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

[samefacesyndrome]

[ "Did you come to check out the stage here for a possible concert?"
"Concert?"
"Joypolis's stage! They're doing school idol concerts lately."
"We would love to see all of you perform soon!"
"...I will."
"Hm?"
"I'm going to do a concert here."

"I just can't... Just thinking that people might misunderstand me... my chest feels like it's getting squeezed and it hurts! I can't keep this up... at this rate... I just.. can't connect with everyone..."

"...I would love to see you perform, Rina-chan. So what if there are things you still can't do?"
"Right! You have so many things you CAN do, Rina-san."
"Like the fact you're such a hard worker!"
"And you don't give up, either."

"...Rinako. You know, the best idols are able to turn their weaknesses into their strengths."
"Yeah, exactly! You just need to make up for the stuff you can't do with stuff you can do! So let's think about this together!"
"We still have time!"

She remembers it so vividly. The decision to have the concert, the week and a half leading up to it practicing her butt off, with the rest of the club supporting her all the way. How she nearly backed out at the last second after seeing her stoic reflection... how they all came to help her. Her fellow school idols -- no. Her friends.

Changing.... so I'm trying now...

But even more than that she remembers the concert itself. The thrill of it, the way everyone cheered, the Rina-chan Board helping her make up for her shortcomings, the way she connected with everyone...

When she wakes up she's a bit confused about where she is, having spent Friday night and all of Saturday with Varian in Broadhurst after her confession. She remembers it all quickly enough - she's not back home, she didn't flop in bed after her concert, she's here, still stuck in this school, with the boy she likes and all the other new friends and mentors she's made along the way. After a moment she shifts and sits up, burying her face in Varian's Sonic plushie that she definitely stole as a substitute for her own back in her dorm. ]

I did it... I actually did it...

[ Once she leaves Broadhurst and grabs her board from Rodgers (both versions) while checking in with the others there, she starts exploring the new area, eager to get outside once she realizes everyone is actually able to go outside now. After finding the path in the woods she comes across the garden and immediately falls in love with it... even if the grim nature of the benches flies over her head at first. ]

Wow, it's so pretty...

[ Much later in the evening after the whole... earlier kitchen fiasco she finally finds the nerve to go back there and is trying to cook. She has a simple vegetable hot pot with a tomato broth on the stove, but she's looking at a bunch of other stuff too. ]

Mmm... can I even make this on my own...?

Broadhurst

[alchemistake]

[It's hard to tell whether it's Rina stirring that wakes him, or if Varian had already been awake for a while. He'd been silent at the very least in his sleep, at least until some point in the middle of the night where he probably got somewhat restless. Like he's...trying to reach something he can't see.

It was just a dream, though. Just a dream. He's here...in the same school, with the same rooms and...most of the same people.

Broadhurst feels so empty this morning, despite some of the beds being more occupied than usual.]

Rina-chan...was that you?

[That voice he'd heard, he means.]

[samefacesyndrome]

[ She lifts her head from the plushie and looks back behind her, that smile from the other night back on her face. She nods. ]

Mm. Sorry - did I wake you up?

[alchemistake]

[Varian shakes his head a little, looking...exhausted, actually.]

No. I was already awake, so...you're fine.

[samefacesyndrome]

[ Oh… she notices how exhausted he looks and starts to worry. ]

Did you sleep well? Was it, um… too uncomfortable with me here?

[ Maybe two nights was pushing it. ]

[alchemistake]

It- no, no, it wasn't that. Having you here...helped.

[It made him have to fight harder to keep his emotions in regards to the memory he saw inside, but...that would have happened even if Rina weren't here.]

...did you dream anything, last night?

kitchen

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah’s basically starving after a day hard at work within the band room—- when she opens the door and walks in, her stomach literally makes a noise.]

Oh—- hey Rina. Whatcha making?

[samefacesyndrome]

[ Oh shit hi Farrah. She's got the Rina-chan Board up. ]

Oh-- Farrah-san. I'm making a vegetable hot pot for everyone! I thought that might be good for Barker-san and everyone else.

