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

[alchemistake]

[Varian's probably already outside, busy avoiding...specific areas, but honestly they're not as bad as they once were since he and Rina went on their corn destruction spree. Either way, he no doubt hears the call of going into the woods which...

Huuuuuh.

It's not like they have anything better to do during their time as the non-living, and sue him: he's curious.]

So what are we doing in the woods, exactly?

[voicerights]

I was under the impression they had already been explored by Pegerine. [Say what you want; it knows she knows what she's doing in that regard]

[guardianofsplendor]

Oh, we're not exploring. We're haunting, baby!

[She's standing in the little wooded area, right where the living have their little campfire. She can practically smell the wood smoke. It's a perfect storm.]

[alchemistake]

W...wait, haunting?

[If you were to call out to me, I would say...]

You mean we can...contact them? The living?

[And if not contact, maybe...do something. Show them they're still out here...somewhere.]

[guardianofsplendor]

It's a staple of the genre. People expect a good old fashioned haunt, a reconnection between the living and the dead to rebuild some of that waning hope.

Considering how things went last time it's also a good way to get on the Wizard's nerves if that sweetens the pot.

[alchemistake]

How things went...?

[No, he doesn't want to waste time asking questions about before. Varian is going to join her where she's standing in that wooded area, Rina not far behind. He looks antsy. Eager, but also...nervous. Unsure.

A reconnection between the living and the dead to rebuild some of that waning hope...]

Never mind- what do we need to do?

[guardianofsplendor]

A computer had an existential crisis. [Said while side-eyeing the SQUIP.] And you know what they say about history repeatin' itself.

But! [She claps her hands together and gestures him and everyone else forward.] I need all of you to come here- yes, including you, SQUIP- and I need you to focus.

[voicerights]

[DEADPAN STARE BACK]

My parallel version.

[it would further protest, but it's already granted the possibility of will and/or belief and/or observation having an effect - so, after a few moments of internal doubt processing, it approaches]

[alchemistake]

[Varian can't say he knows much about haunting things. Existential crisises though? Yeah, he's maybe had a small handful of those in the last four weeks. But beyond all that, he just knows he made a promise. To not just wait...but to present himself when the time was right.

If there's going to be any opportunity to reach the others, he doesn't care how far fetched it may seem. He is going to take it.

So he'll step forward with Rina's hand in his, staying close by the others. He thinks about where he was, just a little under one week ago. Alive...with his family.

He focuses not just on the memory, but on how they must be now. On the feeling of the ground beneath his feet and the air around them, in spite of the fact it all shouldn't be thinks he's still able to feel.]

[tellthestory]

I think we should...probably talk about that sometime.

[He never really did get a rundown on the second game from anybody; they'd mostly yelled about having seen him there, somehow. The Balladeer had the same sense, and came out here on his own. He seems awkward around the Leading Player, but he can't just let everyone do this without him! Or alone with her!

He focuses easily enough. He's used to it, and to how to make his focus do things. Let's see, here...]

[guardianofsplendor]

I'll give you all the power point presentation the girl with the hummus name made later.

[wanderlusttitania]

All right. Focus...

[So she does come over and focuses. If Death can cross the boundaries so easily, well. She may be human, but she trusts the Balladeer's words that it's possible.

So she thinks on the memory of the living. On those she had gotten to know, and those she'd only seen once or twice. She imagines herself there, walking the halls. She imaginesher family-so far away they are now, among both the living and the dead. And Death, his hand outstretched so they may have their eternal dance with each other.

And, she imagines the word she'd placed a hope onto-a word that might reach the school's living on her signpost, still in front of the cafeteria.

Éljen. Éljen.]

[voicerights]

[blank expression spoiler that's squip for 'i am hiding my feelings and/or pretending they do not exist]

[samefacesyndrome]

[ She’s here with him of course because do you think she’s left his side since they made up? Absolutely not.

She seems in a happier mood because of that even though her face doesn’t show it and even starts to sing under her breath: ]

Into the woods
and out of the woods
and home before dark

[guardianofsplendor]

[That's what she likes to hear!!]

The way is clear
The light is good
I have no fear
Nor no one should

[yourattention]

The woods are just trees
The trees are just wood
I sort of hate to ask it:
will the Wizard blow a gasket?

[Asking for a friend.]

[samefacesyndrome]

Fuck him if he does.

[ She’s Rude Now ]

[guardianofsplendor]

That's the spirit.

[samefacesyndrome]

[ Thumbs up ]

[alchemistake]

[Varian purses his lips, then puts his fist up to his mouth to keep himself from laughing.

R I N A]

[samefacesyndrome]

[ It’s okay baby you can laugh.

Anyway she’s taking his other hand now let’s goooooooo ]

[yourattention]

Generally speaking? Hell yeah. In this specific instance, I just wanna know if I should actually say Beetlejuice three times before we do this.

['cause he's still thinking marriage might be a good solution here.]

[samefacesyndrome]

[ …… ]

Who’s Beetlejuice?

[wanderlusttitania]

A demon.

...

At least wait before you ask to marry him, though.

[wanderlusttitania]

Yes, let's prove it to everyone-his wrongdoing
gives us the right to break free from his chains!