Multiple Settings The Mysterious Play: Hierophant of Skies (Accepting votes!)

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

Idea DreamBeat Felis ​

Spoiler: Puzzle Solution!

ROSIE'S NOT SMART

You can't help but frown at your smug sisters implication, and properly give her a piece of your mind as a fair warning to shut her smug*** mouth before her face meets your fist.

"Hey, can you do me a solid and NOT blatantly insult my best friend's intelligence right to my freaking face?" You nearly hiss, like a warning a rattlesnake gives from their tail rattle when one is too close, while narrowing your eyes at her, deadly close to turning your frown into a glare.

"Oh, do get off your high horse, little sister," Jazzy brushes off your warning while rolling her eyes and ticking you off even more so while adding, "Listen, Rosie's a nice girl, but I think my blow dryer has more smarts than she does... I mean, at least my blow dryer has two settings whereas Rosie just has one: Scatterbrained."

You can feel your eye twitching and it's getting harder and harder to resist the urge to punch your sister.

"Watch it..." You growl at Jazzy.

"Look, I'm just trying to keep you from going down with her: Shes a sweet kid, sure, but she's probably not going to get into a good college... In fact, didn't she say she wanted to go to an art college? To be an artist? Are you kidding me?"

"What's wrong with that?!" You defend Rosie, feeling your anger bubble up to your boiling point as your little s***stain of a brother begins howling in laughter in the backseat.

"Nothing! Nothing... Just... You're a smart girl, Corny. Too smart to have foolish girls like Rosie bring you down. She may do decently on these tests, while you'll excel at them, I'm sure, but even if there is a brain hidden under there... She's definitely NOT going to do anything with it," Jazzy condescends your best friend while simultaneously trying to justify it as concern for your future and you're fuming.

"Making a lot of assumptions thinking there's a brain in there, though, to start! Ahahahahaha!" Your little pest of a brother chips in and you're about ready to punch them both when the car suddenly stopping is keeping you from committing assault.

You've arrived at the library.

"Hey, thanks for the ride, even if you used it to talk **** about my best friend," You bitterly thank your sister for the ride to the library, adding, "Also: **** YOU GUYS."

"I'M TELLING MOM!!!"

"Cornelia," Jazzy grimly frowns at you, "I'm just looking out for your success here. That's all."

"Sure, whatever," You snarl back, proper ****ed at Jazzy, and hurriedly close the door while basically running into the library.

Lord on high, She can be such a b**** sometimes!! AUGH!



"Heeeeeeeey there Mary. Miss Mary Sol. Ma-Ri-Sol! Or is it Mary-Mary-Quite-Contrary~?" You greet the librarian at her desk (you're a sociable gal like that), who's also kinda a buddy to you, Mary Sol.

Seeing her lifts your mood, and you guess seeing Rosie will do so as well. She's a librarian, but a surprisingly young one! She's barely out of her mid-twenties and already a pretty prestigious librarian among your city!

You're not gonna lie, you kinda wanna be like her when you grow up, or uh, well... finish growing up. You're two years from being an adult, after all.

Though, if you're honest, Mary is probably the friend Jazz would push you towards as opposed to Rosie... And is probably why she looks so down on Rosie in comparison to Mary.

"Oh hey, girl! Hey!" Mary looks away from her computer, smiling and waving at you as she just finishes helping someone who came to her desk.

"Working hard or hardly working?" You tease while finger-gunning at her.

"Oh, you know, finals week coming up and being a library near a school keeps me working hard!" She momentarily chortles while winking.

"That's how it goes," You nod and wink back, adding, "Speaking of: My partner in crime here yet? I'm pretty sure she should be here by now... We both agreed to meet here to study for finals today."

"Oh, Rosie? Yeah! I saw her here like fifteen minutes ago! She was headed towards your usual study table!" Mary informs you happily.

"Great! It's getting kinda crowded, hopefully she grabbed the books we need and reserved our table..." You note as you look around to see a bit of people around, with more to come now that schools out for the day, you're sure.

"Yeah... Well, if she needs help finding books let me or my little brother know! We'd be happy to help you guys!" Mary tells you.

"Uhh-- Your brother? Why--?" You begin, wondering why on earth you'd ask her brother when she realizes the confusion in her statement and explains.

"Heh, he works here part-time. His shift is about to start in like ten minutes, so he should be here soon, I think he's picking up some lunch beforehand right now, though," Mary explains.

"Ah! Okay, yeah, that makes MUCH more sense," You chuckle in relief at Mary not just randomly mentioning her brother, then realizing something impressive in her statement, add, "Whoa, both of you guys have jobs here? Nice!"

"Yeah! He's about your age, too!--"

Whoa! More impressive! Not even outta high school and employed! One step ahead of the rest, you'd say!

"He just puts back the books from the return cart, but, well, he insists on paying for his college tuition for a kinesiology major, and he also wants to be a fighter, like dad, so he's also paying for his own martial arts classes!"

"DANG!"

This boy sounds like he's got the motivation to move mountains! Not bad...!

"Mmhm! Oh, but how I go on! I'm sorry, I'm just really proud of him! Anyway, I won't keep Rosie waiting or you girls from studying! Good luck!" She smiles and waves you off as you smile back, nod, and go deeper into the library.


Hmmm...

Somethings... Not right...



You're right in front of the tables, but... From here you should already be able to see Ro...

