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

[mayavericks]

[If it's the ribbon she wants, it's the ribbon she gets. She drops it on the ground and scurries a few feet back.]

Peregrine! Your assistance would be appreciated!

[tellthestory]

...yeah.

[He hadn't been thinking of the motive, but...yeah. That's a pretty common metaphor. The Balladeer sits down on the grass nearby, watching Maya now.]

At least it wasn't a threat, this time? I'm not sure which one is worse.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[She eases the parts and pieces from her hands and into Varian's. It seems there's just about everything required to actually get it working. Not that Cassandra would know. She's not an alchemist, or a mechanic.]

Really? [That brings some light back to her eyes. She exhales with relief.] Thanks, Varian. Really.

[...Ah. Right.]

It's something I'd completely forgotten about; it's actually part of a gift... from my mother.

[tellthestory]

Not...exactly. [He tilts his head thoughtfully.] I'm the Balladeer, so most of my songs are ballads about other people. The Ballad of Booth, the Ballad of Guiteau...I sing them, but they aren't mine.

[He doesn't intend any of that to be self-deprecating; really, he doesn't even view it that way. Not everyone has a solo all about themselves, even if you aren't narrating the show.]

Closest I get is parts of my last song. But that was... [He grimaces slightly.] I liked getting to say my piece. I guess I just didn't like the consequences.

[fourbutts]

With any luck.

[ Of course not.

Though there's a beat, as she remembers. ]

That said, though, there's... something you should probably know. About me. You weren't at the meeting when I said it.

[mayavericks]

[Well, that gets her attention. She straightens up and gives Janis her full attention.]

What is it?

[mayavericks]

I don't know. [Her eyes narrow.]

A wish is a chance to grab for power. To change us from this helpless state. On the other hand... Most people will be more inspired to act when something they care about is on the line.

[fourbutts]

Uh. Oh, God, here goes the weirdest confession anyone has ever made to their girlfriend.

[ She swallows. ]

I'm... well the short and kind of alarming version is that I'm fictional? I'm... in the same situation as the Balladeer. Kind of.

[comeandfindme]

[ He asks that, and Peregrine pauses for a moment, with a sort of frown. ]

It’s…familiar. I spent the better part of two years learning all this stuff and… I don’t know. This one I feel like I actually could be good at.

[brokeforgood]

It looks funny, I guess. Less funny, when you’re the girl who gets dropped. [Farrah pulls the phone back out, watches again, and snarls.]

I forgot Riley was in this fucking thing.

[comeandfindme]

Yeah! Okay, lemme just—

[ But just like that, the goat chews happily on the ribbon and trots off, leaving the girls to their own devices. ]

…That goat just wants to watch the world burn.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri holds still while she ties it on, and something goes tight and warm in his chest as she sings, quietly. When Rina's finished tying it on, he cups his wrist with his other hand, bringing it closer to his face so he can get a better look at it, turning it back and forth, noting the piano keyboard pattern on it. Before coming here, he hadn't received any gifts that hadn't had strings attached, but now...between this and the ones from Spongebob, Varian, and Farrah, it's enough to make his throat go tight again, and he has to clear it, blinking a little faster as his eyes go wet]

It's lovely, Rina. Thank you.

[he does pause, however, noting the orange and blue beads]

Might I ask...what are these two for?

[mayavericks]

[Slow... blinks...]

You're -- What?

[mayavericks]

That. Thing might just give Discord a run for his money.

[Maya takes a few deep breaths before... letting out a laugh. It's a little tense considering everything but hey. It's there.]

[fourbutts]

I mean I'm not- I'm not fake, but, uh. I'm one of the narrators for Mean Girls: The Musical? But I'm also in the show, so I have... regular people memories- it's been a lot to process, that's why I haven't said anything.

[ She looks down. ]

I just- you know. Open communication. That's what's going on up in Janistown. You didn't exactly- I didn't want to put it on your plate, you know? Before I even sort of came to peace with it.

[violentenvies]

[he huffs out something like a rueful laugh at that--but he can also pick up a hint, and the way Peregrine shies away from his gaze...]

They certainly are. [he pauses, glancing over at the food portion of his piles, reaching out to tug over that bittersweet pie drenched in caramel over] Though...I've found that having something sweet while dealing with something bitter can help. And I could certainly use a break from all this for some tea and pie...if you're amenable to that?

[comeandfindme]

Consequences? ...What consequences?

[ She asks, but... ]

Is it— ...that photo you got?

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Cass will allow it, if only because she understands Farrah's trying to help. Hm, it's funny. Ordinarily, she's the one that has folks leaning on her for support. Not to comfort.

...Well, that's absolutely a flinch against her. Thanks for that, Farrah.]

Huh... Thanks? [That, at least, seemed to help? Maybe?] I know I'm not the best at opening up - it kind of makes me queasy. And... I should probably get to know all of you better than I have.

[Her expression darkens again.]

But you're wrong. All my life, I wanted to serve my kingdom, to make everyone proud of me. Except now, I've betrayed my friends, because it turns out I've never even had a chance.

[comeandfindme]

[ Riley? ...Her captain. The girl who— ]

Hey... Maybe...you should just put that thing away, right? It can't be good to just keep watching it.

[mayavericks]

[Well, that's some relief, at least. Janis is real, at least in some strange capacity. She's as real as Discord and his pony friends are, and alive as the near centuries old Antonio Salieri. Maya would know, after all, she's fallen asleep to Janis's warmth, her heartbeat, her scent, the last few nights. None of those would exist if Janis wasn't somehow real.]

So you aren't going to disappear on me once this is all over? That's... good.

[After a moment, though.]

I am sorry I made you feel as if you could not tell me about this.

1/2

[violentenvies]

Indeed. I'll get started on the tea. [and breakfast. it's fine. Don't worry about it.]

[comeandfindme]

Don't let him hear that. He'll get offended.

[ Despite it all? A wary laugh slips from Peregrine, too. Now, it's just them on the football field, no goat to distract from...

Well. From yesterday. ]

So...

[violentenvies]

[when Maya returns to the kitchen, she'll find that Salieri has not only finished the tea and has it in the pot with all the accoutrements set up on a tray (two cups, milk, sugar), but also is just finishing the process of putting together two simple sandwiches (meat, cheese, lettuce, mustard) and is putting the ingredients away]

[fourbutts]

Oh, I'm not going anywhere.

[ She doesn't... know exactly what happens when they all leave, but she does know she's going to stick around. Even if it's not what she's supposed to do. ]

I mean... Honestly, I wasn't ready to tell anyone. I only told everyone at the meeting because I thought maybe it can help us out here, somehow.

[ The Balladeer mentioned wanting to explore and see what they could find as narrators, earlier, maybe she should take him up on that. Food for thought. ]

[comeandfindme]

[ What? Well, she straightens up a little, with a small tilt of her head. ]

I...wouldn't say no to a slice of pie.