Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

An Ultimate Talent, just what is it?

An Ultimate Talent is what makes the world what it is, something that makes the world turn. Tell me, if Ultimates did not exist, then what?

If the Ultimate Charity Organizer did not exist, imagine how many people would be starving on the streets. If not for the Ultimate Police Officer, and the Ultimate Detective, how many people would be stuck suffering without any justice? So many talents are imperial to your everyday life, you simply don’t see them do their work in the open. Ultimates are needed for the world to be what it is.

So, why is it that…

…my talent is…

…just so useless?

TIME: 12:00 AM
DATE: 4/16/??
LOCATION: LUFTSCHLOSS ORGANIZATION BUILDING A, WAITING ROOM

A cold, dark layer is ripped from my view, and I’m met with reality yet again. A waiting room. Chairs lined up against the walls, velvet fluffy carpet, dark brown oak walls, a table in the center chalk full of magazines and some random mints— just as it was before I fell right asleep. There’s a clock ticking. Not sure where, since my head's been down the entire freakin’ time, but still. It’s ticking. I wonder, what time is it? Late. Yup! Whenever I came in, the blue sky was already drifting off onto shades of black, stars twinkling aimlessly, but I was way too careless to check the time. I hadn’t thought I’d be here so long.

???: “Euugghhh…”

I groaned, stretching out my back in my seat. How long had I even been asleep for? Even if I saw the clock, I’d be unable to gauge anything. Whenever I was awake, there were, like… 4 other people. The time they took to call people took just about forever, so I’d have to be asleep for way too long for my own good. And, still, it seemed I hadn’t been called. That’s just ridiculous! Seriously, do they know how long they’d kept me here? I’m still growing, I need as much rest as I can get! But, hey, it WAS pretty important, right? So, it’s sorta understandable. Still, if I had the choice to file a complaint about my time, I would. Screw importance, my back is aching…

I take another look around the waiting room, this being the 100th time I’ve done so. What more do I even do? My bracelet-making kit is off and away in the luggage… anyways, the room is pretty nice. As I noted when I woke up, the floor was a soft, very fluffy and velvet carpet. I’d been kicking my feet against it for a while, so it’s a bit scuffed underneath my seat. There weren’t any stains in sight, which is to be expected for anything in relation to Luftschloss, as they keep everything squeaky clean. The walls were a pretty dark brown, made of extremely nice oak wood. It’s not hard for me to recognize it, even with some paint slapped on top. It’s not very comfortable, though, and I can gauge that from resting my head on it for (seeming) hours. In the very center of the medium sized room was an expensive looking mahogany table. Stacked on top were a few dozen magazines, some nice plants potted in a vase, a bowl of wrapped mints and… uh… a coffee cup.

???: (Did the table always have that on it? I don’t remember it bein’ there before I fell asleep. I mean, unless someone just had a coffee maker on them and made it while I was asleep. Pretty sure I would’ve heard it, though, even if I was asleep. Those things are loud.)

My eyes glance off of the mysterious cup and move to the back wall. There are two chairs lined up, and besides them is a wooden door with an ominous air to it.

???: (Everyone who’s been called has gone through that door. I can’t help but get so impatient.)

Everyone who has been called has had one trait in common that I know of. Everybody here is an Ultimate of something, including myself.

While I don’t have insight into anyone else, I sure do know myself! Why not run over the basics to keep my mind a bit active?

My name is Annelise Heinrich, and I hold the talent of the Ultimate Girl Scout. For as long as I know, all I’ve done is help people out. Even as a baby I’d just drag random items to my momma that I thought could help her, no matter the situation. I was basically made for helping, and everyone around me always told me that, so what better way to show off that I want to help than to join the Girl Scouts?! It gave me the ability to both learn and help, so of course I took up such a chance. I learnt some important skills, I volunteered at animal shelters and soup kitchens, I did everything a normal scout did! Though, I was always just a bit above everyone else. I had far more collective hours for community service, and I had double the badges earned anyone my age should have. I only went further up from there. More and more skills, more and more volunteering, more and more badges, my proficiency was unmatched by anyone in any current group. Sure, being a prodigy Girl Scout is a really sad thing to be a prodigy of when jobs like police officers, firemen and mathematicians exist, but the evidence was overwhelming! It was clear my skill laid above all else alongside my dedication, and thus, one day, I was given the heavenly title of the Ultimate Girl Scout.

An Ultimate is the best of the best of any possible occupation. There are 3 variants of Ultimates. Lil’ Ultimates, High School Level Ultimates, and Senior Ultimates. Lil’ talents are extremely specific, high school level talents are a bit more open and free, while senior talents can range from extremely specific to extremely broad. All 3 of these categories have assisted in making our world what it is today, and I hold a great respect for every single Ultimate in this world. They do so much for not just me, but everyone! So, it is my honor to become another beacon of light for the world. I’m still easing into this talent of mine, but nevertheless, Annelise Heinrich will achieve great heights! Hopefully! Actually, I’m not the only Ultimate here in this building right now. Everyone here, including myself, has an Ultimate. We were all invited for that very reason. I’m not sure as to anyone’s talents, as both the entire event and the invitees were kept on the down-low from the public for a solid while. This whole event is still a mystery to people who aren’t us. It’s known as the "Die Begabung Freund Program”. While there are thousands of talented people in the world, many of them have no ties to one another and have no form of mutual communication. So, an organization dedicated to scouting and crowning these Ultimates, known as The Luftschloss Organization, made a program to invite 16 teenaged ultimates to all form bonds together! It takes place on an island in the North Sea, made all fancy and stuff. It’s got a lot on it, a lot of it being listed on the invitation. A learning center, all sorts of stores and restaurants, living quarters, everyday locations! All around, the Die Begabung Freund Program seems extremely promising. In fact, the German name means the talent friend program in English! I’d know— German is my first language. For my Diverse Commutation badge, however, I had to learn a total of 3 languages. German was 1, so I went with English as a 2nd and Spanish as a 3rd. It pays off in the end, as for the program everybody needs to share the English language for easy communication—

Creeeaaakkkk…

My head quickly turns to the door. It’s only slightly open, not completely wide. A disembodied voice speaks out.

Staff Member: “Sorry for the wait, kid. The last guy was a bit of a hassle.”

Annelise: “A-ah! That’s okay, don’t worry at all.”

Staff Member: “Mhm. You’re free to come in now. Shouldn’t take too long.”

