Week Four

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, Gershwin High School Academy University saw its very first intentional murder! What a milestone! And right after Spongebob's No Murder party, too - that doesn't seem like it bodes very well for anybody's future.

You all wake up this morning with yet another new memory returned to you. You'll also find that the school's external doors have now unlocked. Congratulations! You're free! Unfortunately, you also seem to be entirely in the middle of nowhere. So maybe it's more of a symbolic victory.

Still, you should look around and do some investigation! Maybe you'll find a fun surprise.]

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

[mcfife]

[Angus sits beside Salieri with a growing anxiety within him. It was bad enough that he felt responsible for what the SQUIP did, he didn't do enough, but causing this responsible older man distress would be the worst. Not when Angus has vowed to look after the others more carefully.

He grips Salieri's forearm.] Can you breathe?

[whatyouwant]

[Don't look at the body, don't look at the body, don't look at the body]

There has to be a control panel somewhere!

[barberic]

[If there's one thing that can still bring Benjamin running, it's a scream for help.

He runs into the theater and skids to a stop, when he sees the broken pile of wood and plastic, slicked with red, too bright, too shiny, too wet-

He gasps, ragged and soft, his hands shaking, something inside him fraying with a near tangible snap.]

I'll remember it forever...

[violentenvies]

[Well...she certainly sounds excited. The difference between her tone and her facial expression is a little jarring, but nothing that he can't adjust to. He's well aware of how they react to anything different in Court, but fortunately, they are far away from there. More importantly, he may not be able to read her emotions off her expression like he's used to, but it's easy enough to parse in her voice. This was Rina's dream, just as she described to him little more than a couple weeks ago, and it seems like she managed to succeed. To great success as well. If anyone deserves that, it's certainly Rina. How can he help but feel absolutely ecstatic for her?]

It sounds like it was quite the experience. Though it doesn't surprise me that the audience loved you. [there's a sincere warmth to his tone] What did you sing?

[stagemanagers]

[Yeah, about that.]

[violentenvies]

Of course. [his tone is still gentle, but firm]

We're close to the Cafeteria--why don't we get there and you can sit for a moment. [it's not exactly a question, more of a gentle coaxing as he shifts his hold on her, moving so he can instead cautiously put an arm around her, if she'll allow it, other hand going to her elbow in support, just in case]

[mcfife]

[He rubs the kissed cheek. It's warm.]

...Thank you.

Despite everything that has happened, I'm glad I can return to a peaceful kingdom with you.

[whatyouwant]

That sounds like fun.

[She grins. Like a lot of little girls, she'd dreamed of being a princess. Who knew being kidnapped would give her a shot at it?]

As long as I can finish law school, that is. [Gotta show Warner what he missed out on and how she's

So much better]

[whatyouwant]

[Elle giggles. It's very cute!]

I've never heard of a javelina before. What's that?

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice crouches behind him, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. It’s difficult to look at, but she doesn’t want to run away. ]

He is.

[violentenvies]

[the grip on his arm pulls his attention back like a tether, grounding, and Salieri closes his eyes, his grip on the score turning clutching as he tries to take a slow, deep breath]

Yes. Yes, I....I can, I'm....[he swallows hard, focusing on the hand on his arm, the bench he's now sitting on, his feet on the ground. The music continues, but quieter, softening with the sound of the quiet sobs of Mozart's wife that accompany it.]

I apologize. [at least he is able to get that out, though his voice is hoarse]

[violentenvies]

[...huh. He's going to note that difference, glancing at her sidelong]

...a bathtub. Truly?

[violentenvies]

I...[there's a sick feeling that starts in his stomach. A judge. A man in power. And Benjamin's wife afraid of him. Salieri doesn't know what happened, but that information alone has a chill running down his spine. He's been in Court long enough, and he knows what men in power can be like.]

Benjamin...[his voice is quiet, concerned, but gently guiding]...Benjamin, come up off the floor. Come sit with me. Let me make you a cup of tea, and...and then we'll talk. Then you can tell me what happened.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob hears the commotion and immediately runs in. He knew he didn't want to see this, he knew something bad must have happened, but he didn't want to ignore it. His friends were hurting, and even if he could to nothing about it, he didn't want to turn a blind eye to it.

When he sees the madness, the rubble, The Balladeer's body, he doesn't scream or start sobbing, he just... stares. He desperately wants to cry but they don't come, like he wasted all his tears earlier. Like he completely wasted all his energy.

That... was his buddy. He failed him. They were supposed to make sure the other one was safe, and he failed.

Spongebob stands back from the crowd, hugging his sides.]

No control...

[whatyouwant]

[Elle does her best to block Spongebob's view of the body.]

Come on, you don't need to look.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob does look away, but it's more so he doesn't meet Elle's gaze rather than to look away from the body.]

This is my fault.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa's not far behind, and when she processes just what all the yelling and frantic talking is all about, she immediately turns away. She can't... she doesn't want to see this. No more death, no more blood... she can feel her stomach turning just thinking about it, so instead she focuses entirely on the young man frozen next to her. Putting both hands on his shoulders, she very gently nudges him, as if trying to turn him around.]

H-Hey... come on, let's go. They might need our help to prepare for... a meeting, to discuss whatever happened here?

[She's not really sure what there is to discuss, or if there even will be a meeting. But she wants to find some kind of distraction to snap Spongebob out of it.]

[violentenvies]

[The screaming, as well, has brought Salieri close behind, slowing to a stop next to Benjamin.]

Benjamin, what--

[That's when he notices where the Balladeer is laying. Salieri's seen several bodies, now, thanks to this school, but this...this is the most gruesome sight he's seen so far. He immediately feels sick to his stomach, unthinkingly reaching out to steady himself with a hand on Benjamin's arm, voice faint in his throat as he pales in horror]

--no.

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob stays put, firmly, as if glued to the floor.]

You can go. I wouldn't be able to help anyway.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa shakes her head.]

No, that's not true! You've been one of the biggest helpers out of all of us. I doubt half of us will be as happy without you around.

[employeeoftheyear]

[He pauses, not looking Elsa in the face.]

But that hasn't stopped people from dying, has it?

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah’s quick to follow—- even if she knows what this kind of ruckus normally means.

She regrets it almost immediately.

Farrah knows what it’s like to fall. Everything slows down in those moments. You see your life. And when you hit the ground—-

Farrah doesn’t scream this time. She wails. ]

[stagemanagers]

[The bubble reaches the ground.]

Watch your step.

[And then the Wizard turns to regard the wreckage onstage with a single glowing eye. He's quiet for a moment, before deciding:]

Go back to bed. We don't need to have a trial for this. Trials are for when people die.

[violentenvies]

Absolutely. It would be a shame for it to be left behind.

[...]

Tell me...does it sound any different from the one you've been using here, up to now?

[violentenvies]

Well, I don't know, I see more of Ruddiger than I do of the lizard. [alksdhflsh]