Ashwood Cross

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Fight off the bad vibes

Whatever that was, it dredged up a lot of raw emotions. Hard feelings. Doubts.
Important things, maybe? But the kind you've been trying not to think about.
Things that would probably mess you up, if you really thought about them?

Your resolve feels a bit thinner, every time you pretend those feelings aren't there.
Every time you pretend this situation isn't insane and terrifying?
But you've got to keep doing that, if you want to keep going.
And you need to keep going. Unless, you suppose, you're ready to just...

Ugh... focus Hana!
You'll figure this out. You can do this. No quitting yet!

To the left!

Guess you should just entirely avoid looking at the weird sky, and look for unique features or objects on the left side of this island.

I'm particularly bothered that there's a migraine splat on the ground behind us. I mean, in similar circumstances that would be one's own brains. I have no idea if that's an "eidolon," and it'd be strange since they seem more like entities instead of migraine-beams, but what do I know?

You shake those thoughts from your head, and take stock of the area.
This Plateau is pretty small. Just a stone ridge, jutting out from a cliff face to the Southwest.
It's pretty bare, but for some boulders that broke free and tumbled down from the cliff above.

Of course, you do notice a Strange Splatter behind you, which is new.
Whatever's going on with the Sky out here... looks like some of it is on the ground now?

Just to be safe, you try not to look too closely at it.
You've had quite enough mindscrewery for one day. Enough for many, many days.

Inside good, inside safe?

I'm just waiting for us to break our neck climbing back down!

Well, you can't think of any more good reasons to be out here, right now.
But you can think of several good reasons not to be.
Not the least of which is this Incomprehensible Migraine Garbage.

You're a little worried about getting hurt, climbing down from this Ridge.
As you hesitate, Clax draws close to the ledge below, and gives you a reassuring nod.

What, are they planning to catch you if you fall?



Even though you doubt they'd be much help, the gesture is a little reassuring.
You hop down to a Large Boulder, and make your way down without incident.

Together, you step back into the sheltered shade of the Mine.



You feel better already.

Well, we entered some sort of quantum state for a moment there. Go back to the radio for real this time, tell him how we got mentally hit in the head, and ask him if we'd want to pick up whatever fell out of our head.

The migraine-splat on the ground outside was attaining coherence. Coherent migraine. This is approximately terrifying.

You may as well head back to the Radio.

As you walk back inside, you allow yourself a moment to wonder.
What even was that Splatter on the ground?
And why does thinking about it make you feel so scared?

You did your best to avoid looking at it directly, for the sake of your battered brain.
Even just out of the corner of your eye, though. Something about it seemed... familiar? Dangerous?
You kinda wish you'd taken the time to get a better look... but maybe it's for the best.

No sense dwelling on that mystery right now. You shake the thought from your head.
Besides. With any luck, that's the last you'll see of all that mess!

> Begin communications session.

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So hey. I'm back. Are you still there?

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You wait for a moment. Then for another moment. And another. And another.
You stand there, waiting for a minute or more. But there's no reply.

Nothing but silence and white noise on the other end.

> Leave a message anyway

Your friend doesn't seem to be on the line anymore. Just dead air, like before.
Even so, you decide to try talking to them. Maybe they'll hear it? And if not...?

...honestly, you probably need to get some of these feelings off your chest.

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I don't know if you can hear me right now.
But, if you can? I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry.
Sorry that I yelled at you, and that I stormed off, and...

Yeah. I'm just sorry.

I was freaking out, okay? Honestly, I still kinda am.
More crazy crap just happened, and I don't understand it.
I mean, haha... what else is new, right?

Anyway, guess that's my excuse for snapping at you.

I've kinda forgotten what I told you, already.
Don't know how much you know about my situation, either.
You seemed like you might want to know what's going on?

And maybe I need to talk about it, too. To process it.
If you're already gone, guess I'll just be venting into the Ether.

Either way, it seems like the thing to do.

...

I should probably start from the beginning...

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You proceed to share what's happened since you woke up here.
By the time you finish, you still haven't heard from anyone on the Radio.
Even so, going over the events of the last few hours helps you feel better.
Nothing's really changed, but it feels a little easier to understand?

Anyway, Hana...

You've been sitting here talking about things that already happened for long enough.
It's time to figure out what happens next.

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