Week Three

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, some shit went down! Salieri's scene went off without a hitch, but the good mood didn't last. The first motive was a bit of a doozy, and yet it didn't even have anything to do with the eventual accidental death of Mumble Happyfeet! At least Sissi was already pretty much dating Death anyway, right? She's probably fine, wherever she is.

This week, new menus have been posted in the cafeteria. But, more importantly, it seems that other new information has emerged. Everyone wakes on Sunday with some new memories - or are they old ones? - floating around in their heads. Maybe there was something to your discussions of time travel after all. Maybe there was someting to the Wizard's knowledge of the future.

Regardless, you're still stuck in here. At least there's some new places to explore this week. Maybe you'll find something helpful.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Be sure to submit your memory regains and your AC for this week! Hester's office hours and the merch booth also remain available! ))

Comments

Library

[whatyouwant]

[Elle finds Maya in the nonfiction section, a "Law School for Dummies" book in her arms]

Oh! Hey Maya. [She smiles.] Find anything interesting?

[mcfife]

You speak kind words. It is only the truth that living this far is proof of your strength.

[whatyouwant]

[Elle shoots out of bed at Farrah's scream. She isn't able to catch Farrah until she stops in the choir room for more coherent screaming.]

Farrah! Farrah, you're okay. [Elle tries to grab Farrah's shoulder to give her something to ground her.]

[tellthestory]

[Today, the Balladeer's wearing something reasonably similar to his regular costume, plus his bomber jacket. It just feels more comfortable like that.

Most of his morning's spent in the nurse's office, oddly enough! Things being what they are, he's got no practical experience with first aid. Plenty of what's in here is straightforward enough; even he can't mess up applying a band-aid. But the other stuff? He'll be looking through cabinets and inspecting stuff for a little while]

Do you know what these are for? [It's an epi-pen!] And what's with that?

[He's...he's talking about the mannequin.

Later, he goes to the cafeteria to use the vending machine. Most of what he gets isn't terribly interesting. There's a couple extra harmonicas, and rather a lot of alcohol - he opens up the flask with the zig-zags to sniff the contents, then grimaces and closes it up again - but then there's a tape recorder! It's fancier and a bit more advanced than his mental picture of one, but still pretty recognizably a tape recorder. 

Curious to listen, he goes over to sit at the table and flips it on. A gravelly voice comes out - basic conversation at first, like an interview, but then it starts to go places:]

Life is disappointment. It affects you because you have the opposite expectation. You expect everything should work out in your best interest. You're a good person, you deserve it. But nature doesn't care about your expectations...

[The Balladeer's brow is furrowed, elbows resting on the table. He doesn't move to turn it off.

After the meeting, he seems pretty withdrawn. He wasn't lying, when he said he'd rather know; it's better to just face the truth. But that doesn't mean the confirmation of his own death hasn't shaken him a little. The stuff about Hester, too, and about his show. He wants to believe things went well, that nothing as terrible as last week happened under his watch. As far as he remembers now, that's what happened! But is that just...an unreasonable expectation?

He doesn't want to think about this. He can't do anything about it, so...he goes to the library and sits down to watch a movie. The first thing he can find, really. He'll be here for the next two hours or so, just...taking all of that in.]

1/2

[violentenvies]

[...huh. Discord seems...simply confused by the idea, and isn't that surprising. He can think of several people in Court who would turn the situation to their advantage in an instant. Who wouldn't hesitate to dangle him over that open water, both proverbial and not.

For a moment, there's a flicker of confusion in his own face that replaces the wariness, a softening of someone expecting a blow where it didn't come--]

2/2

[violentenvies]

[--before it slides back into an easy, mildly amused smirk]

Not at all. You did promise to drop me into the ocean, if you recall, so just simply making sure.

However, if that is not part of such an accord, then I would say I am quite interested.

libarby

[barberic]

[Taking time to explore the new areas, Benjamin decides to linger in the library - he may as well find some reading materials.

He seems to be in a pleasant mood, humming something to himself as he wanders through the shelves. After a moment's hesitation he decides against the history books, but he will, out of curiosity, pick up a couple of fashion history books, as well as a couple of fictions.

And then, as he stops to shuffle around the small stack of books into something he can more managably hold, he nearly trips over Cass' stack of books.]

Oh! My dear, I'm so sorry. None landed on your toes, did they?

[employeeoftheyear]

[He plays the nose flute at the end. Once done, he laughs along with her, in a sense of joy he hadn't felt since before the motive last week.]

Farrah, this is the best news I've ever heard! I can't believe I've been a part of your childhood!

[A pause.]

