perfectsymmetry

After last week's truthful phone call, Crowe's daring to venture outside again. He really hates wasting the nice summer weather, after all. So it's time to get back to life as usual in Mayfield. As usual as it ever gets, anyway.

A) How does Crowe vent frustration? SPORTS! Well, in this case, martial arts practice. Crowe's been training religiously in Mayfield in his long stint here, and has had a few different trainers. Today, he'll be teaching the boxing equipment a lesson it'll never forget, complete with some yelling as he throws some punches and kicks. Who knew Crowe had it in him? That meek personality hides a fierce fighter underneath. He tries to go to the rec center just as it opens, hoping there will be less people for him to bother with all the noise. But there's bound to be some other early birds there, right? Maybe some who want to see what's going on, or maybe even spar.

B) Later that day, exhausted from his workout, Crowe heads to his usual hangout, the park. He's working at a picnic table in the shade, and in front of him lies his dozens of newly-developed photos. Crowe takes pictures of all non-droned people in town, and has been doing so for months. He's looking through the new ones, pictures spread out on the table that anyone passing by could see. You might be in there, or someone you know. He has his old albums there with him too, and is sorting them all away. His iPhone is sitting on the bench next to him, quietly playing music. Some of the older ones he flips through, looking over the ones of his now droned friends sadly. Once in awhile, a breeze picks a photo or two up, and he has to chase after. Maybe it blows your way?

Tucked away in one of the albums is also a piece of paper that you might find him looking over. Ciel gave it to him months ago, and he's still trying to figure out what it could mean.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

Well, working out like this is good for tiring me out, at least. [He gives a sheepish smile.]

Y-Yeah, I'm not good with either of those, so I-I guess I might as well be good with the physical part. Ah, I'm not sure. I practiced for a few months under Jecht, then Taiwan, and now Garviel. They're all very different. I know I'm fast, but, um, I don't think I'm very strong.

[He's actually pretty good, but when you're comparing yourself to guys like Jecht and Garvi, it's easy to feel weak.]

From:

ex_seventh238

Aha, that's understandable. Keeping yourself busy like that could be a good distraction too, right? The focus can keep your mind off of things for a while, a break that everyone may use here and there. [Speaking from experience yep, though her usual laid-back demeanor may or may not indicate as much.]

Hmm... No, you don't look like it either, but you shouldn't berate yourself about this. I didn't know mister Jecht very well, but miss Taiwan is a nation with hundred of years of experience, and Garviel is a soldier who was genetically modified and trained to only fight like a machine ever since he was very young. Looking at it objectively, of course those people would be impossible to compare with, so while they can be good mentors, don't use them as examples. Rather, in your case... It should be more effective, to work with what you already have and improve upon them. Strategy can make up for a lack of power, right? So your speed can definitely be worked with to overcome an opponent with superior strength.

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

Ah, I guess... Everyone in Mayfield is so extraordinary, aren't they. [A statement rather than a question.

Crowe is by no means a small guy - over six feet tall already, and about 175 pounds - but he's definitely more of a wiry muscle set than a bruiser like Jecht.]

I guess. Ah, my dad said I was built to be a pro footballer. I'm already way bigger than he is, says I may never stop growing. [He smiles, looking nostalgic.] I do always work on my speed though. And climbing.

From:

ex_seventh238

[She hums in agreement.] Everyone has their own brand of power. I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but even when working together, this town can still easily thwart us, which goes to prove that strength isn't everything. I know that this isn't a fair comparison either, but it is something to keep in mind: in a very real sense, you're only as powerless as you think yourself to be.

[She smiles a bit warmer at that.] Did you ever aspire to be a professional sports player? Ooh, have you done hiking, back in your world?

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

I-I know. But I figure if I have this, at least I'll have something.

Oh, uh, well, I mean I never even really played in a league or anything! I hardly doubt I could make the pros.

From:

ex_seventh238

Ah. It may be good to just sit down and think about every little thing that you really do have here someday, Crowe. Even if it's not a nice place, the list may end up surprising you anyway.

[Chuckling.] Have you tried for the local school team, or anything like that?

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

[He looks thoughtful for a moment, but ultimately smiles.] You're probably right about that.

I had planned too, back home, in the next school year. But, ah, then I ended up here, a-and they do the baseball and American football thing here...

From:

ex_seventh238

[She chuckles faintly.] You're into photography too, right? Have you been taking more pictures? If you have, the photos may be a good place to start your list with. Memories will stay with you for as long as you don't will yourself to forget, or at least, that's what I think.

But you've been practicing to stay in shape, even if it's not by playing. Do you still plan to, once you get home?

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

That's why I take those photos. So many people come and gone... I want to make sure they're remembered as they should be.

Ah, I'd like to. I-I wonder, I've been away from home so long... If we go, will we pick up where we left off? Will we even remember being here? I had planned to join the soccer team in the fall, but that was last year already...

