Mafia The Third: The Seaside Town of Aifam Cove

[RielCZ]

((Before Lynching))

It had been a busy day for Rilen. While he really didn't talk to anyone, he spent several hours exploring the village, going in and out of various heated shops, and the like. It was a nice change of pace from being in fear in the morgue.

Finally, he came upon the flower shop and almost ventured in. Last second, however, he remarked to himself, "I think I'll go snowboarding instead." He ventured off.

***

He slashed down the hills on the beach 'till dusk set in. He was actually getting better at snowboarding! Rilen now crashed only about 40% of the time. He grinned at his accomplishments and set forth towards his place of residency.

Flipping a switch, he sighed -- still no electricity. "No flow no go," he said to himself with a small laugh. The boarder paused and sighed again as he locked his door and ventured back into town -- maybe there'd still be something to do there.

***

The town was fairly quiet; many establishments were closed by now. Rilen walked on in silence.

There were a few scattered people standing about here and there every once in a while, but it was too dark to tell who they were and even if he could adequately see them he probably wouldn't have recognized them anyway. 

He finally came upon the flower shop again -- odd, its light was on. Rilen ventured toward it and gazed through the window. It didn't look like Miko was there, but he could see Barbra.

Breathing in the cold air, he mustered his courage decided to enter it. He stepped in and, waiting for the door behind him to close all the way, greeted, "Hello?"

No answer. He stepped a bit further in. "Anyone here?" he asked a bit louder. The store seemed quiet.

He shrugged. Looking around the store, his gaze landed upon Barbra. He walked up to her. "Hello, oh wondrous plant," he remarked with a casual smile. "Hope the last few hours have treated you well." Rilen blinked. Was he crazy? No... of course he wasn't. He reached out his hand to touch the plant, its leaves again a deep hue, but a though suddenly stopped him. 

Anna had been killed for snooping around the debris. Could he be suspect for being in another's shop with the proprietor not around?

He decided he didn't want to chance it. Nodding to Barbra, he abruptly turned off the lights and fled from the store.

He'd have to bring this up to Miko in the near future.

Rilen returned home and flicked the light-switch. Miracles! The power had been restored. Grinning, he woke his heaters from their chilly slumber and the house filled with warmth. 


((After Lynching))

Rilen awoke to the sound of a gunshot.

Dressing himself for the cold, he ventured outside, snowboard in hand. To his pleasant surprise it was slightly warmer than it had been the day previous, and maybe that would help with his getting over his cold.

Meeting up with the crowd, the boarder realized the deceased this time was a Velociraptor. Rilen frowned. Who would kill a poor, innocent little carnivore?

(Nope, nothing wrong with that thought.)

Rumor circulated throughout the already dispersing crowd that the vigilante was Morty... Gummerson, it sounded like? Still, Morty had apparently killed several of the town's members and riled up the crowds with a thirst for blood. 

This didn't sit right with Rilen. He was going to venture down to that burger hut and give Morty a stern talking to.

When Rilen arrived, Morty was lying on his back near some overturned tables. The boarder almost gaped.

"Only the Lord Woo can take a life but I'm sure he doesn't mind if his servants beat you to within an inch of it," a nun declared vehemently before storming away.

Rilen shrugged. It looked like damage had already been done.

Still...

Walking up to Morty, Rilen swiftly smacked the proprietor in the head with his snowboard before quickly exiting the eatery.

SPOILER: Click to show

Before the lynching, Rilen goes snowboarding until dusk, then ventures into the plant shop. He talks a bit with Barbra, but realizes - with Miko not there - his being in the store could raise suspicions and he promptly leaves. He returns home, where he finds the power restored.

After the lynching, he confronts Morty and smacks him on the head with his board.

[Nova]

Nathan!

He heard her voice. Was it truly her? When he shouted her name, he was half expecting her to be some sort of mirage. But there she was, in her ghostly form. The look of true happiness.

He ran through the crowd, and tried to hug her... but he completely went through her entirely, and face-planted into the salty sand.

"Lindsey.. is it really you? I... I wanted to save you. I wanted to save you so much. But the people, there were too many of them.. and they slit your throat..

"Let's get tea. I'll make you your favorite. I haven't been to my teahouse in a while, I'll open it and hopefully people will come in. I want to hear all your stories of the afterlife, okay?"

He smiled at his sister.

"I missed you."

[Avery]

A bleak morning, frost-nipped air. Snugly tucked into a sleeping bag-- peacefully dreaming-- when... a scream, like a knife into her ears and heart. Fumbling out... unzipping the tent flap... and then... no.

"LENORE!--"

Bea awakened with a start, gasping. It took her several moments to orient herself and shake away the nightmare. She was... in her bed, Merry sitting at her feet with a concerned look in her dark, wide eyes. An empty bottle of wine lay on her side table, and beside it a half-drained fifth of vodka. Her digital clock read-- oh, far too late, she should have been up hours ago. As she rubbed at her throbbing temple and gave Merry a pat on the head, the previous day's events filtered through her mind: standing on the cliff with Nathan, heart swelling with relief after Lucille told her Kylie was okay... and then...

That ghost. Nathan reacting to it-- and--

Things got a bit fuzzy after that. She stared back at the booze and sighed. Apparently at some point she'd drifted back to the inn and gone on a drinking binge. Again. Kylie was going to be cross with her. ... Again.

Bea dragged herself to the washroom and showered, just to get the reek of alcohol off her. Then, she fed Merry; the dog gulped down her bowl of food in what seemed like a single breath. Bea had overslept for so long that there was no use in setting out breakfast... and she felt so woozy that she wasn't particularly hungry, either. But by the way Merry was whining and pacing, it was clear the dog needed a walk. Bea leashed her up then started towards the lobby-- where she ran into Hermia Smith. Merry instantly wrenched the leash so hard to greet the woman that Bea grimaced. She could swear she heard her shoulder pop. Patchy memories drifted into her head: Hermia at the cliffside, Hermia puking, Hermia fainting...

"Ms. Smith," she greeted hoarsely. "I hope you're doing better this morning? I-- I'm sorry I missed setting out breakfast this morning, I was..." She paused. "... otherwise occupied." Glancing down at Merry, who had her nose settled firmly in Hermia's ah, no-no area, Bea scolded the dog and added, "Also sorry for the dog. She's a little... exuberant. We were just... headed off for a walk. I-- if you wanted to come, you're welcome."

Bea wasn't sure why she'd made the offer. She was doing that a lot lately, she realized: impulsively making choices. Merry herself was an impulse choice... as was her budding relationship with Nathan. Ah well, what was one more trigger decision?

"Just a warning, though," she added, as Hermia considered a reply, "she walks pretty ah, fast. So it might turn more into a jog than a walk."

