D2 Choose to Stay
As she stood before the gate, Mira glanced over her shoulder at the castle. Even in the daylight, it still had somewhat of an ominous appearance. Pieces of its towers were crumbling, and there was this sense that something cruel and powerful had overtaken it, letting it fall into decay.
"Okay, so the ducks can't help you figure out what's going on here, and it seems fairly dangerous… but why should that mean that I have to give up and leave?" Mira asked herself. "And if I leave now, I definitely won't get any answers about who sent me here and why."
She stepped away from the gate and considered her options once more, but only for a second. Regardless of what the ducks had said, it just didn't seem right to leave.
"Guess I'm staying," Mira decided as she started to trace her path back through the garden.
If the ducks weren't able to answer her questions, perhaps she could get more information from the castle itself. After she walked back inside, she decided to held towards the east wing on the main floor to see what lay on that side of the castle. She didn't see any of the ducks as she walked through the hall, but when she reached the far east side of the castle, she found two wooden doors that opened into a library.
Seems like a good place to look for answers, Mira thought as she walked inside, and saw shelves of books that stretched from floor to ceiling in a room that was shaped a bit like an astronomy tower. It even had an antique telescope sitting beside a window at the top of a curved staircase.
As she stepped inside, Mira caught sight of Tanya standing on a ladder, gathering books. As she started to descend with one arm full of books packed under her beak, Tanya's left foot slipped and missed a rung on the ladder. Mira rushed forward to steady her, but it was too late, and Tanya landed on top of her as they were both knocked to the ground.
Tanya quickly stumbled up apologetically and looked surprised when she saw who it was.
"Oh, I thought you'd be gone. Couldn't you find the gate?"
"Yeah, I found it, but I'm not ready to leave," Mira said as she sat up on the floor. "Although if you throw a few more books at me, I might reconsider."
She picked up a book that had landed on her chest and waved it in the air.
"Sorry," Tanya said again as she reached out to help Mira up.
Mira accepted the aid, but after Tanya pulled her up, the duck drew her arm back and cradled her wrist with a look of pain.
"Sprained. Just what I need."
"Can I get you something?" Mira asked. "I mean, I don't where anything is, but I want to help."
Tanya let go of her wrist and adjusted her glasses as she studied Mira.
"Thanks, but I'll tend to it."
She picked up a few more books and sneezed.
"Uh, I miss computers. These books and their dust aggravate my allergies."
"What are you looking for?" Mira asked as she helped collect some of the books: Dreams and Visions, Life Revealed in Art, and The Demons Hidden Inside.
"The same as you probably," Tanya said with smile. "Answers, right?"
"So you don't really know why you're here either?"
Tanya grew quiet.
"That's one of the things we can't talk about, but I'll just say that are some things we don't understand."
Mira frowned as a bit of her frustration returned.
"Can you at least tell me what your questions are?"
Tanya shook her head.
"You might be able to guess, but look, some bad stuff happens here. Don't you think it's time for you to go home?"
Mira gazed back at Tanya's face. It looked like she really did want to open to Mira, but there was something holding her back.
"I guess I'm just going to have to figure all of this out for myself," Mira said. "And no, I'm not ready to leave yet. I mean, if there was a mystery to solve, would you give up so quickly?"
Tanya smiled.
"Well, maybe not. But I do get homesick sometimes."
Mira looked down at the last book in her hands, Managing Macaws and Cockatoos.
"Well, I don't see how this going to be helpful," she said skeptically handing the book to Tanya, who seemed to take it with some hesitation. "So I think I'll wander the castle a bit more. It's not dangerous right now, is it?"
"No, it's only at night that you need to be careful. Things are usually pretty quiet during the day."
"Do you know where the other ducks are?"
"Nosedive usually wanders outside, so you might check by the stables. I think I saw Duke and Wildwing go upstairs. And Mallory and Grin walked towards the west wing."
"Okay, well I guess I'll see you later," Mira said as she walked back towards the entrance.
Tanya only nodded, but she fingered the book in her hand with a look of regret.
You can now have Mira go and converse with each of the ducks to see if anything else can be learned about their situation, but if you want to move on with the choices in the story, then select D2 Wildwing from the chapter selection.
If you want to hear what the other ducks have to say, then select D2 (their name). It doesn't matter what order you follow, except that Wildwing should be last.