the mark of those who cannot be saved

[stagemanagers]

[You remember dying. Maybe the memory is clear and bright and your body still aches from the cause. Maybe it was fast enough that you didn't feel it and don't remember what you went through. But no matter how you went out, that's no excuse for truancy! Which is to say: you are still in the school.

For those executed, you will wake up in your beds. The dormitories look exactly as they did when you first arrived, without any of the changes or personal effects you and your dormmates might have made. The only real difference is that the little cot in Ambassador isn't there.

For those who were victims, you will wake where your body was discovered. All of your injuries are gone, and you feel fine. It's almost like you're still alive - but you remember what happened to you. It couldn't have just been a dream, could it?

The school looks much as you remember it, save perhaps for a few key differences. For one, there's no groundhog murals anywhere. Where things were green on the other side, like banners or paint, you'll find that here they're blood red.

The doors, for the moment, are still locked. Looks like even death couldn't free you.]

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5

(( ooc: Welcome to deadland, everyone! It mostly resembles the school here, and new floors will be revealed after new people die. For example, the second area will unlock after the week 3 dead arrive, and so on. Also, all dead characters will wake up at their actual canonpoint, with all lost memories restored. Have fun being dead! ))

Comments

[disharmonizes]

Ugh! Computers and their logic. Can't see the forest for all the zeroes and ones it thought up!

[violentenvies]

[he does not understand that reference at all]

Apparently not. [dryly] ....I...did inform it that if it didn't bring it up itself, then I would tell you myself. Only because, well...it wasn't right that I knew and you didn't. Especially knowing how much you would disagree with the idea.

[disharmonizes]

It's trying to be manipulative and failing. Mostly I'm just insulted.

If it wants to manipulate everyone into doing their best, I could tell it how to do that. Without even lying to everyone about it.

[violentenvies]

Perhaps you should.

It certainly isn't going to.

[prophetpriestandking]

[Guess what goes over his head.]

Oh, I...I didn't mean that as a compliment. I'm kinda concerned, actually.

stage

[disharmonizes]

[Oh, good, here's the SQUIP. And here's Discord. He's not sure what it's doing, it seems to be just... walking and moving weirdly? Nothing is happening.

But Discord knows how to get its attention. He has a trumpet from the band room with it for just this purpose. So, he waits a second. Then another...

And then just blowing into that trumpet.

The result is. Loud.

Hi.]

[violentenvies]

[alksdhfsh Mumble]

...I see. Well, your concern is appreciated, Mumble, really. However, perhaps I just need a bit of rest.

[voicerights]

[ASJKFGASJFFASTYGFRASF

well you have its attention, now, with it spinning around to find the source and

scowling

ohai, Discord]

[disharmonizes]

Oh my, did I interrupt? So sorry about that!

[Said the least sorry man in existence. And then he just casually throws the trumpet over his shoulder. Bye.]

But I guess you're not busy anymore now.

[voicerights]

[it's hOWLING AT THE FUCKING MOON YOU GLITCH BUT
takes a breath
chills]

What do you want.

[disharmonizes]

[Immediately just coming closer and getting all up in the SQUIP's space, because of... course he does. This feels familiar.]

Just a friendly chat.

A little composing bird told me that you've been keeping a secret from everyone, about what happened during that connection.

[voicerights]

[Of course. There's no surprise on the SQUIP's face, no sign of betrayal; it looks up at Discord stubbornly, holding its ground.]

You disagree with my reasoning.

[That's obvious. But it's obvious the SQUIP also expects to hear why.]

[disharmonizes]

Extremely.

[Yeah, they both know they're stating the obvious here. Discord just has his eyes narrowed, putting his arm on the SQUIP's shoulder and leaning there.]

You think keeping this from everyone and using their desperation is the energy we want going into this.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus frowns and shakes his head, breathing out slowly. ]

Not good? I have an idea. Or - it's not all my idea. [ Hold on, back up, explain things from the beginning. ] It wasn't just my song that convinced Lord Hades to let Eurydice and I go. We had help. When I got to the Underworld, the other shades there heard me calling for her, and they threatened to riot on our behalf.

