Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Daneel Rush]

Location: Pinefall High Main Building – Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“…do you think we have enough time to “solve” all these problems, though? Remember, we are on a clock of sorts.”

A perfectly valid argument, an expected from this person.

“I only propose what may be within the limits of my ability. I do not need to remind you that I am not as…martial-minded as you, Vandemeel. If you believe the better course of actiony you can take is to prepare for encroaching conflict, then I can only trust your judgement. On the other hand…”

With that said, if Vandemeel is willing to go along with his proposal, as most of the others seem to be, then where would she be more useful? Well, that is not for him to say, is it?

“…I do not know if going straight to the Mitchells is the best of ideas, precisely because we are working mostly on conjecture. It would be difficult to start a line of interrogation from our limited information. I would personally investigate the lighthouse and the statue-slash-overlook first, and decide from there. I do agree you may be better suited to pursue the murderer, Vandemeel.”

Elaine Winters joins in in the attempt to organize our knowledge, ideas, and feasible courses of action. Truly, nothing beats the reliability of just taking notes. Such simple wisdom is commendable. However, she flares a bit upon his reveal of the Ramshack vampire.

“An' how exactly do you know that, ah?”

“It…is the conclusion Elise Marie and I agreed upon based on what we learned from Alexstrasza, who was the one who told us Elizaveta is…I mean, was a vampire.”

In fact, it was Potemkin, but that is an unnecessary detail at the moment.

“The…sloppiness of the Ramshack murder, we attributed to a combination of superlative hunger and desperation from either being pursued or having escaped from the hospital or another facility.”

John Dove has nothing to comment on the apparent development of a relationship between Elaine and Kean Loinnir. It is merely cause to update his mental records. While he has yet to partake of the feelings, he is well aware of the emotional benefits ordinary humans gain from a romantic relationship, so good for them.

Zhou Coastrise and Hwan Bin have their own things to say.

“Inacio…it is true that, like Caleb, he keeps to himself, and it is unclearly how exactly he qualified for the Pinefall project. By this point, it seems safe to assume that everybody had a personal reason to join this school and come here.”

Naturally, this includes the people around this table.

John makes a mental note of the name “Nora Norumbega,” but…

“Our best bet right now is to split up into three teams at least, and then gather up as many of the class as we can to compare notes.”

“No,” he quickly rejects. “Three teams, tops. Otherwise we’ll spread too thin. While learning as much as possible is the plan, the safety of each and every single one of you is paramount.”

This, of course, leads to the obvious question: what team should John join? For this question, the boy has no answer. It needs not be said, but he does not possess any superlative talent or skill that renders him indispensable.

“As a completely ordinary person, I find myself equally…”

—worthless—

“…unqualified for any of our lines of action, so I will just go wherever to balance the numbers. Or I can just stay here, if you think I would get in the way.”

Abruptly, the scene moves in a new direction, courtesy of some unexpected third party inside the building. Naturally, John knows nothing of Offices or Ottomans—what does that fallen empire have to do with anything?—, so he has to construct an assessment based solely on what he hears.

“Vandemeel made it sound like some sort of rule-enforcing agent,” he points out as he watches her and Ramia’s departing backs. “In which case I cannot help but wonder how a law enforcer of the Turnside identifies him or herself as such. Police officers have badges and IDs, but I assume the existence of supernatural powers opens further avenues for deception and fraud.”

Seriously, John himself might be able to pass for a mystic with some preparation, at least until events cornered him into a position where he has no other choice but to cast a spell. So, what stops anybody from just claiming to belong to this ‘Office of Censorship and Detainment’?

“Regardless, we cannot afford to reduce our numbers even before getting started. We’re not going anywhere else until Vandemeel is done with this…issue of hers.”

Elaine then adds an additional element to an already bloated mix: the Kincaid family. With even more Odin references to boot.

“So now even Gram has shown up…if anything, this confirms that finding this stage’s Odin is of major relevance. Then again, this ‘Odin’ might not be a single person, place, or thing. We might be looking both for ‘Odin’ and for its eye. But I do agree we have reason to pursue these Kincaids. Thank you for the input, Elaine. I was not aware of this additional element in the weave of this town.”

Realizing that, at some point, he did finish his modest breakfast, John elegantly wipes off the corners of his mouth.

“Now, having to wait for Vandemeel and Ramalsaqr while they deal with their own matters is no reason to do nothing but sit and wait,” he declares. “Aside from Alexstrasza and Souma who I met earlier, how many of our classmates are still in the school grounds? By this point, I am already reticent to leaving people alone to wander on their own.”

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Anna looked at the scene playing out in front of her with a raised eyebrow. Was this guy truly a member of the Ottomans? Judging by the rumors floating around the Office of Censorship and Detainment, she was more expecting a hardened veteran, rather what seemed more akin to a mild-mannered pencil pusher. Maybe someone more in line with Hallstein – gruff and imposing, a hardened veteran. Not someone seemingly plucked from behind one of the endless desks of the Office of Administration.

Well, one should hardly judge a book by its cover… but still.

"However, as for other things... well, first of all - yes. There's no... hm, 'difference' in time between outside and inside as far as I know of. Naturally, it's hard to say, since this is where things get complicated. After all, it took a couple of days to travel here from Europe, and I certainly wasn't prepared for... this."

“If there is no temporal gap then the system is not completely severed from the outside world at least… Though you are correct. Once we are inside here, gauging accurately how much time has passed would be impossible. We could repeat this week a thousand times and play out the scenario here for years, for all we know. Then again, there needs to be some coherency with the outside system, otherwise, there would be no way to insert your outcome back into the timeline… ”

Fundamentally, the students of Pinefall were an integral part of this system that had been set up in Road’s End. If there was an actual route of escape, there was a possibility that the temporal paradox of this town would collapse in on itself should the key “gears” in it be removed from the system.

“Do you think we could take these tunnels that you used to get here outside?”

"It's best to expect I'm no longer a 'trustworthy' when it comes to measuring time, especially if there's a difference between outside or inside - after all, I've been captured by this phenomena as well. This... 'shifting through timelines' as you put it. Though, shifting for what, that is the question... what sort of gold is the one responsible for this after? And what sort of ploy do they have in place in the first place if they want to 'establish' a new truth for this chronological black box? It would have to be an Observer of unprecedented scale, capable of seeing everything and anything within the radius, almost omnipresent in a way..."

As those last words left Nikolai’s mouth, a memory flashed past Anna’s eyes. One of a couple of mornings ago and of an unpleasant middle-aged man, met at an ostentatious overblown country club.

Spoiler:

"As for my job, while I do partake in planning of satellites and their usage, I'm afraid it's not to gaze at the stars, yes. It is, in fact, the polar opposite - gazing at our own world from above, yes.”

“…not necessarily. This is a closed system. The scale of any Observer only needs to be sufficient enough to override the local perception here, not the overall Laws of Mankind. As I said, my suspicion is that the “other part” of the Turnside has their fingers in this. The capacity of an Observer is fundamentally partially determined by the number members in the “species” in question.”

“While populations from our side would fundamentally fall outside the logic of the World… this doesn’t necessarily apply to the more scientific parts of the Turnside. Things like the Naukograd tin cans…” A brief look of distaste flashed over Anna’s face for a moment. “..already exist, so maybe there is an artificial observer that could be constructed? A singular, one-of-a-kind, machine intelligence?”

“As for the capacity for physical observation… Do you remember Спутник and Космос? The ones all over Soviet stamps back home? There are US officials in town whose role is related to the usage of satellites. In particular, the usage of satellites in order to gaze at our world from above.“

“You get what I’m angling at, Ottoman?”

"It was a minor scandal during the time - some saying it was even akin to treason or betrayal, and the man's face and name was scrubbed from many official texts. After all, he had been contacted by agents of a certain masonic organization belonging to this country. They hired him as an... expert of sorts. For what, we don't know, but this job required extensive magical knowledge and research-mindedness, so perhaps they had found something in here that they did not have the personnel and resources to study. And by 'they' I speak of Nathan F. Twining of the United States Air Force."

…what? That was utterly ridiculous! Why here? An Estonian mage hired to the US after World War 2? Not to mention, something like this would fundamentally undermine the entire reason why she was here! Coincidences of this scale simply did not “happen”. Someone up the chain of command, the Crones, the Desk of Gray, someone must have known this and had their own reasons for sending her here. After all, it..!

"The person who they contacted and hired was... Kaspar Vandemeel,"

"Your grandfather, from what I understand."

The sudden onset of a forced memory, a vision, hit her mind with the force as if someone had dropped a ton of bricks on her head. She had no choice in the matter. The smell of pines and pipe tobacco. The half-tarred boat and the man who stood right next to it, his hands stained with a deep red that was oh so familiar to her. The blank, cloudy, skies gazed down at the empty beach, even as the gray-tipped waves rolled lazily towards the coastfrom the seas beyond.
The scent of the sea wafted over her, an undercurrent of sulfur and seaweed, mixed with brisk air.

He turned and….

"■■ ■■■■■ ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■■, Väike Kaaren."

And suddenly she was smashed out of her trance, almost as if someone had booted her back to reality. The sea faded and was replaced with a completely ordinary US school hallway. The nostalgia, however, faded far more slowly than the vision in front of her eyes.

Wha…What the fuck was that?! A repressed memory? Ridiculous. Why this one in particular and not… some of the others? God knows, I…. No. Purposeful? Did I hide it myself? Why? An outside vision of some sort? A purposeful injection of false memories? By who? Who the fuck could sculpt something that accu…

I…

It was at this moment when Anna caught a glimpse of Ramia's gaze on her, worry clear in her eyes.

Enough.

A deep breath brought a measure of calm which allowed her to tighten the frantic emotions running rampant in her chest. Like a chain, her will wrapped around the sudden disruption to her mental state and ruthlessly suppressed it. She would deal with figuring out exactly what the hell had just happened later and in a more balanced environment. The shock was still too raw at the moment. She would not be able to figure out anything meaningful at the moment.

