Astronomika - Shooting Down Falling Stars (IC)

[Ayakashi]

“A murderous shadow hounding you? I just had hostile mist in my dream.”

"Well you see my dear, it was mostly the same for Vivienne, a foreboding mist that surrounds and threatens to consume... but it turns out that within that mist, within the darkness, lies a monster that can truly consume you. How do we know? Experience, albeit not Vivienne's -- you see, young Prushka had under circumstances she never divulged to us, wandered outside of the 'safe' zone where Muse could protect her from the mist -- it was there where she encountered something that... ate her. The experience wasn't only in the dream, for what we beheld as we woke on Sunday morning was a little girl with a fountain of blood gushing out of her eye, or rather, where used to be an eye."

The masked Vivienne could be seen visibly grimacing, something that the girl if she was maskless would have never done. The feeling, the emotion from distaste coming from behind the mask was very real.

"AMADEUS? I know a bit about them, but not much."

"Ah, then you must be aware at the very least of their nature has the pioneers of combatting the supernatural with scientific means. A group that in their attempts to defeat the Turnside, might have become nothing but a differently flavored aspect of it. If there is someone who has come closest to Time Manipulation and Alternate Timelines, then it must be them -- AMADEUS has links to the Eureka Laboratories, who have by far made the most advances and experiments on these matters, I would say even more than any of schools of Magic themselves! Hah, Science or Magic, do they ultimately not serve the same purpose in the end?" Ohohoho, the ego of Man, once more at the center of the stage!"

'Vivienne' let out a rather loud, hearty laugh, and she may have trailed off into making it even louder if she didn't catch herself and covered her mouth.

"Oh... yes, better not be too noisy. Who knows who may be eavesdropping. Isn't that right, my fellow door? My fellow walls? Could it be that as we gather now and speak, there is an eavesdropper absorbing in all of our discussion?"

There may indeed have been someone listening in... but then if Hisa could set up a familiar, then perhaps it was possible that she had some sort of sound-proof barrier erected as well. 'Vivienne' 's graze trailed off to meet Sakura's, as if wordlessly asking her the question. The two others could probably hear a little snicker from 'Vivienne' as well, who may have found Sakura's reaction funny. “T-that was...unexpected.”

"Have no fear little one, of all the forgeries that Vivienne can done, only one worthy of being feared! I am as harmless as the morning sun brushing onto your skin. Ah, but anyways, does it really matter how we return, or why we return? The curious would like to know all the details, but eventually we are all dealt pieces to play with, we are all given a second chance, may it be for better or for worst! That is a wonderful thing, I'd like to think. As you have highlighted, it is most important that we make the most out of it!"

There she went, getting all worked up and theatrical again. 'Vivienne' had already put down her cup of tea and was gesticulating dramatically while talking, no different from a performer on stage.

"Ahem... it would seem that Vivienne does not approve of my eloquence, but fear not, I too can be measured in my gravitas. Anyways, it would also appear that she suggests that you do indeed inquire with that 'contact' of yours, Elise... but most importantly, that you should be very careful when it comes to dealing with the soul. You are lucky to have obtained your soul back, but this young lady here that you are speaking to, she must don forgeries to even pretend to have a soul, for all of it was broken into thousand of pieces. It was for the sake of a sacrifice, for someone else... but still... she wishes that fate on no one."

---

Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Outside Hisa’s Room
Phase: School Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

“We suggest we do not ponder too much over the likelihood of our theory, or think too hard about alternate theories. In the end...there’s only so much information we have at hand. Instead, we should discuss the things that lead up to sunday. Considering how we’ve barely interacted with each other...We would like to assume that we all have our fair share of leads on certain things.”

Elise nodded in agreement with Sakura regarding time travel speculation,“We could try speculating about time travel all day, but without some more conclusive evidence we can't really know anything for sure. I'll look into that a little bit more though, and I'll get back to you with what I find out what I can from my Unpleasant Acquaintance.”

"What I've been wondering... Last week, I talked to Jake and Tommy, the guy who runs the Junk Shop near the school. They both went to Pinefall when it was a normal high school, and... well, from the sounds of it, something tragic happened to their class too, with one of their classmates, Remmie, dead, and another, Sammie, who is apparently a permanent resident at Mercy's End. I can't help but imagine that they might have gone through something like this too? I mean, if time's repeating itself here, it's not hard to imagine that history might be too."

Elise listened to Vivienne's description of what had happened to Prushka in the dream.

"Well you see my dear, it was mostly the same for Vivienne, a foreboding mist that surrounds and threatens to consume... but it turns out that within that mist, within the darkness, lies a monster that can truly consume you. How do we know? Experience, albeit not Vivienne's -- you see, young Prushka had under circumstances she never divulged to us, wandered outside of the 'safe' zone where Muse could protect her from the mist -- it was there where she encountered something that... ate her. The experience wasn't only in the dream, for what we beheld as we woke on Sunday morning was a little girl with a fountain of blood gushing out of her eye, or rather, where used to be an eye."

“Ate her!?” exclaimed Elise, “And the wound appeared in reality? I-I got attacked by the mist in my dream. It tried to suffocate me before Muse seemed to have intervened, but- Well, I guess I'm lucky I got through that unscathed... Poor Prushka though...”

"Oh... yes, better not be too noisy. Who knows who may be eavesdropping. Isn't that right, my fellow door? My fellow walls? Could it be that as we gather now and speak, there is an eavesdropper absorbing in all of our discussion?"

Elise heeded Vivienne's warning of the possibility of spies, following her loud burst of laughter. She listened carefully, and thought she heard a distant 'Wahahahahaa~!' as if in response to Vivienne's 'Ohohohohohohoho!'.

“I think we're in the clear,” said Elise, “Doesn't sound like anyone's snooping around right now.”

