[X] Speaking of dogs, go and find some willing dogs to play with! [X] Go check out the tennis courts and play some doubles matches
[X] There's a small gazebo with two big pianos open for people to play [X] Oh, there's movies in the park today... three of them, actually [X] Take a long walk along the Riverfront (happens last at around sunset)
Ah, a nice walk around sunset. Let's just try to not think about how Mary's, um...
My vote:
[X] Do an actual hike, the park can get pretty hilly and has stunning views!
[X] Go check out the tennis courts and play some doubles matches
[X] There's a small gazebo with two big pianos open for people to play
[X] Take a long walk along the Riverfront (happens last at around sunset)
[X] Go check out the tennis courts and play some doubles matches
[X] There's a small gazebo with two big pianos open for people to play
[X] Oh, there's movies in the park today... three of them, actually
[X] Do an actual hike, the park can get pretty hilly and has stunning views!
[X] Take a long walk along the Riverfront (happens last at around sunset)
[X] Speaking of dogs, go and find some willing dogs to play with!
[X] There's a small gazebo with two big pianos open for people to play
[X] Haven't been to the Sunshine Park Zoo and Aquarium in a long time...
[X] Take a long walk along the Riverfront (happens last at around sunset)
My thoughts are: All of these shows Marie reason why people sacrifice. Music, Nature, People, Dogs, Quiet Moments.
[X] Speaking of dogs, go and find some willing dogs to play with!
[X] There's a small gazebo with two big pianos open for people to play
[X] Haven't been to the Sunshine Park Zoo and Aquarium in a long time...
[X] Take a long walk along the Riverfront (happens last at around sunset)
Um, man this town has a serious lack of therapists. We might need to get in contact with some actually, this could be a mental health epidemic
Winning vote: [X] Speaking of dogs, go and find some willing dogs to play with!
[X] There's a small gazebo with two big pianos open for people to play
[X] Go check out the tennis courts and play some doubles matches
[X] Take a long walk along the Riverfront (happens last at around sunset)
Orange Lily ~Flower of Hatred~ (15)
There's lots to do inside of Sunshine Park – it takes up essentially the entire neighborhood after all. I brought Mary here with the intention of enjoying the day, and now that we've made business plans for the night, we can finally get to that. I stretch, raising my arms towards the sun, and something promptly comes to my mind.
Me: Hey Mary, where'd that white dog come from anyway?
Apparently, I was the only one who noticed that my friend Mary was just talking to a random dog as if it were a person. People – individuals, couples, groups, families, and so on – were walking past the two of us and paid her no mind. But surely, I can't have been the only person to see that, right? ...Then again, maybe she's using some magical ability to keep people from noticing that anything's unusual.
I shudder at the thought. I'd hate to have someone mess with my mind like that, even if it was supposedly for my safety.
Mary: Oh, him? That's just Sapphire. Don't mind him, I'm watching over him on someone's behalf. Gotta make sure he's not hurt or getting into any trouble.
I blink. She never had any pets growing up, so maybe she's making up for lost time?
Me: Oh, I didn't know you cared for pets.
She scowls.
Mary: I don't.
Me: ...huh?
She sighs softly.
Mary: Another time, Kenny. Another time.
Me: Okay, well... how about we drop by the dog park for a bit? Did you send him that way? It's a pretty short walk to it from here.
Mary: No, I told him to go home. But sure, I'll play with some dogs with you, Kenny~.
Me: Hey, I'm doing this for you, you know!
She chuckles, light as the autumn breeze.
Mary: Yeah, of course you are~! Oh, but if we're going to play with dogs, then...
She pulls out a small vial of perfume from her blood-red-with-white-dots purse.
Mary: ...I'll need this!
She promptly starts spraying herself all over with the sweet and spicy scent of red roses. She sprays me too for good measure even though I didn't ask for it. At least this scent doesn't assault my senses with its intensity... I'm half-tempted to ask why she feels the need to do this, but the thought dies like a falling leaf drifting down. I'm sure there's a good reason for it.
Sunshine Park is a sprawling place, so there's maps and pointers conveniently placed at regular-ish intervals. We follow the trails and pathways until no longer need to due to all the dog sounds. Naturally, we're not the only ones who had the idea to play with people's dogs. There are all sorts of people with all sorts of dogs – some are playing games, some are running around, and some are basking beneath the autumn sun. I recognize one person and one dog immediately, especially since the little cocker spaniel runs up to me this time instead of being wary.