Having calmed down, Anna gave Ramia a small placating wave.

“No worries, Indy. I’m good. I just had a… vision or something.”

For once, it seemed, the witch in red didn’t seem to have a satisfying answer. Not for her, nor anyone else. Turning away from Ramia, she addressed Nikolai once more.

“Do you have any idea what… my grandfather,” For some reason, those words were rather difficult for her to utter. “…was specifically doing in this place? Which “certain” Masonic organization are we talking about here?“

[Frantic Author]

Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Hmm, hmm. I listen to Anna and nod at the appropriate times with closed eyes, smiling smugly.

Potemkin, please save me. I really don't understand anything that's going on at all! It seems like there's a lot of conspiracies going on here that I absolutely don't want to get involved in! Why is everyone in this town in some kind of secret organization!? And why do so many people know each other already?! Isn't it a bit strange that a backwater in the middle of nowhere has a bunch of routine visitors who are conveniently related to half of the incoming student body!? That's pretty weird, isn't it?!

This entire situation looks like a total mess. I really don't think that I should necessarily get involved in it, right? It would be best to serenely make my exit, right? Perhaps say something vague and ominous, like 'is it not the world's will to will what the world wills,' and then walk into the distance! That's what my teacher always did, and it totally worked on me every time!

"Is leaving Road's End possible in the first place?" I asked, with curious wide eyes and a lazy smile. "If time twirls backwards on its axis, do you wake up on the road, or do you wake up in a bed? To leave is to exit a spell so remarkably complex, it might as well be an act of God."

I tapped the side of my cheek, frowning as I paused to think. Really, would it be so terribly unkind of the spellcaster to remark to me at least once how exactly they built this contraption?

"Ah, but before the stargazer was murdered by the man without a face, the stars they gaze upon had become filled with errors, errors that they were noting down. A spellcaster incompetent enough to leave such an obvious mistake in their arcana is likely a tad inexperienced. Devilishly clever, and ludicrously powerful, but inexperienced. If you can weave reality backwards, why not weave a glamour over the sky? The difference in prana cannot be so much at such an absurd scale."

I clapped politely, nodding.

"Clearly, the answer is obvious! You shall join forces, and track down the originator of the spell, and kill them in a suitably violent way that is befitting of Ottomans and angry witches! This fulfills all the basic requirements of everyone involved."

Am I not impressive, Potemkin? Matriarch? Are you not in awe of my mastery of the arts of diplomacy?

"Now, I must away! To... to... um... the... light...house? I have many tasks that I must be doing at an increasingly speedy pace! Pay no mind to the spider on my head, nor to the curious things I may have said! After all, is it not better to laugh heartily at the mad then to peer a little too closely at their intentions?"

I nodded smugly, giving an elegant curtsy to the Ottoman, assured of my successful deception. Clearly, this is no heretical vampire standing before you, Ser Ottoman. I am but a simple student of Scholomance, clearly impaired beyond reason to be of any aid to you in your task. I turned to Anna, making sure my eyes avoided her own.

"It was truly a delight to be of service to you, Miss Anna! May your enemies fall before your feet and terror, and howl with fury as you rip them in half!"

And now, to make a smooth exit.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Old Train Yard - Warehouse 2
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Listening to Kagekiyo's explanation made me raise my eyebrows at first, only for it to slowly turn into a frown instead at the rather dark premise that he drew up. Then, as I let out a deep sigh, I leaned against the wall of the bunker and closed my eyes to rest and contemplate for a moment. It was easier to sort out my thoughts if I freed up all the attention that I had to pay to the outside world, after all, but at the same time...There was a lot to process here, a lot to dig much deeper into, and a lot of unstable conclusions to reach due to the lack of knowledge regarding what factors exactly contributed to such a thing. It took a moment to stop all those thoughts from racing around, to establish a sentence of order, and even then, I could feel my eyes moving around slowly behind my eyelids, blindly tracking the form of Higanbana and the back of the letter that she was reading as I wondered about its contents over and over again.

I'll know soon enough anyways.

Until then, I can just think loudly, and see how those thoughts fare from different perspectives.

"You make changing how the world works almost too easy," I spoke up, finally, with my eyes still closed, "It's not like injecting venom into a vein, where the blood circulation does the job, and there are hardly any variants that need to be considered as it spreads unconditionally, affecting everything it reaches, and most of your worries is the 'how fast'. The relation between information and one's mind is quite different from that, and there are so many factors that can completely alter how things end up..."

I opened my eyes, still resting them on the back of the letter, before I shifted my attention back to the others present.

"For example, how extensive the content of such information is. How much of our world it affects, and how essential to one's being it is. No one would believe that the Earth is flat, even if you fabricated a reasonable theory. But if you claimed the same about any other planet, the average person likely wouldn't care enough to doubt you. Of course, that's simplifying things, but...you get the point. The emotions, and experiences of people also just add up to this, which perfectly shows in how people of age are usually a lot more stubborn. They have most of their views cemented in, so they are much less flexible, and can hardly adapt to the constantly changing world. Point is, they can't really just spread whatever information they want, because rather than establishing a belief, they would likely just turn people against themselves. Otherwise, if it was that easy, our world would already be quite different by now."

If our world would still exist in the first place, if it happened to operate like that.

"They'd also need sufficient channels of communication. To get their message past the language barriers, and the multitude of different cultures all over the world. Enough influence for them to be allowed to spread that information across the globe in the first place, which...I seriously doubt that they have. The world is a bit too big for a small, shady pharmaceutical company, even if they were to have ties with a certain branch of the american government. I mean, even just a select few people, the most influential leaders of the world agreeing on a singular belief already sounds like a weak attempt of a joke. Let alone the billions of people that make up the world's population, really."

I smiled faintly at the absurdity of such a thing, and spread my arms to my side for a small shrug before crossing them in front of my chest again.

"Of course, it would be more plausible on a smaller scale, under certain circumstances. Just think of Germany before the second world war, and how Hitler went from someone that barely anyone listened to, to the leader of a country in desperate times over the premise of a way out of that slump. Millions would follow him without much of a question into his extreme ideals. A lot blinded by his leadership and charisma, ones who would normally have the common sense to see the wrongs of their way. Of course, propaganda also helped a lot with that, and telling people what they want to hear...But the point is, at the time, they firmly believed in their leader's vision, almost as if for Germany and its people that was the way the world should have been, and was."

Turning my head slightly, my eyes wandered onto the back of the letter again, only for me to notice that Higanbana wasn't reading now, but rather, was staring at me with sort of an admonishing expression. Or, at least, that's what I could read into it thanks to our bond, since in reality, it was near impossible to see her eyes through the mask, let alone her expression. Regardless, the realization that I was getting carried away once more hit me as I let out an awkward cough before continuing.

"Anyways, my point is..."

But before I could finish the thought, it was my doll instead that coughed, with the implication of the gesture being rather obvious as it kept its gaze on me. Closing my eyes again, I extended my arm as she did hers, interlocking them as we held onto each other. The connection that we'd otherwise have I severed earlier out of safety, so this was our best way of talking to each other in private.

Her first words, and the emotions she conveyed were, however, far from what I expected. There was no worry or despair, or even really a hint of anger. Yet the unnerving calmth and stillness of her voice as it rang clear in my mind, free from the almost bizarre distortion of her mask made it feel strained, and strangely tired. As she recited the letter, or at least the more important parts of it, I could feel my brows furrow as a mixture of emotions surfaced violently in my heart, like how the tranquility of a lake would suddenly be disturbed by the momentary eruption of a geyser lying deep in it.

["You know it can't be right. You've debated this a long ago. Most 'abnormals' likely come face to face with this assumption sooner than later in their lives."]

The doll was already way ahead of me, however. Being part of me, yet more constrained in the emotions it could exhibit, it reached a semblance of reason much faster, and despite the stress, it soldiered through to trying to find logic and elucidation in the madness of such a theory.

["What would be the point of existence of such complex and convoluted lies? How could far fetched, barely fitting explanations of hallucinations answer all the intricate workings of the supernatural? How could we exist, not just within you, but in a form that everyone perceives as we are, without any clarification?"]

She was right. It was all too real in how unreal it was, in its lack to be conveniently reproduced or imitated through ordinary means. To say that it's all just a hallucination is like saying that the world as is is nonexistent, a mere product of some dream. It always provides a way around any counterargument as it is impossible to completely disaffirm, but...To go down the spiral of trying to do so feels more like a trap than anything. A descent into an existential crisis, one that would certainly drive anyone insane.

["The problem...still persists though. Be it a fabrication, it can be made reality,"] Her words resonated in my mind as I could feel her grip tighten on my wrist, ["Not on a global scale, that's just absurd. But this town..."]

If it was isolated, then it would be like its own world, with its own rules. A testing ground, or a place of experimentation, as Kagekiyo called it...But that can't be right. To utilize such a tool to strike the whole world, they would...

["Let's depart from our momentary respite. We've been here for too long...Shouldn't make the others wait."]

My eyes snapped open following her words, as our link faded, and I found myself gazing at her mask-clad face once more. It lingered there for a few moments as I took a deep breath, and then turn back to Kagekiyo and the rest of the group.

"The theory...it holds no ground. I don't think it's anything to worry about in that sense," I started, clearing my throat after as my voice felt strangely hoarse and dry, "Nor is the other assumption, no, at least not against the supernatural as a whole. Were they to try to take a stab at that, would they really experiment on that here, to let the world know, and show the effects of such a tool, instead of keeping it a secret and acting before anyone could prepare? But then, it also makes you wonder...What exactly is the point of utilizing such a theory against just a handful of supernatural beings?"

At least, in my mind, it didn't really make much sense.

"It could be that...it being a weapon against the turnside...was never the point to begin with. Perhaps...just a side effect, intended or not."

