Love's no good but it sure beats the hurt

[madgiganticfeelings]

[That was... Christine can only call it the most horrible thing she's seen so far, with that familiar dread that says something worse may come. Four people have died. Four friends Christine had trusted in and relied upon. And four more people she cares about have turned into memories and painful reminders of her failure to do anything meaningful here.

And Christine wallows in that. God, does she wallow. But she also knows that those painful ghosts of the people she loved relied on her to keep getting back up when the world knocked her down. And she has to keep going, if only to honour there memories.

The note she slides under each person's door is very simple, the bright orange gel pen somehow seeming duller in the wake of mourning:]

Food is in the dining hall.
Please come have something, or I'll track you down in an hour and force feed you.
If there's anything at all you need, please come talk to me. We shouldn't have to suffer alone.
-Christine

[There's a few dishes Christine knows how to make: lo mein and beef stew, some simple sandwiches as well. There are almond cookies after the more filling foods are prepared.

Off to the side is a plate with a few dumplings and... what looks like mashed turnips? An odd combination, but they were Angus' favourite.

And Christine is true to her word. If you don't come in an hour, she'll find you. In fact, she makes rounds around the opera house pretty much every hour, checking each room, and... maybe singing softly to herself as she goes.]

O god,
I can't stay, I won't stay for things left unseen
I can't stay, I won't stay, this end has no means
I can't stay, I won't stay, you were just a dream
A sweet sweet dream
You were a dream
But not my dream...

[Speaking of dreams, someone should convince her to go to bed.]

Comments

[heathencall]

[Mephisto does not come to the dining room. Once he shoves away from Stephen and the rest of the crowd, he does his best to disappear. At first, that involves spending some time in his room. The door is shut and locked, but you're welcome to try knocking.

Later in the evening, a few sounds -- tight and pained -- might be heard from behind those doors. They'll eventually drift into the bathroom, where Mephisto struggles to re-bandage his wing. What was previously pink with residual blood is now looking a lot more vibrant.

When he finally gets himself squared away, he heads not to his own room, but to Riley's. He doesn't stay long -- just long enough to grab the bear, the feather and the letter.

He makes his way to the wall. It's not the first time he's stared up at it, wondering if he could climb it. It is the first time he's tried. He doesn't make it far considering his injuries -- he falls back into the dirt relatively quickly and... stays there, despite the pain in his wing. The bear stares back at him, feather still clutched in is "paws." The letter feels like a weight in his pocket.

He stares up at the sky, foreign and strange, and a few words escape him.]

Binding promises were made
On our souls.
Grand delusions lead astray.
Ice-cold wings couldn't guide your way
Bring you back to me

Mephisto's Room

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Welcome to try? Christine will certainly take a shot at that. She's knocking on his door even before an hour is past, soft, but insistent.]

Mephisto? ...Mephy?

[Maybe dumb nicknames can help.]

Please open up? I just... want to know you're okay.

[likemypicture]

[She's polite enough not to disturb him while he attempts to climb the wall on her way to do the sugarcube thing with the horse-- but on her way back, she can't just ignore him. That would be awkward.

Or maybe it's more awkward to talk to him. Who knows?]

Cute bear.

[musacal]

[ After she ran she didn’t go to her room. No she went to Claudine’s and tried to see if there was anything there she needed to know about. Any final notes or things of hers she should take care of. She finds the letters and... god she really thought she was all cried out for the day but NOPE. So she takes all of them with her, including her own.

...Something makes her stop by Angus’ room too. Which thank god for that bc she sees her beloved frog frame and cast photo RIGHT THERE and welp she’s not leaving it here with that fucker’s shit.

She’s pretty sure that people will eventually congregate in the dining hall even without looking at the note from Christine, so she heads there... and leaves Claudine’s letters on the table. ]

Clau-chan left one of these for everyone—- and I do mean everyone.

[ With that done she’s left again, not even bothering to eat. She still has her letter and her picture and she’s just... found her way back to the dance studio where she found Claudine’s body. All nice and clean now, like she was never even there.

She crumples in a heap in the corner, face turned to the wall much like Claudine was earlier, clutching the letter and picture to her chest as she keeps sobbing, quieter than before. ]

[37773972]

[Even if he hadn't read Claudine's letter, he'd be looking for Nana. When he finds her crying he just...stands in the doorway for a few moments before approaching, trying to make sure his footsteps are loud enough to be heard. And if Nana doesn't shy away, he'll sit near her, arms resting on bent knees before he softly speaks;]

I wish I knew her better.