Charlotte: Well, hello there Mr. Kennedy. And who is this?
Mrs. Drake – without cigarette, with hair braided and tied up instead of draped loosely down her shoulders, wearing a red jacket and blue jeans – was here in the park with her dog Goldie. Her companions must have convinced her to go outside, or maybe she managed it herself. Either way it's just the two of them. It should be three-!
Mary: Hello to you too! I'm Mary Raffles, Ken's friend. Don't mind him, he zones out sometimes.
I blink, realizing I've been staring at Mrs. Drake silently, even ignoring a Goldie that's been pawing at my legs. I can feel the heat rush to my face.
Me: A-ah, sorry about that. Didn't sleep well. Mary, this is Mrs. Charlotte Drake and her dog Goldie.
Goldie barks once and trots over to Mary, permitting her to pet him. He seems pleased, tail wagging side to side. He then leads the two of us over to Charlotte, who sits up and makes room for Mary to sit by her side. Before I can join them though, Goldie gets distracted by a few other dogs passing by and dashes off! And without any hesitation, I give chase!
I end up playing with those other dogs for a while and meeting their owners. Goldie, meanwhile, slipped off and went back to Charlotte and Mary. By the time I make my way back to them, my stomach's growling. Well, it is about time for lunch... and Mary even offers to have Charlotte join us, but she declines. Turns out she'll be heading back to Dwarfpeak to eat with her family.
In a way, I suppose I'm doing the same thing. Mary might not be related to me by blood, but we're close enough. She certainly acts like I'm her only family. Makes me wish I understood her better... ah, but moping won't do me any good now. I'll have my chance to get a clue later.
Mary: I didn't tell her about Lulu, by the way.
I nod. That's a good call. We'll be able to tell her the truth later.
With any luck, that truth will include a good ending for her.
.
.
.
The rest of the afternoon flew by like a falcon on the wing.
Mary and I stopped by one of the many food trucks for a quick bite to eat. Chicken and rice for her, vegetables and rice for me. I guess my niece is rubbing off on me a bit.
The two of us sat down on a large lawn with a gazebo as its centerpiece, and that gazebo had two grand pianos beneath its canopy open for anyone to play. While we ate, a plain-dressed woman with cool brown skin and vibrant red hair was playing to a small crowd. After we ate, Mary and I played our own duet to another small crowd with that woman in it. She and Mary acted like they knew each other, with the woman constantly smiling and waving at Mary while Mary blatantly avoided eye contact with her. She didn't stick around to introduce herself to me either and Mary absolutely refused to elaborate. More mysteries it seems...
After that, the two of us wandered around for a while until we made our way to the tennis courts. Neither of us play with any level of seriousness, but luckily neither do most of the people here today. We stay for a long while playing some casual matches with people, especially once Chrys Stevens – another former friend from high school – dropped by with his sister Anthe Stevens. It's good to see him after so long – he's a pretty friendly man, and someone I wish I'd gotten closer to back in school. He plays casually like Mary and I, but his sister has quite the competitive streak and brings out a matching spirit in my friend. Between multiple doubles matches and eventually a series of one-on-one duels between the two women, we're at the courts almost until sunset. Probably would have stayed longer if I didn't remind Mary that we had places to be.
Anthe's won all her matches with Mary, but my friend demands a rematch and promises she'll win next time. Anthe, with a mocking yet playful laugh, agrees on the spot.
However, as Mary refuses to get a personal phone, it falls on me to get Anthe's number. I get Chrys' too, while I'm at it.
(Chrys will return in Rose's route. Will Ken contact him outside of that?) [][Chrys] Maybe I should give him a call sometime soon to catch up.
[][Chrys] But I'm not in much of a hurry to reconnect given things.
We then walk off, leaving them behind.
Mary: Oh ho~! Look at you, making moves on that guy~!
I roll my eyes at her, though I can feel a slight heat in my face.
Me: It's not about that. I just want to reconnect with people – you know, like you.
She promptly saddles up to my side, taking my arm in hers.
Mary: As you should~!
She then laughs loudly and proudly into the setting sun, and I follow her though a bit softer. I start leading her out of the park and towards a bus stop, but she instead leads me in the opposite direction.
Mary: Oh, hold on, let's not leave yet! I want to walk on the Riverfront!
