Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Bloble]

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

"...so they know who it is. Of course. The paper even mentions questioning the students, so they must have figured it out already."

There's nothing nice to say here. Something horrible happened and no one was able to stop it. Those who might have, didn't even know it had happened. Had I not stumbled into it by pure chance, no one would ever find out. It was a damn near perfect crime and all we can do now is pick up the pieces and make the best of a terrible situation.

"...I memorized the scent of the listening post's new occupant. If they show up anywhere, I'll know it's them. But without a way to get further into the post itself, there's no way to corner them short of camping out at the post and hoping they come back, or somehow finding them in town. And that's like searching for a needle in a haystack. I'd run out of Odic Force before making it to the diner."

We're not finding this supposed vampire any time soon, not with the information at hand. The next best option would be looking for what they're looking for.

"The scent at the listening post smelled familiar, but it wasn't any of the students. Couldn't be; they've been up there at least a month, and we haven't even been here a week. I've got the Pinefall class all memorized. Except..." Vivi, of course. Her feelings are too faint to pick up most of the time. Even when we communicated directly without words, self to self, it was like holding a conversation with the wind at the bottom of a snowy valley. But also... "Souma. He doesn't leave any traces. Like an empty void."

A heartbeat passes. Maybe two. Maybe it skipped a beat. Maybe it skipped many.

"B-but, there are other ways to fool my ESP! So we can't jump to conclusions. Most of the class seems to be connected to the Turnside one way or another. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them could magic away evidence."

I don't want to suspect Souma. Not because I know he's a good guy or anything. All I know about him is that he's got a nice, well, smile. And Ubon's warning. And his eyepatch. Okay, he's suspicious. Super suspicious. So obviously suspicious that how suspicious he is is itself suspicious. But he's also too easy of a target.

"There's a giant sewer system under the school, so it's not like it had to be one of the students... even though it seems like it. Gabi was shy and skittish, right? He doesn't seem like the type who'd agree to go out alone to the outbuilding during the middle of the night for just anyone. I know I'd bring a friend for sure if someone told me to meet them after midnight, unless it was someone I could trust." So either he had a reason not to involve others, or he felt confident enough to go alone... or he just didn't have a friend to turn to for help. "...better to focus on the other two dots. You're right, they might've seen something. We could ask around, see who was together last night. Need to talk to the others anyway. One of them could know something that could help."

This is certainly a high priority investigation. Someone died. Someone killed. Someone might die again and someone might kill again. Forget Sunday; lives are in danger right now.

The problem is, it seems like the answer is once again out of reach. Or perhaps I just can't reach it alone. Legwork needs to be done. The others who remember last week need to know. We need to talk to allies and exchange information and get a birds' eye view on this whole thing, like Hwan suggested.

Class is the best time to contact them. Hopefully too many people don't skip.

"...if that doesn't work. there's one thing we can do immediately to throw a wrench in this indiscriminate killer's plans. I was considering it for this afternoon, if Gabi didn't show up to class, but not before one, leaving behind all the info I had with someone trustworthy in case it goes wrong, and two, finding out what's in that safe in the nurse's office to use it as leverage. You know almost everything now, so... maybe it's time."

This is basically the nuclear option. But there's no better time to push that button than when death is around the corner.

I fold my arms, hands balling into fists.

"Confront the principal. March up to his office and tell him one of his students is gone. Tell him that things are spiraling out of control, and that if he doesn't do something immediately, it'll only get worse."

It's almost as risky a move as revealing the Turnside to a mortal. Because I don't know a thing about Mr. Oceandrop. I've seen him and heard him and heard the praises others sing of him, but I've never smelled him.

"Either he's serious about that goofy speech he gave on Tuesday and he'll lock everything down to protect the students... or he'll show his true colours and act to stop that information from spreading further. Either way, we'd know where Oceandrop stands."

There's no easy way forward. Perhaps Hwan will have some wisdom from experience. He's gotten out of difficult situations before, right?

"What do you think?"

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Road’s End – Streets (Inside Elaine Winter’s Car)
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Still... don't worry. I have a plan. If... if you understand why it's important that we get that artifact sealed, and if you transfer its ownership over to me voluntarily, not under duress, I doubt that will cause any averse reaction from Her herself. And when I have it... I can bring the story of Ishtar to a close. “

"One way or another…”

Anna’s eyes narrowed briefly at the words of the white-haired mercenary.

Ramia, you…

She expected better.

From the beginning, the mercenary had somewhat of a blasé attitude towards her own death, that much was clear from yesterday. Part and parcel with the whole reincarnation deal. Part and parcel with the whole mercenary deal, actually. No, to begin with, she could see it coming already a mile away regarding the self-deprecating crap she was spewing on the beach about herself. But no matter how much she understood her position and mindset… Anna Vandemeel had absolutely no tolerance for that kind of shit.

She got the feeling Ramia was either looking for a place to die or her self worth was broken down to the point where she simply did not value herself at all.

It was naïve. So disgustingly, overbearingly naïve, far more fitting in some joke of a novel, rather than in real life. First, that idiot teacher of hers who crawled into that hole in Karelia and kept sapping on about her broken heart, unable to let go of the past and move on. And now this supposedly “immortal” alchemist who was hell-bent on throwing her life away in some overblown dramatic act of self-sacrifice.

The more she saw of these “grand” ancient beings of the Turnside, the more she was convinced that they were far more emotionally fragile and self-obsessed than any old crone of the street from back home. Plenty of them had lost their husbands in the war, or in the repressions, or during the Siberian deportations. Most of them had lost their family besides that as well. And all of them had the strength to face that tragedy and move on their lives, no matter how difficult that was.

You pick yourself up from the dirt and move on. To not do so would be the gravest insult to those who you have left behind.

Accepting that took far more strength than pretending to be some pointless tragic self-sacrificing heroine. That was an outlook the witch in red was fundamentally incapable of accepting or tolerating.

If she could, Anna Vandemeel would have been dead long, long, ago already.

“I guess I give you the artifact, right? Ramalsaqr?”

“No. You will not. At least not at the moment.”

Anna’s voice cut into the conversation like a hot knife, responding almost instantly to John’s query before the witch in red turned her attention to Ramia.

“…I’m sorry, you better not be insinuating what I think you are insinuating, Indy.” Anna’s voice was razor-sharp and an uncanny intensity blazed behind her red eyes as she gazed at the immortal alchemist next to her. “Because that sounded to me like some prime cut of self-sacrificial bullshit, you know? And if that is the case, then this entire conversation about giving you this trinket is going to be very fucking short, mhm?”

“No bloody blaze-of-glory suicide redemption arcs for anyone. This plan of yours better be a reasonable way of getting rid of this thing or we find some other, temporary, way to contain it while we wait for Astartes and his idiot squad to arrive.”

As for the other people in the car…

Anna’s eyes glanced over to the pair sitting on the two front seats.

She hadn’t said anything when Winters gave her take on mysticism and magic. Fundamentally, her perspective was far more fitting in this conversation than Anna’s. John Dove was not a mage, and barring some utter insanity from his part, he would probably never be one. There were some parts where she could clarify, of course, such as the nature of numen, but in the end, adding any additional detail here was immaterial and would only serve to further muddle the matter in pointless details.

But what irritated her was John Dove’s lack of… well any emotional response. No, to perhaps put it more bluntly, it was the entire presence of John Dove that fundamentally irritated Anna Vandemeel. He made her blood itch in a peculiar way, for the lack of a better word. There were few things as consistent in the Vandemeel bloodline as hot temperaments, and being “in tune” with the more chaotic nature of human emotions was a fundamental part of her supernatural heritage. Not overtly, of course, the temperament was always more… noticeable and it was never something as clear as reading feelings or along those lines, at least for her, but she had a subtle sense for these kinds of things at times, for the lack of a better word.

John Dove irritated her. There was something there, underneath like a subtle itch or a buzz that completely conflicted with his plastic-looking emotionless exterior. Initially, she thought it might be an obsessive dedication to that vampire, but…

“Dove. Humor me for a second. I have a very silly question.” Anna’s voice was initially casual before a certain edge crept into it. “Why are you here?”

A brief chuckle escaped her lips.

“Sorry, that might have been a bit too blunt. But seriously, why? I must admit I was somewhat surprised when you accepted my suggestion yesterday, but I scratched it down to some type of desire to find out more about this antediluvian that you are linked to, but now…”

“…you don’t seem to particularly care about her either, right?” Anna gave a small casual shrug. “Can’t be curiosity towards magic and mysticism nor some type of altruistic impulse, neither.”

“You simply don’t seem to care enough for something like that. Or at least you act as if you don't. But then again, if you truly are that apathetic, then you shouldn’t particularly feel an emotional attachment to whether or not everyone else dies to this toy of yours or not.”

“As such, you can see how your presence here is a bit of a paradox to me, considering your apparent personality.” Anna leaned closer to the back of the seat in front of her. “So tell me. What drove you to be here, John Dove, and why?”

"Or did you simply come for the ride?"

[Daneel Rush]

Location: Road’s End – Streets (Inside Elaine Winter’s Car)
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain



John Dove, loser extraordinaire, is inside a car with three attractive young women. Naturally, he does not deserve this. Also naturally, he will not take advantage of this position most young men his age would envy.

Vandemeel has reached a similar conclusion to John's regarding Ramalsaqr's likely intentions, albeit most likely from a wholly different direction. It only exacerbates the fact that he is not needed in this car. And now, he’s become the target of questioning. However, she is not really dismissing him, as she rightly should. Instead, her question is a lot more incisive than a mere dismissal.

Really, why did he push for this meeting in the first place?

Because I had to resolve the matter of the artifact before it pushed Ramalsaqr into a repetition of the previous Sunday.

No.

Taking a page from Her book, that was indeed a reason, but not the fundamental, underlying cause. If he is going to bother thinking, he should try a bit harder. Why did he feel the need for an anticipated resolution? If events did end up repeating themselves, he could just hand over the artifact before things got violent.

Really, there is already a conclusion to be drawn there. It implies that John Dove values the lives of Elaine Winters and Ramia Ramalsaqr over the artifact.

Well, that much is obvious.

Really.

It makes sense that two lives are more important than a metal handicraft.

Why, though? It is a magical metal handicraft that belongs to Her, after all. If anything, that should raise its value to the usual John Dove. So, what is going on here?

Because I know now. That they are indeed colorful, and I am the one who is worthless and grey.

Wrong. Use that head of yours a little better, idiot. That realization happened mere moments ago. It does not justify John Dove’s actions this entire week. Do we really need to go over this again?

