week 1

[stagemanagers]

[Well, all escape attempts have failed thus far. None of you have seen the Phantom since his brief appearance on Sunday, or heard from him at all. It looks like, for the time being, you’re all going to be stuck here.

You're free to continue exploring your surroundings to your hearts' content. The only real restriction on your movements is that the kitchen is closed between the hours of 10 pm and 7 am. Better make sure to grab any midnight snacks you may want ahead of time. Also, remember to label any investigation toplevels!

The Merchandise Booth is now open for business as well! The Phantom hasn't deigned to explain how it works, but...well, some of you will start to find mysterious coins in your rooms, and the Booth's got a place to put coins. You'll figure it out.

Should you wish to engage more with your host, you're welcome to drop letters in the box office slot. There's no set way to converse verbally with him, and he's certainly not guaranteed to respond if you just yell at the walls - but that doesn't necessarily mean he isn't listening. Just something to keep in mind.

Enjoy your first week, everyone.]

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday

(( OOC: This will be the last mod post for this week! Feel free to start submitting regains for any threads that aren't with the Phantom. Remember, song threads mean an extra coin! This is a peace week, so get all that CR while you can! ))

Comments

[37773972]

[Enjoy being studied closely, Ariel - that is, if you notice it, or are distracted by the water. Either way, Stephen's clearly paying close attention to the other's reactions, and at them...

He shakes his head just slightly, pressing his lips together before answering.]

Maybe. Pilot light under a water heater - or it's all electrical. I couldn't tell you just by this, I'm not an electrician.

You...really haven't seen anything like this before, have you. You're not acting. [The last is said a little more softly, as if to himself. And even more quietly;] You're from the past.

[revelfree]

[Ariel only just catches the scrutinizing look as he backs away from the flow of water, attempting to marvel at it from afar. His gaze shifts over, brow raising as he does.]

Past, present, it's not for me to say. But there are differences between you and I, just as there are between us and everyone else here.

[37773972]

And our 'host'. [If they're talking about different times, what if...no, not worth it. Browning exhales heavily, reaching up to rub the heels of his hands in to his eyes.]

This is crazy. This is- impossible. [But even as he says it, he knows it's not, because - here they are.] And whoever's managed to do this wants us to kill eachother, when they could do so much more.

[revelfree]

We know one thing -- [Ariel straightens up, turning off the faucet for the time being. He's desperate for a shower, but it can wait.]

Whoever they are, they are not scholars like you or I. We can hope that this puts us a leg above them.

[Never mind the fact that Ariel's knowledge is probably several hundred years behind Stephen's.]

[37773972]

[Do they need to be a scholar, though, so long as they understand the basics? Stephen isn't an electrician or a plumber, but he knows enough to be comfortable with a shower. And if the ones behind this are as comfortable with those mechanics...

Still. He can't bring himself to quash Ariel's determination; even finds it a little reassuring, despite the doubts in his mind. So he nods slowly, managing a small - but real - smile.]

It might. What's your specialty? I'm not sure how astronomy'll come in handy, but I'll do my best.

[revelfree]

[Ariel's smile wobbles, becoming almost sheepish. His life's duty, the quest for the meaning of life -- was a most noble cause, but explaining it had always been... difficult.]

I am an Alchemist at heart. But. [A beat. A breath.] My cause for the last several years has been the ultimate truth, the meaning of life itself.

[37773972]

[alchemist.

...

You know what he's just gonna put that in as something else.]

Chemistry.

[beat]

And I can at least tell you that's still a fairly common search where I come from. [He makes a wry face]

[revelfree]

[Ariel's head tilts. He supposed that his companion would know better.]

Chemist, then.

[He makes a face, pondering Stephen's words.]

Discouraging, to say the least. Perhaps it means that I was unsuccessful.

[37773972]

Or maybe you just weren't able to share it. [Chin up!!!...?]

We'll need to see if there's any cleaning chemicals or anything else we can use. If I help you understand what goes in to them, do you think you could make something?

[Like what? He doesn't know. Just- thinking out loud. Most of mixing chemicals makes poison or explosives he thinks though so maybe that's not a good idea. Stephen makes another face- then pauses]

...get dressed, and meet me in the storage room when you can. I'm gonna go start taking inventory.

[it's SCIENCE TIME, MOTHERFUCKERS]

[revelfree]

Perhaps. [He's doubtful, there's nothing in the world that could make him sit silent about such a thing. But he appreciates the --

He can't even finish the thought. Stephen is giving orders, telling him to dress before he's even so much as removed his shirt.]

