FUNCTION DISORDER :: VOLUME ONE

13

SIX MONTHS AGO – DECEMBER 2259

HALLEY began messaging SHAEYDHRRT at 00:56.

HALLEY: heya

SHAEYDHRRT: Who's this? :|

HALLEY: im zale

HALLEY: i made a new account :D

SHAEYDHHRT: Oh

SHAEYDHRRT: Ok

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PRESENT DAY – JUNE 2260

RAIN began messaging SYRO at 21:52.

RAIN: Okay, i'm here

RAIN: Woooof?

RAIN: Pleeeaaase, message me soon

RAIN: Guess you're not coming :/

RAIN: i guess, you don't wanna hang out afterall

RAIN: i'm not mad, it's just, i just don't wanna be confused anymore

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It had been a tense, subdued journey. Rain explained that he wanted to go somewhere else – ostensibly, something called "Retro Blight" was the coolest place to be, at least according to him, but he decided against it because he probably wouldn't be welcome after "the last shitshow Halley caused there", so apparently they were going to the Witching Tower again, with its sketchy infectious mood of grim secretive night. Rain had stared straight ahead on the train, front legs crossed and muzzle resting solemnly on top, one paw grasping the case that held his needle gun. He didn't speak much.

Kaleva was in higher spirits than Rain looked. Energetic, cheerful music thumped constantly throughout the crowded facility and right through his sooouuul.

While he was okay with saying nothing, he wished he could find words good enough to cheer up his Beastkind buddy. He stared off at the purple and black felt decorations and the gently pulsing lights. It was like he and Rain had stepped directly into a video game or something.

Eventually Rain flipped his phone face down on the nice shiny aluminium table next to a tall, narrow glass of blue lemonade. It was a worn-out piece of technology but it had a much newer hot pink protective case, decorated with stickers of cartoony versions of all of Rain's friends. He recognised one illustration of Halley doing a ">ω<" face.

Rain sat up straight and looked back at Kota, putting on a weak smile and lifting his sensitive pointy ears. "It's okay, you don't need to sit with me the whole time, go have fun!"

Kaleva nodded and stood up. "Do you really wanna be here tonight? You don't look like you're having a good time or anything."

"Yeah, look, it's better than moping at home, I'm just nervous about stuff.", Rain replied. "Don't worry about me, okay? I'll give you some more attention later, I won't forget about you, promise~"

"Alright, see you later I guess!", said Kaleva.

He then meandered off and soon became allured to the dance floor by the pulsating music and sparkling lights. Some fast and hyperactive scenecore song was playing. Maybe he knew of this artist, maybe not, but something about the style was familiar. It was kind of similar to his favourite, NONHUMAN RAVESLUT, but it wasn't them. It didn't have the same angry edge to it. It was kinder and more whimsical. The DJ was an androgynous person in a comically large electronic helmet that replaced his/her entire face with a liquid crystal display.

It was busy tonight; he could barely take a step without risking crashing into somebody and had to be quite cautious with his arm-flailing. Some members of the grim gothy crowd, who seemed like native inhabitants of this place, were present, existing and sometimes comfortably dancing and/or conversing. Other humans were in more typical Lower City attire, but equally enthusiastic and keen to revel. A frazzled, deep grey Hellspawned counted bottlecaps over and over at a tiny table in a far corner closer to the entrance. Two airbrushed human ladies and a pale blue reptilian Beastkind sat at the front counter, chatting to a middle-aged shadowy emo staff member about how Lower City politics was boring lately and like, sooooo not aesthetic or whatever.