Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High - Sports Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy

“Hmm...perhaps. Speaking of which…” I continued the mental conversation with John while walking, “It seems like we have another case of Elizaveta. A weird new student who claims she’s been with us ever since the bus drive, and some - apparently those who don’t remember the time leaps - remember her being there. I don’t know who she replaced yet.”

There were too many people I haven’t seen yet today. Would have been too hard to make a guess, but maybe Elise and Vivi will find out more about it in the meantime. Judging by how they hanged out with the girl, it was likely that they were just as interested in finding out as us.

“There’s also Subaru, who...turned into...Afrobaru?” I added, relaying a picture of the girl I saw earlier in the cafeteria and who I assumed to be Subaru, “Not as major of a change, but...it’s still weird.”

As we caught up to Ubon, the disappointment on her face already told me that the storage room was locked. Well, I guess it was to be expected.

“For the nuclear explosion...Well, it wasn’t some ordinary device. There was this cloaked guy, our ‘captor’, whose magic was somehow based on the spectrum of light. I haven’t figured out yet how he did it exactly, but...somehow he did manage to create a pretty large scale explosion.”

Trying to analyze my own death, how Elise and Pyry died, and how our murderer was doing these things, was...not very pleasant, not when the experience was still so fresh.

But then...will I ever be able to forget?

For now, it certainly felt like something that will haunt me forever.

“Well, that’s a shame,” I said to Ubon upon reaching the door as well, “Maybe the janitor has the key? I wonder if we’re supposed to go in there in the first place. Though…”

A peek couldn’t hurt, could it?

“Still...that’s certainly a pretty ominous message. Makes me wonder why the disembodied man even bothered to share it, too.”

Some parts were more obvious than others, however. ‘It will never end’ likely referred to what we’re experiencing, while ‘you all’ probably meant us, who are experiencing the time loops. But...protect what? Recollect what crimes?

“Doesn’t entirely make sense to me right now either. I...certainly don’t remember committing any crimes that week. Or even before, really - though it would be obnoxious of me to say that he’d just make false claims like that without a reason.”

As I stood in front of the door, one could see a strange glimmer in my left eye, if just for a moment. Of course...there was a lot more to it, it was part of my being, part of the reason why I was who I was. But more importantly…

The interior of the storage room became visible for my eyes, as the wall and the door obscuring our view morphed, faded into something else - an almost completely transparent, flowing mass with a grayish hue.

“I have a theory forming anyways, but honestly, there is so much that would need to be discussed, and I’d need to properly collect my thoughts to connect the dots. There’s too much weird stuff going on around this town, and it looks like we’re way too deep in it now as well.”

Inside, it was just about what was to be expected from a sports storage - large shelves stacked with various boxes filling the whole building. Boxes filled with football, baseball, and other sports equipment, goal posts, uniforms, one of the owl costumes from yesterday…But then, as I was scanning the room, something moving caught my attention.

“Still...whatever your ‘crime’ is, or why you’re involved in all of this, try not to solve it all alone. I...even after just this one time, I know that I could go mad if I didn’t have others to share my pain and troubles with. I can’t even imagine what would happen after I had to experience the same thing for the 10th, or the 100th time.”

A person, between the aisles towards the middle of the room, carrying and rummaging through the boxes vigorously. Doesn’t seem like they noticed us yet, but...Why is the door locked if they’re in there?

“But then...you seem to be sort of broken already. You aren’t so...ordinary, and indifferent without a reason. Least that’s what I would like to think. Though, sorry, I don’t have the right to make assumptions.”

The mysterious person, far as I could tell, did not look like anyone from the faculty, or from our class. Or like anyone I’ve ever seen around this place.

Could it be another person who replaced someone?

Still...even if that is the case, how did they have the key to this place? Why is searching through the boxes in a sports storage the first thing they do on the first morning of school? Why did they lock the door behind themselves?

It was too suspicious…

“Hey Ubon, I just remembered. Elise talked to the janitor earlier, and I think she got some keys. Since you are the fastest, do you think you could get them from her? She’s in the cafeteria. Would be worth a try.” I said as I turned towards the blue haired girl, hoping that she would take the bait.

And, judging from her reaction and how she was already in a mad dash towards the main building, she certainly did - but with how fast she was going, we certainly didn’t have a lot of time. Hopefully Elise will hold her up for a bit.

“By the way, we’re about to break into the storage room.” I explained to John in a - probably - too casual manner, “There’s a mysterious person inside I’ve never seen before, and they look suspicious. Just...stay a bit further away so that you don’t get into trouble.”

Then, turning my attention towards Pyry, I asked the obvious, and rather simple question that had to be asked through our link.

“You think you can kick the door in?”

Seeing his reaction, and how eager he was to do just that without asking any more questions, my lips curled into a wide grin as I turned back towards the door.

“Just be careful not to wreck the whole thing. And there's someone inside, so expect that.” I added one last thought, knowing just how powerful he was.