Me: Huh?
Sure, the Riverfront was a pretty popular place as far as I remember, but I'm not sure what Mary's getting at.
Me: Can't you go another time?
She shakes her head.
Mary: No, because you won't be there. Now come on!
Me: Ah!?
She promptly starts dragging me away using a strength I never knew she had, only stopping when I recover and walk on my own two feet once more.
The Riverfront is technically a different area from the main Sunshine Park inside the Sunshine Park neighborhood, but everyone treats them as if they're continuous. We could walk, but the Sunshine Shuttle is waiting nearby, so we take it down to the Alle River instead. It's only a few minutes on the shuttle and there we are by the shore. The river carves out a valley and the sun hides in the distance behind the western hills. The Riverfront itself has a bike trail and walking trail on either side, and there's the occasional bench or stall every so often.
The fading sunlight sparkles atop the flowing waters like glittering gems. Shadows of branches sway and dancing orange leaves descend in the breeze. Our shore is in shadow while the other shore is golden beneath the sunset, tinted flowers swaying as if woven together.
I've been here before. I've seen this before.
We've seen this before.
Not just Mary and myself, but my parents as well – and not hers.
Never hers.
Always scarce, always secretive.
Mary inherited something of them, of course, but not everything. She'd spend all her time with me if I'd let her. Well, I think she would, but maybe she's made other friends while I was away. Maybe they've all fallen apart, maybe they're tight-knit. It's not like I would know either way.
Just what sort of life has she led while I was gone...?
And what sort of life was she leading while I was here by her side, hidden right in front of me...?
She's busy admiring the scenery, so I have to repeat myself before she hears me.
Me: I still want to know. About everything. About you.
She frowns.
Mary: Kenny... you have your secrets, let me have mine.
She's firm about it, but I hear the sadness ringing in her voice.
Me: These are no ordinary secrets, Mary. You don't have to bear them alone.
She waves that away dismissively, but she's half-hearted about it.
Mary: Oh, I don't mind that. Besides, you're an ordinary man. Don't you like that? It's one of your best qualities.
Me: ...is that supposed to be a compliment?
She rolls her eyes.
Mary: Yes, Kenny! If I wanted you to be involved in this, I could have brought you into it long ago. But no. I didn't want to then and I don't want to now. Your normality grounds me. It's where I want to end up after this is all over. Maybe I'll even join you as a teacher~!
I chuckle.
Me: You? Teaching little kids? I can't imagine it.
Mary: Hey, I could great at it if I tried!
Me: And maybe I could help you if I tried.
Her voice takes on a whiny airy quality, and I can already tell this is going to go nowhere.
Mary: But Kenny, you're already helping~! You're even helping Lulu, even if its in your way and not necessarily hers.
Now it's my turn to roll my eyes.
Me: Yeah, as if you're not doing the same thing.
I thought she might laugh, but instead silence flows out of her for a few moments before she speaks up.
Mary: Lulu and I have more in common than I think any of us would like.
She shakes her head.
Mary: But enough of that. Let's enjoy a nice walk before we greet her. She won't wake up again until the sun has finished setting.
I start asking if that was part of her spell, and she responds by covering my mouth part way through and not letting me finish. I can't even be mad since two joggers were about to pass us by and overhear us talking. ...well, okay, I could be mad, but I choose not to be. What I want is understanding, and I'll only get that by being patient with my friend. She'll open up on her own time.
At least, I hope so.
.
.
.
I call my niece when we get on a bus and head over. By the time Mary and I leave Sunshine Park, the sky is deep in dusky darkness. We also found a food stand with some vegetarian offerings, and I bought a bunch of snacks for the group. Hope they're in the mood for falafel. When we get to Sarah's apartment, I knock and announce our arrival yet again, and hear a flurry of movement from inside.
Sarah: And there she is! Uncle Ken, make sure she doesn't run off!
Oh, I do not like that tone...
Mary frowns and looks at me, but I can only shrug. I have no idea what she means by that, but it can't be good if Lulu, Aster, and Violet are all protesting inside. Mary grimaces and reaches into her purse as my niece stomps over to the door, but thinks better of it and puts her empty hands up instead.
She's greeted with a lance pointed at her face, courtesy of my purple-clad niece...!?
Mary's eyes go wide too, though she plays it cool with her words.