I quickly wobbled up from my seat, approaching the door. I slowly grabbed the handle and revealed what was behind the door. A blonde man with clear black roots, alongside an open teal shirt with a tropical pattern laced onto it. Underneath it was a plain and albeit stained white shirt. He wore beige shorts with clear leg hair, going hand in hand with black flip flops and sunglasses.

Staff Member: “Aloha. Didn’t expect to see me dressed like this, huh?”

I giggled a bit.

Annelise: “Nope! I expected, like, a doctor! White coat and neat shoes n’ everything!”

The man smiled, but soon turned his back and gestured his hand towards me, signaling me to follow along. The man proceeded down a long hallway behind us, lined with tan wallpaper and lighting. I followed along, keeping a steady pace.

Staff Member: “You must be excited, right? Everyone else was to some degree.”

Annelise: “Yup! I love my talent, but I wanna learn about everyone’s Ultimate, too! Not just that, I just want to make new friends in general. We’re all talented, I know, but surely there’s way more to these people than JUST their title.”

Staff Member: “Hah. I like how you think.”

The man walked silently for a bit, and I followed. Every once in a while we turned a corner, passed through a few doors, and maybe even saw some more employees. I think. They’re all dressed all tropical. After a while the man broke the silence.

Staff Member: “I hope you enjoy it, kid, because it’ll only come around once for you. Make worthwhile bonds. Savor your luxuries. That’s what the whole thing is about, anyways. Ultimates establishing friendships.”

Annelise: “Hm? Oh, yeah, of course! This is suuuper special. I’d never wanna take something’ like this for granted. I just hope that all the bonds I make’ll last outside of this!”

The man smiled and stopped in his tracks. I looked at what we’ve stopped in front of, and it turns out it’s another door. He reached his hand out, gripping the handle and opening it wide for me as he stood on the side.

Staff Member: “Trust me, you’ll never forget what’s gonna happen on that island.”

I smiled widely, nodding towards him to show gratitude. I went through the door, hearing it click closed behind me. I didn’t know where I was even being led, but I assumed it was the point where I'd be sent off to that island, but instead…

Instead…

A horrid feeling contorted in my stomach. The room was made of complete steel, from the ceiling to the walls to the floor. On the ceiling were open holes with an unknown use, and each one of the 4 walls had a TV on them. Worst of all, however, came whenever I steeled my resolve and looked downwards in the room. And there I saw it. 15 fellow Ultimates, all unconscious on the floor. My blood ran high as my heart pounded again and again, feeling as if it would pop. What happened here? In rapid succession, I whipped around to the door and attempted to yank the door open. It didn’t budge a single bit. Out of desperation I began to slam my fist against the door, yelling for someone to help.

???: “Wonderful! Student 16 has arrived at last!”

Someone speaking began to blare from the televisions on the walls. I turned around, feeling as if I was going to puke from the voice alone.

???: “We apologize for your wait. Many students were uncooperative during the transportation section of their visit. Luckily, it’ll be ending soon. Please have a safe trip, S16!”

I tried to call out to the voice, perhaps even question it, but I was far too shocked to murmur anything. A gas began to pour down from the ceiling with a loud “pssshhhh…” sound. Right on the brink of tears, whenever my entire soul was engulfed in fear, everything went black.

I heard one last thing.

???: “Welcome to the Kyokoto Killing Game Experience.”

Chapter Text

TIME: 7:00 AM
DATE: 4/17/??
LOCATION: RESIDENTIAL BUILDING

My head pounded so horribly.

I shifted around unknowingly, writhing in my discomfort. My bed felt less and less comfortable. I felt so weird, like something had just ripped any and all consolation from me. I felt vulnerable and sensitive. Slowly but surely, my eyes slowly opened. My discomfort was eventually cast away by a soothing light that was peering down onto me. I began to roll over by instinct, and…

THUMP!

Annelise: “GRHK!”

Fuuuucccckkk. So, turns out, while I am wide awake, I am also in a lot of pain! I scrambled upwards after my unruly fall, looking at my bed again. It was weird. Sure, I knew that I rolled around in my sleep a lot, but my bed was pretty low. Why’d that even hurt so much?

…

Annelise: “That’s not my bed.”

I stared at the bed I had rolled over off of, only to notice something. This wasn’t the bed I had in my room. This was a kiddish bunk bed, and I’d very clearly fallen off of the top bunk. Anxiety already filled my lungs as I swung my head around. This was not my bedroom. Not at all. If anything, the aesthetic is something more like a hotel room for a child. My heart started racing, and my mind felt scattered. What happened to me? Surely, I’d never seen this place once in my life. This wasn’t my bedroom. I did not belong here, and that horrified me. Just where was I? I gritted my teeth as my mind ran straight into so many possible reasons or situations. Had I been kidnapped? Was this the easiest place to hide somebody? I mean, I AM 16, and I’m also disabled, so it’s no impossible task. But, how would my parents not notice? Mama is a light sleeper, and Papa is a night owl. What even happened to me?

My head felt too light for my own good and my breathing wasn’t going to calm down anytime soon. I slapped my hands against my cheeks, giving my mind a moment to collect sense. Kidnapped or not, is standing around going to help me find out what’s going on? Is sitting around and panicking going to help with any sort of investigation? Hell, what did I get my Calm Mind badge for if I just stand and quiver?! By the way, that was an extremely hard badge to earn. I had to tie 3 knots while cooking a steak while like 4 people yelled and screamed in my ears, but that’s what being a Girl Scout is about! Overcoming every challenge thrown your way! I took a minute to just breathe and clear my mind, and whenever that was done, I looked around again.

Annelise: (Hm… well, if I woke up here, surely it’s important. I’ll look around this place first.)

INVESTIGATION: START!
Annelise: (Awh yeah!)

Before looking around at specifics, I gave the room a glance over. The walls were pastel yellow, and they had random things painted (or printed?) all over them, such as long trees, campfires, random Girl Scout badges, marshmallows… it… uhm… felt uncomfortably Girl Scout like.

Annelise: (It feels like this place was geared towards me from wallpaper alone. Surely that’s not the case though, right? Sure, I woke up here, but do kidnappers have that much respect for people? Nah. Probably not.)

The floor was a calico carpet and the ceiling was a boring dark oak with a ceiling fan in the center of it. The light attached to it was off as of the moment, with the only lighting being from a large window on the back wall, the same wall my bed was positioned at. The window wasn’t directly behind it, being a few inches away from it instead. I much prefer natural lighting from the sun anyways! Moving on from the room's boring details, I turned to face my bed once again.