Yet... You can't...

Odd...

Shouldn't she be here by now?

You're sure when you called her just a bit ago she said she was already here... Plus Mary saw her come in... and didn't say anything about her leaving?

She couldn't possibly still be looking for the books you guys need, could she?

Mmm... Better check your table, just in case...




When you get there.... She's nowhere to be seen...

But her notebook is on your guys usual table... It's turned to a blank page, like she just left it here to reserve the table, like she said she would...

Hmmm... She's still here, then... She wouldn't forget this (too much embarrassing doodles for her to forget this thing...)

You guess she's still looking for your books, right?

You're starting with your history final, so... The history section right behind you is where she should be around... Right?

Hmmmmm.... Something fishy's going on here...

Maybe you should look around and try to find Rosie?

>>IS THERE SOMETHING OUT OF PLACE??<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[DreamBeat]

That's a lot of information for the librarian's little brother. I wonder if he's important?

It looks like there's an open book lying around by the bookshelf in the history section.
Maybe we should check the history section? It's weird that she's not here, and no one's seen her go out.

 

[Idea]

Hmmm... Not gonna lie, the characters in the modern world seem more like caricatures. Characters are talking seemingly only based on their immediate narrative purpose, it's coming off to premeditated. Well, I'm sure it's just rust from the break.

In any case, I am assuming this is another puzzle? In this case, I suspect it may be one about stopping something in the picture. I'll say that we could maybe notice that book randomly just on the floor between the shelves...

 

[Felis]

Once again agreeing with everyone - aside from Rosie not being here, the only thing that strikes me as out of place is the open book lying on the ground in the history section.

 

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

DreamBeat Idea Felis ​

Spoiler: Investigate where?

That's a lot of information for the librarian's little brother. I wonder if he's important?

It looks like there's an open book lying around by the bookshelf in the history section.
Maybe we should check the history section? It's weird that she's not here, and no one's seen her go out.

Hmmm... Not gonna lie, the characters in the modern world seem more like caricatures. Characters are talking seemingly only based on their immediate narrative purpose, it's coming off to premeditated. Well, I'm sure it's just rust from the break.

In any case, I am assuming this is another puzzle? In this case, I suspect it may be one about stopping something in the picture. I'll say that we could maybe notice that book randomly just on the floor between the shelves...

Once again agreeing with everyone - aside from Rosie not being here, the only thing that strikes me as out of place is the open book lying on the ground in the history section.

You decide to look around the history section (naturally you're expecting to actually find Ro, since that's where she said she would be) and.... Only see a book on the floor, but...

Disturbingly... Ro's no where to be found...

"Rosie?" You decide to call out to her, ignoring the book for a moment, hesitantly admitting to yourself that, well... Rosie isn't exactly the brightest chicken in the hen house, so, perhaps maybe you might find her faster if you call out to her?

"Ro! Hey!" You call out again, trying not to be too loud, granted you ARE in the library...

There's neither hide nor hair of her...

Eventually, you decide to go back to the shelves with a book on their floor, wondering if maybe Rosie had dropped it?

Strange... That's not like Ro at all. She'd pick it up and put it back if she dropped it, or at least put it on a cart to have the librarians re-shelve it...

You pick up the book to examine it--

Hmmm... It's called "The Universe of The Three Gods".

Damien Du Mont?

Can't say you've ever heard of this guy...

Or this book.​

It looks old... Super old... Not exactly like it could be from the middle ages the way the books condition is, but... Ugh. It smells musty and muggy, and not too subtle a scent, either... It's pages are decently yellowed despite the cover looking a tad withered, though, you get the feeling it's surprisingly in good condition for how old it is... Sadly, this keeps you from getting a good approximation of how old this book really is. Can't help but get a little irritated by this fact.

It... It has to still be from at least the 20th century, right? ...Granted, perhaps at least the mid-20th century, but...

How strange, why would the library even have such an old book on hand... And just left on the floor...??

How... How would a regular old city library even get their hands on this book that's so super old...??

You scratch your head as you wonder why (and how!) on earth Rosie might have been reading this, or got startled enough by what she read to drop this on the ground?

This is all kinds of weird... And you don't feel good about any of it at all...

The book is already open on the ground by the time you kneel down to pick it up.

You then begin reading the first passage on the left-hand page:

In her grief, The small but heartful Hierophant had ran from her companions, including the boy with the Celosian crest of winds on his forehead she so loved... Unfortunately, leading her right into the hands of the vengeful spirit that haunted the waters. The bespectacled Hierophant was then lured into the lake by the vengeful spirit. The tiny brunette was bewitched by them, thinking the spirit was her mother. Normally the Hierophant would never dream of going into haunted waters, but one look into the spirits glowing eyes and the water just looked so inviting.

Small? Bespectacled?

When exactly was this book written...? Even if it was written recently, this somehow doesn't sound like a book that was set in a place that knew OF glasses, let alone having a character WEARING THEM, right...??? You get that feeling...



Wait... Hold on... That description sounds... Frighteningly familiar...

This... This Hierophant couldn't be...

Could it...?

Wait, wait, wait ,wait--- HAUNTED WATERS?! Stricken by grief?! Boy with what on his forehead?! WHOM SHE APPARENTLY LOVES??!?!?!