…because I chose life.

Well, that is a little better, yes.

John Dove figured out the value of the grey people’s lives long before he realized they were not grey at all, and that the grey one was in fact himself. It happened when he discovered that people like Alexstrasza Lockhart exist in this world.

If anything, the very fact he is bothering to ponder Vandemeel’s question is the most obvious proof of this. For a year after his original encounter with Her, he was all but deprived of his senses, unable—or perhaps unwilling—to acknowledge a world in which She was not in front of his eyes. It took well over another year after regaining his awareness of the world around him before he started talking to other human beings again, because their words seemed utterly inane and not worth even considering.

He began communicating with other human beings because it was convenient to make them believe he was “recovering”, so they would leave him alone to ponder the one thing that was truly important in his new, greyed out world. Unable to regard other people as truly “real” compared to the immensity that was Her, he only could express "something like a personality" through reproducing the emotions of others. He has no smile, no grimace and no outrage of his own, only the smiles, grimaces and outrages of others, poorly mirrored on his face.

“I’m not a monster, Vandemeel,” he says. “It is better for people to be alive than to be dead. I recognize at least that much.”

That is, however, a rather recent idea that has settled in John Dove’s mind. Indeed, for many years, living people were as bothersome grey dolls, and dead people as irrelevant as rocks on the side of the road.

“But, if I have to give a reason…”

The John Dove from a year ago—no, the John Dove from a week ago—would have simply brushed aside Vandemeel’s inquiry with calculated lies, or perhaps just ignored it altogether (although he learned after the first beating that the grey people do not appreciate being ignored).

It is amazing, in a frustrating way, that he does not realize how much he has changed already, in the span of only a few days. A rather extraordinary few days, but a few nonetheless.

“…it’s because…”

He stops. Why does John Dove stop at his point?

It bears repeating: this boy is pathetic. Utterly lacking in self-respect, initiative, or determination. He has completely wasted the last ten or so years, and now he is about to step into adulthood with nothing to show for himself. What is such a person going to do once he enters adult society?

Well, he is a good liar, so perhaps he might cut it in politics. Then again, that also requires charisma and personality—things utterly beyond this hopeless person.

So yeah, John Dove is a loser at life. However, he is most definitely not stupid.

“…you see, for the longest time, I only had ‘tomorrow’ to look forward to.”

Yes, it is always been like that.

“I would say to myself ‘maybe tomorrow I will find Her’, and that was enough to look forward to the next day. That was enough to bear another day in this world…”

Say it, boy. There are only weirdos in this car; what the hell’s stopping you?

“…a world I found boring and repugnant.”

When a person happens to find the most beautiful thing in the world at an early age, something so beautiful it literally scours the soul, it is only natural everything else from that day onwards will be drab and utterly lacking in comparison. Her power over him is not absolute—or perhaps it is, and She just has not used it to its fullest—, but it definitely exists. The ur-vampire most definitely did something to him.

However, it was John Dove’s sin to decide not to fix it.

And just recently, he found Her, and realized that neither has real need for the other. He received Her dismissal, and She received his gratitude. That was the end of his “obsession.”

“I already found Her, and She already pushed me away. So ‘tomorrow’ is the only thing I have left,” he declares to himself.

The boy, devoid of the direction—the motivation—pushing him these past ten years, turned his attention to the crisis encroaching upon him and his classmates, only to realize that, well, there is nothing he can do about it.

His entire life was centered on looking for Her. He does not know how—he lacks the skills—to do anything else. John Dove is depressingly mediocre, after all. The fact he is surrounded by supernatural freaks does not help, but even without considering mysterious powers, everybody in Pinefall’s First Class is vastly more capable than he will ever be.

“I just want my ‘tomorrow’ back,” he concludes.

That might be true, but that is not why John Dove is inside Elaine Winters’ car this morning. It is not the reason he went looking for Her last night, and it is not the reason he pursued that car.

The real reason is something much simpler. Something much more pitiful, and so pathetically and fundamentally human that not even Her eyes could burn it away. It is something that has germinated from Sakura’s caregiving, Pyry’s friendliness, Subaru’s wisdom, Elise Marie’s intelligence, Souma’s dangerousness, Ramia’s desperation, Elaine’s determination, Mercedes’ concern, Hisa’s decisiveness, Prushka’s goodwill, Lucille’s kindness, Ubon’s acceptance, Anna’s firmness, and Alexstrasza’s very existence. Something unfortunately nurtured by the deaths of Colton Davin, Inacio Ilusão, Alpa Bāgha and Cesarina Feroce.

John Dove already knows it. The true reason. Even if his mind has yet to conjure the exact words, he has already grasped the truth, because he is not stupid. However, he will not admit it just yet. Because doing so will change him, and he has no idea what he will become, and that is fucking terrifying.

It is easier to remain what he is: mediocre and directionless, but (apparently) in control of himself.

Naturally, none of this is actually going through his head right now. It is closer to an impression, a hunch, a vague certainty that he is standing on the edge of a precipice, unaware that he has been walking near this cliff for years. Every single interaction with his Pinefall classmates has pushed him closer and closer to the edge. However, the last step is by far the hardest.

Because he is not worth saving, nobody will save him. This is the new faith now entrenched in his heart. Moreover, if he knew how to save himself, he would not be in this situation in the first place.

“If there is something I can do, I…”

A sentence he does not know how to complete, and therefore his voice wanders off somewhere. It is the lament of a powerless person, and a plea to absolutely nobody.

[Mellon]

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Road’s End – Streets (Inside Elaine Winter’s Car)
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 08.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“I’m not a monster, Vandemeel,”

“It is better for people to be alive than to be dead. I recognize at least that much.”

“Why?”

A dismissive snort and a brief bark was the only response that the raven-haired girl deigned to give to such a meaningless statement.

Knowing that was irrelevant. Such a conclusion be reached by pure calculation alone, if necessary. Countless morons blathered on about “for the greater good” based on this horseshit, after all. No. What was really important was where it was coming from. Anger over the waste of life? Sorrow? Is it because he didn’t want to lose people close to him? Or was it simply because such an outcome would be inconvenient.

And, ironically, monsters were usually far more aware of the value of human life in their own, at times peculiar, way. It was men who most often forgot the value of human lives.

Though… the fact that John Dove’s first instinct was to claim that it was about saving lives, already probably told her everything she needed to know about the boy’s motivations, even if he himself seemed to be completely oblivious to something like that.

“If there is something I can do, I…”

“I ask you again, Dove. Why? Where does your desire to help others, to help us, come from?”

Anna’s question hacked into John’s weak statement like a knife. It was almost as if the jacketed witch was leading the blue-haired boy down a specific path of reasoning from where there would be no way back.
John Dove was like a string of a guitar wound too tight, just on the bare edges of shattering. He only needed a push. Or perhaps it would be correct to say that he had shattered already. What was holding together the boy in front of him was the façade. The mask. Like a shattered vase that had been hastily stuck together with cheap glue, it was the only thing that was barely holding him together.

So let him break.

Fundamentally, what John Dove needed to do was to shatter. The more the glue was allowed to settle, the more his mind would resist change. Because of routine, because of comfort, but mostly because of…

Fear.

“If your calculation on the worth of human life was based on pure cold logic, then a far more convenient solution would simply be to leave this place and run away. Just glide through the world like the emotionless machine you pretend to be, find a convenient gap, and leave this place, never looking back.”

“The fact that you are not even entertaining such an option, suggests to me that you care or find some type of value or significance in helping the people who are living here, no?”

“After all, even if you are an empty vessel that has lost its purpose… what is even driving you to seek out a new “tomorrow” in the first place? Why do you even reach for the future?"

Anna leaned closer, her whisper only reaching John’s ears and no-one else’s.

“But I’ll give you a reprieve and take you by your words. Though… that will not save you.”

“You said it yourself. There is no reason for you to look forward to tomorrow, it is something you seek but do not have. As such, you are empty, John Dove. No purpose, no emotion, no drive, no meaning.”

“There is no way someone like you, as you are and act now, can claw meaning and value back from this cruel world of ours.”

“So…. Shatter. Break. Change. If you truly are empty and worthless, then there is nothing for John Dove to lose by casting aside the broken you of today.”

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Reference Library
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“Maybe that’s why?”

I spoke up, quietly, with a hint of uncertainty in my voice.

“It sounds like your mom is...quite bad at ‘heart-to-heart’ as well. And she probably knows that. She probably also knows that she didn’t treat you in the most...optimal way, but the further she drifts, the more impossible it becomes for her to look you in the eye, and try to change.”

Not that people could change. Not that easily.

This topic comes up quite often, doesn’t it?

Still, it wasn’t exactly something that I wanted to get into a discussion about, especially not with Mercedes.

“I mean, how could she even change after all those years? How would you even react if she just suddenly started being responsible? Would you even accept that? So this was probably the only way she could think of. It’s not that she didn’t want to see you...but that she wanted the best for you. Which she likely didn’t consider to be the conditions you described...so she sent you here, where you could be with other people.”

Awkwardly, I scratch the back of my head as I avert my gaze.

“Of course, it doesn’t exactly seem like you like it here, what with calling it a ‘looney bin’ and all…”

I shrugged, but I could not help feeling even more awkward after blurting that out.

Why did it feel bad that Mercedes considered the place that I, Pyry, and a bunch of others were part of as well?

I didn’t care much when Travis said that, nor did I really care about the rumours of the townspeople considering the place an asylum or something. Caring too much, and about the opinion of every random stranger, just lead to being hurt.

“W-well...wha---what-evah. It’s not like I could know what’s really going on in your mom’s mind. But at the very least it would be worth considering that she’s not just an asshole trying to make your life even worse.”

“Could be that she was already planning on doing it for a while too, if she helped out with the project personally.”

[Verg Avesta]

Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Overcast

"A-ha-ha-haa~"

With that trademark nasty, if monotone, laughter of hers, Potemkin finally separated herself from Travis - only to give the place she had been fondling an encouraging tap that caused the boy to wince and shuffle away from her, rounding Alexstrasza so that he put the blonde girl between himself and the monochrome girl with no shame, rhyme or reason. It was only in that relative safety that he started getting back his bearings, the redness on his cheeks finally receding. It took few silent moments (during which Potemkin entertained herself by threateningly undulating after Stephanie) for Travis to finally calm down, and when he did...

"Apologies. Some people are just... difficult to deal with, I suppose."

"You don't say?"

