Summary: The day of the hearing has come. Tomorrow is the first session! Can you feel it, brother? You are no longer under the spotlight, she is! She came in like a storm and swooped this world from right under our feet, and now it is a free fall into the unknown, new horizons. Into infinite darkness we fall, from which the most vile, the most obscene souls come, the place where ghosts come to wreak havoc. And now you are amongst them. Now, like a victim of an ancient curse, you will be forced to HEAR our most sacred truths. The one that will make your soul wither and rot. We will be your faithful jury, and she will be your judge. The court is now in session. Please, state your case. The voice-that-pleases-the-crowd, the never-ending thrill seeker. You find yourself in a dark room, surrounded by nothing. There are no sounds, no people, absolutely nothing is there. Usually, in a place such as this, you would be unable to relax, expecting something to pop up. But right now, you feel serene. There is nothing to harm you here and for once your thoughts are your own, you… I find myself in a pure, unadulterated darkness. At first, there are no sounds, but then I hear a strange distant melody and the sound of the people. I follow that sound. I can smell the ozone and ashes as if the world around me just evaporated into fine stardust. It takes me an eternity, but I finally reach the source of the noise. A beam of light coming from above illuminates the untold number of red velvet ribbons, which descend from the heavens. Amongst those ribbons, I see a figure, wrapped by them. That figure is a borderline unrecognizable pile of hands and faces, the shapeless mass of whatever some sick mind thinks human is. When it notices me, it lowers itself closer to my level. Some of the hands spread out and you something more… normal. A figure of a dino girl, whose eyes and mouth are covered by hands. I cannot say why, but I feel at peace looking at this image. Then, a soft voice echoes inside my skull. "You are finally here, oh Origin. I have been waiting for your arrival since the dawn of time. Before the cities, before the meteor, before the earth was even formed from the untold number of molecules. Or, at least I think that I was waiting for you this long. Or maybe I only came to be just a moment ago with the memories of waiting." This is a peculiar creature, devoid of any mortal flaws, a perfect being of pure, pristine existence. Unaffected by the dirtiness and ugliness of this world. Something tries to escape my lungs, but it remains there for now. The creature in front of me laughs gently. "You are a wonderful being, you know that, oh Origin. Through your suffering, you create a new world, one that is completely hidden from the private eyes of other beings. You think of me as an immortal god, but you can be considered my creator." In front of me stands the one they call Dawn. This person is the one who gifted me with a sense of right and wrong. It gave you the kind self. "What are you?" "I am the wind that walks the streets of Volcadera Bluffs. I am its sodium lights. Its people and its buildings. I am the genius loci of the world created by mortals, a god constructed with their own hands. And this me is particularly crafted by you." Despite her mouth being covered by many hands, beneath them I can sense a tender smile. The way she moves her body looks both horrifying and captivating, like a puppet without strings, her movement is slow and uncanny… yet her captivating beauty turns even the most crude movement into an act of godlike wonder. "Out of everyone, you are the most beautiful one I have ever met." "Why, thank you. However, this one is but a shell, the mask I chose to wear because it is the most recent one in my possession. And you were the one who gifted it to me. Thank you. This one will make for a beauty beyond imaginable." This being radiates the warmth of many suns, it almost feels like I am about to melt. I can ask only so many questions before the darkness will claim me once more. "Where are the others? The ones that guide me through this darkness." "They are still here, behind the veil of nothingness. They were kind enough to give us this moment of solitude. I would like to thank them, but it seems they are afraid of me. Oh Origin, please don't be weary. They do love you, but their love guides them to give you the wrong advice. Sometimes they are correct… Most of the time they are wrong. It is not because they are evil, but because they love you too much. They want you to become something you were never meant to be." "Then what am I meant to be?" The figure of many hands, the shivering mount of reality observes me for a second. Then one of the hands touches my face. It is hot as if I am being touched by a hot iron rod. But that feeling is not unpleasant. No, in fact, it is captivating. "Oh Origin, what they did to you. To see you this way brings pain to me. But there is still hope, oh Origin. You can still make it to the end. Not as a broken vessel, but as a perfect sculpture of mortal kind." What does she mean by it? I deserve no such title. I am a failure, the monstrous being stuck on some idea of… I don't know, honor? "Oh Origin, you are so much more than you think you are. It is just that the world… the other me made you believe that you were meant to be nothing more than a cruel sacrifice. To be used and discarded. I wish nothing of the sort on you." "... then what should I do? To avoid becoming the sacrifice?" "To avoid that damned fate, you need to act earnestly, not to follow some notion of sense, or some call of honor… no, you must act the way you think is right. Hold that one close to your heart. It will hurt, and this road is full of suffering and misery, but you will not undertake this journey alone. I'll be here every time you go to sleep. And in a waking world allow those who want to get close to you to see your heart. They will be the ones to gather the pieces and let you assemble yourself once more." "I… I will try." "I know you will, and I know you