“That's terrible!” cried Elise on hearing the state of Vivienne's soul, “I'm so sorry, Vivienne. I-I wish I could do something more to help... There-there are ways to mend a broken soul, but- well, they're all well beyond me. I count myself as being incredibly lucky to have gotten all of mine back, it's not an easy thing, and I'd-I'd assumed that piece was gone forever...”

“I'll-I'll be sure to keep your advice in mind, Vivienne.”

Vivienne's a reminder of just how lucky we got. Especially considering the consequences of what could happen if- if-

Elise left her thought unfinished and took a sip from her tea instead.

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi (Sakura)
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa’s Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

Sakura shifted in her seat, visibly displeased with something - it was quite clear that something that the masked Vivienne said rubbed her the wrong way.

“Science is nothing like magic. Strictly speaking, science can’t even really be considered supernatural.”

Still, in the end, arguing wasn’t really in her nature. It was perhaps fortunate that it wasn’t Hisa with them, because a bold statement like that would have fuelled a rather heated argument about this topic - she was, after all, sort of acquainted with both sides of the coin and had a strong opinion on the matter.

“Still...Prushka’s case isn’t that surprising. Muse, and the place where she is, can’t just be a dream, can it be? Maybe she’s on another ‘layer’...But she is probably very real. If you were to die to being suffocated there...Well…”

A scary thought.

It started becoming obvious that the discussion was starting to have a toll on Sakura - but in what way exactly, it was hard to tell. It wasn’t really that she was losing her cheer - but she certainly wasn’t used to just sitting around for long, serious conversations.

Hence why she just hopped off the chair and strolled towards one of the cupboards, filling the room with the rhythmical clip-clopping again.

“More importantly…” She continued while fidgeting with one of the drawers, “We’re quite certain that the last class indeed went through something quite similar. There’s a reason why parts of the school are locked off. We’ve been to the second floor of the main building on sunday...And there was an old message on one of the walls saying ‘We’re all going to die’.”

Her voice was quieter than before - perhaps Vivienne raising awareness to the possibility of someone listening in on them made her a bit more wary. She wasn’t Hisa, so she couldn’t eliminate the possibility of something like that happening, so she could only hope that there wouldn’t be someone spying on them just out of nowhere.

“There’s quite a bit to explore there, but we didn’t really have the time to do so. The doors are locked and most windows are boarded up...And we aren’t exactly good at breaking in. However, it is also possible to get in through some of the windows. There was a person who was doing that, in fact.”

As if suddenly remembering something, she turned back towards Elise.

“Can you teach us Enochian?”

What a random question.

[Ayakashi]

"Enochian? Oh, how interesting, the language of the Angels is it not? Would you perhaps be related to them somehow or... are they something that pertains to your field of 'work'?"

^Vivienne too lowered her voice to follow Sakura's example, but curiosity was unmistakably present in her voice as she leaned forwards, hands on cheeks. Certainly a question to raise eyebrows, but it could make sense for these two... hence why the masked eccentric inquired. Also, listening to Sakura's rebuttal of the claim that Magic and Science were the same only got for the masked girl to chuckle lightly. It was quite clear that she had something to add herself, but perhaps at the behest of the actual person behind the mask, she stopped herself from adding more oil to the fire... instead she commented on the more useful information that had been shared:

"But a class from before having experienced a situation like that... yes, that would make sense. If there was a precedent for this however, then it could be quite likely that some, if not all the teaching body are aware of this 'experiment'. Schemes behind schemes, what a lovely mess. The blocked off areas and mysteries stacking up behind this establishment only serve to validate the theory of all of this being a controlled experiment of sorts."

Flipping out an eastern fan to ventilate herself, perhaps less out of necessity and more out of fanciness... ^Vivienne addressed Elise's exclamation in regards to the masked girl's soul.

"Your sympathy is welcome, but worry not about her, for it is a yoke that she has accepted to carry. She came here with the hope of repairing her broken self... but it appears that before she can do that, there will be other things to fix first."

---

Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Outside Hisa’s Room
Phase: School Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

“More importantly…” She continued while fidgeting with one of the drawers, “We’re quite certain that the last class indeed went through something quite similar. There’s a reason why parts of the school are locked off. We’ve been to the second floor of the main building on sunday...And there was an old message on one of the walls saying ‘We’re all going to die’.”

“You've been up to the second floor?” exclaimed Elise before looking around nervously and continuing in a more hushed tone, “That's-that's on my list of places I was planning to try and sneak into. That and getting into the closed off section of the dormitories.”

Elise motioned with her head towards the boarded up door at the end of their hallway.

“I can get up to the second floor from the outside, it won't be easy though, and from there I can get you or Hisa up... the hard part will be making it look like we didn't break in, but if someone's already sneaking in there, they must have a way in and out...” said Elise, “I'll need to scope it out first though. Maybe I can take a tour around the main building before we head out to the beach party, or maybe while on break during class tomorrow...”

“Can you teach us Enochian?”

She considered Sakura's request for her to teach her Enochian, taking a sip of tea as she did so, If it's to help her communicate with Gradient, that's probably a good reason. Gradient did seem to take quite the liking to her... If anyone's unhappy about this, well, I suppose I'm already in enough trouble as is, but that's no excuse to go looking for more trouble...

"Enochian? Oh, how interesting, the language of the Angels is it not? Would you perhaps be related to them somehow or... are they something that pertains to your field of 'work'?"

“Yeah, Enochian's used to communicate with Angels,” said Elise to Vivienne, “And, uh, no, no relation.”

If anything, I'm closer to the opposite.

“It's a, uh, field of 'work' thing.”

“Hm, I can teach you Enochian if you want,” replied Elise as she turned back to Sakura, “Mine's a little rough, so I could probably use the practice too. It'll take a while to actually learn the language though, but I could at least teach you a few words.”

