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

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa wakes up sunday morning in Rodgers Dorm, hollow but... happy? At the very least her chest isn't all twisted up as it had been after the trial. For a moment, she's wondering if she should be worried over the lack of an ache in her chest as she sits up in bed, but then the dreams come back to her in a rush-

"Show yourself, step into your power
grow yourself into something new
You are the one you've been waiting for
all of your life..."

And that's when the tears start. Hot and fast they stream down her cheeks. One hand reaches up to press against her mouth, trying to stifle any sobs so that she doesn't wake the others up, but a few sniffles make it through.


Later, when she collects herself and washes up, she heads to the Scene Shop. The place has been pretty well-raided since the start of all this, but she's still digging through the different boxes and displays of props. Prop tools, prop utensils, a dozen other odds and ends-]

Ah-! Here...

[Dusting herself off after digging through one of the containers, Elsa pulls out one of the remaining prop swords. It's one of the sturdier ones, and she looks unsure holding even just this, but it's quickly swept away by a flash of determination crossing her face.]

I have to... I have to try. For all of them.


[Later in the day, around lunchtime, Elsa will approach Cassandra after they finish up eating. She looks somewhat unsure, hands pressed together and twisting around each other, but there's a spark of something in her eyes that hasn't been there since the first trial.]

Hey, Cass? Can I... ask you something?


[And later still, after a long shower and dinner, Elsa is in the Game Room after some evening exploration. She's gotten used to the the absolutely alien, modern technology that some of the others considered so normal, but.... yeah okay these little boxes have her absolutely stumped.]

What do these do?

Game Room

[sugarlumps]

Uh, they play games?

[Obviously.]

[Not many she recognizes, but still.]

[defyingfrigidity]

[????]

Like... board games?

[sugarlumps]

This one kind of is, but it's, like, weird.

[per the mod questions chat, she's found a super janky older version of Mario Party]

[defyingfrigidity]

[LSP please go slower...]

Wait, how can the whole game fit in that little box? That looks like it can barely fit a book...

[sugarlumps]

It's got to do with computers and junk.

[She's not a nerd Elsa, she doesn't know HOW it works, just that it does.]

I think they get robots or something to do it.

Scene Shop

[mayavericks]

[Maya pops her head, doing her rounds of the area, making sure that all of her loved ones are safe. She stops when she sees Elsa and... tilts her head.]

Would you like to learn how to use them?

[defyingfrigidity]

Oh!

[The sword nearly slips out of Elsa's hands in surprise, but she grabs it before she could completely lose a hold of it. She... fidgets with the prop for a moment, turning to look at Maya but not directly in the eye.]

I... would, yes. [There's a pause, before Elsa's ears go slightly red.] But... as much as I truly respect you, Maya, I was... going to ask Cass.

[Oh ho....]

[mayavericks]

Ah, Cassandra, of course.

[Maya only looks a little offended. It's hard not being the alpha sword lesbian. Very hard.

But... Maya catches the color on the tips of Elsa's ears and narrows her eyes, just a little.]

You know, perhaps she might be all the more impressed if you came... prepared?

[defyingfrigidity]

[... Hm. She's not sure if that narrowing of the eyes is good or bad.]

Prepared? What else would I need?

[mayavericks]

Well, imagine if you came to Cassandra knowing the basics. How... intrigued she might be by your abilities?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Oh... Maya has a point. Elsa does want to impress Cass - or at least show her she's not completely useless and not worth the time to train. Cass... would probably prefer someone who could keep up with her...]

I... suppose that couldn't hurt. At the very least, it might be wise for me to know how to hold a sword...

[........... WAIT HOLD ON-]

I-I'm not trying to impress her, or anything of the sort! I just... thought something like this would be useful.

[mayavericks]

Well, if you are not trying to impress her specifically, then what is the problem with learning swordplay from me, instead?

[She lifts her brows. Despite everything, the trauma they've suffered and the memories they've regained, she still manages to look a little impish.]

Or is it simply that you don't like me?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa feels a harsh pang in her chest... but then huffs in response.]

So cruel, Maya. You'd truly joke about such a thing now?

[mayavericks]

It is because I know and trust you that I can joke about it, Elsa-san.

[A small laugh.]

But I am serious. I think it would do you quite a bit of good if you came to Cassandra knowing some basics.

[defyingfrigidity]

You're just like Anna... jumping straight at the smallest opening at every chance you get if you think you can get away with it.

[She tries to sound annoyed, but with the way the corners of her mouth quirk and fondness creeps into her voice, it's clear her amusement far outweighs any annoyance.]