[Verg Avesta]

Liana Skye, Elise Pelltier, Vivienne Bianchi, Prushka & Alexstrasza Lockhart
Location: Pinefall High - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

"So, while we're waiting... Work on any cool projects recently?"

"Hmh?"

While loading her plate with surprisingly even spread of meat, eggs, bread, vegetables and hashbrowns, the twin-tailed girl glanced back towards her Knightess. For a moment she pondered, putting a finger to her chin and gazing up. Most likely she was going through most of the recent things that she had been working on, and was trying to pick up the most interesting one. After all, Cesarina was the type to always try to impress. And in this case, it meant...

"Oh! We did release a prototype for an Formula One car! Most of the design work was made by yours truly. A bit of a break from our usual stuff, see," Cesarina explained, now pouring herself a cup of coffee. "I even took it for a test spin in Imola! It was quite the fun! Ah, you should come try it out if you are ever visiting Italy in the future! I think you would like it too, wahaha~!"

On one hand, it was quite hard to imagine the twin-tailed girl driving an F1 car, but on the other hand, she was just the right fit for the cockpit... Maybe she wasn't fibbing about that?

Also, she had just finished pouring her third cup of coffee, which she then set onto Liana's tray.

"Alas, there has been some problems with launching our own satellites, as you can imagine," Cesarina continued with a slightly disheartened voice as she put the sixth cup of coffee on the tray. "Expanding a business venture to the space is not as easy as one would imagine..."

Rest of her grumblings were muted by the swig of coffee she took... one done at the same time as she finished pouring the ninth cup.

Meanwhile, back at the time, it seemed like the group wasn't exactly letting Alexstrasza just push aside this matter.

"Um. Zaza. Lockhart. Alexstrasza! Sorry. I said we shouldn't pry. And I was already way too pushy with you today. But Subaru's right. You look... like you really want to ask for help. "So, um. If your 'heart is pierced by daggers', it's best to have someone pull them out, right? Even if it might not be the person you wanted..."

"Mm, honestly," Subaru agreed, sipping her tea sagely... or whatever was left of it, as she must have drank it all by now. "It is good to keep your wits about you and have a healthy trust in your own abilities, but there is nothing shameful or wrong with asking for help when it's needed."

Her eyes glanced towards Alexstrasza.

"Indeed, it would be more shameful not to ask for help, I would say," Subaru then added. "Especially in matter that seems so troubling."

"It is nice... to help others... but... don't insist too much... if Miss Lockheart wants to... keep a secret... no need to force her in showing it... we all have secrets... don't we? But... sometimes things are... bigger than us... it is only logical... to look for help... in situation like these... In the end it is... Miss Lockheart's choice..."

That made Subaru blink, as well as bring slightly troubled expression to her voice.

"W-well, I suppose that is a fair enough point. It should not be forced, of course, and I doubt any of us were specifically interested in seeing the movie of course," the mophaired girl hurried to answer. "Rather, we were interesteding in helping Miss Lockhart here, since she seemed quite troubled by the package. Sometimes helping others is nothing more than---"

For some reason Subaru's words died on her lips, and she ended up staring towards the cafeteria entrance... and towards the corridor outside. Staring with confusion on her face, narrowed eyes, and slightly growing worry in her expression. It was that sort of flat surprise that just refused to leave because of the absurdity of what was being witnessed.

Case in point...

"What... what in all that is holy is that...?" Subaru asked with ah hushed tone, pointing toward the entrance.

And through the open door.

Down the hallway.

They could all see it.

A fast-approaching cyan comet that was dashing straight towards the group, making a practical beeline while hollering all the while:

"Essieeee~!"

A human-sized and shaped explosion of cheerfulness was heading traight towards the brunette like a heat-seeking missile?!

[Daneel Rush]

John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy



Another surprise new student? That is certainly unusual, especially if somebody else has indeed been replaced. Furthermore, the mystery of Subaru Iburi takes a wholly unexpected turn, with a…surprising new look. As Momoi says, it is not a significant change in the grand scale of things, but even these seemingly insignificant details are enough to raise suspicion in these circumstances.

The nuclear explosion was the result of magic. Thinking of it, radioactive decay is a natural phenomenon. Even if his understanding of magic is limited, it does make a sort of sense that nuclear fission and fusion could be reproduced through magical ritual. It is just something that does not match any “conventional” occult tradition, so the possibility had eluded John’s mind.

“It probably was not using the word crime in the strictly legal sense of the word. Rather, whatever it is that the Disembodied Man is accusing us of, well, its significance amounts to a crime to whatever sense of values it has. Regardless, whatever it is that started this, it was something we all did together, or something we all failed to do. That is what I believe.”

“In any case, it would not be prudent to chase after whatever hypothesis that jumps into our heads. I don’t think this place forgives any mistakes, so we have to go about it very carefully.”

“Still...whatever your ‘crime’ is, or why you’re involved in all of this, try not to solve it all alone. I...even after just this one time, I know that I could go mad if I didn’t have others to share my pain and troubles with. I can’t even imagine what would happen after I had to experience the same thing for the 10th, or the 100th time.”

