w4tvJcjd

1label ch1:
2
3# 1-1
4scene bg black with fade
5pause 4.0
6
7$ an_name = "???"
8
9an "[povname], it’s time to wake up!"
10an "{cps=5}[povname]{/cps}?"
11
12"Someone gently shakes my shoulders. I yawn and rub the sleep out of my eyes."
13
14scene bg povbed with eyeout
15show ann normal at afix with dissolve
16$ aff_screen = True
17$ ch1_1 = True
18window auto
19
20an "Did you have a good sleep?"
21
22"A girl dressed as a maid stands next to my bed. She brightly smiles at me with her hands folded across her skirt."
23
24show ann concern
25an "How do you feel? I understand everything must be a shock to you, but if there’s anything I can do to alleviate your grievances, please let me know."
26
27window hide
28play sound audio.softthud
29with vpunch
30window auto
31
32"I get up with a jolt."
33"At once, I notice that I am in an unfamiliar room, somehow having slept restfully in a large fancy bed."
34"Maybe it’s because I sat up so quickly or the rapid succession of unexplainable events, but nausea settles into my stomach." 
35"The girl bends forward towards me with hesitating hands, unsure of how to react."
36
37pov connight "...What is going on? Where am I? Who are you?"
38
39"My bombardment of questions stuns her for a second, yet she regains her bearings."
40
41show ann concern ce
42an "Please pardon me for my inability to answer you. I frankly am not the right person to explain everything."  
43
44pov connight "Well, I’d like to first know your name...if that’s all right?"
45
46show ann normal
47"She nods, her solemn attitude softening."
48play music "bgm/novelette.ogg"
49
50$ an_name = "Annette"
51an "My name is Annette. I work as a maid here."
52show ann happy 
53an "You don’t have to worry about your introduction; I know who you are."
54
55"I look around the bedroom. It’s furnished and styled with antique mahogany pieces and a damask pattern decorating the walls." 
56"A window rests in the back of the room. The curtains are closed."
57
58an "Don’t worry, this is your room. I’m the only person who is allowed in and out of the guest rooms, of course…besides Lord Vassago who has the other master key."
59show ann blush
60an "But...ah...I was the person who got you ready for bed after you arrived."
61
62pov reliefnightclosed "That’s a relief. Thank you."
63
64show ann happy
65an "It’s my job after all."
66
67"She nods at me and rummages around in the room, leaving me to think about everything." 
68
69hide ann with dissolve
70
71"I’m stunned by what has transpired in the last few moments of being conscious."
72
73scene bg black with fade
74
75"It comes flooding back."
76"The fire, the smog, the castle spires destroying everything in their path."
77"My climb after the glowing purple light and the threatening door."
78"Meeting with Vassago. His presence so shocking to me that all I could do was let him carry me away."
79"Now, I wake up with a maid attending to me."
80"I must be dreaming. This MUST be a dream."
81"My eyes start to sting..."
82
83window hide
84pause 1.0
85scene bg povbed with fade
86window auto
87show ann normal at afix with dissolve
88
89"Annette returns with some fabric draped over her arms."
90
91an "Here are some clothes. There are more in the armoire, so you can choose different ones if you don’t like these."
92
93"She stops after setting the clothes onto the edge of the bed."
94
95show ann minorshock
96an "A-ah...!" 
97
98"Embarrassed, I cover my face with an arm and clench my jaw. Crying in front of a stranger is more awkward enough as it is to witness it..."
99"Annette goes rigid, unsure of how to respond to my small outburst. Her shoulders eventually relax and her eyes go downcast out of consideration."
100
101show ann concern
102an "What you went through was rough, inhuman even." 
103an "I’ve been in a similar place once, where I was forced to awaken from my own dream. It’s the hardest at the beginning, but, slowly, everything fades away." 
104
105"Awaken...from my dream?"
106"Vassago’s previous words faintly capture my thoughts."
107
108show ann happy
109an "Everyone here is most welcoming and understanding! We’ve all been through the same situations, so there’s a sense of comradery." 
110show ann normal
111
112"I remove my arm. Although the tears continue to sting, her words begin to reach out to calm me."
113
114pov connightclosed "I won't ever get the images out of my head...but, thank you."
115
116show ann wonder
117an "I do wonder though..."
118
119pov connight "...?"
120
121show ann listless
122an "Your name. [povname] Laplace. It’s rare for someone to have a surname." 
123
124pov connight  "Surnames aren’t common?"
125
126an "Lord Vassago bestows names upon those who are rescued, but it’s rare—even unheard of—for someone to have a second part of their name." 
127
128"Still in bed, I stretch my fingers. When I first met Vassago, some sort of white light covered my skin, but once he called me by my new name, it all disappeared."
129"I touch my face, finding the features changed."
130"Quickly, I remove my hands from my cheeks. Annette hovers over me with a grin."
131
132show ann happy
133an "You’ll become accustomed to it. Anyway..."
134
135hide ann with dissolve
136
137"Annette diverts her attention away, preventing me from assailing her with all my burning questions."
138"She hastily opens drawers and explains that I can use whatever I want in the room, since it’s all for me anyway. 'Make yourself at home' sort of thing."
139"A few times, she fumbles with rearranging things, obviously nervous about me being on the verge of bombarding her with more questions she lacks the authority to answer."
140
141show ann concern ce at afix with dissolve
142an "As much as I would like to stay and talk to you more, I have things to do."
143show ann normal
144an "We’ll see each other again around lunchtime. Feel free to wander at your leisure around the castle."
145
146pov reliefnight "All right..."
147
148hide ann with dissolve
149
150"After making sure that the clothes fit me properly, Annette leaves with a small wave through the bedroom door." 
151play sound audio.doorclose
152"Once it slams behind her, the warmth in the room disappears."
153
154stop music fadeout 1.0
155
156"Where was I? And what type of predicament am I in?!"
157"I stare into a nearby mirror, not used to the change in my features or the intricateness of the clothes on my body."
158"It was hours ago that I sat overlooking fires of destruction."
159"Annette pointed out that I was, indeed, 'rescued'. But, the nature of this Prince Vassago was something that egged at my thoughts." 
160"All of this felt too surreal." 
161"Well..."
162
163play sound audio.thwack
164"I slap my cheeks to psyche myself up."
165"If this is a dream, what is the harm in indulging it? It might calm the uneasiness set in my stomach." 
166"I’ll take Annette up on her word and explore to my leisure." 
167
168$ ch1_1 = False
169$ ch1_2 = True
170
171play music "bgm/haruka.ogg"
172scene bg hallway with fade
173
174$ entry_her1 = True
175$ entry_ann1 = True 
176
177"Stepping into the hallway, sconces greet me with beams of light that illuminate the wallpaper. There are no windows, save for more doors that most likely lead to more bedrooms."
178"Hmm...where should I go to first?"
179
180
181# 1 - 2 
182
183label hallwaystart:
184if boilerroom_check:
185    menu:
186        "Turn right down the hallway.":
187            jump foyercheck
188else:
189    menu:
190        "Turn left down the hallway.":
191            jump boilercheck
192        "Turn right down the hallway.":
193            jump foyercheck
194 
195label boilercheck:
196    "I take the path left."
197    
198    scene bg black with fade
199    scene bg hallway with fade
200    
201    "The lights are fewer down this part of the corridor and my shadow grows larger with each twist or turn. As my eyes adjust, I discover that the sconces have dimmed."
202    "My restlessness grows the further along I trek through the hallway until I reach a wall that seems like a dead end."
203    
204    scene bg smallstairs with fade
205    "However, off to the side is a small staircase leading down. With no other choice, I carefully descend it."
206    "With every step, the atmosphere grows darker. My ears strain to hear through the encroaching dimness."
207    
208    play amb audio.boiler fadein 1.0
209    
210    "Faintly, I hear a whirling noise, like the sound of spinning metal. I stop to listen to it and ascertain what it could be. Some sort of machine?"
211    
212    scene boilerdoor with fade
213    
214    "The staircase ends into a very small room with a solitary metal door. Pressing the side of my head against the door, I distinctively hear the whirling sound." 
215   
216    play sound audio.notopen
217    
218    "The door is locked."
219    "Sighing, I ascend the staircase back to the original hallway."
220    
221    stop amb fadeout 1.0
222    scene bg hallway with fade
223    $ boilerroom_check = True
224    jump hallwaystart
225
226label foyercheck:
227    "I take the path right, passing by several more lights." 
228    
229    scene bg black with fade
230    scene bg hallway with fade
231    
232    "Despite the dimness, curiosity takes ahold of me and makes me forget my uneasiness for a moment."
233    "Perhaps my mind has started to numb from everything and I’m relishing in the minute details of this 'adventure' in exploring the surreal environment."
234    "I continue down the path of the hallway until it opens into the top of a staircase overlooking the foyer."
235    
236    scene bg foyer with fade
237    
238    "Below is another door settled right into the base of the staircase."
239    "In the distance...I notice a looming stone door, like the entrance where I met Vassago, down another hallway. However, a second hallway is to the left of the grand staircase."
240    "More possibilities for exploration have appeared. Where to next?"
241    
242label foyercheckmenu:
243    window hide
244    menu:
245        "Check the stone door." if stonedoor_check != True:
246            jump stonecheck
247        "Go to the other hallway." if librarymeet_check != True:
248            jump librarycheck
249        "Check the door below." if clockdoor_check != True:
250            jump clockcheck
251        
252if librarymeet_check == True and stonedoor_check == True and clockdoor_check == True:
253    jump ch1continue
254
255label stonecheck:
256    "With a resolute nod, I trek across the foyer." 
257    
258    window auto
259    scene bg stonehall with fade
260    play sound audio.footsteps
261    
262    "The clicks of my shoes distract me somewhat, mainly because I feel that I am doing something I’m not supposed to."
263    "I mean, Annette said I am free to explore where I want..."
264    
265    scene bg stonedoor with fade
266    
267    "An antechamber leads up to the door. It is empty as if to emphasize the importance of the portal ahead."
268    "Apparently, this is a castle...according to Annette." 
269    "A castle where? What does it look like? Is it connected to the castle-like spires I saw falling from the sky?" 
270    "Could this door lead to the outside?"
271    "Gulping, I reach for the door once again, stopping upon feeling a presence at my back."
272   
273    stop music fadeout 1.0
274    
275    "I spin around and almost bump face first into the most suspicious person I’ve met so far."
276    
277    pause 1.0
278    show vas normal with dissolve
279    
280    play music "bgm/shika_long.ogg" fadein 1.0
281    
282    "His sudden appearance makes my heart somersault and I clutch at the stitch in my breast."
283    
284    show vas normal ce
285    v "I trust I did not startle you." 
286    v "Apologies; having another roam so freely around the castle is a new experience for me. When I took notice of you walking down this corridor, I thought you to be lost."
287    
288    "Vassago seems justifiably upset at my predicament. A hint of remorse tugs at his lips."
289   
290    pov concernclose "I am a little lost, both inside this place and with everything that has happened so far."
291    
292    show vas normal om
293    v "I understand." 
294    v "To alleviate your worries, I can answer a few of your concerns. It is natural for the master of this castle to ensure that everyone is content."
295    
296    show vas normal
297    window hide
298    menu: 
299        "I appreciate you taking the time to help.":
300            $ vas_points += 1
301            play sound audio.point
302            show rose4:
303                xalign 0.5 yalign 0.3 
304                contains rosepoint
305            pause 1.0
306            window auto
307            
308            show vas smile
309            v "It is my pleasure, [povname]."
310            
311            pov concern "What is this place? Annette says it is a castle, but I have not seen any windows."
312            
313        "What is going on with everything?":
314            window auto
315            pov concern "What is this place? Annette says it is a castle, but I have not seen any windows."
316    
317    show vas normal
318    v "This is my castle. A long time ago, I was a noble dreaming a world like yours." 
319    show vas annoy ce
320    v "However, it was also destroyed in a catastrophic event. To survive, my home...this castle...took wings to the sky with the support of the Grand Mage and her teacher."
321    show vas normal
322    v "It allowed us to survive before the dream ended."
323   
324    "Whoa...that...is a lot to take in all of a sudden! I did not expect him to be so straightforward."
325    
326    if librarymeet_check:
327        "This is the same thing Beatrice and Calix explained to me. Of dreams that died and the survivors that survived to awaken." 
328    else:
329        pass
330        
331    show vas normal om
332    if enc_lock == True:
333        $ entry_dreams1 = True
334        $ renpy.notify("New Entry")
335        v "There are many worlds outside the one you were born in. I have taken to calling them {color=efbd12}dreams{/color}."
336    else:
337        v "There are many worlds outside the one you were born in. I have taken to calling them dreams."
338    v "When one lives in ignorance within their own dream, they do not consciously realize that there is a greater reality waiting for them when they awaken. But, like with the dreams we visit in our sleep, these dreams too die off."
339    
340    show vas normal
341    pov concern "So we are all from different worlds...or dreams?"
342   
343    show vas normal ce
344    v "Everyone in this castle is a survivor of a dying dream. Myself, you, Annette, and others you will meet today." 
345    v "We exist so that we can prevent the same disaster from befalling others, by saving those dreams."
346   
347    pov concernclose "The destruction I saw before I came into this castle then, was a result of my world...er, dream, being destroyed."
348    
349    show vas annoy ce
350    v "It was...a tedious endeavor to protect it. Alas, it did not work out." 
351   
352    "A heavy sense of guilt weighs on my chest." 
353    "Everything...is gone?"
354    "My whole reality is changed in a blink of an eye..."
355    "A sob rises in my throat, but I choke it back."
356    
357    v "It is difficult to accept. I too was in a comparable situation as you are now." 
358    show vas smile
359    v "But, rest assured, [povname]. We all must look to the future to grasp success again."
360   
361    "Vassago smiles at me, making a movement with his arm as if he wants to console me. However, he clumsily stops and drops his arm back to his side."
362   
363    pov concern "But, why me? Of all people you could have saved, why did it have to be me?"
364    
365    show vas normal
366    v "I cannot say for sure why it was you. Maybe something drew you to this castle and to open the door." 
367    v "Predetermined, possibly. Either way, what is done is done. You are here, safe, and in good hands."
368    
369    "His assurances, although meant to warm me, come off stiff."
370    "Nodding, I stifle the threatening grief rising from my chest and lopsidedly grin." 
371    
372    pov relief "It’ll take me a while to get used to everything, all these new sights, appearances, and routines." 
373    
374    show vas normal ce
375    v "Take as much time as  you need. I cannot promise to always be there to assist or console you as I am busy with attending to the needs of this castle."
376    
377    pov concern "Is it because of what you said about protecting the other dreams?"
378    
379    show vas normal
380    "Vassago pauses, soaking in my question. A second passes until he relaxes."
381    
382    show vas normal ce
383    v "That is a part of my duties. The Grand Mage and her assistant handles most of it to ensure I can meet my other demands." 
384   
385    if librarymeet_check:
386        "Once again, I remember what Beatrice told me, how Vassago is an integral part of the castle. From how she phrased it, it seems as if the poor guy can’t catch a break."
387
388    else:
389        pass
390    
391    show vas normal om
392    v "I will do my best to be here for you." 
393    show vas normal
394    v "Now, if you can excuse me, I do have to be off. Please be sure not to go outside." 
395    v "When not visiting a dream, the castle wanders through a state of terminal velocity. It would be dangerous."
396    
397    "With a bow of the head, he disappears as soon as he appeared."
398    
399    hide vas with dissolve
400    stop music fadeout 1.0
401    
402    "I glance back towards the door. It’s locked anyway, and my strength is not strong enough to pry it open." 
403    "Not like I would {i}want{/i} to first-handedly experience the effects of terminal velocity."
404    "Returning to the foyer, I weigh my options."
405    
406    $ stonedoor_check = True
407    scene bg foyer with fade
408    play music "bgm/haruka.ogg"
409    $ entry_dreams1 = True
410    jump foyercheckmenu
411                
412label clockcheck:
413    scene bg black with fade
414    scene bg clockroom with fade
415    play amb audio.clock
416    
417    play sound audio.notopen
418    
419    "Of course, it’s locked."
420    "The door is quite tall and thin, unlike all the other doors I’ve seen or passed. The wood is entirely devoid of any design, save for the giant foyer clock over top the frame." 
421    "I suppose there’s nothing else I can do here..."
422    "Where to next?"
423    
424    stop amb fadeout 1.0
425    $ clockdoor_check = True
426    scene bg foyer with fade
427    jump foyercheckmenu
428
429label librarycheck:
430    scene bg black with fade
431    scene bg hallway2 with fade
432    
433    "Off to the left of the foyer is another corridor much like the one that I trekked through from my bedroom." 
434    "Once halfway through the hallway, I notice...something out of place."
435    "Someone stuck a greenhouse in the middle of the castle." 
436    "It’s more like the walls surrounding the room are made entirely of glass panels, so it appears like a separate building."
437    "Through the panes, I distinctively make out the rows upon rows of bookshelves. To the back, behind the shelves, are more windows that look out into a starry sky."
438    
439    if stonedoor_check:
440        "I remember Vassago speaking about terminal velocity...which means it’s falling at a constant state." 
441        "Then, why do I see specks of lights like stars through the windows? Maybe the castle exists in a state much more intricate than I can possibly imagine."
442    else:
443        pass
444    
445    play sound audio.doorcreak
446    
447    "I gently push open the glass door into the library."
448    
449    scene bg black with fade
450    scene bg library with fade
451    window auto
452    
453    "Around me are all sorts of plants. As well, some strange instruments litter the shelves and empty bookshelves like a magical workshop."
454    "Off to the side on my right is…some sort of table? What is most odd about it is the shimmering holographic map emanating from a globe resting on the surface." 
455    "I run a finger through the hologram. As expected, it passes through it like air."
456    
457    window hide
458    stop music fadeout 1.0
459    pause 1.0
460    play sound audio.beep loop 
461    window auto
462    
463    "A loud beeping goes off and I jump." 
464    
465    $ b_name = "???"
466    b "Hold it right there!"
467    
468    "I do as the voice instructs and freeze."
469    
470    show bea angry om with dissolve
471    b "Don’t touch anything else! I saw you touch that!" 
472    
473    pov distress "...!"
474    
475    show bea angry
476    
477    "A woman stomps out from behind one of the bookcases. Her golden hair falling to her back in cascades." 
478    "Like Vassago, her manner of dress is exquisitely unique and decorous."
479    
480    show bea angry at right with move
481    pause 0.5
482    hide bea with dissolve
483    
484    "She brushes past my frozen form and messes with the hologram like some sort of keyboard, her fingers moving rapidly along its particle surface."
485    
486    play sound audio.off
487    stop music fadeout 1.0
488    
489    "Finally, the beeping ceases. She rubs her hands and turns back towards me." 
490    
491    show bea grin:
492        xalign 1.0 yalign 1.0
493        linear 0.5 xalign 0.5 
494    b "Hmph, you have a good look on your face even when being threatened."
495    
496    pov scared "..."
497    
498    show bea angry
499    b "This place is not for the weak of mind or body." 
500    b "Messing with the Svapna is one thing. I’m surprised the castle is still idling and we’re not thrown out into the depths of the unknown."
501    
502    "My breathing goes hard. Did I almost jeopardize all of us because of my curiosity?!"
503    
504    show bea grin
505    b "I’m half-joking."
506    
507    with hpunch
508    play sound audio.heavyimpact
509    
510    "{size=+20}{i}Half-joking?!?{/i}{/size}"
511    
512    play music "bgm/the great detective knows.ogg"
513    
514    show bea laugh
515    b "Most of it was a joke. I couldn’t help it. You were touching something off limits, so I had to punish you in some way." 
516    
517    show bea smug
518    b "Your reaction is quite priceless."
519    
520    "I want to speak up and reprimand this woman for scaring me, but I don’t have the strength to fight off such a scary person!"
521    
522    show bea normal
523    b "You’re the one Vassago brought back from the last dead dream?"
524    show bea smile
525    $ b_name = "Beatrice"
526    b "It’s nice to meet you. You can call me Lady Beatrice. I run this workshop and assist the prince, even if he worthless in some of his duties."
527    
528    "The change in mood is a 180 from her first appearance. I’m taken aback a bit, but I respond with politeness as best as I can muster."
529    
530    pov awkwardsmile "I’m [povname]. It’s nice to meet you, Beatrice."
531    
532    show bea grin
533    "She clears her throat."
534    b "{i}Lady{/i} Beatrice."
535    
536    pov reliefsweat "Ah…Lady Beatrice."
537    
538    b "You catch on quickly." 
539    
540    show bea angry
541    b "Unlike a certain someone who never did so."
542    
543    "Lady Beatrice side-eyes the depths of the bookshelves."