Annelise: (I’ve never actually had a bunk bed to myself before. I’ve only had to sleep in one during my longer stays in camp! Seems I was asleep on the top bunk too, which is pretty ironic. Always called top bunk whenever I had to share one with my friends.)

The bunk bed had a more traditional wooden framing, alongside a ladder leaned on the front of it to allow for easy access to the top bunk. Would’ve been nice to know it existed right before I slammed directly into the ground. Just to make sure no stones were left unturned I slowly lifted myself up the ladder to investigate the top bunk. There wasn’t anything too interesting on the bunk itself, but there was something weird about the wall next to it. Right across from where my head would be laying was a small glass window, giving a clear insight into the outside. I tried to get a peek at what was out there, only to see the sky. Blue. Clouds. Allat.

Annalise: (I like having the view of the sky whenever I go to sleep, so that’s nice! But, it’s, like, weird positioning. It’s so small, too! Plus, we already have a bigger window! It doesn’t have a purpose, and I doubt they knew my freakin’ sleep preferences.)

A bit in front of the bed on the left wall was a small kitchen-esc area. There was a medium sized wooden table with 4 chairs, 1 being placed at each side. There was a counter with a sink, cabinets, a small stove and some drawers. Right next to it was a fridge. I decided to check the fridge for any food, but to my very heavy disappointment, it was empty. God, I hope there's a way to stock it.

Right across from the kitchen was a brick fireplace on the right wall, which admittedly did get me a bit worried. If this is really a hotel room, alike to its aesthetic, I’d hope I’m on the top floor so it doesn’t end up poisoning anyone above me. I’d rather not get arrested for tryin’ to stay nice and toasty during the winter. Luckily enough there was no fire set off inside of it, only an unlit bundle of wood. I didn’t plan on using it anytime soon.

Positioned close to the fireplace was a little campfire. Of course, it wasn’t lit, similarly to the fireplace, but it WAS a bundle of wood stacked together in a circle made of stone. There were a bunch of pillows circling around it, plus some random metal sticks leaning on the piled wood. The metal sticks were typically used for roasting marshmallows! I’m a pro at that. I get them juuust right. Anyways, yeah! Two whole fire pits! It’s, uh, not actually very comfortable to know that my room can burn down so easily. It’s very weird to think about.

On the front wall of the room, directly across from the fireplace, was a large assortment of cabinets. I decided to approach that next, looking through each and every one of them. What I found was both extremely useless but also very pleasing to me. There were boxes upon boxes of different types of girls scout cookies, each and everyone of them being fresh and carefully sealed. There were also toolkits, consisting of things such as ropes and screwdrivers, buncha stuff that I’ve already had training with! Sure, it’s nothing giving me insight into my situation, but it’s making everything pretty homey!

Once I was done rummaging through the cabinets, I noticed something. Besides all of the cabinets was a mirror. I hadn’t checked my appearance just yet, huh? I shifted myself in front of it, giving myself a clear look at… well, me! A slightly chubby girl with sorta-kinda-tanned skin with slightly curly blonde and pretty short hair, with blue eyes and “pretty” freckles according to papa. A girl with a white dress shirt with puffy short sleeves, alongside a green tie and skirt, knee-high white socks and brown loafers. A pink bow is planted carefully in my hair, alongside a white bracelet on my left hand. Mama says pink looks good on me, so I try to incorporate it where I can. Plus, makes me feel more free, y’know? Like my identity isn’t just my uniform. I’ve got more to me. Blue eyes, sapphire earring, badge sash, wristwatch, and brown satchel against my waist… yup! Still me! No major appearance changes, both in my everyday attire or my physical apprentice!

Huh. Wait, no, I fell asleep in my pajamas. Wait, if I was kidnapped whenever I was asleep, did they change my clothes?! Was I kidnapped by fucking weir—

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Fuck! For whatever reason, my heart started pounding as soon as I heard the knocking at my door. Was somebody else here? Perhaps another kidnapped person, or maybe even my kidnapper themselves?! I didn't have any way to gauge who was at the door, so I couldn’t even make an educated guess…

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Another moment of knocking passes. I slowly approach the door, but I know I’m being purposely sluggish. I drag my feet as my hand quivers above the doorknob. I didn’t know what’s behind this door. I didn’t know, and I wished I did. I didn’t want this to be bad. Please, god, let this be good…

Creeaaakk…

I slowly opened the door, only to be met with an abnormal sight.

???: “Hello…?”

A boy, seemingly around my age, was standing in front of my door. He was wearing a white dress shirt with cuffed sleeves (though his cuffs were black instead of white like the rest of his shirt) and a black vest, alongside a black tie. He had black pants that were similarly cuffed and equally as formal as the rest of him, plus some black dress shoes. His hair was a bit wonky, to be honest. It was a very potent red color, clearly dyed. It was shaped on one side and slicked over on the other to completely cover one of his eyes, which were both presumably brown. I felt both a wave of relief and suspicion rise over me. He didn’t look like a kidnapper, and I don’t think kidnappers would politely knock and talk so shakily, but I needed to stay on my guard.

Annelise: “Who are you? What do you want?”

???: “Uhm… I’d much rather ask a question myself before you interrogate me, please…!”

I could’ve sworn I saw a bead of sweat drip down this kid's face just from my questions alone. I uneasily crossed my arms, squinting at the boy. He spoke with a light but obvious French accent. My silence was a grant for him to talk, which he caught on to.

???: “Are you an Ultimate? Specifically, a High School Level Ultimate.”

My jaw was left agape for a second, but I caught myself and quickly calmed myself down.

Annelise: “Maaaayyybbeeee.”

???: “Can I… take that as a yes, then?”

Annelise: “…mhm.”

The boy nodded, continuing to speak.

???: “I had to ask. Y-you see, everyone I’ve encountered so far has been an Ultimate of that level, similarly to you and myself. I feel compelled to make an argument that it's a common theme between all of us that’ve been taken here…”

Annelise: “Hold it! Can you PLEASE slow down?! I’m sorry, but I hardly understand things as is! I just woke up, and my head hurts, and just… everything is so overwhelming! So, please, just be a little… slower, okay? Please.”

???: “A-ah, right. Sorry.”

I saw the boy clearly gulp out of nervousness as he took a moment to collect his words.

???: “I’m sorry. It’s just, e-everything’s been so confusing, and stressful, and just… messy. Nobody knows what’s going on, and neither do I, so I'm trying to collect as much data as I can, b-but I’m just so scatterbrained! I didn’t mean to scare you, I… uh… thought you’d been awake for longer.”