[ That explains the pot on the stove but it seems pretty done. it doesn't explain everything else on the counter. ]

[brokeforgood]

[The Rina-chan board is the fucking cutest thing she’s seen in her entire life, and she vows in her heart to protect this girl at all costs.]

Oh. Is he sick? [Guess who.... missed all of that today?]

[samefacesyndrome]

Oh, he um... [ man how does she explain it, she's still not sure what happened, it was a lot. ]

He had some kind of... episode? He collapsed and had a really bad fever and seemed really upset...

[brokeforgood]

Whoa. Today? [Farrah looks slightly nervous.]

Is he okay now?

Kitchen

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus happens to be there taking stock of the pantry when Rina shows up, trying to estimate how much flour is left in one of the bags. He glances up at her when she starts getting more ingredients together though, and wanders over to take a look. ]

What are you making? Maybe I can help.

[samefacesyndrome]

Ah, Orpheus-san.

[ She gets a little anxious at the question, putting up her blushy face sheet. ]

T-To be honest, I'm not sure yet, I'm still trying to decide. But I'm trying to make something that... a boy might like on a picnic...

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Oh, that's cute. Orpheus hasn't actually talked to Rina much since she started with the notebook thing, but it does make her expressions much easier to parse. ]

Boys generally like the same foods as anyone else. [ he says, oblivious. That's a bit of a weird thing to specify! ] If you're going on a picnic though, maybe something that's easy to pack up and keeps well when it's warm out would be a good idea? It's hard to go wrong with sandwiches.

[samefacesyndrome]

They do? That's good... I've only ever gone to all girl schools so I wasn't sure.

Oh! Sandwiches are a great idea! And they're easy too! I'll have to ask what kinds he likes.

[themuseabandonsyou]

Oh, that makes sense. I grew up around all sorts of people, though, and I don't think I've ever noticed people liking foods more or less because they were men or women, so it's probably safe to assume that's not usually something that happens?

[ Orpheus smiles, glad to have been of some help. ]

Who are you taking with you? If you don't mind me asking.

garden

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Once Cassandra's minor episode has stopped, she ventures further through the wooded area, searching for... the obvious, really. An exit. A path. Whatever the case, her trek eventually deposits Cassandra in the garden near the same time as Rina.

The benches... She squints at one, bringing her arms tightly around her to rub her shoulders.]

Yeah. It's pretty alright.

[Her tone isn't exactly joyous.]

Pretty mean.

[samefacesyndrome]

Hm?

[ She looks over at Cass ]

What do you mean...?

[ Yeah she hasn't looked the benches yet at all, whoops ]

how do I keep missing this!!!!!!

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Whoops!!!]

I mean, you shouldn't think about sitting on those benches.

[She draws a finger through the air, pointing to the names inscribed on these artistic pieces - Mumble's specifically.]

They're markers for the dead.

1/2

[samefacesyndrome]

[ Looks at the benches

...

..........

..................................... ]

[samefacesyndrome]

E-Eh!?

Th-They are?!

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[OH...... SHE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW....]

Yeah. Look, see? There's one for Mumble, and Elisabeth...

[And so on, and so forth.]

Kitchen LATE BUT I'M GONNA MISS HER

[employeeoftheyear]

[The Kitchen has become practically a second home for Spongebob, so he usually has a good idea of who goes in and out every day. So when he sees Rina cooking here suddenly, he is immediately drawn to her and whatever she's making.]

Hey Rina! I didn't know you could cook! Whatever it is it looks tasty!

SPONGEBOBBBBBBBBBBBB (/ ; A;)/

[samefacesyndrome]

O-Oh! Spongebob-san...

[ She turns a little red, putting her board up to hide behind. ]

Y-Yeah, I can cook a little... I'm not too confident in my abilities though. Usually I have others helping me.

[employeeoftheyear]

[He frowns slightly at Rina talking about her not feeling confident, but quickly perks up.]

Well if you're not feeling confident, I can help you out! I love cooking!

[As if... he hadn't made that obvious with that "daily breakfast" he's been doing.]