"But a class from before having experienced a situation like that... yes, that would make sense. If there was a precedent for this however, then it could be quite likely that some, if not all the teaching body are aware of this 'experiment'. Schemes behind schemes, what a lovely mess. The blocked off areas and mysteries stacking up behind this establishment only serve to validate the theory of all of this being a controlled experiment of sorts."

Vivienne's comment about schemes behind schemes and the idea of the Oceandrop Program as an experiment reminded her of something else.

“Oh, right. About the Oceandrop Program as an experiment of sorts... I was talking to Travis last week, and he definitely knows a lot more than he lets on, but he's also Travis so take it with a grain of salt... Anyway, he said that the Oceandrop Program originally had a different name, one that started with an 'M' and was from a small book, and I guessed Miskatonic.”

Elise glanced back at Hisa's bookshelf, towards that one book she'd spotted.

“He didn't say I was right, but he also didn't say I was wrong, but... if that's the case it has a lot of implications. It's a name taken from the works of H.P. Lovecraft, for a fictional school, and his stories frequently have elements of people being harmed or traumatized by the supernatural... Which-which I think fits for a lot of us.”

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi (Sakura)
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa’s Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

“Ka ka ka~”

It seemed like something that Elise said amused Sakura, as she was now chuckling uncontrollably.

A sight that was a lot more like her - and even if she was in fact laughing at such a meaningless thing, it still helped her revitalize a bit after all the seriousness.

“You should have a vague idea about how we operate. Learning a language, as long as there is a mind, a reliable source, should not take more than a few hours. Long as you cooperate and we don’t have to pry everything out of you, of course.”

Properly understanding how the small, still chuckling girl was casually talking about prodding in people’s minds felt somewhat creepy - but then, it was clear that she had no malicious intents. Just that, just like Hisa, she must have been oblivious to some things, on top of having a somewhat warped view of these.

“Still, we would definitely appreciate your help. You should know why we need it, and understand how important it is for us.”

Having regained her cheer and composure, Sakura clip-clopped back to the chair and sat down.

“For what this whole program is...It would make sense for the faculty to know. But it would also make sense for them to not know. Past the obvious supernatural aspect to the students, they could be just as blind to the whole tragedy that haunts this town.”

Grabbing the notebook, she started scribbling again - but this time, it was just to take note of the things that were said, rather than preparing some sort of a presentation.

“On the same note, the lovecraftian resemblance does sound pretty plausible as well. With how many people seem to be connected with the turnside...Well, I dunno about the traumatized part. But still, do you think there is any importance to that? Does that shed light to something?”

As if she had a sudden idea, she started drawing something again - but after a bit of silence and intense concentration, she seemed to have given up whatever she was doing.

“Ah, whatever.”

Instead, she fidgeted around in one of the drawers for a bit, and finally pulled out a piece of paper with the layout of the main building on it.

“The windows in question are here,” She said as she pointed at the northern wall of the reference library, “and the message on the wall was here. Otherwise, the layout seemed to be more or less the same, but we didn’t really take the time to look around.” She continued, pointing at the end of the corridor towards the right side of the building this time.

“Would probably worth taking a proper look, even if we’re not really expecting to find anything really meaningful there. Other than the strange girl, obviously.”

[Ayakashi]

"The involvement of the teaching body will eventually be something we will have to investigate. Not only to determine wherever we should be wary of them, but if we can actually rely on them for assistance." ^'Vivienne' said, in answer to Sakura's point on the faculty not necessarily being in cahoots with whoever orchestrating this looping business. "H.P Lovecraft? Why, it is an encounter with an eldritch being similar to Lovecraftian deities, that robbed Vivienne of her emotions... Miskatonic.. wasn't that the name of a recurring institute in the author's works? Some place that was a treasure trove for learning occult? One could argue that the same could be said for Road's End... in a different manner. A hotspot for the supernatural. It has attracted all of us... and I would wager that many of our classmates are not strangers to the Turnside... and even the inhabitants of this town."

^'Vivienne' paused and trailed off into her thoughts for a brief moment, before resuming:

"That we have all been invited here, clearly from different walks of life, and perhaps even, organizations... there is indeed a purpose to all of this. There has to be. Information gathering, ritual or some grander scheme... well, I suppose this has ben enough circling about a subject we cannot solve with our meager knowledge. Indeed, your suggestion to explore the secrets of the 2nd floor is sound, Sakura... that message you found on Sunday, 'we' could also be us, the current batch of students? It may not necessarily the previous students... though perhaps you've had the ability to date that message."

^'Vivienne' stopped for a moment to eat some more cookies and sip her tea. One shouldn't let the food food and drink served by the host go to waste after all..

"But yes... this quiet girl here can also attempt do infiltrate the second floor via the windows... though preferably not in broad daylight. Though... did you just say that there is already a mysterious girl in these barred off areas or something? Did you have a run in with them?"

she asks, wondering what was the deal about that. The mention of the presence of a Mysterious Girl had been a bit sudden.

---

Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Outside Hisa’s Room
Phase: School Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

Ka ka ka~

Sakura's laughter echoed through her ears.

Guh. Of course.

“Are you sure? Learning a language the conventional way might be slower but it would be a lot safer,” said Elise, pausing to take a sip of tea, “Still... if you want to try it your way... we can. I do want Hisa to take a look at my brain anyway, but there are landmines in my there, and I'll want to take some precautions to make sure you don't get hurt. I'm not sure when we'd be able to grab a few hours to do that though... What would work for Hisa?”

