Esper Story: Ashley

All Hallows' Eve is a traditional event for the people of Grandis to pay respects to the dead.

On that day, the dearly departed will rise...

from the ground!

R-ruuuuun!

Aaahh!! Ghost!

Oww! You stepped on my toes!

Off! Off! Go away!

Heh. Funny. Who's next?

Tang Xuan, what on earth are you doing?

Everyone's so serious all the time! It's ridiculous. I'm, uh, helping everyone relax.

You really should stop that.

Why? It's just a prank!

Just stop it!

Hmm... You're not scared at all? Even a bit?

Scared of what?

Ghosts: the living dead. Supernatural forces you cannot see or touch.

Hehe.

I see...

Fluorescent paint, huh? I'm not the only one who knows how light works...

Heh-heh, I must've scared the living daylights out of her. This trick never fails!

Whaaaa! Who's there?

...Just me.

Oh, h-hi, Ashley. Good evening!

We have talked about this, Tang Xuan! The electrical room is out-of-bounds! You could really hurt yourself in here!

Sorry. Last time. I promise.

It's getting late. You should go home.

Alright, bye Ashley. Have a good night!

*Sob* I miss you soooooo much.

*Sob* It's so dark in here. I feel cold...

...Not again.

Oops! Ashley! Ashley! Awesome Ashley!

Give it up, Tang Xuan. My powers grant me enhanced hearing and vision. I knew you were here the moment I entered.

Noooo, impossible! There's got to be something you're frightened of.

Heh heh heh.

My soul must return, heh heh heh.

Stop it with the silly games. I've no patience for this...

Surprise!

What the heck?

Who's that?!

Ta da! It's me! Q! Did I frighten you?

Q?

Hahaha!

Tang Xuan was just distracting you with that ghost stuff... allowing me to sneak up on you at just the right moment!

And look, we succeeded! We scared Ashley! Haha! Did you get that on camera, Q?

Yeah! High five!

Gosh. You guys...

Don't you dare run! Don't you dare!

Morning...

Ashley! Something bothering you?

You gotta help me with this rubbish! The Union is forcing me to take today off. But I want to work! It's crazy!

I have so much work to do! Let me finish it!

Why not take a little enforced time off? When did you last take a break anyway?

Does crime take a break?! It's ridiculous. This day is a complete waste unless I can get some sleep...

What's all this about?

Meredith tailored a pair of special headphones for me...

But they're not working. So I sent them in for repairs.

And... what? You're having trouble sleeping without your headphones?

How about a bedtime story? The kids in our orphanage love them.

Thanks, but that's alright. I'm a fully grown adult...

Insomnia is just a side effect. I need headphones to sleep.

Ah. Because your hearing is so sensitive, right?

Yeah. I can hear anything, a pin drop a mile away.

Repairs are gonna be another week at least. I haven't had a decent night's sleep for days...

Them sending me home is just the start. I'm looking tired all the time, but...

Alright. I can do something maybe: hypnotism. I'm quite sure it'll put you to sleep.

Okay. Try it. Might work.

Give it a try.

Darn. I swear she was just asleep.

She's still asleep! She's sleep-walking. Uh-oh. Sleep-attacking!

Ashley! What are you doing?! Stop!

Wake her, Stewart! She's going to slice through the table.

Ashley!

I think I just, uh... what happened? I dreamed I was fighting somebody... I think...

Eh. I'm so tired already.

The good news is you did fall asleep! The bad news is... something went wrong.

I think you're still trying to protect others, even while you're dreaming. Ashley, what do you think of that? I find it reassuring.

Come on, Stewart. We're not going to solve problem caused by her Esper powers... with our powers. It'll just make it worse.

Yeah. We need another way.

How about something more normal? Ashley, I've got an idea.

It's lunchtime. Let's get some food! A full meal is just the thing to make you feel drowsy.

Really?

...I'm so full.

...I can't handle another bite.

...Same.

Sleepy?

Not at all. I feel... full of energy!

Something else then....

