SnootGame/game/script/14D.gold-ending.rpy

label chapter_14D:
    #Fast Times at Volcano High
    "-Two Weeks Later-"

    "Time seemed to fly after prom, honestly."

    "Probably the stress of finals."

    "And graduation rehearsals."

    "And graduation itself."

    "I nearly gouged out my eardrums having to sit through Naomi’s speech."

    "Of course the bubblegum blockhead was the valedictorian."

    "Her speech, as rehearsed as it was, still sounded like we were at a funeral."

    "Even now I think she’s still seething --sneeding from prom night."

    "Or maybe it’s the photo of her face that’s currently circulating a certain Albanian Car Trading chatroom."

    "Infinitely better than any reaction I could’ve made."

    "About a week after, Fang came to me with news that Trish got the idea for a celebration and Naser was organizing it."

    "Naser organizing any party meant that he’d make sure nobody had any real fun, so Fang convinced him to split up the work between the rest of us."

    "It was Fang’s job to get the pizza."

    "I, the broke fuck that I am, was put in charge of the fire and finding a good pit for it."

    Nas "{i}You people are good at making fires, right Anon?{/i}"

    "I wonder if I can sue him for hate speech."

    "That aside."

    "The party is at St. Hammond Beach, which is just below the cliffs that make the town’s namesake."

    "The sun has already set when we get there, the starry sky illuminating the whole place in a pale blue."

    "I got to the site a bit earlier and got to set up an impressive firepit with meticulously set stones surrounding it, and logs set in an ideal tower for an overnight blaze."

    "Everything is ready, so where is everyone else?"


    "We agreed to meet at seven, right?"

    "Right as I reach into my pocket for my phone, a van chugs onto the sand from the distance."

    "It stops right in front of me and Trish flies out the side door, gasping for breath."

    T " *huff*, *huff*..."

    A "You look like you just got choked out by Spears."

    "She just points back to the van."

    "The drivers’ door opens, letting out a gust of smoke from within."

    "Reed emerges from the cloud as if nothing’s wrong."

    T "Reed... *huff*... Your car.... *huff*..."

    Re "Oh yeah, you like it? It’s an electric!"

    "Trish collapses in the sand."

    "Before I can check if she’s still breathing, a stereotypical mariachi car horn catches my attention."

    "I swing around and catch Stella and Rosa exiting a hot pink Prius --with an extremely dented hood, each with a pair of phone speakers in their hands."

    "Waving to them, my focus returns to Reed now helping Trish off the ground."

    Re "Need a light, amigo?"

    "Before I can respond, he reaches into his pocket and fishes out a lighter which is promptly tossed my way."

    "Catching it out of the air, I only briefly catch the words ‘FUCK COMMUNISM’ engraved in its side when I hear yet another car approaching."

    "Recognizing it by sound alone, I see the NasCar glide to a halt next to Rosa’s car."

    "That name might still be dumb as hell, but I gotta admit it’s growing on me."

    "Fang emerges from the backseat and waves at me."

    "She hunches into the car to get out the pizza boxes and starts striding towards us."

    Nas "...c’mon babe, please. You know she didn’t do it on purpose!"

    "Naomi erupts from the car in a frothing rage, her shirt noticeably stained an orange-red."

    F "Ha! Wish I did."

    F "Oh yeah, the box on top is a bit messed up. Long story."

    N "How on *EARTH* did you throw a pizza on me from the backseat and get it back in the box?!"

    Re "Naser, bro... you were driving the whole time, right?"

    Nas "Yeah, why?"

    Re "Just a feeling."

    N "This stuff has been happening ever since that picture of me was posted online."

    Nas "Relax, babe, it’s the start of summer."

    Nas "Here, take my jacket."

    "Naser starts sliding the jacket off his back and…"

    "What the-...?"

    "What is this noneuclidean bullshit I see before me."

    "Why is there a second jacket below the first…?"

    "Reed taps my back and pulls my eyes away from the spatial anomaly."

    Re "Hurry up and start the fire, man…"

    Re "I got the booze all ready."

    "Once the bonfire was set ablaze Stella and Trish started setting up the speakers around in a radius."

    Ro "Are you sure these will be loud enough?"

    Ro "They’re only a few dollars at the supermarket."

    Re "Oh yeah, those’ll be louder than the carfe this time."

    Ro "Why would coffee be louder than a stereo?"

    Re "Anyway!"

    "Reed drops the ice chest he was holding in the sand."

    Re "Went all in man, got the name brands and everything."

    A "I’m surprised you got Naser to let you bring this stuff."

    "Naser returns to the rest of the group, wearing his jacket again."

    Nas "Got me to agree to what?"

    Re "About that..."

    Nas "You brought alcohol?!"

    Re "I mean, I usually call it liquor, but…"

    Nas "Darn it, Reed!"

    Nas "We’re all underage, you know even if I were to agree Naomi would pitch a fit!"

    Re "Dude, we all just graduated…"

    Re "If now isn’t the time to live a little, then when?"

    "Naser hesitates."

    Re "Besides, I did think of you and Naomi."

    Nas "Huh?"

    Re "Yeah, I got a special brand just for the two of you. Great beginner stuff."

    Nas "You… Whatever, I’ll try to keep Naomi from calling the police, fine."

    Re "You’re a real bro, man…"

    Re "If everyone’s ready then let’s get started!"

    "Soon enough the pizza and booze are passed out and we’re all sitting in the sand around the blazing fire and the weekly top-forty list playing on the speakers." 

    "Everyone is conversating amongst themselves."