"H.P Lovecraft? Why, it is an encounter with an eldritch being similar to Lovecraftian deities, that robbed Vivienne of her emotions... Miskatonic.. wasn't that the name of a recurring institute in the author's works? Some place that was a treasure trove for learning occult? One could argue that the same could be said for Road's End... in a different manner. A hotspot for the supernatural. It has attracted all of us... and I would wager that many of our classmates are not strangers to the Turnside... and even the inhabitants of this town."

Elise nodded to Vivienne's questions about Miskatonic University.

“Yeah, Miskatonic was a university in New England, named for the river it was on. It shows up in a few of his stories, and there's frequently an occult undercurrent within the school. If the Oceandrop Program's original name was Miskatonic, it implies that the intentions for this place were always rooted in the Turnside,” began Elise, “As for Road's End... they built this dormitory building along with the rest of the facility, even though it was just a local high school at the time, and they wouldn't have needed it. Sure, it was a time of great ambitions for Road's End back then, and they'd hoped to bring in students from other communities, but... Pinefall and Road's End seems like the perfect fit for the Oceandrop Program. It already had everything they needed in place. Combine that with the remote community and it almost feels like Pinefall was made with the Oceandrop Program in mind. I don't know... I'm sure some of the faculty know a lot more about everything, but I'm also sure that there are some who are in the dark as much as we are.”

Elise excitedly returned to the topic of sneaking in to the second floor.

“If the window this Mysterious Girl has been using is above the Reference Library... Vivienne's right, we'd have to go at night. There'd just be too much of a risk of being spotted at any other time of day. Maybe we could try that tomorrow night? Would that be too soon? We'll need to get some flashlights though if we're going after dark. Maybe some rope, but we don't need rope. I've got a spell that can create an aura of daylight, but I'd like to avoid relying too much on supernatural powers if we can.”

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi (Sakura)
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa’s Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

“We’ve already experienced one of these…’landmines’, we think. But if we know what to expect, we can be cautious enough. We don’t want to poke around anywhere where you don’t want us to, anyways.”

As the discussion moved on to lovecraftian lore and how it could have been related to their school, Sakura seemed to become uncertain. They were starting to tread on waters mostly unknown to her, and even Hisa.

“Err...so if we expand on that theory…” she started, still deep in thought, while drawing shapes into the air with her finger, “Then this town would be Arkham? And the river...is maybe the Ghostwood Forest instead? Would also make the hospital be the sanitarium…?”

Her finger stopped, then her arm fell back to her side. It seemed like this was about as much she could muster out of the correlation.

“Well, probably not. But the place, with all its mysteries, certainly seems to be a good one to attract even more weirdness. Still...while interacting with the faculty might be important, keep in mind one thing. If they are aware of the turnside and actively took part in this project, and they know that we’re aware as well...Then there is probably a good reason why they don’t talk about it.”

As the topic of the mysterious girl and investigating the second floor came up, Sakura, once again, seemed to be slightly confused.

She tilted her head, looking at Vivienne for a few moments;

“We did have a ‘run in’ with them. She was one of the dead people we found on sunday.”

Then tilted her head to the other side, while looking at Elise;

“And to break in at night...You know that she is camping in that room, right? She is also some sort of weirdo...she had some obviously magical runes protecting the door. If we end up surprising her like that it would not only be rude but could also be dangerous, depending on how she reacts.”

Finding this amusing for some reason, Sakura started chuckling again.

“Ka ka kakakaka~”

“S-still, I’m sure we can work something out. We do have flashlights and the likes. However, it would probably be a waste for all of us to go there. There’s a lot more to investigate and we only seem to have until sunday, so it’s better to be as efficient as possible. But those things should be discussed with Hisa. I can’t entirely speak in her stead in this case.”

[Ayakashi]

"If you think about it, the mythos of Cthulhu is also often tied to the 'ocean', a word that is part of this project's name in the first place... but then we could be linking things together that have no ties too. This empty child here has run into cases like that before, people who randomly their projects or creations after themes, even though it makes no sense."

When the small familiar spoke on how it was easy enough to 'learn' the basics of a new language for her and Hisa, ^'Vivienne' noticed the slight awkwardness that had appeared between Sakura and Elise... but it seems like that was a gateway to a topic she would like to approach:

"Oh, so you have the ability to delve into minds? Very convenient."

A spellcaster that focused on mental magic? Or perhaps was this more along the lines of an ESP? There were many possibilities, and the same could be said about Elise, though seeing how she knew Enochian and her comments, it was quite possible that Elise was related in a way or the other to one of the Church's Turnside branches

"As you are both seeing, Vivienne Bianchi is someone who has learned to channel personalities and history through masks. Because of her sundered soul, she can slot in different 'guises' depending on what the stage needs. But other than that, she is quite dexterous and agile, perhaps a bit more so than your average person. After all, when one loses fear of failure and dying, one can becomes machine-like in their precision."

'Vivienne' paused once more, eyeing Sakura and Elise, perhaps wondering what they were willing to reveal of themselves. Vivienne had put part of her own 'secret' identity on the table after all, and with how the talk was going, it was clear that Elise too was a member of the Turnside.

"While it is understandable that we all have secrets, isn't it more efficient to learn what each of us is capable of, to a certain extent?"

A most logical decision indeed. Information that could be used against them if in the wrong hands, but with the current situation, working against each other was... far from being the most logical decision for anyone, wasn't it?

"Concerning the three of us trying to explore the second floor together, I would wager that there is safety in numbers, and the more present, the easier it is to subdue aggressive individuals."

Indeed, always playing a game weighted in one's favor is better than going into an even field. To make as many variables align for your success is a certain form of optimization, it could be said, the optimal route to success.

