Week 7

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, on It's Curtains...boy, that sure was a year-long week, huh?

But despite it all, you've gotten through it with less death than there might have been. Spongebob and Farrah both survived their ill-conceived plan; Maya, with the intervention of Janis and Hester, survived her triple murder. Since the failed execution, there has been no sign of the Wizard or of Hester. It seems like you may have gotten away with that cleanly!

When you wake up on Sunday, you remember everything. All the gaps, the missing pieces, entire chunks of time from back home - they're back and neatly fitted where they should be in your heads. Elle, Orpheus, and Eurydice have also been given graves alongside the others in the garden. These ones were filled in for you; after all, you were all pretty occupied over the weekend.

Other than that...it seems like some unusual posters have been put up around the school. Sounds like something's going to happen this week. You'd better prepare.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday

(( As per usual, endgame will ICly take place on Wednesday, so get those last threads in! As this is the last week, all characters should be at their true canonpoint memory-wise. Feel free to continue submitting regains and...well, you can certainly try to visit Hester. No AC this week, but be sure to check in for endgame! ))

Comments

[employeeoftheyear]

[Ever since Sunday, Spongebob has been the happiest he's been since before the first motive. His home was safe, and he did that through the power of friendship and team work. He wasn't a liability, not at all, he was a vital asset.

It still stung, a little, knowing that so many people died here despite all his efforts, but optimism was his specialty, wasn't it? There was still a chance they could save everyone, and by Neptune he's going to chase that chance to his dying breath.

For most of the morning, Spongebob dedicates himself to making the grandest brunch ever. If you thought the pancakes and eggs were fancy, then wait until you see his breakfast casserole, stuffed french toast, and entire pitchers of freshly squeezed orange juice. He personally serves breakfast to everyone left, just so he knows that everyone can read the little message he's taped to the bottom of each of the plate:]

You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart, I'll always be with you.

[When noon rolls around, Spongebob is already in the cafeteria, as if waiting for something.

Waiting for the motive.

And he waits, checking his imaginary watch multiple times as it hits 12:05. Then 12:10.

He seems nervous.

Eventually, he gives up and heads to the craft room before going straight to the rooftop garden. Once again he's doing origami of his fallen friends; two more dolls holding hands that look like Orpheus and Eurydice (notably, they look human), and a little dog origami. He doesn't stop there, however, as he makes a plethora of little hearts and stars for origami, practically drowning the area he's sitting in in little paper crafts.

When he's done, he starts to write letters. He's noticeably tearing up as he writes them, but he's smiling all the same.

cw: dissociation mention

[brokeforgood]

[You know what’s the best, after you’ve rah rah rah’d and dissociated for a little bit?

This shit. This shit right here. Farrah’s fresh from the showers, her hair still down and wet, and it’s a good thing Spongebob’s serving her, or she would have just dug straight into the serving dishes.]

Holy shit, Spongebob, this is amazing!

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob blushes, noticeably sheepish from that compliment.]

Aww shucks, it's nothing! I wanted to make sure we kept our energy up if we're gonna go fight the Wizard!

Besides, I thought you guys were tired of my usual boring breakfasts.

[Which, to be fair, had slowly been turning more lazy, especially leading up to Wednesday.

He might have felt guilty about that, too.]

[brokeforgood]

It's great. You should be a--- [She fills her mouth with stuffed french toast, which is good, because it lets her remember he is a frycook chef] mmmmmf---mmm --- [She almost chokes. Swallows. Washes it down with orange juice.]

Best cook in all of Bikini Bottom. And Gershwhatever High-Uni-Schoolity.

[employeeoftheyear]

[His face is practically beet red as he laughs.]

C’mon, you’re just saying that because I’m your brother!

But I’m glad you like it. I don’t know how much time we have left together—- [He pauses, briefly.] I mean, until we get out, so I wanna make sure we savor each moment until we part ways!

Letters

[defyingfrigidity]

[Elsa's been feeling antsy today, for similar reasons as Spongebob. She'd held her breath for what felt like forever, waiting for the next motive, and when none came... well. It's worrying. There's a feeling in the air, one she's not sure if she's imagining or if she's perceptive to it because of the return of all her memories.

It doesn't scare her, though. Everyone's preparing, together, and she has to do her best to help them. So as she's puttering about the school, she spots Spongebob with his letters, and approaches.]

Hey. What are you doing?

[employeeoftheyear]

Oh, hi, Elsa!

[He looks sheepish as he slides Elsa two letters to her. He awkwardly waits a few minutes for her to read before he speaks up.]

I... I know there’s no way for me to give this to them, but I’m hoping that they’ll feel the intent somehow!

brunch!

[barberic]

[Spongebob doesn't have to go far to find Benjamin; the man is on his way to the cafeteria already when Spongebob pushes the overflowing plate into his hands.

He looks at it like he's never seen quite this much food before, then looks up at Spongebob.]

For me?

[employeeoftheyear]

[Spongebob beams up at Benjamin with pride.]

Of course! You're family too, after all! And it's the least I could do for helping me get through this past month and a half.

[There is a twinge of sadness in that statement, as he thinks about how many people have died around them while he desperately tried to keep himself afloat.]

[barberic]

[He looks...stricken, for a moment, when Spongebob calls him family. Still surprised that anyone would want to call him that, after his confession on Sunday.

But he smiles, tiredly.]

Well, thank you.

Have you had some already?

[employeeoftheyear]

[He laughs, waving off the question.]

I wanted to make sure you guys got fed before I eat! How can we fight the Wizard if we're all hungry?

[And it's not like he could take the Wizard anyway.]

[barberic]

That's a good enough point.

[He sets his plate down on one of the tables, then glances at the clock.]

...It's about that time, though, isn't it. The others may be on their way here already... Just in case.

[employeeoftheyear]

Yeah, that's kinda why I wanted to wait for breakfast.

[He didn't want to risk missing...

Spongebob looks at Benjamin, concern growing on her face.]

Do you think she will show up? After that trial, is she still...?

[Alive? Here? Willing to do motives? He's not sure how to finish that question, truthfully.]

[barberic]

...I don't know.

[He doesn't want to say outright 'I don't think so,' afraid of manifesting it. But no one has been able to find Hester all week, and not for lack of trying. He just remembers the flash, between one snap and the next, Hester lying too still on the floor of the stage, and can't remember whether there was blood around her or not.]

A part of me almost hopes so, even knowing what that would mean. Almost any motive would be worth it, to know she's alright.

[employeeoftheyear]

Me too, she’s also our family, after all, even if she is related to the Wizard.

[His face pales slightly, as he huddles himself in the coat Eurydice gave him.]

Tartar Sauce, what if the Wizard wanted to punish her for what she did.

[barberic]

She told me she had nothing to fear from him. When I asked her to find a way to let me know, if she thought she was in danger.

[He sits down at the table, then looks over at Spongebob and pats the seat next to him.]

...I never believed her, when she said that, but what could we do?

[employeeoftheyear]

... We can still save her. I know we can. If she's alive, we just gotta find her, and if she died...

[He pauses.]

Well she's gotta be with all our friends in that case, right?

[barberic]

...You're right. Where else would she be?

[He isn't strong enough to overcome the absolute force of nature of that level of optimism.

Especially not after he's seen how low Spongebob can go when he's lost all hope.]