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

[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.]

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Yeah...yeah, me too.

[A little under an hour later, Hester does make it to the dance studio- her first real public foray out of her office outside of her introduction and the motive announcement.

And she looks...remarkably calm for having been sobbing uncontrollably such a short time ago. Her make-up is back to being pristine, not a smear of mascara to be seen, and she's changed from the dress she'd been wearing at the trial to leggings and an oversized "Gershwin Groundhogs" sweatshirt and black ballet flats, almost like she's ready for a dance class instead of a possible emotional heart-to-heart.]

Hello, Maya.

[Maya finishes the movements of her current routine -- a pirouette into a very pointed stab against the chest of the mannequin. Nothing fatal at least -- just exactly where one might push to knock off someone else's jacket. She lets the point of the sword drop as she hears someone approach and --

Oh.]

Hester-san. I... did not believe you would actually show up.

[Maya gives her a once over, before motioning her closer. She even sets down the sword! Manners!]

Are you feeling better?

[Hester watches Maya finish her routine, tilting her head with a sort of vague interest, before coming closer. Even her gait seems slightly off, like she's just woken up from a dream and isn't quite fully awake yet.]

Mmhm. I think I just needed a little time to process everything, that's all. [She stops to lean her back against the dancers' bar.] How are you holding up?

[Maya's brow furrows faintly. She watches Hester's movements as casually as she can manage.]

I can understand that. [She gives a half-hearted shrug of the shoulders as she draws closer to Hester. She's probably not close enough but... can she smell alcohol or any other substance on Hester's breath?]

I think we all needed that time. This was... unprecedented.

[No alcohol but she might smell a whiff of hot chocolate.]

It was...a lot more than I thought it would be. I knew it'd be elaborate but maybe not that much.

[Her head tilts a little at the scent, but she says nothing. She does, however, attempt to rest her hand against Hester's arm.]

Did he not tell you what to expect?

[She turns to look at her, her brow furrowing a little but she doesn't try to move away. And related to future conversations she does feel warm and fleshy, so not like a robot.]

He gave me fair warning it would probably be upsetting but that they wouldn't suffer. [She tilts her head back against the mirror, half looking at Maya and half at her own reflection.] But a warning and watching it all happen are two very different things apparently.

[Well, since Hester doesn't doesn't complain, Maya will circle a thumb against where it lays.]

Very different indeed. [A tiny little squeeze.] Would it be too much to ask how you came to be involved in all of this?

[This is...nice. Different from the kind of affection she's used to, just soft and quiet. More than likely inappropriate to some degree too, considering their respective roles but what's a touch between- friends? Could they be friends?]

Lost and insecure
He found me, he found me...

[She glances into the mirror for just a moment and, her eyes suddenly widening slightly, turns all her attention on Maya.]

The ups and the downs
And he still didn't leave
I guess that he saw what nobody could see
He found me

[Maya is quiet for a moment. Maybe she could believe that, believe that the Wizard had rescued this woman. Maybe she could believe there was some good to be found in the Wizard. But Mumble was a good man, and Elisabeth the victim of circumstance, and they had both been condemned to death by this game.

What she wants to say is that the Wizard can go to hell, that Hester can do better but...

Instead --]

Let that lonely feeling wash away
Maybe there's a reason to believe you'll be okay
'Cause when you don't feel strong enough to stand
You can reach, reach out your hand

[Maya trails her fingers down Hester's forearm, and then threads their fingers together. She doesn't know Hester. She doesn't know her background. And because of all that, she knows she has no place to say that this apparent support system of hers was wrong. Especially not after the day she's had. But--]

Even without him, you are not alone. Even without him, you can be found.

[Hester just stares at her like a deer in headlights. Her fingers twitch and she starts to grip Maya's hand, a near impossible to read expression on her face as she leans in just slightly.

Just you and I, defying-

Hester pulls her hand away abruptly and steps back, the hand that had been entangled in Maya's going to her necklace as her face glows with a pink flush.]

I...I have to go.

[And she flees from the dance studio.]

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

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