"There are many things to investigate indeed, Vivienne herself has... someone that she was supposed to 'help' with the investigation of the Mc Lampet Herritage Fiasco. Alex Terrot, a fellow classmate of yours. Quiet, yet filled to the brim with curiosity for the supernatural. She is not a member of the Turnside, but with how things are going, and in fact... with how things went 'last' week, assisting her in her research and preventing her 'loss' could still be the right move. Her thorough investigation lead her onto a trail that most likely got her... 'silenced'. She had gone mad by then, that is quite certain considering all the insane scribbles Vivienne and Prushka found when they investigated her room Owl's Nest... oh, and at a certain point of the week, a doppelganger will take her place in class."

There was a lot more to talk about, but everything had to be tackled in time. The matter of tomorrow evening being a time to 'investigate' the 2nd floor could not be left ignored, however.

"Vivienne can make no guarantees, but if possible, she will come and assist. Finding out the 2nd floor's secrets is also a valuable undertaking."

---

Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Outside Hisa’s Room
Phase: School Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

“And to break in at night...You know that she is camping in that room, right? She is also some sort of weirdo...she had some obviously magical runes protecting the door. If we end up surprising her like that it would not only be rude but could also be dangerous, depending on how she reacts.”

“Wait- she's the one John found in the main building? She lives here?”

I saw her shrouded body, but I never saw her... Not that I remember much of the time I spent in the main building on Sunday anyway.

“Sneaking in during the night would the safest for us to not be seen, and it means that we can use... other tools. If she's living there... she might actually be more active at night. She'd have to sneak out to get food, right? If her entrance is right above the reference library, she'd be facing the same challenges we are in getting in and out. Still.. sneaking in by daylight should be doable, there's just more ways it can go wrong, and greater chance of being spotted. I can climb up there, and toss a rope down for other people. We'd probably want someone on hand to act as a distraction in the reference library if necessary, or else as a spotter so we'll know we're in the clear when we try and get out. We could do this as early as tomorrow morning.”

"While it is understandable that we all have secrets, isn't it more efficient to learn what each of us is capable of, to a certain extent?"

Elise considered Vivienne's suggestion about sharing secrets about themselves as she slowly sipped her tea.

Vivienne raises a good point... We can strategize better if we actually know what we can each do, not to mention know who to ask for help. It seems unfair for Vivienne to have put so many of her cards on the table, and I do want to mention two things here anyway... Still...

“I'm good at healing, I can do some curse removal and dispel magic. I guess I'm kinda strong? If you're ever hurt, or need a spell broken, don't be afraid to look me up,” began Elise, “I've also got a knack for finding lost things. If there's something you need, or you've lost, I can probably fish it up for you. Which, I've been thinking, might be really useful if you've found something in the future that you want now.”

"There are many things to investigate indeed, Vivienne herself has... someone that she was supposed to 'help' with the investigation of the Mc Lampet Herritage Fiasco. Alex Terrot, a fellow classmate of yours. Quiet, yet filled to the brim with curiosity for the supernatural. She is not a member of the Turnside, but with how things are going, and in fact... with how things went 'last' week, assisting her in her research and preventing her 'loss' could still be the right move. Her thorough investigation lead her onto a trail that most likely got her... 'silenced'. She had gone mad by then, that is quite certain considering all the insane scribbles Vivienne and Prushka found when they investigated her room Owl's Nest... oh, and at a certain point of the week, a doppelganger will take her place in class."

Vivienne's mention of Alex Terrot reminded her of one of her own unfulfilled plans from the previous week.

“Oh! I'd found a newspaper Alex had left behind in the kitchen on Friday morning. Travis said she was there earlier that morning and made coffee before she had to go, but she left the newspaper behind. It was the issue from the day after one of the McLampet's died in a car crash just outside of town. Actually, yesterday's issue from 1974. I was meaning to talk to Alex about that, actually, but I never got the chance...” began Elise, “...but if she went mad and was 'silenced'... that's definitely something worth preventing.”

Now that sounds like something out of the pages of a Lovecraft story...

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi (Sakura)
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa’s Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

“Ehm…”

Sakura shifted in her seat uncomfortably, clearly faced with a situation where none of her options were favourable for everyone.

“We’re...good at a bunch of stuff. As long as it doesn’t come to beating up things,” Said Sakura awkwardly, “W-well, you should directly ask Hisa about this. I’m sure she will tell you, but it’s not entirely fair for me to do so. Sorry.”

Since the start of their discussion, this was probably one of the few times where she referred to her and Hisa separately - but here, her reason for it was quite obvious. Even if she was part of Hisa, she wasn’t a replicate of her, and there were decisions that she couldn’t make in her stead.

“We don’t know much about Alex, so unfortunately we can’t provide too much information regarding that,” She continued, “we do know some about the McLampets, however. Well, at least about some incidents in the past and how they all seemed to be related to the Disembodied Man, and about the heiress. Though...perhaps that should be left for next time?”

Stretching her little arms, Sakura looked at the two girls apologetically.

“It’s a long story, and admittedly talking about these this much is not really my forte. Hisa can do it much more easily. Though, about the mysterious girl...Yeah, she seemed to live there, she had a small camp set up in the library. We can’t quite tell what she was up to...But she had the same textbooks as us, and it seemed like she was somehow…’taking part’ in the classes as well.”

Sakura raised one hand to her face, tapping her lips with her index finger while seemingly lost in her thoughts.

“Maybe going during classes would be the best…? And sending me up as a negotiator. She shouldn’t really be able to cause me harm, and even if she can...Well, it’s still better if something happens to me than either of you getting injured.”

She beamed at the girls, before standing up from hear seat again.

“Either way, you should confirm the plan with Hisa still. Maybe she managed to get something done in the meantime as well, and maybe more possibilities will come to light during the beach party still.

“Speaking of which…” She added, still smiling at the two, “Shouldn’t you be leaving for that soon? Don’t want you guys to be late because of me.”

