14 Conifer Village / Jail, The Usagi Re-Awakened

Previously, on Usagi Days: After Anemone's awkward meeting with the Professor, the Usagis are suddenly rounded up and arrested by the village guards.

- 14.1 - Ivy Makes an Appeal -

Ivy, to the guard standing outside the cells: "Hey! This is all a big mistake! Go get the Professor! She'll vouch for us! We're not a part of that cult! We had nothing to do with the fire!"

"Hey! I'll vouch for ya, too, if it helps!" cackled the arsonist, beside them.

Guard: "Quiet down in there!"

Anemone: "The Professor won't help, Ivy. She's the one who made the order to arrest us."

The three other Usagis turned to face Anemone.

Violet, Ivy: "… Come again?"

- 14.2 - Anemone Explains -

Anemone: "… I visited her. In the middle of the night, in the warehouse."

There were three cells in the basement, side by side. Violet and Ivy in the left-most cell, Anemone and Ruby together in the middle cell. And the third cell occupied by the Order member.

Violet and Ivy gripped the bars, leaning in toward Anemone to hear her better.

"I had a lot of questions on my mind. And I was curious. I … I think I stuck my nose too far where it didn't belong.

"She's hiding something, guys. The machine … there's more to it than she wants to admit."

- 14.3 - Eimi Visits the Usagis -

Two whole days passed.

Eimi had permission to visit the girls, and she did, whenever she found the opportunity. Always bringing leftovers.

Ivy, eyes watering, sniffling: "Ei-miiiiii!!! You're a lifesaver! Oh, I'm starving!"

Eimi: "Oh, dear. I hope the Village Guards are feeding you properly?"

Violet: "Yeah. We get bread and water. Ivy's just … well, Ivy."

Ivy shot Violet a look. "I don't know what you mean by that, but I resent the implication anyway."

Eimi: "We're all talking to the Professor. We've been telling her, you girls are good girls. Professor Kay—she's just under a lot of stress. We'll sort all this out in no time. Don't worry."

The arsonist laughed. "Remember to put in a good word for me, as well!"

- 14.4 - Ruby Talks to the Arsonist -

Ruby: "You are always in a good mood."

Arsonist: "It's my cheery disposition."

Ruby: "Aren't you sad that your Order abandoned you?"

Arsonist: "I have no regrets. My faith will not falter."

Ruby: "That's swell. Listen. Your Order considers technology bad because it goes against the SDF—I mean, the 'Mandate'. Correct? In other words, you use the Mandate as a measuring tool for what constitutes the threshold of acceptable technology."

Arsonist: "That's an over-simplification, but … I suppose, in essence, it's not completely wrong." A wicked grin spread over her lips. "Why? You thinking of joining the Order? Oh, we haven't had a lot of redheads join. You'd be popular there. Speaking as an excommunicado member, ha ha ha …"

Ruby: "So hypothetically speaking, what if there was pre-Orc technology out there that functioned normally? Like, I dunno—a car, for example?"

To Ruby's surprise, the arsonist seemed to consider the question seriously.

Arsonist: "I suppose under those circumstances, the Order would have to deliberate on the implications. I'm sure there would be further schisms among the Schismatics."

Ruby: "Yeah, but what do you think? What's your personal opinion? Or would you just defer to the doctrines of the Order? Whatever they decide?"

The arsonist smiled bitterly. "What does it matter? They cast me out."

Then the arsonist stood up and stretched. "You really want to know my personal opinion? My personal opinion is that I've never been interested in hypotheticals. How about you let me know when a real, functioning car shows up. And then we can talk."

On the evening of the third day since their imprisonment, the sudden roar of a familiar engine sound echoed across the Village.

Ruby looked at the arsonist with a smug grin. "I'm gonna hold you to that."

(Arsonist: "Hold me to what?"

Ruby: "The … the thing. Remember, you said to let you know when a car shows up, and then we can talk?"

Arsonist: "That was … that was yesterday, man." Then, to Anemone: "Is your friend always like this?"