She was having a sweet dream: That she was a child again, along side her mother. Swimming innocently. There was no pain or distress in this illusion. Just her and her mother in a simpler time.

The vengeful spirit thought they could at least--

HEY NOW, WHAT--?!

make this girls final moments enjoyable.

You feel like puking right here on the library floor (you don't however, for fear your broke butt won't be able to pay for the carpet cleaning) as a sneaking suspicion begins to creep inside you.​

You clutch your heart as it suddenly feels like it weighs a thousand pounds...

Whoever this Hierophant is... They're about to have their life cut SHORT...

No...

No, something isn't right here...

Small... Bespectacled... Brown haired... ONLY HAS HER MOTHER...

It... it sounds like-----?!

NO! THIS IS CRAZY!

THIS IS CRAZY!!!

I-it can't be... It's just a coincidence, right?!

But then... Why is a history book talking about people with glasses?!

>>WHO DOES THIS HIEROPHANT SOUND LIKE?<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[DreamBeat]

Well crap. We've become so invested in this book, reading about a character in their last moments.

But dang... It really does give off super creepy vibes if we just started to read from that part of the story. Ignoring that we don't know who the Hierophant or what a Celestial crest of winds is, the Hierophant kind of reminds me of a certain someone who's supposed to be in the library with us. What a crazy coincidence

I wonder what Rosie would think of the story we're reading, haha

 

[Felis]

To think this book is opened on a page describing someone who sounds so much like Rosie, just when we are looking for her - it really is a strange coincidence.

But there's certainly nothing strange going on. Nuh-uh. The most reasonable explanation is that Rosie finding that book and reading about her counterpart's tragic fate might have scared her into running off somewhere else in the library, or something like that. I mean, we were pretty much pulled in by the story ourselves, so imagine how invested Rosie must have become if the heroine resembles her so much...

 

[Idea]

Kinda sounds like a certain girl who's late but probably just confirmation bias.

I mean, we're obviously jumping to conclusions here. In the first place, it's kind of a weird assumption to insist that the book is that old when there's clearly data suggesting the opposite. Maybe it's just poorly maintained or otherwise made to look old-

 

[Minako]

Cornelia Robinson

DreamBeat Felis Idea ​

Spoiler: Who is it?

Well crap. We've become so invested in this book, reading about a character in their last moments.

But dang... It really does give off super creepy vibes if we just started to read from that part of the story. Ignoring that we don't know who the Hierophant or what a Celestial crest of winds is, the Hierophant kind of reminds me of a certain someone who's supposed to be in the library with us. What a crazy coincidence

I wonder what Rosie would think of the story we're reading, haha

To think this book is opened on a page describing someone who sounds so much like Rosie, just when we are looking for her - it really is a strange coincidence.

But there's certainly nothing strange going on. Nuh-uh. The most reasonable explanation is that Rosie finding that book and reading about her counterpart's tragic fate might have scared her into running off somewhere else in the library, or something like that. I mean, we were pretty much pulled in by the story ourselves, so imagine how invested Rosie must have become if the heroine resembles her so much...

Kinda sounds like a certain girl who's late but probably just confirmation bias.

I mean, we're obviously jumping to conclusions here. In the first place, it's kind of a weird assumption to insist that the book is that old when there's clearly data suggesting the opposite. Maybe it's just poorly maintained or otherwise made to look old-

Alright, alright, SO THIS CLEARLY SOUNDS LIKE ROSIE.

BUT... LIKE...

YOU'RE AWARE OF WHAT, EXACTLY, THAT ENTAILS, RIGHT?!

HOW DID THE AUTHOR KNOW HER OR OF HER?!​

IT'S TOO MUCH OF A COINCIDENCE FOR AN AUTHOR TO WRITE A CHARACTER EXACTLY LIKE HER, RIGHT?!

But, like... What other option is--

Unless she got sucked into the book somehow.

Welp.

This is it.

You've officially lost it.

You've officially lost your marbles.

CORNELIA ROBINSON'S SANITY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING! WOOOO!​

Finals week finally broke you.

You know, you really thought it was gonna happen during college, preferably at least not til the end of your junior or senior year (heck, at this point you'd settle for sophmore) but... uh... yeah.

You're sitting here. At the library.

Reading some old a** lookin' book with a main character that, SOMEHOW, sounds exactly like your best friend.

Thinking she got sucked in.

Yep.

This is it.

This is the end of your sanity.

You were really hoping you'd at least keep it til adulthood, where the stresses of being a high class businesswoman got to you (at least, thats what you were hoping to do with your life before it got f'd right in the down under), but, well, not every dream was meant to come true.

IS ROSIE REALLY STUCK IN THIS BOOK?!

A MILLION QUESTIONS.

ALL OF THEM "HOW?!"

Well, actually, no, some of them are "WHY?!" as well, but, lets just deal with one problem at a time here.​

You glance back at the book, in some futile attempt thinking maybe if you read this book you'd free Rosie if she was really stuck in there, and---

Then, as doom drew nigh for the poor Hierophant---

A boy with hair as blue as the sky melting into the sea parted the waters seemingly by his very will, and saved her from the vengeful spirits clutches... As the Hierophant was dreaming of better times, where sorrow was a stranger, the boy of waters desperately tries to save her life and bring back her consciousness...

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

DreamBeat Felis Idea ​

Oh mommy.

Sweet Mommy.