For some reason, it didn't seem that he was only talking about Potemkin here. Something in those blaming eyes, squarely aimed at Alexstrasza, said as much. Indeed, it was beginning to be clear that the boy was blaming her as a whole for his morning becoming this convoluted and chaotic... and in a sense, he wasn't too far off the mark! After all, even the main instigator - the girl making faces at the young child who trembled somewhere between terror and laughter - was just another part of...

"A-ny-ways. The hell's this supposed to be about? Like I said, it sounded like you were off your rocker as usual, but I take it you're after something?" Travis finally asked, folding his arms and leveling a glare at Alexstrasza. "And if that's the case, I actually have to agree with that... whatever that is over there."

An awkward pause followed as Travis looked at the blonde girl, then at his crotch, and then back at her... before snarling a little bit.

"--- And not about that you idiot."

At least he made it clear.

"What I mean is that if you're gonna ask for help, then you gotta do me a solid too. I'm actually headed out after school today to do a little... searching. And I could use an extra pair of eyes," Travis explained, carefully studying Alexstrasza's expressions. "So yeah. If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. In other words, I'd help you with... whatever nonsense you're planning now. But not this morning."

His eyes glanced towards Stephanie.

"--- Already promised to look after the brat."

---

Colt Davin & Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

Not long after, the group of Colt, Lucille, Gradient and Tris found themselves in the cafeteria located at the main building of the Pinefall campus.

The trip there hadn't taken long, the only thing that postponed it for a few seconds having been Gradient's sudden elation and strongly (and weirdly) worded demands for more headpats. Even Tris had found herself a raincoat quite quickly, clearly hurried up by her growing hunger. The roars of the blonde knightess's stomach were truly something to behold, and the better they'd get some food, the better.

Not to mention that, as far as the rest could understand Gradient, Hisa and Pyry were at the cafeteria.

Though once they got there...

"Oh, Colt! G'morning!"

It seemed that half of the pair was missing.

The cafeteria itself was relatively empty. On one table, Inacio and Caleb were talking with hushed tones and both looking like they were wrestling with some difficult problem - having descended into deep, silent thoughts and only breaking the quiet every now and then. Meanwhile, at the other end of the cafeteria, Subaru and Aleen were in the midst of some conversation that seemed rather intense - if Aleen's scared squeaks were anything to go by. The fluffy-haired shrine maiden did, however, notice Lucille arrive and gave her a shy wave and a smile.

And then there was the third table with people at it. A rather surprising trio of Pyry, Ubon... and who the heck was this?

Somehow the black-haired boy, his hair put on a braid like a martial artist, looked curiously familiar to Colt.

"Did'cha come to get some grub too?" Pyry, who had called out to Colt earlier, asked with a hint of a grin. "Well grab a plate and join us. And --- Oh! Guess Gradient came to visit you guys already, huh? Looks like someone's gotten independent!"

Gradient replied with a cheeky grin and a V-sign thrown the lion-maned boy's way.

"Good to see you're looking fit as a fiddle, Colt!" The black-haired boy said and waved energetically at him as well. "Though, huh, can't say I've seen your friends before! T-then again, it's not like I'm an usual guest here, ahahaha... D-do introduce us though!"

Easier said than done. Who the heck was this feller, and why did his voice sound so familiar?

Wait...

That little brother type energy and cheerful smile plastered all over his face...

... Ru?

"Oh! Lucie!" Ubon exclaimed, waving her hands at the blonde girl like she was about fo fly off. "Gooood morning~!"

---

Vier Wolff
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Room #211
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

A long silence reigned after Vier's knock.

It wasn't the type of silence that usually happened when people weren't in the room, no... it almost felt like the silence of someone holding their breath and being ready for something. Clearly whoever was inside was listening in on Vier, listening on what she was doing and getting a read on her presence... what little there was. Silent seconds stretched longer and longer, and for a moment it didn't seem clear whether or not the person inside was going to answer the call at all.

But then... finally.

Footsteps.

They approached the door with a brisk pace - the soft, quiet footsteps of a soldier or a martial artist. A gait that had been trained to erase all unnecessary movement. A style of walking that immediately told that the person getting closer and closer was not just a normal everyday person.

And somehow... it felt oddly familiar to Vier.

Too familiar.

As if...

Creak.

Before she could even finish that though, the door opened slightly ajar, the chain lock on the door making sure that nobody got in. The little sliver that Vier could see revealed your typical hotel room, though there seemed to be quite the mess inside, with papers strewn about everywhere and with the shape of a person laying on the big king-sized bed. Sleeping, most likely, judging by the small minute movement of the sight.

But the thing that most grabbed Vier's attention was the person standing in the doorway... the person watching her every move with a pair of cold eyes.

After all.

She knew that person.

"... Yes?"

A quiet, soft voice full of strength.

One that made a non-existent bruise on Vier's head ache...

---

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Empty Classroom
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Yeah, I can handle Prushka! I've been wanting to talk to her again for a while, and haven't had a chance yet. Hopefully I'll be able to catch her and Hisa in the morning, check their availability, and then I'll see you at lunch!"

Sakura nodded with a smile.

"That sounds like a plan," she replied. "Meanwhile, I'll try to track down Vier. If she's not at school, I'll try to get her attention during the classes. Then we can regroup at the lunch and try to get our plans in order, see what we can do today."

With that, the brunette walked over to the door of the empty classroom and unlocked it. At the same time, she seemed to inhale and exhale loudly, as if expelling the serious work-mode that she had been wearing so far. One could practically see the pragmatic assassin of the Holy Church retreat within the bubbly, cheerful older girl - out of sight but not out of mind. It was a part of Sakura that always lurked underneath the surface, just as much as her own troubles, insecurities and traumas did. Just one look at that now-smiling face made Elise realize just how big of a burden the maid of the Faraday family was carrying...

... And how much she was sacrificing herself every day.

"If anything comes up during the morning and you need help, I'll most likely be here at the dorms. If you can't get here, make as loud a noise as possible - I should be able to pick it up," Sakura said, flashing a smile towards Elise as she opened the door. "Though let's hope it doesn't come to that."

With that, she was off - only to stop one foot out in the corridor, as if remembering something.

"Oh, right. The one who arranged our inclusion into the ranks of Pinefall's students..."

Sakura glanced towards Elise, giving her a meaningful look - as if she should have known the importance of what she was about to say.

"--- That would be Sister Marie. That Sister Marie."

And with that, the brunette was finally off.

---

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Reference Library
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“Could be that she was already planning on doing it for a while too, if she helped out with the project personally.”

"....."

Mercedes didn't answer immediately. Instead she took the moment to close the window. With a click the old wooden frame settled into it's original place, and the sound of rain was muffled once, turning into a distant rumming against the window panes. Then the starlet walked over to where her bag was and fished out a small towel - one she used to wipe her face with. While she did, Hisa could feel another muffled, distant sound - that of small sniffling, the last bits of a vulnerable moment being reigned back into control. Most likely now, once Mercedes was done drying her face, she would back to her usual face.

The solitary, self-assured, smug actress from the silver screen - hard-pressed to let anyone close.

"Hmph... that'd, like, be like her I guess," the actress finally said as she tossed the towel back in her bag. "She's so unreasonable in everything... so yeah. I can see that. Take part in something as ri-di-culous as this just to, like, ensure me a spot. All 'cause she screwed up our home-life totally. So, since she couldn't fix that, she'd...... yeah. She would totes send me here."

A sort of amused snort escaped Mercedes's lips as she folded her arms and shook her head. And for a moment, Hisa could see a genuine smile break through her usual expression.

... Well, perhaps she hadn't totally reverted to her natural state.

"I mean, we are talking 'bout the lady who'd order me a meal from the Chateau every time she'd come home too late to cook. Like gawd, can you imagine how totes embarrassing that was? I'd be having, like, some classmates over and bam! Suddenly Michelin-star chefs are ringing the doorbell," Mercedes recounted, chuckling again. "That woman has no common sense whatsoevah. But... she did always feed me. She left me money to buy clothes. She made sure I went to school. And when things got, like, royally fucked up... she sent me here."

It felt a bit like Mercedes was avoiding the obvious conclusion to draw from here - the one that was staring her straight in the face, and who a relative outsider like Hisa could see clearly.

... Most likely, Mercedes's mother did care for her. Only, she had hard time showoing it. They must have been very awkward people. But at the end of the day, it did indeed sound like her mother always wanted the best for her.

"--- Guess I can't, like, blame her though," Mercedes suddenly continued. "Must've been totes nightmare raising a brat like me alone. I mean... don't got a single memory of my dad - and I got a pretty damn good memory. Was always just, like, my mom and me."

This was followed by another slightly awkward bout of silence. To break it, Mercedes started packing up her stuff. She cleaned up the desk and set the journal carefully in her bag, before taking the books she had gotten from the library back to the right shelves. While she worked, she glanced towards Hisa, and for a moment the scarred girl could see a lop-sided, knowing smile on the starlet's face.

"But, you're right, Nancy Drew. I don't, like, exactly agree with this place. I can't see an experiment like this ending up well, and considering what we learned yesterday... well, like, you know? It feels like there's a whole lot of dangerous stuff underneath everything," the actress explained, before suddenly gaining a bit of a serious edge to her voice. "Though, like, don't make a mistake. This place is a looney bin, yeah... but not 'cause of the people here. Most at least. There's only one real mental patient here. This one big bundle of trust issues, mommy issues and mental issues peppered with vivid death hallucinations. So yeah..."

Mercedes flashed a slightly sarcastic grin at the other girl.

"That's why I call this place a looney bin."

Then, having said that, Mercedes stretched like she had woken up from a good nap and smacked her lips.

"A-ny-ways... I think I need a trip to the little ladies' room to powder my nose - and fix the rest of this mess that's my face. After that, I'm gonna need, like, a ton of carbs. Being all emotional gets me hungry," Mercedes said and cackled, having gained back her usual attitude. "What about you? You have breakfast already?"

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Reference Library
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“Well,” I started as I scratched my cheek sheepishly, “I had a few bites, but I kinda decided to come here halfway through breakfast.”

At the very least, another cup of tea would be nice. And more food could not hurt either. Having my stomach completely filled before a nap would just make it even better.

“Still, attitude aside, I couldn’t really call you a loony,” I changed the topic with a smirk, “Ain’t no one on the earth is completely right in the head and free from issues, but that’s just normal, isn’t it? Besides, was it a world void of struggle, we wouldn’t know why to strive forward, and was it void of negative experiences, we wouldn’t be able to tell the good ones apart.”

Ah…

I should stop with these, shouldn’t I?

At best I’m just embarrassing myself.