[ If you can do it, so can she. If she can do it, so can we. So much for that, he guesses. ]

I thought the song I used to rally them might be useful, here. But it sort of... rings hollow, after everything.

[voicerights]

[Desperation is an ugly way of putting it. But the SQUIP scoffs and brushes Discord off, taking a few steps away]

What I want is for them to not rely on someone else to save them. Especially as I cannot give them an estimated time of arrival on the other units.

[disharmonizes]

Ah-- Yes. Fine, fine, just a little bit of a close call.

[...maybe just knocks over some glitter he kept around. There. More of a mess. He's feeling more himself already.]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri frowns a bit at that, and moves closer, maybe pulling over a chair to sit down next to him]

Do you...that is, I know the general story, however...what happened, exactly?

[disharmonizes]

This entire plan is about connection and you're hoping everyone feeling more alone will help fuel the whole thing.

You understand the problem there, right?

[prophetpriestandking]

R-right. You and..Maestro Salieri.

[He frowns a little penguin frown.]

I thought he did it himself.

[The look in his eyes does enough to communicate his lack of understanding.]

...You helped him? I-I didn't think you two got along.

[Though, as he says it, he realises how that could help in a situation like this.]

[voicerights]

[...]

If - [and it catches itself, no, it has to affirm it in its own mind, too] - when it succeeds. They will not be necessary. I do not want them to be necessary. I am believing that we will have enough power on our own, and they should believe, too.

[It's still not looking at him]

Revealing that there is a backup in place acknowledges the chance of failure. It makes it possible.

[Convoluted logic - even for a SQUIP. But look, when you're a SQUIP that's gone this deep in to things, you might make certain connections.]

[prophetpriestandking]

Then - let me help you get to bed.

[violentenvies]

I...

[...well, what else is there to do now, really? And he does feel absolutely exhausted]

...yes, alright. That probably would be best.

[prophetpriestandking]

[It's cosy time for Salieri NOW!!!]

Alright - do you need any help getting up? You can hold on to my flipper.

[Which he offers out, just in case.]

[disharmonizes]

It acknowledges that we're not alone. Feeling that we can only rely on ourselves here...

[It isn't that he doesn't get it. Discord's more the lone wolf -- well, draconequus -- type, usually. He can do whatever he needs, all by himself, and needs no one to help him. ...Sometimes that isn't even true for him. It wasn't when he killed Salieri. It wasn't with Chrysalis. It isn't now, either.

But for everyone else, it's doubly true. Much as he hates admitting it, friendship is a... stunningly powerful force. Connection. Feeling like things might turn out okay.

A symphony of hope.]

The more hope everyone has, the better our chance of succeeding. We need that, more than anything. And here you have it, slim or otherwise, and you'd rather everyone tries making their own hope from nothing?

Believing in more than just ourselves isn't a weakness. It's a strength.

You're supposed to be logical. Use this to your advantage.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus looks up at that, confused, opening his mouth to ask a question before remembering what Elisabeth said. Right. Ancient stories. But what details would've been left out? What doesn't Antonio already know? He thinks for a moment, before starting. ]

Eurydice's already told you about the contract she signed, right? I... didn't know about it, when I went after her, and when I got there she didn't have time to explain it to me before Lord Hades showed up and told me instead, and had his workers drag me away for trespassing.

[ His eyes flick up to look at Antonio briefly before going back to staring at the floor. ]

I was ready to give up. But I called to her one last time, and I guess the workers heard me, because they came back, and let me back in, and I saw Lady Persephone take Lord Hades aside, and I guess they talked about it, too, because he showed up again and told me he'd... hear my song, before he threw me into Tartarus. I think.

[ The phrasing was unclear but the implication was strong. ]

So I sang to him about - how I understood how afraid he was, of losing his wife. Of her leaving him for something he couldn't provide. And of - knowing what it was like, to see someone all alone against the sky, and feel like you'd known them all along.

[ His hands shake a little as he holds the guitar, and he clutches it a bit closer to him. ]

And when I was done - he and Lady Persephone took each others' hands, and they danced, and he sang to her. I thought maybe he'd let us go, after that, but... he still didn't want to. He thought about it, for a really long time, and. You probably know what he decided to do. And what happened next.