    T "-are totally in! Come on, you’d look great in it!"

    F "No fucking way that’s fucking real! ‘Beach maid’?! Have you been sneaking Reed’s stash again?"

    N "And-and-and another thing!"

    N "Her song wasn’t even that good! *hic*"

    N "Why was it us who gets *hic*, gets the short end of the stick?!"

    Nas "I mean, I mean, I liked it…"

    N "You’ve said that a dozen times already…"

    Re "Y’know, I’m something of a gardener myself."

    Ro "Oh! Really? You should have joined the gardening club back at school, we had the loveliest little poppy bed."

    Re "Poppies, you say? The coincidences keep piling up, don’t they…"

    St "-And the robots are powered by their blood! Super cool right?!"

    "Oh right, Stella was talking to me. Forgot why I was zoning out for a bit."

    A "Sure, yeah."

    St "Great, I’ll get my copy and we can watch it at your place sometime."

    St "Oh! Bring Fang too! She’d love this movie too!"

    "Did I just agree to something?"

    St "Oh, oh! Enough about Escaflowne, I want to show you something neat!"

    "She brings a small box from her front pocket."

    St "I got a new set of tarot cards! You want to be the first to use them?"

    A "I don’t see why not."

    "Stella shifts to a criss-cross position and fans out all the cards for me to pick from."

    "I pull one out and turn it over."

    A "The lovers…?"

    "The illustration depicts a human and pterosaur in embrace."

    "I raise an eyebrow at Stella."

    St "What’s that look for?"

    A "Oh come on."

    St "Oh, you know, the heart of the cards and all that."

    St "Go ahead and keep that one."

    "I sigh and tuck the card into my jacket pocket."

    A "You did that on purpose, didn’t you?"

    "Stella’s not-so-innocent smile tells me all I need to know."

    Ro "I think it’s so cute!"

    "Rosa and Reed apparently finished their botanical conversation and were listening in on Stella’s entire ‘fortune’."

    Re "Ooh! Do me next, man."

    St "Maybe later, Reed."

    "Reed deflates a bit and my attention returns to the inebriated couple behind him."

    A "What did you even give Naser to get them that wasted?"

    "Reed glances behind him before throwing his head back in laughter."

    Re "Little party trick, bro…"

    "He grabs one of Naser’s empty cans and tosses it in my lap."

    "Holding it up to the light, I barely make out the words ‘NON ALCOHOLIC’ written in microscopic font."

    A "So you mean they’re-"

    Re "Totally sober, dude."

    "It’s my turn to laugh at the pair making fools of themselves when Fang suddenly gets up and starts walking towards the parked cars."

    F "Got something I want to do, be right back."

    "I give her a smile and turn back to Reed."

    Re "We can still mess with them, man. Watch this."

    Re "Hey Naser! What’s your plan now that you’re, like, out of school?

    "The two virgin drunks turn their attention to us, Naser clearly ‘deep’ in thought."

    Nas "Aw, man, like… I’m gonna be- gonna go and be a nur- nyros- sturgon."

    N "My bad boy’s soooooooooo smart!"

    "Gross."

    "I lean towards Reed and lower my voice."

    A "Should we tell them?"

    Re "Nah, dude. Naomi’s having fun for like, the first time ever."

    A "...So tomorrow then?"

    Re "Definitely tomorrow, bro."


    "Reed lets out a sigh and turns back towards me."

    Re "So, like, for real though... what are you gonna do now that school’s over, man?"
    #TODO: CHOICE FIX IT!!!
    >>Go to college
    >>Not certain just yet

    >>Go to college
    A "Well… Spears convinced me to send out a couple application letters for college."

    A "I’m thinking of doing something with music… maybe becoming a sound engineer?"

    >>Not certain just yet
    A "I’m not sure yet."

    A "I’m thinking of doing something with music… maybe becoming a sound engineer?"

    >>

    Re "Oh nice, dude! You can be the band’s sound technician when you’re done!"

    A "Yeah, something like that… What about you?"

    Re "Me? Flow with the go, dude. Like the dinos of old, gotta get in sync with the universe first, y’know?"

    A "Riiiight. What about-"

    T "I’m gonna get my cosmetologist license and open my own horn salon!"

    "The miniature triceratops bursts out from the other side of the bonfire, catching me off guard."

    T "We’ll do hair and horns and piercings and- oh! Engravings too! Fang even said-"

    F "That I’d be your first customer, I’ve told you a million times by now"

    "Fang returns from wherever it is she went, now carrying an object in her hands."

    "The flickering light of the bonfire is enough to illuminate the cover of the school yearbook she’s holding."

    "Without a word she walks in front of us, conspicuously carrying the yearbook right towards-"

    A "You’re not going to burn your yearbook, are you? That thing was like, eighty bucks!"

    F "What? No! How drunk are you, you dork?"

    A "This many."


    "I hold up three fingers, though why is it suddenly nine?"

    "Hmmmm… Gonna need some more beer to fix that."

    F "God, Anon, I was thinking we could all… I dunno… sign it? I saw a lot of others doing that."

    A "Oh…"

    "I always thought it was a silly tradition."

    "I think back to all the yearbooks I have back home."

    "And how they’re all blank inside the cover."

    "Totally just a silly tradition."

    F "Why else would I even have one of these things?"

    A "Your mom-"

    F "Aside from my mom."

    T "Me first me first!"

    "Trish is already fumbling through her hoodie pocket for some writing implement."

    Ro "Yes! I would love to, Fang!"

    St "Oh I know exactly what to write! First let me do a palm reading!"