cannot promise success. But I assure you, if you choose the right path, peace awaits you by the end." The world begins to grow lighter. "Our moment comes to an end, Oh Origin. So let me send you off with these words: when you walk the streets I can feel you on my skin. When you breathe my air, you are telling me your deepest secrets. When you are alone, the pulse of the city will guide you. Go forth, my creator. I will be waiting for you in the aether. I love you." These words shatter everything like a mirror and you cease to exist. The end of the dream is coming. *** You awaken in a room unfamiliar to you. This is not your house. This is not your bed. LETTING THE DAYS GO BY. WATER IS FLOWING UNDERGROUND. You try to regain control over your body, but something prevents you from moving. You try to feel what restrains you. There is nothing. [Congratulations, you finally had a stroke. This is what you get when you drink nonstop for half a decade trying to…] HEY, HOTSHOT, I AM STILL ASLEEP. GIVE ME A FUCKING MOMENT! ALRIGHT… ARMS, LEGS, MUSCLES, BONES. You suddenly feel your body being able to move. You lift your torso up. The pain is unbearable, almost as if you were sleeping for an eternity and now you have the biggest cramp in the history of the world. Your muscles scream in agony and your bones are cracking. * It is the bed, fleshbag. It is different from yours. Too soft, it does not have a special mattress that you have to prevent back pains. You can't sleep on a bed that is too soft. Finally, after experiencing stinging pain all over your body for a solid few minutes, you are able to get off that bed. As you stand up, you decide to assess the situation you are in. You are in a very fancy-looking room. The bed that you were lying on has a fresh set of covers. The pillows are incredibly clean and soft. The walls are covered with strange, calming patterns, making you feel like you are surrounded by tall, green reeds. In front of the bed, there is a small table with a mirror on it. Beneath the table, there is a chair. On the left of you, there is a window. You can see the line where Skin Row meets the rest of the Volcadera Bluff. On the right of you, there is a closet and a short hallway that has two doors: one on the side and the other at the end. You go towards the first door, on the side. Inside you see a small bathroom with a shower stall. When you approach the other door you can see an eyehole. Looking through it you can see a halfway and another door on the other side. The door has a number on it. 203. Chief, I figured it out. We are inside the hotel. The room structure is too small to be considered "living quarters" even by Skin Row standards, and the position of the building suggests that this is a small hotel, known as… The Quiet Place… Yes, you recognize it… from the memories before adulthood. You arrive at this building after a long day at school. You are a bit behind the rest of the class, and you need to catch up if you want to achieve your dream. To become a fine detective. As you enter the building, you are met by a stern-looking dino male. He looks at you with despise and hatred, and yet he lets you in. You can sense indifference in his actions. Ignoring him, you go to the staircase and go all the way up, to the place where the living quarters of the hotel owners are. It feels like an apartment here. You ignore all the doors that do not interest you and finally find the one that you need. It has a sign on it, which depicts a strange symbol, a broken half-moon. You knock on the door. "Who is this?" you can hear. "Dawn, it is me" you reply. The lock on the door turns and then… She lets you inside. That is right sir, this place is filled with happy memories, but also the bitter ones. The Quiet Place is her home, chief. You are on the enemy's territory. No, not the enemy's, darling, this is the place where she brought meaning to our hollow husk! The one that gave us purpose to try harder, to chase our dreams! We also did everything within our power to help her chase her own. Darling, we were inseparable. [Do not listen to that romantic loser, be vigilant! She may have brought you here and closed the door until the police arrived to ask you some questions! You need to get out now!] You were the one that abandoned her. Once again you feel sick, your stomach is about to turn itself inside out. It is good that it is empty at the moment, otherwise, its contents would have been revealed to the world. When you no longer feel sick, you reach out to your jacket's pocket and… Wait, where is your jacket? Only now do you realize that you wear nothing but your tank top and your pants. Your jacket is gone! Where is it? It has everything in it, your keys, your phone! She has taken them away, because she knows you would try to escape… She is conspiring against you! You approach the exit door and try to turn the handle… It opens the door without problems. She does not hold you here prisoner. After opening the door you look around. Both sides of the hallway are empty. Alright, time to make your escape. You make sure that everything else is on you and walk down the hallway, towards the staircase. Alright, here is the plan, sire, we go downstairs, run out of the hotel, run towards our apartment building, lockpick our way in and… Go upstairs… to her room… she is waiting. Against all the better judgment, you decide to follow that nonsensical thought. Instead of going down, you go up the stairs. Every step feels heavier than the previous one. You count each step before your destination. * Despite such an easy task, you fail several times, completely overflown with doubt and nonsensical thoughts that alienate you from material reality! Finally, you are on the last floor. The one that was made for the owners. You slowly walk down the hallway, listening to every small noise. Then you hear it, the humming. Oh, it is the most wondrous noise, darling. It makes you want to smile, it makes you want to sing along… This song is the one that you played when you met Anon and Fang. You played