My shower -- May I finish first?

[You can't just introduce him to hot water and then take off!!!]

[37773972]

[oh.

right.

that.]

Right. Shower, then meet me when you can.

[Just gonna go ahead and give Ariel some privacy now and also finish getting dressed, but he's actually feeling...rather excited to have an idea of something he can do. Not necessarily happy-excited, but anything's better than standing idle.]

[revelfree]

[Once he's certain that he's alone (completely and totally so), Ariel strips down. The shower takes a little longer, partially as he struggles to find the perfect temperature, but mostly due to him taking the time to enjoy it.

Eventually, though, Ariel makes good on their agreement, knocking on the door of the storage room.

[37773972]

[The door's half-open; Stephen's sitting there with a makeshift clipboard, a number of cleaning supply bottles around him along with...honestly, anything else he thought a chemist might be interested. The batteries, for example. He looks up as Ariel signals his arrival, offering a small smile.]

Glad you made it. I'm trying to figure out how to translate this stuff in to things you might be more familiar with. What'd you work on as an...alchemist?

[revelfree]

[Ariel enters the room and hunkers down. He's cross-legged in front of both Stephen and the collection of chemicals. He scrutinizes the bottles and unfamiliar names.] Matter transference and combination. Lead to gold is the most common practice, but there are also more practical applications as well. Anyone who has fooled around with enough chemicals knows how easy it is to create smoke in different colors, or perhaps even an explosion

[37773972]

What about acid?

[Because if the doors have no hinges...]

[revelfree]

[Ariel brightens up.]

Acid. I can do acid.

[He looks over a few of the chemicals, then grimaces.]

I trust these make more sense to you than me?

[37773972]

A little- like I said, astronomy. Ask me about the planets and that I can do. But- here.

[He hands the paper over to Ariel. Assuming he can read English, it's more or less Stephen listing the ingredients on the back of the bottle - so there's one that lists Mr. Clean with Water, alcohol ethoxylate, sodium curnene sulfonate, sodium citrate, sodium carbonate, etc etc...

...a couple, like Red 4 and fragrance are noted as useless?]

[revelfree]

[Ariel reads the recipes a handful of times. he chews on his cheek as he does, brows drawn tightly together. He picks up a few bottles, shaking them once or twice.]

I am not certain that any of these will create instantaneous dissolution but... [he cocks his head toward the door]

If you'll fetch some salt and a glass container, I have an idea

[37773972]

Sure. [Easy enough to do. And as he gets to his feet-] Should I try and see if there's anything for protection with the costumes?

[revelfree]

A brilliant idea my friend. In the meanwhile, I'll prepare everything else than I can

[Science Bros. they got this]

[37773972]

[science bros look out for one another, and that's remembering that when you mix chemicals you should A) have protection B) consider a well-ventilated area. So when Stephen does eventually come back with the salt and a glass cup, not only does he have a good few pieces of clothing draped on an arm that he figures are durable enough for their purposes, but...]

Kitchen's probably a better place for any heavy work. Not much airflow in here, in case something goes wrong.

[revelfree]

I think you may be right about that.

[There's an itch starting up in his eyes, and it's sure to progress further. Thankfully, Ariel hasn't made much progress. It's easy enough to pick up his items, capping off the few bottles he's opened.]

Lead the way.

[37773972]

[bro...come on, if you've done this before, you have to have taken some precautions. Browning offers a hand to help him up with a slightly concerned expression, but doesn't comment on Ariel already starting without the proper gear- instead, regardless of whether that hand is taken, he'll go ahead and head for the kitchen with as much of the other gear as he can carry]

So- how'd you get started in alchemy?

[revelfree]

[Personal Protective Equipment? In timeless fantasy land? With chemicals that are combinations of those that he works wtih, rather than their raw forms? That's silly. In any case, he'd only just begun, and seems none the worse for wear.]

I cannot recall a time when I did not want for more. The idea of creating one thing from something else seemed to only go hand in hand with that.

What about you with your astronomy?

[37773972]

School trip. [He hesitates, trying to figure out a way to put it in to a way Ariel would understand.] I saw a show when I was a kid, and it was just...

[He's silent for a moment, and then, so softly, without even seeming to realize he's doing it;]

Images of broken light
Which dance before me like a million eyes
They call me on and on across the universe...