SPOILER: Click to show

Bea awakens from a nightmare, hungover. She decides to take Merry for a walk and runs into Hermia Smith in the lobby. She invites the woman along on the walk.

[Mostly Harmless (flufflepuff)]

(A pseudo collab between Liou, Pixie, and myself. It's complicated.)

Before ze execution

Leopold was delighted to find not one, but two ladies come to his temple of beauty for relaxing girlytime.

He immediately settled Lili and Alma down with softer lights and music, tea, ladies' magazines, and scented candles because why not.
He was relieved to see them both safe and sound. At least, while they were in his salon, he didn't have to worry about them getting mafia'd.

While Alma decided what kind of style she wanted, Leo inspected and shampoo'd Lili's hair, refreshing her color at the same time. He was hoping that Alma would be reassured when she saw how he did his thing, as she didn't seem very relaxed yet. The poor girl was hunched over the book, staring blankly..

"Yes, you could do with a lightening trim. Your hair is so fine. It's going to be fluffyyy! Did you hear that the Stitch in Time should receive their spring collection in a week or two? I'm hoping for some warm, earthy tones! And mellow pink and yellow." Lili seemed skeptical. "Wouldn't there be pastels in there? Hopefully....pastel blues?" She asked hopefully. Leo chuckled. "Only way to find out is to wait and see, nnn?"

He straightened and trimmed Lili's bangs, squealing because her face looked so pretty. He kept chatting about girly things while gradually pinning, unpinning, brushing and snipping Lili's hair. Spring fashions, the next festivals that would take place in the region, the latest romantic comedy that he hadn't seen yet - was it any good? How was the lead couple? Was it worth bringing a box of tissues? What about the music? And what about ALL THE DANCERS? He gave Lili a pair of pink ribbons with tiny plush kittyfaces. "Oh, this suits you to a tea!" He squealed. Lili seemed doubtful but a smile slowly spread across her face as she saw herself in the mirror, twisting this way and that to see just how well the kitties adorned her. Truly, Leo was a master.

"So, do you have an idea, Mrs Fitzgibbon?" She turned to him with a tiny smile. "Nothing too fancy. Cut it as short as you can. It's time to actually do something for the dead instead of hiding them in snowmen."

When Leo heard the horror that Alma wanted to inflict upon her poor, innocent hair, he fell to his knees in front of her, squealing "Nuuuuu!" She gasped and blinked, more uncertain of Mr. Endicott than ever. "Mr. Endicott, sir...?" She gripped the arms of the chair she was in.

"Darling, please! I know that the intention is noble and that one's style reflects one's heart, but hurting your hair won't resolve anything! It won't make anyone come back. It won't make anyone happier." He hesitated. He could understand her situation more than she knew. He really wanted to reach out to her. "I've seen a lot of people try, in all the years I've been doing this. And it didn't work for me either. I could give you a shorter hairstyle if you like, but I insist on very strongly recommending one of these cuts instead." He showed one of the pages in his catalogue. "I think this one would really bring out your face and lighten your eyes. I can always change a few things to suit your taste." She nodded, humbled. "As you wish," she said, pointing to a style in the book.

When the style issue was settled, Leo began to tend to Alma. He massaged her head during the shampoo, running his long fingers very gently over the tense knots he could feel. With a strong sense of responsibility, he began to shape her new image. He wanted her head to feel lighter, both literally and metaphorically. He asked for her approval every time he had to shorten one part.

Once he was finished blow-drying, parted bangs danced playfully around her face, feather-light. Her hair fell around her neck in a graceful wave. He felt slightly nervous when he held up the mirror. She seemed to be trembling st her reflection.

"Umm... would you like to play with kitty ears?" He held up a headband with a hopeful grin.

"It's beautiful," Alma breathed, running a finger through her hair, smooth as the inside of a conch shell. "Thank you, Mr. Endicott!"

Lili laughed as Alma, uncharacteristically, threw her arms around the hairdresser and awkwardly pulled back.

Clearing her throat, she grasped Lili by the hand and prepared to leave the salon. She smiled and laid several shinies on the counter before leaving.

"Come back whenever you need to look fabulous again!" Leo waved.

"You surprised me there, Alma," Lili teased playfully, making her blush . To her surprise, she smiled and shoved her gently. "Oh, stop," she giggled and took a breath of fresh icy air. It truly was like old times again.

SPOILER: Click to show

Alma and Lili get their hair done and feel refreshed. This helps Leo, too.

[Draco]

Jack decided it was time to take a walk around town. He figured it was only a matter of time before word spread that the mayor was actually a rock. "Mayor Rocky" was a dumb idea, but he didn't really have much choice. It was that or point out to the town they were all stupid. So it was up to him to control the town the best he could, of course there were some slip ups... Like the police. Giving them a holiday in the winter sounded like a good idea, nothing happened in the winter, all the action was in the summer! Stupid idea.

He floats through his living room holding a mug of coffee. He was so upset over the night before he actually brewed his own coffee that morning. When he realized he couldn't drink it though, he dropped it. It shattered on the ground and he groaned. A odd noise could be heard from under the floor due to the noise above. He ignored it and left the house.

He figured he would first go to town square to see if anyone wanted anything from him. He sighed as he floated over to it.

SPOILER: Click to show

Jack Ryan Smith, a little upset over people finding out about the dark secret of the town's mayor. He decided to see the people and interact a little...

Of course, this doesn't mean he'll be any help.

[Lizica]

-Before the execution-

Piper tried to explain to Cheryl Lewis about how her accidental ghost photo was shot--seemingly immediately after the assistant mayor's death, and from a great distance from down the beach. It hadn't made much sense to either of them, to be honest.

Piper had been utterly fascinated by Cheryl's handheld camcorder, however. It solved absolutely nothing about her own photography problems, but watching the dark, hazy, humanoid shapes move around Aifam Cove was bizarrely mesmerizing. Although, after a few minutes of watching Cheryl's ghost footage, Piper could have sworn the picture shuddered, as if the video, too, was about to be corrupted, and she quickly pressed the camera back to the reporter.

Cheryl mentioned perhaps later returning to the studio to try to solve this film mystery, and Piper's interest significantly dwindled. Not that she didn't want to figure out the film mystery, but the idea of shuffling back to the Channel 24 News Studio and Associates building and going back to those dead-eyed cameras and zombie copiers gave her the creeps. Maybe some other time? Another day, maybe? She had plans, after all. Major plans.

Bidding farewell to Cheryl and Albert, Piper unfurled her maps and turned towards the beach. She had a lot of work ahead of her. Specifically, crab sand traps to build.

--

It was around three o' clock in the morning that Piper finally took a deep breath, wiped some sand off her brow, and sat back heavily on the sand to admire her handiwork.