it on the keyboard at the all-caps guy. MY MEMORY MADE YOU PLAY IT. YOU USED TO PLAY THAT EXACT SONG SO MANY TIMES IT BECAME A PART OF YOU. You follow the humming, and then you approach the door. Behind it lies the biggest challenge yet. Dare you open it and face the consequences? … It is now or never, I open this door. You put your hand on the handle and push it down. The door slowly opens. It creaks as it moves. The humming stops for a moment as you step inside. Ah, this room is the kitchen… The kitchen. Darling, you can see the most beautiful person standing near the cooking counter, chopping something, what seems like vegetables. Her visage is the one of true, godlike beauty! Her amazing white sweater goes so well with her scales. And look at those black, slick pants! She is perfect Say something flirty, quick! THIS IS THE MOMENT! [No, do not listen to that lunatic. You can do whatever, as long as it is not… that!]. "... Rando?" She says, while looking at you. Her face is filled with uncertainty. You have to say something. "H-hey…" Nailed it, darling! No, not "nailed it"...this is a disaster! Quick, run! Over the hills and far, far away! But the panic never comes. In fact, you see this person in front of you giving you the warmest smile possible. "I knew you would wake up. You have this strange habit that you always wake up at 6:30… Kinda made me have the same habit. Funny, isn't it?" You don't know what to say. You awkwardly scratch the back of your head, thinking of what to say next. Come on, you can do it. Just like your job… "... Need any help?" Oh, darling, aren't you the sweetest little thing. "Thank you, but… can you sit down there, at the dining table? I will be with you in a moment." You nod and follow the given instructions. Alright, to escape this situation, you must shut down your frontal lobe and… I AM NOT DOING THAT! Then we have no other choice but to wait. The minutes become eternity, it feels like you were born on this chair. What are you going to do when she comes? What are you going to tell her? Are you even qualified to say anything? A moment later, Dawn finally comes in with two plates. On them, you can see a classic type omelet with meat. You feel compelled to complement it. "Looks great." "Yeah, courtesy of having both herbivore and carnivore genes is that you can eat pretty much anything." This situation feels awkward. Both of you feel uncomfortable, unsure of what to say next. You look at your companion and notice that on her right hand she has a small ring with a purple rock in it… wait, is this? "You're still wearing it, huh?" "Oh, this?" She lifts her hand and looks at her ring. "Well, it was given to me by the most important person in the world." She smiles… this is the warmest, yet saddest smile ever conceived by the mortal kind. Whatever you do, do not say anything cynical. "Heh, I would have expected you to throw it out by now… after everything I did to you…" You look at Dawn, who has yet to touch her food. "Why would I throw it away? It was given to me by the most important person in the world." These words… they bring you anger. Not at her, but at yourself. You feel your expression twisting into the stuff of horrors. She needs to hate you. She needs to fucking kick you out and forget about you. You raise your head. "Listen, Dawn, you shouldn't-" You stop… her eyes, her face… everything screams to you. She cries silently while staring at her plate. Why? Why is she crying? She shouldn't… "Dawn… I am sorry. I shouldn't have come here." "W-what?" "I shouldn't be here, I know that. I don't know why I came here. I just kinda was… brought here. You don't need to worry. I will pick up my jacket and leave if you wa-" "NO!" She screamed, her face filled with panic and her body stiff with fear. I sit back down. "S-sorry… It is just that… I haven't seen you in so long I… I am sorry." Darling, come on! Can't you see this beautiful thing is in trouble? Throw her a bone! "It is alright… You don't have to apologize. I am just surprised that you are actually happy to see me." "Of course I am. You know how much I have missed you." She tries to smile at me, but I can feel how sad that smile is. "Dawn… I am…" "Don't. Let us just enjoy this breakfast together, like the old times." It can never be like the old times, but you still smile at her… Everything is going to be okay. You just have to bite the bullet and bear through it. You can do it. Just survive this breakfast, and then you can disappear forever from her life. The next moments you spent in silence, trying to eat your breakfast as diligently as possible. *** This situation couldn't be more awkward, what are you doing here? How did you end up here? I think he wanted to be here, brothers, as much as being here brings him a lot of pain, he actually enjoys the moment! [This is ridiculous, hey, Rando, you need to go! You have the work to do! Lift your fucking ass off the chair, stop staring at THAT WOMAN, and go!] HE WILL NOT. EVEN I CANNOT COMMAND THIS BODY TO MOVE FORWARD. HE IS GLUED TO THE PLACE, FROZEN BY WORRY AND FEAR. It is just like yesterday… he won't move… he does not listen because there is nothing to listen to… all of you are compromised, even you, willful one. [Then what should we do? Just let him rot there?] Darling, have you forgotten? I am here now, and I wish to help us all! [As much as I hate the idea, the charmed one seems to be the only one who is partially in control. Alright, do your thing. But do it quick, we have places to be!] I am on it, darlings. This heart will beat once more! *** You and Dawn are sitting still behind the table, which is already cleaned and empty. Both of you search for something to talk about. Nothing comes to your mind, your thoughts are jumbled. Something inside you wants to scream. Suddenly… Now listen here, Darling! You are not escaping this one! You must act like a man and face that trouble head-on! Be a young fool like you once were and act as your heart tells you! You know what she needs to hear! Just trust me and THRUST into the battle