    Re "Heh… I’ll sign it too."

    N "WOOOOOOOOOO!"

    "The yearbook makes its way around the fire, each of us leaving some meaningful message on it’s inside covers."

    "I’m the last to receive the book and I look at what each of our friends wrote."

    "{i}You’ll always be my best friend, no matter what happens, Lucy. - Trish{/i}"

    "Lucy? Heh, nah, Fang will always be Fang to me."

    "{i}Stay frosty. - Reed{/i}"

    "Wow, he even drew King Rex, complete with ‘fire breathing’."

    "{i}Even the most wilted flower flourishes under God’s light. -Rosa{/i}"


    "I think reading that one counts for my next few church visits. Amen, Raptor Jesus."

    "{i}The future is something that you build by yourself. - Stella{/i}"

    "So close to kneecapping her with this book. Fuckin’ Sailor Moon."

    "I can’t decipher either Naser or Naomi’s. Naser’s looks like a bunch of chicken scratched scribbles, while Naomi’s looks like her chickens went to college and got a doctorate."

    F "Anon? Hellooooo. You’ve been staring at the page for the past five minutes."

    A "Right right. Just uh… thinking of what to put."

    "Okay, Anon, something meaningful. Something that’ll remind Fang of you every time she reads it."

    #TODO: PLAYER INPUT!!!! 
    --not brazil, PLAYER INPUT MESSAGE

    "Perfect."

    "I hand the yearbook to Fang."

    "She skims the page and then shakes her head."

    F "Really Anon? You’re such a dweeb."

    A "It was very fitting if you ask me."

    "As the night draws on and the temperature falls we move closer to the fire."

    "My fingers find themselves interlocked with Fang’s, and her wing drapes over my shoulder as a natural blanket."

    "I can’t help but smile as we slowly drift off to sleep around the campfire."

    "I can regret the hangover tomorrow, right now I want to just enjoy the night with my friends."

    "..."

    "-Six months later-"

    "After prom night and graduation life slowed down."

    "I’ve been accepted to a college a few states away for a degree in sound engineering."

    "No worries about school except for the lunch card I still had to pay back."


    "Moe had been kind enough to give me a summer job to help with that."

    "Though I don’t think I can talk about some of the things I’ve seen."

    "I’ll never be able to look at marinara the same way."

    "But pasta-based trauma aside, it’s now the day after Christmas."

    "I’m sitting in my bed, looking through one of my favorite presents."

    "Fang’s mom was right, I am happy about all those photos."

    "As I look through the scrapbook spread across my lap I can’t help but reminisce about the best year of my life."

    F "*SSSSNRRRRRRK*"

    "I have to contain my laugh, but Fang looks ridiculously cute curled up beside me in my bed."

    "Curled up around my pillow, suckling on her thumb."

    "I go back to the scrapbook, enjoying the memories I’ve shared with my friends."

    "And to think I wanted to stay a loner when I first got here."

    "*Beep boop beep*"

    "*VRRRRRRRRRMMMM*"

    F "‘M UP!"

    "The loud noise of Trish’s present makes Fang bolt upright."

    A "OOF!"

    "And sends me tumbling onto Reed’s present."

    "The new Metal Gear RAYmba Mk.II bumps against my face, turns, and continues eating the crumbs off my new carpet."


    "Even from the floor I can say that both were really thoughtful gifts."

    "Reed was right, the carpet really helped to tie the room together."

    F "...Anon? You here?"

    A "On the floor."

    "Fang’s face appears over the edge of my bed."

    F "Why are you on the floor?"

    A "...Yoga?"

    F "Riiiiight."

    "I sit up from the floor and shiver."

    "Volcadera Bluffs may not get snow, but the cold air and the ocean definitely make the town cold as shit."

    "I crawl back on to my bed and try to find my spot that I warmed."

    A "Fang you stole my warm spot!"

    "In fact she’s taken up the entire bed. Her wings are spread wide and all of my blanket has been piled over her."

    F "Mine!"

    A "Come on, you gonna let your boyfriend freeze?"

    F "Yes."

    A "That’s just cold of you."

    "She groans at my pun but acquiesces, holding open the blanket and shuffling over."

    F "Hurry up! You’re letting the warm escape."

    "I slide into the blanket next to her, my arms automatically wrapping around Fang’s waist and drawing her against my chest."

    F "Mmmm."

    "Her beak rubs against me as she hums."

    "Aw yes. Cuddles. Best way to spend a cold day."

    F "Damn right."

    "I chuckle and reach for the scrapbook."

    F "You’re looking at that again?"

    A "...Yeah?"

    "Her face glows a soft pink in embarrassment."


    A "D’aaaaawww… Someone’s embarrassed."

    F "And someone is about to be on the floor again."

    "*VRRRRRM* *Beep boop beep*"

    F "I think Mark Two would like the company."

    A "Sheesh, you’re always so grouchy in the morning."


    "I laugh even as her elbow digs into my chest."

    "Fang crawls on top of me and puts all her weight down on my lungs."

    "I only laugh more."

    "Not like Fang can do what a staircase could."

    F "Stop. Cuddles now. Scrapbook later."

    A "Hahahahalright. Cuddles it is."

    "She squeals when I roll us on to our side, bringing us face to face."

    "I can feel my own face glow as warm as hers, but I also have the same smile as her too."

    "I place a chaste kiss on the end of her snoot, eliciting some giggles from Fang."

    F "What did I say about that."

    A "Bout what?"

    F "Kissing that!"

    A "Mmmm gonna need to be more specific."

