Week Five

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, you had your very first minor body pileup! Granted, the Balladeer's death was entirely unrelated to anything, but at least he died as he lived - getting completely fucked up in some kind of carnival-themed hellscape. Only two days later, another terrible accident took Rina and Varian both from you. It's just been one of those weeks, huh? At least you got to add both of their corpses to your weird growing collection!

Again, you'll wake up this morning with another new snippet of memory. You'll also find that the stairs in the lobby are no longer blocked. You can only access one part of the second floor, but it seems like there's some neat stuff up there!

Outside, a few things seem to have changed. For one, the weather has turned - it'll be overcast this week, with periodic rain and even scattered thunderstorms. For another, the bushes around that rock out by the football field have bloomed. That's nice.

Get to it, friends! I'm sure everything will be fine this week!]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Be sure to submit your memory regain and your AC for this week! As always, Hester's office hours and the merch booth remain available. ))

Comments

[mayavericks]

[Maya is clearly shaken by this whole thing but... Definitely not to the degree of the week previous. It's merely a reminder of a reality she has been prepared for. The only thing left to do is to be vigilant, the same as before. Or... maybe a little more vigilant, considering the fact that people are still dead.

Look, point is, it's fine. Maya goes about her routine as normal, visiting the dance studio after the motives are handed out. There's a little more aggression in her moves today, and she definitely goes at it longer than necessary but... she doesn't stay there all day, either.

In fact, afterward she makes a trip up to the pool, sort of. She flips the switch inside once she's certain no one is in there, and then heads back downstairs. After changing into something a little warmer, Maya stops by the vending machine and, well...

What's one more pitstop? She might look a little weird, sneaking into and out of Rodgers dorm with something large tucked behind her back, but. It's probably fine? She doesn't linger, and once she's done... whatever she's doing, she heads back up to the skating rink.

Her movements aren't quite as fluid here as they are on a stage but... she's clearly no beginner, either. And the more she works, the more comfortable she gets, the more steady the movements become.]

[whatyouwant]

[Elle, clad in a sweater and warm leggings, steps out on to the ice. She isn't as good as Maya, but she does manage to not fall!]

Mind if I share the rink?

[mayavericks]

Go right ahead, Woods-san

[Maya makes her way over to one half, gaining enough speed to launch into a single loop spin, and then landing with only the slightest of wobbles.]

[whatyouwant]

[Elle claps, but has to stop abruptly to stop herself from falling.]

That's so cool!

[mayavericks]

[The clapping catches Maya by surprise, if only because she hadn't been trying to show off. She turns her attention back to Elle, smiling faintly.]

Have you never tried it before?

[whatyouwant]

I was in figure skating when I was in middle school, but it's been a while since I've been on the ice.

[She starting to get her legs under her now and no longer looks like she's about to fall over!]

[mayavericks]

Of course. It's very similar for me.

[She makes her way over to Elle, so at least they're not having to talk across the ice.]

It was a good way to improve my balance and fluidity. And in the end, it seems that it's not unlike riding a bike.

[whatyouwant]

I guess the muscles remember better than the brain.

[Elle tentatively pushes out into the ice to meet Maya halfway. It's actually pretty easy!]

Did you skate in any of your performances?

[mayavericks]

They usually do.

[She shakes her head and. Regrets it, clearly, as she wobbles a little.]

No, no. That would... probably be too much. But it's still a fun hobby.

Rodgers Dorm

[fourbutts]

[ Janis, for her part, is sitting on her bed, motive photo in hand. Though it doesn't stay out of her pocket for long when she sees Maya enter. ]

Oh hey, babe. What's up?

[mayavericks]

[Maya jumps a little and... Barely manages to catch the object tucked behind her back.]

I -- Did not think you would be here. I was just coming to put something in here for, um... Peregrine!

[fourbutts]

Oh, uh...

[ She gestures. ]

Her bed's over there.

[mayavericks]

Right. Okay. I'll just... Put this thing for Peregrine in Peregrine's bed.

[For an actress, she's not acting very well. Oops!

Nevertheless she's... crossing over to Peregrine's side of the room and depositing something in there.]

Are you... Doing alright after today?

[fourbutts]

[ Luckily, Janis seems distracted! ]

I mean... is anyone? It's literal worst fear pictures.

[mayavericks]

[Perfect, trauma time!]

Yes I suppose that was... not a good question. [She clears her throat and... tucks her little bundle under the blankets]

Do you want to talk about it?

[fourbutts]

I guess? I mean... you're the one it's going to be the least of a surprise to.

[ She takes out the folded picture and offers it over. ]

[mayavericks]

[Well... That's both expected and unexpected. Maya takes the photo and unfolds it.]

skating rink

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine's on her way to develop some pictures when she passes the skating rink. She can just feel the cooler air from it without even looking. She knows someone's got it switched over and— that's their right, it's fine.

However, when she takes a peek in, curiosity overwhelming her, her jaw tightens. ]

Maya?

[mayavericks]

[Maya's just leapt up for a double Lutz when she hears Peregrine. She can tell by the tone that something's wrong, and figures out what it is seconds later. The distraction forces a poor landing, skate slipping out from beneath her. She lands on her butt with a yelp, spiraling across the ice as she tries to regain her bearings.

She's on her feet a few seconds later, skating on over to the edge. her wrists are quick against the skates, pulling them off as she stops short in front of Peregrine.]

I... I am so sorry. I wasn't thinking --

[comeandfindme]

[ Of course, the moment Maya falls, Peregrine forgoes all previous worry, all hesitation and rushes in. She nearly slips on stray water that had frozen to ice, her heart pounding in her chest. Where's the switch? No one's near it, right? There's nothing that can— ]

You- why did you- [ She just said. But Peregrine isn't...thinking, really. She's just reacting. ]

[mayavericks]

[She shakes her head, fingers seeking out Peregrine's own hands. She gives them a squeeze, trying to reassure.]

I wasn't thinking. It was just... normal for me. Something I did back home.

I'm sorry.

cw: panic attack

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine doesn't pull away from Maya, but— Well.

She's shivering, even if she's not all that cold. ]

You can't- it could just- it could turn back to- to water, and— if your clothes get wet, that's- that's the first problem, it- we didn't have- any dry clothes for him, I knew, I knew I should've gotten him something dry, but—

[ It's like Sunday. She's having trouble breathing. ]

cw: panic attack

[mayavericks]

Peregrine, Peregrine.

[She lays her hands against Peregrine's shoulders. Carefully, she coaxes the other woman backward, out of the pool. Maya stops only to grab a towel, wrapping it around Peregrine's shoulders.]

I was watching the switch. And the ice, as well.

cw: panic attack

[comeandfindme]

You can- you can never- never be prepared, not for anything, you don't know, anything could happen—

[ She moves where Maya moves her, trembling hand locked around Maya's in a vice-grip. ]

You can't- you can't count on anything, you can't—

cw: panic attack

[mayavericks]

I know, I know.

[She squeezes Peregrine's hands right back, though certainly not nearly as tight.]

I was not thinking. You're right though, and I am so, sorry.