[heathencall]

[When idle mourning gives way to listless wandering, Mephisto finds Nana in the dance studio.

Maybe he should... leave her be.

But with everyone else breaking down, he figures he should at least check on her.]

Nana. [He announces himself as he enters, the last thing he wants to do is startle her, especially here.] You are still with me, yes?

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine grabs one of the letters, but she doesn't open it. No, she's about to say something when she sees Nana bolt.

She doesn't say anything then. She just chases after, all the way to the dance studio, where she hovers, nervously in the doorway.

She still... can't say anything. What could she possibly say to make this right? She'd only add to the sadness if she tried.

So instead she steps forward, then again, and again. She takes each step she hopes Claudine would, if she were here, and kneels beside her, placing a hand on Nana's back.]

dance studio

[recessives]

[ they really have to stop meeting like this-

Shilo walks in a couple steps and just sort of. Leans awkwardly against a wall. ]

... Hey, Nana.

[37773972]

[Stephen doesn't stay long- but he does come. He doesn't drink, but he tries to approach whoever's there, trying to gauge what he can do. It helps him take his mind off his own pain- mental and physical. He may need a wee bit of help taking a serving, though he seems to be pushing through the discomfort of his arms one way or another.

It's not easy. None of this is.

After, he's outside in the fields. His back is against the grass, and he's gazing up at the ever starry sky, mostly silent, but if one approaches?

They might hear him hum- or even sing.]

...I don't want to start
any blasphemous rumors
but I think that God's got
a sick sense of humor
and when I die
I expect to find him laughing

[heathencall]

I'm sure He will be.

[Someone's managed to collect himself from the heap he'd fallen into. It's just hard to mope about when you hear someone singing in the distance.

He doesn't sit down -- doesn't assume that he has the right. But he is... here.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Oh thank God, someone finally came. Christine is picking at her food, and then gives a very strained, very tired smile.]

I'm... glad you're here.

[That's an obvious statement, but she really means it.]

[likemypicture]

[Anne shows up almost instantly after the note is slid under her door-- She had meant to check in on the kitchen earlier, she really had, but she and Tad Cooper had some soul searching to do.

And by soul searching, she means gazing into Tad Cooper's eyes intensely trying to see find some trace of what the hell made him haul ass to her like that. The dragons in stories were intelligent creatures, right? Or had there been something--- or someone-- compelling him?

Well. Anyway. She's done staring at and talking to an animal that may or may not have a curse upon him, so she heads to the dining hall. What she wears isn't her usual style-- instead, it's much more youthful, something like... a teenager would wear? A printed skirt, a solid top, and a denim jacket. Weird. She holds herself together, though, carrying dear Tad Cooper in a wicker basket as she makes her entry.]

I'm afraid I'm going to be a little bit of an adjustment, dear Tad, for I am an avid partier, unlike your two previous masters. Don't worry, I can show you the way. [Has Queen Anne lost her mind, talking to a dralizard like this?]

[Nevermind. She quickly busies herself folding fancy napkins, with making herself and others plates, and with trying to teach poor Tad Cooper how to eat off a spoon like a dignified little beast.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Thank God for Anne, here to be the life of the party, even when no one else is even here. Christine appreciates her help with table setting, but she doesn't get to say hello until Anne is trying to feed poor Tad some noodles.]

Maybe you should start with baby food? Noodles are long. Too slippery.

[justmeheere]

[Yeah, Jeremy doesn't show up at the party. If you thought Jeremy was gonna repair his relationship with Christine now that the SQUIP's gone that's a cute idea but also Jeremy Heere actually fucked up and I'm not letting him off the hook for it like canon.

Instead, he ends up in the movie room. He's watching the seminal movie musical classic . . . From Justin To Kelly. Actually he's sitting there and staring blankly at a screen that's playing From Justin To Kelly and eating red vines, but it's fine. Everything's fine.

He is, by the way, still wearing Michael's jacket.]

[heathencall]

[He's... actually on his way to the chapel when he hears noise coming from the movie room. He... pokes his head in, and... hm.]

Do they help? [He nods to the red vines and opens his hand.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[That's a cute idea, and fucking hell, Christine needs it to happen. If she destroyed her relationships with the two teenagers she cared about more than anything, then... well, maybe she could have a chance to make better choices? But more likely she'd give up on having any glimmer of happiness ever again.

So, while Jeremy is in the movie theater, Christine is moving to sit next to him, holding out a sandwich silently.]