    F "Kissing my nose!"

    A "Oh! You mean this!"

    "I kiss her snoot again."

    F "Ugh, stop messing with the snoot."

    "I chuckle again."

    F "Fuck!"

    A "I made you say it."

    "I love playing the Snoot game."

    F "Fucking insufferable."

    "I kiss the snoot one final time and get another elbow as my reward."

    F "In.suf.fer.a.ble."

    "I snatch the scrapbook at last."

    "Fang groans and hides her face in my chest."

    F "Why do you like that thing so much?"

    A "Because your mom was right."

    "Fang groans again."

    A "Come on, there’s some embarrassing pics of me in here too."

    F "Like you making out with an anime girl again?"

    A "Okay not that embarrassing."

    "I turn onto my back and Fang adjusts herself to lean on my shoulder."

    "The rest of our morning is spent cuddled in my bed, going through the scrapbook together."

    "When lunchtime rolls around, I have to face reality and make something to eat."

    "Especially since no restaurant in the city will deliver to this neighborhood."

    A "Alas, I must leave the warmth of the bed to make lunch."

    A "...This is gonna suck."

    F "Wear the thing."

    A "I’d rather just carry the blanket around."

    F "Mine."

    A "Pfeh."

    "I reach under the bed to retrieve the bag I tried hiding, and I pull out the jacket from within."

    "Two expertly stitched gorilla heads stare back at me, with the text ‘MNKY 4 LYF’ embroidered in gold thread."

    "I still don’t know if Naser is racist or if he really is just that clueless."

    A "This is great."

    F "It looks freaking fantastic, I don’t know why you don’t want to wear it."

    A "And you don’t see anything wrong with this?"

    F "Nope."

    A "...You realize last month was Homo History Month, right?"

    F "What’s that have to do with an ugly jacket?"

    "I’ll sue them later."

    A "Alright, here I go."

    "I zip the abomination on and step out of bed, the wall of cold stinging my toes."

    A "Carbonara sound good?"

    F "Why do you make it so weird? Most people just use tomato sauce."

    A "...Don’t ask questions you aren’t prepared to know the answer to."

    "I crack four eggs, separating the yolk from the whites and saving them in a tupperware for later."

    "Maybe a simple custard pudding for dessert later."

    "I grab some bacon, cheese and milk from the fridge, grating a healthy handful of cheese into the yolks and mixing with a splash of milk before dicing the bacon."

    "Boiling some water in the kettle to save time, I measure out the appropriate amount of spaghetti and toss it in the pot with the water and some salt before grabbing a pan and setting it on the stove."

    F "Stop acting like you’re on the cooking channel, Anon."

    "I start frying the bacon to render out the fat before adding in some pre-chopped garlic, sauteing until it’s fragrant."

    "When the bacon turns crispy, just in time for the spaghetti to finish cooking, I remove the pan from the heat while throwing in some of the pasta water to bring down the temperature."


    "The final step was to add the yolks, cheese and milk to the bacon and garlic with some more pasta water and toss it with the spaghetti until it all came together as a creamy, salty and delicious lunch."

    "All in less than ten minutes."

    A "It’s all ready."

    A "Alright, RAYmba, nap time."

    A "Move to the rug so we can eat."

    "Fang grumbles and starts shifting in the bed, so I turn my attention to making the plates."

    "I grab a few sodas from the fridge and place everything on the new rug for an indoor picnic setup."

    "Fang’s moved from being wrapped up on the bed to being wrapped up on the rug, laying on her stomach."

    "Her feet wagging back and forth in a pair of plush green dino slippers."

    A "Better hurry, in this weather this’ll get cold in minutes."

    A "Then again, the computer’s right there, I could always try running the snootcoin miner."

    F "That sounds like it’ll only work once."

    A "True."

    "We both start eating the pasta."

    "While I take the classic approach of just slurping the noodles, Fang has a harder time and resorts to just twisting the fork around and eating a whole clump at once."

    A "You plan on enjoying any?"

    F "It’sh good. Like the uh, cheese."

    A "Why thank you."

    "Eventually lunch is reduced to greasy plates and crushed soda cans."

    "Fang moves her trash aside and rests in her arms."

    A "Oh, I just remembered."

    A "I have something else for you."

    F "Another christmas present?"

    A "You’ll see."

    "I take my phone from my pocket and lay it face-up on the carpet."

    F "Your phone?"

    A "Hold on."

    "From under my bed, RAYmba Mk1 hums to life and instinctively makes a beeline for the phone."

    "It struggles a bit due to the small package strapped around it like it’s a pack mule."

    "Fang has to raise her arm after it bumps into her to let it pass."

    "It reaches my phone and starts happily scraping the dust from it."

    F "Impressive."

    F "You get Reed to make it do that for you?"

    A "Maybe, however..."

    A "That’s not what I wanted to show you."

    "I remove the small package from the robot and hand it to Fang."

    A "Go ahead."

    "She examines the box carefully before removing the paper packaging."

    "Sliding the box open reveals an amber pendant on a silver chain."

    "Fang takes the necklace from its box and holds it up for us both to inspect."

    "As the amber dangles in the air, it catches the light from outside and glows the same brilliant orange as her eyes."

    F "Anon… it’s beautiful."

    A "Here."

    "I take the pendant from her hands and hold it open to put around Fang’s neck."

    "She holds her hair up for my hands to reach across."

    "I try to fumble with the clasp, it’s a bit tricky with the wings getting in the way…"

    "The tip of her beak is mere centimeters from my face."

    F "..."