Annelise: (Poor guy… jeez, I think he’s in the same spot as me right now. Plus, there’re even more people? Seems that nobody knows what’s going on either, so I’ve got even better of a reason to investigate… but, I think it’s better for me to talk to him first. I can’t leave somebody so stressed alone in a time of need!)

I took a deep breath and gave the boy a reassuring smile, talking in as soft a tone as I could muster.

Annalise: “You're okay! While I probably have even less of a grip on the situation as you do, I can understand why you’d be so stressed, especially when you put the burden of investigation on your shoulders. Just take some deep breaths and calm down, okay? I understand what you’re trying to accomplish, but if you let all those emotions and that stress work under your skin, you’ll never get anything done. Let’s just take a breather, talk, and get to investigating again, okay? Here— I’ll even look around with you! This isn’t a task to do alone.”

The boy formed a shaky smile and nodded, taking a moment to himself. He kept on nodding with his head hung down, murmuring what sounded to be affirmations. Soon enough, he lifted his head back up looking at me with a much calmer expression.

???: “Uhm… thank you. Yeah, uhm… I’d like to look around with you. It’s much easier to not do it alone, I agree. Should… we, like, introduce ourselves? For decency and such.”

I nodded my head.

Annelise: “Sounds good to me! Here, I’ll go first. I’m Annelise Heinrich, the Ultimate Girl Scout. I’ve gotten too many badges and awards for my own good!”

The boy giggled at my remark.

???: “I’m sure it was a very strenuous path to take to earn such a title! While I’m not directly affiliated with anything scout-like, I’ve known some boy and girl scouts before. That’s a very impressive talent, Ms. Heinrich!”

Annelise: “Shucks, aren’t you flattering! But, agh, enough about me! What about you? What’s your talent?”

???: “O-oh!”

The boy quickly placed his hands behind his back formally and smiled.

Marcel: “Marcel Florence, the Ultimate Waiter. Your wish is my command.”

Annelise: (An Ultimate Waiter? Huh, isn’t that just neat! I’m sure it’s a job that takes a lot of work and patience. Being a server or something similar to it is a job that a lotta teenagers go for, whether it be during high school or over the summer, so it’s really impressive that someone my age can earn that title! Must be a loootttt of competition.)

Annelise: “Nice to meetcha, Marcel! Your talent is super impressive! I’ve heard jobs like that are suuuper stressful, and a lot of people work them. You gotta be really skilled to earn that!”

Marcel: “Hoh, and you criticized me for flattery! Speak for yourself!”

We both giggled for a bit, but soon Marcel gestured for me to follow him and he started to walk. I didn’t follow his pace step by step, and I wasn’t too close to him, but I certainly was following.

Marcel: “Now, I’ve already looked around this building myself, but there’s one floor that’s really of note. This is a 7 floor hotel-sec building, labeled as the Residential Building. While it’s 7 floors, only 4 are accessible. This floor we are on is decently high, actually! The few floors we can’t enter are lower. The 5th floor is the Men’s dormitory, the 6th floor is the Women's dormitory— where we are now— and the 7th floor is the… well, anyone else's dormitory, I guess! Anyone who doesn’t align with male or female. The only other accessible floor is the 1st floor, the reception desk.”

As he spoke, I looked around the hallway. It was pretty boring. Plain white smooth walls and red carpet flooring being lit by the lights overhead, with doors lining each wall. We eventually reached the end of the hallway. On the wall was what seemed to be an elevator door. He pressed the up arrow next to the door and waited for a second, continuing to speak as it raised itself up.

Marcel: “Every dormitory floor is like this. Of course, the rooms are different, but these hallways are identical. All hallways have an elevator on one end and then a bathroom on the other end. The bathrooms should be nice, but I’ve only checked out the men’s. Perhaps yours is different, but they should be clean enough!”

Ding!

The elevator eventually reached where we were. The door opened quickly, and Marcel stepped in as soon as it did. I followed closely by. As soon as I got in and stood next to him he pressed the 1st button on the array of accessible buttons. The elevator began to lower itself. He didn’t speak for a bit, so I decided to strike up some conversation.

Annelise: “So, there are more people here, right? Have you met everyone else?”

Marcel: “Hm? Ah, not everybody. I’ve met… 8, including you, but from what I’ve heard from others there’re 16 people total.”

Annelise: “Hmmmm… say, why don’t we investigate AND meet everyone? You’ve already said everyone you’ve talked to was an Ultimate, surely we’ve got a chance to make some bonds while we’re lookin’ around! We’re not alone, so we should include everybody.”

For a second, Marcel hesitated. Biting a tooth into his bottom lip, he was clearly pondering.

Annelise: (Is… it really that big of a deal for him? I just think it's a morally right thing to do, nobody should be alone.)

Marcel: “…okay, sure. I don’t mind.”

Annelise: “YIPPIE!”

I clapped my hands together and smiled, which caused Marcel to break out into a similar one. All my smiles are infectious after all! Shortly after we finished talking, the elevator came to a halt with a “ding!” and the doors opened up again. Marcel took his leave and waited for me to do the same. I couldn’t help but feel nervous. Sure, I wasn’t familiar with anywhere but my own room, but that already felt much more comfortable than anywhere else I could find. Nevertheless, I left the elevator.

Chapter Text

The reception area was nothing special actually. Not too sure what I expected from the reception area of a hotel, but still, it’s sorta sad. The floor was a clean white marble color, and all of the walls were black tainted glass.

Annelise: (That’s gotta be some sorta safety hazard.)

The ceiling was plain white and the room was once again lit by a few overhead lights. On the far right hand corner were two vending machines. I tilted my head back to see the components of both. One seemed to be for drinks, while the other was for snacks. In the lower center of the room was the reception desk and close by it was a desk with a few chairs circling it. The exit was on the right wall. Close by to the elevator was what seemed to be a closet, which caught my eye instantly. Marcel was taking a moment to check his attire, re-cuffing his sleeves and dusting himself off, so I decided to go check it out for a second. Approaching the closet, I had already noticed something.

Annelise: (Somebodies… already in there. I can hear faint rummaging.)

Was this really gonna be safe? All of a sudden, uncertainty started to wash over me. Sure, I was confident that I wouldn’t get, like, brutally murdered as soon as I opened the door, but I don’t know what’s beyond it. I didn’t know anyone here but that waiter, and even then, I hardly knew him. My hand was hanging right above the handle. Again. Just like I was holding my hand above my room door, I was scared again. Just as always.

Marcel: “Ms. Heinrich?”

My shoulders jolt upwards as I see Marcel approach me from the corner of my eye. I turned my head, giving an awkward laugh to him.