It was quite impressive, really. It wasn't a maze, but she had built a sandcastle corridor--its walls rising up from around Webster's burrow and leading onwards, strong and hard, reinforced with ice and snow. With every turn of the sand walls, she had built Piper-sized snowmen obscured by patches of pampas grass. She had built sand pitfalls (not to trap, but to surprise). She had rigged tripwires and pulleys with small loads of sand and snow (again, triggered to surprise and force Webster to run in a certain direction). And at the end of the corridor, she had flattened a small stretch of the beach and sprinkled a thin layer of water, which had now frozen, creating a veritable slip n’ slide of ultimate photography triumph. And finally, the entire obstacle course finished with a light sand wall and a slowing, landing strip composed of dense, wet sand. It was here that the real Piper would be prepared for Webster’s appearance as he made his way through the series of traps. Flailing and confused, he'd fly across the ice and skid to halt in the sand, unintentionally poised right before her at last, shocked and astounded by her incredible traps.

Of course, by this time Piper herself was absolutely exhausted. That morning when she'd been awoken by the not-bulldozer felt like months ago. Even armed with takeout from the Sirensong Steakhouse and three tumblers of coffee, Piper really felt wiped out.

But at the same time--she felt good. Oh, she could feel it. It wasn't just 3 AM. It was today. This was the day. This was the night when she'd finally catch Webster. After all these setbacks, after all these ghosts, after all these deaths, after all these distractions, this was the day.

She could feel it.

It was this thought, however, that lulled the worn out Piper into a mislaid sense of security. She fell asleep there on Sirensong Beach, next to her massive Webster Trap, huddled up in her coat in the side of a sand dune.

She was awoken, hours later, before dawn--by a noise. A noise she knew well--well enough to jerk her from the depths of sleep.

Crab claws. Crab claws rubbing against each other, clattering softly in the winter air, stridulating ridges calling out to her. Webster was here! On the beach! In her trap! This was the day!

Piper lunged for Snipe Hunt. Or, wait--she must have put it down when she nodded off--

The crab claws rang again--and this time the noise was accompanied by happy, jingling bells.

Piper's face shot up.

Webster was poised there at the end of her obstacle course, just as she had wanted him.

But he was holding Snipe Hunt's strap with one gigantic claw.

"NO NO NO!" shrieked Piper, and she stumbled forward through the sand, she was just a few feet away from--

Webster raised his other claw. He opened it and brandished it over Snipe Hunt, prepared to crunch it in half. Piper screeched to a halt, kicking up a wave of sand, and held up her hands.

"Put it down!"

Webster did a little tap dance on the icy slip n' slide, his eight legs clicking merrily on the surface.

"Just put the camera down!" Piper cried--almost a sob.

Webster opened his claw wider. He moved it around Snipe Hunt like a vice grip--

"SNIPE HUNT, NO!!"

Piper shot forward. She made a flying leap at the giant ghost crab, and in mid-air--

--Webster gently clicked his claw around the camera, pressing the shutter release, blinding Piper with the flash. With his other claw, he snipped the camera strap cleanly in two, and as Piper completed her arc through the air, Webster dropped the camera to the beach and skittered away from the scene with lightning speed. Piper seized her camera as she hit the ice; and then she skidded, skidded spectacularly. Her flying leap propelled her straight across the icy stretch, and sliding uncontrollably through her own backwards obstacle course, Piper tore through five tripwires, was pummeled by three snowballs and four sandballs, and careened smack dab into one of her snow decoys before finally rebounding and collapsing backwards into one of the pitfalls.

She landed with a cold, wet squelch on the bottom (and a jingly titter from her camera).

As she looked down at the unharmed Snipe Hunt, it displayed a photo of herself, of Piper, caught in mid-air, her face contorted in a disgraceful "OH," her hands outstretched, desperately lunging towards the lens.

"....WEBSTERRR."

SPOILER: Click to show

Before the execution, Piper talks with Cheryl some more, though they still don't quite understand how the ghost-film relationship works.

That night, Piper builds a massive corridor-like trap for Webster on the beach. Unfortunately, this so exhausts her that she falls asleep, which allows Webster to steal her camera and then use it to mock her before turning all her traps against her.

Mark this attempt down as an epic failure.

((Tiger, please let me know if I've assumed too much in the first part of this post, and I'll be happy to change it! ^^))

[Gelquie]

The Day Before:

With the help of Anna and Lucille's words, along with the horse ride that followed, Kylie felt a lot better. It wasn't that the problems disappeared as a result, and Kylie knew this. But riding through the trees on her favorite horse and with Lucille willing to come with her helped the stablewoman push her concerns to the back of her mind, even if only for a short period of time. And after getting over most of her initial upset, Kylie was even able to give a few pointers to Lucille, even if most of them were related to not making Rooibos agitated. However, Rooibos was for the most part a mild-mannered horse, and Kylie felt that things went well with the horse ride.

Or rather, it did until they saw the crowd, and Kylie followed Lucille. Atop their horses, it wasn't hard for them to see the bodies. Kylie let out a gasp as Lucille stopped herself short from swearing. Marie... Marie had been killed. And so had Travis. But.. There was a knife in Travis' hand and...

No... Could it be...?

A thought raced through Kylie's head, so much so that she temporarily forgot her anger with her mother when she caught her eye. Kylie didn't respond either, however. She couldn't. If what she saw was true...

And then Lucille confirmed it. "Kylie. It's Dr. Robertson...and Travis Richem. He was mafia," Lucille said. Kylie could only stare blankly. Was she... Was she really so close to a murderer? And... And did she really try to fight him off with a riding crop and a sandwich? Her mind was reeling. If Anna hadn't shown up... And if Lucille hadn't shown up...

Lucille continued, giving Kylie a warm smile. "I told you I would keep you safe and that's what I did," she said, before leaning forward to give Kylie a kiss. It took Kylie a small moment in time to register this fact, but when she did, she reciprocated with her own grateful kiss. Or at least, she did as well as she could before Rooibos pulled Lucille away. Kylie tried leaning towards her again before she was reminded of the fact that gravity is not her friend. Kylie inwardly wished that Rooibos didn't move at that moment.

Her thoughts about Lucille and Travis were interrupted at the sight of Lindsey. Kylie listened carefully as Lindsey confessed. When she had finished, Kylie did nothing to hide her glare. If it was indeed for the sake of Enna, Kylie might have been more understanding, albeit only slightly... But she killed someone because he had insulted her cake? Kylie thought about saying something, but she found that she couldn't even get the words out of her mouth. To her, it just felt too... reprehensible. Kylie liked cake too... But it wasn't worth dying for.

Kylie looked away as Lindsey reunited with Nathan. However Kylie felt about Lindsey at the time... She remembered the look on Nathan's face, his solemnity... And she decided not to interfere in the conversation.

