【 DAY THREE 】

[starrystoryteller]

starsand ... day three

A Whispered Rumor

It is the third day since the Fallen Stars arrived/returned to Starsand City. Still spring, still Reblooming, and finally with a bit more information. After confirming that their missing friend, Yuuto, was likely part of the Spacetime Shrine's dragon statue, the Fallen Stars are beginning to piece together the recent mystery. And, as if right on cue, a clue is posted around town.

COME TO MIRRORYUU

WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF

The mirror maze attraction at Wonderment Amusement Park, which has both caused trouble and given help in past timelines, has apparently been renovated. It is housed in a colourful pink tent and uses a combination of mirrors and lights to replicate walking through a starry night. During the day, it is a mostly peaceful attraction. But as Fallen Stars may recall from past timelines, it used to change into something more sinister at night. Maybe it's time to plan a visit...

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

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Of course, MirrorYuu isn't the only attraction in the Wonderment Amusement Park. There are rollercoasters, a ferris wheel, and many other rides appealing to all levels of thrill seeking. Food here is strange and experimental, but mostly tastes good (some experiments are best not pursued!) Admission to the park is always free. The unwritten cost is having fun, which gives the spirits who work here some faith to survive off of. The park opens at 8am and closes at midnight exactly, though it is possible to sneak in after hours.

Fallen Stars likely remember that this is the first time that Wonderment Amusement Park has been open during the spring. It was typically a one month affair that happened in July, then vanished on the first day of August. Stranger still, the civilians all talk like the park has been here forever and has never been a temporary event. But surely that's fine! Everyone seems happy about it.

OOC

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This log is a precursor to the actual MirrorYuu event. As such, Flashback Memories have not been remembered yet. Please don't reference them in your threads yet! The MirrorYuu event will be shaped by how characters decide to approach the investigation.

Please focus on threads during the day for this portion of the log. Thank you!

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Comments

[dereban]

[ Guess who's running on zero hours of sleep from the last three days sees the so-called 'clue' sitting around town and is immediately heading into the park to investigate?

This girl.

People might notice that she's staggering a little bit, but that's certainly nothing to be concerned over. As long as she doesn't run or go on any of the rides and more importantly, she certainly doesn't look like she's having any fun, either. But she's definitely staying in areas that are quieter - primarily found seated near the food stalls and at the very least trying to get some energy back.

But occasionally, she can be found pacing in front of MirrorYuu, fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist uncomfortably, as if it would help. Spoilers: it does not. ]

[everpromisedthunder]

[It's not just Inaba standing in front of MirrorYuu -- the young principal that's been her housemate for a while eventually settles in front of it herself, staring up at the tent that now houses the attraction before settling on running one hand down her face in an attempt to clear her frustration.

It doesn't do much, but at least it was better than taking her sword out to vent it.]

...now they're just mocking us. [There's a minor spark that jumps out from her fingertips, one she eventually waves off.]

[dereban]

...Yeah.

[ Her voice is filled with exhaustion, still fiddling with her bracelet continuously. But at least she stops her pacing. ]

[everpromisedthunder]

[Mei sighs, letting the stern guardian out so she can refocus her efforts.]

I plan on doubling back to see if I overlooked anything on the way over, but... was there anything else besides that clue pointing us here?

For all we know, this might be just as bad as the last time this hall of mirrors was involved...

[...she has to wonder, now, where 'Raiden Mei' was. If that shadow in her heart still lingers there in some form. If the forces acting on this world would bring her back again to stare her in the face.

...eventually, she shakes her head, trying to ward off such thoughts.]

[dereban]

[ For a moment, she stops messing with her bracelet, instead folding her arms over her chest and shaking her head. ]

I didn't see anything. But even if it does end up as bad...

[ There's a blink, and the color in her eyes shifts- ]

I still have to make absolutely sure.

[everpromisedthunder]

[...even if she hasn't found much worth talking about yet, it's best to be sure. One can never be too careful when underhanded machinations not unlike that man's were involved.

Even so, she has to be her lifeline when Yuuto can't be. She promised.

This was, is, and will always be for their sake.]

I'll be right behind you when we have to step in.

[dereban]

Ah-

[ ... ]

Are-- [ She stops her sentence halfway through, immediately realizing the answer. ] Well, let's see if we can't learn more information elsewhere first.

[everpromisedthunder]

[Mei quietly nods; even if she cut her question short, it didn't feel right not confirming what she'd figured out.

But... as for what they can find out,]

I wasn't able to come up with anything really significant. Well, if you don't count the natives' reactions to my questions about the park as 'significant'.

[dereban]

[ Inaba takes a breath and reels herself in; focusing on investigation is enough to get the color in her eyes to shift back to its regular hazel color. ]

Ahh... I assume their reactions were strange?

[starrystoryteller]

Ah..? Inaba-san? [Mikale spots Inaba while she’s staggering around the food stalls and tries to gesture for her to slow down.] Are you alright? Did you eat something bad?

[dereban]

No, I'm fine--

[ She stops herself and takes a breath. If someone's concerning themselves over her, it must be really bad; she needs to get ahold of herself. ]

I'm fine.