544    
545    show bea normal
546    b "[povname], you’re probably wondering what that holographic map is that you weren’t supposed to touch, hm?"
547    
548    pov awkwardsmile "Yeah. It is so bright and ornate. I’m sorry for touching it!"
549    
550    b "A lot of people end up touching it the first time they come in here. As long as you didn’t press a certain button."
551    
552    show bea normal at right with move
553    stop music fadeout 1.0
554    pause 1.0
555    play sound audio.off
556    show bea angry
557    
558    b "…!" 
559    
560    pov ohno "Is something wrong?"
561    
562    play sound audio.threatening
563    
564    show bea shock
565    
566    "Beads of sweat drop down her cheek, her haughty sense of composure shattered." 
567    "Something has happened…something drastic."
568    
569    pov distress "Don’t tell me I broke it!"
570    
571    b "All…"
572    
573    pov distress "…!"
574    
575    show bea tired
576    with vpunch
577    play sound audio.heavyimpact
578    
579    b "…my font has been replaced!"
580    
581    play music "bgm/the great detective knows.ogg"
582    
583    "{size=+20}Ack!{/size}"
584    
585    show bea tired ce
586    b "I toiled so hard to make sure the font was the right size, type, and position. Ah, who know a simple ignorant touch could set the font off by a few centimeters and entirely change it!" 
587    show bea smile at center with move
588    b "It’s too much of a stressor for me to fix, I’ll have Calix do it later. Yes, that sounds good."
589    
590    pov awkwardsmile "Um, then everything is fine? We’re not going to spiral out of control?"
591    
592    b "Well, the castle won’t, if that’s what you’re asking."
593    
594    "As opposed to…?"
595    
596    show bea normal
597    b "Back to what I was saying…the holographic map. Its name is the Svapna and is the map of dream worlds that we are cognizant of at this moment."
598    b "It also functions as the system responsible for controlling the castle."
599    
600    if stonedoor_check != True :
601        pov relief "This is a lot for me to taken in so suddenly, but…dream worlds?"
602        
603        show bea tired ce
604        b "It seems like I’m going to have to explain more than I thought. How bothersome…"
605        show bea normal
606        b "The Svapna records all the various realities that currently exist. You and I come different dreams, sort of like universes, brought together under the same roof." 
607        b "It is a partially omnipotent checker to assess the health of all those dreams."
608        
609    else:
610        pov listless "Vassago did mention the various worlds…or dreams, as he called them. He also did tell me that he and his Grand Mage are involved in protecting them."
611        
612        b "That’s me. The Svapna is a partially omnipotent check that assesses the health of those dreams." 
613        
614        b "Since it is our job to protect them, we need to utilize some way to jump in if it is threatened or in danger."
615    
616    pov listless "I see. It’s a map and an alert system."
617    
618    show bea smile
619    b "Precisely!"
620    
621    pov concernclose "How exactly does one enter into those dreams? I can’t imagine walking through the front door if we’re idling in some sort of space."
622    
623    show bea normal
624    b "The castle has a provisional portal system on the floor below us connected to the Svapna."
625    b "With a simple flick, if you know the coordinates from the map, you can easily find the portal you need to enter the dream."
626    
627    pov surprise "Wow, that’s incredibly convenient."
628    
629    show bea tired ce
630    b "Right now it isn’t, thanks to my font being replaced but…"
631    
632    pov scared "I’m so sorry!"
633    
634    show bea grin
635    b "Again, I’ll get Calix to fix it." 
636    
637    stop music fadeout 1.0
638    pause 2.0
639    play music "bgm/shika_long.ogg" fadein 2.0
640    
641    show bea concern
642    b "[povname], it must have been hard for you to come wandering in here. I admit I went off too much about the Svapna, but the chance was too good…I couldn’t stop myself…"
643    b "I’m sure you must be incredibly upset after…what you’ve recently experienced…"
644    
645    pov concernclose "…"
646    "Lady Beatrice’s facetious attitude drops as she knits her eyebrows."
647    
648    show bea concern ce
649    
650    pov concern "Yes, it’s heartbreaking and completely absurd. Ironically, I feel like this is a giant dream myself. What else am I to do though?" 
651    pov concernclose "Staying holed up under the covers of a bed to cry about everything would not solve any of my current issues…of what this place is…of why I am here."
652    pov concern "I won't deny that it will be difficult to overcome these emotions after witnessing what happened..."
653    
654    show bea normal ce
655    b "Don’t worry, most of it will fade away over time."
656    b "Think of it as being fate for you to be here instead."
657    
658    show bea smile
659    b "Oh, but I’m excited to have someone bright like you instead of my dreary assistant!"
660    stop music fadeout 1.0
661    
662    $ c_name = "???"
663    c "Don’t listen to that old lady; she’s off her rockers."
664    
665    show bea angry at right with move
666    pause 0.5
667    play sound audio.softthud
668    "Some books tumble to the floor from a nearby bookcase, followed by the sound of someone hitting the ground."
669    pause 0.5
670    play sound audio.fall
671    show ca angry ce at left, xflip with dissolve
672    
673    "Lady Beatrice’s mood sours as another person joins our group."
674    
675    show ca angry ce om
676    c "I heard everything you did, Beatrice. Honestly, do you take yourself to be the Grand Mage?"
677    play music "bgm/smile-less soiree.ogg"
678    
679    show bea grin
680    b "Your stinging words have no effect on me, Calix. I may be an old lady compared to you, but what I have in age, I gain in power and intelligence."
681    
682    $ c_name = "Calix"
683    $ calix_met = True
684    show ca angry ce
685    c "Jeez, from one extreme mood to the other."
686    
687    show ca normal
688    "The young man, Calix, regards me with a curt nod. No wonder why these two don’t agree on the same terms." 
689    "Calix emanates a stoic, stiff aura, opposite to Lady Beatrice’s playful trickster personality."
690    
691    show bea tired ce
692    b "Calix…you should treat the tomes here with more care. Letting them fall ungracefully to the floor…sleeping and hanging out on the top of the bookshelves. Have you no regard?"
693    
694    show ca angry
695    c "I do, that’s why I’m one of the only one using them here." 
696    
697    show ca angry om
698    c "Books get warped from use. An informative book is one that’s been thoroughly handled. It shows its owner has read it, not bought it to let it sit on a shelf collecting dust."
699    
700    show ca angry
701    pause 0.5
702    hide ca with dissolve
703    "He scoffs at her, but goes to pick up some of the books against his chagrin." 
704    
705    show bea smug
706    b "Hmm, since we’re at an impasse about this, why don’t we let [povname] break our tie?"
707    
708    show ca concern ce at left, xflip with dissolve
709    c "Are you making this into a competition now? I'll put the books away and not lounge on the shelves, give me more credit."
710    
711    b "I will once you start behaving yourself more, my {i}dearest{/i} assistant."
712    
713    show bea normal
714    b "[povname], who do you agree with?" 
715    b "Do you prefer keeping your books in pristine condition? Or do you rough-house them?"
716    
717    show ca angry om
718    c "I don’t rough-house them, I use them as they’re intended!" 
719    
720    show ca worry sweat
721    c "It happens that the pages get bent or covers ripped."
722    
723    window hide
724    menu:
725        "I like to keep my books in mint condition.":
726            window auto
727            show bea laugh
728            b "I win."
729            show bea smug
730            b "Isn’t it the most obvious choice? Books and tools are important to keep in good condition when you need to use them. They last longer in the end."
731            
732            show ca indifferent
733            c "Whatever, let your books collect dust for all I care. Getting usage out of them matters more to me."
734       
735        "Books can be kept pristine if you are careful.":
736            $ cal_points += 1
737            play sound audio.point
738            show rose4:
739                xalign 0.1 yalign 0.4 
740                contains rosepoint
741            pause 1.0
742            window auto
743            
744            show ca normal
745            c "You’d have to be incredibly careful when you’re handling the book." 
746            
747            show ca indifferent
748            c "More careful if you’re doing experiments where there’s a danger that you might spill something onto it."
749            
750            show bea angry
751            b "May I ask what you’ve been doing lately with my books?"
752            
753            show ca worry se sweat
754            c "…Nothing in particular..."
755            
756    show bea normal
757    b "Thank you for your input, [povname]. Already, it is nice to have a middleman in our conversations."
758    
759    show ca indifferent
760    c "I’d have to agree for once. A new face is good to break the monotony."
761    
762    show bea laugh
763    b "Let’s not forget, Calix. You were in her position once. So now you’ve been elevated to the position of her senior."
764    
765    show bea smug
766    show ca angry om
767    c "Senior? The only senior here is you!"
768    
769    "Calix brandishes a book like a weapon at Lady Beatrice, yet she doesn’t make any movement to suggest intimidation."
770    
771    b "You should start acting more respectfully to authority figures, such as me, your Grand Mage, to set an example for her."
772    
773    show ca angry
774    c "And let you walk all over me? I believe in fairness, which necessitates being firm in certain situations."
775    
776    show bea tired ce
777    b "All this coming from a lowly assistant. Being assertive is one thing, knowing your role and place is another."
778    
779    pov awkwardsmile "Um, having Calix as a guide would be useful for someone new like me. We seem to be around the same age, so…"
780    
781    show bea smug
782    b "Appearances can be deceiving..."
783    
784    show ca angry ce
785    c "She’s one to talk."
786    
787    show bea normal
788    b "[povname] makes a good point." 
789    b "After everything is settled, why not give her a tour around, Calix? It’d be an opportunity for her to become more accustomed to everything and for you to get along." 
790    
791    show ca normal
792    c "I suppose if I must."
793    
794    show bea smile
795    b "Mhmm! You can always come back here too once you’re done. I told [povname] about the Svapna, but I’m sure she must have many more questions in the back of her mind."
796    
797    pov reliefsweat "I admittedly do." 
798    
799    c "I’m fine with that. Annette is probably preparing a large lunch and expects all of us for it. So, we’ll see each other then and we can figure out what do."
800    
801    pov normal "All right. I’m going to look around a little bit more first beforehand. I want to get a feel for my surroundings on my own first."
802    
803    show bea grin
804    b "If you return and I’m not here, don’t touch the Svapna!"
805    
806    show bea laugh
807    b "{cps=20}{size=15}Oh…Calix, by the way…the font…{/size}{/cps}"
808    
809    "Before I can hear another argument break out between them, I scurry away back into the foyer."
810    
811    hide ca
812    hide bea
813    with dissolve
814    
815    $ librarymeet_check = True
816    
817    $ entry_lbea1 = True
818    $ entry_cal1 = True
819    $ entry_sva1 = True
820    
821    stop music fadeout 1.0
822    
823    window hide
824    scene bg black with fade
825    pause 0.5
826    play sound audio.intercom
827    $ enc_lock = True
828    centered "{font=OratorStd.otf}You can now access the Encyclopedia via the Affection Screen.{/font}"
829    play sound audio.intercom
830    centered "{font=OratorStd.otf}Be on the look out for new entries.{/font}"
831    
832    scene bg foyer with fade
833    play music "bgm/haruka.ogg"
834    jump foyercheckmenu
835
836# 1-3
837
838label ch1continue:
839pause 1.0
840stop music fadeout 1.0
841
842window auto
843"After scurrying around the castle for several hours, I hear a distant voice calling my name."
844
845an "[povname]!"
846show ann normal at afix with dissolve
847
848"Out from the right hallway branching off from the foyer comes Annette. As soon as she catches up to me, she messes with her dress to make herself presentable." 
849
850show ann happy 
851an "Lunch is ready, [povname]. This way, please."
852
853$ ch1_2 = False
854$ ch1_3 = True
855
856"Before I can ask anything else, she shows me into the hallway she erupted a moment ago."
857hide ann with dissolve
858
859scene bg black with fade
860scene bg parlor with fade
861play music "bgm/cage.ogg"
862
863"A comfy parlor greets us. Already there are…"
864
865show bea normal with dissolve
866
867"Lady Beatrice."
868
869hide bea with dissolve
870
871show ca normal with dissolve
872
873"And Calix."
874
875hide ca normal with dissolve
876
877"Strangely, Vassago is missing."
878"Lady Beatrice sits comfortably in a large armchair holding an ornate tea cup. Steam pours from it and an herby aroma drifts through the room." 
879"Meanwhile, Calix lounges on the opposite end of the coffee table."
880"Off to the side, a large silver cart is parked, brimming with a teapot and several platters of small sandwiches and fruit."
881
882show ann happy at afix with dissolve
883an "I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I made the best tea sandwiches I possibly could whip up."
884
885"Annette’s optimism is far different from Lady Beatrice’s facetious amicability."
886"She shoots me a grin mixed with concern and triumph, like a contestant awaiting a judge’s decision."
887
888hide ann with dissolve
889
890"I don’t want to betray her expectations; it’s not as though I’m a picky eater or anything, but what more sets off my nervousness is hesitating or not joining the group for lunch."
891"So, I carefully take one of the sandwiches, sit down on a chaise that is adjacent to Lady Beatrice and Calix, and take a small bite."
892"It’s not as unlike any  other sandwich I’ve had in the past."
893"But, it’s still delicious for some reason."
894
895show ann concern at afix with dissolve
896"As I munch, Annette hovers over me. Her nervousness growing more and more apparent until I speak."
897
898pov blushhappy "It’s quite good!"
899
900show ann relief animation:
901    pause 0.5
902    "ann happy"
903    pause 0.5
904    "ann normal"
905an "...I'm glad."
906
907show bea normal at left, xflip with dissolve
908b "You should be grateful about today’s lunch. Annette went all out with the sandwiches. The tea is something more delicious too."
909
910show ann blush
911an "All I wanted to do was prepare something a little special..."
912"My stomach is reminded of this, and I suppress the urge to entirely down the food in front of me. Instead, I take one of the already poured tea cups and politely mask my hunger by slowly sipping it."
913
914scene bg black with fade
915hide bea
916hide ann
917with dissolve
918
919"Taste.{w} Smell.{w} Texture."
920"If this truly is a dream, then it’s the most lucid one I’ve ever had."
921"If not a dream, then this is the reality."
922"Maybe, it’s not as bad as I’m thinking."
923"Already I’ve met people who share similar experiences and they’ve accepted me with open arms." 
924"Vassago may be stiff to interact with, Annette may be too pandering, Lady Beatrice too much of a joker, and Calix too coarse…"
925"All of them have expressed genuine empathy to make me feel better."
926"I should be grateful for this and the fact that they already deem themselves as comrades to me."
927"However, I can't entirely shake my experiences off to fully acknowledge their welcomes."
928
929window hide
930pause 2.0
931stop music fadeout 1.0
932
933scene bg parlor with fade
934window auto
935play music audio.clock
936
937"We finish with our lunch and Annette clears everything away save for the tea set." 
938"Lady Beatrice is into another cup. Calix hasn’t touched anything except for a few sandwiches." 
939"Most of the food was eaten by me…with a lot of embarrassment…although nobody paid my appetite any mind, most likely because they expected it."
940"Once silence fills the air among us, Lady Beatrice speaks."
941
942show bea normal at left, xflip
943show ca normal at right
944with dissolve
945
946b "Now that we’re all satisfied, it’s time [povname] gain more insight into our situation."
947b "After all, she needs some context before Calix whisks her away on a tour."
948
949"I set my own cup on the coffee table, prepared for what she has to say."
950
951stop music
952play music "bgm/sirabe_oche.ogg"
953
954show bea angry
955b "Dying dreams have increasingly become a major issue. As the Svapna identifies them, it is our responsibility in attempting to stop them from becoming destroyed." 
956b "This is the reason why this castle exists…why we are granted our forms."
957show bea normal
958
959$ entry_somn1 = True
960$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
961
962b "I have taken a liking to calling us the {color=efbd12}Somnonauts{/color}. Our official duty is to enter those dreams, stop the forces behind their destruction, and develop methods to further protect them."
963
964pov listless "Then those spires I saw where a part of this castle from you trying to protect my dream?"
965
966show ca indifferent
967
968$ entry_casp2 = True
969$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
970
971c "Not really. Those {color=efbd12}spires{/color} are the damage from the castle itself. Hostile dream invaders take notice of our presence and attempt to bring us down."
972
973pov concern "The damage from the castle did essentially save me. I woke up on one of them and managed to find the door inside."
974
975show bea angry
976
977"Everyone halts. Even Lady Beatrice is at a loss for words, yet she rapidly masks her surprise with a furrowing of her brows."
978
979show bea angry om
980b "The Somnonauts consist of people Prince Vassago brings back from the devastation. Never have we had someone breach the castle."
981
982pov concern "A light lead me here. Some sort of purple glow that fluttered around."
983
984show ca angry
985"Calix adjusts his glasses, glancing at Lady Beatrice for an explanation. She holds a hand to her mouth in thought."
986
987show bea angry sweat
988b "…Could it be? But, there’s no other explanation. [povname], do you remember anything specific about that light besides its color? Any shape?"
989
990pov concernclose "No. It was smoggy, and I was incredibly tired."
991
992c "Give her a bit of a break. Not everyone has the tenacity to climb the side of a castle amidst the destruction of their own dream."
993
994show bea concern ce
995b "That may be true. Yet, this is puzzling circumstance. It normally doesn’t leave the castle unless it accompanies us in search of the Anomalies. It has never brought a dream character into the castle."
996
997pov concernclose "I wish I could remember more."
998
999show ann concern at afix with dissolve
1000an "I'm sorry to interrupt, but [povname] has gone through a lot in such a short amount of time as Mr. Calix has said." 
1001an "Perhaps what she saw was a trick of the mind and not the Lantern?"
1002
1003"All these terms being thrown out in the air spin my head. I must have made a confused expression because Lady Beatrice begins to speak with a gentler tone."
1004
1005show bea concern
1006b "I apologize for getting ahead of myself without explanation. Everything is suddenly so astonishing. I cannot understand the Lantern’s reason for leading you here."
1007
1008show ca normal
1009c "What Beatrice says about the Lantern…well, you’ll see it in the workshop if you haven’t already." 
1010
1011show ca angry
1012
1013$ entry_ano1 = True
1014$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1015
1016c "It’s…some sort of {color=efbd12}Anomaly{/color} detecting device. They're the hostile invaders and the ones that destroy dreams."
1017b "Even Vassago doesn’t know the reasons for the Lantern's existence outside of that. The Somnonauts have always possessed it, ever since my Master and I devised the Svapna with Vassago’s assistance."
1018
1019show ca worry se
1020
1021$ entry_lan1 = True
1022$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1023
1024c "Stranger is the {color=efbd12}Lantern{/color} acts on its own. It moves on its own, floats towards where the Anomaly is located so we can take it out. There is no other way it can communicate except to lead us."
1025
1026b "The Somnonauts would not exist without the Lantern to show us the location of Anomalies."
1027
1028show bea angry sweat
1029b "Although the Svapna is the infrastructure, the Lantern is a seperate acting component that we cannot control."
1030
1031show ann concern ce
1032an "For it to be out of Lady Beatrice’s understanding must mean it is something outside the realm of basic comprehension…"
1033
1034show bea tired ce
1035
1036b "I’ll look more into it later. Right now, [povname] shouldn’t be bothered by these issues."
1037
1038show ca indifferent
1039c "Yes, let’s not diverge too much here. A person can take in so much information when they’re recovering from stress."
1040
1041hide ca
1042hide ann
1043with dissolve
1044
1045show bea normal at center with move
1046b "So…the Somnonauts." 
1047
1048$ entry_realm1 = True
1049$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1050
1051b "We destroy the Anomalies to protect dreams. In return, our castle is provided with energy to exist in the {color=efbd12}Realm Between Dreams{/color}."
1052
1053show ca normal at right with dissolve
1054c "That is a working name. We don’t know exactly where the castle resides when not in a dream."
1055
1056pov surprise "Oh, that’s what you mean by being in terminal velocity? The castle sounds like it’s floating or falling in between two spaces."
1057
1058b "Outside the walls, there is a mass amount of energy like the constant falling of an object: terminal velocity."
1059
1060show bea concern ce
1061b "Like the Lantern, I can’t quantify what it is, but it is large and consistent enough to keep us in place."
1062
1063show ca worry se
1064c "Going outside the castle is dangerous unless you’re prepared. Not only is there a black nothingness, but the constant energy makes it feel like the castle is eternally falling." 
1065
1066show ca worry sweat
1067c "You can end up falling forever in that nothingness if you take one misstep."
1068
1069"I gulp. If Vassago didn’t stop me from opening the door previously and it wasn’t locked…"
1070
1071show bea normal
1072b "This energy is a blessing though. We can siphon some of it via the Svapna to enter a dream when needed." 
1073b "As well, the individual collection of dreams is the main source of fuel to keep us existing in the Realm. By protecting dreams, we ensure our safety along with the lives of many dream characters."