Thankfully, the corpses were removed pretty quickly, and there was more space between her and Lucille. She watched as Lucille took a knife out of her boot and dismounted. Kylie briefly wondered what the knife was for before she found Rooibos' reins and the knife placed in her hands. Kylie stared at the knife for a brief moment before staring into Lucille's eyes.

"Kylie," Lucille said, smiling up at the girl. "Stay safe. Stay with your mum if you can't, don't leave her alone. I can't be with you today but rest assured, I'll send the Weewoo to watch over you and I'll be with you as soon as I can tomorrow. Thank you for the ride. Look after yourself. That is for your protection"

Kylie could barely get a nod out before she felt herself almost pulled from her horse, and engaged in a deep, long kiss. Kylie felt only too happy to return the kiss (if while simultaneously being careful about the placement of the knife in her hands). Being with her, having her push away her worries, being there for her whether she was happy or sad, having someone to really talk to, and... And she had saved her life. Kylie couldn't justify dismounting her own horse at the time, as much as she wished to fall into Lucille's arms, but she found herself trying to draw Lucille closer.

It felt too soon when they broke apart, though Kylie knew that Lucille couldn't stay. She had her own business to attend to, and so did Kylie. Plus, as was explained, Lucille had to hide the relationship from her fellow nuns. Still, Kylie couldn't deny that she was sad to see Lucille go. Kylie gave Lucille a sweet smile as the nun departed.

"You be safe too," Kylie said softly. "I couldn't bear to lose you."

The Next Day...

Kylie awoke early that morning, groaning and rubbing at her eyes. It had turned out to be a long night, first making sure that the horses were taken care of before walking in on her mother starting off on a bottle of vodka, and an empty bottle of wine nearby. It was...

Well, needless to say, it was a long night. One that Kylie desperately wished was more like the previous evening. Any warm thoughts that Kylie had tried to conjure about Lucille were quickly banished with another drunken antic from her mother. Most of them were her incoherent rambles, sometimes about water or swimming or... whatever it was. And on top of it, Kylie found herself mistakenly called Lenore more and more frequently. By the time she had finally managed to get her mother to sleep, she had already exhausted herself tremendously. But she still had to take care of the inn, the horses, and the dog, as well as occasionally check to see that her mother didn't accidentally hurt herself.

Kylie tried desperately to stay awake as she began to set out the morning's breakfast and then frowned when she realized that the baked goods were... No good. The power outage must have spoiled everything. No point putting it out now. Kylie sighed as she turned away from the tray. And to think that even after she had complained about it, her mother still decided to act this way.

_{"...At least you could try,"} Kylie grumbled. _{"I can't keep doing this forever..."}

Even though horse rides generally woke up Kylie most of the time, she found that she couldn't really put forth the energy to go outside until she had at least two cups of coffee in her system. Kylie knew that she might need more though; she generally did whenever her mother acted up. She felt inclined to do that on her own, however; she wasn't confident enough about her fellow townsfolk to risk poisoning should they happen to be Mafia.

Or at least, she wasn't anymore...

Later, Kylie had not rode far in the town before she was forced to pull on Salieri's reins at the sight of a crowd. In the middle was... Morty Gunderson, proudly displaying his kill, and announcing an end to the velociraptor's reign of terror. Apparently, the raptor had attempted to devour Christopher. Kylie couldn't help but frown again, more deaths? Fella was fairly domesticated, or at least as domesticated as a velociraptor could be... Kylie wasn't sure how to feel about this.

But Morty was right about one thing; the missing corpses could finally be delivered back to where they belonged. They could have a proper funeral...

Maybe that wasn't so bad, Kylie thought as she rode on.

SPOILER: Click to show

Day Before:
Kylie arrives at the scene of Travis and Marie's deaths. Kylie is saddened, but then shocked as she realizes that she was completely alone with a mafioso not too long ago. Lucille confirms this, and Kylie realizes that her survival was thanks to Anna and Lucille. (She mostly gives credit to Lucille.) Kylie listens to Lindsey's confession, and takes offense at the fact that Lindsey murdered someone at least partially because of cake.
Soon, it got late. Kylie accepts the knife from Lucille before kissing Lucille passionately and gratefully. When the kiss ended, Kylie wishes Lucille safety.

The Next Day
Kylie is groggy and grumpy from taking care of her drunken mother and doing pretty much all of the rest of the chores. She grudgingly sets out breakfast, drinks coffee because she's tired darnit, and then goes on a ride with Salieri. She witnesses Morty's speech about killing Fella, a fact which Kylie expressed doubts about but otherwise says nothing. She is grateful at the fact that the snowmen'd corpses get a proper funeral, and comforted by this fact, Kylie rides on.

[Mostly Harmless (flufflepuff)]

After the execution

Alma froze. No sooner had the words "like old times" left her lips than she heard a commotion a few streets away. A lump formed in her stomach. This was not like old times.

She raced to the scene despite her husband's advice and gasped. It didn't take long for her to put two and two together. The raptor had tried to eat Christopher's corpse and a server had shot him. But why was young Christopher in a snowman...?

It seemed as though a nun and a sand boarder had already done their part here. Alma could do nothing, so she decided to head home for the day.

She'd hardly gotten the chance to push open her front door when another brown Weewoo flapped in front of her face, angry because she had not been there and the poor thing was stuck in the freezing cold. Heart aflutter, she took the letter from its foot and hastily gave the bird a strip of beef jerky she'd had in her pocket. "WOO-hoo!" the bird cheered, flapping away with its generous tip in its beak.

My soul,

News travels fast in Ayortha. I've heard that your town is fighting back--Ms. Robinson definitely did. But the other methods of fighting back I've heard...they're unpleasant. I know you're still worried about Lynna, and I am too, but I'm also worried about you.

It pains me to be so far away, but I'm doing my best to stay afloat. The spreadsheets are practically doing themselves, so my colleagues gave me leave to return.

Mrs. Fitzgibbon nodded and swallowed. He was so kind...

I'm coming home. The airports are backed up and their wings are frozen, from what I've heard, but to get to you, I'd use a rowboat if I have to. I can't wait to see you again. We'll work this out. We'll find her. And we will find someplace peaceful, preferably beside the sea.

My Soul, with each passing moment the desire to see you again grows stronger. I'll be there for you very, very soon. Please stay warm, and stay alive.

Love,

Endre


Alma locked all of the locks on the door and sealed the windows, leaving nothing but the filters of the fish tanks running.

All she could do was wait as her thoughts swam like the little shiny tetras in front of her...

Elsewhere...

I wasn't sure what to think.