As Higanbana spoke, she gave me a questioning look, then slowly turned towards Pyry and extended her hand with the folded up letter in it.

"Read, if you'd like. Just...don't put too much thought into it. We did, to an extent. If you trust us, then...you should not worry about what it sounds like at first. Because...that's not the trurth to it."

Another look, as she fidgeted some more with the letter in her hand;

"We can...calm your mind, if needed, afterwards. If it wasn't safe, we...wouldn't burden you with the contents of it."

"Anyways," I spoke up again as she finished, and my gaze wandered back onto the group, "If it has anything to do with the being they refer to as Patient Zero, then it could be that it is a tool in their plan to capture her. A step towards something else, rather than a goal to achieve. Maybe it's so that they could set up a playground without having to worry too much about all the attention this many supernatural beings would get. Could also be that they are trying to get it be caught in the collateral damage the utilization of the theory would cause, but then...rendering it powerless sounds like wasted effort. A creature that can do nothing would do them no work, if it would even keep existing in the first place was the supernatural to be erased in the town."

Sighing, I scratched my cheek in slight frustration, not quite knowing where to put these pieces just yet.

"Former sounds more likely, but at the same time, it also feel to be a bit too little for how much effort they must have poured into it. And then there is that drug they subsequently created with this alibi, which is even more of a mystery to me. But then, perhaps trying to understand it for now is just wasted effort."

Who could tell, really? The only thing that felt to become more clear was that there was no thank at all in this whole project that was supposedly made to help us. No thank, or any intention of helping us, it felt.

[Verg Avesta]

Elaine Winters & John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Main Building – Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"Hmm..."

Hwan leaned back on his chair and started counting with his fingers.

"That rat Inacio was definitely at the dorms when I left, so he might still be there," he started, lifting one finger for each person mentioned. "Tsukioka too, I think I saw her doing laundry or some other crap - not like we don't have anything better to do. Pyry and the Queen Bitch left with Momoi earlier today, I'm pretty sure, so they're out. However, that little shit Xylia was doing something in her room - I could hear her blasting music so loud it echoed to my room. Then, uh... yeah, I think your girlfriend's still in her room too."

He looked at John as he said that.

"At least there were sounds coming from there, but what the hell that nutjob's up to is anyone's guess," Hwan added with a sneer. "So that means aside from us, there's a whopping... four people here! What a haul!"

Zhou hummed as she heard this.

"My brother's recovering here too, as is my sister~" She announced, languidly draping herself on the table. "So make that six extras in total~"

Subaru, on the other hand, was petting on her dog while clearly deep in thought. Her troubled face scrunched a little bit, and finally she looked back up, straight at Elaine and John.

"Odin... Hmm. I must admit, I know dreadfully little of the western deities, much less old and European ones. Is there some significance to Odin and his eye? Or Norse deities in general? I am quite surprised that they can be found here in the new world as well, but at the same time..." She paused for a moment, frowning. "Does this not sound like a bunch of settlers bringing their own, foreign deities with them? I cannot imagine that the local spirits and deities were too fond of that. A typical clash between beliefs, both old and new... something like that would have left a mark. And the ancestral spirits of this land would not have allowed foreign deities to invade without a fight. I... I believe that signs of something like that must be hidden in this town, if it is the truth. And indeed..."

She looked straight at Elaine.

"If this 'Gram' was hidden, would that not be one possibility? If it was the weapon of the invading beliefs, victorious ancestral spirits might have hidden it where it would not be found again," she added. "This is just a theory of course, but someone still believing in those old deities, or perhaps a descendant of their former believers, might have been guarding it - perhaps without even knowing it."

That made Kean raise an eyebrow.

"So, if your theory holds water, that guy might have tipped off Mr. Dybbuk... or someone might have noticed what they really had and tipped him off instead?" He asked, folding his arms and frowning as well. "That's... well, I'm no betting man, but if I was, I'd give that a decent enough odds. At least it sounds plausible. Naturally it could be that the invading deities were victorious too and that their lot - Kincaids most likely - held onto the Gram. Though that really begs the question..."

He finally looked at everyone gathered around the table.

"Why Odin? And why is his eye that important?"

---

Anna Vandemeel & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Scri-scri-scri-scri!

As Alexstrasza confounded everyone present by trying to make the most unglamorous exit possible, it seemed that someone had finally had enough. The wispy-white spider atop her head struck downwards, using it's eight spindly legs to grab a hold of the vampire's eyebrows... and then started pulling. Hard. Far harder than any spider had the right to. It was a physical assault of the most heinous kind, enough to make anyone recoil in shock and sharp pain that jolted throught heir facial region.

And this was followed by the creature then moving downwards and starting to swat Alextrasza all over her face, like an angry teacher schooling an especially dumb and rowdy student.

"........"

Nikolai's utter bafflement was echoed on the face of Ramia as well, who didn't seem quite sure as to how she should react. Fortunately, the Ottoman was finally able to recover and - trying his best to ignore what was happening - turned to Anna.

"I... honestly, Miss Lockhart is right. Entering the anomaly is one thing, it simply makes us part of it. But going out? I... in all honesty, I'm not sure I want to test that. There are multiple things that could happen, and being scattered across space-time seems like the most benign option. What if the world tried to stretch us into two points in time at once? That'd be like being tossed across the event horizon," the young man said and shuddered at the thought. "Or perhaps there would be multiple of 'yous' that would exist, which would go against some universal laws for sure... not to mention those two meeting is ripe for disaster. I think I've heard the minds of Eureka Laboratories warn as such."

True enough, messing with time like that was not the greatest idea. Sure enough, if they had a fixed arrival point that they could somehow secure, going back through the tunnels might be plausible, but as long as the interior of this Anomaly was in flux and not connected to the space-time of the outside... it was akin to suicide. No, worse than that. There were far worse things hidden in the crevices between realities.

"As for your grandfather... No. I'm sorry," Nikolai continued, looking genuinely pained that he clearly had touched a sore spot in Anna's history. "We know that he was called in for his expertise, which we understood to be archaeoastronomy, no? He was once a lecturer for the Department of Antiquarianism, after all. Though from what notes we could find that he left behind, he had began to read up upon the concepts of Mímisbrunnr and Ginnungagap. Which are, of course, Norse concepts. We're not sure what that means, but whatever he was hired to do was probably tied to these things..."

Expertise in archaeoastronomy? That would be an understatement if anything. From what little memories Anna had of the man, his eyes were gazing up at the stars far more often than they looked at people down on the ground. And then there was his obsession with Lake Alue. Like a fire had burned within him, a fire that he had found an echo of in that crater...

... Perhaps there was a reason these memories had all but withered away.

"Still. As for the organization, we're quite sure they were some branch of the... well. The 'main' masonic organization of this land. The one who are said to control this country from the shadows, and who we shouldn't name without a good reason to," Nikolai added, his face grim. "Even if we're trapped here, we're still breaking their laws by merely practicing magic in the New World. Not to mention---"

It seemed that at this point, Ramia had had enough. She cleared her throat quite loudly, cutting the young man off. Then she pointed her thumb at the vampire who was still being assaulted by the white spider.

"Guys, that's all well and good but..." She paused. "... Aren't we gonna do anything about that? It's starting to get a bit sad."

As if hearing that, the spider finally relented and released Alexstrasza from her doom. Looking rather smug, it hopped back on top of the vampire's head, letting her catch her breath and bearings... and while she did that, the familiar raised its rear and shot out something to the floor. No, not just something. Webbing? It was definitely webbing, but it had an oddly bluish glow, like it had been doused in ectoplasm.

No, forget that, it wasn't just webbing up the floor.

It was actually writing something there.

--- RAVEN SHOULD TALK TO TINY ESCAPEE. IN HER OWN LANGUAGE.

... What?

Just what did that mean?

... And why did the spider swat Alexstrasza again, like she should have already told Anna that?

No, wait, now it was writing more and...

--- THIS ONE NEEDS TO FOCUS. IF SHE CAN'T, THE GREEN GIRL WILL DIE.

That one seemed much clearer... though also more ominous.

And finally...

--- SHE SHOULD ALSO HOLD ON TO THE BLACK SWORD AND KNIVES. OTHERS WILL BE CORRUPTED.

Wait... what?

---

Hisa Momoi
Location: Old Train Yard - Warehouse 2
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Pyry looked at the letter in his hand. Then, his eyes gazed at Hisa, as if trying to judge and understand the emotions in her eyes, and finally they fell upon Higanbana who was standing next to him. He pondered upon the unopened letter for a moment more... before finally, a strange sort of grin, almost playful-like, spread on his face and his nodded. Then, with one hand, he flipped the letter open. His other hand reached out, and looking like it was the most natural thing in the world, ruffled Higanbana's hair. Not in a manner that was rude or condescending, but rather like a brother-in-law teasing his sister-in-law.

"Alright. You know that I'm pretty good at not putting much thought into the stuff I do, so here goes nothing," the boy joked, confidence back in his voice. "Aaaand if I happen to go coocoo bananas thanks to this letter, I'll leave it up to you guys to calm me down. I mean, wouldn't be the first time, and probably not the last time. Make it a supernatural trust fall or something, hah!"

With that, the boy focused on the contents of the letter, pouring over it with a face that told he was surprised - but not perturbed. If anything, he seemed to regard it with an almost scientific curiosity thanks to the words of Hisa and her doll from earlier, having put the contents into a new light.

Kagekiyo, on the other hand, had folded his arms and for the moment, he looked to be deep in thought. Finally, he looked at Hisa, raising an eyebrow as he did.

"You know lady, if you're right about this 'Patient Zero' or whatchamacallit, then... that's not actually a bad point? Like, don't get me wrong, I might have gotten a bit swept up in the idea of what would happen if that damn thing spread like wildfire, but you've also got a point in that introducing such a major change to the World Logic itself is absolutely insane. And definitely not something you can achieve in a closed system like this damn town," he responded, looking like his thoughts were grinding while he was speaking. "But... yeah, byproduct or not, intented or not, you've got one thing right. It definitely works as the best kind of smokescreen if there are more Turnside people in this town. An excuse to just sweept everything under the rug, and a convenient catch-all for all the weird stuff that would happen."