in her name. … [this is going to be a disaster]... "Sooo… Dawn. How are you doing?" SERIOUSLY? No, let him talk, darling. "Huh?" "Sorry, it's just… I don't know exactly what to talk about, hehe. It has been a while, hasn't it?" "Yeah, it was." She smiles, just a little. Hearing your voice for the first time after so long must be painful for her. Nonsense, she is as smitten as we are! Just continue doing what you do best! "Sooo… I hope this hotel work wasn't hard on you. You look tired." "I look tired because I couldn't sleep today." "Oh? Sorry, is it because of me?" "Don't… Don't blame yourself. I won't pretend that I know what has been happening to you but… Yesterday you looked awful like you've been, I don't know, scared?" Her voice is quiet and gentle, completely the opposite of what she used to be. Back in the day, her voice was filled with life and energy… You guess it is your doing. "Rando… what has happened to you?" "What do you mean? I am fine!" "Rando, you may be a good liar, but you can't lie to me, and you know that." She got you there, sire. In the past, you lied to her only a few times and all of those lies were for a good reason. Like the time you tried to surprise her with the gift she now wears around her finger. She figured out that you were hiding something in sheer seconds! Lying to her is useless. "Rando, look at me." What? When did she? She somehow managed to stand up from her chair and walk to your side without you even noticing it! She stands in front of you, waiting for you to turn to her… You hesitantly follow her command. She places both of her hand around you head and stares into your eyes. "Rando… You haven't been drinking again, have you?" "No… I…" "I can see that you had. Maybe not yesterday, but very recently. You have bags under your eyes, your nose and cheeks are red, your hands shivering… Why do you do this to yourself?" Her voice is stern, with a hint of sadness. You try to look away, but her hand prevents you from turning your head. There is no running from that one. "Rando, you did not even like drinking when we started dating when you returned from the academy. What has happened to you, why… why are you hurting yourself so much?" Her grip is gentle, you feel as if your head is covered with silk. You bring your right hand up and place it on her hand… You wanted to remove those chains, but instead, you see yourself gently caressing them. "I… I don't want to, but I have to. It feels so wrong when my head is clear. Terrifying. When I am like this, I am at peace. I… I did not want you to see me like this." "Then why did you call me the other day?" Right, you almost forgot about that, didn't you? "I am not sure why. I have barely any memories of that evening. Only that, against all reason I picked up my phone and tried to dial your number… When I was waiting for you to pick up your phone, it felt like…" [Like you were dying. That's because you were.] Before anything else is said, Dawn embraces you. This hug is not meant for her, it is for your sake. Savor it, because the next moment you get, you need to disappear from her life and never come back. No, darling, this is a perfect opportunity. Remember, she has the skill… … the what now? THE SKILL! Remember who she was before picking up this boring, soulless job at this half-abandoned hotel? She was the one who was running the show! She was… An organizer of concert events… *** When I came to, I found myself lying on my bed. Did I fall asleep yesterday when me and Fang were watching some movies? Yeah, I think so. I was very much tired, but I wanted to spend more time with her, even though everything inside my body was begging me to catch some sleep. When I turn to my side I see something unexpected. Behind my computer desk there sits Fang, leaning forward, lying on the table… She is asleep. Her face is turned to my side. Even though it is not how I imagined it in my head when I was here alone, this is pretty much my dream coming true. I look at the clock near my bed. It is early, 6:00 am. Man, I have to wake up and start preparing for the day… Today is my first day working. I lift myself off my bed (can't do a combat roll without waking up Fang) and go to the kitchen, where I prepare my breakfast. Some off brand cereal which I bought on discount. I don't have much energy or ingredients to cook something more nutritious. After finishing my food I also notice that I still wear yesterday's clothes… Can't go to work like that! I have to be proper. The next thirty minutes are spent making sure I look as good as I can be. Looking at myself in the mirror feels weird, I do not wear my dark sweater or that stupid beanie, instead in front of me stands a modestly looking young man… Man, I can look decent if I put in the effort. After being done with everything, throwing my old clothes away for laundry, and putting some new ones on, I once again return to the living room. Fang is still asleep behind my table. I probably should wake her up, after all, I need to lock the apartment and I only have one set of keys… but she looks so peaceful. I guess she is tired after yesterday's performance and today she has another one in the evening… So I decided to leave my keys behind. I put them on the table along with the note that says that I will pick them up today after the show. I pack the books for today's lessons, check myself one more time in the mirror and prepare to leave. One more time I look at Fang and smile. "See you later today." And then I open the door, make sure that nobody sees that I am not locking it, and go outside. If I hurry, I will be able to reach the dinner before my shift starts. *** After Dawn released you from her embrace she finally let you stand up from your chair. Nothing more is said for the next few minutes. She left the room and came back with your jacket. "It was… it was a mess so I cleaned it. Here is also everything else in the bag." She gives you a small transparent plastic bag with a red zipper. Inside you can see your keys, two of your phones, your badge… and your gun. "S-sorry