Miko had set me down in my usual corner, but I sensed a change in her. She stripped off most of her petals and went right back outside without saying a word. Perhaps she needed to be refreshed, some, but that look on her face told me that might not be the case. Who was I to judge and give a thorny slap to the one who fed me? I shrugged it off like it was nothing and swayed back and forth in the warm, hazy air of my home. My brothers and sisters did no such thing.

They just STOOD there! As though to simply exist was to live!

I decided to help in the only way I could. "You know, just because I'm prettier than all of you put together doesn't mean you have to give me the silent treatment. I can give you some pointers to help you become Miko's favorites too. Lesser favorites, of course, but still favorites."

My brothers and sisters said nothing.

"Are you serious?!" I fumed, forming a fist with a leaf. "How could you possibly be so heartless? There's no reason to get upset about me, now. I'm far too dignified for that." I stuck my rosy head up proudly. "If you will not reply like the bunch of lily-livers you are...." I trailed off, a new thought forming in my head. They did have the ability to speak...didn't they?

Breathless, I practically screamed at them. "Surely you all must know how! But it won't matter if you don't! I don't care how crazy you think Miko is, or even if she gets jealous, I tell her how much she means to me, and she does so more in return! So speak! Speak, I say! Or you will all be nothing!" I was waving my leaves like a mad-flower.

And then, of course, the shop bell tinkled, and who should burst in on my outbursts but Rilen! I blushed immediately. He hadn't heard me, had he?

"Hello?" "Anyone here?"

Phew. That was far too close.

"Hello, oh wondrous plant," he remarked with a casual smile. "Hope the last few hours have treated you well."

"Oh, could you tell?" I felt daring and flashed him a glimpse of one of my rosier petals. "Hello, oh wondrous....tall plant." I cursed my inability to speak. I was just like my brothers and sisters, only they didn't make idiots of themselves on a regular basis. Why was it that I either spoke little, said the wrong thing, or talked way too much when I was around him WHOA WAS HE GOING TO PICK ME UP no he took his hand away. Aww...

He was such a TEASE.

Rilen looked at me one last time, then exited the shop. I looked at my brothers and sisters, hoping they weren't laughing at me. Nope, they were as inert as ever. Maybe they had no ability to speak. I had to speak for them.

Soon after, Miko came back into the shop. She was still in only a few petals, and seemed frozen to the core, but she seemed herself again. "Welcome back, Miko!" I swayed, happy to see her. "You're just in time to feed me again! Oh, and Rilen came by not too long ago," I mentioned as offleafedly as I could.

SPOILER: Click to show

Alma sees the execution and feels sick again, so she goes home and finds another letter from Endre telling her to be careful and that he's coming home.

Barbra almost has a nervous breakdown when she figures out other plants can't talk like she can, which is heightened by Rilen's surprise visit. She tells Miko that he stopped by very nonchalantly.

[Avery]

(Narrator Note; The next round will be up in a couple of hours, so if you've been meaning to post but haven't gotten around to it-- well, now is the time! ;D Because in a few hours, you could be DEAD! =o *dramatic gasp* ... or if you're already dead, you could be um, re-killed, yeah! Let's go with THAT. 8D)

[TJ Wagner]

Miko walked back to her shop with her head down and not really looking at anything around her. She knew things were happening, but she felt removed and apart. The worst part is there was a short moment when she had felt like she was truly becoming a part of things. Perhaps it had been all the tragedy and fright, but she was becoming more of herself and less...something else.

The headache had changed all that as well as her lost time. No one had called out to her as she had walked back and she didn't even think anyone had noticed. That had been a close call, but now she had retreated into herself once again. It oddly hurt more now that she had a small dose of connecting and talking with someone else.

She opened the door to her tiny shop, more than a little upset that she hadn't bothered to lock the door, and stepped inside where the warmth and perfume of flowers could surround her. Barbra seemed very pleased to see her. At least there was one who was happy for her company. She wasn't sure if she should be relieved or more depressed.

"Welcome back, Miko!" You're just in time to feed me again! Oh, and Rilen came by not too long ago." She swayed happily.

"Rilen was here?" Miko mused aloud, and she wondered briefly if she should go out and look for him. He no doubt was curious why she hadn't been here, but she decided against it. She was still cold. Besides, she didn't want to seem to clingy or scare him off again. She would wait for now and, if he did return, she would tell him that she had simply stepped out for some air.

Barbra had been talking happily the entire time, and Miko smiled clumsily to hide the fact she hadn't been listening. She retrieved a water pitcher and some special plant food she had designed herself. Maybe Barbra was truly meant to be her only companion, but for now she would have to be enough.

SPOILER: Click to show

Miko returns to her store only to find that Rilen had been there while she had been gone.

[Sporty]

Melanie pushed open the door to the Menagerie, bracing herself against the rush of cold air.

The day before had served as nothing more than a fruitless endeavor. All the fight had left her after Jack reminded her just why he was now a ghost -- who was she to demand that a dead man continue doing the very thing that had led to his predicament? She could see that continuing the argument would have gotten her nowhere regardless, and Professor Bardsley had seemed inexplicably confused by the altercation. Perhaps he could not see or hear ghosts?

In any case, the remaining members of the makeshift investigation team had been able to find nothing on their own, at least nothing that they didn't already know. As the second night of the full moon came upon her, Melanie had resolved to do something worthwhile for the town and patrolled the darkened streets in her beast form -- something she had never dared risk before. Yet even then, there had been no Mafias for her to intercept, no looming crimes for her to scatter with claw and fang. Had she missed the latest attack, or had both Mafias actually decided to take this of all nights off?

Today, she would simply have to try again. The Professor and his students would be busy with classes now, but Melanie knew there were a few others out there who were trying to root out the killers as well. Her morning chores finished (the animals had indeed recovered from yesterday's brief stint without power, thank goodness), she had left the store in Damien's care for the time being. This had the added benefit of keeping him too busy to get wrapped up in more vigilante executions, considering how often they took place even without any evidence.

As Melanie walked down the street, a huddled crowd appeared ahead. Her gut twisting, she ran up to see what had happened now.

There were two corpses this time. One was Christopher's, finally rediscovered and now being cradled by Dakota. The other was new, and it belonged to...

"Morty found that raptor trying to eat the poor boy's body earlier this morning," one of her neighbors said. "I don't know if that really meant he had anything to do with the Mafia, but... Well. If he's gone and taken a taste for human flesh now, it was probably for the best."

Melanie's fists clenched at the sound of the name. Morty... She remembered that he had been at the front of the mob throwing Anna off the cliff. Had the man completely lost it?!

