor
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

What was it, in the end?

Was is the look in the eyes of the girl, whose life was fading away fast?

Was it the pure light that had been gathered in her palm that now struggled forward?

Was it the arrogance of the beast in man's form, seeing his opponent already defeated?

No, perhaps it was something else...

For the look in the eyes of the King of Currumpaw was... truly tried.

That was why, even when Prushka reached out to him with her last strength, he didn't lift his spear to parry the attack. Wonder if he even could have? Such sentimentality should have been above a knight such as him, one who was almost as drenched in blood as the weapon he carried. He should have simply followed up his own attack and ended his prey right then and there. Yet, even so, even if that would have been the most obvious route to take, even if that could have been his worst mistake in the fight so far...

--------- Prushka's shaking fist, veiled in light, collided with his chest.

Something, somewhere, shattered.

Lobo - The King of Currumpaw, stared at the fist that had collided with him, slowly but surely, with his eyes widened in surprise.

Slowly he lifted his own hands, staring at his wrist like something had been slowly happening within his body.

Invisible metal creaked and broke.

Binding words of glass were fragmented and scattered to the wind.

The leash around one's neck was removed.

That was why...

That was why, at the end of this battle, a truly bitter smile rose to the face of the knight.

Like he had been cursing someone out of gratitude.

And who would he curse?

Well...

The dying girl at his feet, of course.

"... Goddammit."

Lobo muttered, the tip of his bloodstained spear lowering as his shoulders sagged.

"Playing the good guy till the very end, aren't you... Little Lady...?"

Thus spoke a knight removed of his shackles.

Thus spoke a beast removed of his leash.

Thus spoke a monster removed of his bindings.

A man... whose promise from a long time ago was lifted by the hand of his dying enemy.

"... How unfair."

He laughed with tears in his eyes.

"Winning even when you're dead... isn't that cheating?"

But.

There was no answer to him...

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“Calm down, okay? That message definitely wasn’t meant for us. Probably something back from when it was just a normal school. I know it’s still scary, especially with the things that happened in the morning, but we aren’t going to die. No one else is going to die, okay?”

Hearing a calm voice, a comforting voice - even if a bit unsure - call out to her, Aleen turned around. Her head moved slowly, like she had to force herself to move with every ounce of her being... even if it was to simply turn to look at Hisa behind her. The cone of the flashlight turned with her and, soon enough, both Hisa and Gradient were bathed in its harsh glow. Illuminated by it, they both saw just how deeply finding something like this, during a day like this, had affected the bluehead...

There were streaks of tears running down her face, and she was shaking.

Not shivering, properly shaking.

Like it took all of her willpower to not have her legs collapse from underneath her.

"R-r-really...?" Aleen asked, her voice a sobbing whisper. "C-can... can you really... say that? After today? Cesarina's... C-C-Cesarina's gone, and so is that other girl, and n-n-now Colt is gone too...! Everybody... Everybody is disappearing! The forest w-will swallow them up and then we'll all disappear! O-one by one, little by little, our t-t-time runs out and then we'll all be dead!"

Those words spoken by Aleen herself were the last straw and she collapsed, falling to her knees onto the ground. At the same time, she buried her face in her hands, her sobs audible and clear in the empty second floor. The large, bulky flashlight dropped to the ground and bounced with a loud noise, the cone of light jumping from one corner to another... until it came to a halt and ended up illumating Aleen herself... and the ominous message behind her.

"--- It's the man. The Disembodied M-man...!" Aleen hysterically cried, rocking back and forth. "He'll take us all, j-just like with dad! The yew tree... h-he'll nail us to a yew tree after... a-after killing all of us! This isn't the first time! I bet... I bet this place is cursed! This school, this town, these woods, everything is cursed! Just... just look at the message! T-the past students... I bet they went through this too! One d-day they just all started dying, their eyes were filled with hate, and, and, aa... aa... aaaaahhhhhh!"

... Those were the wails of someone overcome with fear and gripped by the dread of death.

Somebody who had never wanted to experience something like this.

And as if in an instinctive response to such pitiful wails...

"---------"

Gradient suddenly pressed forward and hurried over to Aleen, catching the collapsed girl in a big hug and pulling her into her arms. And Aleen, unable to control herself, cried like a child and buried her face into Gradient's chest.

Meanwhile, the mysterious girl...