Anemone: "Yeah.")

- 14.5 - The Usagi Comes Back to Life -

Anemone: "So. They found the Usagi."

Violet: "Cat's out of the bag, I guess."

Ruby, shrugging: "Well, it was just a matter of time. Can't be helped."

Ivy, hyperventilating: "They—they're going to steal the car. And they're going to kill us. The sheer potential of the car is too much. It's too valuable."

Ivy felt Violet's hand on her shoulder. Violet squeezed reassuringly. "Hey. That's not going to happen. We're going to be okay."

Ivy: "Violet …"

- 14.6 - The Believer Does not Believe -

Arsonist: "Alright, I get it. The jig is up. You guys are just playing tricks on me. You and the rest of the village—you're in cahoots, aren't you? I don't know how you're making those sounds out there, but okay, great job. Yeah, standing ovation. Very clever. But you haven't won. My faith refuses to be shaken."

Ruby: "Aww, you caught us red-handed. Figured it all out, I'm impressed. We really thought we could pull one over on the true believer."

Anemone: "… The freaking ego on this one. Really."

- 14.7 - The Usagi is Driven -

All throughout the hours of the night, the prisoners heard the sound of the Usagi as it drove around the village. The engine roaring, then fading off, only to appear from a different direction a few minutes later.

Violet: "What are they even doing with it?"

Ruby: "Donuts, maybe. That's what I would do."

Anemone, a bit more seriously: "From the sounds of it, they're driving the same route over and over again. Almost like they're … practicing? For something?"

(Violet: "They better not scuff up the back seat."

Ivy: "That's what you're worried about?"

Violet: "I take care of the upholstery when it comes to my space, you know? That's why they call me … uh …" She began trailing off; but then, in a hushed, embarrassed tone, face red: "… the upholstery … queen."

Ivy, after staring, confused, at her friend for a very long time: "I genuinely don't understand why you said those words, in that order."

Violet: "I know. I know. I just … I realized how stupid it sounded in the middle of saying it, but I … I had to commit to the bit."

Ivy, patting Violet's head: "It's okay. Let's … let's just stop, okay? No more using your brain for today."

Arsonist: "… I'm ready to be transferred to another facility. Can we do that? Please? Guards?")

- 14.8 - The Professor Visits the Jail -

During a rare stretch of quiet, free from engine sounds (Violet: "Maybe they ran out of gas." Ivy: "If they did, you think they'll figure it out?"), the prisoners heard familiar footsteps coming down the stairs.

The Professor walked straight up to Ruby and Anemone's cell, her expression grim. Arms crossed.

Prof K: "So. You girls have a car. That works, somehow."

Ruby: "Yeah. You like the pink? Annie originally wanted it in tan beige, but that's"—pretending to yawn—"bo-ooring."

Prof K, unimpressed with Ruby's attitude, continued: "The very fact that it works, that it drives without issue—in direct and complete violation of the SDF—is one thing. That alone would be significant enough to turn all that we know about the Field on its head.

"But that's really the least impressive thing about your automobile, isn't it?"

Ruby was smiling now. A sort of strange glee in her eyes. Her friends looked on nervously. But Ruby never took her eyes off the Professor.

Prof K: "The village guards and I didn't think too much of it at first. I mean, we were impressed how pristine it looked. We thought, 'Wow, those girls put a lot of effort into the upkeep for this hunk of junk.' Dunno. Maybe you were hobbyists or something.

"But we were about to scrap it for parts—until the innkeeper just happened to mention off-hand, how you brought it in completely destroyed.

"And unless you've got some amazing tools I've never heard of in my life, it's very unlikely you could've fixed the extent of the damage this thing was under."

Ruby was practically vibrating with excitement by this point.

Prof K: "So, Ruby Hanasaki. Tell me, in great detail, exactly how the Usagi works."

Violet cut in, and yelled, "We're not telling you a single thing until you let us out of here!"

Ruby, without missing a beat: "The car fixes itself at random."

Ivy, Anemone, Violet, mouths agape: "… Ruby!"