He grinned a little bit.

"You know that old Turnside adage, right?" He asked. "'Supernatural begets supernatural'. The more you have in one place, the more will be gathered, faster and faster. That'd be like a barricade against the unwanted side-effects of that."

Surprisingly, it was Mercedes who spoke next.

"But, like, if I read between the lines right, it can't be too powerful yeah? Like Nancy here said, if it's gonna affect what they hunt, they'd end up with a dud. So for that whole smokescreen effect, it has to only fool the locals. Which it does. Meaning... huh," she paused for a moment, blinking in surprise. "... Does that mean that, like, this Patient Zero or whatevah is hiding among the students? Since they're safe from the whole DDS crap by knowing what they know."

Judging by how she spoke, Mercedes must have more or less puzzled out the contents of the letter - most likely by picking apart what Hisa had just said. Indeed, she might not have known the mechanics of it, but she knew enough to make an educated guess about the effects of it.

Still, that was a fair enough point...

If DDS was there to fool the town, but not the Pinefall's First Class, wouldn't the safest place be among the class itself? No, that wasn't quite right. A proof of that was standing right next to Hisa herself. To-Totesh wasn't part of the class, but she knew of the Turnside just the same.

So, maybe it was the Turnside population of Road's End, then...?

"Eh, I'm not too sure. But, like, this def ties into that right? How they were all about finding this Patient Zero and capturing it, right?" The actress continued, glancing at Hisa. "And how 'Pinefall should be left alone' or whatevah that Valkyrie gal said. We've got lot of effects here, but the causes are almost all unknown..."

She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Gawd I hate it when a puzzle lacks the corner pieces."

Pyry chuckled at that. The boy had finally finished reading and he folded up the letter again, handing it to Higanbana. Then he took a moment to steady his breathing, stretched... and an almost refreshed smile appeared on his face as he turned to fully face the doll as Hisa. A smile that told them that he had in no way been shaken by what he had read. True, things might have been different if he had not been mentally prepared, but thanks tot he girl, he knew with what mindset he should have approached the information with.

"... Yeah. It's a lot to take in, but I don't think it's the doomsday scenario. Or rather, applying it like that seems practically impossible, unless you're doing it in a small scale like Road's End. Especially in these modern times, when information moves faster and is forgotten faster than ever," he finally said, nodding. "But... you're also right in that even if it was just to fool the populace into thinking we're mental patients, and thus excuse all our Turnside actions and give an alibi for them, it feels a bit... overblown. There should be easier ways to achieve that. My hunch says there's definitely more to it, only... yeah, I don't think we have enough information right now. We need more concrete answers."

Kagekiyo, upon hearing that, chuckled.

"Well, I happen to know just where to find those," he said with a smirk and a laid-back voice. "Remember? I came here searching for WUOTAN for that exact reason. To find more about what the hell Montauk is doing here - though it starts to seem like there's more players than just Montauk in game. Who even knows if this Odin-place is just their laboratory at this point."

Pyry nodded.

"That's... yeah. I'd imagine that wherever that place is, it should hold more answers to us. It's only a matter of finding it. Though, speaking of which..." He craned his neck to look at Hisa. "Shouldn't we start heading out? Hanging around here to think about all of this stuff is just asking for those Einherjar to pounce on us, I feel. Plus this guy looks like he could use a shower or two. And maybe some actual sleep."

The boy said the last part with a slightly mischievous grin, and Kagekiyo seemed to agree, as he laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. And indeed, the rest of the group looked like they were ready to head out too. Mercedes looked a bit antsy about being out in the open like this, Allene seemed to be somewhat spooked by all the revelations about the world she had gone through recently, and Gradient... well, Gradient seemed as happy as ever. Though she did steal a few worried glances to the door leading down into the tunnels.

As for To-Totesh...

"Hmm..."

She let out a thoughtful hum.

"Hisa?" The native girl asked, looking at her with troubled expression. "This WUOTAN... does it mean Odin then? As in Odin, chieftain of norse gods and all that? I think that's right but... while To-Totesh is smart, she's not too smart about myth stuff. More about tech stuff. And spirit stuff."

... There was a difference between myth stuff and spirit stuff?

[Ayakashi]

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

'That was something new', Vivienne thought to herself as Rachel lead her through places of the hotel she never had been to. Well, perhaps when it as in a 'different' state, but that hardly was the same, was it?

Vivienne understood that discretion was a necessity as Rachel motioned for her to follow, and besides, discretion as one thing she was very good at, wasn't she? Fortunately, it would seem that with Rachel's knowledge of the hotel's layout, and their silent movement, any other part of Vivienne's skillset ended up being unneeded. Well, she did make sure to mentally note where Rachel was taking her to -- remembering the location of 'secrets' for posterity would prove to be quite useful.

Yet, let us dispense with meager rationality and pragmatism, for it is boring prose...

Indeed, why not think of the excitement of the inquisitive girl being shown a 'secret' by her friend? Wandering through this sinister, castle-like building to find its very heart; where the 'Overlord' and their greatest treasures resided -- the wooden cabin with the paintings and expensive décor; the trophies of animals hunted, truly the hallmarks of vainglory! In such a place of debauchery, two daring girls venture surreptitiously, braving the danger of being found out and met with a terrible fate... for the sake of knowledge, and one could say, truth? A scene out a movie, truly, the dream of an actress... yet is it really being an actress, if rather than telling a story, you are living the story yourself, Vivienne? To think in the mind of one that wanted to follow a script and bring a story to life... is that not a mistake? Rather than bringing a story to life, are you not living it now? Writing every single word on a an empty white slate, not knowing how it ends, thinking that it has to end well as most movies do--

'▄▄█▄███▄▄'


_______

She stares at the portrait. She inherently knows that something about it isn't normal -- something about the girl isn'it right, yet Vivienne cannot put her finger on it. The only fact that she can draw out from her observation, and matching the piercing gaze of the girl upon that portrait... it is that if she knows more about that girl, perhaps some of the many layers of secrets surrounding the Mc Lampets and Halloways will be peeled off.

"Perhaps in the past, he knew her? If he is fascinated with her... hmmm, could it be this is... The Girl in Blue? Have you heard of her before?"

[Daneel Rush]

Location: Pinefall High Main Building – Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast



“I do not remember having a girlfriend,” John quickly states. Soon enough, a somewhat troubled face mars his usual stony countenance. “Did I perchance…do something inappropriate while under the effect of Mjölnir?”

He pauses, properly facing Hwan Bin.

“And how would you even know that? You were not around last night.”

In the end, it is not important or relevant to the current discussion. John quickly refocuses himself on the matters at hand.

“Odin…the One-Eyed God. It is fairly known that he relinquished one of his eyes for the privilege of drinking of the Well of Mimir, thus gaining great wisdom and intellect. The question, then, is what kind of symbology are the people behind this whole mess using in their efforts. The standard interpretation of the eye is ‘no reward without sacrifice’ or ‘the cost of greatness’. To let go of something to gain something even greater. On the other hand, the eye itself can be interpreted as a symbol of knowledge. It goes back to us humans being mostly visual creatures—it’s the same logic that created the Eye of Providence you see in the dollar bill and is so popular among the freemasons, or the Lidless Eye of Sauron, if you’re familiar with Tolkien’s work. A great eye that sees all.”

His first thought pushes him towards the lighthouse again, but John cannot rid himself of the idea that there is still a piece of information he is missing. That is why he has no choice but to move on.

“If there was really such a clash of beliefs in this region, the fact that the Kincaids persist here as one of the major families, along with the gradual disappearance of the Klallam in the area, suggest that the invaders got the upper hand. I believe there was something of a massacre of the indigenous tribe at some point in the town’s past?”

Placing his left elbow on the table, John rests his hand on his pursed lips.

“Other than pursuing the Kincaids themselves, if we are looking for living remnants of the Klallam, the only one I’m aware of is Mr. Tommy Horse, one of the local handymen. From my brief interaction with the man, he seems decent enough, albeit he appears to have strong enough reasons to drown his sorrows with alcohol on a regular basis.”

“That aside, before we split into teams and move on to do anything, I’d suggest to at least check on the people still here; maybe even convince them to join us, if possible.”

I turn towards Zhou first.

“Recovering as he may be, I can presume he would do what it takes to protect his sister. I do not think it necessary, but please emphasize that they should remain together at all times if possible.”

He then turns to Elaine and Miss Iburi.

“Sakura can probably take care of herself, but checking on her wouldn’t hurt. Hopefully Ubon has the presence of mind to flee in case of trouble, but leaving her to her devices if we can do otherwise does not seem wise to me.”

Then he turns to the two other boys present.

“Inacio should be willing to join us if we present a proper case towards the importance of staying together. If he nonetheless refuses, we should try to discover his reasons to prefer solitude in the current circumstances. Can I ask you two to pay him a visit?”

John Dove is not one to avoid work. Thus, if he cannot contribute to the major investigations, the least he can do is burden himself with the troublesome tasks other might be reluctant to face.

“Unless anybody disagrees, I will stop by Xylia Pheme’s room.”

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Ah, but before the stargazer was murdered by the man without a face, the stars they gaze upon had become filled with errors, errors that they were noting down. A spellcaster incompetent enough to leave such an obvious mistake in their arcana is likely a tad inexperienced. Devilishly clever, and ludicrously powerful, but inexperienced. If you can weave reality backwards, why not weave a glamour over the sky? The difference in prana cannot be so much at such an absurd scale

“The answer is simple, it’s not a magical array.” Anna’s voice was distant, almost as if she was only half-present in the conversation. “The scale is too large. If it was truly enveloping the entire town, the quantity of mana linked to this would be truly obscene. There is no way something like that would remain undetected.”