... Stared at the message on the wall with a melancholic face of reminiscence and remembrance on her face.

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Third Floor
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast
HP: -6/16

Yes, there is no answer.

The girl who finally managed to reach the King of Currumpaw has already closed her eyes.

She slumps against the chest of the man who killed her, and the corners of her mouth lift up into a small smile.

She had known. Prushka had realized, at some point, the truth. That the man standing before her was nothing more than a victim, a hero bound to a role that was not his. That his feelings and actions were not in harmony, and that his true self had been trying to protect her the entire time. And, seeing that 'leash' upon him, her pity had morphed into empathy.

For she, too, knew the pain of having a leash around your neck.

Prushka wraps her arms around the warmth in front of her.

The world is cold and awful, so she is glad. Glad that, at the very end, she wasn't alone in that cold and awful world.

She can no longer hear Lobo's words, but she can hear them. They are playfully laughing, calling her to catch up with them. She had always been a slowpoke, but they'd waited for her, every time.

Prushka reaches out, and...

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Pool
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Lucille sighed, like her patience had suddenly been immensely shortened. Of all the things Mercedes could accuse her of, this struck a nerve of some sort, and she wasn’t even sure why. Still, her nature, ever honest, aimed to correct this misunderstanding instantly.

“I’m not into younger guys… We just have a business agreement, and when it comes to business that man has remarkable integrity, and I applaud him for that,” Lucille dryly explained, as if she were reciting something terribly trite and uneventful. “It’s nothing more than that.”

Lucille grimaced, thinking about the literal price she paid and the tragic emptiness of her wallet, but decided that was a matter she could think about later.

“It’s fine if we continue looking, I just think we should be careful, that’s all,” Lucille said after a pause, mulling on the matter. “Even if we are in a pair, wandering around a dark building like this seems like we’re asking for trouble.”

Lucille glanced around, eyes wary. Places like these… She hated them. Very, very much. It wasn’t like her for her mind to wander, but every shadow seemed to remind her of something else.

“It’s just something I know from experience… That’s all. Just tell me where to go, and I’ll be the vanguard,” Lucille finally said, straightening herself. Her words were tinged with a cautious tone and it was as if Mercedes’ previous ribbing had never happened. The girl looked deathly serious, the only hint of her nervousness the way she slightly bit her lip.

[Verg Avesta]

Prushka
Location: The End
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Catching up to them, in the end, hadn't been that hard.

After all, they were all here, waiting for you.

Every single one of them.

Here in the deep forests of Road's End Washington, in its creeks and on its mountains... there was enough space to play somewhere different each and every day.

Running free of this awful world.

Of the awful people in it.

And the awful feelings that bubbled to the surface.

The clear blue sky was just waiting for you.

And stepping into that sunlight was oh so very easy.

So... you did.

You waved a goodbye to where you had been, and stepped forward.

Into that bright, bright light.

And though for a moment you wondered where he was... ah, perhaps, that wasn't important anymore.

Because if he wasn't here... he must have been out there.

...

And wasn't that good enough?

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“Aleen…”

Seeing the girl drive herself into even greater despair, I became sure that simple words here wouldn’t help, not my words, my baseless reassurance, not when she seemed to be aware of something from the past that I was not, something that seemed to be related to...this.

But, first things first, I wanted to make sure that we were at least somewhat safe there. Walking over to the flashlight on the ground, I grabbed it, and took a quick look with it towards both corridors, scanning them thoroughly with the beam of light to make sure that no one - or nothing - was sneaking up on us. Then, while keeping the flashlight aimed towards the corridor where we came from earlier, I walked over to Aleen, who was now sobbing into Gradient’s chest, and…

Putting my free hand on her shoulder, I did something that I could very well regret, but I saw no other option that was quite as effective.

“There, calm down…” I murmured as I focused on the girl’s mind, trying to soothe its pain with actions, rather than words.

At the same time, I noticed Gradient staring at the message on the wall - but rather than expressing confusion, curiosity or fear, it was more like...remembrance, as if it wasn’t the first time she saw it, as if the message meant more to her…

If only her brain wasn’t so different…

Kneeling down next to the duo while keeping an eye on the corridors, I waited for Aleen to regain her composure.

“Aleen...You need to tell me more. What’s this about your dad? The disembodied man? If you know something...It’s the best time to talk about it, so that we can prevent any more of these tragedies from happening, you know?”

