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]

[Maya is tucked away in Broadhurst most of Thursday. She's not alone, of course. She has Janis, and both she and Peregrine are taking turns (or tagteaming) watching over her. And while she does her best to at least come off as unaffected, it's clear that she's shaken.

She does coax herself into a little exercise here and there, of course. Around mid-afternoon, she goes for a run around the Football field. That run may or may not turn into a sprint for her life, considering the goat out there. Uh oh.

On her way back, she stops by the kitchen. Perhaps unsurprisingly, she gets to work on making some potatoes. It's not enough for everyone, but it's a decent enough batch, with plenty of leftovers once she separates what she's bringing back for herself, Peregrine, and Janis.

Interestingly enough, Maya likely looks a little... out of character, today. Mostly because, for the first time in weeks, she doesn't have a sword in hand. Hm!]

Broadhurst

[brokeforgood]

[Maya may notice, on one of the few moments where she’s left unattended, that Farrah keeps coming into Broadhurst. Then leaving. Then coming back. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

It’s clear that she’s bringing all of her shit into Broadhurst, just. Moving in officially, without permission. Right now, she’s struggling to bring her mattress, which had briefly been returned back to Longacre, in through the door.]

[mayavericks]

[If Farrah had been expecting complaints, she'll be sorely disappointed. In fact, Maya forces herself out of bed and follows her out of the door.]

What needs to be brought next?

[brokeforgood]

Oh! Uh— you don’t have to—- I’ve got it! [Farrah’s in Longacre now—- well, her pillow’s there. But Farrah’s very specifically not picking it up.

There’s something under it. Something that Maya had in her possession until the after party.]

[mayavericks]

[Maya goes to pick the pillow up. Everyone needs a pillow, right? She doesn't quite expect what waits below but.... she can't say she's surprised, either.]

I'm glad you are planning on staying with us. You need not worry about sleeping like this any more.

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah scoops it up quickly, holding it behind her back in a way that is definitely not knife-safety hour.]

Yeah. Well. It’s good to keep nearby, just in case.

But I think I’ll probably wake up screaming less. I sleep better, with people around.

[mayavericks]

Just be careful. I... don't want to see anymore accidents, Farrah-san.

[But to the rest of it, she gives a nod.]

I can understand that. I've definitely slept better with Janis around. [Peregrine will probably also help but... like... There's no fixing what yesterday was.]

[brokeforgood]

Yeah. Varian and Rina… being with them feels safe. [She smiles at Maya.]

I’m glad that you and Janis have each other. I’m learning to depend on others more, and… it’s important.

[mayavericks]

They're both good people. They will not let you down.

[She tries to give a reassuring smile.]

Keep them close.

Kitchen

[violentenvies]

[Salieri was heading to the kitchen for some tea, though he pauses when he spots Maya there...then immediately looks a little fondly amused at what she's making]

Hard at work, I see.

[mayavericks]

[Maya glances up with a half-smile. She's definitely a little distracted, though.]

They need me right now. And truthfully... I need the distraction.

[violentenvies]

[ah, well, that'll sober him immediately]

...may I help?

[mayavericks]

Please. By all means

[She motions for him to join her.]

I'm just cutting them into quarters at the moment. Nothing terribly complicated.

[violentenvies]

[he'll step up next to her then to help, picking up a butterknife with amusement to cut into those potatoes. It's not the easiest, but considering their knives situation...speaking of, what is Maya prepping potatoes with?]

[mayavericks]

[Maya is also using a butter knife. Using her sword was too much, and she isn't in the mood to practice like Cassandra taught her.]

I'm thinking something simple. Toss with melted butter and some spices and then let them bake? What do you think?

[violentenvies]

I think that would do quite well, in fact. If we have any ham or sausages, tartiflette could be a nice option as well. [he glances sidelong at her, with a little bit of curious amusement]

No sword today? [he recalls her using it at the party, but notes its absence now]

[mayavericks]

I gave it to Janis. Before... everything happened.

[She seems content to leave it at that but... after a moment, her brow pinches.]

It seemed dangerous to leave it in my hands for the time being.

broadhurst- girls girls girls girls

[comeandfindme]

[ After everything last night, Peregrine had refused to leave Janis' side. They're supposed to keep each other safe, after all, right? So, she spent the night in Broadhurst, pushing Connor's empty bed up against Maya's and going from there.