“A-anyways, if you ever want to try doing something about your...death hallucinations, or your headache, I can probably give it a better try than what you can get from any sort of normal doctor. Might not look like it, but it’s kinda my forte.”

I couldn’t expect her to agree now, but at the very least, I wanted her to know if she ever decided to trust me enough in the future.

Having finished packing my own stuff as well, I was ready to head back to the cafeteria, when another thought occured to me.

Part of the reason why I wanted to talk with Mercedes, apart from her own issues.

“By the way, you’re keeping an eye out for what’s going on around the dorms, aren’t you? Noticed anything weird?”

[Verg Avesta]

Liana Skye
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Dining Area
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Or it could be a giant coincidence, although that's a bit of a boring answer. Could also be a fan that named themselves after her? Although 'fan of lost cosmonauts' sounds like a bit of an underground sort of interest... Maybe an imposter? That'd be a different sort of codename. Not sure why you'd impersonate a lost cosmonaut, but eh, I'm sure someone could come up with a reason!"

Ferguson laughed good-heartedly at Liana's theories.

"I must admit, my dear, you've got a mind quite similar to my own. See, the thing I despise the most in this work are coincidences. They're usually either red herrings, or at worts, inconsequential. Nothing good has ever come out of things beings coincidentally linked. Besides, life is much more interesting without coincidences," he said and tapped his nose with his index finger. "The way I see it, the fact that we have a young Russian girl that shares the name of a purported lost cosmonaut - a stuff of urban legends - certainly sets the stage for an interesting investigation... I wonder. Perhaps she fell from the moon?"

A moment of absurb silence... finally ended by a teasing grin.

"--- No, even I'd wager that'd be a little bit too much."

With that, the FBI agent returned to his breakfast.

"And as for what comes to this coffee, my dear, I hear it's a special blend made by the young lady who happens to be the owner's niece. Rachel Halloway is her name - quite the firecracker and a rather responsible young woman. I can see her being a big asset to this hotel if it's still standing by the time she takes the reigns," Ferguson answered the second question. "Of course, from what I understand the current owner hasn't been taking that good care of the place, instead retreating into his own world and spending his day surrounded by memories of his past - cooped up in his personal rooms. Then again, old people often tend to live with one foot in the past, so I can hardly blame him. Which does remind me..."

Setting his fork and knife aside, Ferguson leaned his elbows at the table and intertwined his fingers. Watching the girl across the table from him with that innocent-yet-enigmatic smile of his, the agent seemed to suddenly study her body language. Every minute detail and every little micro-expression she exhibited. To be suddenly watched by those inquisitive eyes... it was easy enough to realize that behind his almost childlike innocence and good nature, there lay a fierce intelligence.

"... You said you were the daughter of a scientist, didn't you, Sora? Which makes me wonder," Ferguson said, his smile deepening. "Why would a person like that seek out an employee of the federal government? Judging by your introduction, you were interested in talking with me."

A silver eyebrow was raised.

"Do you, perhaps, have some questions of your own?"

---

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

"What do you think?"

With the cigarette smoking on his lips, Hwan considered the suggestion - the so-called nuclear option - carefully, weighing the pros and cons of the action in his mind. One could practically see the highly-trained gears turning, slowly but surely, as he imagined how such a scenario could pan out. And once he had done all the thinking he could, he flicked yet more ash off of his cigarette into the tray... and scratched his head furiously with his free hand, messing up his hair.

"... Shit. Honestly, shit," he said with a grunt. "That's... definitely one thing we can do. But like you said, that's the final option. Because if we do that... well, afterwards, our hands will be tied."

The sharp magenta eyes were trained at Prushka.

"If he's a Turnside person and somehow tied to this, well... in that case, we'll probably be dead. Or rather, he'll get rid of us for trying to stick a wrench into his plans," Hwan explained. "If he's not... our hands will be tied for the rest of the week. As in, if it comes out a student might be dead, he'll put this place on a lockdown, I bet. No one goes out, no one goes in. Police will come in to do their investigation, and we'll be confined in the dorms until some answers are found. We won't be able to move or act without raising suspicion or having someone constantly watch over us. And that's... no good, either."

Again, Hwan started counting with his fingers.

"First, that plan of opening the safe at Leuzinger's office will be no-go. We won't be able to fool her if the place is in high alert, and even if we do, I'll bet there'll be people keeping an eye out on the office 24/7. It''s got all the drugs and dangerous scalpels, after all. Two, we won't be able to have private interviews with our little classmates. Finding those two who might have seen a glimpse of the killer will be hard if we've got someone breathing down our neck the whole time," Hwan explained, and finally raised a third finger. "And third, we can forget about searching for the vampires - especially if we want to return to the listening station. Chances are we won't be able to head out to the town, let alone into the woods."

Having said his peace, the white-haired boy fell silent to one more time think things through... and finally nodded.

"Yeah, to be honest... I'm against it. At least right now. I feel like we've got more to lose whichever way that confrontation goes," he concluded. "Worst case scenario, we'll be locked in the dorms with an invisible killer, who's free to take advantage of the situation to pick us off one by one. And that---"

Suddenly.

An unexpected realization dawned on Hwan'e eyes.

"Wait a minute. The killer... you're right. Gabi wouldn't have gone out without a friend. He was way too cowardly for that," Hwan suddenly said, sounding like he had an eureka moment. "Which probably means..."

He held a momentary pause.

"... Whoever called him there was someone Gabi considered a friend."

---

Anna Vandemeel, John Dove & Elaine Winters
Location: Road's End - Streets
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

For the moment, Ramia had been content with watching the strange argument that was brewing with John Dove and Anna Vandemeel. The girl with fire in her eyes, and the boy with death in his. She watched over them in a manner that almost looked like she had seen something like this many times before. Young, raging naivete that rebelled against the world to prove herself right, fighting against young, melancholic naivete that tried to conform to the horrible realization had been overcome. Both spun out of the simple problem of understanding one's place in the world.

But the further along it got, the further this argument also started to feel like what had been discussed.

So, perhaps it was no surprise that when Ramia spoke, she spoke with a quiet, well-measured voice so as to not interrupt the other topic completely.

"Red... it's all fine and good to speak of such things. To talk about changing, or trying to change, and thus find a meaning to one's existence. Especially someone robbed off it by the eyes of another. But the cold truth right now is... none of us has a tomorrow to look forward to. Not as long as that artifact is in our midst," the mercenary spoke. "The Vault Legion won't make it in time. Jettisoning it to a fae plane won't help. As long as the carrier exists here, it'll continue to spread the irkalla - the concept - around it... and there's no stopping it by conventional mean."

She sighed and gazed out of the window, not looking forward to the argument that would probably break out after she said her piece.

"The only way to make the Eight-Banded Star to stop functioning is to bring the tale to a close - one way or another. And right now, there's no one in this town, probably on this continent, that could elevate Dove to a Goddess just like that - with both the Splendors and Radiances and all. Thus the only route open to us is that of Ereshkigal, the queen... and well." Ramia's smile became a bit sarcastic, a bit bitter. "Do you happen to know anyone else who can die and continue living afterwards? It's not like I'll be gone. I'll just awaken as a baby somewhere else in this world. If you guys are such worrywarts, I can come visit you in some 18 years to put your minds at ease."

While it was not a happy topic, while it was not the way that would make anyone happy, the way Ramia Ramalsaqr spoke of dead... it was almost too flippant. Or perhaps her emotional state could have more aptly been described as "indifferent."

Yes.

Ramia Ramalsaqr, and all her previous iterations... they had become "indifferent" to death.

A state of being even vaguely more horrifying that not understanding death at all.

And the worst part was... she was right. At least objectively. No other action proposed so far would either make it in time or be powerful enough to deal with the problem properly. And with someone like Ramia, who would simply reincarnate into the next body, it was not like they would permanently lose anyone...

--- Just the Ramia Ramalsaqr that existed now.

"... Of course, if we could find Cleopatra's sworn friend, then that'd be also option. If we hand the item back to her, if we make her accept it back and have her bear the burden, then that would take care of our problems since her millenia long existence would be the buffer between us and Irkalla. But we wouldn't even begin to know where to look, and having her take it back of her own volition, after what she experienced, that would be---"

Suddenly.

Ramia's words died to her lips.

And for some reason... her frozen stared moved from the window to the boy on the shotgun seat.

That is, John Dove.

"Wait... Dove."

Her voice sounded raspy with surprise.

"You... your existence and your troubles... you said that it was because you stared into her eyes for too long, and were driven lunatic by the moon... right?" Ramia asked. "In other words, you fell under the influence of a vampire's gaze, looking up at the moon for too long? But... that's..."

A momentary confusion, followed by a flash of paleness on her cheeks, took over Ramia's troubled face.

"... That's impossible."

The rain outside felt louder.

"I said it didn't I...?"

The wind howled in the trees.

"That in order to not do the same for Cleopatra..."

And for some reason, the sky above felt darker.

"--- That sworn friend took out her own eyes... permanently."

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Reference Library
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“A-anyways, if you ever want to try doing something about your...death hallucinations, or your headache, I can probably give it a better try than what you can get from any sort of normal doctor. Might not look like it, but it’s kinda my forte.”

Mercedes chuckled.

"Sure. If the day comes that, like, aspirin and gin stops working for me, I'll be there to give your door a mean old knock," the starlet replied, sounding like she was only half-joking. "Like I said, I don't exactly like the idea of, like, someone rooting around in my brain but... if it ever gets unbearable, it's good to know I've got some last nuclear option I can try."

Slinging the bag over her shoulder, Mercedes seemed to hesitate for a moment, almost like she was about to say something else... but decided against it. Looking at the expression on her face, it was quite likely that what had almost come out were some sort of words of gratitude, but knowing her personality, a change like that would take a longer time. Or something quite drastic happening - like getting attacked by a monster. Mercedes West would always be Mercedes West, and even though her attitude towards Hisa had softened considerably, it was not like a tiger could shed its stripes.

... But the intent was there, even if it wasn't put in words.

That much was clear.

“By the way, you’re keeping an eye out for what’s going on around the dorms, aren’t you? Noticed anything weird?”

"Hmh?"

Mercedes blinked in a momentary surprise, looking at the other girl. Then she grinned slightly sarcastically and shrugged.

