week 4

[stagemanagers]

[Another week, and two more dead. King Richard and Red are both gone, and once again, it was through nothing more than an accident in the heat of the moment. Maybe if you all stay calm and collected, nothing bad will happen again?

Well, maybe not.

When you wake on Sunday, you'll find that you've recovered another one of those memories - or had another dream, if you still wanna be in denial about it. The grounds remain as they are, but this time, the door blocking the stairwell has been unsealed. You can now venture up to the second floor! This is the second time that's happened; it's almost as if you get more space every time someone dies. Or maybe the whole place just seems quieter.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday


(( Welcome to Week 4! Please remember to submit your AC and your memory regains, as well as your coins! You can also still contact the Phantom. ))

Comments

[37773972]

[Outside they go, then- with him steering Riley to the side so that the literal knife in his pants back pocket is out of view.]

Good. We can get some fresh air- want to learn some constellations?

[isawallflower]

[ This is fine! This is great! Riley lets herself be guided as she just. Tries to breathe herself down from some kind of anxiety attack. (Cairo's still not here, still can't help her, maybe she--)

Another nod. ]

You...said they weren't right, though.

[37773972]

The groupings themselves are right- see, up there? Ursa Major - the Big Dipper. [He points skywards, leading her to a place to sit down] Now, normally you could use Dubhe and Merak, along the side, to point you towards Polaris and the Little Dipper - but right now, it just points towards Virgo.

[He thinks]

What's your star sign? We'll see if we can find that one, next.

[isawallflower]

[ Right now, she's just going to follow where he's pointing. After a moment- ]

Aries. It's... March 23rd.

[37773972]

Aries...alright. Too bad I don't have my notes, I could find it faster, but I think I remember seeing it. There's Lupus, again.

[He's tracing the sky as he 'searches', briefly 'drawing' out the wolf]

[isawallflower]

[ She pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them. If she just keeps looking at the sky, maybe...she'll forget about everything else? ]

I...think I see it. I've never...looked for constellations, though.

[37773972]

Not even when you were little? [He won't say anything about her parents, that...is a very touchy subject that would not help.]

[isawallflower]

[ Probably a good call, there.

Riley shakes her head. ] It's...not really fun alone. [ ...God, that sounds pathetic- ] And, um. ...Cairo's...not the outdoorsy-type.

[ She stiffens for a moment. Don't think about it don't think about it don't-- ]

What's that one? [ She nods at a collection of stars. Any collection of stars. ]

[37773972]

Maybe you should try wishing on a star, sometime. [He's not- really teasing, or serious. Just...trying to lighten the mood.] And let me see...

...based on the placement of the others, I think that's the Cheerleader. [Said straight-faced.]

[isawallflower]

...You're kidding. You have to be kidding.

[37773972]

It's the Peacock. [Friendly nudge] Kind of close, right?

[isawallflower]

[ Despite everything, she lets out a sharp laugh and her shoulders slump. ]

The Peacocks are a team in New Jersey. [ ...of course she knows other schools' team mascots. ]

[37773972]

[wHUPSIES]

Tell me you beat them?

[isawallflower]

I'd be lying.

[ But. It actually gets her to focus on her breathing for a moment. ]

Don't worry about it. We're the worst team ever for a reason.

[37773972]

[oof. So much for cheering her up...but...he does notice she's calmed down a bit]

...yeah, well, I never liked that one anyway.

[isawallflower]

[ A faint smile. Forced, but. Still there. ]

What’s...that one over there? [ If she keeps asking, she doesn’t have to think about the knife, after all. ]

[37773972]

[He leans and follows her gaze, tracking for a moment]

Hydrus- and Lyra, right out of season
Not that I'm really expecting a reason
But Orion's there, by Leo Minor-

[He leans in, not even noticing he's dropped in to rhythm]

Those are a few of my favorite stars

[isawallflower]

[ Riley, of course, notices, and lets it happen. That's...relaxing, isn't it? Anything, anything to not think about it. ]

You know you're singing, right?

[37773972]

The belt's made of Epsilon, Zeta and Delta
And his sword's made of nebulae, that's pretty hella
Most of others don't really have names-
and oh goddamn it not this again.

[Now he catches himself.]

Sorry.

[isawallflower]

There's nothing wrong with it, you know. It happens. And it's... It's like a way of being honest with someone.

[ Another small laugh but it's more...wet. Riley settles her chin on her knees, eyes closing for a moment. ]

Storms in the evening and crisp early mornings;
Rainbows and hair bows and foretelling warnings;
Practices where everything goes okay.
That's what I think of to get through the day.

[37773972]

It's...still strange. [Or is it? He's more or less gotten used to trading lines with Mephisto, even joining in song with him, so why would it be weird with anyone else? He's quiet, which is convenient because there she goes, as well. He watches her sing in silence before...

Discarding the strangeness, taking a breath, and this time, just...letting the song flow.]

When the dog bites,
When the bee stings,
When I'm feeling sad...

[isawallflower]

[ Yeah, see, there he goes. ]

I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don't feel so bad~

[ She opens her eyes and blinks back a few tears. ]

...It'd be really, really nice if it worked like that all the time. But...sometimes it's a pick-me-up.

[37773972]

...I don't think it could work all the time. But you're right. Sometimes it helps.

[He inhales a nice, deep breath through his nose, and out through his mouth. Then...]

Do you want to talk about what upset you, or should I see if another song comes to mind?

[isawallflower]

[ She bites down on her bottom lip, still hunched over. She likes to keep her posture straight so it feels...weird. But. She stays like that. ]

...I don't remember it all. But. Something bad happened. My friends... [ Oh, no. A lump grows in her throat. ] A-and I think... What that knife, a-and what I saw means- [ She squeezes her legs, tight, and her voice drops low. ]

Someone...else got hurt.

[37773972]

[.....

That sure is an arm squeezing her shoulders. What can Stephen say to that? He can't say everyone's all right, because he doesn't know- he's scared for her, perhaps not a real fear like he is for her here and now, but...nobody should go through something like that.

Still. He tries.]

It'll be okay.