    A "..."

    A "...There."

    "Fang lets her hair down again and holds up the pendant."

    F "This is… thank you, Anon."

    A "The moment I saw it, I knew it would have been the perfect present."

    F "Speaking of presents…"

    "She gestures her snout to the ukulele resting against the corner of the room."

    F "You gonna try playing that thing or what?"

    A "I could, yeah."

    F "Do uh... do that song I taught you."

    "I happily oblige and rip off the bow still wrapped around the small instrument."

    A "I’m not singing for you, you know that, right?"

    "Fang giggles as I begin plucking away at the tiny little strings, producing a very familiar melody."

    "She starts thumbing her new pendant absentmindedly."

    "My shrill rendition more resembled that first time Fang played it on the rooftop than her energetic performance at prom."

    "Despite my occasional fumbling, it still possesses that same nostalgic tone it always had."

    "When Fang begins humming along, I soon find myself joining in to make the song sound complete."

    "I wish moments like these could last forever."


    "But just like the music in the air, they always do and before long we reach the end of the song."

    "A comfortable silence fills the room after the notes fade."

    F "...I love that song."

    A "I hope so, you wrote it after all."

    F "Yeah, but you know we-"

    "Her thought is interrupted by a knock at the door."

    F "You expecting company?"

    "I give her a puzzled look in return before getting up and heading to the door."

    "My momentary fear of it being a potential addict or murderer are quelled upon opening the door, revealing-"

    A "Principal Spears? What are you doing here?"

    "Our ex-principal is squeezed into the narrow hallway, holding a delicately wrapped gift in his hands."

    Sp "Anon, I trust that you had a good Christmas?"

    Sp "Normally I wouldn’t visit a former student like this, but I intend on keeping to my offer during the school year."

    "He extends the gift towards me and I cautiously accept, beginning to open the wrapping paper."

    "Inside is a box set of some anime I’ve never heard of before."

    A "...’Rurouni Kenshin’?"

    Sp "As I said, I am always open to giving some quality anime suggestions."

    Sp "I think you’ll find this quite enjoyable."

    A "I, uh… thank you, Principal Spears."

    "Spears gives a fatherly smile as I shake his hand."

    Sp "I hope you and Fang enjoy the rest of your holidays."

    A "Thanks, yeah. I’ve had fun exchanging gifts with my friends."

    Sp "I can see you’re wearing a new jacket now-"

    "He stares with a certain thinly veiled disgust creeping on his face."

    Sp "Anon, I get that we live in a post-racial world and all…"

    Sp "But come on, have a little pride in yourself."

    "Fang struggles to keep her laughter in behind me."

    A "No it’s cool, Mister Spears."

    A "I’m taking it back."

    Sp "If you say so."

    Sp "At any rate, I shouldn’t keep you too long."

    A "You sure? I have some leftover lunch if you want to stick around a bit."

    Sp "I really appreciate the offer, but I have my own plans for lunch with my family."

    A "Alright. Thanks again for stopping by."

    Sp "Had to do it at least once before you leave next month."

    Sp "Be seeing you. Fang."

    -- "As Spears jumps from my porch to a nearby roof, he leaves something where he once stood."

    -- "This time a copy of Nichijou."

    "Fang throws a handwave back at him."

    "Spears clambers out the door and shuts it behind him, leaving just Fang and I in the room again."

    F "... That’s right, you’re leaving next month…"

    "Fang curls up in the blanket."

    A "...Yeah…"

    "I sit next to her on the ground and wrap an arm around her shoulder."

    F "Do you really have to go?"

    F "Can’t you just go to community college here in the city?"

    A "You’ve seen the acceptance letter, Fang."

    A "I got a scholarship to stay there at a fraction of the cost. I can’t just pass that up."

    F "But five years?"

    A "You got plans of your own, don’t you?"

    F "Yeah. So…"

    A "So…"

    F "We’re still gonna talk."

    A "Obviously."

    F "But…"

    "Fang takes a deep breath."

    F "I’m not doing a distant relationship."

    "Oh…"

    "Oh wow…"


    A "Is this a break up?"

    "Because ow, my fucking heart."

    "Fang shakes her head from side to side slowly."

    "Oh thank fuck."

    F "I don’t want to break up, Anon."

    F "But I was thinking…"

    F "You’ve been helping me ever since you got here."

    A "Yeah, and you’ve helped me too."

    F "I know."

    F "But you’re leaving for college."

    F "So…"

    F "I… Want to do some thinking."

    A "More thinking? Wow, that’s new for you."

    "The plastic plate bounces off my head harmlessly."

    F "...Ass…"

    "Fang giggles as I fake like I’m on a soccer pitch."

    F "I want to do more thinking. Self-reflecting."

    F "This entire year has been one of the best in my life."

    F "And I want more of them like this."

    F "But with you gone I gotta make them good on my own, ya know?"

    A "I get you."

    "I pull Fang closer, my chin resting atop her head."

    A "So, not breaking up."

    F "No, just…"

    A "A break?"

    "She giggles again."

    F "Yeah. A break sounds right. Not breaking up, just taking a break."

    A "Plus, I’m not leaving for a few weeks."

    "Fang perks up."

    F "True. That’s a few weeks to cram in all the cuddles I’ll be missing."

    A "Cuddles or {i}cuddles{/i}?"

    "Fang’s grin is just shy of mischievous."

    F "On the bed. Now. I’m collecting on those {i}cuddles{/i} right now."

    A "Yes ma’am."

    "..."
    pause 2.5
    
    "{cps=*0.2}-- Five Years Later --{/cps}"

    "July seventeenth."