[Ayakashi]

"Duly noted. Many apologies if this seems to be a bit abrupt, but it is always in everyone's interest to have the right tool for the right situation... or so would say the young one under this mask. Such a logical person she is sometimes, quite boring I'd say-- ah, wait, I jest, there is no need to remove me dear--"

Though it was protesting, it was of course not the master of this body, being merely a catalyst to the realization of a myth. Thus, removing it was fairly easy, and it was done quickly, for Vivienne Bianchi seems to have gotten tired of hearing the mask ramble on, or perhaps that its penchant for talking was leading to the conversation being rather inefficient as well...

"... sorry... if it offended you... likes to talk... a bit too much sometimes... but... talks better than me..."

Speaking once more in her blank and emotionless speech pattern, the regular Vivienne Bianchi had returned.

"But... maybe that this mysterious girl... she is the one... that stands in instead of Alex? If she follows our classes... maybe it is her... that Alex asks for help... to fill in... in her stead..."

That was indeed a possibility, one of many.

"The McLampets... from what Alex told me... I think... they were killed by the Turnside... all of their hearts... were liquefied... or so she told me..."

An interesting if foreboding detail. Indeed, even in Hollywood flicks, someone who investigated a series of deaths like that was bound to find themselves facing a dark secret, one that might bite back like a cornered viper...

"Anyways... we will talk to Hisa later then... must get ready for... beach... as you said... thank you... for your time..."

Vivienne bowed to Hisakura as to express her thanks, also turning to Elise and giving her another bow as well.

---

Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa's Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

[Thalraxal]

Elise Pelltier
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Outside Hisa’s Room
Phase: School Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Partly Cloudy

“Maybe going during classes would be the best…? And sending me up as a negotiator. She shouldn’t really be able to cause me harm, and even if she can...Well, it’s still better if something happens to me than either of you getting injured.”

“Skipping class to sneak into a closed off area of the school, eh?” mused Elise, “We'll have to figure out what time works best later then. Also, Hisa can figure out what time will work for her for language lessons, but I do need to gather some materials first, but that shouldn't take too long.”

“Speaking of which… Shouldn’t you be leaving for that soon? Don’t want you guys to be late because of me.”

Elise finished of her tea, and glanced sadly at the bottom of her empty cup.

“You're right, we should get a move on. Don't want to risk being late and earning Sakura Tsukioka's ire,” said Elise as she got up from her seat on the bed, “I still have absolutely no doubt that she'd carry out that threat of hers to hunt down anyone who didn't show up for the beach party.”

"The McLampets... from what Alex told me... I think... they were killed by the Turnside... all of their hearts... were liquefied... or so she told me..."

Elise listened to Vivienne's addition to the McLampet mystery that she'd heard from Alex.

“Their hearts were liquified!?” exclaimed Elise, A liquified heart is a little bit more than medical complications in surgery, Jake!

“Hisa and I... Well, more Mercedes and Lucille, really, found the liquified remains of Xylia in the Pool Building on Sunday... There are a lot of different ways to reduce a human to goo like that, but, well, it's a small town and I can't help but wonder if those are connected.”

Elise returned the bow Vivienne, “Thank you for your time too, Vivienne, it was fun.”

“Thank you for the tea, Sakura, but... I do have one last question I think you can answer for me.”

Elise's eyes narrowed as she asked the question, “You wouldn't happen to know why Ubon tried to stick me up for my keys this morning?”

[Cheetose]

Hisa Momoi (Sakura)
Location: Pinefall High Dormitory - Hisa’s Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

“O-oh, well…”

The sudden question definitely left Sakura surprised for a moment - as if Hisa, and consequently Sakura as well just completely forgot about that part of the morning.

“We needed Ubon to be...away, since we didn’t want her to get into trouble. We don’t know if she knows about the turnside, so it was the safest thing to do. Hence why we sent her to you. Sorry about that.”

Scratching the back of her head, Sakura chuckled again.

“Anyways, before you leave…”

Turning towards the table, Sakura grabbed two small bottles out of the cupboard, and poured the rest of the tea into them, as well as wrapping the rest of the cookies into napkins.

“You can take these,” She said as she turned around - and judging by her expression, they didn’t have much of a choice but to accept, “Just give the bottles back to us sometime.”

With everything done, Sakura accompanied the two back to the hallway - without stepping outside, for obvious reasons - and after saying her final goodbyes, she closed the door behind them.

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: Pinefall High - Campus
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

“Heh, y’know I might try to flaunt what I can, when I can, but you should also know that when I’m chauffeuring a VIP…” the key in the ignition turned, and the Junkbeast roared. “I’ll put it like this. Fool that I am, I save the fooling around for when I’m not on the road.”

Feeling unnecessarily satisfied with his mastery of the English language, the only language he knew, Colt turned to face ahead. Loathe as he was to do it, there would be a time and a place to enjoy that smile.

Doing so, he made a note in the back of his head.

Invest in an actual car. You can’t really spare a glance to appreciate your date if she’s…

The sensation of Sakura’s arms wrapped around his waist stopped the imaginary pen that was putting that thought into writing. Then, in a frenzy, it began marking out those words, only to frantically write a new note right under them.

Perhaps stick with the bike. It has its upsides.

The rumble of the engine. Cool air and a clear sky overhead. A beautiful lady holding onto him from behind. It was a day full twists and curves. The strange got stranger, but finally those curves were turning upward. For the first time since he woke up that morning, Colt smiled wide.

“Hold on tight.”

And as demanded, he hit the throttle.

[Katie]

Lucille Faraday
Location: Pinefall High - Music Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

Lucille quietly listens.

The sheer amount of people has made her rely on ingrained behavior—and the best way to survive in high society was to be quiet, nod your head, and never attract anyone’s attention. At the very least, half of being polite was the lack of saying anything offensive in the first place, and it is with this in mind that Lucille doesn’t bother speaking up. The other portion is that for the most part, she doesn’t actually care about the topic at hand. Beheld to a promise, the choice of song hardly matters to her, as she’ll play it anyway, and she has no real suggestions to make in the first place.