Annelise: “S-sorry! Hah, I guess I got a bit too curious. This probably isn’t where we’re supposed to be going, huh?”

Marcel: “Uhm… no, not really, but we can check it out if you so wish. I’ve yet to check it out myself.”

Annelise: “Oh, okay! Sweet! But, uhm, I think… someone’s already… in there… soooooo…”

Marcel paused.

Marcel: “…oh. Well, that’s quite concerning. I don’t quite know the purpose of this closet, so it makes sense for somebody to check it out, but still, it’s concerning. Be sure to exude some caution, madam!”

I smiled and nodded towards him. He really is nice, huh? Surprisingly so! I guess it’s something engraved into your brain as a waiter, huh? Well, I wouldn’t want it any other way! He’s a super sweet guy. I slowly gripped the door, opening it up and looking inside. Immediately, I saw somebody. It’s not hard to notice them. The closet was pretty small— from what it seemed, it held things like brooms and cleaning supplies. Well, it WOULD’VE been holding ‘em, but half of them were scattered across the floor! Someone had been squatted against the floor, rummaging through every shelf lined against the wall. They’d grab a bottle, read its labels, and toss it back. They burnt through them far quicker than I could ever. Marcel held a very confused expression and glanced at me, which I reciprocated.

Marcel: “Uhm… excuse me?”

The person crouched down paused in their tossing of random chemicals. They calmly turned their head towards Marcel and I, letting out what sounded to be an extremely disappointed sigh. They slowly stood up and dusted themselves off, still holding a spray bottle of chemicals. Now that they were standing, I got a better sight of them. They were a bit shorter than usual, and they had wide brown hair that was tangly and messy. It was reaching the floor, and if it were just a bit longer it’d practically be dragging against it. On top of their head was a dark green flapless ushanka. They wore a long, dark green coat that was wide open and had random rips in it. The sleeves were so long that I could hardly see their hands. They wore a black tank top underneath, alongside dirty beige shorts. Their boots were comically large— at least for someone their size— and stained with mud and… an ambiguous red. I think they were originally black? I can’t tell. They had a knitted white and light green scarf wrapped around their neck. They also had two black, fingerless gloves. Their arms and legs were bedazzled with scars. All of that paled in comparison to the creepiest part about them. They wore a dark green gas mask, one eye of it being completely shattered. Not in a way where the glass was gone, in a way where it was completely shattered but it was still in its place so you couldn’t see through it. I could hear them audibly breathing— it made me unimaginably uncomfortable.

???: “What?”

Their voice was feminine and deadpan. It leaked with an obvious Ukrainian accent. I gulped down my nervousness and spoke.

Annelise: “H-hello! My name is Annelise, and this is Marcel. Y’see, we’re going around and talking to everyone while we investigate. Just to establish some more communication between everyone!”

???: “…hm.”

The gas-masked individual simply stared at us two. It was impossible to gauge their expression, but eventually, they spoke up.

???: “I was checking the closest chemicals. I understand there are better things to be doing, but they might be hiding something here, and I cannot pass up the opportunity to check. I shall clean the clutter later.”

Annelise: (Oh! Her reasoning is much more rational than what it looked like. She looked like a psychopath for a second, just… tossin’ everything about!)

Marcel: “That’s a very understandable thing to do, clutter or not. If you don’t mind us asking, what’s your name?”

The masked individual took a pause, awkwardly looking back and forth. I could hear an audible gulp from them.

???: “…I am the Ultimate Survival Instructor."

A moment of silence arose amongst us. We all exchanged periodic glances.

Marcel: “…uhm… so, what’s your name?”

That Girl: “…I do not feel comfortable sharing my name while we have been kidnapped. My pseudonym, however, I can share. I go by That Girl.”

I felt myself stifle a laugh, which was pretty obvious. There was a loud “snrk” sound as soon as I did, and Marcel immediately turned towards me.

Marcel: “A-ANNELISE! Knock that off!”

Annelise: “Sorry, sorry, I’m so sorry! It’s just… very random…”

That Girl: “…hm.”

A small laugh emerged from That Girl’s mouth.

That Girl: “I understand the comedy of it. If I had never gained this title, I would never have to use such a name.”

I tilted my head out of confusion, and Marcel carried a similar curious look.

Annelise: “Are you not a fan of your Ultimate? How’d you get it anyways?”

That Girl: “…huff. All I did was publish one book. One book, for my community. Then it spreads. Like fog, it spread across my country. Then, crappy survivalists begin accrediting their accomplishments and actions to ME and MY book. So then, they scout me out! They drag me by my ear to become an Ultimate! Sure, it is a nice talent, and sure, it does me good, but why? I am never going to publish another book! It was a one and done act for my community, yet they attempt to capitalize off of it by forcing me into a government labeled title! God!”

That Girl rambled angrily as she picked up all of the fallen bottles and stuffed them back into their spots in the shelves. Her actions were aggressive and forceful, but she was surprisingly careful with arranging everything. I couldn’t help but feel bad for her. She was forced into a position that, despite helping her, she didn’t ever want to be in. A community act turned into a scouting opportunity… jeez, were the talent scouting organizations that petty? Marcel seemed to get a bit nervous as well.

That Girl: “…and considering that us all being Ultimates is what got us here? I would have been better off without it. Huff… sorry. I am sorry, I just… it is an annoying topic for me to think of.”

That Girl finished cleaning up the clutter afterwards, but she was still holding a spray bottle as she spoke. I felt a bit befuddled after hearing such a sudden ramble, but I still felt bad for her. She should have the right to reject something, especially if she never wanted it! That book wasn’t meant for those people. It was an interpersonal thing!

Annelise: “I-I’m really sorry about that, ma’am… that’s super horrible! But, still, you… helped people, didn’t you? Even if you didn’t want it to get out so far, people still learnt a lot from your words! That should be of some consolation, right?

Marcel nodded in agreement.

Marcel: “Even if you didn’t intend for that to happen, something good came out of it. You helped further people's careers.”

That Girl groaned quietly, still facing us both.

That Girl: “There is a difference between those who want help and those who need help. People who leeched off of my work could have read any other guide than mine and accredited themselves to them. They simply went out of their way to torture me.”

Annelise: “I… yeah. Yeah, you’re… right…”

There was an awkward silence between all of us for a time. She was right, and I felt really bad. People thought they’d help her by putting her small book in the spotlight and giving her fame, but she never wanted it. That says a lot about the kind of people both those people are and the person she is, I’d say. After a while, Marcel spoke up and pointed at the bottle That Girl was holding.