It is something John had not considered, because he is not the kind of person to put any thought into the distant future. He cannot predict what he would become if he had to go through this ten, a hundred, or a million times. His lunacy is also his anchor, but is it really as strong an anchor as it seems to be?

“When I met the Disembodied Man…I saw nothing. I thought that if I stood in front of him, truly and wholly facing him, I would be able to figure out its true identity; its true nature. But I got nothing. I know very well now, that this is a mystery I cannot solve on my own. Thank you for your concern.”

Momoi turns out to be the kind of person who releases her thought freely when she is not voicing them aloud.

“It is human to make assumptions, Momoi; I will not resent you for that. But, mine is a rather long story. Maybe one day I’ll have to share it with you and the others, but for now I would rather keep it to myself.”

A moment later, Ubon departs at her only speed. She is probably going to fetch the keys from the janitor—no, that is innocent thinking, John Dove.

After Momoi’s warning, John interrupts the last of his stretches and carefully rises to his feet. It does not hurt to be safe in case he has to run. Either towards or away from them.

“I apologize for stating the obvious, but please be careful.”

[Frantic Author]

--- Alexstrasza Lockhart Date: 07.09.1994. Location: Road's End Phase: Morning Phase Weather: Partly Cloudy ---

I hate people.

They're full of flaws. They act badly. They're a cancer on the face of the planet. It'd be better if they didn't exist. And yet... why do they make it so frustratingly hard to loathe them? I am surrounded on all fronts by kindness and sympathy. What sort of devilry is this? What's the trick? Is it that I have nary a clue if anyone here understands the supernatural in any way? While the possibility is there that others besides myself have been thrown into this piece of spellcraft, it seems unlikely, does it not? Subaru was not, and she absolutely was involved in the turnside of the world. Unless it doesn't matter if you are or are not involved - that specific people were picked for specific reasons.

But why?

Why choose me?

I'm not the best for this sort of mission. Honestly, I'm not really the best for any kind of mission. My style is more to rip the opposition into pieces, rather then brood and plot on what to do, make others dance on my strings instead of dancing on theirs.

Ahhh... but is there any harm in it? I can ignore it, can't I? This outpouring of sympathy. It would be more then a bit rude, but I don't really see anything else I can do. My fiingers clench at the package, and a bright smile runs on and off my face, my lips failing to twitch upwards into a grin.

"Very well, then," I said to myself with a sigh, running my fingers along the edge of the table. "I suppose I should thank you, then yes?"

It's easy to mislead others. I can simply weave yet another web of secrets and lies to trap myself in. It's not like I haven't done it before, so I will let them dance on the strings once more. Not too badly, not too far - just enough to misunderstand. Just enough to see it through the eyes of someone else, instead of through my own.

A bit of lies between associates never hurt, right?

"You see-"

Wait.

What was that sound? What is that sound in the distance, like a coyote screeching at the stars? I can't see it, but I suspect it's a person. A blue blur approaches our table with swiftness. What a fast creature, even so filled with joy as it is!

I suppose that my confession can wait until after everyone deals with it!

[Verg Avesta]

Vier Wolff
Location: Pinefall High - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

“In my opinion, I would say the lighthouse doesn’t care about whether it works or not. Its value isn’t decided by itself, but rather the people who use it. It may not be a lighthouse in function, but people might still call it a lighthouse due to its shape. People may curse it for not fulfilling its function. Others might say it’s nice due to its view. So its personal view on itself changes to fit the person viewing it since... it's an object.”

Caleb hummed to this response, sounding rather thoughtful. He didn't seem to completely agree with what Vier was saying, or at the very least, his eyes didn't deem to completely acknowledge her point... but at the same time, the rose-haired artist didn't object either. Instead, he simply finished up what coffee he had, clearly taking a moment to collect his thoughts and prepare what he was going to say.

“Granted that might change if we view the lighthouse as a person instead of an object.”

A slightly dry smile appeared on Caleb's face.

"Well. That depends whether or not we view a person as an object or not. No? And I don't mean in the objectifying sense. More in a..." He searhed for the right words for a moment. "... Metaphysical sense, I suppose. As in, what is the difference between a person and a thing. Or is there any difference? Hell if I know. That's why it's easier to talk about object like a lighthouse."

He set his cup back onto the table.

"A non-functioning lighthouse may have a great view. But that doesn't make it a lighthouse. It would be a... tower, I suppose," he continued. "A simply change in cognition we have of it. Or something like that."

Still, even after saying all these things, the boy simply sighed and shrugged at the end.

"Ah well. It's not something to discuss during breakfast. Honestly... philosophy was never my thing," he admitted with a bit of a smirk. "In any case. I guess we should prepare. Classes are starting in just a moment."

Aleen, who had been listening to this all with a very confused expression finally perked up, and nodded.