“It would have to be at least one of the Seven behind it. Even then… if this truly is a system with a separate Observer, then it most likely isn’t anyone associated with the Turnside.” A slightly tired sigh escaped her lips, even as she continued speaking. “Beings that exist outside the Logic of the World, like us, would never coun… well, I suppose that is not fully correct. There are some exceptions of sorts.”

A murdered stargazer? Who… aah, Gabi…

God this woman is as dense as a block of solid lead when it comes to communication.

But…stars filled with errors? Anna did remember hearing something of the sort from the effeminate blonde last week when the two of them had visited the Outlook. But if Gabi was dead then how would Lockhart know of this? Even if she was investigating her murder like Dove mentioned, there would be no way she would know this, unl…

The gears in her mind suddenly clicked into place, prompting the black-haired witch to open up a mental link with her familiar who was standing a bit further, behind the corner of the hallway.

“Sõõrik? Could you check Gabi’s room for me? See if you can find me anything related to star maps, pictures, or any of his notes.” A brief pause filled the connection. “… anything you might think is helpful, really.”

"Or perhaps there would be multiple of 'yous' that would exist, which would go against some universal laws for sure... not to mention those two meeting is ripe for disaster. I think I've heard the minds of Eureka Laboratories warn as such."

“Tch…” The ruby-eyed girl clicked her tongue in exasperation, even as her hand rose to rustle her hair in a clear gesture of irritation. “As much as I loathe to admit it, you’re probably right. The resulting backlash would be… unpleasant.”

Getting dragged to pieces of the course of eternity did not sound pleasant. Neither would being forced to spend the rest of existence in the presence of all the loonies in this class. In fact, she wasn’t quite sure which was worse.

File it under “absolute last resort”, I suppose. Maybe I can try it once I end up losing all of my marbles like Astrarium.

"We know that he was called in for his expertise, which we understood to be archaeoastronomy, no? He was once a lecturer for the Department of Antiquarianism, after all. Though from what notes we could find that he left behind, he had began to read up upon the concepts of Mímisbrunnr and Ginnungagap. Which are, of course, Norse concepts. We're not sure what that means, but whatever he was hired to do was probably tied to these things..."

“…yeah, he was. Though as teachers went he was absolute rubbish. Gran was always better in that. He was always so laser-focused on his own obsessions to ever have the time to explain anything properly.” A dry smirk with a hint of self-deprecation flashed over Anna’s features. “Though I suppose we have that much in common at least. If I had a coin for every student moaning about my courses, I’d be halfway to funding a Court.”

…Mímisbrunnr and Ginnungagap.

The Well of Wisdom that held the light of Odin and the Yawning Void from which all creation arose… and would return one day. MJÖLNIR. The Amber Eye. And old Gramps and his obsession with Lake Alue.

The fish that burned with the fire of the stolen sun…

And Surtr will fling fire over the earth and burn the whole world, allowing it to return to the primordial chaos whence it came… and from whence a new world would arise once more.

An unfamiliar shiver ran across her back. There was enough for her to get a sense of what might be going on here. Not a real understanding of the specific plans and plots, of course. But she could see the outline of the pieces in her hands at least. And she did not like what that outline suggested not one bit.

Transplanting a mythology brought wholesale with it the legends and prophecies which it carried. There was no way to just induce singular elements. Road’s End was so steeped in Norse mythology that even the modern elements in it were forced to warp themselves according to its symbology – there was no way that such a system would not bring with it the greatest of its calamities – the Fate of the Gods.

In such a case, the real question was not really what would happen… but rather which roles were they meant to play.

--- RAVEN SHOULD TALK TO TINY ESCAPEE. IN HER OWN LANGUAGE.

Of course, the spider had to… squirt some ectoplasm web from on top of Lockharts head all over the floor like some incontinent drunkard in some dumb attempt to communicate. Of course it did. Giving actual speech capacity to your familiar was truly so passe. Why would you want to be clearly understandable? Doing things in a convoluted, obfuscating, and fundamentally dimwitted manner was part and parcel to anyone with even an inkling of strength in the Turnside.

What's next? A cat that craps all over the carpet so that it can draw the outline of a pentagram?

And of course the bloody Снегурочка who was behind this blasted smug arachnid knew everything but did not deign to elaborate on anything. She’d already suffered plenty of this type of vague nonsense in that blasted half-decaying hut in Karelia, but Road’s End was truly special in this regard - it seemingly never seemed to end in this place.

A familiar weight settled down in the pit of her stomach.

I swear if this goes on…. God give me strength.

“Oi… Two things.” Anna’s turned towards Alexstrasza, but addressing not her, but rather the spider sitting on top of her head. „Firstly, I don’t hope you feel like you can just... eject a couple of statements like that and have that be that.“

„Just who the hell are you and how do you know all that?“

Anna’s figure suddenly seemed to loom all over the white arachnid, even as a completely unassuming smile seemed to adorn her features. Indeed. Completely unassuming. Almost benign, really.

The chill in the air was merely an illusion, after all.

“Secondly… I wonder who do you think is responsible for cleaning up this situation that you’ve suddenly created here? Hmm..?”

[Frantic Author]

Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

This is an attack! An attack on meeeee! P-P-Potemkiiiiiiiiin help! My person is being abused and all of my friends are in other locations at this moooooment!

Wait, you're also in another location! Potemkin, why is our life so cruel and unfair to us, who are innocent of wrongdoing?! I flailed wildly, barely managing to keep myself upright. Please Matriarch, would you kindly not be so harsh on your precious descendant!? Ahhhh, my head...

I blinked rapidly, peering at the lettering. Blinking twice, I hummed thoughtfully.

"If Cesarina were to be in danger, it is fair fortune that my familiar is at her side, is it not? Admittedly, Potemkin is a bit of a useless liar with little-to-no manners and such an absolute lack of decorum that I would scarce to consider her trash beneath my feet, she would be sure to warn me should Cesarina be in danger," I said, tapping the side of my face. "And I naturally am always delighted by the opportunity to carry arcane objects! B-but you must understand, Matriarch, it was not at all my intention to become distracted! I simply keep getting pulled into absurd shenanigans whichever way I turn! I can't go two feet without falling face first into some kind of conspiracy by mistake! It's actually rather unfair to put the blame on me, isn't it!? How often do you get a chance to examine this many bizarre and unique variations of sorcery in a lifetime?! In seven lifetimes? Any rational person would get just a little distracted! I just know what I know, and seven godsdamned choirs, it seems to be nothing!"

I stamped my foot with huff, crossing my arms and sending a wicked glare towards Anna.

"Firstly, Anna Vandermeel," I said, tapping my foot on the ground impatiently. "You will speak with a cordial tone towards my grandmother. It is impolite to treat your elders with such monumental disrespect, and the brazen nature as to which your... attempt to court information from her is not one that I am kind enough to treat with a simple posed look on my face."

I smiled brightly, tilting my head.

It's blasted, this place, certainly. No, it's definitely. No, it's absolutely! It's certainly, definitely, absolutely a cursed location for such a huge variety of reasons that to break it down would likely result in an escalating series of frustrations that would result in some nice and polite screaming. Everything seems to go wrong here and everyone else always seems to have some idea of what the devil is happening, whilst I fumble around in the godsdamned dark.

"If you wish to know of something, simply ask and I will answer. If all you desire is to fling thinly veiled insults and half-thought threats at myself and those I carry with me, then it is likely best that we do not speak at too long a length," I said, holding up a V with a hand and winking at the girl with a tiny grin. "I apologize if I seem untoward or evasive! I am learning to not speak on topics that I haven't the faintest possibility of comprehending, lest I embarrass myself and incarnate my soul into a corpse by mistake!"

I let out a small laugh at my little joke, letting everyone know that only an idiot would ever do something as ridiculous as that. Obviously Potemkin is something totally different, and now they'll think of something different whenever they meet her. A truly classic misdirection.

"Very well, grandmother," I said, clapping with a smile. "If you would be ever-so-kind, is there something of import that I am meant to be doing that supersedes my useless attempts at detective work? Is there something that needs maiming? Burning, perhaps?"

[Verg Avesta]

"WHERE DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THAT NAME?"

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

A sudden, primal chill ran down the spine of Vivienne.

Even if her emotionless natured allowed her to bypass such things as fear and terror, this was not something as complicated as that. No, this was a primordial instinct, one etched to the very core of every being. When danger was about, the body reacted as such. And thus, even though she did not feel the motion itself, Vivienne could sense how her skin went to goosebumps and how every hair on her body stood up as if to warn her.

... Something had happened.

The moment she had asked that question, something had happened to Rachel.

Her eyes... it was like they did not see the girl at all. Instead, it was as if they had been turned into a foggy mirror - one through which something else gazed at her now, glaring down at her in a manner that whispered of danger. One wrong move and something terrible would happen. One wrong step and the ice under her would crack. That was what that emotionless - in a way that was completely different from the quiet girl - face told her.

Something was very, very wrong with Rachel Halloway.

No...

... Was that even Rachel Halloway?

Darkness around the room seemed to deepen, the shadows cut deeper, and the grey world outside grew darker. The abyss was pressing in on all sides, and for a moment, Vivienne felt almost like she did during those nights when memories of that accursed day came clawing back at her. It was the same sort of utter blackness... a void of everything. Not the same, but similar in nature.

This darkness...

Just what was it?

And who was behind those eyes that were boring into her skull with their glare?

--- A cold drop of sweat on her forehead.

"Hey."

"Rachel" repeated herself.

"Where did you hear about that name?"

And the eyes of the painting on the wall...

--- They seemed to glow and laugh at Vivienne.

---

Anna Vandemeel & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

... The spider was dancing a smug dance.

