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]

[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...

[revelfree]

[There are many things about Stephen that Ariel doesn't understand, but that sense of wonderment -- it's a second language to him. It's a song he knows in his soul, and he joins in without hesitation.]

Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letter box
They tumble blindly as they make their way across the universe

[37773972]

[Ariel joining in- it's somehow natural. And as much as it startles Stephen, he finds himself continuing despite wondering how in the hell Ariel knows the words if he's not from around here-]

Jai Guru Deva, Om
Nothing's gonna change my world

[revelfree]

[Ariel is just as startled by how readily the words come, how he knows them as if they are written upon the flesh of his hand.]

Nothing's gonna change my world
Nothing's gonna change my world

[Sheepishly, Ariel lowers his head. They've made it the kitchen, and with the reminder of their task at hand, he's promptly thrust out of whatever mood had taken him.]

I can only imagine what the sciences look like where you come from.

[37773972]

[what.

the.

hell.

Stephen lets Ariel go in first, surprised by their impromptu duet, Ariel knowing the words, and- he could have sworn he heard music. He looks behind him, visibly spooked, then hurries in to the kitchen as well. Fuck this, he's not-

Just focus on the matter at hand.]

They're- different, that's for sure. What'd you need the salt for? [He's setting everything down on one of the counters, separating them in to groups as well. Impromptu protective gear, chemicals, salt and glass...]

[revelfree]

The good thing is that science, though it may change, is still a common enough language amongst scholars.

[Ariel takes the salt and sets to measuring it out. Without his scales, it's a slightly more riskier process, but he's familiar enough with the process to be confident in his abilities.]

Aqua Regia. A combination of acids. It should eat away at a number of metals, albeit a bit slower with some compared to others. If that fails -- Vinegar and salt will at least slowly eat away at some compounds, though I fear that would take too long to be of any affect

[Just... talk about science to avoid the weird singing thing. It's fine.]

[37773972]

[science is logical, unlike weird singing!!!]

You'd know better than I do. What else does it need?

[Lab assistant Browning is at the ready! And even putting on some gloves he found, handing the thicker pair to Ariel. They're not going to be much, but they're something - and he figures Ariel will be doing most of the work, therefore needs most of the protection.]

aggressively handwaves science

[revelfree]

[Ariel pulls the gloves over his hands. He opens and closes his fingers, testing the feeling and range of motion. Then he gestures to one of the bottles.]

That first. Then the second -- separate containers for now. [He rattles off an exact measurement. He hasn't taken such pleasure, or even had the time to indulge whatsoever, in the science for what feels like ages.]

the pains of playing a character smarter than you

[37773972]

[Browning's quick to learn, quicker to help, and while he might not be able to make it by himself after one session, he's certainly efficient at realizing what Ariel's needing, and how it could possibly help make an acid.

Possibly.]

So we make this, set it on the hinges and the bolts, and then wait?

[revelfree]

Exactly right. [He looks proud -- proud of his own instruction, and prouder still of Stephen picking up on his direction. It isn't much, but it's been ages since he's been able to match wits with someone.]

If it doesn't take quickly, we'll know to move on to the second combination. That one will have to be applied and then removed relatively frequently, so we shall have to have faith in the first mixture.

[37773972]

[Right, right, teacher. You're no Gregor, but maybe that's for the best. More than he knows, at least.]

Let's talk cleanup. If this spills or gets where we don't want it, how do we fix that?

[revelfree]

Simple. We just don't spill. [Ariel flashes a smile, but quickly turns his attention to actually answering the question.]

Natron should do the job, I think. Do you suppose anything here might be mde of that?

[37773972]

[Flat look. Someone isn't amused by that- but hearing that there's something? It at least reassures him that they can deal with it, even if he has...no idea what it is. He shakes his head.]

Don't spill it is, then.

[So. Very. Dry.]

[revelfree]

[Ariel purses his lips. He's confident, but he doesn't want to take that risk.]

A moment.