1074
1075show ca normal
1076
1077$ entry_dcha1 = True
1078$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1079
1080c "{color=efbd12}Dream characters{/color} being me, you, everyone essentially…before we entered this castle."
1081
1082show bea normal ce
1083b "Yes, our existences are vastly different than those of dream characters. Dream characters are restricted by the reality of the dream they exist within. That is why magic is more capable here."
1084
1085pov surprise "Wait, magic? Like card tricks or do you mean…actual magic…spellcasting…?"
1086
1087show ca angry ce
1088c "Beatrice, sometimes you need to remember that certain dreams restrict magic entirely."
1089
1090show bea laugh
1091show ca worry se
1092b "Card tricks…hahahaha!"
1093
1094"I flush at my mistake, peering away from the group to calm myself and focus on lessening the heat emanating from my earlobes."
1095
1096show bea smug
1097b "Sorry, for a Grand Mage to be asked about card tricks is humorous." 
1098
1099show bea normal ce
1100b "It’s nothing against your lack of knowledge. I suppose the nature of magic is a topic I can expound upon to you another time, [povname]. It’s a delicate subject that I’m positive I will ramble on about."
1101
1102show ca angry
1103c "Yeah, don’t subject her to any more rambling. She’s had enough for one day."
1104
1105pov reliefclose "Having my questions answered eases my heart a bit." 
1106pov reliefclose "When I experienced the destruction of my dream world and first woke up here in this castle, I thought I was wading through murky water with no sense of direction. Now I can quantify what’s going on."
1107pov concern "But, I’m not going to deny that I’m entirely exhausted. It’s a lot to sort through."
1108
1109show ann concern with dissolve:
1110    zoom 1.1
1111    xalign 0 yalign 0.5
1112an "Maybe we should take a break then? Allow [povname] some time alone to collect her thoughts?"
1113
1114window hide
1115menu:
1116    "I’d rather rest, maybe go to bed earlier.":
1117        window auto
1118        
1119        pov concernclose "To be honest, I’d rather rest in bed. Between the emotional and physical exhaustion, I can't spare any more energy for conversation."
1120        
1121        show ca indifferent
1122        c "Do what you have to do. Whenever you have the strength, come find one of us if you have any other questions."
1123        
1124    "Yes, I want time alone to sort through my thoughts.":
1125        $ cal_points += 1
1126        play sound audio.point
1127        show rose4:
1128            xalign 0.9 yalign 0.5 
1129            contains rosepoint
1130        pause 1.0
1131        window auto
1132        pov concern "I won’t deny that hearing everything has jumbled my mind. It might be best for me to take some time to myself."
1133         
1134        show ca smile
1135        c "Take your time. It may be a lot of information to sort through, but you’ll get a better grasp of it."
1136
1137show bea smug 
1138b "And, Calix has to take you on a tour of some parts of the castle. Don’t forget it now." 
1139
1140show bea normal
1141b "Making sense of your environment, becoming accustomed to it, is imperative when accepting change, no matter how drastic."
1142hide bea
1143hide ca
1144with dissolve
1145
1146show ann normal at center,afix with move
1147an "[povname], I can show you to your room in case you get lost?"
1148
1149pov normal "That would be good."
1150
1151stop music fadeout 1.0
1152
1153hide ann with dissolve
1154scene bg black with dissolve
1155pause 1.0
1156
1157scene bg foyer with dissolve
1158
1159"I suppress sighing as soon as we exit. Although most of everything was elucidated to me, a sense of uneasiness settles in my stomach."
1160"Maybe it was because I ate too much. Experiencing so much shock put a damper on my energy, and after having calmed down a bit, I was restoring my sense of equilibrium."
1161"Silence stretches between Annette and I as we make our way back to the room I woke up in a bit ago." 
1162
1163scene bg black with dissolve
1164pause 1.0
1165scene bg hallway with dissolve
1166
1167show ann concern at afix with dissolve
1168an "Please let me know if you need anything else."
1169
1170pov concernclose "All right."
1171
1172"Despite my confirmation, she doesn’t move."
1173
1174play music "bgm/novelette.ogg"
1175
1176show ann concern ce
1177an "What was discussed during lunch…no, your reactions…[povname], if there is absolutely anything you need, do not hesitate to ask me." 
1178an "It is my duty to take care of you and everyone here in this castle." 
1179
1180pov concern  "I need some time is all."
1181
1182an "…I understand." 
1183
1184show ann concern
1185an "But…we must depend on each other. We are like a family, so in times of need, we are there for each other." 
1186an "My job is a maid because I want to help with domestic tasks. That doesn’t mean I can’t be here for you or anyone else as a friend."
1187
1188"I’m a little lost for words at her heartfelt confession, which is strange as I should be used to similar collectivist ideas." 
1189"Since waking up and dealing with the newfound discoveries, Annette has only been as kind as possible with me." 
1190"To her, I must sound like I’m brushing off her worry as a part of her formal duties…and not because she wants to grow close to me."
1191"A situation like this makes me hesitant. Back in my dream, everyone got along out of necessity, not because of our personal feelings." 
1192"Sure, we may have had attachments to specific people such as our birth parents. Those had the tag of 'necessity' attached to them or were due to familiarity and politeness." 
1193"Annette previously mentioned that everyone in the castle experienced similar things when their dream was destroyed...so it would make sense for everyone to develop a sense of comradery."
1194"Our ordeals and backgrounds can exactly compare enough to warrant complete empathy anyway."
1195"I can't deny that Annette and the others have tried their best to make me comfortable. I honestly appreciate the trouble everyone has gone through."
1196
1197pov relief  "I would like to spend more time with you and everyone. You’ve been supportive of me so much, so it’s fair I show gratitude." 
1198
1199show ann happy
1200an "Hearing that makes me glad." 
1201show ann normal
1202an "Then, I’ll let you be for the rest of the day."
1203
1204hide ann with dissolve
1205
1206"She bids me goodbye and turns heel down the hallway. With nothing else to do, I go into my room."
1207
1208stop music fadeout 1.0
1209scene bg black with fade
1210scene bg povbed with fade
1211pause 1.0
1212play sound audio.softthud
1213with vpunch
1214
1215"My body hits the mattress. Laying down, my limbs weigh heavily against it." 
1216"When exploring around the castle, I never noticed how tired I truly was from the ordeal the day before."
1217"Some things plague my mind as I rest with my arms spread along the length of the bed."
1218"Why was everyone so insistent on referring to things as 'dreams'? Calling something a dream entrails there is a dreamer…someone who is the source of everything." 
1219"For each of our worlds…no dreams…we must have been under the influence of the dreamer as dream characters. Once entering the castle, we became independent." 
1220"That’s the only thing I can imagine in this scenario." 
1221"Completely different from my own world I knew." 
1222"I’m in denial of it, mainly because a part of me doesn’t like being deluded to a large-scale extent."
1223"When I lived in my dream, I was the subject of my own naïve narrative. Then, arriving to this castle and being told the truth makes me out to be inconsequential."
1224"All my worries from before the Anomaly destroyed the dream…all of them are so small and insignificant compared to what the Somnonauts undertake. Or whoever is the 'dreamer' and source of the dreams." 
1225"Over and over, I try to figure out what really is the meaning to it. Maybe I’m overthinking about it and need to take it at face value." 
1226"The dreams are simply dream worlds, or the way the Somnonauts refer to it."
1227"Soon…the ceiling of the room grows hazy. I turn onto my side, allowing my body to sink even further into the mattress."
1228
1229$ ch1_3 = False
1230scene bg black with eyein
1231pause 3.0
1232
1233"A familiar scene is before me."
1234
1235play music "bgm/circulation.ogg"
1236
1237scene bg giantdoor with fade
1238
1239"The door to the castle of Vassago looms ahead. Except it has changed."
1240"Gone is the dark mahogany. Gone is the castle walls I leaned against in support when fleeing the disaster of my dying dream."
1241"It stands with a brilliant white sheen. Thrice as large as before, with stairs of the same marble leading up to a dais that raises it." 
1242"Someone stands before it, their dark figure silhouetted against its ethereal." 
1243"As I approach the dais, the person shuffles. Their hands claw against the space where the two doors meet to open it. However, the double doors do not budge no matter how hard the person yells out in agony." 
1244
1245play sound audio.hardhit
1246
1247"The dark shadow slams a fist against the frame with a yell."
1248
1249play sound audio.footsteps
1250
1251"My feet approach the beginning of the steps and they notice me."
1252
1253q "Leave this place! Do you not realize what a drastic mistake you are committing!?"
1254
1255"I pause, confused. What exactly constitutes 'this place'?" 
1256"No...now is not the time to focus on something like that." 
1257"The person attempting to pry the doors open should be stopped at any cost."
1258"Beyond that door lies something they should not tamper with. To do so would be a great unholy sin." 
1259"It cannot ever be undone or fixed if their plan comes to fruition when they open that door." 
1260
1261play sound audio.footsteps
1262
1263"The person growls as I climb up the steps."
1264
1265q  "You do not understand, you will never understand this anguish I have endured!"
1266q "For all my existence, I have waited for the opportunity. Now, here it is before me, yet you impede my progress."
1267
1268"This is not the right way to approach it, I say." 
1269"That’s all right." 
1270"You are unable to realize the extent of your folly because you are blinded by self-inflicted suffering. It happens to us all."
1271
1272q "Do not compare my existence to your own. Your struggles pale in comparison to mine."
1273
1274"It has nothing to do with comparison."
1275"What you are planning to do not only affects all of us. Something must be done to prevent that." 
1276"And so, I reach out to the shadow to stop them. They swat me aside and resume banging on the door."
1277
1278scene bg black with fade
1279pause 0.5
1280
1281"...Why can't I understand you?"
1282"I want to understand you. I really do."
1283"Please, let me..."
1284
1285scene bg giantdoor with fade
1286pause 0.5
1287
1288"My attempts fall on death ears." 
1289
1290play sound audio.doorcreak
1291
1292"This time, they are successful."
1293"I cry out to stop."
1294
1295window hide
1296play sound audio.shatter
1297with flashbulb
1298scene bg white with fade
1299
1300"The world is flooded in a strange light." 
1301
1302stop music fadeout 1.0
1303play sound audio.agartha
1304scene bg spiral with Pixellate(1,10)
1305
1306"Indistinctively, I hear the person shouting, but they are drowned out by the expansive void that overtakes me."
1307
1308scene bg black with dissolve
1309pause 1.0
1310centered "{cps=10}{size=+10}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}Welcome home{/font}{/size}{/cps}"
1311pause 3.0
1312
1313$ ch1_41 = True
1314
1315# 1-4
1316
1317scene bg povbed with dissolve
1318window auto
1319play music "bgm/cage.ogg" fadein 1.0
1320
1321show ann normal at afix with dissolve
1322
1323"When I wake up the following morning, I find Annette in my room again." 
1324"Already, we had fallen into a routine as though we had been doing it for years." 
1325
1326show ann happy
1327
1328"Annette is cheery as usual, her vitality contagious to alleviate my own and making me more at ease."
1329"Of course, I won’t ever be able to forget what I witnessed during the destruction of my dream…but having this small relief was enough to soothe any remaining doubts."
1330
1331hide ann with dissolve
1332
1333"As I get ready, I remember the fact that I dreamt. Although the details of the dream remain foggy, it confirms that my new life with the Somnonauts was reality, not a dream within a dream." 
1334"I pinch my forearm to double check."
1335"Nothing happens."
1336"Then again, perhaps this is one of those dreams where you simply can’t realize you’re dreaming no matter what you do?" 
1337"Ruminating like this will make me doubt everything more." 
1338"Whether or not this is a dream, I want to trust Annette and everyone for what they’ve already done."
1339"Annette leaves me to my own devices and I have the day to myself once again." 
1340"I take a moment to wonder what to do until I recall that Calix promised me a tour. With renewed rigor to my step from my rest, I rush off to the library to find him."
1341
1342scene bg black with fade
1343pause 3.0
1344scene bg foyer with fade
1345pause 1.0
1346
1347show ca normal with dissolve
1348pause 0.5
1349c "That concludes what I can show you. There’s obviously much more to the castle, but it’s either off limits or abandoned."
1350
1351"After a few hours of wandering and leading me to several places, Calix begins to end the long-awaited tour." 
1352"He guided me to several new areas, such as a ballroom, some towers, and extensions of the library, astutely explaining the reasons for the rooms." 
1353
1354"The account was…rather dry. The day before, I discovered more interesting places on my own."
1355
1356show ca normal se
1357
1358c "I forgot about the boiler room. Oh well, we’ll eventually go down there. I don’t want to deal with it right now."
1359
1360pov awkwardsmile "I could use a break myself."
1361
1362hide ca with dissolve
1363play sound audio.footsteps
1364
1365"Calix breaks into a stride, probably back to the library, without consulting me on his plans for the rest of the day." 
1366"Taken aback by his briskness, I catch up to him, falling into the same pace."
1367
1368scene bg hallway2 with fade
1369
1370"Despite his attention to detail, his manner was ever as callous." 
1371"Back when I met him before the tour in the library, he rested on the top of a bookcase, obviously not having heeded Lady Beatrice’s warnings." 
1372"I almost didn't notice him up there with all the books hiding him. It took me several tries to get his attention and, when I did, he reacted bluntly to my request for the tour."
1373"I have no clue why he is in such a bad mood." 
1374"It’s also likely he is not aware of his sardonic attitude when interacting with others."
1375"Either way, today seems different. I haven’t known him too long, but his replies are much curter and abrasive than the day before." 
1376"The stiff air between us hangs heavy, so I say what first comes to mind as an effort to change his mood."
1377
1378show ca normal with dissolve
1379
1380pov normal "It seems like you and Lady Beatrice have known each other for awhile. You can joke with each other so effortlessly it is natural."
1381
1382show ca indifferent
1383c "I wouldn’t call it joking. Beatrice does whatever she wants because she has the freedom to. Someone has to stand up to her capriciousness if I don’t."
1384
1385pov normal "She does get a lot of enjoyment from spending time with you."
1386
1387show ca angry ce
1388c "I wouldn’t mind it so much if she would go back to studying magic more. All she does is bother me about the Svapna and the Realm." 
1389
1390show ca worry sweat
1391c "It’s a major distraction to my studies and a waste of her talent. But, it’s not like I can tell her that."
1392
1393pov concern "Maybe you can slowly insinuate it to her. Or, try to come to terms."
1394
1395show ca angry
1396pov ohno "…!" 
1397
1398show ca angry animation:
1399    "ca angry ce"
1400    pause 0.4
1401    "ca indifferent"
1402    pause 0.4
1403    "ca normal"
1404    pause 0.4
1405    "ca normal se"
1406    pause 0.4
1407    "ca nervous se sweat"
1408    
1409pov awkwardsmile "I didn’t mean for that to come off as cheeky."
1410
1411show ca nervous
1412c "No, it’s fine. I appreciate it, even if it is unwarranted."
1413
1414show ca worry se
1415c "It’s more difficult than that though when Beatrice also has selective hearing."
1416"Our conversation dies off, but we luckily reach the library within a few more turns around the hallway." 
1417
1418hide ca with dissolve
1419scene bg black with fade
1420scene bg library with dissolve
1421
1422"As soon as we enter, Lady Beatrice breaks her scrutiny of the Svapna’s holographic interface."
1423
1424show bea normal with dissolve
1425b "How did the tour go? Did he give you any trouble?"
1426
1427pov awkwardsmile "He was…informational."
1428
1429show bea angry ce
1430b "He {i}better{/i} be. I raised him to be a model and upright person."
1431show bea angry at right with move
1432
1433show ca angry at left, xflip with dissolve
1434c "My blood pressure is the only thing you've raised."
1435
1436show bea normal
1437b "I don’t expect you to sit around and do nothing today, [povname]. As we discussed, I plan to show you some things regarding magic."
1438
1439hide ca with dissolve
1440
1441"Calix stalks to the back, in the safety of a bookcase after having said his usual fill to Lady Beatrice." 
1442play sound audio.swoop
1443
1444"With a foot on a shelf, he leaps to the top where he is absorbed by the tower of books." 
1445"Lady Beatrice seems not to notice…or maybe her selective hearing applies to her vision as well."
1446
1447pov surprise "Really?!"
1448pov concern "I mean…we can try if you don't have anything else to do."
1449
1450show bea normal ce at center with move
1451b "Magic is the fundamental rite of the soul. Not knowing a small amount puts you at an extreme disadvantage, so it is important you know the basics right away." 
1452
1453pov surprise "I’m not sure I have the capacity to cast any sort of spell though. Back in my original dream, magic was fake."
1454
1455show bea concern ce
1456b "A dream like that sounds dreary and boring." 
1457
1458show bea normal
1459b "I do believe you’ll find everything a lot easier than you imagine. You never know until you try."
1460
1461pov awkwardsmile "... (This is somewhat absurd, but why not…?)"
1462
1463show bea normal
1464stop music fadeout 1.0
1465pause 1.0
1466play music "bgm/haruka.ogg"
1467
1468$ entry_magic = True
1469$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1470
1471b "As I said, {color=efbd12}magic{/color} is a rite of the soul. It is essentially how the soul influences the world around it."
1472b "Dreams impose rules that allow the extent to which the soul can use magic, that’s the difference between me growing up a mage and yours considering it fake."
1473
1474show bea normal ce
1475b "That being said, there are five core elements, separated into how the soul influences the environment." 
1476scene bg black with fade
1477hide bea
1478
1479show fire element at truecenter with dissolve
1480b "Fire, which is my dearest assistant’s proficiency…that affects thermal energy." 
1481hide fire element with dissolve
1482
1483show water element at truecenter with dissolve
1484b "Water, affecting animate objects."
1485hide water element with dissolve
1486
1487show earth element at truecenter with dissolve
1488b "Reverse is earth… to affect inanimate objects."
1489hide earth element with dissolve
1490
1491show wind element at truecenter with dissolve
1492b "Wind handles kinetic energy, usually movement"
1493hide wind element with dissolve
1494
1495show aether element at truecenter with dissolve
1496b "Finally, aether, more mysterious of the five, that affects incorporeal space."
1497hide aether element with dissolve
1498
1499$ entry_magicf = True
1500$ entry_magicwa = True
1501$ entry_magicwi = True
1502$ entry_magice = True
1503
1504scene bg library with fade
1505show bea normal with dissolve
1506
1507$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1508
1509b "I am a master of all {color=efbd12}four elements{/color}, barring the aether element, which I believe to deal with the movement of the soul itself." 
1510b "Summoning an object from nothing, teleporting or moving through space, such as the Realm…those might be what constitutes it." 
1511b "Does this make sense so far?"
1512#entries for all magic types
1513
1514pov listless "Yes, although it’s surprising how simplistic everything is."
1515
1516show bea normal ce
1517b "It’s not really. Those are basic building blocks to magic. Magic may involve collaboration among various elements to achieve a certain effect."
1518
1519show bea normal
1520b "Water evaporates into air with heat. Air condenses into water with lack of heat. Both contain molecules that can move quickly or slow down, with or without certain amounts of thermal energy." 
1521
1522show bea normal ce
1523b "Everything is connected, flowing together. Healing a wound can be sped up with wind magic for instance, to increase the movement of the body’s particles. Each element has its own idiosyncrasies."
1524
1525pov reliefsweat "I see how that makes it more difficult now." 
1526pov listless "No wonder why aether is an unknown; you can’t measure a soul or its movement if its incorporeal."
1527
1528show bea normal
1529
1530$ entry_soul1 = True
1531$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1532
1533b "To an extent, we know it exists. If it weren’t for us having {color=efbd12}souls{/color}, then we wouldn’t have our forms as we do now in this castle, nor would we exist outside the dreams." 
1534b "Or even be capable of magic…but, like science, the study of magic investigates cause and effect on replication, with tangible results in the world we can measure." 
1535
1536show bea normal ce
1537
1538$ entry_magica = True
1539$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1540
1541b "{color=efbd12}Aether magic{/color} is different. It makes the intangible become tangible. The other four elements work on what is already observable." 
1542b "How can we measure something we cannot quantify before it exists?"
1543
1544hide bea with dissolve
1545
1546show bg black with fade
1547"In my old dream, there was a vigorous debate with studying religion alongside science." 
1548"Both were scrapped in the end, deemed too inconvenient for either to exist once our society reached its pinnacle."
1549
1550show bg library with fade
1551show bea normal ce with dissolve
1552
1553pov concern "My world never contemplated that question. Everyone was born into classes and we worked towards a common goal: ensuring the future through stability." 
1554pov concern "Newfound discoveries in science or new religions threatened to break the already built system."
1555
1556show bea concern ce
1557b "Hm, it appears your dream was nearing its end by time we arrived. Usually dreams that reach their pinnacle are the ones that attract Anomalies."