It was absolutely, definitively, without a doubt making fun of Anna from the safe confines of Alexstrasa's head, ridiculing her flaring temper and attempts at interrogating the arachnid. In fact, it seemed to be taking an actual glee in the idea of being vague enough that they had only the barest bits of information to follow. And though it had no face to speak of, Anna was pretty sure that she could see a sneering grin, a most elated one, spread across it nevertheless.

That damned familiar was using the vampire below it as a meatshield, and it expected Anna to have just enough of a level-headed nature not to start a fight because of it.

"... That is one rude spider," Nikolai commented, frowning at the creature. "I suppose familiars are, in a way, really reflections of their creators..."

--- Just what sort of utter jerk had created this being then?

"...... Chi."

Well, once it had had its fun, the creature seemed to calm down a little. It clicked its mandibles and waved one of its tiny arms, as if to disperse the momentary jubilation. Instead, it followed this by patting Alexstrasza on the head, most likely telling the girl that she was doing exactly what was needed. Indeed, the way it was now motioning seemed to indicate that catching Gabi's murderer was one of the top priorities... along with throttling them something good, apparently. Actually, the violence part after catching them looked to be of utmost importance.

Then, after finishing up it's pantomime of wanton brutality, the spider turned to look at Anna with a more serious expression.

"Chichi."

It clicked its mandibles twice and pointed all around the hallway. Then it proceeded to cup its head with its claws where its "ears" where supposed to be. This was followed by pointing at itself and making a big X while shaking its head.

Hmm, so...

The walls have ears. They shouldn't know I'm here.

In other words... this spider's creator was someone whose very existence was something that shouldn't be allowed to leak? Did that mean that, whoever they were, they were somehow under the radar? At least when it came to Pinefall Project, Montauk and the other assorted factions controlling this Anomaly? That seemed... important, at least.

However, perhaps realizing that it's pantomime wasn't enough, the spider then raised it's rear once more...

--- And this time ended up making a drawing into the back of Alexstrasza's sweater.

Or rather, writing.

As if that had been any better.

However, the words that read there, as simple as they were...

--- IGNORANCE IS PART OF THE PLAN. IF YOU FIND TRUTH AND SPREAD IT, PREY GOES TO HIDING. THEY WON'T SUCCEED. ANY OF THEM.

And more importantly...

--- CHILD OF THE BLACK KNIGHT. HIJACKED.

The last part was added to the backside of Alexstrasza's jeans for everyone to see. Nikolai, who had been reading the text with interest took a few moment to realize where he was staring, then blushed faintly and turned his gaze away.

And as for the spider's ideas of who should clean the webbing up?

"Chichichi~"

It pointed at the Ottoman and made a hasty sweeping motion with its legs, causing the young man to do a physical double-take.

"W-wait, I'm theone supposed to clean all this up!?"

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“Good luck with that,” Lucille says, praying for the best. If they split up, they split up. She can only trust that they’re all capable against whatever threats may lurk in the dark.

Lucille has no idea what face Samuel is even attempting at making, but like Elise, she can’t help but feel it’s too bizarre for her comfort. She lets out a nervous laugh instead.

"Is there some way we can contact each other if we need to? The phones went down last week, so they can't be counted on. Maybe a meeting or rally point or something?" suggested Elise, "Otherwise, I suppose none of us have a reliable thaumaturgy for communication? I certainly don't. Father Milani has some hyper-sonic messenger pigeons, we could really use one of those right about now..."

“Hmm… If you want to stay in town, we could borrow a hotel room or something of that nature? I can foot the bill. The real pain is bringing stuff over for when the night comes… I can ask Sakura if smuggling stuff out seems feasible, if we do decide to make sure everyone in Road’s End is safe.” It’s not her first choice, but the school’s more remote location versus the rest of the area meant that if anything did happen, they’d be far too late to stop it.

Unfortunately, communication does seem like it’s going to be a massive problem. She has nothing to contribute in that regard, and the more split people were…

Well, they’d get there when they get there.

[Ayakashi]

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

Oh, so this is how things are going to turn out eh? We had the same problem yesterday with Alex... but this time... is it the same or is it different? Are you hearing some sort of buzzing around perhaps? Well, we still have these trusty earbuds don't we? Let's give them out a try!

---

And just like that, a migraine she wasn't aware of fades away. This must've look really weird to Rachel, or whoever was taking control of Rachel; the person you are threatening just pulling earplugs out of nowhere and putting them on - not a very good impression on your attempts at being intimidating.

Yet it wasn't like she put these on to not hear anything -- Vivienne was here to converse. Looking at 'Rachel' back in the eye, the quiet girl said:

"Rachel... is that Rachel? Are you okay?"

She wasn't sure on what to do for now, except verify if this was truly Rachel or someone had somehow possessed her. Or perhaps... this was another case of a doppelganger? All Vivienne could do was speculate, but equipping the earbuds and seeing that they had effectively suppressed a migraine she wasn't aware of... it made Vivienne bet on the fact that perhaps Rachel was being affected by the very same thing which sowed discord between her and Alex yesterday.

"I think that there is something going on right now which is... causing you to be angry. Please take some deep breaths."

Vivienne remembered the description given to her yesterday by Daniel, of the effects that the scarabs had on people they affected. It was quite possible that even now, if they were affecting Rachel, they were distorting Vivienne's words and making them sound different... which would be a problem. The idea of removing the earplugs from her own ears then putting them on Rachel; then making a dash for it before she gets overwhelmed by them had quite a bit of merit, yet Vivienne did not have enough information on what was going on for now... so all she could do was hope for answers, and probably play dumb.

"Is there something... worrying about that name? I just heard it from a classmate... we talked about some gossips... did say was taboo though... but I thought Rachel was a bit more... free-spirited? You look a lot like that... maybe I made a mistake? Important to follow etiquette?"

She speaks as slowly and as clearly as she can, to make sure her message goes through, but of course if the 'scarabs' Winters spoke about are truly at work here, then this is going to be difficult. That's not taking into account if something else took hold of Rachel... was it the ghost at the lighthouse perhaps?

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Old Train Yard - Warehouse 2
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"It...does. More than just hiding, it is also likely trying to kill people," I addressed Mercedes' assumption, "It can turn into anyone. Whether it decides the extent based on what it knows, or just completely copies the identity of someone, I'm not sure, but logically it at least retains its own will and powers. However, it also supposedly has problems deceiving multiple people all at once...Which is why it's likely the safest to stay in groups, and why it's dangerous to stay alone."

That was part of the reason why I wanted to bring her along - but she didn't need to know embarrassing details like that.

"What I don't quite understand though is what exactly they are hoping to achieve by capturing it. It's unlikely it could really be coerced into doing their bidding, so they'd be just putting a timed bomb under their own roof...Unless they are hoping to reverse engineer its powers somehow, and make their own weapons, but that sounds somewhat far fetched."

Certainly, I couldn't quite imagine how they were hoping to replicate an ability that was already more abstract than most of what there was to the supernatural, no matter how advanced their technology was.

"Oh well," I gestured towards the door as I started walking, "Certainly better places to discuss this than in this bunker, or whatever this is. That said, I reckon you don't exactly have a place to stay," I continued as I glanced at Kagekiyo, "But I can't quite offer to take you back to our dorms either. It's already way too packed as it is, not to mention that the green haired Einherjar girl you ran into seems to be hiding there as well."

Something that was likely a threat to not just him, but to us as well...And to think that Inacio was in on it all along.

"Hmm...I reckon that the doctor at the clinic wouldn't be too happy about freeloaders, but she certainly wouldn't just kick you out. Though, wherever you go...do you think you could take the old man outside with you? The storm that will come won't be particularly pleasant to stay out in, and...it's likely even more dangerous for him to be seen by unwelcome eyes around the town."

Considering that the townspeople were likely partly responsible for driving him into his madness, it was surprising that he even risked visiting the gas station and the bar.

While we walked, I glanced at Higanbana and then gestured towards the door ahead, only for her to rush on ahead after a single nod. She was originally meant to keep watch, and it was best if we had someone back at that to make sure that we can leave safely.

"As for WUOTAN, you might be searching for it, but you don't actually know what, or where it is," I scratched the back of my head as my attention was back on Kagekiyo, "We already tried to make sense out of it, which is how we ended up here too. But it's really just problematic - since it's naming a place after a person. There's no unmistakeable, straightforward symbolism. From what I recall, Odin had over a hundred different names, and even Wuotan has a variety of meanings depending on how far you go back with old languages."

"So to answer your question, we don't really know what it means in the first place," I turned to To-Totesh, "It was convenient to substitute it with Odin, because of all the other things, like Einherjar and Mjölnir making an appearance as well. But it could also just be the direct meaning of the word...or maybe something entirely different. It's all just symbolism anyways, and what exactly the names were supposed to take after mostly makes sense to those who came up with them in the first place."

"Not sure what you mean by 'spirit stuff', though," I asked, somewhat bewildered, with an eyebrow raised, "Is there a spiritual side to this? Isn't that just usually mythology?"

[Verg Avesta]

Elise Pelltier & Lucille Faraday
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Samuel paused for a moment, thinking.

"Well... hotel is not a bad option. For a safe meeting place that is," he answered. "It's spiritually protected by the carvings on the wall, and it's a fairly defensive building. There are also lots of people around, which offers a protection of its own kind. However..."

He frowned, just a little bit.

"Communications is going to be a problem, yes. If phone-lines are down there's not much we can do, plus I don't expect either of you to have a cellular phone," the young man continued. "... And I admit, I've no reliable methods of communication in my arsenal of thaumaturgy."

Then it certainly seemed like getting a message to each other without meeting face-to-face was going to be a problem.

"Well, the only thing that comes to mind is leaving our messages with Rachel. She's at the hotel, of course, but since she tends to work the reception, she would be able to pass along any messages to people who come in. Not the best system, I know, but it's what we've got... at least for now," the young inquisitor said as he rose up from his seat. "Naturally, if you were to come across anyone or anything who could perform such a feat, that'd be very useful. But that's a big if."