"Oh, yeah, totes. I've got no idea what they're even gonna teach in this place, and I don't exactly wanna be late," the bluehead said, glancing towards Vier. "Wanna swing by the dorms to get our stuff? Or do you have your books already with you?"

Well, from the looks of it, this morning's peaceful moment was winding down. Soon enough, the classes would start...

... And another week at Pinefall High would truly begin.

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

Vier Wolff: Friendship Rank Raised!

---

Anna Vandemeel
Location: Pinefall High - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

"I'll see you later, Gagnon."

The delinquent simply grunted in response as Anna left him to his own thoughts, returning to the table. From the looks of it some sort of deal had been struck, and whatever it was that Travis would need help with would serve as a payment for his "thuggish" skills. Though, on the other hand, considering what Anna had learned of the boy in the previous week, it could be that he had more skills to show off than just lockpicking and shoplifting.

Still, that would be something for later.

For now, Anna returned to the previous table she had left, where she saw that both Ramia and Gabi were packing up.

"Ah, there you are. Ready to head out?" Ramia asked, pointing her thumb at the door. "Gabi ain't got his books with him, so we're picking them up from the dorms and then heading to class."

After that, Ramia's eyes narrowed a bit as she glanced towards the entrance, where strange sort of ululating noise was growing stronger.

"... Plus, I think we should flee and quick. From the sounds of it, a moron-missile is about to hit the cafeteria."

Well, that sounded as good a reason as any to hit the road.

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

Anna Vandemeel: Friendship Rank Raised!

[Bloble]

Prushka
Location: Pinefall High - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

"Don't thank us until we've helped, Lockhart! I don't care about this stupid tape, but your expression was just too-"

It's interrupted.

The delicate, heartfelt scene, of a shy girl opening up to others for the first time, is interrupted by a blue blur. And no, this isn't some fast-talking hedgehog. Rather...

"Essieeee~!"

Oh no. I know. It's impossible not to know. The most recognizable girl in school is here, and...

...she's not slowing down. In fact, she's not stopping at all, is she? It's just like Ubon to forget about unimportant things like Newton's Laws of Physics, which dictate that coming to a complete stop from full speed requires about as much for as getting to that speed in the first place. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, which in this case means...

Ubon collides with Elise Pelltier.

Elise Pelltier absorbs all of the force of a human intercontinental ballistic missile.

Elie Pelltier either explodes into a million pieces, or is sent flying across the cafeteria.

Knowing this to be certain, I can only do one thing. Yes, this is how it must be...

I make eye contact with Elise Marie Pelltier, and nod.

"It's fine," I tell her with my eyes. "My helmet's reinforced, so there's at least a possibility of survival. Please live a happy life from now on."

A heartbeat passes, and then, as the missile approaches impact...

"Ms. Pelltier, get down-!"

I throw myself in front of Elise, knowing it may be certain death!

Sorry, Alexstrasza... I might not be able to help you anymore after all...!

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday, Elaine Winters & Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy
[BGM]

The group, trying as they might to keep as silent as possible, advanced out of the kitchen and into the hallway of the second floor. As they moved, Sakura wordlessly motion Lucille and Colt to stay back while she advanced to match pace with Elaine... while making absolutely no sound as she walked - like the brunette had turned into a ghost or something herself. When she got the corner of the corridor with the blond, Sakura then pointed swiftly towards the door leading to the dining room, and made a small X symbol with her fingers.

The meaning was quite clear. Whatever that noise had been, it hadn't come from the closed-off portion of the dining room.

Instead, it had come from the hallway itself.

The hallway that spread out in front of them all.

Slowly and carefully, the group edged towards the corner where the corridor took a sharp turn and then continued in a straight line all the way to the end of the hallway, where the wooden planks had been used to nail the door leading further into the building shut. Their stretched their necks and kept their eyes open as they peered around the corner, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever it was that had been responsible for the noise. Sakura even pressed flat against the wall, making it look like ths wasn't the first time she had been sneaking about.

--- As Lucille knew, this really wasn't the first time for the girl.

Still, they were in place.

They all prepared for the worst and peered out.

And what greeted them...

... Was a whole lot of nothing.

Just an empty hallway.

And at the end of it, the boarded up door to the rest of the dormitory building...

--- With one plank on the floor, neatly cracked in half.

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

It might not have been the most apt thing to have on his mind, but as the group crept their way along all Colt could think about was that this was his second time on the upper floor. The boy wasn’t sure of which door lead to which girl’s room.

Trying to figure it out distracted him in a way it shouldn’t. After all, there were more important things to do than trying to guess which person resided in which room normally. The only one he knew was Hisa’s, which much like any other seemed as vacant and devoid of life as the rest.

It wasn’t just the rooms that were barren. The entire dormitory itself was empty. Even, as they soon realized, the end of the hallway, where the noise had come from. The evidence of the breakage was clear as day, a plank of wood laying broken on the floor, but without a sign of life nearby.

Were they heard on their approach, and had the vandal ducked into one of the empty rooms for cover?

Colt furrowed his brows, then glanced at the others.