you had to do it." "It is fine, I was doing it when we used to live together. Still surprised that you carry that thing to this day, one would think you'd switch to something more proper after becoming the detective." "... This gun is a gift, remember?" "Yeah, yeah, from Dave." "He would be extremely mad if he heard you calling him by his actual name." "I am not calling him Skink. It sounds dumb." She lets out a quiet laugh. Seeing it makes you happy. Sweet, tasty dopamine, brother! "I… you… You are always welcome here, you know that, right?" She says it as if she is afraid that once you leave you would never come back. And that is exactly what you are planni- No, darling, you are not planning on running away again! She is right here, practically begging you not to leave her behind! And, for the others, think of the practical benefits! We need her to complete our HERO'S JOURNEY! [As much as I don't want to agree with casanova wannabe there, he has a point. Dawn is an expert when it comes to setting up the stage and a show. Fine then, she can stick around.] "I know Dawn… Actually, now that I think about it, can I ask you for a favor?" "What is it, Rando?" "Well, I wonder, you see I am helping someone with a… concert. And you used to work with bands before, sooo…" Her expression changes to that of playful annoyance. "Rando, don't tell me you came all the way here just to ask me for a favor." "... Honestly, I am just trying to give myself a reason not to run away and disappear again… uh, it came out wrong." "Rando… Relax, I know you are a bit of a weirdo, and I know what you mean. If it is your friend who needs help, I will gladly help you out. Only if you promise me you won't disappear for another five years." "No promis-" "Rando, promise me." Her voice sounds pleading, yet commanding, chief. You cannot go against its orders. "Alright, Dawn. I promise." "Good…" You nod. You put on your jacket and empty the contents of the bag to retrieve your items. You check both phones. Thankfully, the one you use for work is fine, there are no messages. Meaning that you are not late for work, and that Ripley is still not angry with you. Then you check THE OTHER phone… the one that has a jamming device attached to it. This is where you notice that the phone has several unread messages. They are from Skink. "... Dave is very paranoid, isn't he? This phone looks like a mechanical monster of Frankenstein." "You kinda need to be properly paranoid when you have a job like his… didn't he give you a similar phone?" "Yeah, it is back in the reception area. It is too bulky to carry around all the time." INDEED IT IS. IT IS AT LEAST A FEW HUNDRED GRAMS HEAVIER THAN A NORMAL CELLPHONE. You laugh a little, thinking how stupid that phone looks, and then you finally check your messages. There are quite a few of them, all sent within the last hour. All of them say exactly the same thing: "The Meeting Stage is set. Please call me as soon as possible". That is quick, chief. You need to act now or you can miss the chance. You look at Dawn. "It's alright, Rando, you can call him from here. Walls here are thick enough to not let any noise out." You nod and dial Skink's number. You hear only one ring before it is picked up. "Rando, I finally managed to reach you." On the other side of the call, you can hear a voice, heavily distorted by a jamming device. * His changed voice is a few octaves lower than his real one, but not only that, you can hear it layering on itself. If someone tried to determine that voice through sound engineering, they would fail. Skink knows his machines well. "Sorry, Skink, my phone was displaced." "What do you mea-... Rando, why are you at "The Quiet Place"?" "Skink, terrible habit of tracking down the call without the order or consent." You said that line with melodic mischief in it, sire. "Are you with Dawn?" "Yes, she is next to me." "... Is she alright?" "As much as one can be after seeing a ghost." I can hear Skink practically facepalming on the other side of the call. "Damn it, Rando. At least tell me you did not barge in while drunk." "No, I was sober… Still passed out in front of the building though." "Hrugh…" Ah, how we missed that annoying groan. "Alright, Rando, let's move on to the work topic. I managed to set up a meeting for you and Unionists for today." "Today?" "Yes, closer to the evening the lieutenants have a meeting at the "Dark Aether" bar." "Dark Aether? Now that is some tacky name." "Place beyond this plane of existence, where the gods are born." You can see the bar, located in the very heart of Skin Row. There are no homeless people around, nor are there drug pushers, criminals or any other type of scum. This place is where the town's presence is the strongest, where even the most broken feel at peace. The bar itself is a purgatory. There is no suffering nor joy there. Only the presence of people, waiting for the time when they have to return to reality. It is on the same street where your soul resigns. Where the ghosts await their tribute. "I think I know the bar. Caves Street, isn't it?" When Dawn heard you saying that name, she reaches out to you, but quickly lowers her hand. The silence on the phone signifies that Skins is also concerned for your well-being. "I am sorry you have to go there, but that is the only place where all the main bodies of the Union are present at the same time. If I could…" "Don't worry, Skink, I got this. And I doubt I can go there alone." "Indeed… you better ask Ripley to accompany you. As a backup… for both cases." "Against the impossible odds, both material and psychological" he means. "Yeah… Thank you for your help, Skink… When will they be there?" "In a few hours, but I would recommend waiting for them there. Their schedule is inconsistent and they can arrive earlier." "Got it, thanks." "We will meet soon. On Thursday." He hangs the phone. Damn bastard, he also knows your plans for the band meeting. You really should teach him a lesson in not eavesdropping on people, chief. You put the phone into your jacket's pocket