But then the point of the explanation hit her. Fella was caught trying to eat Christopher's body. Melanie sighed, recalling all too clearly the raptor's suspicious excitement the day of the funeral. She'd always known that his unorthodox methods of seeking out food would get him in trouble one day. She placed a gentle hand on the velociraptor's shoulder -- if it could be counted as a shoulder on such a creature, at least. "Oh, Fella," she murmured to herself.

If only he had made his mistake before moonset, while Melanie had been out and ready to stop him or to drive Morty away. Or if only he could have waited until now, when she or one of his other more understanding neighbors were around. If only he had stuck to scavenging for eggs, and not... Well, honestly at this point she didn't want to think about why Christopher's body had been stuck somewhere out here.

If Onlys were completely useless, though. All Melanie could do now was keep pushing forward, in hopes that she might stop the next tragedy from happening.

SPOILER: Click to show

After a fruitless investigation and werewolf patrol session the previous night, Melanie heads out to find someone who might help her look for clues regarding the Mafias. She runs into the crowd surrounding Fella's corpse, and is both furious at Morty's rising bloodlust and distraught by where Fella's scavenging has gotten him. She knows that lamenting the past won't do any good, though.

[Birdy]

The previous afternoon had not been pleasant. Throwing up and passing out was not on Hermia Smith's "List of Things That Are Fun", thank-you very much.

After the... incident, Hermia had been escorted to Doctor Stabstrike Family Medicine, despite her (rather feeble) protests that she'd be fine, and could just go back to the Inn.

Doctor Stabstrike would have none of it, and insisted on giving Ms. Smith a checkup - free of charge, considering the circumstances - to make sure there were no underlying causes, other than, well... a squeamish stomach.

Everything showed up as normal, though Dr. Stabstrike noted that Hermia's blood-sugar levels seemed a bit on the low side. Upon further inquiry, the good doctor had discovered that Hermia had had barely anything to eat that day, which earned her a scolding.

After agreeing to not skip any more meals (if at all possible), Hermia Smith was given a clean bill of health (as well as a complementary bottle of ginger ale to help settle her stomach) and sent home early in the evening.

The first thing she did upon entering her room was lock the door behind her and head straight for the bathroom for a bubblebath. (It was glorious - she only made herself get out when the water became tepid. ) Then, upon changing into the most fuzzy pair of nightclothes she owned, went straight to bed and promptly fell asleep.

******

When she woke up the next morning, and managed to pry open her eyes, the first thing Hermia saw was the clock.

It was far later than she meant to sleep 'til. (But then again, considering what happened yesterday... perhaps it was understandable. )

As she rolled out of bed, she grimaced slightly. Yeah, definitely a bad idea to sleep so long. Her mussels were once again stiff and sore. With a sigh, she went over to the dresser and picked out some clothes.

Time to start another day.

-

As she passed the dining room, Hermia glanced inside. No breakfast was laid out, but that was understandable - it was far past breakfast time anyway. Maybe she could pick something up in town, later, if she felt like it.

As she entered the lobby, she was greeted by an overly-enthusiastic malamute with wagging tail.

"Ms. Smith," Beatrix Devon was saying, albeit somewhat hoarsely. "I hope you're doing better this morning? I-- I'm sorry I missed setting out breakfast this morning, I was... otherwise occupied."

Hermia smiled. "I am, thank-you for asking," she said. "And please, don't worry about the breakfast - I only woke up few minutes ago, and I'm still not sure I'm up for eating after yesterday..."

Images of the trash-can loomed before her, but she quickly shoved them away.

...As she did Merry, who was ah... sticking her nose in... certain areas. (Why, Hermia did not know. It wasn't...that time yet. )

"Also sorry for the dog." Ms. Devon continued. "She's a little... exuberant. We were just... headed off for a walk. I-- if you wanted to come, you're welcome."

"It's alright," Hermia said, holding Merry at bay. Then, considering the offer, added, "I think I will tag along, thank-you. I think the fresh air would do me some good."

"Just a warning, though," Ms. Devon said, "she walks pretty ah, fast. So it might turn more into a jog than a walk."

"That's alright," Hermia said, picking up Merry's leash and handing it back to Beatrix. "I could use the exercise."

SPOILER: Click to show

After passing out the previous day, Hermia - despite her protests - was taken to Doctor Stabstrike Family Medicine, where she was given a checkup. It was discovered by the good doctor that Hermia was skipping meals - GASP. Hermia gets a scolding and not to do that anymore. She is then giving a clean bill of health (and bottle of ginger ale to help settle her stomach), and sent back to the Inn.

Upon arriving to the Inn, Hermia locks herself in her room and proceeds complete the bathing sidequest. Then, she goes to bed.

She wakes up the next... morning? having slept far longer than she meant to. Dragging herself out of bed, she gets dressed and heads to the lobby, where she meets up with Beatrix Devon and Merry. Beatrix was about to take Merry for a walk, and invites Hermia along. Hermia accepts.

[Tiger]

Cheryl Roxanne Lewis couldn’t shake the idea that she and Piper had come up with something important – but she couldn’t quite piece together what that was. It was frustrating to be so close and yet so far. It was hard to think clearly about any one thing for very long what with everything going on in town.

They left without any solid plans of where and when to regroup. Cheryl knew Piper’s schedule revolved around the mysteries of the ghost crab Webster, and her own schedule was dictated by the town itself – meeting again might be difficult, but Cheryl Roxanne Lewis vowed to herself that they would speak again.

In the meantime, there was more news to be filmed.

To Cheryl’s surprise, she was able to finish her shift without having to cover another death, either by the hands of the mafias or Morty Gunderson. Maybe Doctor Robinson’s deadly retaliation had scared the mafiosos off for the time being. Cheryl hoped they thought twice before attacking anyone else.

At the end of the day, she headed back to the studio with a large coffee, a bag of extremely expensive coffee grounds, and a coffee machine. It surprised Cheryl that she’d never considered actually getting one for the studio before now.

“Cheryl. I found a recipe for the giant cake you are making me in exchange for this,” Pratchett declared when Cheryl entered the office.

Cheryl peered over the technician’s shoulder and her eyebrows went up at the ingredients list. “I don’t know if there’s a big enough oven in Aifam Cove. I did bring coffee and pie.”

“Hmph.”

“They couldn’t have been that bad. The studio’s still standing.”

“It stresses me out, Cher. Keeping an eye on kids all day – one of them incorporeal so he could just go through the locked doors if he wanted to.”

Cutting a piece of pie for Pratchett – thank goodness the coffee machine wasn’t the only thing she’d bought at the general store – Cheryl said, “Come on, Christopher wouldn’t do that. He’s a sweet kid – it’s Miss Monaco I’d be worried about.”

Pratchett twitched. “We’re going to be cleaning gum wrappers out of here for months. I can feel it.”