The meaning of that look was obvious, for those that bothered to meet his gaze.

What now?

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy

We moved slowly but briskly, Sakura Tsukioka vanishing back into the ghost that deemed itself a Nation's Executioner, as silent as the grave.

I passed my own room as we moved, wondering if I should duck into it to take up some items that may be necessary. But no, not yet.

However, as we came upon the scene et large, it was silent, abandoned, some kind of prank?

I frowned steadily as I surveyed the scene, empty aside from the only casualty, the shattered plank we heard from the kitchen.

I let my eyes narrow and my senses expand outward, looking over all factors carefully.

There is never 'nothing', in one way or another, there's always evidence.

My eyes fell on the plank of wood, which upon inspection had not been broken neatly at all. It had been shattered in the center, and not briskly or cleanly, not as if it had been done with a crowbar or some other sort of tool, like it had moved by hand, perhaps?

Or some other, more esoteric means.

In any case, whatever had done this had done it with quite the amount of force.

In addition, the plank, and all of its shards had fallen to one side of the corridor, towards Room 119.

Towards Xylia Pheme's room.

I tilted my head, drumming my fingers along a thigh, moving my head back and forth between that room and the room opposing, 118 the one occupied by that helmeted girl with the singular name.

Prushka.

I let my mind carefully note the scene in my mind, just as the facts had been presented.

Hm.

Curious.

Because for some reason, whatever had broken the board had come from our side of the boards.

So why would someone break a single, solitary board at the end of a hall?

Trying to get in?

A prank?

Some sort of message?

Very interesting.

I gestured towards the two rooms closest to the door.

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High - Cafeteria
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy

"Janitor's job is to clean up, right? That means they know where all the dirt is."

Elise gave Prushka a nod. She understood where the true power was.

After the unpacking and revealing of the seemingly impossible contents of Alexstrasza's mysterious package, Cesarina and Skye left for the food line to get their breakfast. Elise briefly considered following them, lured by the smell of that tantalizing, long promised breakfast, but she decided to linger by the table as Subaru offered her help to Alexstrasza. It didn't feel right to leave her right away when she knew all too well how that video must end.

"If you are worried about me, Miss Iburi, please do not be. If my heart is pierced by daggers, I will stand up on this lovely day, and come to meet you for a most enlightening breakfast."

Huh. I guess Alexstrasza does remember last week after all... So much for that theory.

She briefly considered the matter of Alexstrasza and Sakura, and hoped that the two of them weren't both trapped on some sort of inevitable, tragic collision course.

Elise glanced towards the video tape, now back in its box. Whatever had done that to Cesarina wanted to Alexstrasza to know. To deny her the small mercy that her death at Sakura's hands on Saturday night had provided her: not seeing her friend's corpse nailed to the tree on Sunday morning. It wanted her to suffer. It wanted her to feel pain. Worse, it could apparently send objects through time. Somehow though, the idea that it could successfully navigate the mail system felt far more unsettling.

"Sorry. I said we shouldn't pry. And I was already way too pushy with you today. But Subaru's right. You look... like you really want to ask for help.

"But... sometimes things are... bigger than us... it is only logical... to look for help... in situation like these..."

"There's a lesson I wish I'd learned earlier..." admitted Elise glumly, "There's nothing wrong asking for help when you need it. Besides, it's a pretty strange place we're all in right now, and we've all got plenty of troubles to wrestle with. We're all in this together, so we've gotta be able to rely on each other, right?"

Elise spared a glance at Vivienne's picture, and couldn't help but smile at the image of Tonkori, presumably with a slice of bacon in her mouth, giving a thumbs up along with the rest of them. She gave a thumbs up, miming the action of her illustrated counterpart. Then she froze, as she heard the distant noise of of oncoming danger rushing towards her.

"Essieeee~!"

Her ear twitched. She recognized that voice calling out her name. She turned towards the exit of the cafeteria where she saw the oncoming blur of speed and joy that could only be Ubon Sĕeklêun. She was glad to see her. A world without Ubon would indeed be a dimmer, darker, place. Mostly, however, she was terrified by the speed and force of the object rushing towards her and the promise of certain doom it would deliver.

No! This can't be it!? It's too soon! Did Ubon somehow get wise to my plan? How does she know?!

Elise braced herself for the oncoming missile strike on her position.

I guess this is it then. It's been a good run, I suppose. Maybe I'll see you all next week.

She accepted her fate, even if she felt a brief pang of regret that she never got to eat breakfast. Then- Prushka looked her in the eyes and gave her a nod. She knew that look. It was the look of someone who was determined to save another from certain death, even if it meant the cost of her own life.

She's right! That reinforced helmet will increase her chances of survival by as much as 70%, but will it be enough!?

"Ms. Pelltier, get down-!"

Prushka placed herself between Elise and the oncoming missile.

"Prushka!? No! You have so much worth living for!"

Elise could only watch helplessly as the speeding missile flew towards her and Prushka. She offered a swift and silent prayer for the two of them, hoping desperately that they might both somehow make it out of this alive.