Mary: Oh wow, that's a lot of purple. Huh, so what shadowflower are you then?
Sarah: You will be silent and speak only when one of us asks you to speak.
Mary laughs in response, tinged with nerves and humor.
Mary: I'm not sure what my friend here told you, but I'm not that kind of monster. I don't follow orders.
Me: She's also not a monster, so you should put that thing down.
Lulu: Y-yeah! You promised to let her talk... and as for you, ma'am... t-thank you for helping me...
Mary: Awww, you're welcome sweetie~! I...
My niece cuts her off.
Sarah: Don't congratulate yourself! All of this is because of you!
Mary: Really? I think things were well underway before I got involved. I'm just here to help.
She then looks directly at Lulu.
Mary: But only in the way that Lulu wants. That's why I came here – to hear from her. So, if you don't trust me, that's fine... but you do trust your uncle, don't you? He's the one who invited me.
Mary smirks while Sarah scowls. My niece glares at me, but all I can do is nod. That was the plan.
In response, Sarah lets out a long sigh and backs away, pulling her lance out of Mary's face. I blink and it's vanished entirely, along with her magical outfit, revealing a purple shirt with blue jean overalls.
Sarah: Alright get in. Let's eat and talk.
I enter my niece's apartment with the hope that this dinner goes better than yesterday's.
(The dinner will end with Lulu coming to a firm conclusion as to how she wants handle things on Monday, the day which will end this route. Is there anything you'd like Ken specifically to bring up?) [] No. Let the conversation flow as it may.
[] Yes, actually. Bring up...
-[] ...the nice day you and Mary had at Sunshine Park.
-[] ...yours and Sarah's school day plans for tomorrow.
-[] ...what role, if any, Rosalyn will play in all of this.
-[] (write-in, potentially combining options or proposing something new)
QM Note: Well, I found some focus and got this update done this weekend anyway. Not sure how much longer this route will be, but we're a lot closer to the end than the beginning. Also, not sure when I can write the next part, so I'll keep this vote cycle open for a while.
[x][Chrys] But I'm not in much of a hurry to reconnect given things.
[x] Yes, actually. Bring up...
-[x] ...what role, if any, Rosalyn will play in all of this.
[x][Chrys] But I'm not in much of a hurry to reconnect given things.
[x] Yes, actually. Bring up...
-[x] ...what role, if any, Rosalyn will play in all of this.
[write-in] Red-head...
Unless I forgot, we're single right? Let's just ask a few questions about them. Maybe they're nice!
That was a mistake, but lol it feels thematic so I'm keeping it.
[x][Chrys] But I'm not in much of a hurry to reconnect given things.
[x] Yes, actually. Bring up...
-[x] ...what role, if any, Rosalyn will play in all of this.
[X][Chrys] Maybe I should give him a call sometime soon to catch up.
[x] Yes, actually. Bring up...
-[x] ...what role, if any, Rosalyn will play in all of this.
I'm not opposed to the red-head question, though I'm unsure if it's the best to bring up at the immediate moment..
I forget, have we sighted anyone remotely similar so far? (outside of this update)
Iris
Me: What about these? Mrs. Calderon would appreciate you planting these in honor of her daughter.
Mary: Oh yes, it's so awful what happened to her. And I'm not just referring to her untimely death...
Poppy
Me: What about these? I always associated poppies with somber moods though.
Mary: Ah, but they can also symbolize fun~! There's two sides to the poppy~!
Mary refused to make eye contact / interact with the redhead, but finds Poppy to be fun (albeit not denying the somber side).
Poppies are used for war remembrance, whether by Dove idealists or Hawk idealists, and I expect the 'fun' is meant to be Hawks, iirc especially due to it being a red poppy, which gets co-opted by hawks in britain.
Me: What about these? Your other roses wilted recently, may as well add these.
Mary: I was so sad to see them go... perhaps I should plant Roses of Heaven.
The other roses wilted recently.
Also this is the route that Chrys shows up in.
We'll need to decide on the next route sooner or later, so I dont see a ton of harm in interacting with Chrys, even if we dont go for roses straight after.
I do like that we know know the term shadowflower.
Meaning there's 6 colors / types of them to say the least.
I do wonder, if Lulu achieves her goal... does that mean Daisy becomes impossible?
If anything, we may want to consider addressing the truth of the school / where Lulu was held. If we're in this for the long haul, knowing the root of multiple mysteries may help even if we dont get Lulu her happiest possible ending.