It took quite a bit of pie and coffee to calm Pratchett down, but eventually Cheryl had assured him enough that Ris and Coena, at least, would have to return home, and could turn the conversation to other things. Like having finally exchanged information with Piper Boudreaux.

“We’re so close, Pratchett, I can feel it! I just have to put the pieces together – a photograph taken as Jack Ryan Smith died and became a ghost – “

“Or two ghosts.”

“Yes, or two ghosts…we didn’t talk about that, though. Mostly we’re trying to figure out why her camera doesn’t work and mine does. Video versus stills doesn’t make sense. Maybe if she tried taking a picture again, she would…” Cheryl frowned and looked down at her own camera. “Hold on a moment. She took the picture when Mister Smith died.”

“…As previously-established, yes.”

“We’ve never been filming when someone died.” Remembering the funeral, she amended, “Well, we’ve never captured a murder on tape. But what if Piper managed to hit the shutter at exactly the right moment – the very second Jack Ryan Smith died? Is it the timing that did her camera in?”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.”

“First thing tomorrow, I’ll call up Prints in the Sand,” Cheryl vowed. “Maybe I can get Christopher’s help and we can see what happens when she takes a picture of him.”

-------

Cheryl was putting the finishing touches on her hair that morning when she heard a loud shot. She jolted to her feet, bobby pins scattering to the ground. She ripped back the curtains of her window – no sign of anyone on the streets. Abandoning last-minute touchups, Cheryl seized her coat, camera, and phone and rushed outside. She followed what she remembered of the sound and the directions of others awoken by the noise, calling Pratchett as she went.

“Get Albert down here, now!”

“Where’s here? What’s going on?”

“I’m – “ She came to a stop, hearing the end of a speech in a familiar voice, and then the cheers and clapping of a crowd. Morty Gunderson! Pressing herself to the side of a building, Cheryl said to Pratchett, “There’s been another execution.”

Albert arrived not long after, and only when Cheryl saw the news van did she emerge from cover. There was no telling who Gunderson would go after next, and much as she hated to admit any sort of fear of anything, Cheryl Roxanne Lewis did not want to be alone against the man and his mob of fear-happy civilians. She’d heard enough to know what had happened, though.

“Aifam Cove, I’m afraid to tell you that our respite last night has not lasted through the day. Another mob of townsfolk, led by Morty Gunderson, murderer of two innocent people and the mafioso Lindsey Lukas – which, I remind you, loyal viewers, means he has been wrong two-thirds of the time – has attacked again. His victim this time was Fella C. Rapture, owner of Building Negative Zero and its filming company. Also, he was a Velociraptor - or possibly a Deinonychus. Certainly a form of Eudromaeosaur, my apologies for the former, inaccurate report of a dromaeosaur – who lived peacefully in our town for many years, Morty Gunderson, and if a Velociraptor-slash-Deinonychus-slash-inexplicable Mesozoic-era carnivore were really part of a vicious mafia, why would it try to hide it, I ask you? It’s a Velociraptor. Or…you know.”

Cheryl huffed. A puff of cold vapor accented the action. There was even more to the story. “Gunderson claims to have found Mister Rapture unburying a body from one of the snowmen that have mysteriously been being built at unprecedented rates throughout the town. The body was that of Christopher Dylans, which had gone missing just hours after it was discovered through mysterious circumstances.” She dearly hoped Christopher wasn’t watching right now. “Who stole the body or how is still a mystery. But I think it’s worth considering, Morty Gunderson, that if Mister Rapture had not dug through the snowman, perhaps Christopher wouldn’t have been found until the spring thaw. Given that we have no evidence of Mister Rapture’s involvement with any criminal organizations, it currently seems quite possible that Gunderson’s act of violence was against a concerned citizen merely trying to find a child’s stolen body.”

SPOILER: Click to show

Cheryl talks to Prachett and comes up with the idea that Piper’s photo being taken at the time of Jack Ryan Smith’s death might be what triggered the destroyed memory card, and vows to call her in the morning. Unfortunately, morning arrives with a gunshot and Cheryl reports on Fella C. Rapture’s execution instead.

[Avery]

As many in the town clustered around the body of a sharp-toothed raptor, a woman lay in a web of snow walls and sand traps, screaming into the wind. In her hand she clutched a camera, its strap cut clean through. Her heart raced. Her hands shook.

She couldn’t believe the crab had bested her again.

Blinking still to adjust her eyes after they’d been blinded by a camera flash, Piper Boudreaux took a deep breath and glanced down at her wristwatch. Oh, snap. It was much, much later than she’d thought. Though she wanted nothing more than to stay nestled in the warren of Webster traps, she had places to be, people to see.

People who would be very aggravated if she were late—again—due to her crab-hunting antics.

Swiping the sand and snow out of her hair, Piper stood and switched off the camera. Then, she turned to stride off towards the ramp that led up from the beach... but when she did, she promptly jumped.

She was not alone. Three others stood at the edge of her Webster trap, gazing at her.

“Oh, hello,” Piper said to them, trying not to let her tone betray the aggravation she presently felt over Websteeerrr.

“Hello,” replied one of the people in—an oddly cold voice. Why so cold? Piper frowned. Speaking of… why was this person here at all, and with these other near strangers, when they should be—

“Nice camera you got there,” said one of the others, slicing through Piper's thoughts much as Webster had sliced through her camera strap.

“Um, thank you,” Piper stammered, still unnerved. “Well I was just—headed off, so…”

“Oh, Piper, no. You’re not going anywhere.”

That was when one of them pulled out a gun. Piper’s heart leapt into her throat. This was… this was not supposed to be happening to her! Frantically, she darted her eyes to the direction where Webster had fled, as if stupidly hoping that the ghost crab would suddenly feel protective over his nemesis—but nothing. Nothing but Piper and these people, alone on the frigid beach.

It was only when the gun-wielder’s finger was hovering over the trigger that Piper’s wits surged back to her. That she went from stunned fear to action. She wasn’t going to just stand here while these people shot her! As much as it pained her, Piper flung her camera onto the ground as a diversion mechanism. Then, in the split second that the others were distracted, she dipped her hand into the camera case she wore over her shoulder like a baby's sling. It was a roomy case. Held the camera, its accompanying cords and chargers, a few lenses and…

“Look out!” screamed one of the assailants as Piper whipped out her own pistol and leveled it in their direction.

It all happened very fast then. Piper fired, but it went wide; the gun-wielder fired back, hitting the crab-hunter square between the eyes. She toppled over, landing atop her precious camera. The gun skittered out of her hands.

Once she was dead, the breathless, antsy mafiosos sauntered over to her side. Usually now they’d simply place their snowflakes and leave, but after what had just happened—

They decided to search the body first.

And found in Piper’s coat pocket a rubber-banded stack of playing cards. All Aces, in various levels of being altered.