What sort of basics do you mean? Should I know more than how to hold a sword and how to stand?

Cassandra

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[It's around lunchtime that Elsa will find Cass back in the kitchen, scrubbing away the food and grime from her plate. That spark in Elsa's eye slows her hands, and... Well, she can set cleaning aside for later. This must be important.]

Uhh, yeah. Of course. [Elle's judging gaze flashes in her mind.] Ask me anything.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Cass remembers Elle's judging gaze. Elsa remembers how smug she seemed when subtly calling Elsa out. Sigh.]

With everything happening right now, it... seems like things are coming to a head, doesn't it?

[Not coming to an end, no. Elsa's not that optimistic. But there's something in the air now, after Nana's reveal, that Elsa can't ignore.]

If something big happens, I don't... I don't want to just hide behind you or Maya or the others. I want to be able to protect all of you, just as you've tried to protect me.

[Such a brave and valiant fighter, Cass is. But she's still a human, under all of that, and she can't shoulder everything.]

I want you to teach me how to fight. To at the very least defend myself, and others.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[It's either that, or Elle's bright smile in stark contrast to her telling Cass she needs to put on her big girl panties and make a choice. Hard to believe it was only a few days ago.]

...Really? You want me to teach you how to fight? [She's surprised, but pleasantly so.] Well... yeah, deal! I'd love to show you some moves - maybe even right now?

[That stern look in Elsa's eyes, radiating a proud, protective energy. She wants to be useful, and Cassandra deeply respects that.]

If that's alright, that is.

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa's shoulders sag a little in relief. She honestly wasn't sure how Cass would react to the request; would she be annoyed? Would she think it's pointless? But... no. She seems almost excited. Impressed?

Good... that's good. That fluttering in Elsa's chest at the way Cass smiles... that's probably nothing, right?]

Yeah, of course it's okay. Maybe... should we go to the gym for this?

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[Who wouldn't be impressed to teach someone like Elsa in the art of swordfighting? The Queen of Arendelle? Even though it's not really about that. It's about Elsa herself wanting to take a stand. To protect herself. And as much as Cass wanted to, she knew it was impossible to protect everybody.

The way Elsa seems to just beam at her. It's... Okay, okay. Stay cool.]

To the- Yeah! Yeah. Of course. Probably shouldn't be doing anything in here. I'll, uh, go grab my sword and meet you there in... five minutes?

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa can't help but giggle; she's glad that Cass seems to be feeling as awkward as she does, but while Elsa's embarrassed about her own awkwardness, Cass's is...

Well. It's cute. There's no other word for it. Cute.]

Right. Um. Should I... find something a little more easier to move in in the costume room? I don't think a skirt is very... appropriate for weapon practice.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[The giggles. They'll ruin her... if the thoughts that suddenly flood Cassandra's brain when Elsa asks about her attire don't do the job for it.]

I think you look great. [!] I-I mean, you look fine. We're not going to do anything too crazy. But, uh, you can find a pair of shorts or tights if you want.

[Just gonna.... sliiiiiide past Elsa.]

I'll go... get ready.

[defyingfrigidity]

[I think you look great.

You look fine.

Oh. Oh, okay. That's. Sure! That's totally fine and normal! There's no way Elsa's face is turning redder and redder with each word Cass stumbles over!]

Right. Sure!

[And then she just sort of. Stands there awkwardly until Cass leaves. After she does, Elsa lets out a defeated little sigh before tapping herself hard on the forehead.]

Stupid, stupid....

[And then she walks off, stopping by the costume room to dig through the clothes there. She finds a pair of pants that must have been part of a men's suit, throwing them on before grabbing the practice sword she'd dug up earlier and made her way towards the gym. She'll just sort of... stand there awkwardly until Cass arrives, moving her feet into the positions Maya had shown her earlier, trying to hold her sword up instead of letting it sag down...]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Stupid, stupid...

[Right! Right! Cass will just. Very quickly beat her head against a nearby wall in the cafeteria before rushing on her way.

It doesn't take long to prepare physically, but mentally? That's a hurdle in and of itself. There's no time for a pep talk with Owl or Fidella, though. Elsa's waiting. Barely any time to convince herself that she can do this because she's STRONG and BRAVE and is allowed to have feelings for someone whose already done so much for her and oh god she has to keep moving.

It's little surprise that Cassandra's the last to arrive in the gym, pushing quickly through the doors, her sword at her side. Half a second of looking for Elsa and she nods.]

Sorry! I'm not sure what happened.