1558
1559pov concern "If the Anomaly were…stopped, could it have been possible to save my dream then?"
1560
1561show bea angry
1562b "I believe so."
1563
1564pov concernclose "The Anomalies sound like a dreadful thing to have to fight off. I have to hand it to the Somnonauts for dealing with them."
1565
1566show bea normal
1567b "We’ve drastically changed subjects, [povname]. However, it’s good timing."
1568
1569show bea angry
1570b "Calix, would you come down from there?  What did I tell you about laying on the bookcase tops? What if it topples over?"
1571
1572play sound audio.fall
1573pause 0.5
1574show bea angry at right with move
1575show ca angry ce at left,xflip with dissolve
1576
1577"As soon as Lady Beatrice’s warnings reach Calix, several books descend to the floor in a clatter as Calix jumps down."
1578
1579show ca angry om
1580c "Are you afraid I'm going to get hurt? Or that your books will?"
1581show ca angry
1582
1583show bea smile
1584b "Now, Calix, if you were to get injured, then I wouldn't have anyone to service the Svapna."
1585
1586show ca indifferent
1587c "See? She’s not concerned with me one bit."
1588
1589show bea normal
1590b "We mentioned the Lantern yesterday, so let’s divulge into that since you’ve seen it already."
1591
1592play sound audio.keychain
1593"With that, Lady Beatrice gropes around her waist under her belt to produce a key which she hands to Calix." 
1594
1595hide ca with dissolve
1596"Begrudgingly, he swipes it from her and walks around the Svapna’s table console to a glass cabinet situated in the back of the library, past some potted trees."  
1597
1598play sound audio.kusari
1599"The key slides into the lock and Calix props the door open as he rummages inside."
1600"It takes him a full minute to pull out an ornate silver lantern, which he places on the Svapna’s table when he returns to Lady Beatrice’s side."
1601"Almost two feet long, the Lantern rests at an angle on the flat surface. The sheer glass cage conceals a globe for light. Attached to two of the four sides, between the frame, are petal like wings, currently folded." 
1602"It looks more mechanical than anything."
1603
1604show bea concern
1605b "I desperately want to open it, but no matter what sort of experiment I conduct, it won’t budge."
1606
1607show ca normal se at left,xflip with dissolve
1608c "Sssh. Don’t say anything suspicious like that. If it heard you, it’d fly off or lock itself back in the cabinet." 
1609
1610show bea concern ce
1611b "The Lantern is a strange item…it showed up since the beginning of the Svapna’s creation."
1612b "After Vassago, my Master, and I reached the Realm, it appeared hovering throughout the castle." 
1613
1614show bea concern
1615b "It wouldn’t let anyone touch it and rested in that cabinet over there. By chance one day, it followed me into a dream and saved me from being attacked by an Anomaly."
1616
1617show bea normal
1618b "I mentioned this before, but the Lantern senses the location of an Anomaly." 
1619b "By leading us to it right away, we can secure the safety of the dream by removing the Anomaly threat as soon as possible."
1620
1621show bea concern
1622b "Right now, the Lantern is in a state of dormancy. Once anyone tampers with it, besides moving it around, it will 'wake up' and fly off where you can’t reach it."
1623
1624show ca worry se
1625c "We should put it back into the cabinet. If it does wake up, it’s a real hassle to catch it."
1626
1627play sound "se/horror.wav"
1628"As if by cue, a soft violet glow emanates through the glass of the Lantern."
1629
1630show lantern at floating with dissolve
1631
1632play sound "se/softthud.wav"
1633show ca angry at jumping
1634show bea angry at jumping
1635"Calix and Lady Beatrice jump into ready positions as the wings unfurl."
1636
1637show ca worry se
1638show bea angry
1639c"…Damn it…This is bad…"
1640
1641window hide
1642play sound "se/swoop.wav"
1643show ca angry:
1644    linear 0.5 xalign 0.5
1645show lantern at flyaway
1646hide lantern with dissolve
1647
1648window auto
1649"He lunges forward into the table to snatch at the handles. The Lantern, being smaller, quickly ascends into the air with a vibrant flash of purple." 
1650"Wings aflutter, it eludes Calix’s swipes and continues to rise. A trail of glitter floats behind it, disappearing as it hooks itself onto the branch of a tree far away from our heads. Calix curses under his breath."
1651
1652show bea concern ce
1653b "Leave it. There’s no point getting it down once it’s up there on a perch. It’ll come down when it wants to."
1654
1655show ca angry ce at left with move
1656"Calix brushes his vest where he slammed into the table, perturbed from being outsmarted by both Lady Beatrice and the Lantern."
1657
1658show bea normal
1659b "Now we have the nitty gritty details out of the way, [povname] is caught up to what we do in general and we can focus more on our lesson."
1660
1661show ca indifferent
1662c "She has a lot more to learn, so don’t put too many expectations on her all at once."
1663
1664show bea grin
1665b "Again, she doesn’t know until she tries. Sometimes, plunging headfirst into the unknown is the best way to quickly learn."
1666b "I intend on putting her to good use in assisting us within the dreams. As a Somnonaut, she must learn to defend herself and eventually fight."
1667
1668"Wait!"
1669with vpunch
1670"{size=+20}WHAT!?!{/size}"
1671
1672show ca worry se
1673
1674pov ohno "It’s one thing learning magic, but I don’t have the capacity to fight!"
1675pov concernsweat "Back in my dream, I was never good with physical exertion because I was born into a class that dealt with secretarial work."
1676
1677show bea normal
1678b "Your brain is a muscle like any other in your body and can be trained as equally. Everyone starts somewhere."
1679
1680pov scared "But, Lady Beatrice, this is a matter of life or death. Lack of skills puts me and the Somnonauts at a disadvantage…"
1681
1682show ca nervous se
1683c "At least have her go through a training regime before immediately pushing her into a dream."
1684
1685show bea normal ce
1686b "Hmm…hmmm. Then, let’s waste no time in starting that regime."
1687
1688show ca worry se
1689c "…"
1690
1691hide bea with dissolve
1692"Lady Beatrice ambles to another cabinet in the back, procuring a crystal ball small enough to fit in both palms. She lightly drops it into my own, the smooth glass a bit warm from her."
1693
1694show bea normal at right with dissolve
1695b "Do whatever makes you most comfortable. It will react to whatever element you have the most affinity to."
1696
1697stop music fadeout 1.0
1698
1699pov scared "O-okay…"
1700
1701hide bea
1702hide ca
1703with dissolve
1704window hide 
1705
1706show bg black with eyein
1707play music "bgm/stupefaction.ogg"
1708window auto
1709"Sheepishly, I shut my eyes, although the expectant gazes of Lady Beatrice and Calix linger on me." 
1710"Having them focus so much on me standing here with a crystal ball makes me incredibly self-conscious. I can’t deny Lady Beatrice’s request; all I can do is go along with it."
1711"I take a deep breath with the full force of my diaphram and clear my mind." 
1712"Although, I am too cognizant of how I’m standing, of how I’m holding the glass ball in my palms, I tap into the pool of my mental fortitude. 'Do whatever makes you most comfortable'. "
1713"All I can do is focus on the sphere resting between my fingers. I imagine twisting it, melting it, levitating it, pretending that I am a puppeteer with it as my marionette." 
1714"My arms shake a little from staying locked in the same position for a long time. I’m about to call it quits when I hear Calix and Lady Beatrice make various sounds."
1715
1716play sound audio.shatter
1717
1718"Something shatters, and I no longer feel the glass on my palms."
1719
1720stop music fadeout 1.0
1721scene bg library with eyeout
1722show ca shock at left, xflip
1723show bea shock at right
1724with dissolve
1725
1726"Carefully, I peep through my eyelashes. The crystal ball is gone. For a moment, I believed I dropped it on the floor, but some sort of heat passes through the gaps of my fingers."
1727
1728c "What in the world…"
1729
1730"A white formless shape seethes in front of me, floating through my open hands. Like smoke it undulates through the air. There’s no form to it so I grasp nothing, yet a warmth passes along my skin."
1731
1732show bea angry om
1733b "Put your hands down and stop!"
1734window hide
1735with vpunch
1736window auto
1737"Her sudden yell jolts me and I do as instructed, snapping in place. The white smoke dissipates."
1738
1739b "If you continue to do that, you’ll run out of energy. Magic has a cost, like any action. It will deplete your stamina. Aether magic is potent and much heavier."
1740
1741pov ohno "A-aether magic???"
1742
1743play music "bgm/haruka.ogg" fadein 1.0
1744
1745show ca worry se
1746c "The ball disappeared out of your hands and shattered a few feet away. Then…that smoke appeared."
1747
1748"Glints of glass glitter near the Svapna’s table, where the crystal ball's remains lay."
1749
1750show bea normal
1751
1752$ entry_her2 = True
1753$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1754
1755b "It’s fascinating to see this type of magic up close, and from someone who has a {color=efbd12}natural affinity{/color} to it." 
1756
1757show bea smug
1758b "An aether affinity is rare, but rarer is someone who can utilize it well. I have more expectations for you now than ever."
1759
1760show ca angry
1761c "Be careful, she might try to dissect you or something. She's too obsessed with studying aether properties"
1762
1763show ca normal
1764
1765pov concernclose "As nice as it is to have a rare affinity, I'd rather have something easier to use. That means Lady Beatrice is going to have a harder time in training me. What can I even do with a formless shape?"
1766show bea normal ce
1767b "Mold it, create it into something useable. The essence of aether is creation, manipulation, and movement of that which does not initially exist."
1768
1769show bea angry
1770b "I won’t lie; your path might even be harder than mine when I was a budding mage with an affinity for the four other elements." 
1771
1772show bea normal
1773b "Yet, if you nurture your affinity, a lot of options will open up, a world of possibilities"
1774
1775pov scared "Sounds like I have grueling lessons ahead of me…"
1776
1777show bea laugh
1778b "No matter what affinity or affinities you might have had, you’d have those anyway."
1779
1780show bea normal
1781b "I first recommend crafting a weapon or a small object you can carry around in your pocket. It’ll be difficult to retain its shape, but, you might be able to conjure larger, more intricate things with enough focus." 
1782b "Also keep in mind that aether magic handles a form of movement. Teleporting something and obscuring it is another possibility." 
1783
1784show bea grin
1785b "Just don’t use any items in the workshop, we can’t afford to have any more breakage."
1786
1787pov concernclose "All right. I’ll remember. I'll need to think about practical ways of using this, so I don't let the Somnonauts down."
1788
1789show bea normal
1790b "Don’t be so hard on yourself. It takes time and even if I don’t know exactly how aether magic works, Calix and I are here to guide you."
1791
1792"A sigh explodes from my chest. Knowing that a long journey lies ahead of me is intimidating, but at least I would have some supervision."
1793
1794stop music fadeout 1.0
1795play music "se/beep.wav"
1796pause 0.5
1797
1798show bea angry
1799b "My, what bad timing."
1800
1801show ca worry se
1802c "Already? They sure don’t know how to take a break."
1803stop music fadeout 1.0
1804
1805show bea angry om
1806b "[povname], it’s short notice, but this is the first step into gaining experience. I cannot go into this dream because the Svapna needs fine-tuned work."
1807
1808pov concern "Is it because of me touching the Svapna the other day?"
1809
1810show bea angry
1811b "It isn’t. The font being changed doesn’t affect this."
1812
1813show bea tired
1814b "It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but the Svapna accrued some damage from the last dream we entered…which was yours." 
1815
1816play music "bgm/mind.ogg" fadein 1.0
1817$ ch1_41 = False
1818$ ch1_42 = True
1819
1820pov concernsweat "..."
1821
1822show bea angry
1823b "I could have prevented it; however, the situation was chaotic. So, you’ll have to accompany Calix to assist him in stopping an Anomaly."
1824b "It's dangerous. But, we have no other choice. We need at least two people to go into the dream because you can't keep track of the Lantern by yourself while fighting off Anomalies at the same time."
1825
1826pov concern "Why can't Vassago go instead of me then? He'd be more resourceful."
1827
1828show bea angry sweat
1829b "I've already tried to contact him earlier and he hasn't responded, so his whereabouts are unknown. It's possible he is already in the dream."
1830b "The Svapna's ranged communication systems are entirely down too."
1831b "So, the only choice right now is to have you go, [povname]. Better to send a rookie then to send nobody." 
1832
1833hide bea with dissolve
1834
1835show ca angry at center with move
1836c "All you need to do is bring the Lantern and keep close to me. I’ll take it out quickly so Beatrice can focus on fixing the Svapna."
1837
1838window hide
1839menu:
1840    "Please do your best to protect me.":
1841        window auto
1842        show ca angry om
1843        c "It’s my job. I plan to protect everyone, not just you."
1844       
1845        pov scared "I understand..."
1846        
1847    "Once I learn more, I want to help in better ways.":
1848        show ca angry om
1849        $ cal_points += 1
1850        play sound audio.point
1851        show rose4:
1852            xalign 0.5 yalign 0.3 
1853            contains rosepoint
1854        pause 1.0
1855        window auto
1856        c "Be prepared for anything though. This may be a bad timing, but it’ll be your first genuine experience entering into another dream."
1857        pov concern "All right, be cautious and open-minded then…I’ll do my best."
1858
1859hide ca with dissolve
1860scene bg black with fade
1861scene bg hallway with fade
1862play sound audio.running
1863"Calix and I brisk down the castle hallway together."
1864"During our flight, the Lantern bobs up and down in my grip. Once the alarm sounded, it disengaged from the tree and floated down to a height short enough for Calix to snatch it." 
1865"It was the best timing on his part, because without it, according to Lady Beatrice, we would have more issues."
1866"After securing the Lantern, Lady Beatrice sternly ordered me to be Calix’s eyes and ears."
1867
1868scene bg black with fade
1869scene flashbackbea
1870b "{i}He will probably have to fight the Anomaly. Under no circumstance should you engage with it or any dream characters for your safety and his.{/i}" 
1871b "{i}Keep track of the Lantern while updating him on the situation, and you both will be fine.{/i}"
1872
1873scene bg hallway with fade
1874
1875"Her words resonate through me but it’s not enough to curb the encroaching anxiety. Even though I desperately want to avoid such a situation, I know I can’t." 
1876"I owe a lot to the Somnonauts already, so doing a favor like this must be undertaken."
1877
1878scene bg black with fade
1879play sound audio.running
1880scene bg smallstairs with fade
1881scene bg black with fade
1882scene boilerdoor with fade
1883show ca normal with dissolve
1884play amb audio.boiler
1885
1886"Calix stops. We’ve reached a dead end. The only thing ahead is an iron door with a giant lock. The faint whir of gears can be hear through the cracks of the frame."
1887
1888show ca worry se
1889c "I didn't think I would have to show you the boiler room like this...but…here it is..."
1890
1891play sound audio.keychain
1892
1893"He takes a key out from the pouch on his waist. It’s smaller than the one Lady Beatrice gave to him to unlock the glass cabinet."
1894
1895show ca angry
1896c "Only me, Beatrice, and Vassago have a copy of this key. It goes to the boiler room…where we store the portals to dreams." 
1897c "Beatrice is particular about using the Svapna to superfluously enter dreams."
1898
1899play sound audio.kusari
1900
1901"He jams the key into the door, using the full force of his palm to open it." 
1902
1903play sound audio.dooropen
1904hide ca with dissolve
1905scene bg black with fade
1906play sound audio.running
1907scene bg boilerstairs with fade
1908pause 0.5
1909scene bg black with fade
1910scene bg boiler with fade
1911
1912"Eventually, the metal staircase ends on a platform. A large pillar with several flashing buttons and a holographic screen, like the Svapna, rests in the center."
1913
1914show ca angry with dissolve
1915c "All you have to do, [povname], is keep close to me and do whatever I say. If I tell you to run, then run. Got it?"
1916
1917pov concernsweat "Yes. With any luck, we don’t have to resort to something like that."
1918
1919show ca concern ce
1920c "Everything will be fine as long as you follow my directions. Beatrice can’t be here or help us with navigation, so all we have is the Lantern to rely on."
1921
1922pov concernclose "Keep my eyes and ears open to where the Lantern goes…Got it."
1923
1924show ca nervous
1925c "Jeez…You need to stop acting so skittish. Have some confidence in yourself. Worst case scenario, we eject ourselves out of the dream."
1926
1927pov concern "…Ergh…Ok…"
1928
1929show ca worry se
1930
1931"I want to mention that Calix is accustomed to navigating through dreams, but I stop myself."
1932"At the back of my mind, I also worry about the possibility of us failing to save the dream, the destruction of the dream characters…their safety rests upon our shoulders and it would be a great burden for a novice like me to bear."
1933"Timing is critical, so I can't voice my concerns to him for fear of us being too late."
1934
1935hide ca with dissolve
1936"Calix approaches the tower to type onto the holographic screen."
1937
1938show ca indifferent with dissolve
1939c "The portals down here provide some energy to us through the pillar, which is connected to the Svapna upstairs. As you know, by protecting the dreams, we ensure our main energy source and the lives of dream characters."
1940
1941pov scared "So, if we fail, then many people die and we lose fuel essentially…"
1942
1943show ca concern
1944c "It happens. You can’t expect to save everyone you encounter. That’s the reality of it." 
1945
1946show ca angry
1947c "Right now, we should focus on the dream in front of us and work to the best of our abilities."
1948
1949play sound audio.click
1950stop amb fadeout 0.5
1951window hide
1952pause 0.5
1953play amb audio.industrial
1954with hpunch
1955
1956window auto
1957"He slams the keyboard with his index finger. The screen flashes causing the invisible gears around us to grind with a screech."
1958
1959show ca normal
1960c "Ok, now that we have the coordinates of the dream inputted…"
1961
1962window hide
1963with hpunch
1964play sound audio.hardhit loop
1965
1966window auto
1967
1968"Ahead of us, a long twisting pipe smokes in the darkness. The floor of the platform shakes as several long oblong slabs shuffle down the length of the pipe at a ferocious speed." 
1969
1970stop sound 
1971
1972"Finally, the slabs all disappear, save for one, which is picked up by a machine claw and brought to the edge of the platform’s railing. A gate opens in front of it."
1973
1974scene bg black with fade
1975scene cg mirror with fade
1976
1977$ entry_mirror1 = True
1978$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
1979
1980"The slab is an ornate {color=efbd12}mirror{/color}, large enough for a full-body view."
1981
1982c "This is how the portals manifest. We enter them into the dream."
1983c "Are you ready?"
1984
1985"He holds out his hand to me."
1986
1987c "Like I keep saying, stay close and it’ll be fine."
1988
1989"I gulp. With a free arm, I grasp for his hand, to lead me into the mirror. Calix takes the first step, putting half his body into the glass."
1990"Except he is engulfed by it."
1991"Rather than being solid, the glass portion of the mirror absorbs him like some silver liquid. His body entering into the mirror sends circular ripples through its surface."
1992
1993play sound audio.intercom
1994b "{font=OratorStd.otf}…W…wait! D…don’t…! It’s…!{/font}"
1995
1996c "..!"
1997
1998play sound audio.intercom
1999b "{font=OratorStd.otf}It’s…uns....! D...!{/font}"
2000
2001"Lady Beatrice’s voice cuts through the boiler room, muffled by the hammering sounds of machinery and static."
2002
2003window hide
2004with vpunch
2005
2006window auto
2007"My body shakes. Submerged into the mirror and immobilized, Calix balks at her voice and at me, who is also being pulled into it."
2008"Gripping his hand, the silvery substance trickles up my arm, ready to absorb me. I can no longer let go of him us as we are connected by the thread of the portal’s liquid glass."
2009
2010scene bg black with fade
2011stop amb fadeout 0.5
2012play sound audio.agartha
2013
2014scene bg spiral with fade
2015
2016"A fresh coolness tickles my skin as the boiler room fades into a swirl of luminescent color." 
2017"My balance is thrown off as we fall through it, being buffeted by the velocity of a whirlwind that throttles us."
2018"I call out his name, but my mouth is filled with what feels like sandy water and it drowns out my voice."
2019"The flurry of colors blinds me and I slowly lose his hand. He grasps my fingers, but he too is losing against the force of the tidepool."
2020
2021stop music fadeout 0.5
2022
2023"Our hands slip apart as we become separated and lost in a swirl of bright hues."
2024
2025play sound audio.teleport
2026scene bg black with Pixellate(1,5)
2027$ ch1_42 = False
2028
2029# 1-5 
2030pause 4.0
2031pov painclosemouth "…"
2032pov painclose "Ugh..."
2033
2034"I force myself to sit upright, rubbing my head. To start, I was already swore from what happened a few days ago, but landing unceremoniously into a large bush makes it worse."
2035play sound audio.cloth
2036"Brushing the leaves from my clothes and hair, I take a gander at the new surroundings."