Always there for you when you need it... Not like daddy.

Daddy is scary.


You don't think you like daddy...

Daddy hits mommy.

...

But it's ok now!

You're here with mommy, in the pretty water! Nothing hurts in the pretty water! You just swim!

You swim and swim and swim~

There's no hurt or pain here!

Just smiles and laughs and swimming and mommy!

It's so nice and warm! You wanna be here FOREVER with mommy.

Forevers and evers... and evers...




If only that bright light would go away...

You're trying to have such a good time with mommy, despite how bright it is... What's going o--



"OH CELOSIA, NO! WAKE UP, PLEASE WAKE UP!" You hear... A strange boys voice?

You definitely haven't heard this voice before...

You try to flutter your eyes open as you regain consciousness and---


AUGH!!!

WHAT!?

YOU FEEL WATER LITERALLY ESCAPING YOUR THROAT?!?!?!

"BLAUGH!??!" You sputter, blurt, and hurl out as the water escapes your esophagus and you cough and choke and then inhale desperately for the air your lungs really need!

Your mind is pumped full of adrenaline and in full swing again, and you look up once you can breathe and think and---



WHOA WHOA WHOA, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!?!?!

WHO IS THIS BLUE HAIRED BOY?! IS HE... IS HE HOLDING WATER ABOVE HIS HANDS!?

WHY IS HIS FACE SO CLOSE TO YOURS?!

WAIT... IS... IS THE COMPASS GLOWING?! IS THE COMPASS LOSING ITS CRAP?!

"A-are you alright, Miss?" He asks, nervously, but also like HE ISN'T HOLDING YOU SO CLOSE TO THE POINT WHERE YOUR FACES ARE CENTIMETERS APART?!​

>>WHAT DO YOU QUESTION THE BOY ABOUT FIRST?<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

YOU MAY NOW TOGGLE BETWEEN ROSALINA AND CORNELIA! Please keep in mind, however, THIS IS NOT A TWO-WAY STREET! Though Cornelia can read anything and everything that happens to Rosalina, Rosalina, for now, is none the wiser Cornelia is even AT the library, let alone reading the book! Keep this in mind when you toggle back and forth between the two!

​

 

[Idea]

We don't seem to remember who he is, so I'm assuming our mind got supressed into whatever state our visions were in?

So I guess the question would be something along the lines of:

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE IS MOMMY?"

 

[Felis]

I think maybe something like "Who are you and what are you doing/what's going on?" is what we might be asking first of all, as it does seem like the adrenaline more or less brought our mind back to the present moment. And the present moment doesn't make much sense to us right now.

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

Idea Felis DreamBeat ​

Spoiler: Previous Votes!

We don't seem to remember who he is, so I'm assuming our mind got supressed into whatever state our visions were in?

So I guess the question would be something along the lines of:

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE IS MOMMY?"

I think maybe something like "Who are you and what are you doing/what's going on?" is what we might be asking first of all, as it does seem like the adrenaline more or less brought our mind back to the present moment. And the present moment doesn't make much sense to us right now.

We don't seem to remember who he is, so I'm assuming our mind got supressed into whatever state our visions were in?

So I guess the question would be something along the lines of:

"WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE IS MOMMY?"

No, no... Your mind is back to normal alright... And even if it wasn't exactly upon your first waking up, it sure as sugar is with this STRANGE BOY'S FACE ALL UP IN YOUR GRILL!

I think maybe something like "Who are you and what are you doing/what's going on?" is what we might be asking first of all, as it does seem like the adrenaline more or less brought our mind back to the present moment. And the present moment doesn't make much sense to us right now.

DEFINITELY!

"A-AYIII!" You yelp while pushing this boy away, trying not to seriously hurt him or anything with your shove, as you suspect he may have just saved your life, but you're still freaked out by the distance (or, in this case, lack thereof!) so you take a breath and continue, "Wh-who are you!? Wh-what are you doing?! Wh-what's going on?!"

Well... You TRIED not to bombard him, but...

"A-ah! Wait, please, PLEASE calm down! Everything's fine! I just saved you from the vengeful spirit of the lake!" The blue-haired boy explains.

"V-vengeful spirit of the lake...?" You ask, almost tilting your head in confusion, when--

AH! THAT... THAT THING! THAT THING YOU SAW BEFORE YOU SWEAR YOU SAW YOUR MOTHER!​

"A-AH! A-AH! SO THAT'S WHAT IT WAS?!" You gasp, covering your mouth, feeling your eyes tearing up at the horrible realization of what just almost happened to you and HAS HAPPENED to Celosia knows how many other girls, "That... That horrible, vile creature!!! Luring poor unsuspecting girls a-and... A-and DROWNING THEM while hypnotizing them so they don't even have conscious last moments?!"

...The blue-haired boy looks to the side, no longer maintaining eye-contact... He's wincing, and it looks like he wants to say something, but doesn't...

Like he want's to DISAGREE with you, but doesn't either have the heart or evidence to...

What is going on here...?


"U-uhm... I... M-maybe..." He finally responds, half-heartedly, unbelievably confirming your suspicion he's pretty much disagreeing with you about the vengeful spirit that nearly killed you.

WHY--?!

"A-a-anyway, I-I'm Adrian! Adrian Leigh. I-I live nearby, I usually come here to save young girls like you who the spirit tries to drown," The newly dubbed Adrian explains, trying to calm you down in a reassuring hug.