From:

ex_seventh238

You're not letting shadows of people here before getting you down, are you? It's very thoughtful of you to do this, but it becomes counter-productive if that becomes a draining chore to you more than anything else. Memories embody both good and bad, but it's thinking back to the nice things that's happened before that you can draw some hope for the future. ...Haa, well, that's what I think. Just don't push yourself too hard, okay?

I do believe so, actually! Have you ever talked to anyone who has been droned for some time, but then snapped back to themselves again, except they really look older and would also say that they went back to their world for some time? I've spoken to a few people about this myself!

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

N-No, it's a good thing to do. Even if I miss them, I'm glad to have these pictures once they're gone. And I have them in case someone else would like to have one of a friend who's left too.

[Yeah this only happens to like *every other person* Crowe knows in town, it seems. Most recently was the whole Norway debacle.] U-Um. Yeah, you're right. Though if you think about it, that only makes us being here that much more complicated....

From:

ex_seventh238

Mm, that's thoughtful and convenient too. Just keep in mind the good reasons, okay?

It does, but given what we've seen here during April Fools, don't you think that it could invalidate the possible theory about souls? We're easier to keep in line without our powers and possessions, but we get them back with time anyway. Several leaked phonecalls between the figures of this town also suggest that things aren't as much in order as they would like for us to believe, so if someone arriving means becoming trapped in Mayfield, wouldn't it still be possible, that their droning means they went back home because the town couldn't keep them here anymore, for one reason or another?

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

A-Ah, true... Otherwise we'd just be droned all the time, yeah?

From:

ex_seventh238

Yes, that's right. Drones also get replaced; have you had that happen to your household members before? One evening, you went to bed after saying goodnight to a drone sibling or parent, and the second morning, someone conscious and new completely took over their place. They jut disappeared, so their bodies don't always stay here either. That also tells us that the slots here are limited, which can be seen as another restriction proving that the town can't do anything. Some of these people who got droned before being replaced return to Mayfield too, but it can be both with or without previous memories of this place. Either way, it's like their being here never impacted their home world, wouldn't you say? So in that case, isn't it more likely that people simply go back, instead of picturing the worst case scenario like what everyone saw at the Dairy? The town likes to mess with our minds too, so naturally it'll draw the most horrifying possibilities to intimidate us. Does that make sense?

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

Y-Yeah, it does... Sometimes the people just get moved to another house in town, though, instead of being replaced. Ah. I-I guess trying to make sense of this place doesn't really do much good, eh? Just gives you a headache.

From:

ex_seventh238

Mm, that's true too, it happened to someone I know. He's been bumped up to become a father, too... Aha. It really does, so please keep your imagination in check; there's no use picturing the worse, when we can't confirm anything anyway. It's like being afraid of the dark, you know?

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

R-Right. But finally getting some useable information here would be nice. You can't really trust anything we learn, so... So maybe that way, we wouldn't have to be afraid of the dark.

From:

ex_seventh238

Do you mean like getting a light source? Useable information can be compared to a flashlight, but if we can't find one, you have to go for the traditional methods, like using candles! Like, there are other things you can do to not be constantly in a state of worry, so you don't always feel burdened and preoccupied. [Ciel that analogy doesn't..... really work................. but okay keep talking...] Ahh... have you been researching again? [The tone's not reproachful or curious... kind of knowing, if anything.]

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

Um. Y-Yeah, I have, though admittedly I don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. Ah, that paper, the diary page? Where did it come from?

[Time to be straightforward.]

From:

ex_seventh238

The town goes out of its way to lead us around. That? ...Ah. [She looked mildly surprised for a moment, but recovers quickly.] It was at the dairy, during April Fools. [...] Did you make it inside, before... that machine came out? [Milkmech brings back memories...]

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

Ah, yeah, I did make it in there, but at the time I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I-i don't know how much of what I saw I believe now anyway.

From:

ex_seventh238

I don't either, honestly, but it's inside where I found that page, near the generator. Others also found notes, though I do admit that the one I came across felt more like a red herring than anything else. Plus, even if it's not, a diary page is too subjective to provide much information. Something is still better than nothing however, so I held onto it and transcribed a few copies.

From:

perfektsymmetry.livejournal.com

You're exactly right. Subjective, sure, but if it's real, if there's more pages... We might be able to find out who wrote this.

From:

ex_seventh238

We already know that there has been people before us, and their physical appearances can be changed by the town. Billy Smith and the Librarian are the best example: he didn't sound at all like a young boy in that phonecall, did he? So it's possible that the girl who originally wrote this has been changed to someone else too. But even then, it's possible that she's no longer in Mayfield. The odds are very slim; would you have any idea where to start? [...She wanted to say impossible, really, but... Ah, there's no use in making that sort of statement, especially when Crowe must be already aware.]