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

[voicerights]

That was what it was based on, yes.

[Another smile]

The operating system's user-friendly
It's not designed to be a chore
Let this be your introduction
To how it improves your function
And this isn't all; there's more.

[Don't mind it kind of. Leaning forwards as it demonstrates some of the capabilities]

Oh-
Everything about technology's wonderful
Oh-
This is how I was created, how I came alive!

[And now, as it opens a command line- now it grins at her. The intensity that it possessed earlier in the week is back, not that she'd recognize it; suffice it to say that it seems...well. One can't say it's acting more like its usual self, because its usual self was calm, composed.

But it does seem to have found a purpose again.]

You call this 'death'
But by design
An extra life
So hit 'retry'!
If the Wizard's left a single hole-
We'll break his hold!

[wanderlusttitania]

Like Achilles against the arrows of Paris
Everyone has an exposed heel somewhere!

[She nods. Many people will say many things about her, but one thing that can't be denied is that she enjoys learning.

And hey, she may not understand it as a language yet, but...hey, sixth language!]

[voicerights]

[It'll make a hacker out of you yet, girl]

And if hist'ry's any sign
It's only a matter of time
Before we take him unaware

[wanderlusttitania]

A language to learn
and rise up in determination!
It certainly does appeal!

11001001 01101100 01101010 01100101 01101110 00101100 00100000 01010011 01010001 01010101 01001001 01010000 00100001
It's a type of freedom
My fingers fly
as free as an eagle!

[stagemanagers]

[Well! While all of this is happening, your computer has received a system alert!]

[voicerights]

[And whatever line Sissi's about to continue with gets 'sh-'d off as the SQUIP immediately reaches for her keyboard and mouse. What kind of message we looking at?]

[stagemanagers]

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM ALERT:

Well! Aren't you two sweet?

[voicerights]

[>>start
>>task manager
casually looking for either a 'camera' app or something else acting suspicious. though with this CLEARLY being a simulation, it's not like either of those would really make a difference. Even so, it's muttering under its breath, and may be inputting a particular sequence of keys...]

...up, up, down, down, left, right, A...

[stagemanagers]

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM ALERT:

Oh, sweetheart. That's video games.
Say - don't you all wanna come outside?

[voicerights]

[Glances at Sissi, looking mildly irritated]

We have made contact with an entity, identity unknown. Is there a route outside?

[wanderlusttitania]

[What the-]

Not that I'm aware of, it was still locked up-

Can you open the door for us? Are you outside the school?

[stagemanagers]

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM ALERT:

Sure. It's only fair, isn't it?
Come on out.

[voicerights]

This has a high probability of being another manipulation, Elizabeth. Are you sure you want to proceed?

[wanderlusttitania]

[She bites her lip, thinking.]

It's more than possible that you're right. But-we won't know for certain until we investigate it.

[A pause.]

May we ask your name, at least, before we come meet you?

[stagemanagers]

WINDOWS OPERATING SYSTEM ALERT:

No ;)

[wanderlusttitania]

[WELL THEN. S i g h.]

I suppose there's not much of a choice, then. Shall we, monsieur?

[She goes to stand.]

[voicerights]

There is a clear choice. [But it's following her] But I will admit that gaining more data would be productive.

[To the doors?]

[wanderlusttitania]

"Any moment might be our last.
Everything is more beautiful
because we are doomed."

I don't like it, either. But...we must make sure.

[To the doors!]

1/2

[stagemanagers]

[You can make it as far as the lobby, before all of the external doors slam open simultaneously. There's a burst of warm air and bright sunlight from the outside. Where it lands, the red banners turn to a sparkling gold.

You can hear music fading in.]

2/2

[guardianofsplendor]

[A woman appears in the front doors - very literally, appears. You didn't see her walking up the stairs out there; she's just There, all at once. She strides in as if she owns the place, a slow smile spreading over her lips. Though she's dressed entirely in black, and it seems warm outside, she's got a large grey wool coat thrown casually over her shoulders.]

You look frenzied, you look frazzled.
Peaked as any Alp.
Flushed and rushed and razzle-dazzled -

[Entirely heedless of personal space, she brushes some of Sissi's hair forward with her fingers, and straightens the SQUIP's lapels. Even if they were straight to begin with, quite frankly.]

Dry your lips, damp your scalp.

Now I can see you're in a rut,
In disarray.
And I'm not one to butt in,
But in fact, I must say.

If you'd take it easy, trust awhile.
Don't look blue - don't look back.
You'll pull through in just awhile,
'Cause you're on the right track.

Ah...it's about time I got a little company here. And just look at you two...

[She circles you both appraisingly, her heels clicking on the linoleum. ]

Another empress, I see. [She dips smoothly into a bow that does not feel, perhaps, entirely genuine.] And another SQUIP. People do like their sad robots around here, don't they?

[She bows again, theatrically.]

And I am the Leading Player. I think you've heard of me. I'll be serving as your deadland NPC for this round, so why don't we all just get acquainted? Settle down, have some wine. I hear you didn't get any before, SQUIP.

[Were there always lounge chairs and tables with wine bottles in the lobby? It's probably fine.]

[voicerights]

[The SQUIP is entirely stock-still throughout this, even as she also ignores the meaning of 'personal space'. And yes, they were already straight. Probably one of the few things in this place that were, tbh]

You know what this is. [Not a question. Not quite an accusation. But even it can tell that the proper thing to do would be to - how do humans put it? 'Play along'. But while it will take that seat, it will only eye the wine as it calculates social norms vs data accumulation. Elizabeth should be able to get enough on her own, but would she know to ask the correct questions...]

[guardianofsplendor]

Of course I do. Ran a couple of these myself, once upon a time.

[voicerights]

[If the SQUIP is bothered by this, it's showing no sign. Instead, it's reaching for the wine, and- pouring Elizabeth a glass. Isn't it nice.]

Then what is your goal here?

[After a moment of calculation, it pours a second glass, but makes no move for it.]

[wanderlusttitania]

Wait...what?

[Wait a second. Hang on, she needs to process what was just said. Leading player...round...NPC.

Yeah she's going to sit.]

Mademoiselle...forgive me, but how long have you been here? I have been trapped here for at least a week, but I've never seen any sign of you before!

[guardianofsplendor]

Oh, since he started setting this little thing up. Maybe a month or so now.

[The Leading Player drapes herself over one of the chairs and pours herself a glass of wine.]

But I wasn't just gonna come to you, Sissi! You've gotta do a little investigating yourself!