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

[comeandfindme]

Can you promise me the same?

[mayavericks]

I promise, Peregrine.

[comeandfindme]

[ She looks into Maya's eyes, and though she's still shaky her own hold all the fire, all the intensity that seems right for them. That spark she's been missing for the last week or so. ]

...Then I promise too. Only on that condition.

[mayavericks]

Thank you.

[Maya's shoulders relax, just a little. There's been a tension there -- maybe it's only been present since that morning, or perhaps it's clung to her since the week prior -- that seems to ease just a little.]

May I... Show you something?

[comeandfindme]

Uh. Okay, sure. What is it...?

[ Peregrine agrees, but it seems to be on the condition that Maya not let her go. ]

[mayavericks]

[Maya hesitates for a moment. She reaches into her breast pocket. She pulls out a photo and unfolds it. Her... thumb is conveniently pressed over Peregrine's face, blocking out the obvious signs of hypothermia (third time is not the charm, thank you). Still, going by the cloak, it's still pretty obvious that it's her.]

The Wizard's gift to us has been... weighing heavily on me today.

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine doesn't take the photo from her. She can only imagine just what's behind Maya's thumb, and she wants to keep it that way. Still, she sees her own form, she sees Janis, she sees a girl she doesn't recognize but with the cape she can put some of it together—

And her lips press firmly together. ]

It's not real. It's not gonna happen. Whatever the Wizard says...it's not.

[mayavericks]

I want to believe that.

[But --

She lifts her opposite hand, thumbing over the picture of the blonde woman. For a moment, there might even appear to be a faint tremor in her hand.]

He took Claudine from me once before. Who is to say he won't do it again?

[comeandfindme]

[ She remembers that name. That—

Oh.

Oh, that's— ]

...She was there. With Nana, and Angus. This is her.

[mayavericks]

Yes. Claudine Saijo. My rival, and only equal on stage.

[Maya's voice wobbles, just a little.]

These are the three people that matter most to me. All dead.

[comeandfindme]

[ It's a huge and heavy weight that Peregrine feels right now, being on the same level as Janis and this Claudine, this girl who clearly means so very much to Maya. It's a weight that brings with it questions, like, what about her family, her parents? There's so much more to know about Tendo Maya, and yet Peregrine is one of the people who matters most to her?

It's something to dig into and examine later.

Peregrine runs her fingers over Maya's knuckles cupping her cheek. ]

He's just trying to scare us. These... They're not pictures, they're his nightmares.

[mayavericks]

I... hope you are right. [Maya's eyes close. She pulls the photo back, tucking it into her breast pocket once more. There's still a faint tremble to her hand but. she steadies herself for the time being.]

I let him harm Claudine. He will not lay a hand on either of you as well. I promise that.

[comeandfindme]

I believe you. [ And she squeezes Maya's hand, pulling it away from her face and pressing it to her chest. Right over her heart. ]

Just...don't get yourself hurt...doing it. Okay?

[mayavericks]

[Maya's smile is... almost playful.]

I already promised as much, did I not?

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine's face colors lightly. ]

Maya... [ They're...going on a date tomorrow night. Aren't they? ] Yeah. You're right.

[mayavericks]

Why don't we get you back downstairs, hm? Away from this place.

[comeandfindme]

Okay. [ Peregrine takes a quick step back and wipes her face a little. ] Yeah, uh. Definitely away.

[mayavericks]

Away.

... How about lunch?

[comeandfindme]

I'll take lunch.