Was my show good, by the way?

[Don't tell him about post-movie stuff, it'll break him.]

[brokeforgood]

[That does it. She gives up the fight to argue it away, or to try and convince him that he'll change his mind, or to point out any further faults. Instead, she hugs him tightly and cries it out.

It's been a long time since she felt like someone could actually like her-- especially since she felt adults could like her. But here they are.]

I believe you.

[disharmonizes]

[He's crossing his arms, a little defensive almost. A little annoyed about the vibe getting ruined. Maybe just... squinting a bit at that softening, though, don't think he didn't catch that.]

...I'd give you some floaties, at least.

[violentenvies]

[lkshdfs that'll earn a small snort out of him that is definitely not covering up a chuckle. There's the status quo. No vibes were ruined here. None.]

Very generous of you.

[disharmonizes]

I keep telling you I'm generous, don't I? And you keep doubting me.

[brokeforgood]

[He plays the fucking nose flute. Her laughter was probably shriek-levels of laughter at that point.]

The best. It always made me laugh. And... [She lowers her voice to a whisper] Way better than The Magic Schoolbus.

[violentenvies]

In that case, I do appreciate your patience with the time it's taken me to come around.

teacher's lounge

[barberic]

Not to sound ignorant, but what is 'Film?' [Please. Use small words with grandpa. Benjamin looks at the camcorder on the table in front of her.] What is that contraption?

Cafeteria

[tellthestory]

Oh - oh, hey, Maya...

[But he seems distracted. The Balladeer pretty much gravitated to that guitar in the pile as soon as he entered the room. Is that...? He runs a hand along its body, checking for a few nicks and scuffs he remembers.]

[brokeforgood]

[Elle grabs her shoulder, and Farrah panics-- for just a second, Elle is the right size and shape to be Riley. She barely stops herself from decking her.]

Holy shit Elle! [She's. So glad she didn't just hit Elle Woods. She probably would have cried even more.]

Holy shit!

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ just gonna blow right past Spongebob confirming Orpheus's suspicion that all of this was over a literal recipe ]

Are you - are you okay? That sounds terrifying.

[ And then, with dawning horror; ]

Do you think the Wizard could do that to one of us? If he decides that's easier than trying to persuade us to hurt each other normally--

BRUISER!!!

[barberic]

[Everyone's emotions are in a heightened state, after what happened over the weekend.

Still, though, no one deserves to be sobbing their heart out over... some kind of blond rat... in the middle of the floor.]

Miss Elle? Are you alright?

[alchemistake]

Yes!

[That's answered emphatically, turning them around so he can brush his thumbs over the scuffed glass. It all but confirms it- he can remember where each and every scratch came from.]

These are mine from back home! My alchemist goggles!

[alchemistake]

[Join him he shall! His brows raise immediately at the mention of science-y stuff.]

Science? Okay, now this I gotta see.

[Get ready to have your mind further blown by the Wonders of Modern Technology, Varian.]

I was going to look through the books, but this is a lot more interesting.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Oh. That - [ sounds familiar. Orpheus's face goes pale as he thinks about the dream he had - of the winter, of working on his song, writing and rewriting and rewriting, and Eurydice coming to him asking for help. Of refusing, because he couldn't stop his work, even for a moment. Even for her.

He swallows, hard, and shakes his head. It's - it doesn't mean anything. He forces himself to smile again. ]

That's wonderful. You're a very fortunate man. [ He reaches out, placing a hand on Mister Barker's shoulder. ] We'll get you back to both of them soon. If there's a way out of here for all of us, we'll find it.

[alchemistake]

[Ow.

Okay, no, Varian is pushing himself off the wall so he can sit on the edge of the bed next to Farrah, fuck that.]

You don't have to apologize for anything. I'm here for you, okay? Whatever you need.

And...

[...]

I believe you. About the photos, and the dreams.

[alchemistake]

Orpheus!

[Varian's grinning, genuinely, for possibly the first time since Sunday as he holds up his staff for him to see.]

Yeah, this is probably the closest thing I'm going to get to getting any of my alchemy back, that's for sure!

[He gives the staff a little shake...and the agitation of the vials causes their light to grow brighter.]

All they do is put off light, but it's still cool, huh?

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Under any other circumstances Orpheus might be really impressed by the lungs(?) this man has on him, but as it is this is mostly just tragic. He steps up on the bottom rung of the bunkbed's ladder to give himself a boost and rests a hand on Spongebob's shoulder. ]

Spongebob. Spongebob. Breathe in, please. I know it's hard, but this isn't going to make it better. You're just going to hurt your throat.

[ do sponges have throats ]