Fishing a familiar-looking wallet from his pocket, Samuel left some money on the table - more than enough to pay for the breakfast the three had been enjoying. Then, he shot a quiet smile to both of the girls.

"Still. I'll start with letting Rachel know. If she went as far as to leave me a card, well... I think she deserves to know first," he said with a chuckle. "That being said... thank you. I have to admit, I had more than missed food like this - especially the stuff from A.D's. The Walkers really do know their way around the kitchen. Not to mention, the company has been top notch as well. I'm not against talking shop, especially after such a long time, but more than that..."

There was an oddly nostalgic, almost wistful look in his eyes as he gazed over the two.

"... Well, let's just say I feel like I'm looking in a mirror of sorts when I see two people so determined at solving mysteries that have fallen onto their laps. A younger, more beautiful, certainly not as awkward or as lanky mirror," Samuel said and chuckled again. "Though don't count me out quite yet. I've been warming the bench for seven years, so it's time I made myself useful."

He pulled on his hat, a look of determination washing over his face.

"--- To make up for the crap my brother pulled, as well."

And with that, the recovered inquisitor was off, heading out into the grey world that awaited him.

[SCENE END /// Move to NEXT Phase!]

Elise Pelltier & Lucille Faraday: Friendship Rank Raised!

---

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

".........?"

What was it?

Perhaps it was Vivienne's calm reaction to this sudden change. Perhaps it was because she had managed to put on the earbuds that the older Winters had given to her yesterday. Perhaps it was because she had questioned this stark difference between the usual Rachel and the one that stood before her now... but just for a moment, the quiet girl could see a look of confusion appear in the glazed-over eyes of the redhead. Like she could not quite comprehend herself what was happening. Like what had happened was some sort of automated response, and only now was the real Rachel's mind catching up to what was really going on.

"Nn... nnggghh...!"

Looking like a splitting headache was forming in her mind, Rachel suddenly winced in pain and grasped her head. She staggered backwards, almost knocking over one of the leather armchairs as she did. At the same time, she seemed to be sweating profusely, almost as if a terrible fever had infected in a manner of seconds. Letting out a guttural sound of pain, the redhead stumbled even further into the room, finally colliding with a wall where she sought some refuge in form of support. She stuck her forehead against the old wood, as if the cooler surface was able to leviate the heat in her mind.

"N-no, that's... I'm not... I... I don't care...!" Rachel blurted out with a hoarse voice. "A-about... tradition...! N-no, get out... get out... get out...!"

It was like watching someone struggle against mind control.

No, not mind control. This was nothing as direct and powerful as that.

Her earlier stray thought returned to Vivienne.

Automated response...?

--- Speak of the devil, and he doth appear?

"Get out of my head....!"

Rachel whimpered, gritting her teeth together.

---

Hisa Momoi
Location: Old Train Yard - Warehouse 2
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"W-well, yes and no..."

To-Totesh looked like she herself wasn't quite sure what she meant, as the group stepped out of the warehouse and back into the overcast day of Ghostwood National Forest, once more. Or rather, it looked like she wasn't quite sure of what terminology to use, and if her words made any sense to the ones listening. Still, the native girl scrunched her face and folded her arms across her chest, trying her best to come up with a response that was actually understandable.

"Spirits of land are... w-well, they're different. From old tales, like myths. Myths are tales. Spiritual knowledge is more... like religion? Uuuuhh... To-Totesh is smart, but she's not feeling so right now!" The girl complained, rubbing her temples. "W-well, point is, Hisa: WUOTAN... or rather, Odin. I might know something about it. At least, in terms of Road's End."

Practically all eyes turned upon the girl when she said that.

"I remember my parents talking about it. Of foreign spirits that came to this land, with foreign people," she explained, as if reciting some old memory. "They brought their weird customs and traditions, and while things started well, it... it didn't last. There was a battle. A big battle. And... ohh, rats."

She clicked her tongue.

"... I should have paid more attention to this stuff. B-but! To-Totesh is smart! So she knows where we can find more info!" The girl then perked right back up, looking somewhat confident in what she was saying. "I was told that there were records left here in this town! Records of Klallam people, and what happened here! And they were left in care of someone connected to us, so hopefully they still remain! I bet there's something there that can help us find WUOTAN!"

Kagekiyo, who had been listening in, raised an eyebrow.

"Huh... really? Well that'd be really swell, but do you guys know even where to start looking?" He asked while stretching in the pale afternoon light. "Of this 'someone' who's holding on to these records and what-not?"

Mercedes snorted as she heard this.

"I think me and Nancy here can make an educated guess, no?" She asked from Hisa with a smirk. "There's this one person around town with supposed native blood in their veins, so, like, maybe we should pay him a little visit?"

Leena, finally able to contribute something to the discussion, nodded brightly, her eyes shining with understanding.

"Hot dog, I know who you're talking about!" She exclaimed, hitting her palm with her fist. "The Horse family, no? The ones in charge of the junkyard?"

Kagekiyo looked at this quick change in attitude with a rather impressed expression, and let out a quiet whistle. Then he glanced at Hisa and a confident grin appeared on the older man's face. He flashed her thumbs up, before throwing in even a mock salute.

"Sounds like you guys have your work cut out for you. Naturally, I don't mind helping out, though I wouldn't say no for a bit of R&R before that... I mean, I'm all bruises at this moment, so I doubt I'd be anything but a liability when out and about. But gimme a night to rest and I'll be bright and ready to swing my sword for you guys... among other things," he said, before frowning a little. "I mean, help you with other things, too. Not swinging other things. That just sounds... wrong. Ugh, never mind, never mind! Forget I said anything stupid!"

At least the man was getting his energy back.

"Still, just gimme a some directions and I'll go bother this doctor lady - say you sent me," Kagekiyo continued. "And I'll take the geezer with me, no problems! I tend to get along with older folk anyway, so shouldn't be too hard. Though, while I do that, what about you guys? What are you gonna do?"

The last question was addressed mostly to Hisa and Pyry.

However, the one who answered first was latter.

".... Looks like there's something else we need to take care of first."

The change in the young man's voice was palpable - for it had gone from his usual jovial, cheerful tone to a deadly serious one. And as Hisa looked over to him, he saw that Pyry's body had gone rigid, tense - prepared. Every hair on his neck was standing up, and perhaps without even knowing it, he had squeezed his right hand into a tight fist. At the same time, the boy's eyes were glued not to the people around him, but to the skies above - the grey masses of clouds that traveled across the horizon. His eyes gazed through them and into the town beyond, as if he was able to see something, someone, who was far away.

And more than that... his eyes.

Theirs was now a golden glow - and mana seemed to pour from them in manner of ghostly flames licking the sides of his face.

Like some sort of power had roared awake within the young man.

"--- It's time, Hisa."

Pyry informed, narrowing his eyes.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Old Train Yard - Warehouse 2
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"A big battle between spirits, huh..."

That was just way beyond me. I wasn't all that familiar with norse mythology in the first place, let alone something a lot more obscure like some native americans'...Especially considering that this seemed to be more of a local thing, rather than something widely established.

"Well, maybe you guys could visit him? It seems to be a worthwile trip...If Leena wants to tag along as well, that is. And Mercedes," I said as I looked at the people in question, "Would be understandable if you had better things to do, though whichever the case, try not to be on your own. I also have some tools to keep in touch if needed."

Time after time I come to the conclusion that I should have worked on developing much better tools for long distance communication. Of course, it was hardly something that came to mind or was really a necessity while I was mostly on my own, but well...

"As for you...I guess you can say that."

My eyes wandered onto Kagekiyo as I scratched my cheek awkwardly. We've only met the fae this morning, and I was already here abusing her kindness by sending her guests to take care of. Not that I doubted that she would help, but still, it certainly felt like a rather brazen move...

"On a different note, mind telling me when exactly you came here, and through where? Just out of curiosity."

And so that if the week ends up repeating again, we could maybe do something about him before he gets himself into this position.

Meanwhile, as my eyes turned to Pyry after the boy spoke up, it became apparent that we would definitely have to split up, and could not visit Tommy all together. Deep down, I was hoping that it would not come to this, that we wouldn't have to deal with this before the very last day of the week when the lack of our preparedness would lead to suffering again. It was slightly frustrating, knowing that the time could have been spent trying to avoid that somehow, and yet...It was Pyry. Not helping him was not an option.

I nodded silently as my gaze followed his. Words did not feel necessary, even if I would have known what to say in the first place, or what really was to come.

"I guess it really comes down to you guys talking with Tommy then," I spoke up again after a while, "But best be careful. I'm expecting to see everyone later tonight."

[Frantic Author]

Anna Vandemeel & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Main Building
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

"Clean it up?" I said, frowning as I tapped the side of my face, "I have very little idea of what's even being written on my person! If you clean it up, I'll never be able to read it! Already I have little idea what I'm supposed to be doing, but maiming the man without a face sounds like quite a brilliant start!"

I smiled happily, and nodded, before an idle thought crossed my mind momentarily, and my smile froze on my face as I peered upwards towards my head.

"S-Say... Dearest matriarch..." I said slowly, my eye slightly twitching, "Hasn't this entire debacle been a total distraction from what I was actually supposed to be doing?! Ah! Seven choirs, I've distracted myself again!"

I kicked at the ground and sulked for a moment, before pausing with a frown. Much of what my ancestor had been imparting to me felt, in a way, totally useless! All of her information was exceedingly cryptic and vague, and the way she expressed herself didn't really make much sense from a logical point of view; it was as if she was more interested in being amused then she was in actually solving any of my problems.

"I suppose that settles the most important questions! Searching for knights of darkness and uncovering the truth - all that can wait!" I said, folding my arms and nodding smugly. "Dearest matriarch is absolutely right! There's only two things that properly matter: killing threats and saving Cesarina!"

Really, life is pretty easy when you put everything into perspective. I just have to kill whatever tries to hurt Cesarina and maim whatever tries to stab me. Although maybe preempting threats might be for the best here.