Ability (partial) reveal!

Indomitable Will
Rank : C
Cost : 9 OP
Element : Sanguine

Surging the production of certain chemicals that are generally associated with "good" feelings in the target's body through their brain, a temporary peace of mind can be achieved, while also increasing the mental capabilities. For the duration, the target cannot be affected by emotion-related status effects, and---[Further details unknown]

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Pinefall High - Campus Grounds
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Worthless.

This situation was beyond saving.

Iburi clearly already considered herself judge, jury, and executioner and Gagnon, for his part, was far too willing to naturally play along with the girl’s judgmental nature. Wolff didn’t help things either, clearly content to simply go along with that Japanese nitwit's half-assed accusations. Whether it was simple opportunism or the girl actually believed Iburi to be capable of rational judgment, Anna couldn’t tell, but either way, it only served to escalate the tension in the air. Perhaps she was simply satisfying some type of hidden bloodlust? Add to this, the only people capable of defusing the situation were leaving.

Anna herself was hardly in a position to do anything, either. She wasn’t particularly close to anyone in front of the dorms, with most of them being exceptionally casual acquaintances from her perspective. There was no way her word would carry any gravitas meaningful enough to matter. Perhaps coming back was the wrong decision, but…

...there was no way she couldn’t do it either.

"... Then round them up. We need truth, not possible plans of action. I am willing to wait... to a certain point. Use that time well."

Anna’s felt her jaw tighten as her teeth ground against each other in an almost unconscious reflex. When she spoke a moment later, her voice was cold to the point of freezing, devoid of any compassion towards the small Japanese girl.

“You will wait as long as it takes to find out the truth, verekoer. And not just whatever nonsense you manage self-delude yourself into believing, but the real truth. Or are you so crazed by your mad desire for blood that any will do for you at this point?”

“You either care about justice or its simply a meaningless excuse.” An ember of deep rage, mixed with a hint of contempt, flickered across Anna’s eyes. “Make up your mind already on whether you want to be a rabid mutt or not.”

Having said her part, Anna turned her back towards the people in front of the Dorm and started to walk towards the wooden door leading into the building proper. She would have liked to speak to Ramia, but the dusky-skinned girl was nowhere to be found. At the very least she could talk to Caleb and Gabi, before...

...before, Anna Vandemeel would prepare.

There were too many strands around. Too much death, for it to be pure chance. She had seen enough of it to feel it in her bones at least. The quiet before the storm. The silent tension before a light that sparks a wildfire. The time for investigation had already passed. Something was coming. Who or what it was, she had no idea, but...

She would deal with it the only way she knew how. The song of her soul only carried one shade, after all.

“I’ll be inside. If you need me for anything, you can come and get me.”

[Verg Avesta]

Elaine Winters, Elise Pelltier, John Dove, Anna Vandemeel & Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High - Campus Grounds
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcastt

“Your alibi has been noted. If the other person doesn’t have the same alibi, then I’m sure you already know the potential consequences.”

Instead of a proper answer, Travis simply rolled his eyes and made a wanking motion, clearly having had enough of Vier's attitude just as much as others had had enough of his.

“I would also appreciate if you could keep an eye on the kid while I’m gone, just see if she’s good. I’ll spot you some sitter money, if it helps.”

The thug-like boy snorted, folding his arms across his chest in a rebellious manner.

"Psh. I don't need your stinkin' money," he answered. "Just make sure you actually come back in time. Can't watch the pipsqueak if these two whackjobs ice me the moment the witnesses leave. But... sure. The brat''s the type to get into boatloads of trouble alone, so might as well keep an eye on her."

"Elaine's right. What we need is trust. As long as we stick together, our collective chances go up, and we'll have a better chance of figuring out what the heck is going on."

While the brunette of the group said that, it was quite clear that finding trust was easier said than done. Subaru was eyeing everyone with those freezing embers of heres, clearly preparing for something... but what that something was, nobody knew. It was hard to say how far she'd be willing to go. Everyone else had spread out to other parts of the campus, partially due to need, but at the same time most likely to get distance to those they found suspicious. Small groups were forming here and there in the school, each one glaring at each other in suspicion.

And at the very least one student acknowledged it.

"Yeah, good luck with that, Chipmunk..." Travis grunted quietly Elise. "Nobody here's trusting anyone. Not one one fucking minute."

