[Meeting/Catch-All] And it comes to an end, even winter... life fall

[heathencall]

[Final week, time for some drama.

Mephisto calls a meeting on Sunday in a rush. He'll keep calling meetings every night he needs to. Better make sure the women's room is nice and comfy.]

Comments

Sunday

[heathencall]

[There's a sense of foreboding as Mephisto reads the last letter from the Phantom. He gathers every letter that's ever been sent between them, stacks of paper and secrets. He's out of the door in seconds, racing down the halls and pounding on doors. It doesn't matter how late it is, everyone is getting dragged into the women's room.

Some letters are thrown out for everyone to see. Most notably, the more recent one.]

The Wizard has chosen to end this venture this week. I will see to reviving the dead when it is completed.

I thought you were angry at him?

[Mephisto gives everyone just enough time to read the letter before speaking.]

The Phantom says he can bring our friends back. That this was always the plan. What do we make of that?

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Christine has been reading things far about her grade for hours now. When she sees letters, she almost wants to close her eyes... but she decides against it, studying each paper with increasing concern.]

He's ending this? I thought he needed us all to die for... power, or whatever it is he's trying to accomplish.

[She sighs softly and tosses the letter back down.]

I checked the crypts not too long ago. All of them are empty. The Phantom told me he was 'keeping them safe,' so I assumed it was for reviving them. I was... worried he had already been doing that, that he was bringing their bodies back for those... sick executions.

[likemypicture]

[Okay, some of us were trying to get our beauty sleep, Mephisto.

Anne sits on the floor of the women's bathroom in her nightgown, blanket tossed around her shoulders, green sunglasses on like they might somehow prevent everyone else from seeing how tired she is, Richard's crown perched on her head. It's a real look. She scowls at the letter, then passes it on.]

What was the point, if that was always the plan?

[likemypicture]

Why not both, at this point?

[heathencall]

It wouldn't surprise me if that was the case. Temporary resurrections to serve their end.

... It makes me worry for whatever he has planned. How can we guarantee they'll be of our own minds if he does bring them back?

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Dad, do you have to point that out? This was exactly what Christine was so afraid of.]

I'm asking him to bring one of the bodies up from where he's keeping them. If I can see if they have damage or if they've been healed, that might explain whether or not it was really them on the stage.

[heathencall]

We're all supposed to be performers, right? Perhaps this is his role? And once the curtain falls... an encore?

[You know things about encores right, Anne?]

[heathencall]

[He makes a face.]

I am sure that will be a pleasant experience for us all.

... A good idea, nonetheless.

[garbageface]

If we’re all performers, then who are we performing for? The Wizard, or some other sick audience?

[likemypicture]

This is life, not a pop concert! [ the..... irony.....]

An encore, with all the performers. Does he intend to have us all perform again? Repeat it all?

[heathencall]

I wish I could say. But it may be worth asking the Phantom directly. If nothing else, he's been more... forthcoming than usual.

He told me last week about his plans for revival. At the time I didn't believe him. But with how wrong things went at the last trial... I feel we should believe that the Wizard seeks to end this.

[Speaking of the previous week's letters!]

He did say that our Wizard may have something more in common with our Beetled friend. Specifically. [He points the the letter and reads it aloud.]

If anyone in this place understands him, it may well be the other demon.

He went on to say that attempting to summon him would be a death sentence, so let's not. Try that again.

[madgiganticfeelings]

I asked him to do it somewhere private.

[That way, she can deal with it on her own. She'll have to head over there soon enough but, for now, she's got the time to spare.]

[heathencall]

You aren't going to confront him by yourself, Christine. We're not doing any of this by ourselves. Not anymore.

[madgiganticfeelings]

I've tried leaving letters for him, but he hasn't answered my requests to talk. I thought if we could just meet, it wouldn't be summoning...

[madgiganticfeelings]

...Right.

[Christine looks away for a moment, feeling guilty, but... the Phantom hadn't told her it was okay to bring anyone else. It's probably for the best she just... forget to tell him when and where he's bringing the body.]

[heathencall]

I imagine the Wizard isn't the problem, but attempting to contact the other one. [vague motions.] Bug drink.

Which does make me curious as to their relationship. Are they simply like species, or do they know each other from a previous venture?

[heathencall]

Thank you.

[Clearly nothing will happen at all! Christine will listen to him! :)]

[garbageface]

I mean, if they were a species, then shouldn’t you also have some kind of knowledge about the Wizard?

[ since Mephisto is also. technically a demon. ]

[heathencall]

Not according to what the Phantom said. [A shrug.] As I've said before, I haven't -- [aaand a pause.] Hadn't been to hell before all of this. I don't believe I made it all the way "down," so to speak, before I was pulled into this place.

So... Fallen angel would be more accurate.

[likemypicture]

It sounded like this was... new. That the Wizard was a good opportunity for the Phantom, but he liked that he treated him the same as everyone else.

[likemypicture]

I really really hope it wasn't them.

And if it was, I hope they... never remember.

[heathencall]

Not hard, when you treat everyone like they're disposable.

[likemypicture]

It's weird, ja? He seems so upset with how people treat him, but then this Wizard... Isn't he treating him worst of all?

[madgiganticfeelings]

I hope so too. If it helps, I... I don't think any of them would have wanted to do anything like that.

[King Richard especially, but Spinel, Claudine... even Jonny wouldn't have done something that callous.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

Not to mention many of us tried to be friends with him. I... I try not to be too harsh when I'm talking to him, specifically because I don't want to be like the people he's dealt with before.

But it doesn't seem like that matters.