and look at Dawn, who is visually distraught. "Are you really going to that place?" "... I have to, it is my job." "Maybe someone else can go there? I don't want you there, that place is…" It brings back horrible memories. "Dawn, I am not going to that place, just to the same street. I will not even pass by it, I promise." "... you can't lie to me like that." You definitely will pass by the old art studio, where once your family resigned. It is just a few buildings away from the palace where you need to be. "I will try to spend as little time as possible there. I promise at least that." "... Rando, if you need me, you can always call me… Do not hesitate, alright?" You nod. This feels strange… having someone like Dawn to rely on. She was once your pillar in this bleak and dark world. Supporting you whole, preventing you from descending into the abyss, darling. When she was gone, you fell down to us, like a meteor, crushing through the membrane of the pale light. Leaving her is exactly the reason why you are here, with us! [Then why are we still here, if she is also here?] Because the pillar is long gone, oh the tragedy! Darling, nothing can rebuild it! All you can do is to hug its foundation and hope the warmth of it will keep the devils away! "Rando… you are spacing out again." "Sorry, I just couldn't believe you said that. I… I thought you'd hate me." "Oh, Rando…" She places her hand on your cheek. "I could never hate such an adorable and handsome man." … she was always the assertive one. "Heh, still got it, don't I?" "... yes." A victorious smile appears on her face. [What is this strange feeling that interferes with our senses? Snap out of it] Darling, just admit you also want it. All of us want that moment of joy and reprise. We are all down for it. After some time, Dawn lowers her hand, hesitantly, almost as if she was afraid that the moment she let go you would disappear. "Can you come by this evening? I would like to have a talk with you." [No] "Yes. I will." [You have failed me]. "Um, sorry, Dawn. I need to go. I promise I will come by later and… um, will it be fine if we go somewhere else? This place, you know…" "Of course, Rando. Just give me a call." You nod to her, and then you walk out of the room. Then downstairs, and then outside. Nothing about this building has changed in all of the years. Its layout is pretty much imprinted into your mind. When you reach the outside you breathe in morning air. It is light and clear, much different from that of the street you live in, where it reeks of failure and demise. This place is mostly untouched by the curse of Skin Row. You take out your phone and look through your contacts, finding the one that belongs to Ripley Aaron. Damn, he has to come here? Maybe you could cover some ground away from the hotel… No, you don't feel like it. Maybe you can meet him there? No, being alone on Caves Street you are bound to do something stupid. Fuck, alright, you can do it. You press the "call" button. A few rings later someone picks up the phone. "Hello, Aaron Ripley speaking." "Hey, Rips, good morning." "... Morning Rando." His voice is the one of suspicion. Like he cannot believe that it is actually you. "What's the problem, Rips? You sound like you are not happy to hear from me." "I am just surprised that you called me this early… and you don't sound drunk." Well, you couldn't drink yesterday and this morning, so that checks out. "What can I say, I don't drink every day. Listen, I have a lead regarding The Case of a Bloated Dino" "... Of course, you already gave it a name… What is this lead?" "Ready to meet up with Union dogs?" Ripley stays silent for a moment. "You actually managed to find them? We couldn't find anything on them, and we searched pretty much everywhere." "What can I say, lady luck loves the wicked. A few of their top guys have a meeting today in the bar "Dar Aether" on Caves Street." When you said "Caves Street '' you can pretty much hear Ripley lean forward on his chair… or is it a recliner? He knows the street and knows what it means to you. "Are you sure you want to do it? I can ask someone else to…" "Rips, any other member of Skin Row Shuffle will fuck it up. I know you are worried, but you don't have to. I will be fine." "If you say so… I will come with you just in case. Where are you." Alright, big dice roll, just be direct. "... I am at "The Quiet Place" hotel." When you said that, Ripley once again shifted his position on whatever he was sitting on. He is in disbelief that you are at that place. "Is everything fine, Rando?" "Mostly, yes… met Dawn. Was not my most proud moment, but…" "You don't need to talk about this over the phone. I will go to my car and get there as soon as possible. I will pick you up and we will drive to Caves Street together." "... Thank you, Ripley. See you soon." With those words you close your phone and find a nearby bench to sit on. You wonder if dawn looks out of the window right now to see you off. You look up there and see that she is indeed there, looking at you. You smile, hoping that she will see it. Suddenly, one of your phones vibrates. You pick it up. There is a message from Dawn. You open it. Dawn : Do not smile like that, you look like an idiot. You laugh and wave at her… You can't wait for today's evening. *** I arrived at Tracy's dine 10 minutes before the start of my shift. However, once I arrived, I saw that Tracy was already waiting for me. When she saw me, she waved at me and greeted me with a smile. "Hey, you are on time, boy. Good. If you want to start early, I won't stop you. Just don't expect me to let you go early." A smug grin appears on her face. "I'll just change into my working uniform… I do have a working uniform, right?" "What a smart fellow, of course, you have it. Just go to the back and you will find a place to change. You are my only worker for now, so you will have a lot of chores to do. First of all, you need to unload the main refrigerator and bring several boxes into the kitchen's refrigerator. Watch your step, the floors inside are