"Excuse me, Miss Anna," I said, looking at her seriously, "While I trust that Ramia understands that I would lightly maim her if she harmed Cesarina, I am just informing you of this fact so that way you know it in the future! So I respect that you will not do so in the future!"

I nodded rapidly, pounding my fist in my hands. It was important to be honest in your intentions.

"Also, if you wish for me to help you with something, I'll definitely do it after making sure Cesarina is well!"

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

Elise watched as Samuel disappeared into the gloomy world beyond the confines of the diner. She smiled, hoping that he and his friends had a happy reunion after all those years. That at least they had a few pleasant hours before the oncoming storm arrived, and whatever doom that it brought with it came.

She glanced down at the napkin, inscribed with the various addresses of the Last Class and directions to the Kincaid Estate. She reviewed it one last time before she carefully folded it, tucked it away inside her notepad and returned them to the safety of her backpack.

"We should probably stick with our friends at Pinefall. At the very least, we should reconnoiter with the others, try and coordinate all our efforts to survive, and go from there. Although from what Samuel says, it sounds like the hotel is a much more defensible location than the school is... You were right earlier though, our chances were better last time if we'd stuck together, instead of all of us running off in different directions and letting ourselves get picked off two-by-two."

Elise sighed sadly.

"At the very least, I'm sure that Elaine, John and Hisa have some plans for tomorrow. Might be good to try and reconnoiter with them before tomorrow morning and see what they're thinking."

She frowned to herself as she zipped up her backpack. The memory of that discussion she'd had with the demon in the rain while Subaru watched had remained stuck in her brain, even as the headache had faded. She'd felt some relief that she may not be the subject of the Lowgate Prophecy she feared she was, but that did little to help ease her concerns about all the other questions she had about herself.

"You're too weak. As you are, you can't weather the oncoming storm. Whatever's coming will glass the ground and scorch the sky, and we will be unable to stop it. As you are now... and as I am now."

"----- If it were Elise-Marie Pelltier before we became what we are, she would have been able to stand against that enemy. But... you don't even remember her properly, do you? Of what she was? Of how she was? Why she was sent to subjugate a demon with only a handful of inquisitors... why she was among the survivors... why Father Milani would personally look after her..."

"This... might sound like a weird question, but... well, this whole time loop and time travel thing has had me thinking... we've all been through a lot of stuff to wind up here at Pinefall, never mind being in this seemingly endless-"

Punishment.

"-ly repeating time loop..."

Elise looked up from her backpack and over to Lucille.

"If you had the chance to go back to being who you were before... all this. Before you were set on the course that brought you here, before... that night."

Before Michael betrayed you.

"Would you take it?" asked Elise.

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“Herding everyone is going to be tough,” Lucille muses, gazing at Samuel’s retreating figure through the diner window. “The same goals, but nobody can agree on the methods… Certainly not a problem we’re unfamiliar with. Lucky that it seems we’re the only denomination involved…”

She laughs, but it rings a bit hollow.

"If you had the chance to go back to being who you were before... all this. Before you were set on the course that brought you here, before... that night."

"Would you take it?"

Lucille’s expression turns more dour, as she purses her lips. She wants to answer, but she doesn’t. What exactly is on Elise’s mind that would prompt her to ask such a thing? And even if she does want to answer, what answer should it be?

“Hard question,” the saint responds with a grimace. A pause lingers in the air, as she drums her fingers on her lap, hidden by the table. Eventually, eyes fixed on the other girl, she makes her decision. She shouldn’t lie. The truth is what it is.

“This may not be what you want to hear,” Lucille finally says, “but yes.”

“It’s not… I mean, I am discontent with who I am today, but back then I was… self-assured? Utterly confident I could do the task the Lord has given me. Slay the beasts man could not confront. And do it again and again and again until there was no fight left in me.”

It seems to briefly click how morbid those words are as she says them, but the falter in her calm expression vanishes as quickly as it happens.

“There’s a beauty in that simplicity, I think. Nowadays, people ask me to live for myself. But isn’t that ignoring the purpose He has given me?” She doesn’t want an answer to that question. It had been decided a long time ago. “Maybe it’s just nostalgia… but I feel back then, I was more devout. If anything, I’ve gotten worse over the years.”

More human, is what she leaves unspoken.

“Is something the matter, Elise? If it helps,” Lucille laughs at her own hypocrisy, “The only Elise I’ve known is the one I’ve met at Pinefall. She’s perfectly wonderful in my books.”

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High Main Building – Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

I flapped a hand, "Sure, sure, I'll go see about Ubon and the catholic ninja, win 'em over with my charming personality, what could go wrong, aye?"

The lamia's words pulse in my skull, but I don't let it show on my face.

Wonder if he's even thought about that.

Not like it matters.

"Fuck, may as well go look into the norse wolf freaks too," I chuckled, "S'gonna be a good day, tater."

Surely one of these useless teachers has a flask in their desk or something.

Wouldn't put it past cancer breath.

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Avery's Diner
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 10.09.1994 (SAT)
Weather: Overcast

“Is something the matter, Elise? If it helps, the only Elise I’ve known is the one I’ve met at Pinefall. She’s perfectly wonderful in my books.”

"Heh, thanks, that-that does help," said Elise with a slight smile.

"And don't sell yourself short either. The only Lucille I've known is perfectly wonderful too. You shouldn't feel too bad about slowing down either. You wouldn't have been able to keep up that single minded pace forever, you know? If you relax a little, and take some time for yourself, you'll be able to destroy more monsters in the long run," advised Elise.

"As for what's the matter… I… I really don't know…"

A part of Elise wanted to avoid directly discussing the thoughts that had been dwelling on her mind. That she'd be better off keeping it to herself. That the whole situation sounded insane. Then again, they were seemingly trapped in a time loop, the bar for insane had been raised considerably higher. Not to mention that not talking about her problems was what led her here. Or, at least, that's what she remembered.

"Maybe? Yes? Yeah, definitely yes. LBJ… LBJ thinks that our chances of surviving this are pretty slim, that we're too weak to survive what's coming, but… it said that before we became what we are now, that the me who came before me, was much more powerful than I am now, could."

"At first, I thought that was absurd, what it described didn't sound anything like me or what I remembered, it must've been some sort of trick, or weird joke," continued Elise, "But… LBJ poked a few holes into my own memories of what had happened and called them into question. The night… the night I remember the demon slipping into my mind… we were sent to stop a group of cultists from summoning a demon… we arrived too late and the thing incarnated. It just lashed out at everything indiscriminately…. We were a small group of Inquisitors, woefully underprepared and underpowered for what we encountered, but… was I the one who was supposed to handle it? LBJ suggests that was the case…"

Did I fail everyone that night?

"Now… now I'm really not so sure what to believe about myself. I've had a few… snippets of memories I didn't remember? I remembered meeting Archbishop Bethlemhem, although I can't quite remember what all that was about, and I couldn't even put a name to his face until I asked you and Samuel… and I remembered meeting with Sister Marie in Montreal, and having tea with her. I know I met her in France and had tea with her, or at least I thought I did. I remember being a little starstruck meeting such a famous Inquisitor, and then putting my foot in my mouth, but instead I had tea with her in Montreal, and she was delegating tasks to me? Then, at some point I was sifting through the rubble of a burning city block?"

Elise shook her head.

"When we were at the Hospital, Sakura and Hisa met the elusive Devon Rustfield. He left before I could catch up with him, but… I thought I was dragging my feet to track him down, but I guess he's the one who's been avoiding me? I-I guess he knows me, but is apprehensive about meeting me, but I've never met him before. I didn't know his name until I got Father Milani's letter telling me that I was supposed to meet with him here, but that he'd gone missing. Did he know the me that came before, and doesn't want to meet me because he knows I'm not the person he remembers?"

Elise sighed harshly.

"Then… when Prushka, Hisa and I healed Samuel… the last obstacle was drawing his soul back to his body, since it was inhabiting that marshmallow body of his. To do that, we needed to construct a wormhole, or, a bridge, I guess, to help draw him back to his own body, now that it had been healed and restored from the cursed wound. Hisa handled that part, and used a technique she'd learned from her mentor. Well, the theory of, anyway, that was her first time putting it to practical use. I guess her master was a student of, uh, Scáthach, and I guess he'd stolen that knowledge from her? Anyway doing so, she ended up catching Scáthach's attention and we ended up being transported to her realm. She was actually pretty impressed with the whole thing and decided to take Hisa as her student, so I guess she's a knight now too? Apparently her mentor set the whole thing up so she'd eventually have the chance to learn from her too. Uh, anyway, as a parting gift, Scáthach gave Prushka and I respective gifts of knowledge, and said much the same as LBJ did to me, that my past might not be quite as I remembered it, and pointed me in the direction of Ashley Xavier, and the classic warning that you might not like what you find out."

But beware. Erelong shall thou knoweth the truth, erelong shall thine world rip asunder. Can thou accept the past if 'twere not what you thought it was? recalled Elise.

Her thoughts moved from that strange visit to the Land of Shadows, to the battle in the rain at the Lighthouse.

"Michael recognized Désolée when I launched her at him, and I know she's not a famous weapon. At the very least, not one you should be able to recognize quickly as it hurls past your head. Or, at least, I thought so."

Not to mention he seemed to know of both Désolée and her wielder…

Elise sunk into her seat.

"Maybe I shouldn't take the words of a demon and an ancient pagan hero at face value, but Devon and Michael seem to know who I am too. Or, rather, who I was. LBJ could just pulling some weird prank on me, but considering Scáthach, Devon Rustfield and Michael, that seems very unlikely. Unless I'm just being paranoid and seeing patterns where there are none. Or, maybe there's a very good reason why I didn't want to remember?" rambled Elise, "At the very least, I feel like I need to follow up on this Ashley Xavier lead, and see what he knows, after that…"

She shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know."