"Weird, huh? Well, take your pick. We've got half a dozen people I don't even recognize waltzing around, from some big-boobied blonde to some grumpy-looking guy as tall as your boyfriend. Then, like, there's the fact that I'm pretty sure our dear janitor skulks around the campus every night. Or some redhead teen heart-throb spies on us from the outside. Then there were these, like, creepy noises in the dorms last night..." Mercedes prattled on, listing quite a lot of things. "Kean Loinnir just bolting out of the dorms hours before the wake-up alarm, that little shit Xylia building something in her room, some scruffy-looking weirdo taking, like, pics of the school in the rain while we were wakng up and the weirdest little bird I've ever seen flitting about in the hours after dark... yeah. There's been, like, a shitton of weird stuff going on."

A moment of awkward silence followed, ended up Mercedes shrugging again with a mischievous little grin on her face.

"... What? You get bored when you sleep, like, three hours a night."

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

From the dorm to the cafeteria was a short trip. A short trip made slightly longer by the needs, not wants but needs, of a certain girl to have her head patted. Colt clearly remembered voting against a certain name that he associated with cats or dogs, but with every time he planted his palm atop her head and stroked her hair he began to question his decision.

Perhaps, just maybe, there was a slight possibility that she might be a dog.

Those were Colt’s thoughts as the small group pushed through the rain and went into the cafeteria. He had no brainpower to spare for the weather, how it was a somber precursor to the violent thunderstorm coming tomorrow. Nor did he spend any energy once again pondering his theory that this very same downpour freed Gradient last week.

"Oh, Colt! G'morning!"

Free from the rain’s onslaught, Colt quickly turned to the voice that called out for him. At other tables he spotted Inacio, Caleb, Aleen, and the girl that is supposedly Subaru. Meanwhile at the table Colt was being greeted from sat Pyry, some guy, and Ubon, the girl Colt assumed was on a permanent unholy sugar and caffeine high. Maybe a runner’s high too.

"Did'cha come to get some grub too? Well grab a plate and join us. And --- Oh! Guess Gradient came to visit you guys already, huh? Looks like someone's gotten independent!"

“So independent, in fact, that she came to hunt me down to tell me to come find you.” So saying, Colt planted his hand once more atop the girl’s head. After a series of pats to undermine her cheeky grin, Colt let go and beckoned Tris. “Well, don’t be shy. The food here is pretty dang good, and more importantly, there’s a lot.”

Colt led the girl over to the food and equipped her with a tray.

“Just pile as much of anything ‘n everything you want.”

Somewhere deep inside he felt like it might be a bit irresponsible to send her off with a directive like that.

But on the other hand the knightess got so animated and happy while eating that he didn’t care.

For himself the boy grabbed a modest breakfast. He was not a heavy eater, even if he could put back a lot when he really tried. Light breakfast was the best, so he helped himself to some mixed fruit and toast.

With his meal in hand he came back to the table. Terrible memories of the last time he had seated himself at the cafeteria came back, and of the time before that. Fortunately he was not in his zombiefied morning state and likely wouldn’t go projectile spewing anything at anyone’s face.

Hopefully.

"Good to see you're looking fit as a fiddle, Colt. Though, huh, can't say I've seen your friends before! T-then again, it's not like I'm an usual guest here, ahahaha... D-do introduce us though!"

"Oh! Lucie! Gooood morning~!"

Taking his seat, Colt narrowed his eyes at the ‘some guy’ seated at the table. A strong hunch that the boy definitely knew him couldn’t be shaken off, and in a way that was almost certainly rude, Colt began to very blatantly stare at him. Perhaps fortunately, Ubon seemed to be totally interested in directing her infinite reserve of energy and cheer at Lucille, leaving Colt to deeply ponder the identity of the braided boy.

Until, at last…

“Ah!” Colt pointed a finger at him. “Ru!”

Having cracked the code he let out a sigh of relief. Then he grimaced, realizing that it was probably a bit rude to point. And to stare. And to not even try to hide that he had to figure out who was talking to him.

“Ah, sorry. It was just a bit hard to recognize you, y’know? I mean you usually look a bit more, uh,” the boy tried to think of a way to put into words Ru’s ‘other’ appearance. “A bit more… not like this.”

Probably best not to go into specifics out loud, in a public space.

“Anyway, as for these three… I guess Ubon calls her Lucie, but that’s Lucille. She’s a classmate. If you hung out with Pyry and Hisa I’m gonna assume you know Gradient. Now as for Tris…” Colt thought a bit about how to introduce her. “You know what?”

He popped a pair of blueberries into his mouth.

“Nobody can introduce Tris better than Tris. In fact, I’m sure she’d be glad to introduce herself. She seems to love doing it.”

He could practically hear the phrase ‘Knight of Symzonia’ echo in his head.

“So Pyry,” Colt put his attention on the big man. “Gradient told me to come find you and Hisa. Is she not around for once? The one time I need you both and you’re actually separated, that’s wild.”

[Ayakashi]

"..."

She approached the table where the reporter was hard at work. The book she was writing in... Vivienne had held that in her hands 'one week ago', but this time she had come in time, and its author was still here, not having disappeared to be never seen again... so there was that for positives. Perhaps she should have tried to rope Xeni Techne to come alongside, but Vivienne felt like it may be an endeavor that would possibly take a bit of time... and time was a currency she could not afford to spend without care. After all, if she took too long... who knew where Alex Terrot could wander off too?

"Bonjour... Mademoiselle Terrot."

Vivienne makes her presence known as she arrives at Alex's table, her step and demeanor as silent as usual, as if she was a ghost. It is not that she enjoys doing things like that, but avoiding any unwarranted attention is nice, and walking normally is rather difficult at any rate... for someone whose soul has been broken. There is little emotion and energy to inject into the every day movement... thus it is entirely normal to be abnormal in Vivienne's case.

At least, her monotone voice and machine-like movement match. What will Alex Terrot think, when she gazes upon a girl that shows neither the happiness of seeing 'an old friend', nor the disappointment of someone who discovered the mastermind behind 'a great deception'?

"Have you been having... a pleasant séjour à l'hotel?"

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Empty Classroom
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"If anything comes up during the morning and you need help, I'll most likely be here at the dorms. If you can't get here, make as loud a noise as possible - I should be able to pick it up. Though let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Super hearing, eh?" chuckled Elise, "If anything comes up, I'll be sure to give you a shout, Sakura! As for me, I think I'll hang around the main building. See you at lunch!"

Sakura started to make her way out of the classroom. She paused briefly with one foot out the door as she remembered to answer Elise's last question before she left.

"--- That would be Sister Marie. That Sister Marie."

Sakura was gone, leaving Elise alone in the dreary, empty classroom. Elise paced about between the desks as she took a moment alone to process everything Sakura had just told her.

I could never send Sister Marie an angry letter. She's too nice to deserve that. Too nice, and also too terrifying. Maybe I'll send her a nice letter thanking her for looking out for my friend instead? thought Elise, Silence Mill has always done its own thing, so could explain why we all got left in the dark about each other. That does raise another question though... while I don't doubt that Sister Marie would want to help someone in Lucille's position, I can't help but wonder if that means that Silence Mill might also have some interest in possibly recruiting her? That might be something to ask Lucille about.

Setting that thought aside, Elise turned her mind back to Sakura's story about that awful and tragic night where Michael Lowgate met his end, except he didn't.

'Oh, great was the sin of my spirit, and great is the reach of its doom; Not the pity of Heaven can cheer it, nor can respite be found in the tomb', quoted Elise as she thought of Michael Lowgate, I wish I could just tell Lucille everything Sakura just told me, but a promise a promise, and just because I've decided to be try and be more open about my problems doesn't mean I've forgotten how to keep a secret.

Elise frowned to herself, At least now I think I know where Michael's claim of being the one who was betrayed and abandoned comes from now. I'm so sorry, Sakura, you did what you needed to do.

Then this Lowgate Prophecy... uhg. A dumb prophecy that led a whole family of Inquisitors to ruin. A Named Demon to manifest in Road's End near around the year 2000. All of those things hit way too close for comfort. I want it to be nothing more than a pile of horse hockey and just write the whole damn thing off, but it's hard to shrug it all off as one big dumb coincidence.

If it is true though...

Elise stopped her pacing by the windows and stared outside. She watched the raindrops, as they fell helplessly towards their doom until they splattered on the glass pane.

No, no! Last week, I died. There was no way there was anything left of me but radioactive dust. There would have been no way at all for the demon to have incarnated under those conditions. That means that the prophecy is demonstrably false, right? It can't be inevitable for the demon to incarnate if it's possible to create conditions where it would be impossible for the demon to incarnate. Right?

Elise sighed harshly to herself.

Eugh. This is too much. I'm just going to go and drown my existential dread with bacon.

With that, Elise set off for the cafeteria, in search of breakfast.

[Airen]

Liana Skye
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Dining Area
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Do you, perhaps, have some questions of your own?"

---In response to a raised eyebrow, comes a laugh like a bell.

"That obvious, huh?"

Yes, she laughs in a good natured sort of way, as the conversation takes a sudden inevitable shift.

"I did have some things I wanted to ask yeah, although I really was curious about the FBI Agent in town too, turned out to be a super cool older guy, so I'm happy with it."

One eye closes in a perpetual wink.

"But yes, Mom was a scientist. Name was Hikari Shouko, had something of a talent for bioengineering and robotics... Well, Mom was good at most things she put her mind too, but those were the things she seemed to like the most. Had some contact with the U.S Air Force too."

She waves it off.

---Ordinarily, she wouldn't be quite so brazen as all of this, but this town was on an apparent deadline, so she needed to take a few more risks than the usual; Scottie didn't seem like a bad guy, they weren't exactly friends yet of course, but there were things she could potentially offer here in exchange for his assistance, or hell, even that shockingly sharp insight of his...

"I thought she was dead for a long time, but come to find out later on... Someone matching her description is here in town," she pauses for a moment, expression tightening slightly in thought, then, "It's part of the reason I accepted the invite to come to this town, to see if I could find her... It could just be a look-a-like of course, a grand coincidence, but well... Coincidences are boring answers."

She laughs again, brightly, clearly, like the sky.

"I've done a bit of looking around... And she was here, I've confirmed that from a few people here, but in that case, it would have to mean she faked her death right? Is that something the government actually does? Pretend you died and drop you off somewhere? I figured you might be high up enough to have maybe heard something about it, although that's a bit of a long shot on my part, really... Not a reasonable thing to expect you to know."

She laughs in a melancholic sort of way, then, suddenly, almost as abruptly as his earlier question about JFK, she leans in further and...

"But since you seem to like riddles... What do you think it means to walk past the hangman's cross?"

Here's where the big risk comes in...

"Heard it from a woman named Muse, when I asked her about where my mom was..."

