week 5

[stagemanagers]

[That was...an absolute shitshow. More beloved friends are dead in a mess of a trial that's left Angus half the man he was, Riley in a free fall and the Phantom...somehow still standing despite taking two stabs to the torso.

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 door blocking the stairwell on the second floor has been unsealed. You can now venture up to the third floor! You have so much space now, it's just a shame it's all come at the cost of eight lives.

But despite the tragedy you have made progress! The trip into the Phantom's lair yielded some hints to the past of the Opera House, your house manager's apparently grim hobby and the possibility of an ally outside the Opera House. Who knows what this week will bring?]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday


(( Welcome to Week 5! Please remember to submit your AC and your memory regains, as well as your coins! You can also still contact the Phantom. ))

Comments

cemetery

[stagemanagers]

[Christine doesn't get a verbal answer from anyone non-living.

What does happen is, while she's passing by an empty grave marker, her arms move on their own and a soft tingly sensation fills her limbs. They lift in a jerky motion and slowly, carefully wrap around her in a self-hug.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine gasps softly as her arms move. For a dreadful moment, she thinks she can feel the buzzing in the back of her head again, that she can feel words that someone else wants her to sing on her lips.

But no, this feels different. It feels safe, oddly. Christine lets her arms wrap around her as her eyes overflow with tears for a moment.

But before the feeling fades, she realizes this must have been someone. So she stubbornly blinks her tears away and whispers out:]

Hello? Is... is someone there? Please, I left you all letters, I... I want to talk to you.

[heathencall]

[Mephisto hasn't gone far, and considering their proximity, he thinks at first that Christine is talking to him.

He turns to answer, but stops.]

Christine, what's going on? [He'll approach just a little warily.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

Something... no, someone, one of our friends, I think they're moving my arms.

[She has to believe it's them. Who else would want to comfort her right now? She bends over, chokes on another sob, but tries to whisper to them.]

Please. Please, if there's anything I can do to help you, anything you need me to see, please show me.

[heathencall]

[You know we can't help ourselves... ]

Riley?

[stagemanagers]

[Still no verbal answer but the hug tightens just a little more before releasing. But who or whatever has a hold of her isn't quite done yet- after a moment's pause her right hand lifts of it's own accord and traces something on the back of her right hand:

R W]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine waits patiently as her arms move. She doesn't dare fight it, doesn't even breathe as she feels her hands start to shift, one on top of the other.

She feels what she traces and chokes on a sob.]

Riley! Riley, you're here... you, you knew I couldn't let go, didn't you?

[heathencall]

[Yeah, you know Mephisto is booking it over there.]

It's -- [That knife is back in his throat. He feels like he can't breathe.] It's her?

[madgiganticfeelings]

It has to be. She wrote 'RW' on my hand. Her initials.

[And no one else with those initials would be spending their time in the graveyard, trying to hug and comfort a pitiful child like Christine.]

I... hope you're okay, Riley. I... If there's anything at all you need to tell us... then take my arms, my legs, my voice, take anything.

[If Christine had to give them up for good, she wouldn't care. So long as Riley could be back...]

[heathencall]

[On the one hand, he doesn't want to ruin the moment with Christine. On the other... they're both his so...

Mephisto is joining the hug action. Even if "Riley" can't feel it, he'll still try.]

[stagemanagers]

[The tingly sensation in Christine's limbs fades as quickly as it came, leaving only the feeling of Mephisto's hug behind.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

No, no no, wait, Riley, I...

[The feeling disappears suddenly, and Christine's eyes well up with fresh tears. Her arms cling to Mephisto's then.]

...I think she's gone.

[heathencall]

[He swallows.]

I'm sorry. I should not have interrupted. I must have --

[Just going to distract himself by giving Christine a good squeeze.]

[stagemanagers]

[Now hold on, something else is happening.

Near their feet the grass by their feet is actively tamping down into some kind of shape: <3 except less emoticon-looking.]

[heathencall]

Christine --

[Sorry to interrupt your singing but. He's going to nudge her.]

Look.

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine turns her head just as she's finishing singing, and her voice falters.]

O-Oh...

[There's no need to let her in, then. Christine untangles from Mephisto's embrace and falls to her knees, looking around the heart. It could just be a symbol, a message, but... maybe there's something else she wants to tell them?]

[stagemanagers]

[It should also be noted they look kind of like they were made by footprints...and the shape is much bigger than Riley's feet.

But other than that it's just a simple, cute heart.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

This doesn't... look like Riley.

[One of the adults, maybe? Christine frowns softly before calling out:]

Sigyn? King Richard? ...Angus?

[stagemanagers]

[When Christine says "King Richard", she'll feel her hair ruffle gently despite there being no wind.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Wow, Christine sure is doing a lot of crying today. But she steels herself enough to curtsy.]

Y-Your Majesty. If you have anything you need to tell us, we're listening.

[stagemanagers]

[There is no change.]

[heathencall]

[Christine is doing the investigating on the ground but....

What happens if he waves his hand in the air over the heart?]

[stagemanagers]

[It feels slightly colder!]

[heathencall]

[Gotta pay the troll toll. To get into this ghost hole.

yeah he's jumping into the heart.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

No... no, it's not your fault. It's just... ghosts can't manipulate the real world for long, that's like a rule.

[She buries her face in his chest and exhales slowly.]

She's still here. We just have to... listen. And let her in when she's there.

There's nothing we can do about
The things we have to do without
The only way to feel again
Is let love in

There's nothing we can do about
The ones we have to live without
The only way to see again
Is let love in...