"Y-you..." You begin to try to reply, noticing he totally just dropped the water that was once in your throat onto the ground, watering the very thirsty grass nearby, and you're beginning to connect the dots...

"Uh, by the way, not to interrupt you, but... I gotta ask, what is that glow-y thingy around your neck and why is it glowing so much?" Adrian asks nervously while pointing at...

OH! Huh, your compass now has a beautiful pastel blue ribbon that is wrapped very loosely around your neck, like it was a necklace...! You wonder how--

Celosia.

Geez, Celosia! Warn a girl before you do this kinda stuff!!! Or maybe don't do this kinda stuff at--

Er, well... You suppose if she hadn't you'd probably have lost this compass to the cursed waters of the lake with the vengeful spirit... So... Uhm... Perhaps a "Thank you, Celosia!" is actually in order? Aheh...​

"Er, well, it's for--" You begin explaining, when you suddenly remember exactly what it's for and why you got it!

AND POSSIBLY WHY IT'S GOING CRAZY!

"AH! It's to locate the remaining people who bear Celosia's crests! Celosia's seven crest-bearers!! You! It's you!!!! You're who we're looking for!!!" You exclaim, taking a bit, but FINALLY piecing all the pieces together!

YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT!

YOU FOUND YOUR THIRD CREST-BEARER!

"A-A-AH! BU-WU-- WHAT!?" Adrian gapes, his eyes widening and he almost can't believe what you're saying... But you know. YOU KNOW this is who you're looking for!


"Oh please! Please! My name is Rosalina Chandra, I am the Hierophant of Skies! I am the girl of another world from the legends and prophecies! Please, oh please! You must come with us right away!" You beg and plead, almost crying, and losing all composure.

"US?!" Adrian's eyes widen more as he blurts his reply out, still sounding like he scarcely believes you.

"Yes, I've already found and recruited the Bearers of Wind and Fire, and now we need YOU as well, O' Bearer of Water! Please! I know it's you!" You begin speaking like a true Hierophant in your pleas, clearly pointing to the spot on the ground where he dumped the water once working its way to drown you and your guys clothes... Which you don't fail to notice are NOT soaking wet. They're completely and perfectly dry, in fact.

"...I-I... Shoot, darn it..!" Adrian hesitantly glues his eyes to the ground, biting his lip like hes thinking about something, and just as you frown at him thinking he may deny it, but in fact stuns you in saying, "L-look, I SORT OF have been expecting you, Hierophant, well certainly not meeting you like this-- Er, well, actually with this spirit and me being here, m-maybe, but-- Augh-- Anyway-- Listen! I-I-I can't go just yet! I have something to do here, something to take care of! B-but if you could wait until that's over, I-I'd be happy to join you!"

"What?!" You cry back, shaking your head like you definitely can't accept his answer, "Why not!?"

"Uhm, BECAUSE YOUNG GIRLS ARE DYING HERE AND I'M TRYING TO SAVE THEM?! You know, like I just saved you?!" Adrian explains frantically, his body language very clearly going "duh" but his actual demeanor is a bit too docile to fully go all the way and add that.

"A-ah... Right..." You bite your lip and exhale out, a squeezing pressure in your heart telling you everything about this is bad and you weren't quite prepared for not only the water-bearer being in a very dangerous place for you, specifically, but also him kind of REFUSING TO JOIN YOU.

"And it's not just that... That spirit..." Adrian begins, almost pained, looking away, and then trails off.

"Hm? The vengeful one?" You ask, knowing that the spirit is obviously what's keeping him here if he's valiantly vowed to save the girls endangered from the neighboring village, but you can't quite understand his tone...

"I-I... I can't explain it, I just... I... I feel... I feel like I have to do this. I have to stay. I have to help those girls. I have to stop that spirit... I...."

"...You feel responsible...?" You ask, apparently hitting the nail on the head as Adrian winces and nods in confirmation.

That's... So strange... He feels responsible? Why? Does he have a connection with the spirit or something?

"But... Wh----"

"ROSIE!!!!!! ROSIE!!!!!!" Suddenly you hear an all too familiar voice quickly approaching and right when you turn your head--

"RO--"

"H-hey! Who are you and what do you think you're doing so close to her?!" Elias jealously interrogates Adrian as he promptly takes you away from him.

"A-ah! Elias!" You cry, clutching his shirt to get his attention and clarifying the misunderstanding, "Stop! This is our third crest-bearer! The water bearer! His name is Adrian and he's our friend!"

"E-EH?! THE WATER BEARER!?" Elias gasps, almost instantly regretting his first impression.

"A-and, not to be rude, uhm... Elias, was it?" Adrian intervenes verbally and defends himself, then adds, "Not to be rude, but uhm, if you didn't want me so close to her, which was for completely chaste reasons and also ONLY as a result of me saving her by the way... Maybe... uhm... Maybe you should have taken better care of her?"

OooooOooooh.... Elias gonna need some burn ointment for that one...

"Adrian, I do not care for you."

"B-but I'm right, though!"

"Elias... Rude..." You reprimand your crush for treating your savior how he is.​

"I know, I know... I'm sorry, Adrian..." Elias (finally) apologizes to your kind of new water-bearer while scratching his head and looking down.