    "Year 201M2025 BC."

    "Volcaldera Bluffs."

    "Weather conditions; hot as tits."

    "The evening sun is boiling hot and I’m reminded of one of the myriad of reasons why I first loathed living here."

    "The sweat dripping in my eyes makes it difficult to see anything five feet in front of me."

    "Like a runt of a tree planted in the sidewalk that I swerve to avoid."

    "The air is hot and humid, and I can feel my body grow heavier as I get closer."

    "I can’t determine if it’s from the sweat soaking my clothes or the welling trepidation inside me."

    "It’s been five years since I’ve seen anyone here."

    "I’ve kept in touch with all of them."

    "But to see them again in person?"
    pause 0.3
    "It’s the sounds that reach me first. The chatter of people milling about."

    unknown "Bro"

    unknown "It’s been too long!"

    unknown "It was only five years *Giggle*"

    "I can make out the building now. I use the sleeve of my shirt to wipe the sweat from my eyes and brow."

    "I look at the name written on the arch over the entrance."
    scene outside school fog with fade
    "Volcano High."

    A "Still the perfect setting for a horror game.{w=0.2} Or maybe a shitty WAD."

    "The attempt at humouring myself just made me feel more anxious."

    "A check of my phone says I’m thirty minutes early. Wonderful."

    "I move to the entrance, only to see all of the steps occupied by twenty-somethings waiting."

    show anond neutral at aleft with dissolve


    A "Yo, this the line?"
    show reed future explanatory flip at rright

    Re "Anon?"

    play music "audio/OST/Those Other Two Weirdos.ogg" fadein 1.0
    "A hobo raptor at the top of the steps pulls his oversized shades down to peer at me."

    Re "Ayyy Anon, what’s up dude?"

    "I immediately recognize his voice."

    A "Hey Reed, what’s happening?"

    A "You seem to certainly have uh…{w=0.2} changed."

    A "Why do you look like uh…{w=0.2} I don’t want to sound rude or anything, but…"

    A "You look homeless, Reed."

    Re "{cps=*0.5}Whaaaat?{/cps}"

    Re "Duuude, I’m not a hobo! I’m the richest raptor in the world, guy!"

    "I think Reed’s lost it."

    Re "What’d you say, man?"

    A "What?{w=0.2} Nothing. No idea what you’re talking about."

    A "So, how did you get to become the 'richest raptor in the world'?"

    Re "You wouldn’t believe it, man!"

    Re "See, it all started with…"

    "Reed proceeds to run his mouth off about a bunch of gibberish."

    "I cannot understand anything he's saying."

    "I think I heard ‘pharmaceutical business’ at one point?"
    pause 0.3

    Re "...and then I was brought here by the birds, dude."

    Re "So what’ve you been up to, man?"

    Re "You look like you haven’t changed a day."

    A "It’s not as exciting as your story, honestly."

    A "I just went off to college, got my bachelor’s, and now I’m just a sound engineer."

    Re "Sounds pretty sweet, dude."
    show reed future neutral flip with dissolve
    pause 0.5
    "We stand there for a moment in the blazing heat."
    show reed future explanatory flip with dissolve

    Re "Dude, it’s fuckin’ hot out here, you wanna get inside?"

    Re "They got drinks n’ shit!"

    A "Definitely,{w=0.2} I need some air conditioning."

    "We quickly moved along to the gymnasium."
    scene reunion with fade
    A "Man, it really hasn’t changed. Takes me back."
    show anond neutral at aleft
    show reed future explanatory flip at rright
    with dissolve

    Re "Yeah, takes me back too, man."

    Re "Hold on, have you signed in yet?"

    A "No, didn’t know I had to."

    "Reed gestures to the sign-in table."
    scene reunion with fade
    show anond neutral at aleft
    "The clerk is crouched behind the table sorting through a box."

    "I go over to write in my John Hancock and the person behind the counter stands up."

    "Seeing her in person now is like witnessing a possessed barbie doll."

    show naomi future at sright
    N "Oh!"

    N "Anon, you made it!"

    A "Yeah, I did."

    A "Life been treating you well?"

    N "Oh yes, just last year I moved in with my dear Kanyesaurus."
    pause 0.5
    "What the fuck is this world anymore?"

    A "Real shame about his last presidential run."

    N "Oh, he got over it."

    N "There’s always 2028!"

    N "Presidential yeezys shall rise again, he says."

    "{cps=*0.5}WHAT THE FUUUUCK{/cps}"

    A "That reminds me, have you seen Naser’s college posts?"

    A "He got top marks on his last exam."

    N "No, I lost touch with him about three years ago."

    A "Oh, sorry. How about work, then?"

    N "I haven’t been working, mostly staying back at home and looking after the kids."

    A "Sounds like you got a pretty good deal going on."

    "I turn around to see a short line forming behind me."

    A "Sorry to keep you so long, I’ll get out of here."

    N "Thanks for catching up, Anon. When I’m done here we can chat more."

    scene reunion
    show anond neutral at aleft
    show reed future neutral flip at rcenter
    with fade
    "I go rejoin Reed and we enter the gymnasium together."

    "The setup is rather similar to that prom night all those years ago, albeit without the foreign decor."

    "Young men and women mingle with small drinks and party foods across the floor."

    Re "Man, those look good. Come over here, I’ll get you a drink, on me."

    "I follow him over to the minibar. Trish is sitting in one of the seats, huddled over an empty glass."

    show rosa future at scenter with dissolve

    play music "audio/OST/Ramo de Rosas.ogg" fadein 1.0
    "Rosa is pouring drinks for the few other drunkards when she spots us approach."

