Listeners (LISTENERS)

I was all alone for the longest time.

Still being a little kid, I didn't know how to cope with the cruel world.

Everyone said it.

"You're the Devil's spawn and you draw the Earless to you."

"There's nowhere in this world that you belong."

I thought I was going to be alone forever, until I died.

That was, until I met him.

"Teen Spirit"

Hup!

So, this is...

Yup! This is the school that's produced numerous famous Players

who've gone down in the history books.

The prestigious Freak Scene Academy!

Oh, it's amazing! Amazing! This is amazing, Mu!

This looks more like a prison than a school, though...

Wait...

Echo!

Keith Rolling and Pete Badfinger went here, too.

It's crazy! The vibe here is crazy!

-Go, go, Freak. Go, go.

--Hold on a second! --Go, go, Freak. Go, go.

It's true. Like you said, this place has a crazy sketchy vibe, but...

Ow!

--You better not have forgotten our purpose in coming here! --Hey, that hurts!

Of course, not.

The Core Part you have

is the same as the one the legendary Player, Jimi Stonefree, had,

and we're here to find out more about him.

Even though he's not in the Players almanac,

Jimi is a legendary Player.

This place just might have some record of him, right?

Plus, we might be able to uncover the true nature of this power.

You are Echo Rec.

And you are Mu?

I-I'm saved!

Uh, um, uh, what?

Oh, um, I'm so sorry. I am Kim.

I serve as the director of this academy.

I say that, but I have no real power as the director.

The students won't listen to anything I say,

and they use such foul language, calling me "*itch" and "**oker."

There, there, calm down.

But I can breathe easy now!

I heard from darling Bilin. You two are Players, right?

And quite skilled ones, at that.

What?

She contacted me yesterday

that a Player girl named Mu might be coming to visit.

To find out more about the legendary Player Jimi Stonefree!

Is that...?!

Oh, no, I'm sorry.

I can't show outsiders our students' records so easily.

But...

This is... Teen Spirit?

If you can pin down the source of those spray cans for me,

I'll give this file to you as a present!

All right, everybody, please take your seats.

But you know,

was it really a good idea to take on the case without thinking it through?

If we solve this, we get Jimi's records, right?

Then, we have no choice but to do it!

But I mean...

Besides, this is my first time going to school! I'm totally excited!

All right, you two, please come in.

Uh, um...

M-My name is Echo Rec. I'm an aspiring amp builder...

Me! Me! I'm Mu!

I'm looking forward to studying with everyone starting today!

Nice to meet you!

Hey, hey, where are you from?

--What are your three sizes? --Don't tell me. Is that your boyfriend?

My three sizes are a secret.

-As for a boyfriend, I'm currently looking!

--Crushed! --As for a boyfriend, I'm currently looking!

Everybody, quiet down. Please, be quiet.

Got any plans after this?

Since we're all here, want us to show you around the academy?

Forget that. How about we all go to a diner?

Great idea.

Boys, you are bothering this young lady.

No, I'm not bothered, though...

A lot of our students have no manners to speak of.

My most profound apologies.

I am Hole, the student council president of this academy.

We can't have a proper conversation here.

Now, make way!

Let us go!

--What the...? --Man, so much for that.

There's no way we're a match for the student council president.

What the heck was that about?

We call it the student council room, but...

I apologize that it's like a storage closet.

So, then.

The academy's director asked you to handle this, right?

What? Oh, uh...

Now, now, no need to panic like that.

This is Teen Spirit.

If you breathe in the sprayed vapor,

it gives you a psychological boost and alleviates stress.

I hear it was originally used in battle against the Earless, though.

Since Players face extraordinary pressures on the front line.

Still, what kind of fool

would bring this onto the hallowed grounds of our school?

I've been tearing my hair out over this, too.

Are you saying you'll help us investigate?

Of course.

I'm definitely being followed.

Could they possibly know that we're investigating the Teen Spirit thing,

and they're tailing me?

In that case...

Oh... What the...?

What?

Gotcha!

S-S-S-Sorry! I'm sorry!

Wh-Wh-What? Aren't you...

I-I'm Nir. I'm in your class.

I was following you because I wanted to become friends with you.

Huh?

What's this place?

The school clubs building.

It's also where the worthless miscreants tend to gather.

Go on.

By golly, aren't you that transfer student who arrived today?!

You're the talk of the academy.

--That a downright beauty of a Player transferred to school.

--R-Really? --That a downright beauty of a Player transferred to school.

Come, come, get yourself inside.

So, just what's a looker like you want with us?

Um, it's about this.

That's Teen Spirit!

What? You know?

'Course, I do!

Anyone at this academy who doesn't know is a faker.

--Yeah! --Whoa...

If you know where I can get this, I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me.

You're a pretty bad one for all that you look so quiet.

But unfortunately...

We are the Mathematics Fan Club!

No mathematics, no life!

The Riemann hypothesis!

Fibonacchi primes!

We don't need Teen Spirit.

We can get high on numerical formulas whenever we want!

Right?!

If you wanted to be friends, I wish you'd just come talk to me.

But it's embarrassing...

Are you ready for this?

Wow!

Right? Amazing, isn't it?

Yeah. I never even imagined there could be a place like this.

This is a secret place that only I know about.

I only tell people I really like about this place.

Oh, thank you!

Also, one more thing.

Ta-dah!

Is that...

A legendary Player who isn't even in the Players almanac. Jimi.

This is an uber-rare picture of him.

It's something I really treasure.

You see, I was all alone for the longest time.

My parents passed away quite a while ago,

and I didn't have any relatives who could look after me.

I used to think that this world could go to hell.

That I was probably going to live out my life all alone.

That was when I heard about him.

He tried to change the world. I thought that was amazing.

It made me want to be a Player like him.

Are you listening?

What?!

Thank you!

I was born in a place called Liverchester, but...

Liverchester?

It's a nothing town surrounded by mountains of junk parts.

I thought I was going to live out my life there, digging through junk.

But I saw this man when I was little, and I could never forget him.

Nir, we can become that!

Become what?

Friends!

Friends?!

I'm beat.

Tough gig, my fair lady? How goes the investigation?

Talk about coming up empty. It was emptier than empty!

And where the heck were you?!

In search of a flower to give to the fair lady.

There are still tons of places we need to check out.

Bye!

Teen Spirit?

Yeah, it comes in a can like this.

I don't know the source of those cans, but...

See? I knew it. It's no use asking a guy like him.

Let's go somewhere else.

If it's a book that tells you how to make it, I know where to find it.

How to make it?!