Location: Pinefall High Dormitory – John Dove’s Bedroom (Room 106)
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain
John Dove opens his eyes after a very short rest.
Naturally, his first thoughts are of moonlight, so beautiful it sears the soul.
Focus, John Dove.
Brutally unforgiving to himself, the boy commands his mind to get to work, rather than immense himself in the amniotic comfort of Her memory. As if to get back at him for the callous demand, his mind goes through the events of the previous night in a torrent of images, sounds and emotional blows.
Ubon.
Liana Skye.
Vampire.
Moonlight, now dim, but nonetheless beautiful.
The US Air Force.
Unnatural wings in the night.
The cold wind on his face.
Vertigo.
Mages and Mystics.
Elizaveta Vyraj.
The girl with an eyepatch, laughing in the woods.
Inacio Ilusão.
Agent John Ferguson.
Hiroto Hatou.
Dyschronometria—
As inexpressive as ever, John pulls himself out of the bed. Life goes on, after all. His eyes rest on the slip of paper in front of his door, but he follows his own schedule and leaves it there until after a short and very cold shower.
He needs to think about his actions and decisions the previous night. The question lingers in his mind: what would have happened if Ubon had not been there?
However, that is not the right thing to ponder. It is the fact that his decision-making was majorly influenced by Ubon’s presence. He restrained himself because she was there, because he had to be mindful of her well-being.
Because he prioritized her safety over his own objectives.
Standing under the showerhead, John mulls over that simple, yet nonetheless strange-sounding idea. It should not be so strange, right? He chose life, after all. He would not do something that would endanger another person unnecessarily.
However, it is strange. It feels strange. Because She was involved.
“What am I…supposed to become…?”
A “normal” human. A complicated, self-contradicting, inefficient creature, that more often than not makes suboptimal choices based on emotional impulse—
That was the right choice. You made the right choice.
“But…I do not feel any different.”
Making a single un-John-Dove-like choice does not make John Dove a different person. His soul is still full of moonlight, and his heart still bursts with devotion and gratitude towards the numinous vision of that night.
That…will probably never change. He does not want it to change.
Who would wish to let go of feelings so pure, strong, and beautiful? Even more so, who would wish to let go of the only authentic feelings they have?
It is Friday. In the previous iteration, he woke up with his mouth tasting like seagull. He is also supposed to do his exercise routine today—last time he went to the pool—, but that does not seem a likely possibility this morning. This he confirms while still undressed, when he grabs the piece of paper and reads its brief contents.
John holds back a sigh. He wishes he had more to show, but…well, he should be used to things not going his way by now. The campus entrance, though? A more…private location would be preferable, for a number of reasons.
If the basic sequence of events remains unchanged from the last iteration, then Cesarina Feroce is no longer in this campus. According to that time’s Subaru Iburi, Cesarina should be in the hospital, and Alexstrasza should be aware of this. A part of him wants to go there and verify that this is indeed the case, but in the current circumstances, that might not be the most prudent thing to do. Besides, he cannot renege on his words—that would not be proper. This is his chance to settle a matter of life and death, so he has to take it. Furthermore, this might be the chance to verify that other thing…
Looking at his usual clothes, though…those could use a visit to the laundry.
New clothes do not a new man make. Especially when it’s all greyscale.
Naturally, he does not forget that valuable, dangerous object. Raising it to eye level, John finds himself chucking mildly, for it appears something has indeed changed, after all.
He no longer feels any attachment towards this thing.
However, he will hold on to it for a while longer. Not because he wants to keep it, but…
Feeling somewhat refreshed (but still in need of sustenance), John Dove leaves the room, closing the door and locking it behind him. His destination is the campus entrance—
—he pauses, key still inside the lock, his face pursed into a sudden frown.
“…wait, something wasn't quite right just now?”
Originally Posted by Liana
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