As if to make his point, the boy nodded towards where Anna Vandemeel and Subaru Iburi had suddenly confronted each other, and---

“You will wait as long as it takes to find out the truth, verekoer. And not just whatever nonsense you manage self-delude yourself into believing, but the real truth. Or are you so crazed by your mad desire for blood that any will do for you at this point? You either care about justice or its simply a meaningless excuse. Make up your mind already on whether you want to be a rabid mutt or not.”

A freezing, creeping quiet fell over the two as Anna's words were left echoing in the air. Subaru didn't answer immediately. Instead her glare bored through Anna's head, to the point that most who would have seen the scene would have expected it to come to blows. Such was the tension that rattled and hissed between the two girls, crackling like exploding sparks in the air around them.

But, instead of a blow-out...

"... I see. Quite the talk for someone who arrives to the situation without knowing anything, late and under the most suspicion," Subaru replied. "It is easy, is it not? To try to shift the blame from yourself by accusing the first person you can. As long as you act angry and righteous, nobody should see how suspicious you are yourself... right?"

A cold smile, a smile that was almost subduedly smug, spread to Subaru's face as her empty eyes stared at Anna.

"Thank you for confirming what type of person you are, Anna Vandemeel."

And thus... with that odd, perhaps a bit chilling remark the situation dispersed.

Anna Vandemeel headed towards the dormitory after saying her goodbye, whereas Subaru Iburi stayed next to Cesarina's covered corpse, kneeling down besides her dog while staring deeply in his eyes... like she was searching for something. John Dove and Elaine Winters headed towards the car of the latter, said vehicle waiting at the parking lot of the school. Travis Gagnon, on the other hand, looked at the situation for the moment... and started making his way towards the dormitory - though keeping his distance from Anna. Perhaps Subaru's words hade made him think a bit.

Where Vier and Elise would go, though, well that was for them to decide.

But somehow it felt like this morning was not yet over...

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - 2nd Floor
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“Aleen...You need to tell me more. What’s this about your dad? The disembodied man? If you know something...It’s the best time to talk about it, so that we can prevent any more of these tragedies from happening, you know?”

If anyone else had been there to witness it, it would have seemed very strange. At one point Aleen was sobbing to the point of being hysterical with fear, but then, after a simple encouragement from Hisa and almost invisible flicker of something around the scarred girl... the bluehead had calmed down. An empty, dazed look flashed in her eyes for a second or two, her breathing calmed down... and a sigh escaped her lips. Aleen, clearly confused, looked around herself a bit, before her eyes caught hold of Gradient and Hisa, focusing on the two of them.

"I, err... H-Hisa? Sorry, I was... feeling super overwhelmed there. Just... I couldn't think straight there. B-but, I... I think I'm alright now. T-thanks... you know, for helping out?" Aleen stammered, trying to gather her bearings after sudden change in her emotional state, with a slightly embarrassed smile even creeping to her lips. "I... I dunno how you did it, but I betcha did something, right? So, uh... Thanks!"

Before Hisa could realize what the bluehead was about to do, Aleen suddenly reached forward and caught the girl in a big hug, squeezing her hard and strong as if looking for a bit of additional courage from her, along with trying to properly express her gratitude. Then, just as the sudden hug was about to get awkward, Aleen let go and retreated a bit, that same embarrassed smile on her face.

"Ehehe..."

Gradient, who had been staring at this exchange after tearing her eyes off the message, beamed a smile at the two girls - especially towards Hisa... Almost like she had been proud of her friend.

--- Perhaps the situation had really been changed for the better by Hisa taking a risk of sorts.

"A-anyway, what was that? Tell about Disembodied Man? Err, honestly... I dunno that much," Aleen finally started as she rose up from the floor. "He's a local boogeyman who kidnaps people, especially outsiders and either makes them disappear for forever... or nails them to a yew tree as a warning. A-and you saw what the tree outside was where Cesarina had been... um, you know."

An awkward, melancholic expression passed by Aleen's face.

"No, more than that, this whole thing... it just, I dunno, 'feels' like something out of a horror story. And out here, if something like this happens, it's gotta be the Disembodied Man..." Aleen continued. "... It always is. A man veiled in shadows, a man of pure darkness, standing at the edge of the woods in a fancy suit, watching the town... and his next victims."