Very nice speculation! I would like to clarify here that Daisy's and Lulu's routes were designed to be independent of each other. Her route will still be open.
Agree with Meridian's vote! Kentarou may have an advantage with this!
My vote:
[X][Chrys] Maybe I should give him a call sometime soon to catch up.
[x] Yes, actually. Bring up...
-[x] ...what role, if any, Rosalyn will play in all of this.
Winning vote: [X][Chrys] But I'm not in much of a hurry to reconnect given things.
[X] Yes, actually. Bring up...
-[X] ...what role, if any, Rosalyn will play in all of this.
Orange Lily ~Flower of Hatred~ (16)
Everyone appreciated the falafel.
I didn't get nearly enough to make a full meal of it for everyone, even accounting for Lulu's lack of hunger. So, I end up buying pizzas for everyone else, and an all-vegetarian batch at that. By the time they arrived, Mary had made herself quite comfortable despite being in the apartment of my still hostile niece. Sarah hasn't done anything so far, but never took her eyes off of my friend, not even for a moment, like she was waiting for a signal to strike her down. A signal that never came since Mary was cooperating.
Her roommates, Aster and Violet, were also wary and keeping an eye on Mary, but they were at least willing to talk to her. And little Lulu couldn't have been happier to have someone here that was fully on her side. Her aura warmed the air with a warm comforting embrace rather than the deadly grip of a summer's day in the Sahara after she told Mary what had happened from her perspective and Mary doubled down on supporting her. All my niece did in response was growl and glare in disappointment.
Sulking, she continued to let Lulu and Mary steer the conversation, leading to Lulu asking a question all of us were quite eager to have Mary answer.
Lulu: Say, Miss Raffles... how did you... fix me up like this anyway?
Mary didn't answer at first, instead glancing around the room at all of us. Lulu, to her left, was waiting with a sense of curious expectation, and I to her right felt much the same, though I didn't show it as openly. Sarah, across from her, leaned in and also requested that Mary answer the question and enlighten everyone. Aster and Violet, on either side of Sarah, glanced between the two opposed magical women. Violet's floral incense is blazing, and the sweet scent of her flower is wafting through the air, thick enough to taste. Did this ability also come from one of those so-called shadowflowers?
Mary licks her lips and clicks her tongue.
Mary: Oh, I'll answer, but first... what is this scent of violet flowers meant to do?
Aster and Sarah both look to Violet, who answers.
Violet: While my magical incense is lit, none of us may lie. This is my special ability, gained as a gift. My girlfriend Aster has a similar ability.
Aster: My own ability promotes kindness and sensitivity to others. I thought about also lighting it up, but I hope that things won't come to that.
Mary nods.
Mary: I also hope that, but I wonder if your friend feels the same way...?
Sarah growls at her. Her response is sharp, every word an attempted jab.
Sarah: You're the one being interrogated here! And don't think I haven't noticed you stalling! Answer Lulu's question, Mary Raffles.
Mary chuckles, smoothly uncaring about Sarah's sharpness.
Mary: I said that I would, so I will. I can't lie, remember? Though I've noticed that you didn't answer my question. So then, Violet, you're able to enforce 'truth' but you can't enforce 'speech'. I suppose changing the subject entirely or remaining silent would also work in avoiding uncomfortable questions. That said, Aster's ability seems to pair nicely with yours, since she may be able to convince others to speak.
I'm not sure what she's getting at, but the others are staring at her in rapt attention. Although Sarah, Aster, and Violet all look stunned and horrified while Lulu looks impressed.
Mary: I don't have a handle on Sarah, however, which isn't surprising since she's hiding her true powers. Oh, don't look at me like that, it's obvious! I'm sure even Kenny noticed that, and he's new to this.
I did, but don't say anything.
Mary: As for you, Lulu... to be honest, you did most of the work. Your heart was full of rage and hatred. I just had to channel it into magical power that you could use. Your stuffed plushie made a nice focus. Good on you for carrying that around.
Lulu sulks.
Lulu: My orange dragon Lily was supposed to be a lucky charm...
But Mary's laughter and smile perks her back up.
Mary: And I'd say that it was! You are here and warm after all, instead of in the cold ground. I do wish you could stay here, but returning you to true life is beyond my power.