Marcel: “Are you going to put that away yet?”

That Girl glanced down at the bottle and paused. She then brought it up to Marcel’s face.

That Girl: “Squirt squirt.”

Marcel: “W…what? Stop. Stop that.”

Annelise: “Hehehe! Squirt squirt! She’s gonna blind ya!”

Marcel: “D-don’t joke about that!”

That Girl: “Hehehe…”

A smile broke out onto my face as soon as I heard That Girl laugh with me, and Marcel soon followed suit. We both practically gleamed at her for a bit, which seemingly got her embarrassed as she swiveled her body around.

That Girl: “Whatever. You both have more important things to do. Be off.”

Annelise: “Oh, right! I forgot about the investigation! You’re right! Thanks for talking with us, That Girl! Have an amazing rest of your day!”

Marcel: “That is rather careless, Ms. Heinrich, but nevertheless, you’re right. It’s a shame we didn’t talk for longer, but it was a pleasure nonetheless.”

That Girl: “Mhm. You two are kind.”

Me and Marcel made our way out of the closet, back into the lobby. We both decided to finally exit the hotel. It made me super nervous on paper, but I knew staying cooped up wouldn’t do me any good at all. What’s the point of cowering in fear? A Girl Scout knows how to conquer every single one of her fears, especially with someone else by her side! While we were leaving I caught a glimpse of a vending machine. I tried asking Marcel for some money, but he didn’t have his wallet on him. Finally, we exited the hotel.

I was met with a wave of cool air gently caressing my face. Salted water wafted up from a distance. A tropical feel from my senses alone, but soon, my eyes processed just what I was seeing.

It was an island.

I saw waves crash against the main island's sides. Grass blew with the wind, same with bushes that surrounded the edges of this island and trees far off. The world was tinged a dreary gray as clouds covered the sun up from its resting place. A bridge connected the island with the hotel to the main island, which had a towering building in its center. The main island was connected to several other land masses. I felt a wave of absolute confusion wash over me.

Annelise: (An island. How? How did I get onto an island? How did WE get onto an island?)

My jaw dropped as Marcel approached my side, looking glum.

Marcel: “I… I felt the same when I first saw it.”

Annelise: “This isn’t real…”

Marcel: “I know. I know, I… don’t want this to be true. But, it is. We can’t do anything.”

I took a deep breath as I forced my mouth closed. I slapped my hands against my cheeks, causing Marcel to jolt in surprise.

Annelise: “You’re right! This is really real! So, we should get to investigating again! No point in just mindlessly staring up, huh?”

A smile formed on Marcel’s face. He nodded towards me as we both marched onwards, though not for long. Someone had been standing in front of the bridge we were attempting to walk on, not facing us. I felt a twinge of annoyance rise up in me, but Marcel smiled.

Marcel: “Ah, I’ve talked to that woman already. How about I introduce you to her while she’s here?”

Someone Marcel had already met? If I remember correctly, he’s met 8 people so far. It’s a task of ours to meet everyone anyways, so why not just get it done? I nodded. We would’ve had to talk to her anyway to get past her for our investigation. Marcel took initiative, approaching the woman, while I followed suit. It seemed that our steps towards her alerted her of our presence, as she turned towards us as we got close. The woman held a curious look, but it soon morphed into a bright smile. The woman had a jellyfish bob, with the upper half being black and the lower half being light blue. Her skin was olive-toned. She wore a fluffy white coat, underneath it being a black go-karter uniform with light blue stripes. She wore clean black and white sneakers as well. Her coat had a patch of the number 48 sewn into it.

???: “Ahhhh! Marcie, there you are! I haven’t seen you in a few hours, huh? Amazing to see you again! And who’s your friend over there?”

Annelise: (…Marcie?)

Marcel: “It’s good to see you too, Miss Silva. This is Annelise— she only just woke up.”

???: “Ohhh, it's so nice to meet you, Anne! Ahhh, you’re so cute! How are you? What’s your talent? How’ve you been feeling about this place?”

I felt my face flush up almost instantly. Cute? Jeez, I know it's in a more affectionate way instead of a flirty way, but that's just so embarrassing! I was getting questions flung at me as soon as we started talking, all being about me. I was more used to asking people about THEMSELVES, not the other way around. But still, I wanted to respond to her energy.

Annelise: “It’s nice to meet you too, ma’am! I’ve been doing just fine. A little stressed, but a-okay overall! Marcel already said my name, but lemme try to introduce myself prim and proper! Annelise Heinrich, Ultimate Girl Scout at your service! How do I feel about this place? Uhhmm…”

I took a minute to ponder about my response. Of course, I don’t like being kidnapped, nobody does. I feel so foreign and out of place. I wanna meet new people and explore, though. I hate being here, but I wanna make the most of it, too!

Annelise: “Overwhelmed, but I wanna enjoy everything here while I’m here. It’s… hard to explain.”

???: “Ah, you’re okay! An Ultimate Girl Scout? Ain’t that just neat! I used to be a part of the Girl Scouts at some point. Anyhow, I kinda get it! Like, nothing makes sense, everything’s new, but there’s a part of you that just can’t shake off that positive feeling. Maybe this is gonna be good! Maybe it’ll be something great if we give it some more time!”

Annelise: (…uhm… not really, actually. I’m just trying to make the most of everything right now, kidnapping is pretty shitty. I’m not too positive about the situation being secretly good.)

Annelise: “Y-yeah! Something like that!”

???: “I’m so glad you understand! Haha, it’s so nice to meet you, Anne. Wait! I haven’t even done my intro yet, have I? Shoooot! Okay, lemme do it now! The names Rocio Silva, and I’m the Ultimate Go-Karter!”

Annelise: (A Go-Karter? That’s awfully neat! While I’ve never been Go-Karting before, it probably takes a whole lot of skill to win races in general. There’re always super fierce competitors and intense competitions, so she has to have nerves of steel!)

Annelise: “That’s super cool, Rocio! It’s an honor to meet you, I mean it. I can only imagine how much work and effort such a talent needs. I hope we can be friends while we’re here!”

Rocio: “Oh, you have NO clue how much I want the same, Anne! Already fast friends with ol’ Marcie— you’ll be another bud of mine in no time.”

Annelise: (Still not positive about either of those nicknames.)

Marcel: “Ah, if you don’t mind, could I butt my head in for a mere moment…?”

The two of us turned our attention to Marcel, silently giving him the floor to talk.

Marcel: “I and Miss Heinrich are on a trip to investigate the island's facilities more thoroughly. Have you found anything since our departure?”