“Oh, 'Woo,” breathed one of the killers as they flipped through the cards. Then, an almost amused laugh. “I can’t believe… hey, where are you going?“

“I—” The one who’d started to leave paused. “I… this was too much. We could have died! I just… need to be alone for a bit. You two should leave as well. In case someone heard the gunshot. And... you should leave the cards here. So that whoever finds her knows what she was.”

"What about our calling card? Should we leave one, or...?" 

"I... you figure it out. I'm sorry, but I have to go." 

Once they were gone, the remaining two exchanged uneasy looks with another. "That was weird," one said, draping a chain of paper snowflakes across Piper's body. 

"Some people don't have quite as strong a stomach, I guess," the other replied with a shrug. 

"I guess. Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Nothing, I suppose. Just silly thoughts in my head."

**

“Where is that crab-hunting idiot?” groused a member of Abominable Aifam some thirty minutes later—long after Chill of the Night had departed the murder scene of Piper Boudreaux, but before her body had been discovered. The two living members of Abominable Aifam stood in an alley on Main Street, shivering in the cold.

“Oh, I’m sure she’s just distracted by Webster again,” muttered the other, blowing on their hands.

“Hm. I guess.” A sigh. “You okay there? You seem a little… off.”

“Only tired.” A thin smile. Then, as the side door of a business opened and a very dapper gent stepped into the alley, a bag of dumpster-destined hair clippings cradled in his arms, the mafioso added, “Well, there’s our mark. I suppose we’ll just have to tell Piper about it... after.”

Two minutes later, two people strode out of the alley in between Stop. Glamour Time! and the local clothing boutique. They headed in separate directions—leaving behind in the alley the dead body of Leopold Endicott, his throat slit, his luscious locks specked with blood, and an Ace sticking out of his shirt pocket.

**

Though killed second, Leo was found first, by the owner of the clothing store, Dessa Taylor, who liked to take smoke breaks in the alley. At first when she saw him, she thought he was the broken mannequin she’d tossed the night before… but then she saw the blood. And the telltale Ace.

She ran to alert the townspeople.

Not long later, Marco Mason, a worker at the pet shop, sighed as he descended the ramp down to Sirensong Beach, a bucket in hand. Collecting tide pool creatures for the store’s fish tanks, and wild hermit crabs to sell to tourists was one of his least favorite activities: it was messy, it was freezing, and he always ended up covered in sand. At least Melanie had let him bring along the shop dog, Lacey, who always enjoyed the endeavor much more than Marco.

As he wandered across the beach, dumping various creatures into the bucket, Lacey frolicked around without a care in the world. Marco occasionally called her back to his side so that she wouldn’t stray too far—but then he got distracted for a minute after a murderous hermit crab grabbed on to his finger, and when he finally yanked it off, the dog was gone. Ugh. Fortunately, he could still hear her excitedly barking in the distance, so she hadn’t gotten too far.

As he rounded a blind curve, he saw her. And… she wasn’t alone. Marco furrowed his brow and stared at the person curled at Lacey’s feet; the dog was licking them vigorously. Aifam Cove had a lot of weirdos, but what sort of idiot would sleep on a freezing beach?

Unless. Oh. Oh no.

“Lacey, come here!” Marco screamed, as he noticed the gunshot wound on Piper Boudreaux’s forehead, the paper snowflakes on her body, and the gun at her side. As Lacey loped over him, Marco grabbed onto the dog’s leash, dropped the bucket, and ran back up to town to tell everyone what he’d just seen.

Leopold Endicott was an INNOCENT TOWNSPERSON.
Piper Boudreaux was a member of ABOMINABLE AIFAM.

SPOILER: Click to show

Piper was an excellent photographer. She had an eye for composition; she had a knack for capturing expressive wildlife moments; she knew exactly how far to touch up colors; and she knew exactly when to leave an image alone. Yes, Piper had been a great nature photographer, once.

But she needed to get a photo of that crab, of Webster. She desperately needed to prove her worth, she needed to prove it to herself that she was mightier than this outrageous crab that continued--somehow--to outwit her. And so, day after day, year after year, this mad obsession slowly ate away at Piper Boudreaux until it was she--and not her camera--who snapped.

Anything that wasn't a crab wasn't worth time. No one in Aifam Cove was worth any of her time. In fact, everyone in Aifam Cove was just wasting Piper’s time when she could have been capturing Webster. Surely, if she hadn't been forced to stay, if she hadn't had to set up Prints in the Sand and cater to dull-minded tourists, if she didn't have to waste time pretending to care about human interest, surely she would have caught Webster years ago.

This was their fault, not hers.

Her rule of noninterference in nature photography protected Webster's life--but not so those of the human locals of Aifam Cove.

Piper had helped the Abominable Aifam get rid of some of these distractions. For that's what they were--distractions. Nice people were often the most distracting, because then she was expected to reciprocate, when in reality she had no time for pointless chitchat.

But maybe once all the distractions finally melted away, maybe then Piper could finally--finally--settle down and get that photo of Webster, once and for all.

[Avery]

It was a nice walk, Bea and Merry and Hermia slowly winding through town as Merry sniffed gleefully at everything they passed... and demanded attention from every single person they came across. The niceness of the walk sort of faded, however, when the two came across a gloating Morty Gunderson standing over the body of Fella C. Rapture. Bea had been in a number of gawking crowds lately, but this morning she couldn't handle it. She brushed right by, and told Hermia not to look at the raptor's corpse, because she did not want the woman fainting again.

Back at the inn, Bea unleashed Marrie, occupied the dog with a chew toy, then went about setting out a lunch spread before she realized that everything in the fridge was probably spoiled due to yesterday's power outage. She sighed. She knew she could go grocery shopping and refill the fridge, but she just wasn't in the mood. Instead, she wrote a little note and set it in the dining area: Food is spoiled-- if you wish to take advantage of your complimentary lunch, please feel free to dine at any of the town's restaurants, and I'll reimburse your bill after.

In the time it had taken her to write the note, Merry had shredded the chew toy into dangerous little strips. Bea confiscated them from the Malamute; the dog stared despondently at her. "Dumb dog," Bea murmured with a sigh. "I... guess we can get you a new one. Maybe Melanie could recommend something a little... sturdier. Well, come on, I guess. How about another walk?"

At this word, Merry perked up. Bea clipped the leash back on, then set out into the cold day once again. She hadn't even made it onto Main Street, though, before a gasping Marco stumbled towards her from the cliffside. He had with him the pet shop dog, Lacey. "Oh!" he cried when he saw her. "I-- I... you won't believe it, Miss Devon! There's been another murder!"

SPOILER: Click to show

Bea goes for a walk... then for another walk. She runs into Marco, who informs her of the murder.