>"Right, well I'm about done here so if you're all sorted, you think we should head out?"

>"Yeah, sure, I dont think there's anything else to do here. Why not?"

>The party walks into the store. No one is inside.

>Everyone splits up, walking through the aisles. The contents of the shelves can only be described as miscellaneous, a random array of objects, of various usefulness (or lack thereof)

>Ron finds a handful of stray batteries lying on a shelf. He pulls out his Flashlight and changes the batteries, leaving the old ones behind on the shelf

>The others seem to be preoccupied at the moment, leaving you with a little bit of freetime to yourself

>"QUIT TALKING LIKE THAT ITS WEIRD"

>"Weird? I don't see any problem with it.."

>"OF COURSE YOU DONT WEEZERBOY JUST GET ON WITH IT ALREADY"

>Ignoring Ron's offended objections and Gamble's snickering, Ranvier shoves past both of them and tries to take better scope of the town around them

>"ARE NEITHER OF YOU WONDERING WHERE THE HELL WE ARE?? OR IS IT JUST ME SURPRISED BY THE WHOLE "SIGNS OF CIVILIZATION IN THIS INFINITE DEATH PIT" THING"

>Ron notices the buildings immediately around them, taking stock of the situation

> To their immediate left is a derelict corner store, on the opposite side of the street lies the rubble of what seems to have been a house of its own, and on the end of the street lies a rather important-looking building, a "town hall" for this strange collection of buildings.

>"I'm figurin' there ain't anyone 'sides us kicking around this ghost town, at least. No need to get yer tail in a twist, Ransy. It's just us out here."

>"Well if it's just us, why not look around a bit? It's not like anyone's around to stop us, at least."

>"SOUNDS MISERABLE. WHY NOT"

>Along the walls of the dark prison he finds himself in, Ron finds a doorknob. He turns it and steps out into a quaint suburban small town, one that's apparently been here all along

>"Oh yeah, this place. I reckon we could get some entertainment outta this, eh?"

>"WAIT DID BOTH OF YOU JUST KNOW THIS WAS HERE"

>"I remember it bein' here, at least."

>Ron steps out onto the lawn, stiff white grass that doesn't bend right when he steps down on it. Gamble and Ranvier follow suit and gain their bearings. The sun up above blazes light downwards. Somewhere in the little town is the sound of a bird song.

>There are a couple buildings in the distance, besides the house Ron had just stepped out of

>"Oh, we got no business at all. I simply mosey on down here every now and then for some company, y'see. S'not so easy to get in a place like this."

>"THATS COWBOY TALK FOR "I ENJOY BEING A NUISANCE WHENEVER I PLEASE" HONESTLY EVEN THOUGH I EXPECTED HIM TO COME ITS NOT LIKE WE'RE ACTUALLY FRIENDS"

>Ron gets the sense that these 2 have been butting heads for a long time. They planned a whole meeting to spend time with eachother when they don't enjoy each other's company. Ron figures it must be very lonely to live here

>"You're not even friends? That's... funny... from the way Gamble put it while we were walking it sounded like you two are close."

>"WE'RE ONLY CLOSE BECAUSE THERES NO OTHER OPTION HOW MUCH CLEARER DO I HAVE TO PUT THIS"

>Gamble pulls a small glass bottle of whiskey out of his pocket and takes a swig

>"Yup. Here's a life lesson for ya, shortstack. Something to remember. Out here y'take every ally you can get. Finding someone who won't rip your guts out first chance is rarity you gotta treasure if ya want t'keep your head screwed on right."

>Ron finds this conversation confusing. Within the span of a day, he's already met 3 people, none of which he thought particularly wanted to hurt him. Axon earlier even saved his life, back when the river monster appeared

>But he wouldn't voice this concern, no. Not much of a point in doing so when he hasn't been here for very long. Ron leans up against the wall and looks up at the sky

>Ron takes an extra good look at the walls around them. He notices that the door Gamble and him came from has vanished out of existence, seemingly right after he stepped through it. No going back now.

>Ron also realizes that there were not walls before he looked for them just now. What was once a blank expanse is now a pitch grey room.

>"IF YOURE LOOKING FOR A WAY OUT YOU WON'T FIND ONE, DEVLIN. IVE BEEN HERE FOREVER THERE'S NO WAY OUT SO DONT BOTHER LOOKING FOR ONE"

>"...please don't call me just 'Devlin'."

>"I DO WHAT I WANT FUCK OFF"

What DO we do now...?

>"RON WHAT KIND OF FREAKS DID YOU BRING WITH YOU. AND I THOUGHT THE OTHER GUYS WERE WEIRDOS WHATS WITH THE IMAGE"

>The other 2 party members are still not as acclimated to images being shown to them, evident by how they both stand back dazed and confused

>"Sometimes... sometimes I have no idea."

>Gamble and Ron shake the image out of their heads and carry on

>"...Imagery aside, we can do whatever we want now, shortstack. Welcome to this side of nowhere, you'll figure out quick that there ain't much to entertain yourself with in these parts"

>"YEP! IN CASE YOU HAVENT FIGURED IT OUT ALREADY YOURE STUCK IN THIS DUMPSTER WITH US NOW. FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF"

>Ron doesn't know what he expected. He came along on this journey because there was nothing else to do, but of course that wouldn't change with a new scenery

>It occurs to him that perhaps he has... quite a lot of free time on his hands, despite the lack of interesting things in the environment, at least that he can see

>Ron takes the letter from Timtim with his other hand. The bird promptly flutters its wings, then takes off into the open air. It flies further and further away before vanishing from view

>Ron opens the letter and reads it to himself, swatting back a nosy Gamble who wants to read it too

>It reads: "Hello Ron !! If You've Recieved This Letter It Means TimTim The Bird Found You Successfully ! How Are You Doing Far Away From Here ? I Suppose You Can't Answer Actually...Writing Supplies Are Few And Far Between Out Here (Maybe Next Time I'll Send TimTim With Some) But NONETHELESS ! I Hope This Letter Finds You And Gamble In Good Health...May Our Paths Cross Again Soon Peace And Love . Love , AXON %*)"

>Ron folds up the letter carefully and puts it in his pocket

>[AXON LETTER #1 added to Ron's Equipment]

>"What was that? A letter from our friend Cupid, eh? I didn't know he had a pet bird."

>"Yeah... nothing special though, just him checking in."

>Ron notices Ranvier hasn't moved since Timtim arrived with the letter. He can't even tell if they've been breathing

>"You alright?"

>Ranvier is immediately snapped out of it, shocked back into her normal (and yet strange) behavior

>"THATS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS RHOMBUS BRAIN FUCK OFF"