2037scene bg ch1street with fade
2038
2039$ ch1_51 = True
2040
2041"The castle is gone, replaced by a large cobbled street. A cloudy night sky hangs overhead, wetting the stones." 
2042"Lampposts glow with the humidity down the length of the street, which separates into a four-way stop." 
2043"Lining the sidewalks are a series of buildings of a variety of shapes. The architecture is quaint, but with the stillness of the night, it reeks an ominous air."
2044"Upon the bush next to me, unharmed, is the Lantern. I pick it up, thanking my luck it hasn’t been broken by the fall from the mirror."
2045"But…Calix is nowhere to be seen."
2046"The whirlwind must have separated us, blowing us off course from our destination. "
2047"He told me to stick close and the first thing that happens is this…"
2048"I clutch the Lantern to my chest. Some rain droplets splash against my head and run down my face as I enter the cobbled street." 
2049"For a dream being threatened by an Anomaly, the area lacks any sort of bustling activity. No fire, no destruction…"
2050"A shiver runs up my spine."
2051
2052pov concern "Calix?! Are you here?!"
2053
2054"My voice echoes back to me, fading into silence." 
2055
2056play sound audio.footstepslong
2057
2058"Hoping to find some sign of life or Calix himself, I amble down the street."
2059"The only sounds that fill my ears are my wet footfalls and the ramming of my heart in my chest."
2060"Nobody is in the street. The windows of the buildings display emptiness."
2061
2062play sound audio.lantern
2063
2064"The Lantern lights up at my chest." 
2065
2066window hide
2067show lantern at floating with dissolve
2068pause 0.2
2069show lantern at flyaway2
2070hide lantern with dissolve
2071window auto
2072
2073"It pushes out of my arms and floats off. I’m left frozen in place." 
2074"What do I do?"
2075"Should I follow it?"
2076"I was told to keep an eye on it because it leads to the Anomaly. Without Calix here, chasing after it would lead me into the danger of approaching the Anomaly by myself, which I was strictly forbidden to engage."
2077"The other option would be to stay put and not wander off, as it might increase the chances of Calix and I running into each other while preventing me from facing an Anomaly."
2078
2079menu:
2080    "Follow it":
2081        jump streetcorrect
2082    "Don't follow it.":
2083        "In these situations, it’s best to remain in one place."
2084        "My anxiety refuses to curb at the idea, but it’s better than risking my life when faced with an Anomaly."
2085        
2086        play sound audio.lantern
2087        "The Lantern melts into a faint glow as it flies away towards its destination, leaving me in the cobbled street. My chest clenches once the Lantern’s light disappears altogether."
2088        "I call out again for Calix...or anyone. Stillness follows."
2089        
2090        window hide
2091        play sound audio.softthud
2092        with vpunch
2093        window auto
2094        
2095        "With nothing to do but wait, I plop down onto the curb of the sidewalk."
2096        "The lampposts flicker. A short-circuiting buzz scratches the silence for a moment as the bulbs threaten to break." 
2097        "I ignore it, focusing on biting the bottom of my lip to keep calmly patient."
2098        "..."
2099        "........."
2100        "........."
2101        
2102        window hide
2103        play sound audio.cloth
2104        with vpunch
2105        pause 2.0
2106        
2107        "Something emerges from the haze at the other end of the street. I get up, squinting to see what or who it could be." 
2108        "My heart somersaults with the realization it could be Calix, finally reuniting with him and being free of this mess."
2109        "..."
2110        "It slowly ambles toward me."
2111        
2112        pov concernyell "Hello! Can you hear me down there?"
2113        "There is clearly movement, but it is incredibly sluggish. "
2114        "With the stress about to burst my blood vessels, I plunge into the haze to meet it."
2115        
2116        play sound audio.footsteps
2117        pause 1.0
2118        
2119        "..."
2120        
2121        stop sound
2122        "...and I instantly regret it."
2123        
2124        play sound audio.horror
2125        
2126        pov shock "...Aaa..."
2127        
2128        "{size=+40}AAAAAAAH!?!{/size}"
2129        
2130        pause 0.5
2131        play music "bgm/red dread.ogg"
2132        
2133        #cg of slime thing goes here
2134        "Not a person, not a living thing." 
2135        "A giant mass of fluid, some gross amalgamation of debris, bodies, and creatures." 
2136        "It is a dripping slug of purged slime and parts." 
2137        "Slowly, with no sense of meaning, it oozes forward by slamming a dripping appendage onto the cobblestones and pulling itself forward." 
2138        "Inch by inch. Oozing forward, with a layer of mucus left behind in its wake."
2139        "The stench intermixed with the decay reeks of vomit, of acid." 
2140        "The strong smell assaults my nostrils and it’s enough to make me pass out alone."
2141        "My movements and noise must have attracted it." 
2142        "I have no clue what it is…what it’s doing. All I know in that moment, is to run. To get away from the smell and sight before I get sick." 
2143       
2144        play sound audio.running
2145        
2146        "I make a mad dash, losing it in the haze." 
2147        
2148        scene bg black with fade
2149        
2150        "Before I can catch a breath, something splashes against my calf and I stumble to the ground."
2151        
2152        scene bg ch1street with fade
2153        play sound audio.softthud
2154        with vpunch
2155        
2156        "Contorting my body, I find the slime right behind me. Somehow having caught up." 
2157        #second cg of slime with stalks goes here
2158        "The light of the lampposts shines against its slimy form. It’s changed now…more than a bulbous mass of floating debris."
2159        "Like stalks sprouting out of the earth, two thin streams of fluid extend from its top. At the apex float mismatched eyeballs, glaring into my direction." 
2160        "I clench my jaw not to scream as it slides closer to me, the tendril of ooze slithering further up my leg." 
2161        with vpunch
2162        "A burning sensation erupts at the contact. My skin flakes away into the goo like slowly blowing snow."
2163        "Struggling to pull my leg out, I imitate the process of gathering my energy for magic." 
2164        "What else could I do in such a situation to defend myself?"
2165        "My panic overtakes my concentration, leaving me empty handed." 
2166        "I scream at the top of my lungs. For anyone. {w}For Calix. {w}The Lantern. {w}Even for Lady Beatrice who I know will never hear me."
2167        
2168        scene bg black with eyein
2169        "I don’t want to look at what is happening, but I can feel it, so my imagination could take a guess." 
2170        "The painful stinging, a small prick at first that escalates into an eruption of searing pain as my flesh disintegrates."
2171        "No…Not here…I had no chance whatsoever…"
2172        "To go like this…Why…"
2173        "Why…Just why…"
2174        "My eyes flood with tears as a pressure reaches my torso. It starts slowly but now that most of everything is gone…it won’t be much longer…"
2175        "All I wish is for it to end…No more of this…"
2176        "Once the suffocating substance reaches my neck… everything is no more."
2177        
2178        stop music fadeout 1.0
2179        scene deadend2 with fade
2180        $ renpy.pause ()
2181        return
2182
2183label streetcorrect:
2184"There’s no choice…I need to follow it." 
2185"It’s bad if I lose it AND Calix. Even worse is if I become stranded here." 
2186"The likely scenario would be that Calix catches the Anomaly’s trail and we run into each other."
2187
2188play sound audio.running
2189
2190"With determination, I sprint after it, the heels of my shoes clicking against the cobblestones."
2191
2192scene bg ch1alley with fade
2193show lantern at floating with dissolve
2194
2195"It floats around a corner into an alleyway. I turn it so briskly, I almost skid against the water." 
2196"The Lantern gently floats in the air, next to a pile of garbage. Nothing else exists down the alleyway. No sign of life."
2197
2198pov concern "Do you know where we’re going?"
2199pov concernclose "..."
2200pov concernsweat "I must be desperate to talk to it. It’s not as though it can understand me."
2201
2202window hide
2203play sound audio.playpunch
2204show lantern at lanternpunch with vpunch
2205pause 0.2
2206show lantern at floating
2207window auto
2208
2209"The Lantern collides into my side, almost knocking me down onto my knees." 
2210
2211
2212pov painclose "Ow..ow…! What was that for?!"
2213
2214"Its glow decreases as it silently flies behind a nearby crate, out of view."
2215
2216show lantern at flyaway3
2217hide lantern with dissolve
2218
2219"I’m left confused until a splashing noise catches my attention. A squishing, liquid sound."
2220
2221scene bg black with fade
2222
2223"Frightened, I back away from the alleyway entrance to the spot behind the crate with the Lantern. Peeking around the corner, I watch as the most ludicrious thing passes."
2224
2225play music "bgm/eb.ogg"
2226# slime cg goes here
2227
2228"A grotesque amalgamation…some sort of bulbous slime with floating debris and body parts suspended in fluid." 
2229"Once in my sight, a tepid stench, reminiscent of rotten eggs, fills my nose and my gag reflex chokes my throat." 
2230"The creature leaves a trail of mucus as it absorbs everything in its path, including some of the looser stones of the street. "
2231
2232#end of cg
2233"I press my back against the crate, gulping down the urge to vomit. The smell is overpowering, the disintegrating carcasses burned into my retinas." 
2234"Covering my mouth and pinching my nose, I focus my concentration on not gagging."
2235"The slippery sounds of its movement pauses. I bend forward to sneak a peek."
2236
2237#cg again
2238"It has frozen in place, turned towards the direction of the alleyway’s opening."
2239"It stays like that for a while. The digesting meat inside it jiggles like berries caught in pudding. "
2240"Finally, as if it decided, it oozes past the entrance. Some slime erupts out of it to pull itself forward, an undulating mass of goo traversing through the street."
2241
2242stop music fadeout 1.0
2243scene bg ch1alley with fade
2244pause 1.0
2245play sound audio. lantern
2246show lantern at flyaway4
2247hide lantern with dissolve
2248
2249"Once the slippery sounds die off, the Lantern lights up. It unfurls its mechanical petal wings and takes flight down the alleyway."
2250
2251play sound audio.running
2252
2253"As my cue, I tread after it."
2254
2255scene bg black with fade
2256pause 1.0
2257scene bg ch1alley with fade
2258
2259show lantern at floating with dissolve
2260
2261pov scared "That couldn’t have been an Anomaly?"  
2262pov concernclose "Ah, I don’t know. We should find Calix and sort everything out."
2263
2264"The Lantern makes no movement to indicate it understands; it persists in flying towards no clear destination."
2265
2266window hide
2267show lantern at flyaway2
2268pause 0.3
2269hide lantern with dissolve
2270window auto
2271
2272"The clicks of its metal wings fill the stillness of the alleyway. I keep up with the expectance of being  reunited with Calix."
2273
2274scene bg black with fade
2275scene bg ch1alley with fade
2276
2277show lantern at floating with dissolve
2278
2279"Sometime down the alleyway, it stops."
2280
2281play sound audio.lantern
2282
2283"Its purple light flashes like an alarm."
2284
2285pov shocksmall "...!"
2286
2287"My breathing goes ragged and I steady myself before I topple over in fright. The sequence of light emitting from it can mean no other thing." 
2288"Shoulders hunched, I scan the area for any monstrosity ready to pounce. The alleyway is the same as before, quiet and vacant. Overhead, the rooftops are empty."
2289"Save for a small cat perched on an edge."
2290
2291hide lantern
2292
2293scene cg catroof with fade
2294
2295"It licks a curled paw, regarding me with a yellow eye." 
2296
2297pov shocksmall "This is…!"
2298
2299$ tu_name = "Cat"
2300tu "You don’t have to gawk. It’s rude to the person you’ve just met."
2301
2302pov shocksmall "It talks…!"
2303
2304play music "bgm/gc-28.ogg"
2305
2306tu "Why does that surprise you?" 
2307tu "In this world where you barely snuck past an animate sludge of digestive fluids, from a mirror portal located in a floating castle. A talking cat is the most unoriginal fantasy trope to expect."
2308
2309scene bg ch1alley with fade
2310play sound audio.fall
2311
2312"I struggle to find my breath, backing away as it leaps onto a crate from the rooftop." 
2313
2314show tu normal with dissolve
2315
2316"Its appearance up close suggests nothing short of an ordinary cat. Despite its form, I psyche myself into not underestimating it." 
2317"My fingers ball tightly into a fist as I attempt to focus on the necessary energy to form something—anything—I can use to defend against it."
2318
2319show tu annoy om
2320tu "You don’t need to bother; I’m not going to fight you. With your lack of expertise, I could easily destroy you in one swipe, but it’s too troublesome."
2321
2322show tu smug om
2323tu "I’m more interested in you being alive, not dead."
2324
2325pov angryclose "You obviously have a sleazy plan up your sleeves…"
2326pov concern "...er, paws." 
2327pov resolute "It’s my task as a part of the Somnonauts to stop whatever it is you are doing."
2328
2329show tu frown se
2330tu "I’m not doing anything."
2331show tu normal se
2332tu "Well…I am. But, it’s not what you think."
2333
2334pov resolute "You’re an Anomaly, obviously the one responsible for all of this destruction here. Don’t play tricks on me."
2335
2336show tu annoy
2337tu "Somnonauts are so quick to jump into feats of foolish justice. I’ll let you know that I am not the one responsible for destroying this world."
2338tu "Actually, I am on your side."
2339
2340pov concern "Are you convincing me to work with you?"
2341
2342show tu smug om
2343tu "No. I’m going to use you."
2344show tu annoy 
2345tu "We Anomalies fight over worlds for our nourishment. The one causing all this is doing it out of turn. So, they must be stopped."
2346
2347pov angryclose "Then, you’ll turn around and betray me to destroy the dream yourself."
2348
2349show tu annoy om
2350tu "No."
2351pov concern "...?"
2352
2353show tu normal se om
2354tu "Why would I want to consume a world that is barely ripe?"
2355show tu listless om
2356tu "I want to stop the one of us who is stupid enough to believe  they can get away with disturbing our natural balance. That’s where you and your Lantern come in."
2357tu "With my power you can avoid the digestive sludge, and, in turn, you will be able to destroy the Anomaly responsible for this mess."
2358
2359pov resolute "How can I be sure you aren’t lying?"
2360
2361show tu annoy
2362tu "Do you have a choice? You can wander around here and run into more sludge, being absorbed by it in a messy death." 
2363show tu normal
2364tu "Or…you can use me as a guide. In fact, I’d imagine this deal gives you more of an advantage than me since I gain nothing but satisfaction that this world isn’t consumed too early."
2365
2366"The Anomaly makes a good point. Yet, I can’t avoid in hesitating  on its offer."
2367"I simply know nothing about the nature of these monsters, save for the fact that they destroy the dreams the Somnonauts swore to protect."
2368"The cat’s righteous sense of obligation strikes me as trustworthy though…it’s overly honest about its plans."
2369
2370pov resolute "If I agree, you have to uphold your end and not destroy anything. Once everything is done, then you disappear."
2371
2372show tu annoy
2373tu "Fine, fine. I plan on doing that anyway."
2374
2375play sound audio.swoop
2376hide tu with dissolve
2377
2378"Taking my response as an affirmation, it jumps onto the roof again."
2379
2380scene cg catroof with fade
2381
2382tu "I will follow you and that Lantern. If I spot one of the sludges, I shall let you know so we can avoid it."
2383
2384stop music fadeout 1.0
2385scene bg ch1alley with fade
2386
2387show lantern at floating
2388pause 0.5
2389show lantern at flyaway2
2390pause 0.3
2391hide lantern with dissolve
2392
2393"The Lantern begins to move again, despite the cat remaining motionless on the rooftop." 
2394"My doubts lessened that it’s not the Anomaly the Lantern is seeking, I trek after it with renewed vigor." 
2395"Ahead of us, the cat trots along shingled gables, sometimes leaping across the gaps between the buildings or pausing to warn us of a slime."
2396
2397scene bg black with fade
2398scene bg ch1alley with fade
2399
2400"We turn many corners in a slow procession. The cat hasn’t done anything other than being a lookout or stopping to hide when necessary."
2401
2402show tu annoy om with dissolve
2403tu "Are you positive it is working?"
2404
2405pov concern "I don’t know. Maybe it’s farther away. This is my first time doing something like this."
2406
2407show tu normal
2408tu "Ah, explains everything. You’re a rookie. Any other Somnonaut would have blasted me away at first glance. It was lucky we met then."
2409
2410pov listless "That reminds me. You’ve been around this area it seems. Have you seen a young man with short cropped hair?"
2411
2412show tu listless
2413tu "All I’ve seen are the sludge and the many variations of it. I’m assuming you mean one of the Somnonauts though. The fire user?"
2414
2415pov concern "Er, yes. We got separated when we entered the dream. I’ve been hoping to find him as quickly as possible."
2416
2417tu "Sounds like you’ve had a lot of bad luck. First being sSeparated and then wandering out on your own with no experience." 
2418
2419show tu normal
2420tu "No wonder you are were so easy to persuade."
2421
2422pov angryclose "…What other choice do I have in this situation? I’m still holding you to fulfill your end of our agreement when this is done."
2423
2424show tu listless
2425tu "I know. I—"
2426
2427show tu frown se at jumping
2428"The cat lurches up, its spine bowing. It turns towards the nearby exit several paces ahead of us."
2429
2430tu "We have an unavoidable situation coming up. I suggest you defend long enough for me to create an opening for you to flee."
2431
2432pov scared "Wait, what am I supposed to do while I defend?"
2433
2434play sound audio.swoop
2435hide tu with dissolve
2436
2437"It doesn't respond as it jumps into the darkness, leaving me and the Lantern." 
2438
2439window hide
2440show lantern at flyaway2
2441pause 0.3
2442hide lantern with dissolve
2443window auto
2444
2445"The Lantern gives me no time to prepare as it continues drifting down the alleyway."
2446
2447scene bg black with fade
2448scene bg ch1street with fade
2449
2450show lantern at floating with dissolve
2451
2452"We emerge back into a street. For some reason, the Lantern has stopped again. I frantically search around for the cat to no avail."
2453
2454play sound audio.heavyfall
2455
2456"Something thuds off in the distance..."
2457"My heart skips a beat."
2458"On one of the nearby rooftops, I see an amorphous shape, unrecognizable in the darkness."
2459
2460hide lantern with dissolve
2461
2462play sound audio.wetthump loop
2463
2464"It scurries down on multiple appendages, slamming onto the cobbled street." 
2465
2466stop sound
2467
2468"The impact briefly flattens it, yet it resumes its former shape once it slithers closer into the light."
2469"Instinctively, I take a step back, my pulse hammering in my head."
2470
2471#cg sludge 2
2472play music "bgm/the girl's witch hunt.ogg" fadein 0.5
2473
2474"One of the sludges..."
2475"However, it is much  more evolved than the last."
2476"Inside its innards, it houses many pieces of garbage and carcasses. Some of those body parts stick out of the slime at awkward angles." 
2477
2478play sound audio.wetthump loop
2479
2480"As it moves, the interior fluid pushes and pulls on the limbs, which propels it forward like a disturbing centipede."
2481
2482stop sound
2483
2484"The rotten smell wafts in the air." 
2485
2486play sound audio.wetthump loop
2487
2488"I feel dizzy staring at it as it blindly scuttles forward."
2489stop sound 
2490"Where is the cat?!"
2491"Did it lie and lead me to my death after all!"
2492"Stop…Calm down, I tell myself."
2493"Do as the cat recommended: defend yourself."
2494
2495scene bg black with fade
2496
2497"I take a deep breath in and out. Within me is a swirling mass of anxiety, yet I concentrate all my energy." 
2498"Warmth cascades from my torso down to my fingertips. Then, a shock prickles my nerves."
2499"I bite down on my lip, forcing myself to expend more energy. My mind is clouded with fear and anxiety, but I press myself forward despite it."
2500"Nothing forms in my right hand except the same cloudy wisp from before." 
2501
2502play sound audio.wetthump loop
2503
2504"The sludge oozes forward, the limbs wetly smacking against the ground in rotation."
2505
2506stop sound
2507window hide
2508pause 0.5
2509play sound audio.shatter
2510pause 2.0
2511window auto
2512
2513"My concentration breaks once it is a few paces away from me." 
2514
2515scene bg ch1street with fade
2516"Shaking, I pitch my formless weapon at it."
2517
2518play sound audio.swoop
2519scene homing5s
2520with vpunch
2521
2522pause 0.2
2523
2524scene bg ch1street
2525
2526"Nothing happens."
2527"The sludge engulfs the fading smoke, completely absorbing any sort of impact."
2528"The pit of my stomach shakes as I shrink out of its range." 
2529"The dim streetlights provide shade for me to hide, but the monstrosity edges forward with more vigor after being hit."
