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

[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.

[musacal]

[ She doesn't shy away, but stay very still. Eventually though she lowers the letter and picture frame into her lap, revealing the group photo within the froggy frame. ]

...She was one of the most passionate people I ever met.

Just watching her inspired you to work just as hard as she did.

[37773972]

I can believe it.

[He looks over the photo, noting Nana, Claudine, and...the others.]

Are you up for talking about her a little bit more, Nana? It's okay if you're not.

[musacal]

...Sure. I can try doing that.

[ A deep, steadying breath.]

Did she ever tell you she was a child actress? But even with that kind of background, she never rested on her laurels. She was always trying to better herself, always aiming for the top.

[ That "top" being Maya Tendou but... ]

It was amazing to watch her and Maya-san play off one another. That's why when they were cast as the leads in our play, no one was surprised. She was a perfect Flora.

[37773972]

She didn't- but good for her. [He knew she was clearly in to plays, but...like he said. He wishes he knew her better.]

Your play. What was it about?

will i ever stop using this song for Starlight? all signs point to no

[musacal]

[ Nana is quiet for a few more seconds, before quietly: ]

It's a sad song,
It's a sad tale...
...It's a tragedy.

[ ... ]

It's about two girls, Claire and Flora, who promise to meet each other again in a year. But when they do, it turns out that Claire lost her memory of Flora after an accident. They decide to try and bring Claire's memory back by grasping a star and making a wish, but they have to ascend a tower first. Inside are six sinful goddesses that they have to get past: Fury, Curse, Escape, Jealousy, Despair and Arrogance.

...When they get to the top though they only face tragedy. Flora is blinded and falls from the tower, and while Claire has her memories back she's left alone and imprisoned in the tower with the other goddesses. They never meet again.

[ I'm sorry Stephen if you wanted to hear about something that... wasn't a huge downer??? ]

[37773972]

[...that's...a hell of a story. And- very quietly-]

You said you'd been reliving the same year for decades. Did you do the same play every time...?

[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?

[musacal]

[ For a moment she's just very still and not answering. But then, ]

...Yes. I am. For now anyway.

[heathencall]

[He sits down... relatively beside her. A few feet for jesus between them.]

What do you need, Nana? [He pauses.] We asked a lot of you today.

[musacal]

[ "Need"? What does she need?

.......... ]

...I need them back.

I need to be able to bring Clau-chan home.

Starlight... Starlight needs to be eight people...

[ And fuck off Hikari you timeloop interloper you can't replace Claudine.

...

She doesn't just mean Claudine though, does she. ]

[heathencall]

[Yeah, he's not sure what answer he expected there but... He just nods. He knows the feeling. Not having Riley here, not seeking her out the second a trial came to an end... ]

We'll get out. Together -- the rest of us. And we can help you reclaim your position without anymore bloodshed.

We can bring the rest of us back.

[musacal]

[ She's quiet again before eventually speaking again. ]

...We'll fix it?

[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.]

[musacal]

[ She can tell Christine is there, so she's not horribly spooked when the other girl puts that hand on her back, but she doesn't really respond. Not right away anyway.

After a moment she pull the picture frame away from her chest and moves it so Christine can see the cast photo within. ]

It's our Starlight cast.

We look pretty good, don't we?

[ She's not sure what to say either so... may as well talk about Starlight, right?

[madgiganticfeelings]

You all look amazing. And like you're having a lot of fun. I... wish I had a cast photo like that.

[Her castmates have never even wanted to take a photo, much less one so fun.

But Christine wonders if it was as fun the 20th, or 50th time.]

I'm... so sorry I didn't know what you were going through. When you told me about Starlight... I didn't realize changing it would be so hard.

[musacal]

No... no, it's all right. It's not like you knew or anything.

[ She looks back down at the cast photo. ]

It was the first time I was on stage with other people... it was perfect...

[madgiganticfeelings]

Yeah... and you probably felt like you wanted it to last forever. I understand that.

[She slowly rubs Nana's back.]

On the stage is the only place where I feel like I'm truly myself. I understand that longing. I'm just sorry it... backfired.

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.

[musacal]

...Hi Shilo.

[ pause ]

H-Hey... I'm not screaming this time, at least?

[recessives]

I guess so.

[ she lets out a small noise that's like. it's part laugh? it's distantly related to a laugh. ]

Somehow that doesn't really feel like much of an improvement.

[musacal]

[ She also... makes a sound like a laugh? Sorta? But it's hoarse and bitter. ]

Haha... yeah, I guess not.

...Sorry you had to see me get like that earlier.

[recessives]

[ she shakes her head ]

No, it's... I guess I can't really say I know a lot about where you're coming from specifically, but it's okay. I think we're all allowed to be upset today.

[musacal]

Y...Yeah...

[ today was... a lot ]

But still I... appreciate you pulling me back from that...