Aleen's red eyes were directed towards Hisa, and though her mental state was now much more calm, part of that fear and natural dread that should have existed felt like they seeped through her stare.

"It's these woods Hisa. The Ghostwood... it's gotta be cursed," she concluded. "... And the name of the curse is the Disembodied Man."

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Pool
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“I’m not into younger guys… We just have a business agreement, and when it comes to business that man has remarkable integrity, and I applaud him for that. It’s nothing more than that.”

Mercedes clicked her tongue in disappointment upon hearing that.

"Whaaat, like, that's lame," she commented. "And here I was hoping for, like, properly juicy gossip..."

“It’s fine if we continue looking, I just think we should be careful, that’s all. Even if we are in a pair, wandering around a dark building like this seems like we’re asking for trouble. It’s just something I know from experience… That’s all. Just tell me where to go, and I’ll be the vanguard.”

For a moment, the starlet stared at her friend. It was a look of someone trying to see how serious the other party was being... and with Mercedes clearly realizing that the blonde had meant is as no joke, she finally relented. With a heavy sigh and a shrug, Mercedes gestured Lucille to take the lead as the two of them walked through the door and back into the hallway. From there they took the route back towards the entrance, with the actress allowing her friend to walk in the front.

"Alright, fine. Like, I think we should at least check that basement door Hwan mentioned," Mercedes said as they walked. "I mean, gawd... it's a locked door. On a day like this, with something like this having just happened here, that can't be a coincidence. Locked doors on crime scenes are just, like, asking to be broken into..."

And with that the two of them made they way back to the entrance, where they could take the second corridor. That would have eventually lead into the gymnasium and the training gym, with the sauna that connected to the latter and the shower rooms. Other than those three locations, there was just one more place of interest... and that was the basement floor where the boiler room was. The stairs down there were situated at the halfway-point of that second corridor, so it didn't take the two girls long to reach them, even in the dimly lit hallways illuminated by Mercedes's flashlight.

Now the beam of light bounced up and down on the staircase as Mercedes and Lucille descended down towards the basement.

"Though, Lucy, I gotta say..." Mercedes suddenly piped up, that same impish grin on her face. "... You got no sense of romance, do you? Like, girl... 'remarkable integrity'? Most'd say that they find the guy pretty cool. Or what, did you have, like, someone else that caught your eye? Maybe someone older?"

That grin increased in magnitude...!

"... You did smell slightly of cheap cologne when you came back to campus yesterday..."

Perhaps luckily, the moment Mercedes said that, the two had reached the metal door that lead into the basement... the supposedly locked door even Hwan couldn't open.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

The sudden hug Aleen pulled me into felt nice and warm - especially today, with all that’s been going on, but at the same time, I knew that it wasn’t really something I deserved. I didn’t go out of my way trying to cheer her up with my words or actions, I just chose the easy way, and even that wasn’t entirely just to cheer her up, but to be able to get moving, and to make her more open towards me. For something like that, I certainly deserve no praise, gratitude or hugs.

I suppose I’ll just have to put more effort into it next time.

Returning the smile, I listened to the girl’s explanation, something that once again hinted that she is possibly hiding something. The mention of the same thing happening to her dad, and now saying that it always is the Disembodied Man…

The forest will swallow them up and we’ll all disappear…

He’ll take us all, just like with dad…

The Disembodied Man…

Carrie’s story from yesterday came to mind, and all the cases concerning the Disembodied Man that she mentioned. One specific case, to be exact...One that, in my mind, just seemed to click perfectly.

Even if there must have been a whole bunch of other, not quite as important cases related.

Even if I wasn’t sure that she was actually local, and if that was all to her dad’s story…

“Is your dad Elias McLampet? Which would make you the girl in blue...” I blurted out without properly thinking things through, “Ah, sorry…”

If my assumption was true…

Then I was probably poking at a very touchy subject.

“I just remembered some stories I heard yesterday, then the things you said now, and it just kinda seemed to make sense, but I realized that I’m being quite inconsiderate here…”

But I couldn’t quite say that it didn’t matter or that I didn’t want to know, that would have been a lie, considering how curious this all made me, and how it finally looked like that I might have been able to connect some of the dots…

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast
[BGM]

“I just remembered some stories I heard yesterday, then the things you said now, and it just kinda seemed to make sense, but I realized that I’m being quite inconsiderate here…”

Aleen snorted out in both surprise and amusement, though it was mixed in with the last remnants of her sadness. Thus it came quite the multi-faceted sound, one that even caught Gradient's attention. While the bluehead recovered, Hisa's other companion peeked around the corner into the end of this wing in the second-floor. Her curious eyes peered into the empty corridor and its locked doors, but she didn't wander too far away, always keeping herself within arm-and-a-half's reach from Hisa.