2530
2531play sound audio.clink
2532scene homing7bs
2533with vpunch
2534scene bg black
2535
2536pause 0.1
2537
2538play sound audio.clink
2539scene homing7bsr
2540with vpunch
2541
2542pause 0.1
2543
2544scene bg ch1street
2545
2546#cg of sludge with chains
2547"Out of midair, lengths of black chain shoot through the sludge’s form. Spikes frame the link’s edges, impaling the slime in its place." 
2548"The force of the chains cut through it and spray goo all over the sidewalk as the slime ripples from the force."
2549tu "I’m not much of a fighter like the other Anomalies, so this is the least I can do."
2550"Balancing on the chains, the cat bounds from one to the other." 
2551"In protest, the sludge undulates to squeeze out from the link’s vice grips."
2552"As it oozes through, the cat tumbles into the air."
2553
2554play sound audio.swoop
2555pause 0.3
2556play sound audio.clink
2557scene homing7bs
2558with hpunch
2559
2560pause 0.2
2561
2562scene bg ch1street
2563
2564"Another chain catapults into the sludge immobilizing it once again."
2565"Like before, the slime compresses out of the iron tomb of chains." 
2566"The cat leaps from link to link, reaching the monstrosity with outspread claws."
2567
2568play sound audio.swoop
2569scene blade3r
2570with hpunch
2571
2572pause 0.1
2573
2574scene bg ch1street
2575
2576"The skeletal tail slices through slime, scattering large droplets."
2577
2578"Pieces of grimy debris thud against the pavement. The cat nimbly dodges out of range of the projectiles and lands on a summoned chain." 
2579"For a cold moment, it seems like the cat won with the sludge shredded to pieces."
2580"It’s not over."
2581"The droplets drift into larger bulbous mounds of slime, consuming everything into its opaque innards along its path." 
2582"Soon, the sludge reforms as if the cat never sliced it apart in the first place."
2583
2584tu "Don’t stand there! Keep going with that lantern!"
2585
2586show lantern at floating with dissolve
2587
2588"To my surprise, the Lantern flashes in response to the cat’s yell." 
2589"It shakes its metallic wings into a flap, soaring down another alleyway." 
2590
2591window hide
2592show lantern at flyaway2
2593pause 0.3
2594hide lantern with dissolve
2595
2596window auto
2597
2598
2599"I take one last look at the cat, perched on the black spikey chain, until racing after the Lantern."
2600play sound audio.running
2601scene bg black with fade
2602stop music fadeout 0.5
2603pause 0.5
2604stop sound 
2605
2606scene bg ch1alley with fade
2607"I lean against a brick wall to catch my breath. My chest heaves and I can’t stop the sweat pouring down my face."
2608
2609show lantern at floating with dissolve
2610play music "bgm/izanai.ogg" fadein 0.5
2611
2612"After wiping the moisture from my brow, I approach the Lantern, now serenely hovering in the middle of the alleyway."
2613"It flaps in place as normal, except that the depth of its bobbing is deeper. It’s almost as if there is a barrier preventing it from descending."
2614"I knit my eyebrows at it, wondering what it's trying to convey until my eyes spot a manhole underneath it." 
2615"Kneeling to the ground, I grasp the edges of the cover to pry it open." 
2616
2617play sound audio.metalrub
2618
2619"The heavy metal groans against the pavement as it slides. As soon as the lid reveals the sewers below, a stale air blows up into my face." 
2620"I ignore it and drag the lid out far enough to entirely uncover it."
2621
2622window hide
2623show lantern:
2624    linear 0.5 yalign 0.7
2625    pause 0.1
2626hide lantern with dissolve
2627window auto
2628
2629"The Lantern descends into the hole, purple glow dimming down the course of the entrance."
2630"It’s either go down the manhole into the sewers with the Lantern or sit around in the alleyway until the sludge catches up to me." 
2631"I’m not going to weigh my chances."
2632"I hook my foot onto the ladder and twist myself so that I am clutching onto the rungs. After a deep breath, I descend one step at a time."
2633
2634scene bg black with fade
2635
2636"My body freezes. I suddenly feel hyperaware of my sweaty palms." 
2637"The ladder is slippery, and I could miss a step. With no open passages, the air tastes stale."
2638"I let a foot descend further into the blackness, heaving a sigh when it hits the next prong."
2639"And then the next." 
2640"And then the next." 
2641"My hands fumble, slipping on the ladder as I go further down." 
2642"An acrid stench assails my nose. The lack of ventilation allows the odor to churn in the sewers without losing intensity."
2643"Another step down." 
2644"Carefully, I reach for the next prong." 
2645"Another step."
2646"My foot slams into air." 
2647"Half of my body falls, with the other side clutching the ladder."
2648"The sweat building up in my palm causes my hands to slip wildly as I struggle to regain my grip."
2649"I remain clasped to the ladder to allow my heavy breathing to subside. There is no way to know how much longer I have to endure climbing down."
2650"After my blood cools, I let my foot descend once again."
2651
2652window hide
2653pause 0.5
2654play sound audio.fall
2655pause 0.5
2656window auto
2657
2658"Then, I hit solid ground. I almost collapse. Never had I been so happy to have two feet on the floor."
2659
2660scene bg black with fade
2661scene bg ch1tunnel with fade
2662show lantern at floating with dissolve
2663
2664"It’s entirely dark save for the Lantern. At the bottom, the humidity is moister, although an encroaching heat blasts at the right end of the tunnel."
2665
2666window hide
2667show lantern at flyaway2
2668pause 0.3
2669hide lantern with dissolve
2670window auto
2671
2672"Swiveling, the Lantern flies to the right."
2673
2674scene bg black with fade
2675scene bg ch1tunnel with fade
2676play sound audio.footstepsmetal
2677
2678"Wire mesh clanks from beneath my shoes as I trail after it." 
2679"The temperature steadily rises the longer we traverse through the tunnel. Pipes line the cavern roof, all snaking into an indiscriminate end." 
2680"Once we turn a corner, the sound of machinery reverberates off the walls."
2681
2682play amb audio.steam
2683
2684"Heat burns the air and it becomes increasingly difficult to breathe." 
2685"Drenched with sticky grim, I blink through the darkness as the tunnel finally opens into a larger room."
2686
2687scene bg black with fade
2688scene bg ch1furnace with fade
2689
2690"A wire mesh balcony overlooks a pool of sludge."
2691"On the opposite side of the entry is a similar tunnel with the platform circling around to connect both sides." 
2692"Unlike the tunnels, the new area is illuminated with lamps, the kind you see in construction sites."
2693
2694window hide
2695show lantern at flyaway2
2696pause 0.3
2697hide lantern with dissolve
2698window auto
2699
2700"The Lantern flies off the platform, over the railing. I trudge after it, the blasting heat buffeting me."
2701"Leaning over the railing, I watch as the Lantern evades the waves of the tepid sludge and navigates to a machine settled into the farthest wall."
2702
2703scene cg furnace with fade:
2704    xpos -0.04 ypos 1.44 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.8
2705    linear 7 xpos 0.5 ypos 1.51 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.8 
2706    
2707"It is a type of furnace, with elongated shafts at its top that erupt with steam." 
2708
2709scene cg furnace:
2710    xpos 0.5 ypos 1.51 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.8
2711    linear 7 xpos 0.5 ypos 1.79 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.8 
2712    
2713"Small windows adorn the cylindrical main body held up by chains that strain the cavern walls. At the bottom, a metal grating churns out the sludges that surrounds it."
2714"Flashing furiously, the Lantern bobs up and down at the furnace."
2715
2716scene bg black with fade
2717
2718show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=20}A...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
2719    align (0.4,0.4)
2720    linear 0.1 align (0.41, 0.41)
2721    linear 0.1 align (0.42,0.4)
2722    linear 0.1 align (0.43,0.41)
2723with dissolve
2724hide text with dissolve
2725pause 0.5
2726show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=20}A...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
2727    align (0.5,0.5)
2728    linear 0.1 align (0.51, 0.51)
2729    linear 0.1 align (0.52,0.5)
2730    linear 0.1 align (0.53,0.51)
2731with dissolve
2732hide text with dissolve
2733pause 0.5
2734
2735scene cg furnace with fade:
2736    xpos 0.5 ypos 1.79 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.8
2737    linear 5 xpos 0.53 ypos 1.04 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.06 
2738    
2739"My ears tingle at the sound of a voice, but it’s cut off by the echoes of another pair of feet against wire mesh."
2740
2741scene bg black with fade
2742scene bg ch1furnace with fade
2743
2744play sound audio.footstepsmetal
2745
2746show ca concern with dissolve
2747c "I thought we would never catch up with each other."
2748
2749$ ch1_51 = False
2750$ ch1_52 = True
2751
2752"Calix joins me in leaning against the railing." 
2753"He appears to be decent shape, besides the fact that his clothes are torn and slicked with sweat."
2754"Grimy smears dirty the lenses of his glasses. He briefly pauses to wipe them, but it only smudges it."
2755
2756show ca concern ce
2757c "After I ragged on you about staying close, it never mattered in the end…at least we’re both safe." 
2758show ca concern
2759c "You look to be in a better condition than me."
2760
2761pov scared "The sludge, right? I was lucky to have avoided a lot of them getting here."
2762
2763show ca angry
2764c "I have no idea what those things are. Except that machine over there is obviously the cause of it."
2765
2766hide ca
2767
2768scene cg furnace with fade:
2769    xpos 0.5 ypos 1.51 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.8
2770    linear 7 xpos 0.5 ypos 1.79 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.8 
2771"He points to the furnace over the railing."
2772
2773c "The issue is, how do we get there without jumping into that sludge?" 
2774
2775scene bg ch1furnace with fade
2776
2777show ca worry se with dissolve
2778
2779c "I found out the hard way that they can melt and absorb almost anything." 
2780c "My magic can incinerate or freeze some of it before it attacks, but it’s not enough to fully blast it apart before it reforms."
2781
2782pov concernsweat "What about the walls? They’re rocky enough to grab ahold of, and we can edge our way to it without having to touch anything."
2783
2784show ca concern ce
2785c "It doesn’t solve the problem of securely destroying that machine. You have to balance above or near it." 
2786show ca worry se
2787c "One slip and you’re a goner."
2788
2789stop music fadeout 1.0
2790
2791pov ohno "We need to figure out something fast though. Look at the sludge!"
2792
2793stop amb fadeout 1.0
2794
2795window hide
2796with hpunch
2797with vpunch
2798play music "bgm/mind.ogg" fadein 1.0
2799window auto
2800
2801"Below us, the pool grows higher, threatening to overtake the platform we’re currently on."
2802
2803show ca angry
2804c "…Damn it!" 
2805show ca worry se
2806c "I’ll look around to see if there’s a switch on that thing or if I can bust it apart."
2807c "I should be the one to scale the wall to it." 
2808show ca worry sweat
2809c "You stay here."
2810
2811hide ca with dissolve
2812"He jumps on the top of the rails, dashing down the length to the wall." 
2813"As he clings to some of the protruding rock, a wave of sludge crashes into the rungs holding up the platform."
2814window hide
2815
2816play sound audio.junkcrash
2817with hpunch
2818with vpunch
2819with vpunch
2820window auto
2821
2822"I’m thrown off balance. Half the balcony ruptures under the weight of the surge. I clamber up to the opposite edge away from the streaming slime."
2823
2824show ca shock with dissolve
2825c "[povname]!"
2826
2827hide ca with dissolve
2828
2829"Calix grimaces, torn between going to the furnace or me." 
2830"He isn’t given much time to decide as another wave of slime buffets the platform and entirely disintegrates it." 
2831"Some spray onto the wall, near his legs, but he scrambles to the side in time to avoid it."
2832"Another wave. This one heading straight in his path."
2833"He mutters under his breath."
2834
2835pause 0.1
2836
2837scene bg black
2838
2839play sound audio.magic
2840show firerune at magiccircle with dissolve
2841hide firerune with dissolve
2842
2843scene cg calixice:
2844    xpos 0.85 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2845play sound audio.casting
2846scene cg calixice:
2847    xpos 0.85 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2848    parallel:
2849        linear 0.5 xpos 0.82 ypos 1.47 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2850    parallel:
2851        linear 0.5 xpos 0.55 ypos 1.53 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2852    linear 0.5 xpos 0.57 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.03 
2853
2854"Flinging his arm out he sends a mass of spiraling blue power out at the approaching wave."
2855
2856play sound audio.ice
2857scene bullet2b
2858with hpunch
2859
2860pause 0.4
2861
2862stop sound fadeout 0.5
2863scene bg ch1furnace
2864
2865"The wave sparkles, entirely frozen."
2866
2867play sound audio.swoop
2868play sound audio.softthud
2869
2870"He springs off the side of the wall and lands on top of the frozen sludge."
2871"It cracks under his weight, threatening to shatter and send him falling into the depths of the tepid pool below."
2872"Another influx of slime billows towards him."
2873
2874
2875scene cg calixice:
2876    xpos 0.85 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2877play sound audio.casting
2878scene cg calixice:
2879    xpos 0.85 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2880    parallel:
2881        linear 0.5 xpos 0.82 ypos 1.47 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2882    parallel:
2883        linear 0.5 xpos 0.55 ypos 1.53 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2884    linear 0.5 xpos 0.57 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.03 
2885
2886pause 1.0
2887
2888play sound audio.ice
2889scene bullet2b
2890with hpunch
2891
2892pause 0.4
2893stop sound fadeout 0.5
2894
2895scene bg ch1furnace
2896
2897"Calix freezes it again. As the frozen sludge under him ruptures, he bounds onto the new pillar."
2898
2899scene cg calixice:
2900    xpos 0.85 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2901play sound audio.casting
2902scene cg calixice:
2903    xpos 0.85 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2904    parallel:
2905        linear 0.5 xpos 0.82 ypos 1.47 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2906    parallel:
2907        linear 0.5 xpos 0.55 ypos 1.53 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.54
2908    linear 0.5 xpos 0.57 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.03 
2909    
2910pause 1.0
2911
2912play sound audio.ice
2913scene bullet2b
2914with hpunch
2915
2916pause 0.4
2917stop sound fadeout 0.5
2918
2919"The process repeats itself with Calix leaping across the undulations using his ice spells as platforms."
2920
2921scene bg black with fade
2922show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}A...{/ttf}{/cps}":
2923    align (0.4,0.4)
2924    linear 0.1 align (0.41, 0.41)
2925    linear 0.1 align (0.42,0.4)
2926    linear 0.1 align (0.43,0.41)
2927with dissolve
2928hide text with dissolve
2929pause 0.5
2930show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}A...{/ttf}{/cps}":
2931    align (0.5,0.5)
2932    linear 0.1 align (0.51, 0.51)
2933    linear 0.1 align (0.52,0.5)
2934    linear 0.1 align (0.53,0.51)
2935with dissolve
2936hide text with dissolve
2937pause 0.5
2938show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}Au..{/ttf}{/cps}":
2939    align (0.6,0.6)
2940    linear 0.1 align (0.61, 0.61)
2941    linear 0.1 align (0.62,0.6)
2942    linear 0.1 align (0.63,0.61)
2943with dissolve
2944pause 0.5
2945hide text with dissolve
2946
2947scene bg ch1furnace with fade
2948
2949"Desperately clinging onto the railing, I hear the strange whispers again." 
2950"Calix is too far away and the grinding sounds from the furnace are reaching a crescendo as it outputs more sludge."
2951
2952scene bg black with fade
2953show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}A...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
2954    align (0.4,0.4)
2955    linear 0.1 align (0.41, 0.41)
2956    linear 0.1 align (0.42,0.4)
2957    linear 0.1 align (0.43,0.41)
2958with dissolve
2959hide text with dissolve
2960pause 0.5
2961show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}Au...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
2962    align (0.5,0.5)
2963    linear 0.1 align (0.51, 0.51)
2964    linear 0.1 align (0.52,0.5)
2965    linear 0.1 align (0.53,0.51)
2966with dissolve
2967hide text with dissolve
2968pause 0.5
2969show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}d..{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
2970    align (0.6,0.6)
2971    linear 0.1 align (0.61, 0.61)
2972    linear 0.1 align (0.62,0.6)
2973    linear 0.1 align (0.63,0.61)
2974with dissolve
2975pause 0.5
2976hide text with dissolve
2977
2978scene bg ch1furnace with fade
2979
2980"I retain my hold on the disintegrating platform."
2981
2982scene bg black with fade
2983show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}Au..{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
2984    linear 0.5 zoom (1.5)
2985    linear 0.5 zoom (1.0)
2986    linear 0.5 zoom (0.5)
2987with dissolve
2988with vpunch
2989hide text with dissolve
2990pause 0.5
2991
2992scene bg ch1furnace with fade
2993
2994pov ohno "Something isn’t right, Calix! I hear someone calling out!"
2995
2996"He is too far away." 
2997
2998play sound audio.ice
2999scene bullet2b
3000with hpunch
3001
3002pause 0.4
3003
3004stop sound fadeout 0.5
3005scene bg ch1furnace
3006
3007"Several icy waves burst apart as he hops from one to the other to quickly reach the furnace."
3008"Gritting my teeth, I balance on the edge of the railing. The platform slowly sinks into the sludge, which causes everything to be at an angle." 
3009"If I stayed clutching the railing, I would probably be safe for a while, at least until Calix can reach the furnace to stop it."
3010
3011scene bg black with fade
3012show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}A...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3013    align (0.4,0.4)
3014    linear 0.1 align (0.41, 0.41) zoom (1.5)
3015    linear 0.1 align (0.42,0.4) zoom (1.0)
3016    linear 0.1 align (0.43,0.41) zoom (0.5)
3017with dissolve
3018hide text with dissolve
3019pause 0.5
3020show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}Au...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3021    align (0.5,0.5)
3022    linear 0.1 align (0.51, 0.51) zoom (1.5)
3023    linear 0.1 align (0.52,0.5) zoom (1.0)
3024    linear 0.1 align (0.53,0.51) zoom (0.5)
3025with dissolve
3026hide text with dissolve
3027pause 0.5
3028show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}d...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3029    align (0.6,0.6)
3030    linear 0.1 align (0.61, 0.61) zoom (1.5)
3031    linear 0.1 align (0.62,0.6) zoom (1.0)
3032    linear 0.1 align (0.63,0.61) zoom (0.5)
3033with dissolve
3034hide text with dissolve
3035pause 0.5
3036
3037scene bg ch1furnace with fade
3038
3039pov painclose "Ugh! My head hurts! Stop wailing!" 
3040
3041"Something doesn’t feel right. The whispering ascends into a crying that assaults my eardrums."
3042
3043scene bg black with fade
3044 
3045"The vibrations of the screaming hurts."
3046"The voice calls out to me. Despite my aching temples, I attentively listen." 
3047"Calix will be reaching the furnace soon to destroy it."
3048"What will happen to the voice when he does?"
3049"It is unconnected to the furnace, it’s not a part of it."
3050"The owner of the voice sounds like they’re in so much pain."
3051
3052scene bg ch1furnace with fade
3053
3054"It continues to call and my instinct takes control of my body."
3055"Someone is trapped in that furnace." 
3056
3057
3058scene bg black with fade
3059show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}Au...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3060    align (0.4,0.4)
3061    linear 0.1 align (0.41, 0.41)
3062    linear 0.1 align (0.42,0.4)
3063    linear 0.1 align (0.43,0.41)
3064with dissolve
3065hide text with dissolve
3066pause 0.5
3067show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}Au...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3068    align (0.5,0.5)
3069    linear 0.1 align (0.51, 0.51)
3070    linear 0.1 align (0.52,0.5)
3071    linear 0.1 align (0.53,0.51)
3072with dissolve
3073hide text with dissolve
3074pause 0.5
3075show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}dr..{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3076    align (0.6,0.6)
3077    linear 0.1 align (0.61, 0.61)
3078    linear 0.1 align (0.62,0.6)
3079    linear 0.1 align (0.63,0.61)
3080with dissolve
3081pause 0.5
3082hide text with dissolve
3083
3084
3085"Beneath my feet, I see the ebb and flow of the sludge."
3086"If I touch it, I’ll be disintegrated."
3087"However, I can’t sit back and ignore that cry. There’s not enough time to reach Calix to tell him to stop."
3088"Vassago…The Somnonauts…They protected and saved me." 
3089
3090scene cg furnace with fade
3091
3092"So, I want to do the same to the person locked away, suffering in the furnace."
3093"I gulp, letting my body drop."
3094
3095show furnacecalix:
3096    xpos 1.18 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0
3097    linear 0.1 xpos 0.44 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 
3098pause 0.1
3099
3100"Sensing my decision, Calix spins around. He’s a few more jumps away from the furnace. He screams in my direction as a flash outlines his form."
