Week 6

[stagemanagers]

[Well, that was...a lot. You only lost two more friends this week, but due to nothing more than an accident, Jeremy and Shilo are both gone. And the SQUIP, of course, but that one doesn't seem to concern you much, does it?

Regardless, when you wake on Sunday, you'll find that you've regained another memory, right on schedule. Another floor has also opened up, the apparent product of a successful trial.

But you have still made gains in other ways! Your efforts have produced successful contact with the afterlife; now you know that all your dead friends are still around somewhere. You've also managed to befriend Chewie, the person on the other side of the Phantom's mysterious harassing texts. They all want you to keep going - so you'd better find a way to do that, hadn't you?]


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

MONDAY

[stagemanagers]

[37773972]

[After his morning workout with Santana and breakfast after that, Stephen can be found in the recording studio. He feels like a bit of an idiot, but...he might be heard singing to himself, a little unsteadily, or you can at least see him in the booth of nothing else- to be fair, he's actively trying to figure out how some of this nonsense works. After all this long, it'd be nice to have better control over it, right?]

Four, three, two, one
Earth below us
Drifting, falling
Floating, weightless
Calling, calling home

[Yes, he's chosen one of his own favorite songs. If he's going to do an experiment test with all this, better later than never and all, he may as well start with the basics - right?

...anyway, after that, he'll be walking the grounds. He walks the perimeter of the gates - the garden, the field, the cemetery - `finally coming to stare up at those large, imposing gates. He stays there for some time before finally walking off.

In the evening, you'll find him in the infirmary, taking an inventory of everything that's there - much as he had done with the supply closet, with Riley, weeks ago.]

cemetery

[stagemanagers]

[While Stephen is wandering the cemetery, he'll notice something odd...writing in the dirt.]

Is anyone there? It’s Claudine.

[37773972]

[Oh?

Oh.

Stephen doesn't need any prompting this time; he quickly squats down next to the writing, and, after a brief moment of thought, draws in the dirt underneath it-]

It's Browning. Do whatever you need to.

[Not that he wouldn't have given Sigyn permission, before, but- an invitation is nice, he figures?]

[etincelledefierte]

[She’s not actually going to possess him; instead she’ll sweep the message away and write:]

I just wanted to check on everyone up there, for lack of a better way to put it. We can’t always see what’s going on.

...and please tell Christine that I did what she asked in her letter. She’ll know what I mean.

[37773972]

[Hey, this works just fine. And keeping that in mind- he'll actually talk out loud as he's writing his response, speaking the message]

'We're getting through it. Worried about tomorrow, but not giving up. And I will.'

[A pause, then;]

'Nana remembered something that hurt. I'm helping as much as I can.'

Recording Studio

[heathencall]

[Just how long has Mephisto been there?

... Probably just long enough to be creepy, but that's fine.]

Having fun? [And without waiting.] May I?

[37773972]

[He's sort of snapping a beat for himself to keep the rhythm, since there's no instruments in his head other than what he's imagining- but he stops when he hears Mephisto's voice, and sheepishly reaches up to remove the headphones]

If you want?

[heathencall]

[Right. Mephisto had an idea here, but now that it's happening -- He's never been one to be nervous. Hell, he's never been nervous. But he can feel something welling inside of him, and if this place has taught him one thing, it's that he can't let what he feels eat him alive.

If he had his way, if things were perfect, he might have a piano somewhere in here, even a blasted violin. He'll have to make do with what he has, only a voice, but hopefully Stephen gets the gist all the same.]

You bring me to my knees, you make me testify
You can make a sinner change his ways
Open up your gates cause I can't wait to see the light
And right there is where I want to stay

[37773972]

[That...wasn't quite what he expected. A tease, perhaps, some sort of jibe like Mephisto's so comfortable with. Not...this.

Of Mephisto's own accord, out of the blue- a better scientist than Browning would immediately latch on to this, but Stephen's so surprised all he can do is widen his eyes for a moment and...not even sing back.

He just stands there, watching and listening, not daring to interrupt lest he break this voluntary vulnerability.]

[heathencall]

[Honestly, he appreciates the silence. He can get through this -- get to what needs to be said. There's no compulsion to tell the truth with his own damn words, but he can sure as hell steal someone else's.]

