Mark and Cassidy wake the next night after their initial conversation with Valerie. Mark asks Cassidy his take on Valerie and he basically confirms she is indeed desperate though it's unclear exactly why, and she is generally honest about her aims on guiding others on the path of Golconda, but is hiding something. They are planning on meeting earlier tonight at 9:30pm. Cassidy comments the conversation went differently than he thought; he expected something more scholarly. To kill time, Mark and Cassidy visit an art museum. Cassidy takes time to observe portraits specifically or any paintings with humans; Mark comments that maybe Cassidy should get back into paining. Cassidy says “maybe.” One notable painting with no title and the artist unknown is of a woman at sunset sitting peacefully under a tree. It’s from the 1920s in an art deco style. The woman has some blood on her hands, neck, and dress hem. I’m sure this also means nothing. Mark questions if anyone knows the story behind that painting anymore. 

They take the long way to meet with Valerie (beach walk yay) and meet with her again. The same sick feeling comes upon them; Mark confirms neither he nor Cassidy have experienced that before. Upon initial greetings, Valerie takes some time to look at the stars. Cassidy asks her if she is looking at anything in particular and she says no, but Mark thinks she was looking at a particular constellation, Gemini. Mark decides to tell Cassidy later and to not call her out. 

Valerie admits she wasn’t fully honest with them but that was due to some emotion (undefined) that she had upon seeing them. “Seeing you two… well it… it was a feeling I hadn’t felt in quite awhile, I suppose.”

She beats around the bush for a bit but does bring up that Golconda has to be purposeful, you have to be working towards that end and making deliberate sacrifices. “Giving up everything that makes the beast possessive, that it might crave.” She says it's similar to buddhist philosophy, specifically bringing up the story of Siddhartha, someone who abstained from all material want for 49 days. Mark asks if she and her friend attempted something similar and she said yes. She adds that she thought her friend did everything right, but something in the spiritual side must have not been done right. Mentions that the final arbiter of reaching Golconda is oneself; if you fail you have no one to blame but yourself. 

Mark asks her what she was misrepresenting last time explicitly since everything thus far lined up with what she had said before. She answers by saying that walking this path can make you more of a monster if you fail (still doesn’t seem contradictory), and temptation only grows stronger if you keep walking the path. Mark ends up asking her if her friend who lost their mind was really a friend or just someone she knew, as in, did she care for them? She starts by saying “I would certainly say so, but…”, trails off, shakes her head, then says “Yes. Yes.” He replies by saying “So they gave up all their material things, but, you still assisted them while this was happening?” She says, “I did, maybe they should have given me up too.” (Perhaps they were not friends but there was toxic yuri… it is unclear.)

Mark asks if you walk the path if you can or should even have friends; she says I suppose not but maybe it's different for everyone. But it’s “not important for you two” whatever that means. Mark questions that. She just reiterates it is different for everyone. It may or may not pertain to them. “What you have to keep or have to let go is entirely in your hands.” Mark asks if it's then based on what tempts your beast, Cassidy speaks up and says the beast is possessive over most things. She just nods. 

Mark asks how many people she’s seen attempt the path; she says dozens but has lost count. He asks if it would not be a good idea to work with them, and she says she doesn’t know, that Mark’s path is different. She goes back to her friend randomly (she’s definitely over it for sure! Definitely made peace with it. Yes. For sure.). Says she isn’t sure if her friend failed due to her dragging her down, or her friend’s own temptations, or something else. Cassidy says “perhaps this is why those who achieve Golconda do not come back to help those who haven’t.”

She says if it's a path Cassidy and Mark want to walk together, she doesn’t see why they wouldn’t. “Walking it hand in hand is better than simply not walking at all.” Mark comments on the implication that it might be best to do it alone is a sad one. He looks down. Cassidy is also not looking at Mark. Looking away. I’m SAD! Mark asks if she has any other warnings and she says whatever other feelings you have, bad or good, feel it, don’t shove it down. “Just because you feel it doesn’t mean you have to give in.” Better to keep your feelings and stay close to humanity. Mark agrees and comments that eventually losing some of those negative feelings is part of why Golconda can’t mean simply becoming human again. 

Cassidy reaches for Mark’s hand, brushes his fingers. Mark does take his hand as he goes to look at Cassidy. Mark can’t read anything in his expression of course. But at least they’re holding hands now. 

Valerie is looking out into the woods. There’s a single crow on the tree nearby. Valerie speaks again. Reiterates to stay away from the sects and clans or kindred cults; do not get tangled within them. Also warning of hunters. 

She finally gives them contact info for someone else who she thinks can help them; a Kindred named June who is currently outside of Concord, Massachusetts. Valerie warns she appears very young. Valerie says she will try to send a note to her in advance but if not, just mention what they are looking for and she should understand, and that they can be as open with June as they are with herself. She says after they talk to June to reach back out to her again; Mark asks if they will meet again and Valerie says she doesn’t know. Valerie says she is leaving tonight because she feels like something bad will happen if she stays longer (girl okay??????). They say their goodbyes and Valerie walks away, deeper into the woods. 