3101
3102show furnacelantern
3103window hide
3104pause 0.1
3105hide furnacecalix
3106hide furnacelantern
3107play sound audio.splash
3108show cg furnace:
3109    linear 0.5 xpos 0.51 ypos 1.02 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 2.0
3110stop music fadeout 1.0
3111with flashbulb
3112scene bg white
3113window auto
3114
3115"The scene melts into a blur as I’m engulfed."
3116
3117play music audio.water fadein 1.0
3118scene bg black with fade
3119pause 2.0
3120
3121"Gradually, black intermixes with red."
3122
3123scene bite with fade
3124
3125"There's no pain." 
3126"Thick mud perforates my body, suffocating me. I wade through it in the direction of the voice."
3127
3128centered "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+30}dr...{/size}{/font}{/cps}"
3129
3130"Vision hazy, overcome with the ebbing black and red, I swim further."
3131
3132"The sludge is filling my lungs. My throat seizes, and I cough. Yet, I strive forward albeit the thick resistance of fluid."
3133"A shape of a person in fetal position fills my vision."  
3134"I reach out for them." 
3135"Debris shoots out, rattling through the sludge. I brace myself, feeling metal glide past me in torrents." 
3136
3137scene bg black with fade
3138show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+40}AU...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3139    align (0.4,0.4)
3140    linear 0.1 align (0.41, 0.41)
3141    linear 0.1 align (0.42,0.4)
3142    linear 0.1 align (0.43,0.41)
3143with dissolve
3144hide text with dissolve
3145pause 0.5
3146show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+40}DR...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3147    align (0.5,0.5)
3148    linear 0.1 align (0.51, 0.51)
3149    linear 0.1 align (0.52,0.5)
3150    linear 0.1 align (0.53,0.51)
3151with dissolve
3152hide text with dissolve
3153pause 0.5
3154show text "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+40}A...{/ttf}{/size}{/cps}":
3155    align (0.6,0.6)
3156    linear 0.1 align (0.61, 0.61)
3157    linear 0.1 align (0.62,0.6)
3158    linear 0.1 align (0.63,0.61)
3159with dissolve
3160hide text with dissolve
3161pause 0.5
3162
3163
3164"My fingers grasp something soft."
3165
3166window hide
3167stop music fadeout 1.0
3168
3169with flashbulb
3170
3171scene bg black with fade
3172centered "{cps=+5}{font=ITCBLKAD.ttf}{size=+40}AUDRA{/size}{/font}{/cps}"
3173
3174pause 2.0
3175
3176window auto
3177
3178"Warmth surrounds my body." 
3179"Someone is holding me."
3180"I groan, letting myself wake."
3181
3182scene cg audrahug with fade:
3183    xpos 0.51 ypos 1.45 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.51
3184    linear 5 xpos 0.51 ypos 1.0 xanchor 0.5 yanchor 1.0 zoom 1.0
3185    
3186"Hugging me tightly is a girl."
3187"Around us, the sludge retreats in streams. Broken bits of the furnace are dispersed around the ground."
3188"The girl’s arms clench me in a tight clamp." 
3189"She's warm." 
3190"Alive."
3191"Neither of us are disintegrated by the sludge."
3192"We are completely unscathed."
3193"As I register what’s going on, I quickly jump from shock to embarrassment."
3194
3195scene bg ch1furnace with fade
3196
3197"I grip her shoulders to gently pull her off me. Calix hovers over us with the Lantern bobbing at his side." 
3198
3199play sound audio.lantern
3200show lantern at left, floating with dissolve
3201show ca shock at right with dissolve
3202
3203c "Step back, [povname]! That’s...!"
3204
3205window hide
3206play music audio.earth 
3207with hpunch
3208with vpunch
3209
3210window auto
3211"Everything shakes. Piles of rock begin to fall from the ceiling to crash around us."
3212
3213show ca angry om
3214c "We have to go now! It’s caving in!"
3215
3216hide ca
3217hide lantern
3218with dissolve
3219
3220"He slams the girl away from me to grab my shoulder."
3221play sound audio.softthud
3222"She crashes to the floor. Calix tugs at me as a whirl of color explodes in my vision." 
3223"I want to yell at him for treating her that way after what she’s been through."
3224"All I can do is reach out to her again. She rises with an elbow digging into the cement, the other arm stretching out to me."
3225
3226window hide
3227stop music 
3228play sound audio.junkcrash
3229with hpunch
3230with vpunch
3231
3232pause 0.5
3233
3234scene bg black with fade
3235play sound audio.teleport
3236scene bg spiral with Pixellate(1,5)
3237pause 0.5
3238scene bg black with Pixellate(1,5)
3239
3240scene bg boiler with Pixellate(1,5)
3241play sound audio.heavyfall
3242
3243play amb audio.boiler
3244
3245window auto
3246
3247"We’re back in the boiler room of the castle."
3248
3249scene cg mirror with fade
3250pause 0.5
3251play sound audio.shatter
3252scene cg mirrorcrack
3253
3254"The mirror that ejected us shatters into billions of crystal shards."
3255
3256scene bg boiler with fade
3257
3258"Calix pulls me onto my feet."
3259
3260play sound audio.intercom
3261b "{font=OratorStd.otf}Are you two all right? The Svapna blinked out when you entered the dream.{/font}"
3262
3263show ca worry se with dissolve
3264c "Yeah, we’re fine. Unsuccessful but fine."
3265
3266play sound audio.intercom
3267b "{font=OratorStd.otf}It’s indicating that the dream died a few seconds ago.{/font}"
3268
3269play sound audio.lantern
3270show lantern at left,floating
3271show ca shock at right with move
3272
3273c "...!"
3274
3275play sound audio.intercom
3276b "{font=OratorStd.otf}Did something happen? I'm not hearing a confirmation about the mirror breaking.{/font}"
3277
3278show ca angry
3279c "This is bad. Real bad, Beatrice!"
3280
3281show aud worry se at left, xflip with dissolve
3282c "There’s an Anomaly in the castle!"
3283$ ch1_52 = False
3284$ ch1_61 = True
3285
3286# 1-6
3287
3288show aud worry se sweat
3289
3290"The girl doesn’t budge at Calix’s exclamation. She simply stares frightened at both of us, her head swiveling between me and the Lantern every so often."
3291"Calix rolls up his sleeves in preparation for battle."
3292
3293play sound audio.intercom
3294b "{font=OratorStd.otf}I’m going to sound the defense system right away and notify Vassago.{/font}"
3295
3296show ca angry sweat
3297c "He’s back!? Where did he even go during such a time when we really needed him!"
3298
3299play sound audio.intercom
3300b "{font=OratorStd.otf}We haven’t had the opportunity to discuss that. As soon as he came through…well…that’s when this predicament occurred.{/font}"
3301
3302show ca angry
3303c "Ugh, hurry it up then!"
3304
3305play sound audio.intercom
3306b "{font=OratorStd.otf}Haven’t you learned not to talk to me like that? We’ll be there in a few moments…don’t incite it.{/font}"
3307
3308show ca angry sweat
3309"Lady Beatrice’s voice cuts off and Calix visibly sweats with his gaze locked on the girl."
3310
3311play sound audio.footsteps
3312
3313c "….WHOA! Hey! Didn’t you hear what she said! Don’t go near it!"
3314
3315pov listless "Your name…is Audra, isn’t it?"
3316
3317show aud worry ce
3318"The girl hangs her head. She wavers under Calix’s animosity." 
3319
3320pov concernclose "I heard your voice near the furnace and when I swam through the sludge."
3321show aud worry
3322
3323show ca angry
3324c "How can you be sure of that, [povname]? That’s an Anomaly!"
3325
3326pov concern "It was her voice I heard. She was in the furnace and pleading to be let out."
3327
3328show ca worry se
3329c "That makes no sense. Obviously, it put itself in there to amplify its powers. They do crazy things like that sometimes."
3330
3331"The Anomaly, Audra, takes a deep breath."
3332
3333$ aud_name = "Audra"
3334$ audra_met = True 
3335
3336show aud worry om
3337aud  "I…w-was put there…"
3338
3339pov concern "Against your will?"
3340
3341show aud worry ce
3342aud "None…of it was…on purpose…"
3343
3344show ca angry
3345c "I can’t believe it. An Anomaly destroys dreams."
3346c "Why wouldn’t it rise to the occasion and destroy the dream after being given such a power boost?"
3347
3348show aud worry se
3349aud "Because…I..."
3350
3351play sound audio.footsteps
3352"Before she can finish, Lady Beatrice and Vassago come bursting into the boiler room. Audra pales when she sees them."
3353
3354hide ca
3355hide lantern
3356with dissolve
3357
3358show aud worry se at center with move
3359
3360show bea angry at right
3361show vas annoy at left,xflip
3362with dissolve
3363
3364stop amb fadeout 2.0
3365
3366play music "bgm/lie.ogg"
3367
3368v "This is the Anomaly?"
3369
3370show vas annoy ce
3371v "Congratulations, you are the first to successfully intrude on the castle."
3372
3373"He says so with an air of indifference, but his hand sinks to the hilt of the sword on his belt."
3374show vas annoy
3375
3376show aud worry om
3377aud "I..."
3378
3379show bea angry om
3380b "[povname], it’s best if you move away. You’re in my target zone and I don’t want to hit you."
3381
3382show bea
3383pov resolute "I’m not moving. All of you are being unfair and not listening to her."
3384
3385show aud worry:
3386    linear 0.5 xpos 0.4
3387    
3388show ca angry om:
3389    xpos 0.47 ypos -83
3390c "Did you hit your head or something when we entered the dream?"
3391
3392show ca angry
3393c "That’s. An. Anomaly. It destroys dreams. Like all of ours."
3394
3395show bea angry om
3396b "Don’t be a fool. They’ll do anything, psychological manipulation included, to their own ends."
3397show bea angry
3398
3399menu:
3400    "Don’t blindly attack her.":
3401
3402        show aud worry ce sweat
3403        "Audra’s chest heaves with a sigh, yet her shoulders visibly shake. She’s unsure of the situation she’s in and how to appeal to those who are quick to fight her."
3404        
3405        show vas normal ce
3406        window hide
3407        $ vas_points += 1
3408        play sound audio.point
3409        show rose4:
3410            xalign 0.1 yalign 0.4 
3411            contains rosepoint
3412        pause 1.0
3413        window auto
3414        
3415        "Vassago is the first to calm down. Letting his frame relax, he drops his guard entirely."
3416        
3417        show vas normal
3418        v "We must be wise about this decision since we  do not know why it is here or what it is planning."
3419        v "It would make more sense for it to attack [povname] and Calix straight away before we arrived. Or, absconded once realizing it was in enemy territory."
3420        "On the other hand, Lady Beatrice remains locked in a battle position."
3421        
3422        show bea angry om
3423        b "We don’t know that much about Anomalies." 
3424       
3425        show bea angry
3426        b "It might have wanted to gather us together in one spot to destroy us in a single strike."
3427        
3428        show vas normal ce
3429        v "It has not yet done so. Or even moved from the looks of it."
3430        
3431        show bea tired ce
3432        b "Well…I don’t want to waste too much power or energy in fighting it anyway."
3433        
3434        show bea angry ce
3435        b "Besides, it’s a great chance to gain more information about Anomalies. Worst case scenario, I might have to incapacitate it."
3436    "Hear her out.":
3437        show aud worry ce
3438        "Audra presses a hand into her chest and heaves a sigh."
3439        window hide
3440        $ aud_points += 1
3441        play sound audio.point
3442        show rose4:
3443            xalign 0.4 yalign 0.4
3444            contains rosepoint
3445        pause 1.0
3446        window auto
3447        
3448        aud "T-thank you…"
3449        
3450        "Both Vassago and Lady Beatrice preserve their stances, ready to go into battle."
3451        
3452        show bea angry om
3453        show vas annoy
3454        
3455        b "One false move and I’ll incapacitate it."
3456        
3457        show bea angry om
3458        b "However…this is a perfect chance to learn more about Anomalies, although I don’t know why it hasn’t taken this opportunity to strike us all down in one blow."
3459        show bea angry
3460        
3461        show vas annoy ce
3462        v "It has many other options: attack [povname] and Calix, or abscond the castle."
3463        
3464        show vas annoy
3465        v "Yet, it has not done any of those."
3466        
3467        show bea tired ce
3468        b "Well…I don’t want to waste too much power or energy in fighting it anyway if it plans not to as well."
3469        show bea angry ce
3470
3471show aud worry om
3472aud "I didn’t mean…to end up here…I had no choice. I don’t know how to travel between branches…especially if it’s ending…"
3473
3474show aud worry
3475pov resolute "Branches?"
3476"Calix leans in to whisper to me."
3477
3478show ca normal se:
3479    linear 0.3 xpos 0.36 ypos -271 zoom 1.61 
3480c "It’s another way of referring to the dreams." 
3481pov concern "It’s a strange way of doing so."
3482
3483show ca worry se
3484c "Yeah, it is. This is the second time I’ve heard it being used…the last time was when I met Beatrice’s old master."
3485
3486$ entry_branch1 = True
3487$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
3488
3489c "It’s an {color=efbd12}outdated term{/color} that makes no sense." 
3490
3491show ca normal se:
3492    linear 0.3 xpos 0.47 ypos -83 zoom 1.0
3493show bea angry om
3494b "An Anomaly who can’t traverse between dreams? That can’t be. It must be lying."
3495show bea angry
3496
3497show aud worry ce
3498aud "N…no. I honestly don’t know how…"
3499
3500show vas annoy ce
3501v "Anomlies depend on the ability to travel between dreams. Lacking such a capacity would mean that it is fundamentally broken."
3502
3503show aud worry
3504aud "Yes, I…am broken."
3505
3506pov ohno "…!"
3507
3508show ca shock
3509show bea angry sweat
3510show vas annoy
3511
3512aud "There is no purpose…consuming branches. I wouldn’t know how…if I wanted too."
3513
3514show aud worry ce
3515aud "It’s…all a wasted effort…"
3516
3517show ca worry se
3518c "Why were you in the furnace then? You generated all that sludge which went around disintegrating everything."
3519
3520show aud worry
3521aud "I have no clue…someone put me in there…I didn’t consume that branch…"
3522
3523pov resolute "...!"
3524
3525show ca angry
3526c "[povname], what’s wrong?"
3527
3528pov resolute "That cat! It lied to me!"
3529
3530show bea angry
3531b "Cat?"
3532
3533pov angryclose "Calix and I got separated when we first entered the dream. Before we reunited, I ran into an Anomaly shaped like a cat."
3534pov resolute "It mentioned that another Anomaly was trying to destroy that dream."
3535
3536show bea angry om
3537b "Turms!" 
3538
3539show bea angry
3540b "Before we knew about the nature of Anomalies, that blasted cat tricked me to buy enough time for it to destroy everything." 
3541b "Once I figured it out, I incinerated it to a pile of ash. There is no possible way it’s alive."
3542
3543pov resolute "It was alive. I watched it fight off one of the sludges with black chains."
3544b "Barbed black chains?"
3545pov angryclose "Yes."
3546
3547show bea angry sweat
3548b "No doubt it was Turms then."
3549
3550pov resolute "It must have set up everything. Putting Audra into the furnace to make her do all the work, and then waiting for the dream to reach its end before eating it."
3551
3552show ca angry om
3553c "And then it had the unfortunate circumstance of running into [povname], so it had to concoct a story."
3554
3555show ca angry
3556
3557show vas annoy ce om
3558v "A furnace that amplifies Anomaly powers? It would have been interesting to investigate it further." 
3559
3560show vas annoy
3561v "However, the mirror is broken…and the dream done. It seems we were too late after all."
3562
3563show bea angry om
3564b "Ooooh! If I find that cat again, I’m going to squash it with my heel!"
3565
3566show vas annoy ce om
3567v "Calm down, Lady Beatrice. We need to think of the situation before us. What should we do with this Anomaly?"
3568show vas annoy ce
3569
3570show bea angry ce
3571b "It appears it doesn’t have the power or incentive to fight us. Even if it can’t go back into a dream, it’s best if it doesn’t. We don’t want to let it loose."
3572
3573show vas normal
3574v "Perhaps we should keep it in the castle as a form of quarantine?"
3575
3576show bea smug
3577b "Or…we could see how it fares in the void of the Realm?"
3578
3579show aud shock om sweat
3580
3581"A menacing aura emanates from Lady Beatrice in Audra’s direction. The Anomaly jumps in fright."
3582
3583show aud shock sweat at jumping
3584aud "I won’t do…anything! I’m already indebted…to her…"
3585
3586show vas annoy om
3587v "Indebted?"
3588
3589"Audra lifts a shaky finger in my direction."
3590
3591show aud worry sweat
3592aud "I wouldn’t…do anything to hurt her or her friends…I promise." 
3593show aud worry ce
3594aud "So, please…don’t leave me stranded between the branches…"
3595
3596show vas normal ce
3597v  "Very well. However, one wrong move and you are Lady Beatrice’s specimen."
3598    
3599show bea angry om
3600b "Vassago!" 
3601
3602show bea angry
3603b "I mean…not that I’m against having a test subject, but can we trust this thing?"
3604
3605show vas normal
3606v "As you have indicated, Lady Beatrice, it may provide us with valuable information." 
3607v "It is devoid of its normal power from being stuck within the furnace, so it cannot cause any damage from what I notice."
3608
3609"He turns towards Audra."
3610
3611v "Do you understand?" 
3612"She quivers before him."
3613show aud worry sweat
3614aud "…Y-yes…!"
3615
3616show vas normal ce
3617v "There is your answer." 
3618
3619play sound audio.footsteps
3620hide vas with dissolve
3621
3622"Without anything else to add, he leaves our group. The clicks of his boots fade into the distance as he ascends the staircase out of the boiler room."
3623
3624stop music fadeout 3.0
3625
3626show bea angry sweat
3627b "Both of you get some rest. We can discuss everything tomorrow."
3628
3629show ca concern ce
3630c "I want to think everything through before we speak anyway…"
3631
3632show bea angry ce
3633b "And, [povname]. There’s some things you and I should have a chat about."
3634pov concernclose "...Yes..."
3635
3636"Under Lady Beatrice’s gaze, I feel a sense of dread." 
3637"I know I did something horribly wrong by trusting Turms…no doubt, she will most likely kick me out of the Somnonauts for doing that and risking myself to save Audra."
3638
3639hide bea
3640hide ca
3641hide aud
3642with dissolve
3643stop amb
3644
3645$ entry_aud1 = True
3646$ entry_tu1 = True
3647scene bg black with fade
3648$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
3649scene bg foyer with fade
3650
3651play music "bgm/tekuteku.ogg"
3652
3653"After the lengthy conversation among everyone, I make my way back to my bedroom." 
3654"Like Calix,  I wanted to sort everything out that happened within the dream."
3655"Audra trots behind me. I come to a sudden halt, and, not surprising, she almost slams into my back."
3656
3657pov concern "Is there something wrong?"
3658
3659show aud worry se with dissolve
3660aud "I…don’t like those people…especially the taller man…"
3661
3662pov surprise "Vassago?" 
3663pov concern "That’d make sense. He’s the leader of the Somnonauts and probably the strongest of everyone here. I mean…you and him would be natural enemies."
3664
3665show aud worry
3666aud "I don’t want to be enemies…not with anyone…"
3667
3668pov concernclose "I do hope it all works out in the end…it’s turned rather complicated…"
3669
3670show aud worry se
3671aud "I…am not sure where I should go…"
3672
3673pov surprise "…?"
3674pov listless "Oh, yeah. Lady Beatrice and Vassago said they were going to quarantine you in the castle." 
3675pov listless "I suppose that’s like house arrest…except this isn’t your house…hmm…"
3676
3677menu:
3678    "Maybe there’s an empty room near mine?":
3679        pov listless "I can find you an empty room near mine. Then, if something happens, you’ll be nearby."
3680        
3681        show aud worry ce
3682        aud "We’re enemies…so that would be the wisest thing to do…to stay separated."
3683        pov concernsweat "Um…that’s not what I meant…I mean…as in privacy…"
3684        
3685        show aud normal
3686        aud "…"
3687        show aud blush se
3688        aud "We’re both female…?"
3689        pov reliefsweat "That’s not my point." 
3690        pov concern "I don’t like to share my room with other people, regardless of gender. No offense."
3691        
3692        show aud worry ce
3693        aud "It’s all right…"
3694    "Stay with me?":
3695        pov listless "Why not stay with me?"
3696        
3697        show aud blush om
3698        aud "Are…!" 
3699        show aud blush se
3700        aud "Are you sure?"
3701        
3702        pov resolute "Everyone is making you out to be an enemy, but I don’t agree." 
3703        pov angryclose "I heard you crying in the furnace and how much you wanted out. If Turms is any sort of comparison, you are nothing like that."
3704        
3705        show aud worry ce
3706        aud "I’m your natural enemy…like the man said..."
3707        pov resolute "If you could attack me, would you?"
3708        
3709        show aud worry
3710        aud "…"
3711        
3712        show aud worry ce
3713        aud "No…"
3714        
3715        pov normal "Then, it’s fine."
3716        pov listless "I normally don’t like other people hanging around my room for too long nor do I know much about Anomalies."
3717        pov concern "But, after experiencing what happened in the sludge, my intuition tells me that it should be fine."
3718        
3719        "One thing I cannot tell her…is how disgusted I feel about the Somnonauts."
3720        "How they treated her like a thing." 
3721        "Audra is what she is. Even if she was their enemy, she expressed that she has no intentions of fighting."
3722        "The Somnonauts wouldn’t give her enough room to speak up for herself. If they heard and saw what I did while swimming to Audra, they would surely change their opinions of her."
3723        "I thought they would be understanding like they were to my situation." 
3724        
3725        show aud blush se
3726        aud "…"
3727        pov surprise "Um…did I say something wrong?"
3728        show aud normal ce
3729        window hide
3730        play sound audio.point
3731        show rose4:
3732            xalign 0.5 yalign 0.3 
3733            contains rosepoint
3734        pause 1.0
3735        window auto
3736        show aud normal
3737        aud "No."
3738        $ aud_points += 1
3739        $ ch1_aud_bed = True
3740        window hide
3741        pause 0.2
3742        window auto
3743
3744hide aud with dissolve
3745stop music fadeout 1.0
3746scene bg black with fade
3747pause 0.5
3748scene bg povbednight with fade
3749
3750$ ch1_61 = False
3751$ ch1_62 = True
3752
3753"I toss and turn in bed, unable to sleep." 
3754"What transpired in the dream dogs at me, about how Turms tricked me and how…ultimately…the death of countless dream characters and their dream was my fault."
3755"If I didn’t agree to Turms…and lead him to the furnace, then perhaps Calix and I might have been able to save everything."
3756"The dream. The dream characters. Even Audra."
3757"Lady Beatrice put a lot of trust in me to go with Calix. In my gut, I know she’s intensely disappointed." 
3758"They must all think I’m a failure…not trustworthy."
3759"It gnaws at me all night."
3760
3761window hide
3762play sound audio.softthud
3763with hpunch
3764window auto
3765
3766"I get up. There’s no use in sleeping."
3767
3768play music "bgm/voiceless.ogg"
3769
3770if ch1_aud_bed != True:
3771    pass
3772    
3773else:
3774    "Shuffling out of bed, I almost trip over something hanging off the bottom corner."
3775    
3776    scene cg audsleep with fade
3777    
3778    "Audra sleeps peacefully with her head resting on the mattress, the rest of her body on the floor. Her long hair snakes along the carpet and intertwines her legs." 
3779    "The expression on her face is peaceful, unlike the constant worried expressions from earlier." 
3780    "Why doesn’t she sleep in one of the sofas in my room?"
3781    "I’d even be fine with her sleeping in the same bed."
3782    "Judging from her position, she must have watched me fall asleep out of worry."
3783    "I make a mental note to ask her when she wakes up, but, for now, I leave the room."
3784    
3785    scene bg povbednight with fade
3786    
3787"I allow my feet to take me on an aimless night stroll with no destination." 
3788
3789scene bg hallway with fade
3790
3791"The castle is the same as the last few days; nothing to indicate the change in having an Anomaly in quarantine or everyone’s upset moods."
3792
3793scene bg foyer with fade
3794
3795"I find myself in the foyer. The library is nearby…"
3796"Calix might be up late researching through Lady Beatrice’s books. An inkling to go and talk to him overtakes me for a moment, but I hold back."
3797
3798scene bg black with fade
3799
3800"The destructive scene of my dream continues to haunt me, in the back of my mind like some sort of tick digging into my skin." 
3801"It hangs over me, refusing to leave, worsening when there are no distractions."
3802"Annette assured me the Somnonauts all were survivors from their dead dreams."
3803
3804scene bg foyer with fade
3805
3806"With how they treated Audra…I can’t fully believe that their sympathy is fully honest. She may be an Anomaly, but her situation is quite different from normal Anomalies."
3807"Like us, she was also a victim. Yet, the Somnonauts refuse to accept her because of what she is, without taking in the circumstances."
3808"I sigh."
3809"This was the same as my original dream." 
3810"Society assigned us to classes, which meant that everyone was separated while working towards a common goal of ensuring future stability."
3811"We may express kindness and generosity…but all of it was not out of personal reasons."
3812
3813scene bg black with fade
3814
3815"The Somnonauts are the same. They focus on close ties to unite towards a common goal without consideration for the individual person." 
3816"It’s not inherently a bad idea, but the relationships among individuals are never cultivated, especially if one of them is different. Like Audra." 
3817"I can’t tell the Somnonauts this, because none of them would understand the societal rules of my old dream."
3818"This is an issue I’ve dealt with before…and something none of them have ever experienced in their dreams."
3819"So, how could they understand if they never experienced it?"
3820
3821scene bg foyer with fade
3822
3823"I decide not to check the library, instead, ambling around the bottom of the foyer."
3824
3825scene bg clockroom with fade
3826stop music fadeout 1.0
3827pause 1.0
3828play music audio.clock
3829
3830"…."
3831"Mysteriously, the door near the clock is ajar."
3832
3833play sound audio.dooropen
3834
3835"I push it open, discovering a large spiral staircase."
3836
3837scene bg black with fade
3838scene bg clock with fade
3839
3840"The whirring of gears greets my ears as does a large clock face. A constant ticking perforates the atmosphere, alongside the clicks of machinery." 
3841"The intricacy of the how the gears are placed together is astonishing. All of this placed together to tell time…"
3842
3843$ acan_name = "???"
3844aca "Fuhuhuhuhu~"
3845aca "You came climbing up here in the end, huh?"
3846
3847"From above between one of the turning gears, a lighthearted voice giggles."
3848
3849play sound audio.cloth
3850
3851"A small girl shuffles out from behind the largest gear, leaning against it as it rotates." 
3852"She must be standing on a part that doesn’t move at the back, as she remains stationary."
3853
3854pov shocksmall "An intruder?!"
3855
3856"The girl raises her eyebrows, but instantly squints at me with a smug grin."
3857
3858aca "Calm down…I’m as much as a resident to this castle as Vassago is."
3859
3860play sound audio.swoop
3861
3862"Without warning, she leaps from the gear. My heart somersaults as she falls, however, as soon as her feet meet air, she gracefully floats down in front of me."
3863
3864show aca normal with dissolve
3865aca "Let me introduce myself…"
3866
3867$ acan_name = "Acantha"
3868stop amb fadeout 1.0
3869play music "bgm/yomiage.ogg"
3870
3871show aca normal om
3872aca "I am the demon that haunts this clock, Acantha. Welcome to my domain."
3873
3874pov concern "Why haven’t I heard you before?"
3875
3876show aca sad se
3877aca "Maybe I’m a secret? Or plain forgotten? Nobody bothers to check the clocktower."
3878
3879show aca smug
3880aca "Why would they? An accurate time in the castle isn’t needed when you’re in between worlds…"
3881
3882show aca normal
3883aca "…But enough about me. I’m curious about you, [povname]."
3884
3885show aca normal ce om
3886aca "I know {cps=10}e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g{/cps} that happens in this castle, but not outside of it."
3887
3888show aca normal ce
3889aca "Naturally, I want to know how far you’ve gotten and about your choices"
3890
3891show aca smug
3892aca "...Especially your choices."
3893
3894"Despite what transpired earlier today with Audra, I know that the Somnonauts are trustworthy and wouldn’t hurt anyone." 
3895"However, I have no clue who this girl is or what she wants from me." 
3896"I don’t want to repeat the scenario with Turms…"
3897"This girl has been in the castle though. Maybe she’s a part of the Somnonauts they have forgotten to tell me? Lady Beatrice barely had time to fully teach me magic."
3898"Her appearance remains dubious though…"
3899
3900label ch1_acantha_menu:
3901menu:
3902    "Tell her some things." if ch1_told != True:
3903        jump ch1_told1
3904    "Tell her more things." if ch1_told == True:
3905        jump ch1_told2
3906    "Refuse." if ch1_refuse1 != True and persistent.deadendrefuse != True:
3907        jump ch1_refusal1
3908    "Refuse again." if ch1_refuse1 == True and persistent.deadendrefuse != True:
3909        jump ch1_refusal2
3910
3911label ch1_told1:
3912pov concern "I’m a newcomer here, so I haven’t made any informative decisions."
3913
3914show aca normal ce
3915aca "Of course. Expect the first few days to be the hardest."
3916show aca smug
3917aca "But, that doesn’t fulfil my request. You must be more precise, silly."
3918
3919$ ch1_told = True
3920jump ch1_acantha_menu
3921
3922label ch1_refusal1:
3923if persistent.deadend3 == True:
3924    show aca sad se
3925    aca "Are we really going to go through this again?"
3926    aca "I don’t have a lot of patience to punish you a second time."
3927    show aca smug
3928    aca "This time, I won't give you the option."
3929    show aca normal
3930    aca "Let’s move on."
3931    $ persistent.deadendrefuse = True
3932    jump ch1_acantha_menu
3933    
3934else:
3935    show aca upset om
3936    aca "Eeeh?"
3937    show aca sad se
3938    aca "Don’t keep things from me"
3939    $ ch1_refuse1 = True
3940    jump ch1_acantha_menu
3941
3942label ch1_refusal2:
3943show aca upset om
3944aca "I asked nicely too."
3945pov angryclose "To be fair, being interrogated by someone who claims to be a demon would warrant such a reaction."
3946
3947show aca sad
3948aca "You should learn manners."
3949show aca explain ce
3950aca "When someone asks for something politely, you should comply." 
3951show aca smug
3952aca "Particularly when there is a clear power difference."
3953
3954pov surprise "…?"
3955
3956stop music
3957window hide
3958show redspiral with dissolve
3959window auto
3960
3961"The aura around her swirls, making the fine edges of her body appear blurry."
3962"A chill runs up my spine. The hairs on my neck stand in response."
3963
3964show aca normal ce om
3965aca "At this point, you have no power whatsoever."
3966show aca angry
3967aca "Let me teach you a little lesson."
3968
3969"She entirely drops her flippant demeanor, staring at me with livid red eyes."
3970
3971show acanthasoul:
3972    parallel:
3973        xalign 0.65
3974        linear 0.3 xpos 0.64
3975        linear 0.3 xpos 0.63
3976        linear 0.3 xpos 0.64
3977        linear 0.3 xpos 0.65
3978        linear 0.3 xpos 0.66
3979        linear 0.3 xpos 0.67
3980        linear 0.3 xpos 0.66
3981        linear 0.3 xpos 0.65
3982        repeat
3983    parallel:
3984        linear 0.3 ypos 0.5
3985        linear 0.3 ypos 0.49
3986        linear 0.3 ypos 0.48
3987        linear 0.3 ypos 0.49
3988        linear 0.3 ypos 0.5
3989        linear 0.3 ypos 0.51
3990        linear 0.3 ypos 0.52
3991        linear 0.3 ypos 0.51
3992        linear 0.3 ypos 0.5
3993        repeat
3994    parallel:
3995        yalign 0.89
3996        linear 3.0 ypos 0.5
3997
3998show acanthasoul2:
3999    parallel:
4000        xalign 0.38
4001        linear 0.3 xpos 0.37
4002        linear 0.3 xpos 0.36
4003        linear 0.3 xpos 0.37
4004        linear 0.3 xpos 0.38
4005        linear 0.3 xpos 0.39
4006        linear 0.3 xpos 0.40
4007        linear 0.3 xpos 0.39
4008        linear 0.3 xpos 0.38
4009        repeat
4010    parallel:
4011        linear 0.3 ypos 0.6
4012        linear 0.3 ypos 0.59
4013        linear 0.3 ypos 0.58
4014        linear 0.3 ypos 0.59
4015        linear 0.3 ypos 0.6
4016        linear 0.3 ypos 0.61
4017        linear 0.3 ypos 0.62
4018        linear 0.3 ypos 0.61
4019        linear 0.3 ypos 0.6
4020        repeat
4021    parallel:
4022        yalign 0.89
4023        linear 3.0 ypos 0.6
4024
4025"The energy churning around her escalates.  Spinning and swirling, it traverses through her frame like smoke." 
4026"I’m captivated by the strange undulations through the air. Terrified, but curious what the immense surge in power indicates."
4027
4028play sound audio.barrier
4029hide acanthasoul
4030hide acanthasoul2
4031hide redspiral
4032show aca wings normal with flashbulb
4033#this needs parallax but im lazy...
4034play music "bgm/red dread.ogg"
4035
4036"On her back, the energy condenses." 
4037"It froths into a shape, held together by sheer compression from an outside, unknown force."
4038"Crimson and dripping, it reminds me of blood, but when the droplets descend, it leaves no trail." 
4039"The texture within the condensed energy undulates downward, threatening to break free of the wing shaped prison."
4040
4041show aca wings ce om
4042aca "It’s called classical conditioning."
4043show aca wings smug
4044aca "Specifically, positive reinforcement." 
4045aca "Although there’s nothing positive about it."
4046
4047hide aca
4048
4049play sound audio.swoop
4050scene blade7_1r
4051scene blade7_2r
4052with vpunch
4053"A strange wing lashes out."
4054
4055scene bg clock
4056with hpunch
4057play sound audio.heavyfall
4058
4059"It cuts straight through my sleeve, leaving a thin gash in my skin. The impact pushes me backwards onto the floor as she approaches me."
4060"I scrambled to rise, to run away from the surging power erupting from the girl’s frame." 
4061
4062play sound audio.swoop
4063scene blade4r
4064with vpunch
4065scene bg clock
4066play sound audio.heavyfall
4067with hpunch
4068
4069"But, she’s far too fast. Far too strong." 
4070"The red energy seething from her back permits no escape."
4071
4072play sound audio.swoop
4073scene blade1r
4074with vpunch
4075scene bg clock
4076play sound audio.heavyfall
4077with hpunch
4078pause 1.0
4079scene acanthadead3 with fade
4080
4081aca "I’m not a meanie, but I have to teach you somehow." 
4082aca "Gosh, I’ve been giving you a lot of advice… "
4083aca "Hehehe…Well…let me ingrain into you to think before you chose."
4084aca "You need to be more mindful about who you are talking to."
4085
4086play sound audio.swoop
4087scene blade7_1r
4088pause 0.05
4089scene blade6_2r
4090with vpunch
4091pause 0.3
4092
4093play sound audio.blood
4094scene blood_2a
4095pause .5
4096play sound audio.blood
4097scene blood_2b
4098pause .5
4099
4100"She is relentless in her punishment."
4101
4102play sound audio.swoop
4103scene blade3r
4104with vpunch
4105play sound audio.swoop
4106scene blade4r
4107with vpunch
4108play sound audio.swoop
4109scene blade1r
4110with vpunch
4111play sound audio.swoop
4112scene blade7_1r
4113with vpunch
4114play sound audio.swoop
4115scene blade6_2r
4116with vpunch
4117
4118
4119play sound audio.blood
4120scene blood_2d
4121pause 0.4
4122play sound audio.barrier
4123scene blood_1a
4124with vpunch
4125scene blood_1ar
4126
4127"There is no escape, no chance at fighting back against this monster."
4128"All I am left with is shock as the immense amounts of energy grind me out of existence."
4129
4130stop music fadeout 1.0
4131scene deadend3 with fade
4132$ persistent.deadend3 = True
4133$ renpy.pause ()
4134return
4135
4136label ch1_told2:
4137pov concernclose "My first venture out into a dream ended in failure because I was tricked by an Anomaly." 
4138pov concernclose "The dream ended up shattering and it’s my fault…"
4139
4140"I have no clue why I’m telling her this. Perhaps what had happened in the dream dogs me so much that having any sort of willing ear makes me want spill everything and get it off my shoulders."
4141
4142show aca sad
4143aca "You must feel very guilty? Mistakes are to be made after all."
4144
4145pov concernclose "I can’t quantify an entire dream dying as a simple mistake."
4146
4147show aca smug
4148aca "I’ll be nice to you today, and give you some advice."
4149show aca normal ce
4150aca "Some things can’t be saved. Holding yourself back does nothing."
4151
4152pov concern "Still…the thought that thousands…millions have died or are gone because of my naivete is not reassuring." 
4153pov concernclose "It’s probably what Lady Beatrice wants to talk about. I stepped way out of line and it’s not fair to me to continue being with the Somnonauts."
4154
4155show aca sad
4156aca "Forgot about those dummies for a second. I’m talking about my advice to you here."
4157show aca smug
4158aca "Etch it into your grey cells, ok?"
4159show aca normal
4160aca "Mistakes happen. You aren’t perfect."
4161
4162pov concern "I know that."
4163
4164show aca surprise
4165aca "What a common, ordinary response!"
4166show aca smug
4167aca "I thought you were going to react and say 'My form in the castle is the peak of who I truly am! I cannot make drastic mistakes!'"
4168show aca normal ce
4169aca "Or something stupid along those lines…"
4170
4171pov concern "My body is different than it was now, but it doesn’t mean I’ve changed internally."
4172
4173show aca normal om
4174aca "You’re still your accountable self!"
4175show aca normal ce
4176aca "Coming into this castle changed nothing except your appearance. You made a mistake because you’re right before me now."
4177
4178pov concernsweat "I’m not following."
4179
4180show aca sad
4181aca "My advice is turning into a sermon now and it’s frankly tiring…"
4182show aca explain ce
4183aca "You aren’t perfect because you exist. Try as hard as it might, the castle can’t perfect you, even with a change in appearance."
4184show aca sad
4185aca "You can change all you want, but you’ll never achieve perfection in anything."
4186show aca normal
4187aca "That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, don’t hold yourself to super rigid guidelines. Or you won’t do anything interestingly worthwhile."
4188
4189show aca normal ce
4190"She puffs her chest out at me, bemused by her long explanation."
4191
4192show aca smug
4193aca "Thus, ends my sermon! You’ll do good for yourself to discover more of its meaning on your own."
4194
4195"Although it feels more like a threat than anything…"
4196pov surprise "Thank you? It doesn’t make the situation better to know all of this."
4197
4198show aca normal ce om
4199aca "It’ll become relevant. Don’t worry, I know everything."
4200stop music fadeout 1.0
4201pause 1.0
4202
4203show aca smug
4204aca "Hehe. {w}You’ll be repeating a lot of things.{w} Making a lot of mistakes."
4205show aca normal ce
4206aca "I can’t wait to witness them all until you finally strike the right chord."
4207"A threatening aura radiates from her small frame." 
4208"Her talk with me was enough to indicate malign intentions, but the drastic change in atmosphere suggests something far greater."
4209"I have no idea who or what she is. What her plans are. Just like with Turms, who ended up using me for his own end."
4210show aca sad
4211aca "I’ve already said too much."
4212show aca normal
4213aca "I look forward to our next visit. Promise me you’ll come see me in secret again when something big and exciting happens in the next dream."
4214
4215pov concernyell "I don’t know if I can. The door to here is usually locked and…!"
4216
4217hide aca with dissolve
4218
4219"She floats up back to her spot between the cogs, the darkness engulfing her. No matter how loud I call, she refuses to answer or acknowledge me." 
4220"I’m left stunned at what transpired. There’s no reason in staying in the clocktower anyway. With an uneasiness, I leave to return into the main foyer."
4221
4222scene bg foyer with fade
4223
4224"It’s incredibly late, so I begin to make my way back to my bedroom." 
4225"Talking with Acantha did nothing to soothe my mood; only raising more questions and concerns in the back of my head."
4226"If anything, I know I need to bring her up to Lady Beatrice or Calix the next day." 
4227
4228scene bg povbednight with fade
4229pause 1.0
4230
4231"While I try to sleep, some aspects of Acantha’s rant come back to me." 
4232
4233window hide
4234scene bg black with fade
4235
4236centered "{i}You aren’t perfect because you exist. Try as hard as it might, the castle can’t perfect you, even with a change in appearance.{/i}" 
4237centered "{i}You can change all you want, but you’ll never achieve perfection in anything.{/i}"
4238
4239scene bg povbednight with fade
4240
4241"That’s obvious." 
4242"But…as I calm myself to go to sleep…the words leave deep impressions on me." 
4243
4244scene bg black with fade
4245centered "{i}You can change all you want, but you’ll never achieve perfection in anything.{/i}"
4246
4247scene bg povbednight with fade
4248
4249"I repeat the sentence over and over."
4250"Then, finally, it’s enough to lure me into a deep sleep."
4251
4252$ entry_aca1 = True
4253$ renpy.notify("New Entry")
4254scene bg black with eyein
4255jump ch2