"A Swing and Miss Doesn't Mean it's Game Over"

[mayavericks]

[Well… All of that sure happened. And while Maya is visibly shaken Sissi's literal dance with death, she’d meant what she’d said to the others -- she would protect them. At that moment, it meant voting and making the “right” decision. Now, though? It means ensuring that no one feels alone, and that everyone has a good meal in them.

She’s not Nana Daiba, however, she certainly can’t do this alone. But she does have the resourcefulness and authoritative disposition to to recruit allies. Discord is sure to be… mostly unbothered by everything that’s happened, and Spongebob will likely be eager to help. She approaches both men: one is asked nicely; The other is grabbed by the collar and dragged from whatever hole he’s locked himself in. Sorry Discord.

For Maya's part, several potato dishes are prepared (can you tell someone has a bias). And while she doesn’t have the resources to make baumkuchen, Maya does manage to produce a cake, as well as… muffins? They’re not… quite how she remembers Nana making them, but she can at least recall how hearty the food had felt, and how it had restored her energy on long days.

It’s a pleasant memory, even if it does make her a touch melancholy.

Nevertheless, the food is laid out in the kitchen, as are a number of pies that Maya has uncovered. She even tucks a few bottles of wine in a corner for the adults that might like it. This is in addition to the mead apparently brought by Salieri. Look she’s not a fan of having alcohol but… she can’t tell the adults no.

But hey, courtesy of Benjamin, there is even some cocoa. It doesn’t start off spiked but… you know. Thanks to Spongebob there are, well… Angry Patties? It’s fine. Even Discord managed to contribute some pies and tea, as well as being bossed around to do the grunt work in the kitchen. There’s also that inexplicable pizza? Huh, that’s weird.

Eventually the group goes around extending invitations to the dorms, knocking on doors and explaining what’s been set up. No one will be forced to go, just… strongly encouraged. Maya herself will even duck into the principal’s office and, if she’s there, invite Hester.

She seemed just as upset as the rest of them.]

Comments

[themuseabandonsyou]

We can. I'm sure of it. The Wizard will probably try to tempt us again, but...

[ He frowns, lips pressed into a tight line, and looks off to the side. ]

It won't work. We won't play his game.

[mayavericks]

You're right. We will hold each other to it. Be strong for one another.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus nods, looking determined. ]

We promised each other. We promised Elisabeth. And I meant what I said in there. I really do believe we'll make it out of here alive. Everyone who's left. We can do it, if we work together.

[mayavericks]

There is no other option. I will not stand for any further loss.

[themuseabandonsyou]

I don't think any of us would. Not after having had to go through all of that together.

[ If there's one upside to horrific trauma, it's the bonding that comes out of it, right? ]

We just have to buy enough time to figure out how to leave. Or... [ he lowers his voice, leaning in slightly to make himself harder to overhear. ] Maybe we could convince Miss Hester to help us? She really didn't seem happy about what happened back there. It might take time, but...

[mayavericks]

She did not. I attempted to invite her here for that reason. But... [Maya glances toward the door, or at least some space beyond that. She looks... a little distracted.]

I do not suspect that she has that much control over this situation. Consider how she was originally positioned during the trial. She had to ask for the Wizard to put her elsewhere.

Hester is a worthwhile ally, do not get me wrong. But... I suspect she does not have much control over this place.

[themuseabandonsyou]

That makes sense. I guess she only has as much power as he allows her? Still, we'll need all the help we can get, and she knows the Wizard better than any of us do.

[ Which may not be saying much, but it's a start. ]

[mayavericks]

I agree.

Besides, outside of the obvious issues, she is... friendly enough.

[themuseabandonsyou]

She really seems like she thinks she's here to help us. And she has, in some ways? She gave Elisabeth her zither, and has answered questions for people.

Do you think she really knew what was going to happen? She seemed as shocked about Mumble and upset about Elisabeth as the rest of us. Maybe the Wizard just didn't tell her everything.

[mayavericks]

I don't know. I... want to hope that she didn't, or at least hoped it would not come to this. But I don't know.

I am not sure what to trust.

[themuseabandonsyou]

After seeing all that, it's hard not to think of her as a victim in all of this, too.

[ The notion that she could be faking it - that it could all be a ploy for sympathy - simply does not occur to Orpheus in the least. ]

And it would be nice. To have someone else on our side.

[mayavericks]

[Maya, at least, has thought about it. But unless Hester is an actress on par with Maya herself, she has her doubts.]

We can only hope. And until we know for sure, we at least know we have one another.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Right. We have that, at least. No matter what the Wizard throws at us, I'm sure we can stick together.