It wasn’t that she was passionless, it was more that, in her own way, the girl had reached a zen-like state of acceptance. Having dug herself into this grave, she could only lie down and watch herself be buried for her unsightly behavior this morning. Lucille was someone who figured karma and divine punishment were the same thing. If not in this life, then the afterlife.

She was pretty sure she was reaping what she sowed this time around.

When the topic turns to the idea of wandering about in the woods in the middle of the night, Lucille suppresses the urge to click her tongue in annoyance. She knows for a fact there are people who are truly aware of the consequences. And yet it happens anyway, with Hisa offering a mild compromise that’s a scavenger hunt in disguise. It hardly helps. Lucille quite vividly remembers the results of splitting the party.

On the other hand, Lucille has no idea how to convince anyone to drop the idea, not when everyone seemed so adamant about it. The best thing she can do is begrudgingly participate. And maybe encourage safety in numbers.

“I don’t like this idea at all,” she prefaces, “but if you decide to go with Hisa’s idea…”

She fishes into her pocket, navigating the folds of her wallet with the ease of any heiress.

“Having real stakes means people will try their best, right?”

The crisp Benjamin sits between her fingers, on display for the whole world to see.

[Verg Avesta]

Prushka, Hisa Momoi, Vier Wolff, Liana Skye, Lucille Faraday & Elaine Winters
Location: Pinefall High - Music Room
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

Pyry's eyes bulged out a bit when he saw Lucille bring out the 100 dollar bill.

"Y-you know, while I think Hisa's idea is pretty good, what with that giving us all some clear things to search for... I-I dunno," the lanky athlete said, making a slightly nervous gesture towards the money. "If we're going to start putting money on the line, t-that might eat into the idea of just having a good time and doing stuff together... I'd rather this thing didn't turn into an actual competition. And since money tends to have that effect on people..."

He clearly meant to leave his words hanging in the air, letting their meaning to sink in. However, at that very moment, the door that had been slightly open swung full ajar, revealing behind it victorious Elaine Winters and two young men - both silver-haired, but one that was somewhat older, and clearly taller, than the other.

In other words, Jake Briggs and Kean Loinnir.

And the former had an awkward smile on his face, along with a cocked eyebrow.

"You know, dudes, Mr. Martial Arts here is right. Dunno what sorta competition you're planning on starting, but I don't think the teachers are gonna find it funny if you start betting real money on it," the janitor said, waltzing in while holding his old bass guitar. "So I figure you dudes might wanna tone it down a notch. Make it something more fitting for a high school, y'know?"

The janitor chuckled a bit and gave Lucille a wink.

"I mean, it ain't usual for a girl in high school to just whip out that sort of money on a whim, right?"

Having said that, the trio entered the music room proper, and from the looks of it, the two bands were now properly ready and fully manned.

In one band, there was Pyry, Inacio, Vier, Hisa and Elaine.

In the other band, there was Prushka, Liana, Jake, Lucille and Kean.

And speaking of the shorter, silver-haired boy...

"Well, if I were a betting man, I'd bet that same amount on the fact that it would just get us in trouble. But I'm not. Dunno what you guys are talking about, though I wouldn't mind hearing," he said, walking over to one of the drum sets that had been set up. "Still, we came here to practice before that gig tonight, right? Why don't we get on it."

Inacio, looking a bit relieved, nodded. Then the Lusitanian clapped his hands together twice, almost like a teacher about to start a class.

"Alright, everybody take their places! We have our bands and we have our songs," he said, before a grin spread to his face. "So let's make some music."

And with that, they started.

---

Location: End's Beach
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies
[BGM]

Exactly at 17:00, a bright spark of fire caught onto the wood that had been piled onto the beach, causing it to roar up in happy, cheerful flames that lit up the beach even brighter than it was, bathing in the rays of the golden, setting sun.

A various cheers could be heard from here and there, from the 29 students that had gathered to the beach in search of a good time, to mingle and to have just a special way to spend their evening instead of being cooped up in their dormitory rooms. Some had gathered around the two large picnic tables that had been set up in the shadows of the cliff side, plate upon plate of home cooked food waiting for them. There were sandwiches, corn on the cob, soda and juice, fresh fruits, some delicious looking pies (thanks to Avery's Diner), french fries... you name it! And what you couldn't find on the picnic tables (namely, meat) could be gotten from the nearby portable gas grill that had been set up closer to the water's edge. There, guarded by the stern eye of Souma Nubatama, steaks and sausages and chicken wings and all sorts of other juicy products were being grilled to perfection, while the cook responsible for them also handled whipping up hamburgers out of the ingredients he had prepared.

Of course that wasn't the only thing that had been set up to the beach. Thanks to the hard work of one Mr. Hatou (who hadn't taught class today, so he had plenty of time) a very rudimentary wooden stage had been set up upon the sand. Sound equipment were waiting on top of the stage, along with required instruments, for the band performance later today. Apparently the idea was that some of the students would play just before people had to head back to the dormitory, to light the night up with both music and the flames of the bonfire.

Other than that? Well, students of Pinefall High's First Class were just milling about, everybody having divided into small groups and doing just about whatever they wanted. Those brave enough to take a dip in this 68°F weather were playing in the water, while others were simply enjoying the view of the ocean. Some were sitting by the stage, chatting among themselves or the teacher who was supervising tonight's festivities. Then there were those taking a walk by the shoreline, absorbed by their own thoughts and perhaps wanting some alone time. And, of course, there were also those who were stuffing their faces with food, enjoying that sweet sweet taste of summer that had just about ended and an autumn that was just around the corner.

