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]

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.

[isawallflower]

[ He can probably feel her shoulders shake. With a sniffle, she buries her face into her knees. ]

I j-just. I just wanted to...keep everything from breaking down. T-to be a good captain, but then... Oh, my God, it all just--

[ And. She breaks off, finally just leaning her shoulder into the arm around her. It's been a bad, bad week. ]

[37773972]

[And he's just going to kind of gather her close in a hug. Boy, he's doing this a lot- but he doesn't mind. It's...cathartic for him, too. Feeling like he's doing something for the kids, even if it's just being a shoulder to cry on - or in to.

This time, though, he doesn't know what to say. Or sing. Not a note comes out of him as he just sort of...holds her, and lets her cry. Maybe, sometimes...there isn't something to fill the silence, just what silent comfort that can be offered.]

[isawallflower]

[ Two hugs from responsible adults in one week? Wow, this is literally a record. Riley will think about that later. For right now, she just gasps out a sob and gives in to the comfort. Not saying anything's fine, honestly. She can't say anything.

For awhile, this is just going to be how it is. Riley cries until she's all cried out, and- and she sincerely hopes a single day passes without something pushing her to this point, again. But... ]

[37773972]

[NOT TODAY, RILEY, NOT TODAY. Maybe tomorrow. For now, though. Stephen's just rocking her slightly, letting her cry herself out. Only when she quiets down does he finally break the silence, ever-so-softly;]

You're gonna be ok. I promise.

[Not that things are okay, because they're not. But they will be.]

[isawallflower]

[ Maybe tomorrow she'll just stay in bed, honestly-

At his assertion, she takes a slow, shuddering breath. Riley hates that this feels more like a dream - more unreal - than the one she had on Sunday. ]

Am I?

[37773972]

If I have anything to say about it? Yeah. And I'm not the only one who wants to see it happen.

[isawallflower]

[ After a moment, she sniffles and raises her head. Dismally, she rubs at one of her eyes. ]

...Thank you. For- for all of this.