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]

[Well... That sure is screaming. And while Maya is neither a doctor nor a healing wizard, she does have a sword?

So uh. Here she comes.]

Barker-san? What's going on?

[samefacesyndrome]

Maya-san!!

[ Hi Maya, Rina's here. ]

I h-heard a crash and when I came to check, Barker-san was on the floor!

H-He's still alive but he's burning hot! I don't think he's doing so well...!!

[mayavericks]

Thank you for finding this, Rina-san.

[LSP took off in the direction of the nurse's office so... Maya's going to either find some papertowels or a dish rag and put some cold water on it. After that, she's going to kneel down and put it over his forehead.]

[violentenvies]

[hello, Salieri is here as well]

We should check him for any injuries, as well. Perhaps turn him over, if we can?

[samefacesyndrome]

M-Mm...

[ She nods. She'll help with whatever she can. ]

[violentenvies]

[commence turning over??]

[barberic]

[As the sound of panicked voices grows around him, Benjamin lets out an anguished howl and writhes away from the worried hands on him, curling into a trembling ball on the tile. His breath is coming in short, ragged pants, and any touch - especially to his back - makes him react as though he's been burnt.

Under his breath, this strong, grown man whimpers:

Please don't- stop- I'm sorry- I didn't do anything-]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's eyes go wide at that]

Benjamin--[his expression morphs into one of intense worry, his voice urgent]

Benjamin, my friend, please wake up--whatever you are seeing, it's not real. You're not there right now, you're elsewhere--

[he glances at the others] Here, help me turn him over, gently now--

[barberic]

[He gasps, ragged, sweat beading on his brow. From his fever or from what he's imagining, it matters little, because he moans:]

It's hot- It's too bloody hot... [And then, with a brief flash of recognition, he reaches out desperately for Antonio.]

Help me...

[But that recognition is enough that he doesn't resist, as he's turned over.

Notably, there are no wounds on him whatsoever.]

[violentenvies]

[as Benjamin reaches out, Salieri is going to immediately clasp his hand]

I have you--I have you, Benjamin, help is on the way, don't worry--

[mcfife]

[Angus runs to the kitchen sink and soaks a cleaning rag in cool water. It's not the best kind of cloth, but he can't let someone die from a medical emergency again.

He returns with the damp rag and places it on Benjamin's forehead.]

Ser Barker?

[barberic]

[He nods, though it's not so much because he's comprehending what's being said to him, as it is because of the comfort received.

The cool cloth on his forehead shocks him, suddenly, and his nostrils flare and his breath catches, thick in his chest for too long a moment-

But it isn't saltwater, and so his other hand - the one not holding Antonio's - reaches up and pulls it lower, over his eyes, with a groan.

There seems to be something slightly more grounded, in the way that he relaxes, then.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri breathes out as he moves the washcloth--and he's starting to shrug out of his jacket one arm at a time--switching hands to hold Benjamin's so he can get the thing the whole way off. Once it's on the floor, he'll reach out with his free hand fold the thing up]

Here, could someone--lift his head please, just a moment--

[samefacesyndrome]

[ She'll help and do just that. As gently as she can. ]

[violentenvies]

Thank you, Rina. [he'll gently nudge that pillow under Benjamin's head then, and then get his hand out of the way so Maya can continue comforting him]

[mayavericks]

[While everyone else is working, Maya will just sort of. Sit down by his head and work on running her fingers through his hair? Very gentle, of course. And since they're here, she'll sing a little, too. It's not exactly a pleasant song, but it's a nice memory of their performance?]

Par les larmes dont votre fille
Arrose en tremblant votre sein
Mon père de votre famille
Ne devenez pas l'assassin!
Mon père, Mon père...ne devenez pas l'assassin

[barberic]

[The combined efforts have managed the acute effects of the stress. He relaxes even more at the gentle fingers in his hair, although his breath still trembles, and his mouth moves, half-forming words that have no voice behind them.

As the present begins to return, tears trail out from beneath the compress over his face, streaming down his temples and into his hair, and his shaky breaths turn into quiet, broken sobs.]

[mayavericks]

[Well... Maya still doesn't know what to do with these displays of emotions but. She sure is trying her hardest to comfort him. Mostly by continuing to do what she was already doing.]

It's okay, Barker-san. You will be okay. You are with us, and you will be okay.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri is going to fumble in his pants pocket and pull out one of his handkerchiefs, offering it to Maya--if she wants to help Benjamin that way]

CW: physical punishment

[barberic]

[Every cell in his body is trying to rebel at once, alight with dormant sense memory all at once, the weight of shackles around his wrists and chains around his legs, the sting of the whip, the heat baking his shoulders through the cheap clothing-

But slowly her voice, her gentle hand in his hair, runs so counter to all the sensations in his brain that he begins to return slowly to himself. His voice is hoarse, cracked and parched from tears and from hyperventilating.]

Maya?

[mayavericks]

[Using the handkerchief from Salieri, she dabs at what tears she can reach with one hand. The other keeps up the careful strokes through Benjamin's hair. And though she isn't verbally singing, she does keep a pleasant, reassuring hum.]

It's me, Barker-san. I am here. Salieri-sensei is here, and so is Rina-chan and McFife-san.

You are not alone. You are safe.

[barberic]

I'm sorry...

[This time it isn't the desperate whimper of a prisoner trying to avoid punishment, but a man whose strength has crumbled in front of those he wanted to be strong for the most.

His skin is still warm to the touch, although not as direly hot as before, and he starts struggling to sit upright.]

I think... I...

[There's something still lost and confused in the way that he looks around, and then down at his hands.]

[mayavericks]

Ah-ah.

[Maya gives his shoulders a tap, gentle at first, but she'll press down firmly if she needs to.]

Rest, Barker-san. We can't have you falling and hitting your head.

[mayavericks]

[Maya's got u. She'll help the turning.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri nods at Maya when she moves to help, and then they can slowly start to turn him over]