"It's alright, I've never really had a girl I liked before, so I don't really relate, but I'm sure if I did I'd get it a bit more seeing her with another guy and all," Adrian chuckles and forgives Elias pretty easily, causing you to blush at his blatant implication.

"O-oh, uhm... W-well... H-he d-doesn't... Er... Th-that is--" You couldn't control the words coming out of your mouth, like word vomit, just spewing from your lips, trying to "explain" the situation, though you aren't sure why you wanna relive the reality of it...

"Rosie..." You then, shockingly, hear Elias speak, and his hands are now gently on your shoulders for a moment before, and you gasp as he does this, he uses his hand to lift your face up to see his.

"Why on Cion Isle did you run off? Didn't we tell you how dangerous it was...? W-we were all so worried! I-I...I was... So worried..."​

Oh boy.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH BBBBBBOOY.

>>TELL ELIAS THE TRUTH OR LIE TO HIM?<<
code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Idea]

I'm gonna be honest... I forget what the truth was. So, to remind myself:
>>TELL ELIAS THE TRUTH

 

[Felis]

Yeah, I think it's time we talk it out. Let's use the remaining adrenaline from our near-death experience and tell Elias the truth. Avoiding the subject is what kind of got us almost drowned in the first place, isn't it?

 

[DreamBeat]

Not much to say here. Let's make it unanimous and go with Tell Elias the truth!

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

Idea Felis DreamBeat ​

Spoiler: Previous Votes!

I'm gonna be honest... I forget what the truth was. So, to remind myself:
>>TELL ELIAS THE TRUTH

Yeah, I think it's time we talk it out. Let's use the remaining adrenaline from our near-death experience and tell Elias the truth. Avoiding the subject is what kind of got us almost drowned in the first place, isn't it?

Not much to say here. Let's make it unanimous and go with Tell Elias the truth!

Telling Elias the truth unanimously!

"I-I....I..." You begin, unsure of where you even want to start.

You decide, however, that it's best to come clean and tell Elias the truth about what had happened.

"I heard what you said... Earlier... When you were talking with Papa... I... heard almost every word..." You confess, saying all that you need to to get your message across of exactly why you ran off.

The color drains from Elias' face, all but confirming you weren't meant to hear what he had said to Papa.​

"Rosie... Rosie, I... I didn't want you to hear that," Elias struggles to get the words out, very familiar with the concept of regret, and the look on his face makes it almost seems like he wishes he could eat his previous words... Even though they were the truth and how he honestly felt?


"I know..." You hang your head and glue your eyes to the ground as you mutter back, trying not to sound bitter and succeeding by instead sounding disappointed.

"Rosie, I-- I want you to know that even though I don't know what it means, I desperately want to! I-I need to! I don't know when or how, but I WILL find out what it all means, a-and---! A-and when I do, I-I'll--!!"

"Hey, uh GUYS?! This is really great and wonderful that you're talking out your issues, because my grandparents raised me to prefer to mend it and not end it in relationships, but, uh, CAN WE FOCUS ON THE VERY REAL AND VERY POWERFUL VENGEFUL SPIRIT THAT STILL VERY MUCH WANTS TO DROWN ROSIE?!" Adrian points behind the two of you desperately and instinctively Elias protectively pulls you behind him.

It's the vengeful spirit of Lost Loch!

But why?!

Why does she have a grudge against you?! What did you ever do to her?!​

For that matter, what did the girls of Loredge ever do to her?!


"STOP THIS!" You shout.

The spirit hisses and snarls at you in response, and, more importantly, it looks like she's still out for your life!

"WHY?!" You shout at them while clinging to Elias' back as he protectively shields you while Adrian does the same, adding, "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?!"

Adrian starts making a mist around you three, and you know Elias is about to pick you up to run... But... You guys can't yet! Your presence is the only thing keeping these boys from fighting that thing! Shoot!

"Uhm, I really, REALLY don't think their motives are important right now!!!" Adrian warns you that you're not exactly focusing on the right thing here, but you beg to differ!

"Not that I don't think what you say is super important, Rosie, but I think Adrian is right!" Elias almost automatically agrees with the water-bearer.



If you remember every horror movie you've seen that had a somewhat decent ending for any of the main characters where they weren't slaughtered by the killer (admittedly, those endings were either sequel baiting OR pulled the rug underneath you at the last second that it was... somewhat of a decent ending... like that one ending with that poor girl with psychic powers that got blood poured all over her!) it's that the protagonist, or protagonists, find out HOW the ghost was killed and try to appease them to end their vengeance!

There is a REASON this spirit is killing young girls (and ONLY young girls... seemingly from Loredge!)...

And something's telling you that how this spirit died is what is causing them to not... you know... Pass on to the other side in peace...

"NO! There's nothing more important than finding out who this spirit is and what happened to her!" You plead, a bit desperate as you don't know what to do from your decision to try to learn more about it.

"I-I-I don't think she's gonna answer any questions you have!" Adrian tries to reason with you, but you can see in his eyes he doesn't think you're exactly wrong, just that it's too dangerous, most likely for YOU, specifically, to stick around to ask and find out.

"I know that, but we have to find out somehow! If we figure out who she is and what happened to her maybe we can help her fulfill what she needs or wants so she can finally PASS ON and leave Loredge alone!" You argue back.