I note her wording and wonder if there's someone else who could help her, but Lulu either doesn't notice that or doesn't care about it, instead thanking Mary once again and then asking for specifics and details on how she did it. But Mary's scarce on them, deflecting with a disinclination to answer. Her hesitation to speak does her no favors with my niece and her friends, but Lulu's more understanding if a bit disappointed, making a joke about how a magician shouldn't reveal all of her secrets.
Sarah: Bah! I think we could all do with a few less secrets.
Mary: Oh? Then will you lead by example, Miss Kennedy~?
Lulu: Yeah, how about it, Sarah...~? Show us what you can do...!
But Sarah, rather than going along with their desires, instead declined.
Mary & Lulu: Booooo~!
Maybe Mary had a point about her and Lulu having a lot in common.
Me: Well, since this is going nowhere...
Mary & Sarah: No thanks to her! Hmph!
Me: ...how about we focus on Lulu instead! Did you come to a decision?
She nods, eagerly.
Lulu: But... I'm sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Kennedy... I still want to kill Molly and Jack. I will avenge my death...!
Well, I can't say I was expecting her to change her mind so easily, and admit as much. Though I meant what I said when I didn't want her killing anyone else. She nods but doesn't back down. Hopefully, Sarah will be able to keep her from going through with it, otherwise...
...well, I can guess how that will end.
Lulu: But~! You've inspired me...!
Me: ...oh?
Her orange eyes are sparkling with fiery confidence, and her scaled skin is almost starting to shimmer with heat. She flings herself up from her seat, bursting with energy.
Lulu: That's right! I spent the day in stillness... alone with my thoughts.... and in the burning abyss of my soul... I saw the future I was hurtling towards. One where I was lost and forgotten to the world... but those two... Molly and Jack... they were remembered as innocent victims of a cruel attacker...! And I thought to myself...
She slams a fist into her open palm.
Lulu: ...how can I let things end like that? I avenge myself... and then what...? Nothing in the world will have changed...! This could all just happen again... when someone like me next catches the attention of someone like Molly... it could even be Rosalyn or John next... so, I can't just accept this ending...!
I nod, focused on her. We all are, though it seems that Sarah has a look of dawning horror on her face while Mary is... not happy per se, but she's leaning in, intrigued, nodding along, a hand on her chin, thinking of something. Aster and Violet, on the other hand, both look clueless.
They get it once Lulu concludes her speech.
Lulu: I will to expose them... for what they really are...! I'll make sure the whole school sees it...! Then... if they refuse to admit their guilt even then... I'll reduce them to ashes... for the whole world to see!
And they're subsequently stunned, eyes wide.
Sarah, meanwhile, leaps up from her seat as well, slamming her hands on the table and nearly shattering it.
Sarah: Absolutely not! Are you out of your mind!?
Lulu: I've never been more in my mind...! This... is how it has to end! They get one last chance... one gifted moment to say they're sorry.... and to stop being bullies. If they don't take it, then-!
Sarah: It doesn't matter if they don't take it! I'm not letting you kill anyone else!
Lulu: Hmph! I'd like to see you try and stop me... Besides, even if you did... it's not like Molly or Jack would stop... not unless they're exposed. So, you might as well... let me do things my way~!
She punctuated that statement with a warm, wide grin, like she wasn't advocating for murder.
To make matters worse, Mary is nodding in approval, a smirk on her face.
My niece is too incensed to give an actual response, so I speak up.
Me: So, then, that's a promise? If we go along with this, you really will stop your killing spree and pass on in peace?
Lulu flinches when I mention her passing on (as does Mary), but agrees. She then further clarifies that it depends on Molly and Jack cooperating. Jack's still an unknown factor here, but Molly... all of us who have met her have to know that she won't surrender. Looks like Lulu's making us meet her halfway.
Aster finally feels brave enough to speak up.
Aster: Ah, umm... i-if you don't mind, Violet and I could help?
We all turn to look at her, and while she flinches from the sudden attention, she doesn't back down.
Aster: If any part of Molly or Jack is sorry, I can drag it out of them with my power.
Violet: Yeah, and I can get the truth out of them, so long as they're willing to speak.
Mary gives them both critical looks, as if peering through them.
Mary: Hmm... but do you have any combat ability? If not, you'd just be more targets.
They both shake their heads. Looks like all of it went to Sarah.