One way or another.

Something should come out of this...

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

Is everyone so lax about random people showing up in the cafeteria?

Lucille thinks about this as she gratefully gives Subaru a small wave in return, before turning to sit down at the table, setting down her plate of eggs and bacon. Honestly, she wasn’t very hungry—stress, probably—but if there was something miserable it would be starving in an important situation. Keeping hunger at bay kept the mind sharp.

As for her actual question, Tris and… whoever this was were clearly doing what they wanted, so she should just ignore the topic for now? And introduce herself, since he asked.

“I’m Lucille,” she says softly, but her voice comes out a bit tired. Still polite, but less enthusiastic than she would have liked. “Lovely to meet you.”

"Oh! Lucie!" Ubon exclaimed, waving her hands at the blonde girl like she was about to fly off. "Gooood morning~!"

“Good morning,” Lucille reponds, unable to match Ubon’s exuberance. It would be hard for her normally, but wasn’t it just impossible now? With everything she learned, she felt more tired and exhausted. “Everything fine and dandy today?”

“The one time I need you both and you’re actually separated, that’s wild.”

Upon Colt mentioning that… It dawned on her that he was completely right. From an outsider’s perspective, weren’t those two basically conjoined at the hip? Fate sure had a strange way of doing things.

Or perhaps…

No, she shouldn’t overthink things. Not all things are connected.

“I have to agree…”

[Bloble]

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

"Hah... you're right. It'd be too soon. Can't tell Oceandrop. Not without first getting a feel for what he's after."

Hwan makes some good points. The nuclear option is an option, but much like its real-life counterpart it'd be more of a Pyrrhic victory than a real one. In a situation where we're on the back seat, it'd hurt our investigation more than it would the killer's rampage.

The killer that may just have been one of the victim's supposed friends.

"... Whoever called him there was someone Gabi considered a friend."

"...that's just nasty to think about."

Murder. One might call it humanity's worst sin. It's a sin that even people in our class have been guilty of. But those were crimes of passion, of ache, and regret and pain. They are without a doubt awful, but they are nothing compared to what transpired yesterday. This is different. To wrap murder in lies and deception is to frame it, to turn it from an ugly truth into a deliberate art. Which makes it unforgivable. I don't know the first thing about that boy who stuttered through class yesterday, but the pounding in my heart is telling me he deserved better than to be some monster's canvas.

"Still, it's a lead. We can question his friends. I think he hung out with..." I rack my brains, thinking back to the various breakfasts we've had in the cafeteria, and to the beach party, both of them. "Ramia and Anna?" Two girls I know next to nothing about. Not that I know much about my classmates in the first place. Even ones I've been with, like Ubon and Pyry, have their secrets they won't share.

The thought brings back another half-remembered tale, words from a girl I've never met. And a possibility that makes all our hypothesizing seem pointless.

"Just assuming it was one of them is too easy, too. The killer was able to hide their presence completely. What's to say they couldn't also disguise it? Appear before Gabi as someone he trusted? With a class so soaked in the supernatural, it's less if and more who."

Lies beget lies. It's true of humans and it is true in the Turnside as well.

"We might be dealing with a wolf in girl's clothing."

Someone who could be anyone. Wasn't there something like that with Alex, last week? Her journal mentioned "letting her take of the business in school", while she performed a thorough search that must've have occurred at the same time as going to class. But Alex was obsessed with investigating the town. She would have no reason to kill. Does that mean her double is operating without Alex's knowledge? Our pool of suspects, which had been narrowing down until now, just got a lot bigger again.

"...we need to talk to Vivi about this. Get an idea of who was where last night. And compare notes on the students to see who's what. Only way we're catching the wolf. Here's who's trustworthy. Vivi, Lia, Lucille, Hisa, Pyry, Ubon, Alpa... oh right, I haven't even told you about Alpa, have I? She's nice, but shy, and I really should ask her to move somewhere safer considering what happened last week, or at least put up better protection..."

Quickly and simply, I share with Hwan the names of those classmates I'd consider trustworthy. Those who remember for sure, those who don't remember but are nice, as well as those who are 'probably okay' like Colt and Sakura. Halfway through the explanation, though, my stomach groans, twisting into knots and reminding me that for all the running and crawling of last night, I haven't eaten since that TV dinner.

"Y-you didn't hear that."

Right, food. Need breakfast at some point. Thinking too hard on an empty stomach only leads to a stomachache. The last thing we need is to end up in... oh. Oh, that might work. The best way to get seen by the nurse is to need treatment. Even if it's during, say, the middle of class.

"...hey Hwan, got anything in your closet that could make someone's bad day a whole lot worse for an hour or two?"

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Reference Library
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“That’s...quite a lot.”

I could only blink in surprise for a few moments, trying to take all what Mercedes said in.

I certainly did not expect this much.

Sure, we weren’t here for the whole night...but last time, I was. And all I noticed were what she described as ‘creepy noises’. There are so many things going on around the place, and yet, that was literally the only thing I managed to notice…

Meanwhile, Mercedes, a mostly ordinary human whose only tools are her eyes and ears manages to do far better…

I just can’t do anything right, can I?

“You mean a completely blue bird? You’ve---”

Ah, right. While she already saw the bird once, she did not remember anything about that.

“It’s a spy, of sorts. Think of it as falconry. It’s a very well trained bird that can do various things for its owner. In this case...to watch the dorms.”

So it really was here, after all.

But…

That thing was looping as well, wasn’t it?

So it’s certainly not the same as last time…

“And a grumpy looking tall guy?” I furrowed my brows, “Do these people actually had someone familiar with them too, or are they just lone, suspicious strangers?”

Ah…

“And where exactly did you see Jake then?”

Something that Rachel said yesterday occured to me again. The whole thing about Jake not behaving like himself, as if he was trying to conceal something. But since he’s been acting quite normal...I just brushed it aside with the pretense of it being some emotional trauma. However, the fact that he is up to something late into the nights...might change things.

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Reference Library
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"A spy-bird... huh?"

Mercedes tasted the word with her lips, and though she clearly found it strange, she didn't question it. Instead she simply gestured that the two of them should be off - the starlet had some make-up to reapply and afterwards some food to devour. And Hisa had her second cup of tea waiting for her.

"Well, I'll keep an eye for such a birdie," Mercedes responded. "As for the strangers... I think so? I saw blondie in Colt Davin's company, while that big guy... I dunno. Like, last night I'm pretty sure he helped that pipsqueak, Prushka, into the dorms. So I guess they, like, know each other? You know that midget better than I do, so ask from her if you want the deets."

Entering the corridor outside the reference library, the main building felt as quiet as before, though at the same time, one could easily make out that the amount of noise coming from the cafeteria had grown.

It looked like more people had arrived for some late breakfast while the two girls had been talking.

"And what comes to our janitor, it's just... like, a feeling I get. You know what I mean?" The starlet continued. "I mean he's got all the reason to move about here, being the janitor and all. But at the same time he does it in, like, totally suspicious way or whatevah. Trying to move overtly quiet when it's night, skulking about, keeping an eye if anyone's spotted him... that sorta stuff."

The actress glanced at the other girl.

"It's hella suspicious, right?"

Then, right afterwards, she stopped at one of the larger bathrooms on the way to the cafeteria.

"Anyways, gimme a moment - I'll need to fix this mess," Mercedes said, gesturing to her face.

And with that, she finally went inside.

---

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

"...hey Hwan, got anything in your closet that could make someone's bad day a whole lot worse for an hour or two?"

The white-haired boy frowned.

"... Maybe."

He didn't sound too happy that he had responded that way.

"Though I'm not sure if it's gonna stop at just couple of hours. You'd be safer is you just down a bottle of booze to an empty stomache so that they'll put you to sleep it off. Of course, you'll be so wasted that breaking into any safebox will be impossible," Hwan continued. "See, I dunno about you, but now that you put on the table the possibility that the murderer's someone who can change their face, debilitating myself would be the last thing I would do. I mean... think about it."

His magenta eyes narrowed, and his teeth silently grinded together.

"--- We can't trust anyone at the school right now. Any single person could be the killer right now. That's what happens when you open that that particular jar of worms. Shapeshifters... they're like a breeding ground for paranoia. What we need is a way to confirm everyone is who they say they are. Gather up that group, and agree to a some sort of signal... something that'll let us immediately know if the shapeshifter's taken someone else's place," Hwan continued, frustration clear in his voice. "Shit... this is why I didn't want to think about this possibility too much. Because once we have someone who can take other people's form, it's a one big game of Guess Who instead of Clue. Even that ability of yours... who's to say that even if you know someone's smell, they actually are who they say they are? They could have been shitting you from the get-go."

As if to make a point, a humourless chuckle escaped from Hwan's throat and for a moment, he flashed a foreboding, dangerous grin towards Prushka. His electrified eyes, so intense in focus, seemed to be drilling a hole through the boy.

"... For example, if I were the killer from the start - just some asshole who took the position of the real Hwan Bin form the start, you'd have just revealed your whole hand to me," the boy spoke with a quiet, threatening voice. "And the most logical course of action would be either to work with you to throw you off my trail... or just kill you here and be done with it. Maybe even take your place. You do have a lot of friends, after all..."

For some reason, every second that ticked away at the clock on the wall felt much longer than it should have.

The silence grew and grew, and Hwan's stare was still locked to Prushka's.

And once it started to feel like the boy was about to lunge at her, wrap his hands around her throat and strangle her then and there...

"Heh. As if."

He simply brushed it off with a wicked smirk.

"Unfortunately, I'm exactly who I say I am. But you do get what I mean, right?" Hwan said, raising his eyebrow. "If we're really dealing with a murderous shapeshifter, there's no person in this school we can trust without checking them first."

---

Liana Skye
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Dining Area
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

Agent Ferguson calmly watched and nodded at Liana's words as she spoke, explaining her situation and what she was looking for in the town. While he did raise his eyebrows a little bit when she mentioned the name "Hikari Shouko", no clear recognition flashed in his eyes. It was a similar reaction to someone having read a name of some vaguely person in the newspaper, and then hearing about them later in the day. In other words, it was more than quite likely that he didn't know about her mother's whereabouts.

Still, once Liana had paused, the FBI agent let out a thoughtful hum.