Maybe it's all the pressure? How can we help Ashley relax...

How about a dog? Pets can be relaxing.

Or... what about a crazy intense exercise routine to burn of all that energy? Fighting practice in the gym.

Wait!

That'll only power her up, I think. How about soothing music? A spa? Yoga maybe?

How about something involving both music and exercise? Let's party!

Hey, I think...

Any more suggestions?

Stewart, let's take a dog to a greenhouse, then put on some dance music. Perfect!

Sounds good to me. What do you think, Ashley?

Ashley?

Night, Ashley.

What? You've been pranked too?

Yep. Left the concert on my own, and then when I get home, tada! Pranked by Q.

Me too. He rigged the carpet in the corridor with some weird sound.

He is so annoying.

I get it's all in good fun, but... this is way, way too much!

You know what Q did to me? He stayed up all night in the lounge...

...Hiding behind a door just to mess with me.

He's probably planning something else right now. Let me have a look around.

He's in a restaurant upstairs and... trying to hide something.

Q, what are you doing?

Ahhhhh!

N-Nothing!

You dropped something...

What's this for?

......

Sorry. I didn't realize.

Hmph!

This was just a friendly warning. You've gone too far with your pranks. We all think so. And we're getting annoyed.

Why do you say that? It's not like I'm hurting anyone!

I know you mean well. I realize that.

So what's with these greeting cards? Were they meant for us?

Ashley, promise me you won't tell them! Or it won't be a surprise and they'll... just go to waste...

"Go to waste"? Wow. Sounds like you've got something big planned.

No, it's not what you think. It's just that All Hallows' Eve is almost here...

Oh. And I suppose you're getting into the spirit of it with all these pranks?

Well, partly. But not just that!

It's Grandis tradition on All Hallows' Eve to celebrate it with our family and friends. And remember those who've passed on.

We all know someone who's lost someone to the Miracles. I'm sure they're heartbroken. Especially on Hallows' Eve.

What are my pranks if not a distraction for grieving people? A way not to feel so lonely in these hard times.

......

Some may be annoyed, yes, but better to be angry than lonely, right?

Q...

Are you saying this because you feel lonely too, right?

What? No way! Rubbish!

Anyway, I gotta go. Keep it a secret, okay?

Okay...

Not one word!

Hmm...

...I wonder if that's how Q really feels. Or if he's just lining up yet another prank...

Ready, Brynn?

Yep, just waiting for Ashley's signal.

Here he comes, wait for it...

Three...

Two...

One...

Surprise!

Whoa! What?!

Ashley! Trying to scare me again?

Happy All Hallows' Eve! I made a card for you!

Huh?

Here it is, Q. Happy All Hallows' Eve!

Here's mine too.

Ashley was just setting the record straight on your pranks. Saying you were really just trying to do us a solid.

Even if you have a very strange way of expressing it...

Ashley, just mind your own business for once!

Not cool!

Meredith, there's something I think only you can help me with. I hope you don't mind me...

Oh, really? What's up, Ashley?

Could you arrange some music for these poems that... well... I wrote?

Oh, I see. Let's have a look...

I recently signed up to a charity event for stray cats and dogs. It's happening this weekend.

I wanted to do something for the poor animals, but I've never performed before.

My only creative outlet is poems. I was hoping you could compose some music so we could turn them into songs. What do you think?

Hmm...

Yes...

Uhh...

Are the poems I wrote... bad?

Not at all. You've got an interesting style. "Rustic" and "sincere" are two words that come to mind.

Really? Any suggestions?

Hmm... No. I think they're good enough.

Uhh...

I'll arrange some music. Don't worry.

I wasn't this nervous going up against Miramon for the first time...

Just breathe, Ashley. You've rehearsed this many times with Meredith.

Next, let's welcome a friend of all animals...

"Lady Ashley" from Gyrate is going to sing us a song she just wrote for this event. It's called, "Dogs and Cats: An Ode To You!"

We adapted this song from a poem I wrote expressing our sense of gratitude toward our dear animal friends...