Sarah: I can protect them... but then Lulu might just rampage and ignore us...
Lulu sulks.
Lulu: Hmph! I'm trying to meet you halfway... and this is the response I get...!?
Sarah: Ah, sorr- ... wait, why am I the one saying sorry!? You're the killer here!
Lulu: I am... but I'm not the only one.
Mary coughs and then speaks up.
Mary: Lulu, when you do this, you'll be leaving quite a mess behind for us. And I'm not just talking about the bodies. The ones who gave Molly that power will still be around. And they'll know that you had help since you're making this public. Now, there's no need to panic...
...she says to a Lulu with eyes open wide with newfound panic...
Mary: ...because I wanted to take them out anyway. And if my fellow Magical Girls here are willing to help out, we'll make light work of it.
Mary smiles at Aster, Sarah, and Violet, but only Aster even attempts to smile back. Violet grimaces and Sarah glares at her, shaking her head. Naturally, Mary denied me any involvement. I can't fight or do magic or anything like that, but there has to be something that I can do to help...
I can worry about that later though.
Me: We'll also need to consider Rosalyn. I'd like to keep her out of this, and it looks like you agree Lulu, so we'll need someone to watch over her.
Mary: I'd rather not be personally involved, so I can do that.
Lulu: Thank you, Miss Raffles...~!
My friend is beaming in the face of this genuine gratitude, while my niece scoffs once more. She then asks if someone can watch over Mary, much to Mary's annoyance. But that does raise the question of where everyone will be for this. So, I ask how Lulu wants to start with this 'exposure' plan.
Lulu: Neither Molly nor Jack will confess anything without proof, so... we need to find my body. I want to check the school once night falls tomorrow...
Sarah: You think it's still there? Somone must have moved it by now.
Me: Wouldn't there have been news if her body was found?
Mary: Not if there's been a coverup. But even if she's not there anymore, you might still learn something.
Me: That's a good point. Additionally, if we want Rosalyn to keep away, someone – preferably not me – will need to stick with her. Somone who we can keep in touch with, so preferably also not Mary, at least not by herself.
Both Mary and Sarah are confused by my words, so I quickly explain that Rosalyn's mom won't tolerate me being near her daughter and that Mary doesn't use certain modern amenities like smartphones. Aster and Violet, meanwhile, volunteer themselves to be anywhere that's helpful as long as we can get them on the school grounds. Well, once I contact Florence with a convenient excuse, I'll be able to get us in.
[][Florence] I'll be honest... up to a point. I'll say that we have a potential lead in the school, but nothing further.
[][Florence] There's no way that I can tell him the truth. I'll have to come up a plausible lie.
-[][Florence] Ask if they're hiring and if he can help you make connections (*)
-[][Florence] See if he can get you an audience with Molly and/or Jack
-[][Florence] Tell him that you want to discuss some sensitive details... in person (*)
-[][Florence] (write-in...?)
We then decide who will be going into the school and who will be on Rosalyn guard duty.
[][Party] Sarah and I will search, while Lulu and the others stay with Rosalyn somewhere nearby.
[][Party] Lulu and I will search, while Sarah and the others stay with Rosalyn somewhere nearby. [][Party] I could search by myself and... Sarah, Mary, and Lulu all object to this.
[][Party] I'll be with Florence, so Lulu and Sarah will search while the others stay with Rosalyn. (*)
[][Party] (perhaps there's another arrangement that will work... the only requirements are that no one can be by themselves and Ken cannot be with Rosalyn)
[] (optional write-in) Any other topics you'd like to see discussed before dinner wraps up?
QM Note: If an option (*) is taken for one vote, then an option with (*) must be with it from the other vote. Otherwise, feel free to mix and match.
[][Florence] There's no way that I can tell him the truth. I'll have to come up a plausible lie.
-[][Florence] Tell him that you want to discuss some sensitive details... in person (*)
What particular details we'd be discussing?
[][Party] I'll be with Florence, so Lulu and Sarah will search while the others stay with Rosalyn. (*)
I am leaning towards this. I'd rather keep Lulu away from Rosalyn; she is a target.
If you have something specific in mind, you can let me know; otherwise, Ken will bring up the bullying and Molly's / Jack's involvement in Lulu's disappearance.
If you have something specific in mind, you can let me know; otherwise, Ken will bring up the bullying and Molly's / Jack's involvement in Lulu's disappearance.