So far, all you've got is that they are most likely a woman from Loredge... R-right? Maybe Havendell? You can't imagine a woman from Auran would travel all the way here to die? Or that a horrible killer... would... would travel so far to bury the body.... Especially when Auran is so close to the edge... to... to just toss the body--

WAIT!

Ok, ok, so, somehow, you think she was killed here... via drowning!!

It's poetic, isn't it!?

Killing other young girls the way SHE was...! Oh no... Maybe... Maybe she goes for that age group... Because that's how old she was when she was killed here?!?!?!

You're speculating with no proof, but... But what if that REALLY IS THE CASE?!

Mmmn... But if she was killed here even via drowning this place is also perfect for tossing her body out afterwards... Like she does afterwards...?

Wait. But that isn't right either? Has anyone even been in the water to check for bodies...? Hasn't it been deserted since she started haunting the place almost 17 years ago...? Because if so who's to say that there aren't bodies IN THE WATER...?

OH CELOSIA YOU ALMOST DROWNED IN THAT WATER AND HAD SWALLOWED IT BEFORE ADRIAN TOOK IT OUT!

UGH!

It... It doesn't sound wrong in your head but you have NO PROOF!!!

Just a "that's usually how things like this go in horror movies!" feeling!!


But you can't stick around here just for THAT feeling, right!?


The only thing missing you can't hypothetically piece together is Adrian's role in all of this... Why does he even feel responsible?

Surely he was like... A BABY or something when she started haunting, right? So it couldn't possibly be he killed her...

...Maybe he's related--

OH! A RELATIVE OF HIS! OF COURSE!

But wait, why would they continue this if Adrian was here and they're related to him?

What is their relation to him, though???

Shoot, all you've got is speculation, but the feeling in your gut tells you you're NOT WRONG!


If you speak up now maybe you can convince Elias and Adrian to stick around and force the answers out of the spirit, somehow, but you don't have any solid proof!

Augh! What should you do?!

>>TELL ELIAS AND ADRIAN YOUR SPECULATIONS OR NOT?<<
code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Idea]

Frankly, our speculations seem kinda baseless and all over the place. Forget about whether the idea that we can use pop culture to defeat a real life creature is a viable tactic or not, I don't know if we'd even be able to explain everything going through our heads fast enough to not all be caught by it midway through.

I say we don't tell them our speculations and listen to them, focus on escaping from, surviving and if necessary, fighting that spirit.

 

[Felis]

Oof. I think we should definitely talk to them about our speculations, but I can see how doing it at a later time may be more survivable.

Still, if we want to get the bottom of this, I feel like it might be best to take the risk and try to force a solution right away when we've got ourselves, all of the crest-bearers we found so far and the spirit in one place. If we leave, we may get talked into not coming back (because quite obviously, it's dangerous, and we do need to find the remaining crest-bearers as quickly as possible), and it doesn't seem right to leave the situation as it is.

 

[DreamBeat]

Sorry for being late!
I agree with Idea. Let's keep it to ourselves right now. We're in immediate danger, and discussing whether or not we're correct doesn't seem like the thing to do.

Get out of here first, then talk. We can return later maybe with an actual plan

 

[Betsumei No Ishi]

I don't think we should really share it. It feels kinda odd to do it right now.

 

[Minako]

Rosalina Chandra

Idea Felis DreamBeat Betsumei No Ishi ​

Spoiler: Previous Votes!

Frankly, our speculations seem kinda baseless and all over the place. Forget about whether the idea that we can use pop culture to defeat a real life creature is a viable tactic or not, I don't know if we'd even be able to explain everything going through our heads fast enough to not all be caught by it midway through.

I say we don't tell them our speculations and listen to them, focus on escaping from, surviving and if necessary, fighting that spirit.

Oof. I think we should definitely talk to them about our speculations, but I can see how doing it at a later time may be more survivable.

Still, if we want to get the bottom of this, I feel like it might be best to take the risk and try to force a solution right away when we've got ourselves, all of the crest-bearers we found so far and the spirit in one place. If we leave, we may get talked into not coming back (because quite obviously, it's dangerous, and we do need to find the remaining crest-bearers as quickly as possible), and it doesn't seem right to leave the situation as it is.

Sorry for being late!
I agree with the others. Let's keep it to ourselves right now. We're in immediate danger right now, and discussing whether or not we're correct doesn't seem like the thing to do.

Get out of here first, then talk. We can return later maybe with an actual plan

I don't think we should really share it. It feels kinda odd to do it right now.

Don't say anything yet, unanimously!

You decide it's best to keep your mouth shut about your speculations, FOR NOW... Though you will have to talk to them about this spirit, AND SOON...

Not only to quell the spirit's vengeance but also for Adrian's sake... Sure, you might be wrong, but wouldn't it explain a bit if you were right?

It MUST be a relative that caused his valiant vow... You know it!

Though if you ARE right... Poor Adrian... He lost someone near and dear to him--

Wait... No.. He was just a baby, so he couldn't have really known them, right...? You'll have to ask his par--

Oh. Right. Grandparents... He mentioned them raising instead of his par--

....

.......

.........

Wait, hang on... What if---

"GUYS, LET'S GO!" Adrian cries out while thickening the mist from the direction the spirit is approaching while Elias blasts the opposite way with wind for a quick escape.

You zip your lip as Elias scoops you up and he and Adrian run like Olympians or something as far away from the spirit as possible.