Ahem. Let me get started.

Woof-woof! Loyal pets! Oh how we need you!

Dogs woof! Cats meow!

Puppies and kittens sing together...

Meowoof... Meowoof...

Hey, shhh!

Oh, cute kittens, you've brought me...

So many fuzzy memories that I'll cherish...

Meowooooooof!

Woooof!

Shh, baby.

I will love you forever, my best friends!

What happened?

Looks like she loves this song.

Darn. I messed up the lyrics...

Ashley? Did you get to see the crowd's reaction?

Don't remind me! Quick! We gotta get out of here they turn me out on the street.

What are you talking about?

Miss Ashley, please stay!

I'm terribly sorry!

No, no. All the pets in the audience loved this poem! You know, your performance was streamed online...

What?

See? I told you.

Look at all these donations! And it's all because of the reactions from all the pets!

Huh? You mean to say that my poem... worked?

Yes, Miss Ashley. For our animal friends, at least.

Ahmed! How are you doing?

I'm good. What's up?

I didn't mean to listen in on you, but, as you know, my powers are quite sensitive...

I couldn't but overhear... You kept repeating a name, "Willy". And you were sighing a lot.

What happened to you two? You were a topic after that breakout charity performance.

It's nothing.

Alright...

Wait...

Can I ask a question? Everyone at the Union has to depend on you all the time. How do you deal with it? I mean, the interpersonal relationship aspect?

...For that we can refer to the Union's Operation Manual.

How to get along with your companions: sincerity, sincerity, sincereity.

Really?

It sounds simple, and everyone has an interpretation of exactly what that means. But it's so hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes.

That's when misunderstandings happen. That's why communication matters.

Ah. Mm. Good points. Thanks.

Are you... Okay?

It's nothing.

......

Is he hiding something. Maybe I should check on Willy.

I see...

Good afternoon, Willy.

Oh, Ashley?!

I noticed you while I was on patrol, so I came over. How's it going?

Pretty well.

I heard about your performance, the charity show. Ahmed said you're really talented.

I'm hardly that talented. And also Ahmed...

What happened?

Nothing in particular. It's just that he and I... aren't very close.

What?! You're not friends!

Are you kidding? A famous celebrity like him? We only met for only like a few seconds during the show.

He's not very talkative, is he? But he's not the type to look down at anyone not as famous as he is.

He wouldn't wanna be friends with someone like me...

Why do you say that?

Actually, you know I composed a song for him for his birthday last week? I owed him a favor from the show...

He wasn't very happy with my video when I sent it to him, to say the least.

...You know what he messaged me back? "This doesn't work for you." He thinks I didn't have what it takes to write and perform my own content!

...Or maybe he thought I'd wasted his precious time.

I see. And did you follow that up at all?

After that response? No way! He's probably too busy to reply anyway. I don't want to bother him...

I came over immediately after I saw your message. But why bring a guitar?

Did something happen? Is Willy alright?

No. He's not.

I-I'm fine, thanks...

Wait!

You'll never know what's on someone's mind until you clarify it with them.

My powers allow me to see and hear things others can't, so I should know. And I know there's been a misunderstanding.

Maybe I should mind my own business, but I just can't turn a blind eye to this sort of thing.

You've both walked away from something and not for a good reason. Talk, please.

Ahmed, do you really think I've not cut out for music?

Huh? No, no. Quite the opposite. You're really talented.

But then why did you tell me... Music "doesn't work for you"?

I didn't... Wait, hold on. I wasn't talking about your music skills, I was talking about that guitar.

It's seen better days. Old strings can mess with the sound.

Use this instead.

I really enjoyed your song. So Willy, here is a token of my thanks for that.

This guitar better suits your many talents.

Uhh...

Well, t-thank you. But, but... it's way too expensive. I can't accept this.

I had this custom-made just for you. I'm sure you'll love it. Give it a try!

In fact, would you like to come to my studio? We could record your song there, together.

Really? Your studio?! Really?

Sure! Why don't we go there now!?