"Well... as an employee of the federal government, there are some things I naturally can't elaborate upon... but it's not too far-fetched. As you may know, we have our victim protection program, and in some cases, some more... extreme... methods may be utilized. Of course, it's rare that a family member would be left behind, but that can happen for two reasons. Either because there's no time to move the whole family, or because moving other members would put them at a risk as well," Ferguson replied, having thought about the question. "My dear, I do hope you're not about to involve yourself with something involving a latter case. I know of Shouko Hikari only by reputation - a pioneer of her field as you rightly said - but other than her disappearance some time ago, I can't say I know more than that. But if the government is involved, that doesn't mean anything. You know how it is - right hand not knowing what the left is doing. Still..."

Having apparently made some sort of decision, "Scottie" took the dictation machine from the table. He pushed a button on the worn, well-used machine and Liana could see how a small red light was lit, informing that the thing was on.

"Roxie, I'm currently dining with one Miss Sora Hikari, daughter of the scientist Shouko Hikari who disappeared some time ago. Could you run a check if the name has come up in our department? And don't... don't bother the Director about this. You know how she is. Keep this to yourself and do a discreet enough check in the archives," Ferguson almost casually spoke into the small microphone. "If you need help, you can always bother Jonathan. And no, before you ask, I don't think this is completely unrelated. Just call it my gut instinct and my personal belief that no family should be forcibly separated. Thanks."

With that he clicked the machine off once more and set it to the table, turning back to Liana as if nothing had happened. That smile of a curious kid was back on his face once more as he moved onto the next topic.

"And well... since you're asking about riddles, I doubt you mean a hangman in the traditional sense. There the reasonable answer what's behind it is, of course, the sweet embrace of death," the agent continued. "But now that you mention it, I did find this in my pocket after the first night I spent here..."

Looking rather excited, the man pulled out something from his jacket's pocket and placed it on the table.

A something that turned out to be... a card.

A Tarot card.

Number XII - The Hanged Man.

"A method of being hung from your leg like this was, apparently, oftend used for traitors in Italy. However, there's supposedly another explanation," Ferguson explained. "Some say that the man depicted is a Norse God, Odin, who is hanging from from the tree of knowledge. So if we want to apply that explanation, one possible interpretation would be..."

He held a meaningful pause.

"--- Past where Odin hangs is the knowledge we seek - in other words, truth."

---

Vivienne Bianchi
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Dining Area
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

"Bonjour... Mademoiselle Terrot. Have you been having... a pleasant séjour à l'hotel?"

If Vivienne's gaze was emotionless as she approached the table and accosted the reporter with her words, so was Alex Terrot's as she lifted her gaze from her writing work and turned it towards the other girl. The reporter didn't seem surprised, far from it. If anything, it looked like she had been expecting something like this. With a hint of an annoyed sigh, she closed the book in front of her and set down her pen. Then she took a sip of her coffee and gestured Vivienne to sit down, as it was clear that this talk wouldn't end as soon as it had talked.

"You could say that," Alex replied, in a manner familiar yet different from the Alex at school. "I've been able to work on my investigation in peace. There have been no other obligations to think about or to worry about. Until now."

A slightly hostile gaze was directed at the quiet girl.

"Now then... Mademoiselle Vivienne Bianchi, if I'm correct? A darling of le grand écran, just like Mercedes West. Only, unlike her, your star has all but faded these days. I've been informed about you," Alex spoke, measuring the girl across from her with her eyes. "The fact that you're here means that Xeni has failed when it comes to you, I take it. Hopefully you haven't done anything stupid relating to her. I'm perfectly willing to call the police. After all, while we may be partners in crime, we do look out for each other."

It was beginning to be clear that Alex Terrot, the real Alex Terrot, was a woman who didn't trust anyone easily. Even know she seemed to be wary of every thing that the black-haired girl did.

Like she had been sitting in a ring with an opponent of sorts.

"So the question is... how can I help you, Mademoiselle Bianchi?"

Alex's eyes narrowed.

"--- And let's keep this short if possible. I'm waiting for someone."

---

Colt Davin, Lucille Faraday, Hisa Momoi & Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

“So Pyry Gradient told me to come find you and Hisa. Is she not around for once? The one time I need you both and you’re actually separated, that’s wild.”

“I have to agree…”

Pyry, upon hearing these comments, blushed rather magnificently.

"G-guys, it's not like that! I mean, I'm just helping her out and she clearly needs an ally. Besides... I do owe it to her," Pyry said and, for a moment, a bit of a troubled look passed by his face. "I-in any case, it's not like we're together all the time. It's just easier to watch each other's backs like that. You get what I mean, right? It's... well, it's like you and Tris, right Colt?"

Gradient, having sat down with a breakfast that consisted mostly of fried eggs, boiled eggs and glasses of milk, shot a questioning eyebrow at the shorter boy. Ru, upon seeing the expression, guffawed and nearly choked on his hasbrowns, but managed to clear his throat with a big gulp of orange juice. For a moment, it looked like some sort of trouble was brewing yet again... but then, once again, Gradient flashed that cheeky grin, and it became clear she was just teasing the brown-haired boy.

She had certainly gotten more expressive over the week.

"Well maybe, but I think it's totes sweet, for realsies!" Ubon commented, happily smiling at the group and Pyry in particular. "I get that Hizzie's the easily lonely type, so having someone who'll stick by her no matter what musta been a big relief! Plus, I dunno - you two look cute together. What with a big hulking guy and a teensy grumpy girl like Hizzie~"

Too bad for Pyry. He had almost got back his poker-face, but the teasing from the cyanhead sent him right back to Blushville, and caused him to avoid embarrassment by burying his mouth into his cup of coffee.

Perhaps the teasing would have continued... but at that moment, the last person of the group finally arrived back to the table.

Tris, of course.

With a tray and a single plate.

... And a veritable mountain of nothing but pure bacon.

"I hath arriveth!" the girl loudly proclaimed, slamming the tray down and taking a seat next to Lucille. "Behold, Colt! Thou werest not wrong of the breakfast servedeth here! 'Tis a veritable dimension of meat I see'eth before mine eyes, and I cannot waiteth to begin to consumeth it! Ah, this bliss...!"

Ru, eyes wide as plate thanks to the entrance, gave Colt a concerned look.

"So this, uh... this is Tris, right? I saw a bit of her yesterday, but..."

"Indeed!"

The knightess's words cut into the conversation.

"I art Tristellia Sem Zoirvit - Knightess of Symzonia! I art here to vanquish any evil-doer or blackguard that threateneth the sanctity of this fair land!" the blonde girl said while puffing up her (oversized) chest with a smug look. "'Tis not mine only duty, howevereth! I also protecteth fair and gentle Colt here from foul villains that aimeth for his life, and am in search of mine good partner, U-Sa-"

"Ugh, puhleaze. Just shut off that racket, will you?"

For the first time, it was Tris who had her grand words overrun by a comment from the sidelines. All the eyes turned towards the source of the haughty voice. Tris especially, since she looked both like someone had slapped her and like she couldn't believe someone had just so callously trampled over her pompous introduction. Indeed, most people wouldn't have been able to just step over the nonsense the girl was spewing...

But this wasn't just any girl.

--- This was Mercedes West, standing at the end of the table with arms folded and a smirk on her face.

And right next to her was Hisa Momoi.

"O-oh, you guys came back already!" Pyry greeted the duo with a surprised (and slightly confused) smile. "How did it go?"

The boy didn't seem to be the only one who were more than a bit weirded out by the starlet's sudden approach. Tris, as said, was staring at her all bug-eyed and shocked. Ubon, on the other hand, wore a rare case of a sour face and avoided looking at the actress in the eyes. Ru was openly staring, having completely forgotten good manners, and a slight blush had appeared on his face. But as for the actress herself...

... She skipped over everyone else and instead, landed her gaze straight at Lucille.

"... H-hi, Lucy," Mercedes said, sounding surprisingly unsure of herself before quickly recovering her usual haughty attitude. "So, like, this is where you were? I went looking for you this morning, you know?"

Meanwhile, next to Colt, there was one person who didn't even seem to see Mercedes.

"Muu!"

Gradient decided to, instead, wave at Hisa with a big grin and a beaming disposition.

And while all this was happening...

--- Elise-Marie Pelltier finally reached the cafeteria, and saw that other than the small gatherings of Inacio and Caleb or Subaru and Aleen... one of the tables was half-filled with strangers who she had never seen before.

[Daneel Rush]

Location: Road’s End – Streets (Inside Elaine Winter’s Car)
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain



By now, anybody who has wasted their neurons putting any thought into John Dove should have realized the obvious inconsistency in his claims on his life before arriving to Pinefall. The boy claims he has dedicated his life ever since that night to looking for Her.

However, how could an average nobody, without even the slightest hint, even begin to do such a thing?

The certainty that She was something beyond human was of no help. There is no hint to be found there. Where to look, how to look; he had absolutely nothing to work with, no idea on where to even begin. Let’s say he checked the papers and found similar events that could suggest Her involvement; he remained just a child, nonetheless. There was no way he could visit those places to investigate.

Let’s say he miraculously connected the dots after learning enough of the occult and realized he was looking for a vampire; he remained just a child, and no foster home or orphanage would let him wander at night looking for bloodsuckers. Especially considering he was “the cursed child”, target of so many suspicions.

If he had been truly and wholly dedicated to that search, as he wants to believe he was, then he would have lived a much different life. There was certainly a pull urging him to chase after Her, but it was a very natural one, and far from irresistible. He never fled the orphanage in search of Her. He never disappeared from a foster home to chase after a vague clue. He was a generally quiet, obedient youngster, attending school and scoring boringly average grades. He had no friends; he frequented libraries, bookstores, antique shops and garage sales; he worked a few part-time jobs, proving himself a disciplined, but boringly ordinary and mediocre employee.

The “obsessive” search for Her existed only in his mind.

The reason? That should be obvious by now: the need for direction.

The need to believe he was doing something with his life, for the alternative was admitting that he had nothing and was nothing; an ordinary, mediocre brat with nothing going for himself.

It is only natural that, upon finding Her, he realized he only wanted to say “thank you for saving me. Can I do anything for you?”

There may be some sort of supernatural connection between them, but there was never obsession. John Dove is not a puppet subject to mindless obedience and lavish devotion. His feelings towards Her are gratitude and admiration, perhaps to an excessive degree, but he was ruled by those feelings for all these years only because he allowed them to.

After that Sunday, after that meeting, John Dove had nothing left. And that is why Vandemeel’s words are so effective.

“I ask you again, Dove. Why? Where does your desire to help others, to help us, come from?”

Indeed, why was it that, upon losing his one and only lighthouse, he chose to focus, of all things, on the crisis encroaching upon all of them? Why bother with any direction at all, really?

Elaine Winters.