[He steps away from his measurements, shedding his gloves as he goes. He glances through a few cabinets, unsure exactly what he's looking for, but ultimately, miraculously, finding something close enough.]

Do you truly bake with it? [he motions to the 'baking soda' in his hands, before setting it down and placing his gloves back on his hands.] I suppose I've heard of stranger things.

Let me know when you are ready to begin.

[37773972]

[Just gonna go ahead and start cleaning up, then, and finish making some impromptu facemasks for fumes and-

Huh.]

You can. I guess I've heard of it working against acids. [Taking a teaspoon with water for an upset stomach, for an example. Which means it's better than nothing. Not much, but- same as the masks, same as the gloves. It's something.

He offers Ariel one, secures the other - it's more or less just bandana-shaped pieces someone's from 2013, what are 2020 events made up of fabric he figured would do the job. Whether or not it actually does?...

...at least they moved to a more ventilated area.]

Ready.

[revelfree]

We can only hope it will work in this capacity, then.

[He wraps the fabric around his face, then breathes in once to test it. It's no worse than what he'd worked with back home -- it will do what's necessary.

With a steady hand, Ariel mixes the first two substances with one another. He waits for them to steady, then pours the second one in to a third glass of liquid. He flinches back, waiting for a puff of smoke, a cacophonous explosion -- anything that might indicate that he's made some kind of mistake.

When nothing comes, he flashes a grin at Stephen.]

Would you like to add the final ingredient? [He motions to the carefully measured salt.]

[37773972]

[Doesn't this remind him of taking chemistry in college. Maybe not with the equipment wise, but Ariel's sheer comfort with the tools, his body language speaking of enjoyment- reminds him of one of his favorite lab partners. Stephen's not sure what happened to them, but that's neither here nor there. A tilt of the head and he carefully, so carefully, reaches for the salt to add to the mix - eyes darting from it, to the glass, to Ariel, and back again, looking for any sign that he's doing this incorrectly or the like.

Still. There's a bit of a thrill to this, the wonder- this just might work. It's not like how he used to sit at the telescope, long past any dreams of being the one to hear The Signal That Would Be A Breakthrough, but- it does remind him of those dreams.]

[revelfree]

[Ariel holds his breath as the salt pours in. He tries to count the grains, an impossible task, but at least this way he'll be watching closely enough to know if something has well and truly gone awry. It feels good to do this -- it's not earth shattering work, but it's productive nonetheless.

Thankfully, it doesn't. As the color shifts, settling on a dull orange hue, Ariel breathes a sigh of relief. It hasn't exploded, which he counts as a win.]

There we are, then. It should eat away at... something, I suppose.

[37773972]

[careful, careful, careful, careful-!

he can't help but exhale in relief as Ariel proclaims the work done. Still, that just means the acid is live - and dangerous. All the more reason to be careful.]

Alright. Let's get it to the main doors.

[revelfree]

Agreed. [Ariel cups the glass between both of his gloved hands. It's low enough in the container that it shouldn't splash too much, but he isn't taking any risks.]

Grab the powder and meet me there.

[He doesn't wait for Stephen to respond.]

[37773972]

[he doesn't need to be told twice. Powder get, and after a moment, he finds a large bowl and fills it with water as well. The soda'll be the main neutralizer, but if they need to wash it off something - or worse, someone...

Off to the Lobby it is! We would say 'nyoom', but this is going anything but fast. Also, why is he hearing music again.]

[revelfree]

[Ariel hears it to. And like the first instance, he's doing his best to ignore the implications. Not to mention biting his tongue to keep from singing.

He will tap his foot though. Not because it's catchy. No, he's clearly just impatient.]

Stephen. Allow me to be the first to say -- if anything happens, it has been a pleasure.

[37773972]

[It really is catchy, isn't it...but...he clears his throat before answering;]

Say that again and I'm dumping this [a heft of the water bowl] on your head. [He's joking.

...Mostly.

Also, if that was said in rhythm with the music, it was completely unintentional.]