But as for Aleen...

"G-Girl in Blue? What's that supposed to be? Honestly, that sounds like a ghost story..." Aleen chuckled, smile floating to her lips. "Then again, we do have so many scary stories around here, it kinda fits..."

Heaving a little sigh and shaking her head, Aleen took a moment to catch her breath and lean against the dusty wall. She folded her arms across her chest and locked her red eyes into Hisa, peering at the scarred girl in a manner whch made it clear she was trying to judge her reactions. The Aleen that Hisa had seen in the class and in the dorms was quite spastic, prone to mood swings, little bit sarcastic and definitely acted before she thought. But now... for the first time, perhaps, she looked a bit serious.

"Mmm... well, I can say I'm from here. Road's End, I mean. That's obvious, isn't it?" Aleen answered, chuckling a bit sardonically. "I'm... not exactly good at hiding stuff. And my dad was taken by the forest, by the Disembodied Man. One day he just... disappeared into the Ghostwoods, and was never seen again. So it just left me and my mom. It wasn't... exactly healthy for me to be here, so I moved out. Tried to clear my head. Didn't work. I was... hah, I was passed from one school to another. Ended up in juvie after I assaulted this one girl back in my first high school when she mouthed off about me not having proper family. Sooo, they kinda branded me as a psycho and off I went, into Oceandrop Program... just to end up back here. Ironic, right? At least I thought so..."

Suddenly, Aleen averted her eyes. Instead of Hisa, she stared at the shadows of the building, the growing darkness in the corners and the dust that lined everything. The broken windows, the broken doors, the broken furniture... remnants of a school life that must have existed here long ago, before the arrival of Oceandrop Program and the first class. School life, if the graffiti was anything to go by had ended quite tragically...

"... A-anyways, that's it. Me being the daughter of that McLampet heir...? Does it... really matter?" Aleen asked, her expression somewhat bitter. "I'm just somebody. Whether or not I'm the child of someone shouldn't really matter at this point. I mean, I might have gotten my calm back on thanks to you, Hisa, but I can still feel it..."

Shuddering, Aleen glanced at the menacing graffiti.

"... Today's the end, I think."

[Verg Avesta]

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Road to Owl's Nest Hotel
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast
[BGM]

The wind whistled and howled in Vivienne's ears as her spectral wings beat the air, leaving fluttering, jet-black feathers in their wake. Her speed picked up and with a single dash, she covered the remaining distance between her and the asphalt road that snaked down the mountain path back to the town of Road's End. The forest gave away to a man-made path of harsh gray, unkempt and cracked here and there. As Vivienne's wings struck the winds once more to halt her progress, the overflow of air shot out in a shockwave that rattled the treetops near her. She was in position, right where she had wanted to be, and her pursues...

------ Were almost there.

The hurried howls and hungry growls came ever closer as the three hunting wolves, green as the forest itself and with a demonic glow in their eyes, dashed through the forest so roughly that they sent undergrowth and smaller stones careening off their path. The way they crashed through everything that they came across, it was more like watching three sentient battering rams, or perhaps automaton boars, make their way after the girl in the sky. They would not stop easily, especially not with their speed, and Vivienne had already realized that outrunning them would be nigh impossible.

So the only option that was left was...

"RrrrrrrrRRRRRrrr----!"

That familiar demonic growl, now echoing from three sources, assaulted the airspace as the hunting wolves burst to the road, each and every one of them staring up at Vivienne who still hung high up in the sky. Their yellow eyes were full of determination, almost obsession, with bringing her down and acidic drool dripped from their mouths, eating away at the asphalt below them. Claws and paws came to a screeching halt, drawing sparks form the hard surface as the beasts came to a stop. Their necks strained, the three of them looked up above... and suddenly moved again. One dashed to the other side of Vivienne on the ground, while another ran to the right. Soon enough they were in almost triangular formation down below, each one keeping a hefty 10 meters to the other two in distance.