I swear, Prushka... if you don't make it... I'll always remember you. I'll live a happy life. I'll-I'll make sure they put up a statue honouring your sacrifice!

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

A single plank.

Lucille wonders if she should be relieved, but the break is too clean to think that it fell off by accident. Someone had tried to break in, right? Or at least, it was the most likely theory she could come up with. And to be honest, it was pretty understandable why someone would try. What about this school forced so many spots to be blocked off? Was it really just the condition those spots were in?

Elaine points to the two rooms next to the hall. Lucille's eyes follow the traces of destruction to Xylia’s room, but did that really prove anything? Perhaps the culprit ducked into their rooms, but did Xylia, and for that matter, Prushka, the neighbor, not lock their doors? Then again, going down to get breakfast probably seemed like the kind of situation where someone wouldn’t lock their door. They had plenty of reason to go back soon enough, after all.

Lucille briefly debates about what an invasion of privacy means here, but where else the culprit could go in such little time? Barring, well…

She doesn’t want to think about the alternative. Those kinds of convoluted mysteries were not for her.

“Check both?” she mouths. She has no idea if anyone else is willing to agree, and she understands, but she throws out the offer. Otherwise, the only thing to do was to give up, right?

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi & John Dove
Location: Pinefall High - Campus
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

The booming sound that came from the kick of Pyry Leijonamieli was quite something as it echoed on the sports field, loud enough for even John to hear. The boy had aimed his kick so that it hit somewhere near the lock itself, causing the whole door to jolt, buckle and bend, but not fly off its hinges. The lock, on the other hand, broke off not just from the door but from the wall's side as well, meaning that the whole thing just flew open under the pressure and rammed against the wall on the right with yet another loud sound.

"Knock knock~" Pyry chuckled, leg still lifted up in the air after the kick.

Though, as loud as the kick sound had been...

... That wasn't nowhere as loud as the scream that followed.

As that scream still echoed in the surprised ears of Hisa, Pyry and yes, even John further away, there was a series of loud bangs and tumbles as some of the boxes came crashing down upon the person who had been rummaging through them. This was followed by a bit more of screaming, along with a sound of someone skittering across the floor in an effort to get away from those that had invided the room... as well as the boxes that fallen upon this mysterious person. However, once the mystery person had made it behind one of the large shelves, both Hisa and Pyry could hear this odd sort of mumbling coming from its direction.

"A-an attack? Nobody told me about an attack! Grrr, how dare they! Nobody takes Bambi by surprise! Especially since I haven't even gotten to business!" A slightly rough-sounding voice whispered to itself. "Hmm... looks like I'm two strikes in, but that's alright... that's when I'm the best after all. I'll swing the third so that they'll never find that big brute again! Alright, here's the bat... and here, I, goooooOOOOOO!!"

What followed was as confusing as what had happened so far.

From behind one aforementioned shelf, a short shape bounced out, holding a wooden baseball hat and waving it wildly above its head. The shape itself was dressed in a sports uniform that the two of them certainly hadn't expected to see in here... though now that they thought about it, it made some twisted sort of sense. On the back of the uniform read the word "Doubleday" with a large number "3" underneath it. And on its head the figure carried a strange sort of cap that wobbled dangerously as the person roared (clearly trying sound menacing) as they approached with the raised baseball bat...

... Only, honestly...

The person wasn't terrifying or threatening in the slightest.

Mostly this attempt at scaring came across as somewhere between amusing and disappointing.

"H-huh...?"

Blinking in surprise, with the baseball bat still raised above their (her?) head, the person stopped, staring at both Hisa and Pyry with her eyes wide and frozen. Slowly she started to lower the bat, as if the situation was dawning upon her. Upon this shortie of a girl, wearing a baseball uniform and looking like she was the definition of a word "slugger" in every sense of it. The girl who, from the looks of it, was probably younger than Hisa. And the one who was currently watching the two at the door with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"Waaaait..." the girl said, finally lowering her bat completely and instead using it as a walking cane of sorts. "You guys... you guys are students, right? Not here to evict me or attack me, right? Just a couple of curious pals and gals coming to see what's going on in this place, right? Huh... Oh geez, I almost had a heart-attack there, you guys. Why didn'cha just knock? I would've opened!"

For some god-forsaken reason, it looked like that the girl in front of them was somehow starting to understanding the situation.

Meanwhile, both Hisa and Pyry had gotten just more and more confused.

What was even going on...?

--- And where was that music coming from, by the way?

"So! Welcome boys and girls!" the girl suddenly exclaimed chipperly, mock-saluting the duo. "What can I get'cha? Are you here to shop from The Bambino?"

... What?

........................ What the Christ?

New Being Met!

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High - Sports Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy

“That’s what you call careful?!” I said both out loud and echoing in Pyry’s mind, “Can’t say I didn’t like it, but what the heck.”

What followed, though, was definitely not what I expected.