Cause your touch takes me to paradise
And your touch takes me to paradise
And it shows, yeah

[His voice hitches, just for a moment. This is the important part. The silence continues, just a little too long, but -- ]

Cause you make me feel like I've been locked out of heaven
For too long, for too long

[stagemanagers]

[Oh good, they're both listening. When Mephisto finishes his verse, he'll hear a new voice through the headphones, just as the speakers in the studio make a small noise of turning on.

It's a girl's voice.]

...I i-interrupting...something?

[Riley's voice.]

cw language

[garbageface]

[ Around mid-morning, Santana ventures over to the merchandise booth to claim some sweet loot! She holds up an Eminem shirt to her torso, frowns, and then throws it over her shoulder. It’s not her style. Then, presumably as some kind of passive-aggressive follow-up, the booth spits out...a red scrunchie? ]

Ugh, I’ve already got a bunch of these. Guess you’re useless as ever, merchandise booth!

[ But this scrunchie feels...different, somehow. Instead of tossing it, she pockets it and heads to the first floor women’s bathroom to try it on. The results are surprisingly good! She beams, and to whoever’s next to her, says: ]

Damn, I look hot.

[ Later that day, she’ll feel good and empowered, and struts down the hall, in unusually good spirits. ]

Bitch, I'm bout to blew up too
I'm the one today
I'm the new shit boo
Young Santana
Who are you bitch, new lunch?
I'mma ruin you cunt

What you gon' do when I appear?
W-W-when I premiere?
Bitch the end of your lives are near
This shit been mine, mine

[ She’ll finish her weird parade in the fitness room, where she’s posing in front of the mirrored walls, scrunchie in her hair and steak knife in her hand. She sure does feel like a bad bitch. ]

knife room- i mean fitness

[37773972]

[With more functionality returning to his hands as a result of all the work, Stephen is interested in seeing if a little bit more will help him regain total. He's already in there when Santana is, trying some weightlifting - mostly to test his grip than actually trying to build arm strength. When he sees her enter, he smiles, and opens his mouth-

-then shuts right the fuck up, eyes locking on the knife in her hand.

Oh.]

[garbageface]

[ Santana isn’t sure how to read the shock on Stephen’s face, so she’s gonna read that as a compliment! She tosses her ponytail and waves. ]

I know, right? My hair’s never looked better.

[37773972]

Yeah. Sure. [His voice isn't faint, that's just your imagination. He's pulling his gaze away, though, almost fumbling the weights as he starts putting them away]

[garbageface]

[ first he’s weird during Sunday’s workout, and now this? Santana frowns. She’s not angry, but she is incredibly confused. She’s objectively correct about her hair, so what’s Stephen’s deal? ]

What’s going on? I know you said yesterday to drop it and leave you alone, but, like, now I need to know if I’m doing something wrong, because you keep getting all weird around me, and “bad dreams” is a super vague answer.

[37773972]

[He's not looking at her. And for a few moments, it seems like he might not even answer. Finally, though, he takes a breath, and still not turning around-]

Why are you carrying a knife?

[garbageface]

[ Santana’s first instinct is to declare because it’s cool as hell, but she holds her tongue instead. It’s her turn to be quiet for a few moments. Stephen is one of the few people here Santana trusts, and it’d be nice, maybe, if he trusted her too.

She takes a deep breath. ]

I dunno, because I’m scared? That I’m gonna be killed, or someone else is? So I’m gonna take whatever scrap of power I can, I guess.

[ it helps, a little. ]

fitness room

[holyspit]

...Why the knife.

[The rest of this seems about right. The knife is worrying.]

[garbageface]

[ there’s nothing to worry about! santana is the most responsible knife user in the opera house. ]

Because it looks hot, duh. Wanna try it out?

[holyspit]

Uuuuh- no thanks, I'm good. ...Have you considered looking hot with something non-deadly?

[garbageface]

It’s a steak knife, not a machete. It can only do so much.

Besides, I’ve also got a hot new hairstyle.

[ Santana tosses her ponytail, which looks exactly like all her other ponytails, except for the fact that it’s held up by a red scrunchie. ]

[holyspit]

I feel like it could do enough?

[Everyone left is at least fifty percent human and kind of weak to stabbing.]

Oh, hey the scrunchie does look good on you. Was that in the costume room?

[garbageface]

Nah, merchandise booth. Which, like, it’s weird, given that most of the clothes coming out of that booth are butt-ugly.

[ Santana sizes Steven up for a moment. Then, as if she’s decided something, she nods. ]

You wanna try it on? You gotta give it back, though.