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

[disharmonizes]

[He can get a very quick glimpse of some sort of... odd looking creature. Only that quick look, though, before Discord's quickly backing away.]

No, I do believe I can handle burning something on my own, really.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's eyes narrow at that, briefly, in concern--before his expression slides into one closer to neutrality]

Yes, because you've been doing so well on your own so far, I see.

[disharmonizes]

I'm-- I'm getting to it!

[Extremely slowly.]

[violentenvies]

Getting to it so quickly that you have yet to put match to picture. Well done.

[disharmonizes]

Oh, shut up. I'm just... thinking about it!

I mean, it should be burned. It's just a waste of paper. And I will... probably.

[violentenvies]

Probably?

So there's possibly a reason not to. [eyebrow arch]

[disharmonizes]

No! No, of course not, it's absolutely useless and should be destroyed and...

[...His shoulders slump a little and he huffs.]

It's complicated.

[violentenvies]

[there it is. Salieri pushes himself up to sit on the counter, next to the sink, motioning Discord closer]

Come here.

[disharmonizes]

[...He'll slide himself a little closer. Reluctantly, but less than it should be.]

[violentenvies]

Here--hand me your picture. [he holds out his hand] Face down.

[disharmonizes]

[...He hesitates, a moment, but...]

...Fine.

[And he'll hand it over. There you go, Salieri.]

[violentenvies]

[And Salieri will take that photo with one hand and set it aside on the counter, face down, while at the same time taking Discord's now empty hand in his other one, and using it to draw him closer, until he's just barely a breath away from where where Salieri's legs hang]

Now. Tell me why it's complicated.

[disharmonizes]

[...He'll maybe lean a little. Not because he's enjoying the physical contact or anything, just... because.]

The individual in that photo and I, we have a...

...history.

[And oh if that's not the MOST LOADED word.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri notices that leaning, shifting on the counter so Discord has the space to step closer--which he might be encouraged to do so with a very gentle, leading tug that could be easily resisted if he wanted] I did suspect as much, yes. [mildly, though something in his stomach clenches a bit, he doesn't let that show on his face]

What sort of history, might I ask?

[disharmonizes]

[He certainly could resist. He doesn't, of course, but this way they can both pretend this is all at Salieri's behest and nothing else.]

Oh, you know, the intense, explosive sort they don't write any history books about, because it's not boring enough.

[...]

We were a thing for a while, some thousand years ago.

[violentenvies]

[Perhaps he shouldn't immediately hate whomever that is.

But, well, he does. Viciously and with all the anger he can muster. He's almost surprised to find that it doesn't stem from jealousy; more from Discord's reaction, and the fact that somehow this person is his worst fear.

However, Salieri keeps it held back, for now. There's other things to focus on.]

I see. That would complicate things. [his hand slides up to Discord's elbow, cupping it gently] It sounds like it didn't end well.

[disharmonizes]

None of that whole relationship is what I would describe as well. I mean, the first part, maybe, that was fun. For a while.

[And it had been, sincerely. It had been great, right until it... wasn't.]

Cosmos could be a little... intense, to put things extremely mildly.

[violentenvies]

...intense in what way?

[disharmonizes]

Just... your normal "thinks setting an orphanage on fire is a fun day out" sort of intense.

[...He says this and actually looks visibly uncomfortable.]

She could be a lot.

[violentenvies]

[boy he doesn't love how uncomfortable that makes Discord look, and he tugs him a little closer--close enough that Salieri can set a hand against his side, gently]

And I imagine she wasn't particularly fond of someone trying to change her plans.

[disharmonizes]

She wasn't a big fan of criticism, no, let alone anyone actually interfering. Strong personality, you know?

[And that's Discord saying that.]

Well, she's long gone, of course, so...

[Except, of course. That picture.]

[violentenvies]

Of course.

[his brow furrows, a little--concern; unthinkingly, he maybe pulls him a bit closer, that arm at Discord's side curling to go around his waist]

And...if I might ask, how did it end?

[disharmonizes]

I actually ended up asking some Equestrian royalty for help and with our combined magic we sealed her into the stars.

So, you know, rather low drama, as far as break-ups go.

[violentenvies]

That's low drama, is it. [a bit dryly, trying for a bit of humor]

...and...what do you think would happen, if she came back?

[disharmonizes]

What would happen is I would get everyone I care about far away from Equestria and she can just be their problem.

[The response is... immediate. He has thought about this.]