Yes. Watching Elaine Winters’ final moments did something to him. Rather, it strengthened something that was already beginning to awaken after a week surrounded by Pinefall’s Fist Class.

Why did they move him?

Because they are special. Because they have all those things he utterly lacks, and does not imagine himself ever having.

Her eyes did not take from him the ability to see value in everybody else. Were that the case, the deaths around him would not weight in his mind, he would not acknowledge Subaru Iburi’s words as wisdom, he would not feel the need to retort to Ubon’s antics, and Alexstrasza’s aberrant presence would not make him feel…whatever it is he felt in her presence.

No, what Her eyes took away was the ability to see value in himself.

Her beauty, Her majesty, and Her otherworldliness crushed his ego, rendering him a non-entity. A creature who could only exist, who could only think, say or do what is necessary, relevant, or convenient. A person who could not do anything for the sake of himself. A thing broken to such a degree that, ten years later, even after realizing this wrongness, he still struggles to recognize that—

“The fact that you are not even entertaining such an option, suggests to me that you care or find some type of value or significance in helping the people who are living here, no?”

I know that.

This is not really about those people.

“ After all, even if you are an empty vessel that has lost its purpose… what is even driving you to seek out a new “tomorrow” in the first place? Why do you even reach for the future?”

I know that.

Why would somebody like John Dove even care for the future, if he cannot even grasp the present?

“You said it yourself. There is no reason for you to look forward to tomorrow, it is something you seek but do not have. As such, you are empty, John Dove. No purpose, no emotion, no drive, no meaning.”

“There is no way someone like you, as you are and act now, can claw meaning and value back from this cruel world of ours.”

I know that!

The Estonian’s whisper is damnation itself. Like the velvety hands of a succubus about to push him through the Gates of Hell.

This is not about other people’s opinion of him. John Dove’s ego is not developed in a way to make him care about things like that. This is not about being cool, strong, attractive, intelligent, or anything else. This is not about being somebody others admire. No, this boy is still too far from that level.

“So…. Shatter. Break. Change. If you truly are empty and worthless, then there is nothing for John Dove to lose by casting aside the broken you of today.”

But, that…

…is just too scary.

This young man is no different from the lost, shattered boy from ten years ago. Back then, the question was “how do I meet Her again?”, and the answer was “I don’t know.”

The answer remains the same, but this time, the question is—

“Red...”

And of course the boy—pathetic, reluctant, coward—clings to the lifeline that pulls him away from the precipice, setting aside Vandemeel’s temptation and focusing on a different matter, even if it comes with the bitterness of knowing there is no way he can contribute. He is worthless, after all.

It is a short-lived “relief”, however, for Ramalsaqr makes a mistake.

“If you guys are such worrywarts, I can come visit you in some 18 years to put your minds at ease.”

“No,” he declares, his voice perhaps the firmest it has been since he left Alpa’s little ‘sanctuary’ yesterday evening.

“That is an unacceptable outcome. Enough people have already died because of this, how can you expect me to accept a solution that demands even more death—!”

He freezes mid-sentence, as if only noticing the words coming out of his mouth, and unwilling unable to comprehend that such words could belong to him.

It is perhaps fortunate that he is unaware of the color rushing to his cheeks; otherwise, he would not be able to keep talking.

“There has to be another way; a way to hold Irkalla at bay…”

As if betraying him, John’s brain begins to explore its vast repository of knowledge.

Why…

Ramalsaqr already explained it—the divinity of Ishtar would overcome Irkalla, but they cannot reproduce such a thing. This path leads nowhere. The same comes from looking at other myths of figures that manage to return from the Underworld, such as Herakles or Orpheus; either they are fundamentally irreproducible or come with strings attached that suggest a less-than-optimal result. A similar line of thought follows from thinking of Isis, who brought her husband Osiris back to life, or from ever-liminal Hecate—

Isis and Hecate were syncretized together with Ereshkigal in the Hellenistic period—no, stop it already—

The Underworld. Death. Ereshkigal. A goddess of likely prehistoric origin, of which not much is known because there are few records, myths, or prayers to her name. As a goddess of the dead, she was in a lamentable position where the living do not like to think about her, so her name does not come often in the written record, and aside of her cultic center at Kutha, there were not any temples dedicated to her.

Why am I doing this…

Nevertheless, death is inescapable and inevitable, so wherever there is a pantheon, there is a death god. Just like her livelier, more famous sister, Ereshkigal was syncretized. Liminal Hekate. Devoted Isis. They both absorbed elements of the ancient Mesopotamian goddess when the Greeks spread their influence all over the place along with Alexander’s conquests.

This is pointless…

However, Ereshkigal was syncretized long before Alexander’s time. The Hattian Lelwani is unmistakably Ereshkigal. Even earlier, the Hurrian Allani, and the Hittite “Sun goddess of the Earth”—

Why can’t I stop…?

Because you don’t actually want to stop, you fool.

Indeed, the Hittite Ereshkigal was a chthonic Solar goddess. Because the Sun opened the gates of the Underworld at twilight, and closed them at sunrise.

The Sun has the power to seal the Underworld—the place from which, according to the Hittites, poured out all evil and all impurity on Earth. There is a similar idea in the Egyptian Ra traversing the Underworld on his barge every night, holding Apophis at bay.

Actually, why has the whole discussion centered on sealing the artifact away?

If it could be destroyed that easily, they would have already brought it up…

Fair enough. Anyway, the Sun. Sunlight. The divinity of the Sun as daystar, as bringer of light. As life-giver, but also as bringer of harsh climate—of drought, famine, and death.

Elise Marie Pelltier.

What?

Her narration of Sunday’s events.

Light. Manipulation of the nuclear forces. An almighty explosion. Atmospheric phenomena. Maybe close enough to reproducing the power of the Sun? Enough to destroy the artifact—

Stop it already! The fool commands his brain. If I could reach this far, then they must have already done so ages ago! Ramalsaqr must already know the sealing authority of the Sun won’t work for whatever reason! How could I come up with a solution if the quasi-immortal magic specialist, who actually made the thing, can’t do it? So stop it already!

Having decided that his thoughts are of no value, the young man gives up. In his inner turmoil, he almost misses Ramalsaqr’s latest insights.

“Hmm.” John does not share Ramia’s apparent shock. His face has already returned to its usual stony mask, because he refuses to let Vandemeel’s words and his own traitorous thoughts get to him.

Why the hell not, though? When are you going to acknowledge where that fucking pride of yours comes from, John Dove!?

Alas, it appears he will stubbornly cling to his pathetic ways for a bit longer.

“Shape-changing is within her purview, bearing the authority of the Moon,” he comments while shooting an idle glance towards the driver. “I assumed that reconstructing her eyes would be within her abilities, but perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps this has to do with the distinction between the ‘Near Side’ and the ‘Far Side’ she mentioned at one point, but I would not know.”

He did consider the possibility that the person who saved him that night and whom he met last Sunday was not the same person who appeared before him and Alexstrasza.

What is certain is that the offspring of the Black Moon he knows most definitely has eyes.

The most soul-crushingly beautiful eyes.

[Frantic Author]

Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Overcast

Screeching, screeching as it drowned out my every thought with her infuriating nature, and I watched her with a sort of horrified awe as she terrorized Elaine's midnight snack. Travis response was... Interesting.

This person clearly believed this to be entirely my fault, which would be ludicrous. The blame for Potemkin doesn't lay it my feet, but at the world's. If I had been acknowledged as a master of the arcane, perhaps I wouldn't have meddled with the dead! Or maybe if any of you had even the slightest knowledge of magic in any way, then you wouldn't be stupid enough to be deceived by me! Hmph.

Ahem.

Even in my head, sometimes I get carried away. I smiled at Travis in lieu of any real response, like a teacher to a student worthy of praise.

"A-ny-ways. The hell's this supposed to be about? Like I said, it sounded like you were off your rocker as usual, but I take it you're after something? And if that's the case, I actually have to agree with that... whatever that is over there."

I opened my mouth to add a clever piece of commentary about the situation-

"--- And not about that you idiot."

Tch. Foiled again by Potemkin's idiocy.

"What I mean is that if you're gonna ask for help, then you gotta do me a solid too. I'm actually headed out after school today to do a little... searching. And I could use an extra pair of eyes. So yeah. If you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. In other words, I'd help you with... whatever nonsense you're planning now. But not this morning. Already promised to look after the brat."

"I see," I said, putting a finger to my cheek, frowning as my thumb pointed down. "Unfortunately, I think I may be dragging you into something that is a bit... Over your head, as it were? But I am more then happy to help you search for... whatever nonsense you're planning now."

I smiled, giving him a thumbs up.

"Never fear," I said, leaning in to whisper into Travis' ear, "I will bring Potemkin along with me! To 'wing your man', as it were."

[Kuroyuki]

Vier Wolff
Location: Owl's Nest Hotel - Room #211
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain

After I knocked on the door, it was quiet. However, it wasn’t the silence of someone who was out of their room at the moment. No, this was the quiet, calculating breathing of someone on the other side of the room deliberating on answering the door. Admittedly if it was anyone else, a person would’ve already left thinking that the occupant was out. However for someone who is really attentive to their environment, they could barely hear the telltale noises of someone still there. Hence why I was awkwardly standing out here instead of just turning around and dropping off this letter like a normal person. Eventually after some time, they started walking towards the door. However…

Those steps aren’t normal. They were too soft, too quiet, and too measured for it to be a run of the mill person like I was expecting. Aleen what kind of person do you know that has that kind of gait? The strangest thing was that it sounded familiar for some reason… But why…

It only took the door opening for me to realize why.

"... Yes?"

The person standing in front of me was tall, approximately fifteen centimeters taller, tanned skin, black hair, slim yet muscular. All in all unforgettable in a town such as Road’s End. However, I wouldn’t forget that face nor what he’s done. For a moment, I could feel his foot hit my head and the subsequent inability of being able to move. However, despite all of that. You could say that there is something I could be thankful for. He did prove that Aleen wasn’t just a fair weather acquaintance or person to just be used. Aleen wasn’t the type who would abandon her friends if they were in danger… Which only made Sunday hurt even more.

Despite those thoughts, I still managed to smile and genially greet him.

“Are you Kajal Omkaras? I’m here to deliver a message from a mutual friend of ours and take back the response. It's in regards to yesterday evening.”

But that’s the past. I can’t change that timeline, but I can try to change this one for the better. Also… I need his help even if I don’t like that. If I ever want to find my best friend again, then I need his help according to Muse.

"Also someone told me you could assist me with a personal issue of mine..."