Instead of whoever was in there trying to remain quiet or hide, or just disappear somewhere, she just screamed so loud that probably even John heard it, and then…

“Huh…” I stared in confusion with my mouth slightly agape, “What…”

Evict her?

The Bambino?

What is this damn music?

“We are students, but...who in the world are you?”

I’ve seen enough weirdness in my life, but…

Was this person trying to set up a shop in a storage room?

With the wares being the school’s properties?

“Doesn’t look like trouble,” I remembered to update John about the events, “it’s just...it’s just some loony. Come check if you want.”

[Verg Avesta]

Lucille Faraday, Elaine Winters & Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Kitchen
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy
[BGM]

Sakura had followed the rest of the group to the end of the corridor, and was now just as quizzically stared at the aftermath of... whatever had happened here. For some reason a single plank - the highest one of the ten - had come off, clealy through some use of force. But whatever force it was, it wasn't clear. The way the whole thing had broken off was weird to begin with, and how the splinters had gathered up on only one side of the corridor... well, it was definitely suspicious.

But Elaine's intuition was right. Most likely.

After all, they had acted quickly after they had heard the noise.

If the one responsible was anywhere nearby, it would have to be...

... The two closest doors.

".........."

Without saying a word, Sakura nodded to both blondes, and moved silently to Xylia's door. She pressed herself lightly against it, and put her free hand onto the handle, while her other hand remained in her pocket for some reason. At the same time, she motioned Elaine to take a similar position on the door of Prushka's room, and for Lucille to remain a bit behind, in front of Colt to protect the boy. If something tried to run away by dashing past either of the girls on the doors, Lucille would be there to stop it.

Then, Sakura nodded again, waited for everyone to get ready, and mouthed: "On three."

And from there...

- One.

-- Two.

--- Three!

Two hand turned handles.

Two shoulders pushed doors.

However... only one door opened.

Xylia Pheme's door remained locked, as should have been the case with everyone's doors. Sakura simply thumped against it, looked surprised for a split second, and then made a total 180-turn and faced the other door as Elaine swung it open and...!

...

Revealed from behind the door a very plain, simplistic room. Not decorated in almost any way, the room contained just the bed, a table, a simple dresser and a pink scooter in the corner. There was a shelf with practically nothing on with but a few VHS tapes too, and judging from winter jacket thrown halfway over the dresser, it contained clothing. There was also the door to the bathroom, though it was ajar and the room beyond was dark, showing that it was just as empty as the barren room itself.

Only one detail really stuck to the group.

The window.

After all... the window was open. Fully open. With wind blowing inside from it.

And beyond it was the grassy hill that the dormitory stood on... and a patch of forest in the distance.

[Daneel Rush]

John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy



Naturally, Pyry’s kick is loud enough to hear all the way in Seattle, but John was somewhat ready for that. What did startle him, on the other hand, was the shrill scream that followed, itself followed by the sounds of boxes (?) crashing down. What in tarnation is happening inside that shed?

He was about to reach out to Momoi for information when the music started. A song even music-apathetic John Dove could immediately recognize. Seriously, what—

“Doesn’t look like trouble. It’s just...it’s just some loony. Come check if you want.”

“I…guess I have to see that,” murmurs John to himself as he takes off after Momoi and Pyry. His psychiatrist did say he had to aim for new experiences, after all. Besides, Momoi seems the kind of girl who would call Alexstrasza a loony, which she most decidedly is not.

As far as he is aware, John Dove has the monopoly on lunacy at Pinefall.

[Verg Avesta]

Hisa Momoi & John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Campus - The Big League
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

"Ooh, there were more of you! Well, don'cha just stand there, get in, get in! Let's get all the bases loaded and get home with the win, eh? Eh? Eh-eh-eh?"

The strange girl waited patiently for John to get over to the storage building, and while she did, she busied herself by taking few of the boxes nearby and sliding them so that she could use them as a seat of sorts. Seat upon which she then sat, humming to the tune of the music and slapping her bandaged knees as she did. At the same time, her eyes scanned curiously at both Pyry and Hisa, clear interest in them as to who the "visitors" to the room were. Strangely enough though, there didn't seem to be any sort of hostility in there anymore.

Indeed, it was as if any sort of doubt had vanished the moment she realized that she was dealing with student.

However, Pyry, who had been watching the girl as well, frowned... and glanced at Hisa.

I... I don't think that's a human being, Pyry's voice entered Hisa's head through their connection. It's way too suspicious.

Well, he had the 'suspicious' part right.

"Oh, and here he comes! Our last shopper! Welcome, welcome, and once again welcome! Gals and pals, welcome!" the girl exclaimed jubilantly as John finally entered through the doorway. "As you might know, this is The Big League - here to answer all your needs when it comes to America's Favorite Pastime... and, well, other stuff too, I suppose. I mean, I mainly deal with baseball goods and the like, but, eh, gotta make a living! And you students are always in need of something or other."

Then, as if remembering something missing, the girl jumped up on her makeshift-seat and did a little salute again to the lot of them, ending with a boyish chuckle and rubbing her nose.