Clearly these weren't just mindless beasts.

They were able to use tactics like these, to make sure to encircle their prey while keeping a relatively good distance so they wouldn't be caught in attacks with wide areas of effect all at once. Perhaps it was Lobo's training, perhaps it was their own keen intellect, but whatever it was, these opponents weren't just some mutts that could be taken lightly.

As always in a battle, one had to be ready to pit their all if they wanted to remain alive.

Still...

For some reason... it was a bit hard to concentrate on the wolves right now.

After all, Vivienne's sixth sense seemed to scream about an approaching danger, some sort of odd, foreboding aura that becan to grow closer and closer, like something was approaching at high speeds from a distance. It was the same sort of sense as when Prushka had used her ability to instill fear into the girl, but this time, it felt more primeval, more primordial, like something hard-coded into her genetics itself. Just like a human naturally dreads a spider, or fire, or a fall from a great height. It was that sort of instinctive sense of approaching "danger" that now nagged deep within Vivienne's mind.

And now that she looked, searched for a moment, wasn't that...

... Wait.

From the south, where the Ghostwood forest met the slopes of the more mountaineous area around the town... what was that that odd rumbling? Why were flocks of birds rising to the air, as if in a great hurry? And why... were trees falling one after another in a straight line?

--- Like something was crashing right throught them on its way here?

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

I observed Aleen quietly as she talked, and as she eventually finished her explanation, a sigh escaped my lips.

“First of all,” I started, “It might not matter to you or me, or a lot of other people, but at the very least, the townspeople don’t think the same way.”

After fidgeting around in my bag for a bit, I pulled out a slightly cramped note - the one that Carrie wrote yesterday - and showed it to the girl.

“That’s what people seem to think about you. Along with this apparently being a taboo topic in the town...I know at least one other source who inquired about it, and the townspeople started stalking him whenever and wherever he went as a result.”

Pausing for a moment, I folded the piece of paper again, and put it back into my bag.

Even if I managed to connect some of the dots, it felt like I was in the complete unknown once again.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t just immediately believe anything I hear, but at the same time, people don’t just make up something like this for the fun of it, even if they over exaggerate things, there has to be a basis to it.”

What exactly, I didn’t know. I was sure that it wasn’t just the woods, but the town and its inhabitants were weird as well, but…I didn’t care much about that for now. For the moment, my mind was occupied with another thought, one that’s been within there since the other girl finished talking, and now it finally surfaced.

“And...Today’s the end?” I chuckled, “No...I’ve already given up on my life once, I was so close to be gone from this miserable world, but I was saved, I was shown that even among all the struggling there is happiness to be found. And I learned that I must cling to this pitiful life I have with everything I have, because I want to experience more of this happiness...But once you are gone, it’s all gone, there are no second chances.”

My heart filled with new-found fire and determination, I stared straight into Aleen’s eyes;

“And you are part of my world now, so I’m not about to let you give up so easily, and even if it’s meant to be the end today, we got to try our best to get through it.”

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

“And you are part of my world now, so I’m not about to let you give up so easily, and even if it’s meant to be the end today, we got to try our best to get through it.”

Aleen blinked in surprise at that declaration. Indeed, she had looked rather caught-off-guard by the whole small speech that Hisa had given about clinging to life, about not giving up... but not in a bad way. Now the bluehead stared at the scarred girl, trying to process what she had just heard in its whole. One could practically see the gears grinding in her head as Aleen digested this all... and when she finally did, a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, one visible even in the dark of the second floor.

With a huff, Aleen turned her gaze away again, folding her arms and mouth like she was almost pouting.

"W-what the hell... in classroom you always looked such a sourpuss and meanie, yet now you're spouting inspirational stuff 'bout not giving up and friendship..." Aleen muttered, clearly embarrassed how she had been surprised in this way... though her expression changed into a slight mischievous grin, a chuckle even escaping her lips as she glanced at Hisa. "You're s-such a weirdo, you know that right? But... eh... I don't mind weirdos like you. Fine. Let's try our best then."

Then, out of nowhere, Aleen slapped her own cheeks as hard as she could.

And that was hard enough to have the sound echo across the whole empty second floor, making poor Gradient nearly jump out of her skin... and making Aleen herself moan in pain afterwards, clearly regretting the whole thing.