    Ro "Oh! An-on, it is great to see you after all this time!"

    Ro "Please, sit and talk awhile!"

    A "Trish, glad we found you here!"
    show reed at rright with move
    show rosa future flip at sright with move
    show trish future neutral flip at tcenter with dissolve
    "She looks up from her sulking and her face lights up at the sight of us."

    T "Anon! It’s been years!"

    A "Trish, Rosa, glad we found you here!"

    Re "Come on man, we’ve been texting this whole time."

    "Reed flashes two fingers at the barkeeper, who sets out a few glasses."

    A "Yeah, good to see you too."

    A "Why’re you looking so gloomy over here?"

    Ro "She has been telling me about how it is the end of her world."

    T "It’s nothing that serious, just workplace drama."

    Re "What, your employees raise another beef with the concept of horn piercings again?"

    Ro "No, this time it’s with the engraving tools."

    T "They’re telling me people would rather go to the dentist with all the drills we use."

    T "And mostly with my designs for hollowed-out horns."

    "Rosa instinctively rubs her own horn."

    A "H-hollow?"

    T "Of course, I even got in contact with a sculptor and figured out how to make them whistle in the wind!"

    "Reed leans in to whisper in my ear."

    Re "One of the designs sounds like Road Warrior."

    "I shudder at the image."

    show trish future smug flip

    T "Don’t knock it, my satisfaction rate is a clean one-hundred percent!"

    Ro "The only problem is getting people to be willing to try it."

    A "Sounds like there’s a lot of risk there, yeah."

    T "It’s not even that bloody, I only hire the best."

    A "B-bloody?"

    T "What, never had a piercing before? Same thing."

    "Reed shakes his head."

    Ro "Anything more than a regular piercing is an abomination before our Lord."
    show trish future unimpressed flip
    "I finish my drink and Reed downs his in one shot, tossing a few dollars on the counter."

    "I look up to see the one person I’m most anxious and excited to talk with again approaching."

    play music "audio/OST/That Monochromatic Weirdo.ogg" fadein 1.0
    A "Fang! You’re here!"
    show fang d shock with dissolve:
     xalign -0.6
    F "Wha- I- dammit Anon, I told you to stop calling me that!"

    Re "Isn’t that the name Lucy used back in senior year?"

    T "Yeah, I think it was."

    A "Come on, you’ll always be Fang to me."

    "Lucy covers her eyes with her hands."
    show fang d happy with dissolve
    F "You haven’t changed a bit, I swear."

    play music "audio/OST/she_fucks_human_men.ogg" fadein 1.0

    scene d03 with fade

    Re "C’mon, get over here. I’ll order us all another watchamacallit of drinks. It’s on me, the richest raptor in the woooorld!"

    "Reed cheerfully throws his arms up as he shouts out a prolonged ‘world’"

    F "Sure, thanks. I can’t have too much though, I’m the event organizer and all."

    A "Sounds like a tough break."

    A "Wait, I thought you were the music teacher here."
    #show fang d neutral with dissolve
    F "I’m getting there. Still working with Mister Jingo until he retires next year."

    F "Until then I’m a teachers’ assistant."

    A "Oh, alright, I see."

    "I take a quick glimpse around the room and fail to see any large ape-man."

    A "I feel like we’re missing someone."

    A "Where’s Spears? I could have sworn he would be here."

    Re "Nah man, he’s gone. I saw him on TV the other day, though."

    A "Was he giving a speech or something?"

    Re "Sort of, he does commercials for car dealerships now."

    Re "He’s built a reputation for his gimmick of wrecking a car every ad he does."

    A "I… I see."

    "Oh god I thought that was a joke about slamming people into cars."

    "The hours reconnecting with my old friends pass surprisingly quickly, and the time eventually comes for everyone to go home."

    "Lucy excuses herself from the group to go give the closing speech."
    scene reunion with fade
    show anond neutral at aleft
    show reed future at rright
    show rosa future flip at sright
    show trish future neutral flip at tcenter
    with dissolve
    "She goes up onstage and tests the microphone, getting everyone’s attention."

    F "Alright everyone, it’s been a wonderful night."

    F "You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here."

    F "Please start finding your designated drivers or calling up the taxi driver left."

    F "We will be locking the doors at three."

    "She puts the mic back on its stand and jumps offstage."

    show fang d happy with easeinleft:
     xalign -0.6

    "Reed pats my shoulder."

    Re "You got a ride home man?"

    A "I can walk, but thanks."

    "Lucy returns to the minibar and starts raiding the fridge for the last of the alcohol."

    T "There it is."

    Re "Alright, great seeing you guys. I’ll bounce."

    T "We should all meet again for lunch sometime!"

    A "Yeah, absolutely. It’s been forever since I’ve been in town, would love to get a tour of what’s new."

    Re "You got it, man. See ya."
    hide reed future explanatory with fade
    A "Bye, Reed."
    hide reed future explanatory with easeoutleft

    T "Actually, I should get going, too."

    T "I don’t want to get stuck in traffic."
    hide trish with dissolve
    A "You’ve had the most to drink out of all of us, you gonna be alright?"

    "She raises a smug eyebrow and starts walking to the exit."

    T "See you guys."

    Ro "Come visit me too, An-on. Stella and I would love to have you."

    hide rosa with dissolve

    "More people trickle out of the room until it’s just Lucy and I."

    "Naomi gives a thumbs-up to Lucy through the door to signal that everyone else has left."

