Episode 3: The Truth

Reference Picture (Got it from Google) (P.S not making money out of this.)

Continuation of Day 2

2 pm

Jay, Carl, and Shane began their journey back to the city, discussing their recent discoveries. Curiosity gnawed at Carl, and he prodded Jay to recount his supernatural experience in the EverWood Forest. However, due to the sensitive nature of the topic, Carl proposed that they continue their conversation at school.

Upon their arrival, Jay made an attempt to reach out to Chitose via text, but received no response. However, their attention was swiftly diverted when they witnessed a commotion in the school's parking lot. Joel Ashley had a tight grip on Ms. Hess's arm as she desperately called for help. Jay rushed outside to intervene. Ms. Hess was apparently being accosted by Joel, who persistently inquired whether she recognized him. Despite her denials, Emmanual Lamb, the janitor, came to her aid, breaking Joel's hold. Mr. Lamb instructed Joel to back off, and though he attempted to speak again, Joel eventually left the scene. Ms. Hess and Mr. Lamb implored him not to depart, as the security guard was en route. Jay made a futile effort to convince Joel to stay, but he relented, only to confront Mr. Hansen, the security guard. In a bizarre twist, Mr. Hansen suddenly stopped moving, and Joel attempted to strangle him. Jay intervened again, ultimately persuading Joel to remain. A discussion ensued, revealing that Joel had mistaken Alicia Hess for someone else. He was then warned against reentering the school premises.

Following this incident, the three friends entered the school and headed straight for the research organization. Outside the door, they encountered Mark, Ms. Hess, and Principal Ed Henson engaged in a heated discussion. Mark was reluctant to cease his activities involving the creation of bombs within the school, leading the principal to assign student council members to monitor his actions.

Once inside the research organization, Carl and Shane delved into their activities while Jay remained outside to observe. The student council members, Kenton Gates, Alison Shepherd, and Katherine Blackwell, subsequently arrived and received a briefing from Mr. Henson. They decided to rotate shifts guarding Mark, with Kenton starting the watch, and Alison and Katherine taking their respective turns.

As Jay texted Chitose about an upcoming investigation of the maze, he initiated a group chat with Carl and Shane to coordinate their plans. As Jay was about to inquire about their timing, Carl unexpectedly opened the door and questioned Jay’s texting, prompting him to communicate directly. Inside, the three engaged in a conversation, leading to Carl's relentless inquiries about their earlier discussion in the car. Overwhelmed, Jay eventually revealed that his name was indeed Jaylen Beck, and he had a father. He shared his skepticism regarding the vanished Inner Change and the collective memory alteration, considering it a fanciful dream he had concocted. Carl's empathetic response indicated that he had encountered researchers who struggled to make others believe their extraordinary truths. He disclosed his own motivation as a researcher: to provide reassurance to those who ardently believed in something, granting them the affirmation of truth. Carl expressed his desire to help Jay uncover the reality behind these enigmatic events, and they agreed to visit the observatory later that night.

Subsequently, Ms. Hess returned and inquired about Carl's research progress. Carl interviewed her about any supernatural experiences she might have encountered, but she denied any such occurrences. She mentioned an old survey conducted by the Police Department twenty years ago regarding the city's security. After she left, Carl summarized their maze encounter for Shane and Jay.

After Carl provided a concise summary of their maze exploration, the trio commenced discussing their forthcoming visit to the observatory. Carl pointed out a crucial difference in their previous experiences: Jay had been outside the buildings while Shane had been inside. He hypothesized that replicating Jay's situation might yield different results. To facilitate this, Carl suggested obtaining handcuffs to restrict their movement. The task of procuring the handcuffs fell to Jay, who departed to complete the errand.

As Jay left the research organization, he encountered Mark, and the two briefly conversed. Mark, however, merely taunted Jay with cryptic gibberish, creating a sense of unease. Jay continued on his way, initially contemplating the purchase of chains and locks but ultimately deciding to acquire handcuffs from the Fresh Change Market.

Upon reaching the market and preparing to park, Jay noticed Sayuri, Chitose, Antonia, and a police officer in the same location where he had previously encountered Joel Ashley. He parked on the side, intrigued by their conversation. The police officer had requested Antonia to accompany him to the Police Department, where her father wanted to meet her. However, Antonia resisted, and Sayuri and Chitose defended her. The situation escalated, and the police officer eventually reported the incident to his chief. The chief instructed him to provide Antonia with a radio device, revealing that Antonia and her father had plans to spend time together in the city. Antonia explained that she had been assisting her friends, Chitose and Sayuri, in getting acclimated to the city. The police officer left, and the trio of girls noticed Jay parked nearby. He offered to give them a ride to their destination, though secretly harboring thoughts of forming a temporary harem. They decided to accompany Jay to the Fresh Change Market to purchase snacks for their upcoming outing. Upon their arrival, Jay revealed that he was buying handcuffs for research purposes, leading the girls to misinterpret it as a fetish for BDSM. They completed their shopping, and the girls chose to walk around and chat while Jay returned to school.

Back at the research organization, Jay entered the room to find Carl and Shane indulging in the food they had requested from Melvin. They shared a meal and conversed, realizing that it was nearly time to set out for the observatory. During a brief exchange, Jay and Shane discussed their feelings about the names Jaylen Griffith and Jaylen Beck. Shane felt that the latter name sounded and felt more natural to him. They prepared their equipment and departed for the observatory. At their destination, they handcuffed themselves to a fence just as the fog began to roll in. Surprisingly, Jay did not experience the same obsessive compulsion as before. Instead, he witnessed Carl and Shane frantically attempting to break free. Jay tried to calm them down but eventually resorted to making them count to ten, buying time for the compulsion to dissipate. This method succeeded, and the trio began to calm down, realizing the pain in their arms. They then witnessed the city undergoing a transformation, affirming to Jay that he hadn't imagined anything. The city's enigmatic truth was unveiled to them, and they attempted to make sense of the revelation.

As the city completed its transformation, the 8/12 store disappeared along with any trace of its existence in the EverChanging City. Comparing the new map to the old one, they discerned a pattern. The oldest buildings in the city were vanishing, raising questions about the continued existence of the EverChanging Police Department, the city's oldest structure. The trio surmised that the police played a pivotal role in the city's alterations, prompting a brainstorming session.

After extensive deliberation, they decided to return to their dorms to recuperate from their intense experience. They arrived back at the dormitory, retreating to their respective rooms. While Shane promptly retired to bed, Jay decided to vlog about his experiences before following suit.

Day 2 Ends

Day 3 Starts

8 am

Shane woke Jay and reminded him that they needed to be at school by 9 am for a mental survey conducted by the guidance counselor. They made it to school and entered their classroom. Opting to sit in front of Antonia, Sayuri, and Chitose, they awaited the counselor's survey.

Before long, Ed approached Jay and Shane, inviting them to a party taking place at the Better Bar. He informed them that a popular YouTuber, Mr. Hero, had arrived in the city and would be attending the party with Better Change University students to create video content. Mr. Hero was also seeking a potential collaborator for his channel and offered to merge channels if the chosen person had their own. Jay accepted the invitation, but Shane, focused on the maze investigation, decided to contemplate the offer. Ed left, and Jay questioned Shane's decision. Shane explained that solving the mystery of the city was a top priority, eliciting frustration from Jay. An argument ensued, but it was eventually quelled by Sayuri, who intervened due to the escalating noise.

Episode 3: The Truth Ends at 9 am