Week Six

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, in It's Curtains, the weather changed, and with it your fortune in Dads. Discord took Salieri out - or perhaps Salieri took Discord out - and left the survivors with that much less impulse control. Nonetheless, a visit from a new friend might have provided a little bit of much-needed hope?

On Sunday morning, you'll find that the other side of the second floor has opened up - as well as the actual intended path to reach the roof garden. You can finally stop climbing up that rope every time you want to have a picnic or secret lover's rendezvous!

Outside, the weather seems to have calmed down. It's sunny again, with rather a lot of clouds. Though it's warm, the atmosphere seems very...still.]


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

[stagemanagers]

[The locked door has faint vibes of care and concern. It's like an instinct to help others, to reach out to those who are hurting - it's warm.

It's also old. Just a flicker of something that once was.]

[defyingfrigidity]

The people here can be surprisingly distracting, aren't they?

[It's nice. Really. The people here are very strange, but... in a good way. They make Elsa realize that maybe making friends and connecting with people isn't as complicated as she thinks it is.]

So, um. Where should we start?

[mayavericks]

Very important indeed, then. I am glad you have her. And -- I can only hope we get you back to her as soon as possible.

[Maya watches Elsa move. Really, she deserves some points for not immediately going HAM with the thing, like Eurydice and LSP had. She can appreciate the more delicate touch that her companion takes.]

More or less, yes. By taking the blade and directing it properly. [She slices her arm down in a motion that glances off the blade.] You create an opening. A vulnerability.

[Maya steps forward, so that the sword just barely touches her abdomen.]

Like so.

[mayavericks]

[Maya's expression shifts -- first delighted at Elle's accomplishments, and then into something downright murderous.]

Clearly he never spent a moment trying to know you. Would you like me to pay him a visit once we're out of here?

[mayavericks]

[Maya tilts her head against his, cheek angled against his hair. She cradles him to her shoulder, thumb brushing against the nape of his neck.]

I am only as good of a sibling as you are, Spongebob. I'm learning from the best.

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine, however, isn't watching the sky. Not really. ]

I wonder if it's real. The sky. The stars aren't. The woods aren't.

[mayavericks]

Pushing people away will only hurt you all the more. And it will hurt the ones you love, as well. I know that is not what you want, Peregrine.

[She coaxes her fingers through Peregrine's hair, willing her breathing to not tremble. She doesn't need to get emotional in response -- it wouldn't help.]

[mayavericks]

You were a man that was wounded and left to rot, Benjamin. Any wounded creature, left cornered, will lash out until it can feel safe again.

[She reaches up, fingers coaxing through his hair, careful as can be.]

I want to ask you something. Will you answer me? [She doesn't wait, won't keep him in suspense.]

If the cards were laid out on the table once more, if you had the opportunity to begin anew, would you make the same decision?

[mayavericks]

Truthfully, there are so many animals that I have lost count. It could have easily been any number of creatures. [She shakes her head, grimacing.]

There are mattresses to spare, so I am not worried about having a place to rest. I just don't want the... scent to linger.

[howtheworldwas]

I used to think that. For most of my life, I assumed I was better off alone. That way, people can't hurt you. [ she shrugs. ] Maybe that's true, a little bit. But then you just end up hurting yourself.

[ a beat. ]

So...no, I guess. I don't think that at all. Not anymore.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Uh, yeah. They're definitely... them.

[And good. Good people live here, and die here. Hopefully, they can do right by them.

For now, Cassandra sets her sword aside and moves beside Elsa.]

Well, how good are you at using a sword already?

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice sees how Spongebob bundles himself, and she inches closer so that their shoulders touch. ]

Well, you're right. If those are your only options, then that probably is better. But that's a hard decision to make. Especially if you're really scared.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[...Ah.

She dismounts from Fidella, crossing over to Peregrine's side.]

...You lost someone, didn't you?

[comeandfindme]

But— I didn't even know. I didn't— I let myself be happy...and I didn't even know he was gone.

[ To Peregrine, this makes sense. It's a connected statement. ]

How— how could I have...? It's just gonna keep hurting. It's just gonna keep happening.

[comeandfindme]

Then why...

[ She holds the thermos close, as she stares out into the woods. Maybe it'll make her feel warm. ]

Why's it happen? Isn't there a...god of fate or something? Are some people just destined for loss?

[comeandfindme]

Again. Seems like all I'll ever do.

[mayavericks]

How could you have known? He concealed it from you -- the Wizard did. Likely to leave you in a state just like this.

This is exactly what he wants to see.

[fourbutts]

[ And just like that, the slasher comment from weeks ago makes sense. ]

Did... something happen to him? ... With him? [ WAS HE A DICK TO U- ]

[fourbutts]

[ Janis snorts. ]

Oh my god, no, it's- the Wizard's like a Boomer, he's super out of touch.

[comeandfindme]

I’m so tired. I can’t… I can’t take it again. I can’t…

[ She leans her head on Maya’s shoulder. ]

It never meant anything. It just got him killed.

[fourbutts]

[ Well that's interesting. She'll try to narrator convenience herself up a key or something before she goes, but given there's probably no way that works, moving on!

Obviously most of the vibes in the dorms are uh. Recent. But can she pick up on anything older than the events of the last month or so in there? ]

[comeandfindme]

He’s dead.

[ Earlier it was raw. Now, it’s— Well, it’s still raw. But it sounds hollow as she feels. ]

…He never came back from leading us out to The Final. My stupid…stupid plan. That’s what I remembered.

[fourbutts]

Oh, shit. I'm sorry, Per.

[ Janis takes a deep breath, turning the information over in her head. She wants to hug her girlfriend, but like. That might be the wrong move? Everyone processes shit differently, and from the sound of what Peregrine just said about her brother, sometimes they don't exactly do it in a healthy way. ]

I'd say that sucks, but like. That goes without saying.

[comeandfindme]

[ She breathes out through her nose in something like a laugh. Mirthless, miserable. ]

Everyone thought he was some…crazy guy living out there. My uncle even tried to…blame him for Jacob’s death. I caused him so much trouble. And now…I got him killed.

[fourbutts]

[ In immediacy, it's hard to argue with that. She knows it probably won't work. But she has to try. Like... a stain, hopefully before it sets in. ]

I mean... and I promise this isn't me trying to go easy on you, I don't do that, but that doesn't sound to me like it's your fault.