Rocio: “Oh! Sure have!”

Rocio put up a jolly thumbs up.

Rocio: “Map!”

Annelise: “…hm?”

Rocio: “Map! Over yonder!”

She pointed a finger behind us, towards a large signpost beside the hotel building. Rocio took control and approached the signpost.

Marcel: “Hm. I remember most of the locations, but it would be nice to have a map for our investigation.”

Annelise: “Completely agree! Plus, it’ll be helpful for me! Barely seen the place already.”

We both came up behind Rocio, looking at the map. There were 5 smaller islands connecting to the main island. In the center of the main island was something labeled the Central Building, a large and imposing building I could see from just here. A pathway left to the living grounds led to a wooden cabin called the Teacher Cabin, whatever that was. The same path that led to the cabin branched off downwards, and a turn right would lead to a large pond with a dock labeled as the Fishing Zone. If you went left from the Fishing Zone you’d be on a 3-way branching path. Up would lead you to the Central Building, left and up would lead you to a Park and downwards would bring you to a Clothing Shop. Space around the buildings and pathways were clear, while further out away from buildings were full of densely packed forestry. All 3 of us stared at the map for a bit.

Marcel: “I didn’t even realize there were connecting points to other islands. The woods around them are so dense.”

Rocio: “Y’think we could venture out to them? There aren’t any clear paths to them.”

Annelise: “Prooobably not safe. That girl we met though— that girl, maybe she could? She was a survivalist. So far, she seems most capable!”

Marcel: “I would agree, but she might not be compliant to just do things for us, especially if it could be dangerous.”

Rocio: “Not sure who that chick is, but you’ve gotta at least ask! We’ve been kidnapped. If it has to do with covering ground we don’t know, it’s important.”

Annelise: “Huh. Guess so… I’ll be sure to ask her reaallyy nicely next time I see her around, but I’ll respect if she says otherwise! Don’t wanna force her to do anything, especially with how much we don’t know.”

We chatted idly for some time, just about our situation and our thoughts on it. Marcel was nervous about this situation, very obviously. Though his stuttering calmed down some, his voice was still quaking and his eyes weren’t locking onto anything. Despite that, a part of him seemed reasonable and more realistic during this all. He didn’t have any solid explanation or belief for the current situation. The only proper insight he gave us into his view was just that we were clearly there for a reason, and whether it be good or bad, we’d have to figure out what it was. Marcel was interesting in that way. Would I reckon him as a realist? I mean, probably. He’s been following clear logic the whole time. Rocio, on the other hand, was far more jolly. She assured us that whatever was happening couldn’t be that bad. To leave us on an island supplied with so many qualities of life like shelter, clothing, even food— it was obviously a good scenario we were in, if not a good situation. Rocio was most definitely an optimist. I tried to see both sides of our situation. This place was good, very good, and we wouldn’t die naturally here. Considering the wilderness, it wouldn’t be a shocker to be able to grow food ourselves even if we run out of normal food (I’m not too sure about where the food is anyways, I’m taking Rocio’s word for it). But, that didn’t mean we were okay. Anything could happen here, so it’s best to stay on our guard. After a good amount of discussion, me and Marcel decided to head off again. We both wished Rocio a happy farewell, which she responded to joyfully.

Marcel and I began our crossing over the bridget that connected to the main island. It was steady enough for me to feel safe, but I could see Marcel shaking behind me. I’d walked on worse bridges before, but I can get the anxiety he has. To distract him from his worries, I spoke.

Annelise: “She was nice!”

Marcel: “Hm? A-ah, she was.”

Annelise: “You said you talked to her before. Where’d you meet her first?”

Marcel: “O-oh, we first talked in the hotel building. We woke up first and ran into each other, so we talked a whole lot. She was nice. When we were done talking, I started my investigation.”

Considering the bridge was awfully short, we were across it as soon as our small conversation started. I was happy to take his eyes off of what was below. That’s my job, after all! Born and raised to help people, of course! As soon as we reached the end of the bridge, we were met with a long dirt pathway. The ground around the pathway was cut grass, not too messy or occupied. Further out, though, there were bundles of trees obscuring the view of what was further ahead. We went straight down for a bit, then decided to take a left. The “Teacher’s Cabin” had caught our eyes, and thus, we decided to check it out. We arrived at the cabin, which was completely made of dark oak. It was like a vacation cabin, just smaller. It had a porch in the front with stairs leading up to it. The wall it was connected to had a wooden door in the middle and two windows on each side, both obscured by blinds.

As soon as we approached, we already saw something weird happening.

??? 1: “HEAAAAAVE!”

??? 2: “Hooooooo…!”

??? 1: “HEAAAAAAAAVE!”

??? 2: “I’m soooo tired….!”

Two people were standing on the porch. One person was holding onto the doorknob while the other was holding onto the knob-holding person's waist. Every time they yelled out “heave” and “ho”, they’d both pull back so far that it looked like they were going to fall over each time. They both panted and took a few seconds after each failed attempt, but then would try again much to the dismay of one of them.

??? 2: “I’m goooonna die…”

??? 1: “GET AHOLD OF YOURSELF, WOMAN! THIS IS IMPORTANT STUFF!”

??? 2: “I never wroooote a memooooir… oooor a will…”

??? 1: “YOU SHAN’T NEED TO!”

The man yelling wore a neat-kept black suit and a piano-tile themed tie with a bunny-head pin on the side of their suit, alongside a black cape draped onto their shoulders. The cape was red on the inside and only went down to their waist. Continuing down, they wore black dress-pants and black dress-shoes to really sell their professional look. As for their looks, they had suede skin and long, curly blonde hair going over their shoulders. I unfortunately couldn’t make much out of their appearance other than that. Y’wanna know why? Because this man was wearing ANOTHER damn mask! We’ve met two people with scary masks! It annoyed me beyond belief. I always considered myself a good judge of character, but that was in part because I could read expressions and body language well. It stressed me out to see people with their faces obscured because I can’t understand them as well. The man's mask was a white porcelain bunny mask without any color other than its base white, so it was kinda cute, but still. Sucks.

The woman who pronounced her o’s weird wore a layered dress that went down to her knees. The dress’ layers divided it into sections. The top was blue, the middle was a dark blue and the bottom was a grayish blue. The entire dress had varying chinoiserie designs on it depending on the section it was on. She wore a thin open black jacket over top of the dress, with ruffled sleeves and ruffles at the bottom. All of the ruffles had small gems on them. On her neck was 4 layers of necklaces, each made of gemstones varying in sizes and colors. It laid on top of her jacket. The 1st necklace had one small diamond, the second necklace had 2 semi-small aquamarines, the 3rd necklace had 3 medium sized rubies and the 4th had 4 large emeralds. The woman also wore grey-blue and black Mary Jane’s, alongside white short frilled socks. She had cool walnut skin, along with slightly-curly blue hair that hung freely a bit behind her shoulders. She kept a meek look on her face and had a constant quivering chin.