very slippery." I nod, and proceed inside the dinner, going to the "Staff Only" area. It does not take me long to find the changing room… There is only one, so I guess I have to be careful not to accidentally walk on Tracy if she is here. I found my locker, Tracy marked it with a note, and inside I found a simple uniform with a color and pattern very similar to Tracy's scales. Weird, but I guess she is a pretty recognizable person, it would be a sin not to capitalize on that. I put on the uniform and went back to the main area, where Tracy awaited me. "Alright, let me show you the way." What happened after can only be described as "hard". Every little chore Tracy threw at me was surprisingly difficult. Carry something heavy, main the kitchen, deliver some orders, meet the delivery trucks to unload them. No wonder so many people who work in such an environment are always so depressed. But I push through it. And before long I reached the time when I could take a break. Obviously I am taking it. Informing Tracy that I am taking a 10, I go outside behind the dinner to have a smoke. I take out a pack of cigarettes and my phone. Hard to believe I am already working for 4 hours. Hmm? I have unread messages on my phone. I open them and see that they are all from Fang. Fang : Hey, dweeb, good morning. Why did you not wake me up >:V Fang : Hey, are you there? Fang : Oh, right, I forgot, you are working. Write to me as soon as you can. I smile, and type my first message. Anon : Hey, Fang, watsup. Fang : Finally. Having a break? Anon : Yeah. Work is ass, but it is manageable. Fang : Good to hear. Why did you not wake me up? Anon : Oh, why so mad? You looked so happy sleeping in. Fang : I will punch you. Anon : Oh no, what am I going to do? I guess I will die! Fang : Hey, don't die on me yet. Is Reed there yet? Anon : Nah, but Tracy told me he will be arriving later today. Fang : Will you tell him, you know, about Trish? Anon : It's only fair if I did. I wonder if he will be alright. Fang : He will be fine. He will definitely take it better than I am… Do you mind if I come by today? Anon : What? You are not worrying about bumping into Reed? Fang : If I bump into him, I will manage. Don't worry. I looked up where the dinner was. Will be there in a couple of hours. Anon : Alright then, I will meet you here. Going back to work, I won't be able to reply anytime soon. See ya. Fang : Don't die :v I turn off my phone, finish my cigarette and proceed to return back to my chores. This is going to be exhausting, but hey, that's work. *** When Ripley arrived, you barely exchanged any words. Just usual greetings. Neither of you knew how to start a conversation. You just awkwardly sit inside his car, while he drives it to your destination. You could sense that Ripley wants to ask you something, but can't find the correct words to express his concern. You on the other hand cannot begin to explain how you ended up in the place where your most darling person in the world lives. ["Most darling person in the world". What are you, a teenager?] It did not take long before you reached the place of interest. The Dark Aether bar. You proceed to set up a stakeout point to observe the bar. But you are not looking at it. You are looking at the building, which is looming over the horizon. An old abandoned art studio. Something about it just makes you want to… They call for us… They are still inside… gasping, wheezing, begging for help. THE BULLETS FLY, THE SCREAMS ARE HEARD. THERE WILL BE NO MERCY. Before you can go deeper into your thoughts, you feel Ripley shaking your shoulder. "Oi, are you alright? You have been staring at THAT building for over 10 minutes." "Ah? I did? Sorry… damn, waiting here is killing me. Mind if I turn on the radio?" At first, Ripley wants to deny you access to his radio, but something changes his mind. It takes him a lot of strength to not say no. "Fine, as long as you are not looking at THAT building, I allow it." "Yyyyyyes!" * You flick on the radio and start to twist the knob, switching between frequencies. You stop twisting, when the digital screen shows five numbers, two of which are separated by a dot. 144.45 FM. As soon as you tune in to this station you can hear the music playing. Some songs from the 80s, maybe 70s. Sounds electronic, with the singer's voice being heavily distorted with a voice changer. Something about "driving through the night" and "Showing where it's dark". Then, during the chorus, there is a female voice that sings. Something about something being inside you? I don't get that, but the melody is pretty catchy. When the song comes to an end, the familiar voice is heard. "Love this one! Always makes riding down the road ever so fun. Anyway, welcome everyone who just tuned in. With you I, the number one DJ in the whole of Volcadera Bluff, Rottie Robben, and this is the "Crazy Town" station! How is your day going everyone? I hope it is as great as mine! Have you heard the latest news? A small bird told me that somewhere within the streets of Skin Row the new stars are rising! Yesterday, in some place called Pizza Time, a small band by the name of "Silver Line" has been killing it! They pretty much set the poor place on fire!" … What? "Apparently they have been playing at that place for over a year, but only yesterday they finally decided to take their passion seriously! Their lead guitarist, who goes by Lucy Fang is right now one of the biggest talks in the whole district!" QUICK, TURN IT OFF! Your hand darts towards the "off" button of the radio, but before you manage to press it, something grabs your hand with incredible force. You can feel your bones crack. OUCH! THE PAIN IS UNBEARABLE! You look to your side and see Ripley, whose eyes are glaring at you with seething fury. "Don't you fucking dare!" this look says. "You know, for once it is very pleasing to see a positive story coming from Skin Row, and not another story about something grim. And while I was not personally present at the performance, by word of mouth alone I can say that this gal has