"O-o-owowowowowow! Aw, jeez! That hurt, dammit! Come on, Aleen! That was stupid, stupid, stupid!" she admonished herself. "Ah... gah... that didn't work the way I wanted it at all! Feh, whatever, I'm fired up now! Time to try our best!"

Throwing her fist up in the air, Aleen turned back to Hisa and Gradient and gave them a big grin. Gradient, upon seeing this expression, returned it with her own beaming smile. Perhaps some sense of hope had been driven back into these girls thanks to Hisa's words, her actions having turned this moment of hopelessness truly around.

"A-anyways, I dunno why that whole deal with the 'Girl in Blue' would be a taboo 'round here. Swear it, I actually have a zero idea," Aleen continued, putting her hands to her hips. "I mean, the townsfolk have these super old traditions and whatever, and they're pretty gung-ho 'bout them too, so I guess they could do something weird... but they're all good people. They wouldn't just stalk someone that way. Dunno what's been going on with this whole deal, but... it ain't sounding the Road's End I know."

Having said that, Aleen then glanced back at the corridor that went towards the intersection of the second floor.

"... And, I mean, we have bigger problems right now," she continued. "See, I started thinking: if that unknown girl fell down the stairs after she was shot, that would've meant she was already at mid-way landing at least. Perhaps even at the topmost one, when she was shot. And for anyone to be there, well, they'd have to have some reason, right?"

The bluehead vaguely gestured around the second floor... and Gradient mimicked her, apparently finding it funny for some reason to ape the wild flailing of the other girl.

"And that got me thinking 'bout another thing. That girl was here at Pinefall for a reason, right?" Aleen continued. "Would make sense for them to have been here longer than just today, right? So, where would you hide if you wanted to be here, but not be seen by faculty or students...?"

Leaving the question hanging in the air, Aleen cocked her eyebrow at Hisa and gestured again at the empty corridors.

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High - Campus Grounds
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

"Oh, doing for free? How gentlemanly of you."

An mischievous glint shone for a moment in her eyes, through the stress.

"Looking after a young girl out of the goodness of your own heart, you should be careful someone doesn't take advantage of a good guy like you."

But then Anna started in, and for all that she agreed with the sentiment, it probably wasn't the most optimal to go in on a possibly-homicidal girl on a witch hunt.

She'd be lying if it didn't feel good though, she thought to herself as she watched the foreign girl move towards the dormitory.

Elaine scratched at her cheek, "Hope she's going to be alright. Seems like a good sort, hothead or no."

She paused for a moment, shifting her weight, half-turned, eyes going to Subaru's kneeling form.

"Miss Iburi," She said quietly, "I apologize for snapping at you, and I understand that this situation is decidedly not great for the whole trusting other people thing, but..."

She turned more fully, "We're all on edge as is, and you've no reason to trust me, but my only request is..."

Elaine licked her lips, anxious.

She remembered a girl, screaming in pain, she remembered a girl crying for help.

She remembered a girl betrayed and alone.

Why can't you just accept it, El?

She smiled, bitterly.

"Please look after yourself, alright? I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

Then she turned away, marching off to the parking lot, jangling her keys.

"Alright, John-boy, let's fire up the beast and go find someone to annoy."

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 11.09.1994 (SUN)
Weather: Overcast

Seeing the girl’s reaction made me feel better as well - or, at least, help me to temporarily suppress all the other concerning thoughts.

They really weren’t important for now, anyways.

“Mm...would have been hell of an unlucky day for them if this was their first time here,” I nodded, “Thought, there is a bit of an issue with that…”

Remembering the way here, even if the corridors were dark, everything about them looked untouched - the dust on the floors and the walls, not to mention the classrooms being locked.

“There weren’t any footprints anywhere other than yours. If we eliminate possibilities like the person making sure that the place looked deserted every time, or somehow being able to levitate...Then it’s quite possible that they never came up those stairs and through these corridors.”

Still doesn’t explain why the doors were open though…

“Could still imagine them climbing up a rope or something into one of the classrooms. Would make some sense, since with the storm last night, it would have been a bit difficult to enter like that, meaning that it could have been the first time they chose to use the stairs.”

I scratched my head while staring into the emptiness of the corridor;

“Why she got shot though...Eh, not even a wild guess. Should just check the rest of the place for now anyways, I suppose.” I said as I handed the flashlight back to Aleen, and made my way towards the corridor towards the end of the wing.