"We have to get back to Kaine and Xander!" Elias cries while surprisingly being able to be rather quick and nimble carrying you despite not using his wind magic and having a bit of a lanky physique!

"Who and who?" Adrian asks, confused.

"Kaine is the other crest-bearer, the one of fire, that I told you about, and Xander is the Captain of the Royal guards! He also looks like my big brother back in my world!" You explain to Adrian... pretty casually, given the current situation and all things considered!

"WHA-- BU-- CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARDS?! BIG BROTHER?! WHAT?!" Adrian yelps in shock as he runs beside Elias (which is pretty quickly) and he just kinda has a look like he just got in waaaaaay over his head... or perhaps he's already losing too much stamina from the fast running (it's probably both, you suspect).​

"Long story," Elias intervenes, "We'll have to explain later!"

"Look, I-I already told Rosie, I can't leave here yet!" Adrian, thankfully still at least following you and Elias, explains frantically.

"WHAT?! You're kidding me right now! You CAN'T GO?! WHY ON CION ISLE NOT?! Rosie can't possibly STAY HERE! That monster will KILL HER!" Elias pleads, trying to keep from panting from the running.

"I know! I know! Look, I--"

"We're not leaving the area entirely or for very long! We're just regrouping til we figure out a way to subdue her and figure out who she is and how she died so we can finally lay that poor woman down to rest!" You demand while clinging to Elias as he is carrying you.

"Rosie..." Elias sighs.

"No, I mean, I agree with her, but HOW?! I've been trying to get close to them but she only comes out when a young girl is nearby! This is as close as I've gotten to her in a while!" Adrian cries out, frustrated.

Aha! YOU KNEW IT! He DOES want to help the spirit, but he also doesn't want to endanger YOU any further.

Augh, you feel like such a burden right now...

"Look, we need to regroup with the others and THEN we'll figure out what to do!" Elias grunts as the three of you keep escaping.

Maybe there are some answers in Loredge...? The spirit, in life, was from Loredge, weren't they???

Maybe someone there might be old enough to know what happened 17 or so years ago when this spirit started haunting the place?

PLUS, it's not actually near the spirit, so...

"Wait! Ok, I've got an idea AND its a compromise! Adrian, Loredge isn't far from here, right?" You ask your new water-bearer desperately.

"No..." He answers hesitantly, and though from the look on his face he already seems to know where you're going with this, he asks anyway, "...Why?"

"Look, if it's not too far away, then it won't count as you 'leaving' here, right? You'll keep your vow to stay AND we'll probably learn more about this spirit so we can stop her!" You answer.

"Aw, geez... Technically you're right... but..."

"But WHAT?! Adrian, I want to HELP YOU, I understand you're uneasy and feel responsible about her, but if information you need is in a village a few steps away from the lake then you're going to have to make an exception for a few hours to gather intel!" You bark at him,

Adrian winces, but you both know you're NOT in the wrong here.

"Wait, WHAT?!" Elias gasps, giving his full attention to Adrian, "Responsible? Why on Cion Isle do you feel responsible for HER? Saving the girls I get, but where is this responsibility about the spirit coming from?!"

Oops...

"I DON'T KNOW, OK, I JUST DO!" Adrian frustratingly shouts back at you and Elias.

Adrian...

In life, the spirit and this boy DEFINITELY SHARED BLOOD, you know it...

You just wish you know what that blood relation WAS!

"ROSIE! ELIAS!" You finally hear Xander's familiar voice call.

"ELIAS! ROSIE!" Papa's booming voice echoes from the mist.

You made it! You're with the others again!

"Adrian, it's them!" You and Elias inform Adrian.

"Clear the mist, please!" You beg your water-bearer, and he nods and complies.

The mist clears and--

OH SWEET CELOSIA WHO BLESSED THIS LAND TO THE SKY, THERE ARE ZOMBIES! ZOMBIES RIGHT BEHIND YOUR BIG BROTHER AND PAPA!!! DO THEY NOT SEE THEM OR SMELL THEM?! ARE THEY BLIND OR SOMETHING!? THEY CAN'T BE CAUSE THEY ARE SEEING AND WAVING AT YOU GUYS, RIGHT?!?!?!

You freeze and are too stunned to breathe, panic runs through your head as they just loom behind the other two men you care a lot about aside Elias and Adrian!

What should you do?!

Doesn't anyone else see them, or?! ARE THEY HALLUCINATIONS OR SOMETHING??!?! WHY ISN'T ANYONE NOTICING THEM BUT YOU?!

>>SHOUT AT XANDER AND PAPA ABOUT THE ZOMBIES TO FIGHT ZOMBIES OR ASSUME THEY ARE HALLUCINATIONS AND DON'T WARN THEM??<<

code by @Satanic Nightjar​

 

[Idea]

>>>SHOUT AT XANDER AND PAPA ABOUT THE ZOMBIES TO FIGHT ZOMBIES

We nearly drowned, so we can be forgiven some confusion. But there ain't no second chances if our companions are EATEN ALIVE BY FREAKIN' ZOMBIES

 

[Felis]

I agree, we should call out!
If the zombies are not there and we warn Xander and Kaine, there's no real harm done. But if the zombies are real and we don't warn them, then we all might very well get eaten!

 

[Betsumei No Ishi]

They ARE Zombies after all. Yeah, let's call out to them.