Viola and Aristotle catch Mr. Crockett on his way out of his office in central classrooms today. Despite his obvious exhaustion, he smiles at the students and welcomes them into his office to talk.
But once there, Mr. Crockett seems to struggle when trying to follow along until Viola offers him the opened cicada shell rock. His expression contorts when he sees it, wincing as though even looking at it pains him, but he sighs, resigned, and reaches out to take the tiny bug. In his hands, it becomes that patched leather jacket. Startled, Mr. Crockett drops it, and leans back heavily on his desk as though dazed. The jacket falls to the floor, but disappears before it hits the ground.
Seconds tick by in silence, tears gathering in Monty Crockett's eyes before he's even come out of his trance. They fall down his cheeks when he blinks his eyes. For a few seconds longer, he is speechless, shoulders heavy, blue eyes hollow with aching sadness. And then, with a sigh, he seems to lighten ever so slightly. "Ah," Mr. Crockett breathes, carefully dabbing the tears from his eyes. "That was...about as difficult as I thought it'd be."
A breathy, rueful laugh rushes out of him. What he has been given was not a gift, but by the look on his face, it was a necessity. Mr. Crockett shoves himself off his desk, walks around to the back of it and starts going through drawers. With careful composure, he goes on, "Viola, you asked me once if it was strange that I couldn't remember how El died. It wasn't. I knew there was something I couldn't bear to remember, and I thought I was better for it being gone. It's still fuzzy, but—ah! Here it is."
Mr. Crockett produces bookmark, made of metal, tassled with a leather strap from which a small pendant hangs. He looks at it and frowns, then holds it out for Viola to take. "I...would appreciate if you'd hang on to this for me," he says. Once it's in hand, Viola sees that the pendant is in fact a tiny compass with two needles, one points at Mr. Crockett, the other spins. "Anyway, apologies. As I was saying. There was a muggle cult that we all got tangled up in. I don't remember why, or what they were trying to do, but ... it all went to hell. They got...Tinkerbell? But El saved her. Or...they lured El with Tink. I can't—" He frowns. "They killed him to achieve their goals. I can't...remember the rest."
"I understand your desire to investigate. I promise, I do. But you need to stay safe." Mr. Crockett gathers up a few things, then makes for his office door. "I need to speak with Zelda, and then find where my brother's gone." He opens the door, standing aside to let Viola and Aris leave, and he seems to be thinking very hard about something, chewing his lower lip. "If you have any more of those golden shells, do me a favor and return them to their owners?"
[Viola has received a magic metal bookmark. The compass at the end of this bookmark has two needles, one points to Monty Crockett, the other seems to spin incessantly. This object will have additional effects during end game which we will expand upon later.]
Viola Returns Monty's Memory
But once there, Mr. Crockett seems to struggle when trying to follow along until Viola offers him the opened cicada shell rock. His expression contorts when he sees it, wincing as though even looking at it pains him, but he sighs, resigned, and reaches out to take the tiny bug. In his hands, it becomes that patched leather jacket. Startled, Mr. Crockett drops it, and leans back heavily on his desk as though dazed. The jacket falls to the floor, but disappears before it hits the ground.
Seconds tick by in silence, tears gathering in Monty Crockett's eyes before he's even come out of his trance. They fall down his cheeks when he blinks his eyes. For a few seconds longer, he is speechless, shoulders heavy, blue eyes hollow with aching sadness. And then, with a sigh, he seems to lighten ever so slightly. "Ah," Mr. Crockett breathes, carefully dabbing the tears from his eyes. "That was...about as difficult as I thought it'd be."
A breathy, rueful laugh rushes out of him. What he has been given was not a gift, but by the look on his face, it was a necessity. Mr. Crockett shoves himself off his desk, walks around to the back of it and starts going through drawers. With careful composure, he goes on, "Viola, you asked me once if it was strange that I couldn't remember how El died. It wasn't. I knew there was something I couldn't bear to remember, and I thought I was better for it being gone. It's still fuzzy, but—ah! Here it is."
Mr. Crockett produces bookmark, made of metal, tassled with a leather strap from which a small pendant hangs. He looks at it and frowns, then holds it out for Viola to take. "I...would appreciate if you'd hang on to this for me," he says. Once it's in hand, Viola sees that the pendant is in fact a tiny compass with two needles, one points at Mr. Crockett, the other spins. "Anyway, apologies. As I was saying. There was a muggle cult that we all got tangled up in. I don't remember why, or what they were trying to do, but ... it all went to hell. They got...Tinkerbell? But El saved her. Or...they lured El with Tink. I can't—" He frowns. "They killed him to achieve their goals. I can't...remember the rest."
"I understand your desire to investigate. I promise, I do. But you need to stay safe." Mr. Crockett gathers up a few things, then makes for his office door. "I need to speak with Zelda, and then find where my brother's gone." He opens the door, standing aside to let Viola and Aris leave, and he seems to be thinking very hard about something, chewing his lower lip. "If you have any more of those golden shells, do me a favor and return them to their owners?"
[Viola has received a magic metal bookmark. The compass at the end of this bookmark has two needles, one points to Monty Crockett, the other seems to spin incessantly. This object will have additional effects during end game which we will expand upon later.]