Peregrine had never held someone else while sleeping before. Sometimes, when they were little kids, she and Jacob would huddle together during really bad storms, before she'd stopped being afraid of the thunder and the lightning, before she'd become a big kid. Sometimes, they'd both curl up with mom and dad (and then just mom, but that was for movie nights, not comfort, because she was old enough to sleep alone and take care of herself she thought) and fall asleep in the wee hours of the morning.

But it wasn't the same— it wasn't deliberately curling up with someone, holding them as they cry or fall asleep, making the conscious decision to be here. Be present.

So, that's how they wake up and that's how the day continues. Peregrine and Maya are here for Janis. Quite literally, on either side of her. Just days ago, it was Peregrine in the middle of this. Now, she's on the outside, holding Janis' hand in a girlfriend sandwich. Even if she doesn't know what to say right now, because every platitude feels false and hollow. She's there. ]

girls girls girls

[fourbutts]

[ Janis is aware, on some level, that she did get an amount of sleep during the night. She's rested, it's not like there was much doing that. She's spent more time with her legs having given out from under her than with them working, since it all happened. But through all of it, every time she's teared up and felt a little sick remembering everything... Maya and Peregrine have been here. The three of them together, between a couple shitty beds in Broadhurst, huddled up together. She's done some embarrassing crying on both of them - mostly Maya, but also Peregrine.

It feels... selfish, almost, to cry this much when B was hardly the first here to die. But no one has ever died in front of her before... or for her. It's a very recent feeling. She doesn't like it. But she cannot stop crying, and whenever she manages a pause her mind falls back to... well, the fall. Everything that followed. Watching from above, unable to do anything. Unable to change the story.

Maybe that's part of being a narrator, too.

Right now, though, she's just sort of wrapped in blankets between her girlfriend and her... Peregrine. She knows that at some point she has to talk about all of it, about what happened. Tell everyone what she learned. But... Right now she's just waking up, after finally getting a decent (read: longer than like an hour) chunk of sleep. ]

Mm... [ She sniffles. ] Good morning. [ It... might no longer be morning. ]

cryin' down on the broadhurst beds

[mayavericks]

[Slumber hasn't come easy for Maya. What little she could chase has been brief and fleeting, and fraught with dreams of not just the Balladeer's body, but Janis's as well. Sometimes she sees the Wizard looming over the three of them, and Maya can't help but feel as powerless as she had the night prior.

Needless to say, regardless of the hour, Maya is awake when Janis rises. She responds to her voice with a faint sound of her own, before stretching out.]

It's good to hear your voice.

[Speaking of voices, Maya's is sleep worn and deeper than usual.]

Can I get either of you anything?

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine shakes her head. She's tired, because sleep sure didn't come easy last night for her either. ]

Nothing you could get me. [ It's soft, not accusatory or bitter. Maya can't make it so Peregrine never ran off into the woods and got maybe herself and her friends killed. She can't bring back Connor or the Balladeer or any of the others. But— ] ...I've got what I need right now, right here.

[ She moves her hand to Janis' shoulder and squeezes it gently. ]

[fourbutts]

[ Janis's voice is approaching a croak when the closest thing to a joke she's made since B died forms in it. ]

I am also very glad to be cuddling on a bed with two hot girls, but if we have some water...?

[ There's no smile to accompany it, and the tone is all wrong, but... maybe nature is healing? ]

[mayavericks]

Water, of course.

[Extracting herself from the tangle of women and blankets is a little easier said than done, but eventually she's on her feet.

She does pause before she can get too far. Bending over, she presses a kiss to Janis's forehead. While she's there, she gives Peregrine a look. It's the sort of expression that says "guard this with your life." Not that Peregrine needs to be told that.

In any case, she heads out the door and to the concession stand.]

[comeandfindme]

[ Ever so subtly, as she moves to sit up, Peregrine returns Maya's look with a small nod. Always. As Maya leaves, Peregrine turns her attention back to Janis. ]

How... How're you doing?

[fourbutts]

[ Janis considers for a second. She seems... genuinely unsure how to answer. ]

Not great? Big, solid not great. [ She sniffs. ] But I can talk again, so... that's neat.

[ Even if she just. Sounds like she's on the edge of tears. ]