    F "Thanks, Naomi, couldn’t have organized this without you."

    N "Oh, don’t worry about it! It was nice getting to act like a class representative again."

    "The Plastic Persimmon waves and lets the door swing closed with an echoing *clang*."

    A "Sooo… Just the two of us…"

    F "Damn you Anon and damn you Bill Withers."

    A "Ha! Still got it."

    F "Yeah yeah."

    "Lucy holds up a plastic bag that *clink*s with each shake."

    F "I was gonna offer you the last of these… Buuuut…"

    A "Hey now, let’s not let those go to waste."

    "Her smug grin and laugh says enough."

    A "Rooftop?"

    F "Rooftop. Now."

    "She leads the way through the darkened school hallways and stairwell."

    scene black with fade

    "I can picture all the old posters from my time here along the walls."

    "Oh hey, they finally replaced the door."
    label kino:
    scene roof night
    show fang d neutral at sleft
    show anond neutral flip at sright
    "The door is booted open and the night air has finally cooled down to something breathable now."

    "I turn to the ladder on the side of the stair enclosure and climb up."

    "Lucy hands me the bag and makes her own ascent."

    "From our new vantage point we can see all of the town lit up."

    play music "audio/OST/Skinrow Soul.ogg" fadein 1.0
    "And with the stars above and no moon I would say the view is picturesque."

    F "Oi, you gonna hog the drinks?"

    "I take out a pair of bottles, using one to pop the cap off the other."

    F "Show-off. They’re twist-offs, ya know."

    "To prove her point she takes the capped one and simply twists it’s top off."

    A "Ow. My ego."

    show fang d happy with dissolve

    F "Pfffft. Anyways."

    A "A toast!"

    F "To adulthood!"

    A "To stable employment!"

    "We tap our bottles together and chug the sweet ambrosia down."

    F "Aaaaah. I needed this."

    A "Oh?"

    "I’m already handing her a second bottle, knowing that she’ll finish her first with her next chug."

    A "I guess you’ve been busy."

    show fang d unimpressed with dissolve

    F "Dealing with teens is a fuckin’ nightmare."

    F "There’s this one brat, Kenny. The little shit has broken two trumpets already."

    A "Can’t be that bad."

    F "Well you see, it happened during band camp-"

    "Lucy’s rant went on for what felt like an hour."

    "Though judging by the pile of beer bottles, it couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes."

    F "-at the fucking dance of all places."

    A "Snrk."

    show fang d neutral with dissolve

    F "What!"

    A "Sounds like us, honestly."

    F "Bullshit."

    A "For real! You were just as bad!"

    "Lucy’s elbow finds it’s familiar spot in my side."

    F "Nuh uh."

    A "Yeah huh. Faaaaang."

    "She groans and hides her face in her knees."

    F "Why the fuck was I so edgy?"

    A "Trish."

    F "Mrrrr… Okay, so maybe we were that bad."

    A "That’s life for ya."

    "She sighs and relaxes. Her legs stretch forward and she leans back on her arms."

    F "Yeah…"

    F "That’s life…"

    "I mimic her pose and find myself staring at the small dots spreading across the night sky."
    stop music fadeout 5.0

    A "Teacher at your alma mater. Wasn’t really expecting that, ya know."

    F "And you as a sound engineer? Pffft, I figured you’d be making a sexbot or something."

    A "The self-cleaning subroutine never worked right."
    show fang d happy with dissolve
    "We chuckle together."

    play music "audio/OST/Amberlight Brilliance.ogg" fadein 1.0
    A "Hey, Lucy…"

    "I keep my eyes on the stars, even when Lucy turns to look at me."

    "I can feel heat creep across my face."

    A "I got a contract with a studio here. I’m thinking…"

    A "Since I’ll be here for a good while, how about we get some dinner sometime."

    A "Y’know… together…"

    "I look at Lucy at last."

    "Her face is turned back to the sky, but there’s a dusting of pink across her cheeks."

    F "I would… I totally would, Anon…"

    F "But I’ve got work like you wouldn’t believe."
    show fang d neutral with dissolve
    A "O-oh. Well, if it’s too mu-"

    F "However!"

    show fang d happy with dissolve

    "Something covers my hand."

    "I quick glimpse down and I see it’s Lucy’s atop mine."

    F "I’ve got time in the morning."

    F "So how bout breakfasts?"

    "I smile."

    A "Is that a date then?"

    F "I don’t know, is it?"

    "Lucy turns back to me and smiles."

    A "It is, then."

    F "You’re such a dweeb."

    A "I know."

    scene d04b with fade

    "That didn’t stop Lucy from shuffling closer until our legs were pressed together."

    "That didn’t stop Lucy from leaning her head on my shoulder."

    "I grin and wrap my arm around her shoulder."

    "Feels just like old times, honestly."

    "Like no time has passed since I left Volcaldera Bluff."

    "I guess I never did say goodbye to Volcano High."

    F "Thanks, now my face is forever stuck in a cringe, Anon."

    A "...Way to ruin the moment Fang."

    F "You ruined it first with your mumbling."

    A "Fix it then."

    F "You ruined it, you fix it."

    A "Fine I will."
    scene black with fade
    "My hand cups her cheek gently."

    "Lucy smiles and leans in."

    "Ah, I missed this feeling."

    "Our lips meld together as we embrace just like we were teens again."
    $ quick_menu = False
    window hide
    scene 4of4 with fade
    stop music fadeout 15.0
    pause 16
    scene black with fade
    pause 1
    return