"A-nyways! The name's Bambi! Bambi Doubleday! Though some call me The Bambino, too," the girl introduced herself. "If you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to ask me! And feel free to talk to me altogether! It's been ages since I talked to anyone, honestly."

Then, suddenly, Bambi's eyes lit up and she snapped her fingers.

"Oh-oh! And if you guys have any baseball cards, do let me know, alright?" she asked, excitedly leaning in towards the three. "I've got a special stock to exchange for those!"

... What the Christ?

[Daneel Rush]

John Dove
Location: Pinefall High Campus – The Big League
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy



“Good morning, Miss Doubleday. My name is John Dove,” John promptly greets the…shopkeeper? Upon reaching the group standing before the storage shed. Manners at all times, after all.

“I’m sorry to disappoint, but I don’t carry any money when I’m doing my morning exercises,” he then announces. “I still would like to take a look at your stock, though.”

With the pleasantries done and over with, John does not waste a second to ask what needs to be asked.

“I ask that you excuse me, but I am very curious: Why is there a pretty girl opening a shop inside a locked storage shed at a school, if there is plenty of available real state in town?”

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

Colt wasn’t oblivious to the way everyone positioned to keep him… for lack of a better description, out of the way. He felt strangely out of the loop, yet wasn’t sure how.

Regardless, it was no time to bother with those kinds of questions. It didn’t take anything but a glance to realize who the room with the unlocked door belonged to. That pink scooter would never disappear from his memory, nor the sassy, vertically-challenged girl who rode it down the hallway like a queen in her castle.

Prushka.

The shrimp’s room.

Colt didn’t spend long thinking about who it belonged to.

“Pardon the intrusion.” By now it was obvious that whoever had been here was already gone. The escape route was plain as day, so Colt decided to drop the sneaking, silent gig. It wasn’t for him anyway. Approaching the window he leaned outside, and surveyed the land. “Yeesh.”

He had expected the absurd. The absurd he had found.

“Just great, look.” Colt pointed down, at the grass directly below the window. Imprinted as clear as day were the signs of a hefty landing, and from there, faint outlines of tracks leading down the hill and into the woods. Tracing the path with his finger, Colt sighed. “Whoever did this got out quick, and I don’t think we have good odds on catching them.”

He stared out into the woods.

“At this point, I dunno what else we can do. We should go report this.” He turned back and glanced around the room. “And apologize to the shrimp for barging into her room.”

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High - Sports Field
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy

Still trying to get over my confusion, I directed my thoughts towards Pyry.

“Clearly. And I think she is assuming that we’re just normal humans. Should fix that I suppose, since I have a feeling that we won’t get anywhere without that.”

Still, it seemed like John was a lot less baffled about the situation, and immediately went to ask the questions that had to be asked - only just missing the most important point.

“Hisa. Hisa Momoi,” I followed suit with the introductions, “Nice to meet you, even if I have to admit that I’ve never even heard about The Big League.”

And I wasn’t even sure how much of this whole facade was true.

“I was going to ask the same question as John, but...it clearly can’t just be a storage room, can it be? This has to be some sort of an alternate dimension, a traveling room, so to speak. Or at the very least, you have to be a traveling merchant, right?”

It would be too weird for that not to be the case. Clearly...she can’t have lived here, and what we see can’t really be her shop.

“Point is...you’re not just an ordinary human, and we know about the turnside as well. So I’d prefer to know who you really are, and what sort of goods you’re actually dealing with.”

[Mormarth]

Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - 2F Hallway
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 07.09.1994
Weather: Partly Cloudy

Hm.

Slightly disappointing, no great and terrible spook, no cloaked figure clutching a knife and laughing sinisterly, no treacherous spies or sneaks, just, seemingly, a simple room adorned with a few trappings that someone lived there, including a frankly adorable looking scooter.

"Oh my gosh it's so cute!"

Just looking at that thing made me want to swoop down upon the owner and carry them around.

Gingerly, I crossed into the room, sweeping my gaze around as I did so, restraining my baser impulses upon seeing something so relentlessly cute.

I settled for rolling it about gently for a few moments, before reluctantly putting it back.

Truly, it was a terrible power.

And, to my satisfaction, it was a thoroughly ordinary room, clothes, towels, some VHS's of translated cartoons from abroad.

I think I remembered watching that Mad Max-y one with the kung fu, guy was pretty cool.

I rubbed at my chin, frowning.

"So, this Sneak of ours has flown the coop, as it were. They broke one board and skedaddled, maybe hearing us coming? Or maybe, an' this is just a theory, it could've been done intentionally, draw us out?"

Of course, that'd make sense with an ambush, and peering over Colt's shoulders at the barely visible tracks, they fled pretty quick.

I folded my arms, frowning, "Well, in any case, seems like this is a dead end for now. Unless we want to go booking it out the window and chase them down."

It wouldn't be impossible, least of all for me.

"The only thing clear about this room is that our Prushka's a fan of Japanime."