Mark and Cassidy stay sitting in the abandoned garden for awhile. Mark asks Cassidy if he really thinks he can reach it (Golconda). Cassidy says yes immediately but does not elaborate. Mark asks if Cassidy is scared at all of what they would be like if they succeed. “It will be better what we are now.” which does not answer his question but Mark just says “I guess so, I guess you’re right, well, it’s supposed to be alright to be scared as long as you do it anyway.” Cassidy then leans into Mark, resting his head against Mark’s shoulder. Yay. They’re cuddling on the beeeeeench GAY PEOPLE!!! Mark then asks Cassidy if they can do it (Golconda) together; Cassidy says “yes, we can.” And then they lapse into silence for awhile; Cassidy even closes his eyes for a bit. (I want to kill them, why don’t they talk more!! Aauauauaugh! Repressed men. This is Mark/Cassidy version of a deep talk.) Mark is in a better mood after that talk; he feels much less insecure. Cassidy also appears to be in a better mood but it is of course hard to tell. 

They find out the place they need to meet June at is only an hour and a half away so they book a new hotel and check out early. There is no specific address, just to meet her at “the fair,” which does seem to be happening in that town, open until midnight each night. Before they leave, Mark says they should make a list of places to visit once they reach it, and Mark says Olgunquit should be one of them. Sobbbbbbbinggggg.  

They make their way to the new hotel and watch a shitty movie showing on cable to spend the rest of the night,“Vampires Kiss,” which is apparently a black comedy but is a bit fucked up. Mark and Cassidy both hope it was not based on a real story. 

The next night they do go to the fair; they go to the ferris wheel for a better vantage point and just cause Mark thinks it would be cute. Cassidy is a bit nervous when it gets high up but it's fine it’s cute yay. He takes a polaroid there of the scene. They do spot June in the crowd waiting for the carousel and they track her down. She looks about 13. She isn’t expecting them but is willing to talk after Mark clarifies. She basically says that she isn’t seeking herself, but that Valerie has sent others her way because apparently she thinks she is helpful. June asks how long they’ve been seeking; Mark says 6 years and Cassidy says 140. June immediately says “wow you’re old.’ Lol. She says she had other things she wanted to do but they can talk in some hours, and in the meantime, they should enjoy the fair. Mark says sure. 

Unfortunately Cassidy refuses to ride the bumper cars despite Mark begging him (A failed roll, how sad) but does agree to ride the teacups (he actually laughs on them YAY), and then Cassidy takes a polaroid of Mark at the fairgrounds after. (Art of that to come, pray for me lighting wise…) They also ride another spinney sort of ride. They also play carnival games; Cassidy wins a ring toss game and picks out a panda bear; Mark wins a water gun game and tells Cassidy he should pick the prize and that he’s being chivalrous in letting Cassidy pick because Cassidy didn’t let him. Lol. He picks out a blue wolf. Neither are super big, the panda can fit in a bag and the wolf is a bit awkward to carry but not impossible. Mark comments that this can be their souvenir of this town. 

In line for a swing ride they run into June, who basically says they can start talking now and no reason to wait. She says the carnival was actually important to what they’re going to talk about. She goes into how she feels it's really important to do things that are enjoyable like this, things that make you feel alive, to do things that humans do. By the way, she makes fun of Cassidy for not going to bumper cars and his lack of emoting. 

She says she isn’t a philosopher, and that she isn’t seeking Golconda because she is used to how she is, it isn’t so bad, and Golconda is very difficult. But feeling human is important either way. Even if it's hopeless to go back. She says she makes friends with mortals even if she can’t be honest with them and has to leave every few years; she follows carnivals around. She says she doesn’t fully agree with Valerie about giving everything up. She says you need those connections to stay in touch with humanity and it doesn’t make sense to go monk-mode. Some she’s met with called her dumb for that, but that’s her opinion. Mark questions why Valerie sent them to her then and June says Valerie thinks it's important to hear many perspectives. 

She asks Mark for $50 before they leave, to play more games and he says yes. She says that’s a good sign and he comments that maybe she says that to anyone who gives her money. She says yes but that is because it is nice to give her money. She drags them to another fairgrounds ride that I don’t know the name of, but Cassidy gets dizzy but tolerates it. He says he doesn’t want to do it again. She offers another ride called the Zipper. Cassidy is done after that, quote: “I feel alive enough.” 

She also asks if they’ll be around, doesn’t ask explicitly but it seems like she wants to meet again. Mark asks for her contact info but she says she isn’t really on Shrecktnet or anything like that, and doesn’t stay in contact with many kindred, but to come back to the Fair to say goodbye before they leave. 

Cassidy wants to go back to the hotel first to decompress. Mark asks for Cassidy’s take; he says it was an interesting opinion but is worried it might be colored by her being a bit childish. Mark says perhaps it might be too good to be true, to seek happiness and Golconda at the same time. Cassidy says it's worth keeping in mind; Mark pushes a bit more. Cassidy just says he is just considering both possibilities right now. He comments that right now, clinging to humanity wards off the beast in general and is a good idea, even before seeking Golconda properly. Mark then asks when they are going to try to more seriously start soul searching; he says as soon as they talk to Valerie next and figure out where they want to go is a good a time as any. Cassidy says he has tried to figure out where he would want to go but doesn’t know. Mark says he wanted to go where Cassidy wants to go first and hopes that it will be easier than where he wants to go (which is overseas–Rome!). 

Mark asks if there’s anything he can do to help Cassidy figure out what makes him happy and what he wants, and Cassidy replies that just being with him is help enough. AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW