WEEK 6

[stagemanagers]

WEEK 6

[Six weeks later, and eleven performers remain.

The opera house is much the same when Monday morning dawns this week. It seems you've truly gone as high as you can go - there is no fifth floor, and no sign of any other new areas. The air has grown colder, like perhaps someone failed to adjust the heating for the winter weather that's supposedly happening just outside. Javert and Astarte's stars are still firmly affixed to their doors; it seems you might have to try a little harder to learn their secrets.

Things seem to be building. Have a good week, everyone.]

[ Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday ]

[ooc: don't forget to submit your memories and check into the roll call!]

Comments

[robitussin]

Um, well, kind of. I mean, technically yes, but... He died before I was born.

[#yikes]

[aflatouttahell]

Oh... this didn't look like your first time meeting him, though.

[robitussin]

Uh, well, that's... I mean, again, it technically was? I mean, I'd never, like, honest to god seen him or talked to him before this place, but...

I mean, back home it had been eighteen years, but if there's one thing I can say about him, it's that he's really good at - sticking around, and never leaving, ever.

[this explanation might make sense if she wasn't sleep deprived and screaming internally, but here we are]

[aflatouttahell]

... was he a ghost?

[sleep deprivation is hitting both of 'em, tbh]

[robitussin]

No. Yes? No.

[deep breath!! she can do this. she can discuss this like a normal person.]

Okay, so like. Imagine you're from, like, a human family that's supposed to care about each other? Like, this is the expected norm and all. So, like, before you're even born, your mother - you know, I don't think you've ever mentioned her. How do demons reproduce? No, wait, not the point. Um... Where was I? My mom?

[nailed it.]

[aflatouttahell]

Your mom, in your normal human family. Which is a concept I know a thing or two about, so don't worry.

[She's got u, nat.]

cw: mental health & child death, yikes

[robitussin]

Right. Yes. So, like, before you're even born, your parents have another kid that passes away, and both of your parents are understandably really fucked up over this? Because that's a really, really shitty thing to happen to anyone, ever.

So after a year of, like, completely not being able to cope with it, your mom and dad are like, hey, let's have another kid! This will definitely help us move on! Except that is actually a horrible idea, because that's not how it works, at all.

[A pause. She's been talking progressively faster as she goes on, and she takes a second to just... Breathe. Deflate a little.]

I, um - am I rambling? I feel like I'm rambling. I can stop...

[aflatouttahell]

If you don't want to keep going, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but... I am following. Promise.

[robitussin]

No, it's fine? I'm fine. It's good, it's cool.

[Deep breath. Lord help her.]

So, like, imagine your mom is sick? Really sick. Sometimes she hears things or sees people that aren't really there. So she starts to have hallucinations that he never really died and everything is normal and fine and he's growing up like a normal kid would, and it turns out she likes this version better than what actually happened, so like.

If she had a kid just to move on from what happened, but it turns out she stops believing it actually happened... For her, what's the point of that second kid, like, existing?

[aflatouttahell]

[Oh. Oh no, that's... Jez takes a second to think about that.]

I'm... I'm so sorry? I know it doesn't help, but that really sucks.

[robitussin]

Nope, like I said, it's fine, I'm good. Doesn't matter anymore. Anyways - enough about me, your turn, go for it.

[aflatouttahell]

But you're...

[No, she wants Natalie to be happy, and if talking about herself will make Natalie happy Jezebel is all for it!!]

What do you want to know? Consider me an open book.

[robitussin]

I want to know, um, the first thing you're going to do when you get out of here.

[aflatouttahell]

I want ice cream. In an actual place where they serve ice cream to you. Or maybe to pet a kitten. Or maybe both at once, but I don't want to get ice cream on the kitten.

[robitussin]

As someone you used to have a cat, the kitten will probably try to eat the ice cream, or knock it onto the floor like an asshole, or possibly sit in the ice cream container.

[aflatouttahell]

Well, it'd still be interesting! But I guess it depends if I have to go back to where I came from or if I can go with someone else, too.

[robitussin]

Yeah. I hope you do get to go with someone else... I mean, assuming that's what you want to.

[aflatouttahell]

It is. I don't know who or anything, but... that's definitely what I want, if I can.

[robitussin]

It would be cool if we had that choice. I bet lots of people would be happy to let you tag along.

[aflatouttahell]

... Would you?

[robitussin]

...If you want to? I mean, um. It's not really an awesome place - there are probably better places you could go. I mean, not that I'm saying I don't want you to.

[aflatouttahell]

It's close to the world I wanted to see, and I'll get to experience all that stuff I wanted to with, y'know, someone I actually know.

[robitussin]

Right, but... I mean, knowing each other a month isn't that long. I mean, what happens if you stay there for a while and then realize I'm kind of a dick?

[aflatouttahell]

Eh, I have a good feeling about you. But if that did happen, there's a whole world there too.

[robitussin]

[stop]

Ugh, don't say that. I can taste the cheese.