The two both got into the position to start pulling the door once again, but while doing so, the blue haired woman caught sight of us while nervously glancing around the entire area. She removed her arms from his waist and tapped the bunny masked man’s shoulder, whispering into his ear. The whisper, whatever it entailed, instantly made him swivel to view us.

??? 1: “Ah!”

The man skipped over the steps and pranced right over to us, with the girl following suit in an admittedly much slower fashion.

??? 1: “My sincere apologies, m’lady and m’lord! I hadn’t even noticed you two watching us! Ah, we were simply investigating.”

??? 2: “I’d hardly even call it that… we loooooked aroooound the ooooutside oooof the cabin, then we just spent thirty minutes trying to ooooopen the locked dooooor.”

Annelise: “You’re okay! We only just got here. Can’t expect you to notice us right away! So, that door’s locked?”

??? 1: “Quite so! Ever since our dual arrival, it has been sealed!”

??? 2: “But… he’s been set ooooon ooooopening it foooor soooome time nooow…”

??? 1: “For a good cause, no less! It is most infinitely important!”

??? 2: “I knooooow, but still. I’m really tired ooooof this…”

Marcel leaned over to me and mumbled.

Marcel: “It most definitely is important, but I can’t help but think that their method is a bit too much…”

Annelise: “Cut ‘em some slack! There’s probably no better way to do this. It’s… pretty goofy lookin’, though.”

Marcel: “They’ll pull their backs out before they pull that door open.”

Annelise: “Oh, hush!”

We both snickered to ourselves while the two unnamed people idly chattered.

??? 1: “…and FUTHERMORE, would you rather pass out for a noble cause or pass out weak-willed?!

??? 2: “Either way, I’ll pass ooooout… I doooon’t need a cause foooor being tired…”

While they talked, I realized we hadn’t exchanged names yet. Part of our goal is to meet everyone, and while we did exchange a few words, it wasn’t a proper meeting until introductions were settled!

Annelise: “Say! Sorry to interrupt, but could we have your names?”

??? 1: “A name? A name? Ohonoho… YOU WISH FOR A NAAAMMEEE?!”

The man with the bunny mask hit an extremely dumb pose as the girl next to him groaned.

??? 1: “A soft melody flows from every corner of my body… every tile I press is blessed with my heavenly authority… IIIII AM THE GRAND GIOVANNI SILVESTRI! GWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THE UUULLLTIMATE… KEYBOARDIIISSTTT!”

Annelise: (Such a grand introduction for… a keyboardist. I-I mean, every talent is impressive! For certain! But with the way he behaved, I thought it would be something more than what it was.)

Annelise: “It’s nice to meet you, sir! So, you’re good at playing the keyboard, huh? Seems neat!”

Marcel: “It is a pleasure. I enjoy keyboards!”

Giovanni: “Ahhh… poor naive fools… fret nothing, I shall look past your negligible comments. I am good at any instrument with keys! Pianos, organs, anything! I simply PREFER the keyboard. I could easily obtain any Ultimate in relation to keys.”

Annelise: (…whaaattt an interesting guy! Huh!)

Looking besides me, I saw Marcel looking somewhat uncomfortable. Maybe it was because of the man’s grandiose? If that’s the case, we should totally change the subject. I want him to feel okay!

Annelise: “What about you, ma’am?”

??? 2: “Huh? Uhmmm…”

Marcel looked a little more content while Giovanni ceased his ramble to let the woman speak. She looked a little uncomfortable with all the attention, but she decided to speak anyway.

??? 2: “…Melanie Hughes… Ultimate Relic Hooooarder…”

Annelise: (…uhhmmm… it sounds cool, but what does that talent even entail?)

Marcel and I exchanged a quick glance of equal confusion.

Annelise: “Could I ask, what exactly does that talent… like… do? Not to insult! It sounds super cool, but I don’t understand it too well.”

Melanie let out an exasperated sigh. How tiring were basic conversations for her? Not that I meant to insult her, she just seemed to tire easily.

Melanie: “Uhhmmm… I ooooown a whoooole loooot oooof expensive gems and antiques… I gooooo arooooound Britain and shoooow them oooooff at displays and stuff. I doooon’t sell them thoooough, sooooo I’m nooooo antiquarian… and I’m pretty passioooonate abooooout keeping them, sooooo I hoooooard relics… the best ooooof the best.”

Marcel: “Oh! So, you’re almost like… an antique tourist! You let everybody see them!”

Melanie: “…I dooooon’t knoooow hooooow much I like that title oooover relic hooooooarder…”

I opened my mouth to say something, but my words were quickly intersected.

Giovanni: “Well! That’s out of the way now. Us two must now get back to opening this cabin! You two should be off, unless you wish to help.”

Marcel: “Ah, that’s okay. We’ll be off then, right Annelise?”

Annelise: “…”

Marcel: “…Annelise?”

Melanie: “Ooooh loooord.”

Annelise: “One try won’t hurt us, right?”

Giovanni: “GRAND! ONWARDS, US 4! ALLOW US TO TRY!”

The 4 of us marched onwards towards the cabin door again, admittedly with Marcel and Melanie being much more hesitant about it. Giovanni and Melanie got back into position while Marcel and I tried to figure out how to position ourselves. He ended up grabbing onto Melanie’s waist as I grabbed onto his. He seemed embarrassed an equal amount by both. The pair of Giovanni and Melanie hardly fitted onto the balcony in the first place, but with the two of us added we were now standing on the stairs up to it. For a while we tried to open to door, yelling countless “HEAVE!”s and “HO!”s. We spent some time doing this with only a few breaks in between. My back hurt after a while, and I felt somewhat out of breath right away. Marcel seemed to be sweating— though, I think it more so came from his position than it did the action. He and I decided to part from the two after keeping at it for a bit, which they were both fine with. The two we met today were… equal amounts of weird, in a sense. Giovanni was weirder in relation to his personality and Marcie was weirder in relation to her talent. They were fine, though! They were pretty funny even if they didn’t mean to be!

I and Marcel both decided to make our way down from the pathway leading to the cabin to go and visit the fishing pond that was labeled on the map.