[starrystoryteller]

I wouldn’t expect you to be. You’ve been worrying about Yuuto nonstop, haven’t you?

[Mikale shakes his head.]

If it were Satou or the kids, I’d be no different. [If it’s Shugo then apparently he worries less? More?]

[dereban]

...

[ She doesn't say anything; instead, she just goes completely quiet for a minute, only to break the silence herself with-- ]

I have to be, though.

[starrystoryteller]

I’m sure that it feels that way. You need to stay focused on your mission in order to get him home as swiftly as possible.

But a moment of weakness can also be a strength.

[dereban]

....what do you mean...?

[starrystoryteller]

Because acknowledging a problem is part of solving it, right? It’s those who get hurt who know best when something needs to change.

[dereban]

Recognizing the problem isn't the same as resolving it. You can know that something needs to be changed and be unable to do a single thing about it.

[composalvation]

[Well. At least Inaba's not the only one looking like a complete wreck?

But where she only looks a bit off when she's on her feet for too long, Kanade... well. She probably looks like Inaba feels, with dark circles under her eyes and skin so pale it's nearing translucent.

It's frustrating, really, not knowing what to do. She feels useless, even though Dimitri had hopes for her being a key to saving Yuuto, and that useless feeling is only fueled by her ongoing guilt at leaving Mafuyu behind when she needed her most. Those two feelings clashed inside of Kanade in the worst way, meaning that even if she wanted to sleep, there was no way she could get more than an hour in before it started feeling like her chest was being clawed open.

But there's something else to focus on. Something that she remembers from previous cycles. So, pushing back her normal feelings about going outside, especially when she's this mired in her own negativity, Kanade decides to take a look at what's going on... and spots a somewhat familiar face.]

... Whatever's building up here... it's going to be terrible, isn't it?

[Her shoulder aches, a wound long since healed. She remembers being shot with an arrow, the last time she was lost in the maze.]

[dereban]

I don't want to make any assumptions.

[ Whether it's going to be awful or not, especially when it's so different. Of course, she's not so optimistic in thinking that it'll be good; in fact, her gut practically screams that it's bad.

However, she's trying to shove those feelings down. ]

A 'place to find yourself' though... is bullshit.

[composalvation]

Mmm. It's just a place where you become even more lost.

[And that's what's so terrifying about it. And with that new name...]

I think... it's just a question of if it's meant to hurt us, or hurt him.

[Or both. Either way, it's clear what Kanade's feelings on this place are, and what she's expecting to happen soon.]

[dereban]

Before it was, yeah.

[ Back when it was the MirrorMe tent. But now, it's different. ]

I can't say for sure now, though. However, [ For a moment, she shuts her eyes and when she opens them again, the hazel color has shifted and her voice sounds slightly off. ] they can't hurt me. But if they hurt him any further than they already have... I'll end them myself.

[composalvation]

[A flash of panic lances through Kanade's chest at the sight; it's not really Inaba's anger that makes her afraid, no. She understands; if it had been her and the person she loved in their shoes, no matter how week and feeble Kanade feels on the best of days, she'd stop at nothing to make sure Mafuyu was safe. So the threats... that's fine. She gets it.

But it's the way Inaba's voice warps and her eyes shift that make her take a step forward, reaching out but not touching Inaba yet.]

H-Hey...

[It's not a plea to stop, or to reign in that anger. She's just trying to call out to her to ground her, to shake off that muck seeping into her eyes and voice.]

... They'll definitely get what's coming to them. People like that... they always do.

[Kanade has a soft, kind heart. But even a kind heart has its limits, and the Facility crossed that line long ago.]

[dereban]

Of course they will.

[ The hand with the bracelet curls into a tight fist, hand shaking. The distorted color in Inaba's own eyes don't fade just yet, the conflicted murky feelings in her chest still seeping through.

Then again... when one is as exhausted to the bone as she is, it grows more difficult to reel her emotions in and stay calm. ]

I won't allow them to get away with it. Not if I can help it. I can't forgive them for what they've done.

[composalvation]

[If Inaba isn't looking like she's about to pull away, Kanade will close that small distance. She doesn't fully grip Inaba's wrist - she knows in times like this, feeling any kind of restraint could just make things worse. Instead, she just grips it with the tips of her fingers, solid enough to feel but not enough to feel held back.]

... I understand. I'd feel the same way, if I was in your shoes.

[It's not that she's not angry and worried for Yuuto. It's not that she's not scared. But she knows her feelings for Yuuto are different compared to Inaba's.]

Just... I don't want to seem like I'm saying wait or don't do anything yet. But... you're not alone in this, okay? There are people here who will be at your side to help you get him back safe, not hold you back from reaching him.

[dereban]

"Not alone"...

[ Inaba finds herself scoffing, but she doesn't immediately pull away. There's a heaviness in her voice and the way her shoulders sag. It probably doesn't help that her distorted eyes bore into Kanade's in a way that almost comes off as emotionless, making it difficult to discern a little how she's feeling.

Except for the fact that her exhausted words tell more than she's used to; much more honest than she would be if she was much more awake. ]

The people who want him back are doing so for their own purposes. It isn't for me.