Of course, there were some minor exceptions to all this as well... though in those cases, it had more to do with the way these people had arrived here, and the repercussions of it.

For example, in case of Alexstrasza Lockhart, she had arrived with Cesarina Feroce... with both of them looking like they had been through a wind-tunnel. The hair on the head of both girls had been swept back and then messed up into two bundles of incomprehensible tangled mess, all thanks to a certain button and its after effect that had made them practically rocket their way down the street. Luckily, none of the other students or locals had been there to see... though some had wondered aloud about the loud sound that had echoed for a moment.

Then, for example, in case of Colt Davin, his idea of a "date" with Sakura Tsukioka had taken a rather... strange turn. While the two of them had gotten to the beach quite early, instead of playing in the water or simply having fun at the beach, Sakura had... put Colt to work. Carrying boxes, setting up paper plates, helping her make the salad and grills some veggies... all these things had been shoved onto his shoulders. Though, at the same time, he got to enjoy Sakura's lively conversation and rather dazzling smile. After all, the girl was clearly in a better mood now that they were here... though maybe it also had something to do with the locked cooler box she had asked Colt to hide from the teachers.

Lastly, in the case of the music group, the band members had all arrived to the beach not long ago. After practicing as hard as they could in the small amount of time they had, they had put all of the stuff they could into Pyry's car. Rest had gone into the car of the school's janitor, Jake having promised to help them out with the transport. Though, for some reason, he had said he had to get something out of the car first, without letting the teens see. Something that had apparently left a rather weird smell in the old car. Nevertheless, on the way to the beach, the janitor had agreed to act as the group's chaperone both at the beach after dark, and when it came to the test of courage. Jake had even seemed somewhat excited, almost like he had reverted back to a high schooler himself for a moment there.

But, now you all were here.

Ready to enjoy yourselves, hit the beach, eat some good food and just goof around.

Looking at the blazing sun, the hot sand and the blue ocean... it was hard to think about the coming Sunday, and what that might mean.

Thus, the big question became... what did you want to do?

After all, there were many groups to mingle with, each one promising interesting encounters if nothing else, and plenty of activities to take care of. Of course, you wouldn't have time to chat with everyone because time never stopped its march onward, so...

... What did you want to do?

Road's End Beach Party - NPC Map!

[Airen]

Liana Skye
Location: End's Beach
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

---Still clad in her t-shirt and jean shorts -unwilling to take them off unless she wound up diving into the ocean- Liana Skye lets out an audible yawn as she exits the vehicle of a somewhat suspicious janitor, her long hair -released from it's usual bindings- blowing gently in the wind.

She makes no obvious efforts to approach anyone, at least not at first.

Indeed, while the girl clearly felt somewhat at home in social environments, the first thing she does isn't to simply sprint over to Cesarina -much as the thought might cross her mind- but simply to stand and watch the beach in it's entirety from afar, taking in the activities of the others with the eye of someone who was actively looking for something...

Even if that something is not clear at first...

Yes.

A small smile appears on her face as she watches the others interact amongst themselves, as if finding some small joy from the happiness of others, but...

---When her eyes land on Xylia, on the scowling face of a small child glaring out into the ocean.

That smile flickers, becoming a bit more troubled...

That troubled expression becomes contemplative as she starts to move forward, towards the distant silver-haired girl...

She's not someone she knows.

Not really.

Even so, there's something about this scenario that bothers her... For reasons known only to herself.

So she walks.

Waves to Cesarina as she passes -she'd head on over to her later- as she passes her, and...

In a move that is just as brazen as all the others she's made today...

"Hey! Xylia!"

A gentle but loud call, one made to let the girl know she was approaching long before she got too close to her...

"You doing okay over here? Ocean do something to upset you?"

It's a small joke.

Probably not very funny, but...

You have to start these sorts of things one way or another-!

[Spinach]

Colt Davin
Location: End's Beach
Phase: Evening Phase
Date: 07.09.1994 (WED)
Weather: Clear Skies

A skewer of grilled onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. A portion of extra-salted French fries. Half of a cob of corn. A fat sausage that spread a strong aroma of garlic and black pepper. Beside that plate of assorted good eats was a much smaller plate, with a single slice of cherry pie from Avery’s. To the left of this collection, an orange flavored soda.

This collection was the reward reaped by Colt for his role in the beach party’s set-up. He had first pick to the vegetables that hit the grill. Between loads that Sakura had him move to and fro he found time to grab a portion of fries and a slice of pie. He had found a momentary opening to put in a meat order with Souma earlier on.

All that was missing was the certainty that he was free to eat.

Colt stood beside the picnic table and heaved a sigh. The various chores he had been assigned made for an excellent distraction. The boy had been too busy going here and there, barely finding time to gather up his own little feast, to ever even think of looking to the northeastern corner of the beach.

Even if this evening had already deviated far from his ideal date, Colt had managed to find some appreciation for Sakura’s ‘unique’ ways. Though, he wasn’t sure when the blonde girl, Alex Terrot, had turned up at the picnic tables. It wasn’t hard to miss Cesarina’s arrival, what with the mess her hair had been when she popped up out of nowhere following something that Colt theorized might be a sonic boom.

Colt still remembered the word of advice Caleb had given him about the French girl. Nor had he forgotten the nurse’s suggestion that he try to befriend Cesarina.

But, today he was with a lady, so he didn’t pay them much mind.

“So, Sakura,” eyes on the prize, that prize being the heavenly pie, Colt finally found the courage to make his inquiry. “Any more jobs you’d like me to get out of the way?”

Holding up his hand with his fingers outstretched, he began lowering them one by one.

“Grilling, heavy lifting, setting up the tables, tossing salads… is there anymore legwork you have in store for me?”