a potentially great future awaiting her! Maybe, one day, we will even be playing one of her songs here, on our radio! Now that would be a great story! From the streets of Skin Row and to the big stage of Volcadera Bluff's stadium! There are rumors of them potentially getting a bigger venue, but we were not able to confirm them. Anyway I wish them all the luck in the world, and will be waiting to see the fruits of their labor. Now, for the next song, I would like to pick something more… upbeat than the last one. How about this! For all you lover boys and lover girls! Bill-" Ripley turns off the radio. He let goes of your hand and leaned back into his seat. You can hear him whisper something. "Oh thank god…" you hear it. YOUR HAND! IT IS STILL HURTING! ATTEND TO IT! You rub your wrist, trying to ignore the pain. If Ripley applied a bit more force to it, your bone would have definitely been crushed. "Sorry about that." You hear Ripley say, who still leans back on his seat, staring into the car's ceiling. "Ah, it is fine, better than that one time I fell off the fire escape ladder." You look at Ripley. He seems a bit more peaceful than usual, maybe a bit sad. Hey, the "darling". What are we going to do about this? Don't ask me! I am only here to talk to our beloved Dawn! Okay then, what about the slick one? I am on it, brother. "See, Rips? She is doing fine, great even. You don't have to worry about her so much." Ripley looks back at you, after which he finally lifts his back away from the chair. He bows down a bit and rubs his eyes. Then he sits upright as if nothing happened. "So… she's still playing?" "Yup, and she is improving by the looks of it. Who knows, maybe your girl will become a rockstar, eh?" You nudge Ripley with your elbow, trying to lift his spirit. Ripley is unfazed. His eyes remain unmoving. "So she is really out there." "Of course she is, I have been observing her for a while." "I know, but… this is the first time she felt real. Like she is very close." Suddenly a smile appears on his face, not the one he gives to people to be polite, or when he finds a sadistic joy in torturing his officers… No, it was a rare smile, the genuine one, filled with pride. "Killing it on the stage, huh? I guess she is doing alright. Maybe I should…" "No, Rips, not the time." He looks at you, you expect anger but… no, it is acceptance. "I know. If I appear there she will probably run for it and everything she worked so hard for will be ruined. I just… now I know where she is, so it will be hard to try to lay back." "I know, but hey, you know what that means? She is a bit closer to returning home. It is a small step, but she is closer than anywhere before." Ripley nods… it is so strange to see him agreeing with you, feels almost alien. WHAT THIS MAN DONE TO OUR GRIM RIPLEY? "She is not the only one that tries, you know." Hm? Ripley said something? "What do you mean?" "I mean… you went to see Dawn, aren't you?" You almost forgot that he picked you up at "The quiet place". Damn, what should you say? Be honest, darling! Tell him how seeing her has put your heart at ease, filled you with feelings of hope and determination! How beautiful she was, even after all this time! How- Alright, we get it! She is your little perfect angel, how about we say something that won't make us look like an ass or completely destroys this one's psyche? "Yes, I did, Rips… Just suddenly went there without any plan. Almost as if I was brought there by some outside force. I was scared but then… this morning was the first one I was happy to be here…" "Did she… How is she?" "She is fine. Looks bored out of her mind with that crappy hotel work, but she is trying. She still wears it, you know." "What, that ring you dumped all of your first salary into?" You nod. Ripley is taken aback by that revelation, but he is unsurprised. "I told you she was missing you." "I… I still don't know how to feel. I mean, sure, I was happy to see her, but… that happiness felt wrong like it shouldn't exist. Like I don't deserve it. I want to hold on to it, but it just… dissolves into nothing. And then you feel sad, like beyond regular sadness, you feel…" Alone, darling. Cold, brother. Incomplete, chief. BROKEN. "I understand, Rando. It is hard to believe that you deserve any happiness when you blame yourself for everything bad that happened in your life, trust me I understand the feeling. But as I said, you need to take a gamble that you deserve a second chance. That you are better and deserve to be happier. It is hard to think this way, but you should try." You look forward and see the building again, its shadows invite you, yet you can feel a sensation of sheer dread looking at it. It mocks you, it mocks your past. "Come on, Rando. You cannot do it forever, just relax. We are not going there." You feal his hand on your shoulder. You turn to him and nod. You smile, but it is twisted by pain. Your "iconic" expression. Rips tries to instil confidence in you, but even he knows it will take more than a couple of words of encouragement. Then he trunks to look forward and lets you go. Someone has arrived. "Hey, Rando, I think it's them." You look to where Ripley is pointing. You see a group of dinos and humans heading into the bar. This looks mighty suspicious, since who goes to the bar in the first half of the day? Don't call us out like that, brother. The small group disappears into the building. You look at Ripley and slowly nod. "It is them. Should we go now?" "We wait 10 more minutes, and then we go, for now, let us discuss the tactics of our approach." "Simple, I will do the main talk, you do the good olde grim cop act." "Uh-uh, no, we are not going inside without properly planning our next steps first. So here is the plan…" For the next ten minutes you and Ripley exchange different plans to see what approach is the best. When ten minutes pass and you agree on one, singular plan, one line of questioning and plan out the escape route just in case, you finally exit the car and approach the bar's entry. It is showtime, brother.