[stagemanagers]

[Howdy, Jeremy! Your stolen Nokia is receiving a text!]

yo

[holyspit]

[Sorry Christine, and anyone else that might be looking for him, Steven is not appearing at this party. Anyone who looks for him will eventually find him in the stables curled up next to a sleeping Lion, with the broken sword he received in your first week here.]

[He keeps glancing down at the sword despondently, and you might catch him singing quietly.]

Everything about this place is dangerous,
Maybe I didn't get it until now
Things just keep getting worse, this-
We keep all giving out,
What would you do?
I don't want to be you...

[Later on the afternoon and evening he does finally succumb to hunger, and sneaks into the kitchen when he's reasonably sure no one else is around.]

[Anyone catching him now is likely to find him sitting on the floor, back against the counters and knees to his chest, hate-eating a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich.]

[likemypicture]

[Oh. Anne should have realized Steven would be here, as she does the sugarcube thing with the horse-- his giant.... pet pink lion here and all. Anne very politely pretends not to see him as she offers the horse a nice treat-- very gently admonishing it when it looks to the basket she carries.]

No-- No, Tad Cooper is a friend, not a treat. Here's another sugarcube. [Her eyes flutter over to Steven only then.]

Steven, would you like a sugarcube as well?

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine's definitely out looking for Steven. How could she not? She made a promise to be his bodyguard, and... and Riley is gone, so that's going to become a promise to everyone rather quickly.

But she hears that singing, and it gives her pause. She's not sure if she should make her presence known, or try to sneak away, but... feelings take priority, as they always do for Christine, and she sings along.]

Everybody knows that life is precious
In the opera house, and that means you
And I want to protect you
But somehow you still get hurt
What can I do?

[stagemanagers]

[Anybody who bothers to check out Spinel's room will find an unopened letter from the Phantom sitting on her vanity. It's short, only two words:]

Thank you.

[garbageface]

[ Santana arrives at the dining hall at the instructed time, only because she does believe that Christine will track her down and drag her there, and that’s not something either of them need to go through. She’ll take a plate, stare at it for about fifteen minutes, and then go to throw it away, untouched.

From there, she’ll go to Riley’s room, where she finds not only her letter but a t-shirt with “LEBANESE” printed across the front. She kneels down, gathers the shirt in her arms, and before she can get ahold of herself, she’s crying: crying for Riley, for herself, and for another cheerleader that she might not ever see again. The emotions are overwhelming. Santana is used to operating mostly on mild dislike and annoyance, so the grief mixed with loss mixed with friendship and love is almost too much for Santana to bear. She’ll let these wash over her instead, in this semi-private place, until they pass.

Late at night, Santana will venture up to the cafe — the last place she saw Riley, before everything fell apart. There’s she’s sweeping up the leftover glass. Her movements are rote, robotic, her gaze heavy and not really looking at anything. She needs to do something, to take control of her life somehow. This is how she’s going to do it. ]

[heathencall]

[Mephisto also has something to fetch from Riley's room. He stops short as he enters, surprised not just by the mess, but the sight of Santana as well.

He's silent as he stands in the doorway. It's probably ominous but... He's unsure how to proceed, unsure which direction would be less damaging to the two of them.]

Santana.

riley's room

[justmeheere]

Oh, I'll uh. I'll come back later.

[He's just here because he wanted - he doesn't know what he wanted. He really doesn't. Like, losing the adults was hard but Riley and Angus were. He doesn't know. They were family, he guesses? Not that he knows what that means, really.

Riley was like Michael, but. Well, he'd say it was different because of gender but it wasn't really that. He's having a weird crisis of, uh. What is a best friend? Is. That can't be what Michael was. Is? Whatever. The point is he and Santana don't know each other well enough for this.]

Unless you wanna. I have an ugly cat you can stab.

[recessives]

[ Shilo does take the time to put in an appearance at the party, grabbing a plate of food and eating it as she thinks about... well, all of today, really! Why is she the only person here without secrets, God. She mostly keeps to herself while she's here, but feel free to come talk! She seems much more open to the idea than she has in a while.

Later on, though, she grabs some appropriate foods from the kitchen and heads to the stables, where she just sort of... decides to hang out with the local Honse. Not even remotely trying to ride him or anything, but. Sometimes you just have to be around a horse for a while, I guess? ]

How are you holding up, buddy?

[ Pretty good it seems, or maybe that's just the apple she's feeding him. ]

[heathencall]

[Well this is an oddly familiar scene.

Mephisto is being just as ominous as ever!]

It seems less traumatized than the lot of us, at least.