tellthestory: (♪ eco ♫)
The Balladeer ([personal profile] tellthestory) wrote in [community profile] curtainsdown2021-07-17 02:51 pm
Entry tags:

ready as we'll ever be

[The Balladeer is true to his word. So, before the dead's scheduled performance, still dressed in the outfit Salieri forced him to helped him choose, he takes his guitar and sneaks out to the garden one last time. He hasn't visited it yet today, and he always feels guilty when he doesn't manage. He told everyone he'd be here. Even if neither of them can hear each other, he intends to keep his promise.

So he's there to notice when the trees begin closing in. The Balladeer shoots to his feet. Oh, no. He knows this feeling.]


Everyone! Come out to the garden! Bring your stuff!

[He calls out aloud, but he can use that projection trick just as well as the Player - his voice is audible anywhere in the school.

When people arrive to join him, there will still be a path through the woods to lead them to the garden. He doesn't want to strain himself before the performance, but something as small as that shouldn't cause problems later. It's too important that everyone get out here - because when people arrive, they'll find that all of the living are visible. The Balladeer is watching them, but making no attempt to interact; he already knows how this is going to go. It isn't time for that yet. Still...]


It's the end.

[Have fun spectating the trial!]
violentenvies: (17)

[personal profile] violentenvies 2021-07-18 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
Yes, I'm sure he was, and we already discussed why that would only make things exponentially worse.
themuseabandonsyou: (angery)

[personal profile] themuseabandonsyou 2021-07-18 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
No, I understand that. I'm just - I'm trying to understand him. Why does he think this will fix things? How was he planning on doing it? I want to know why he thought any of this was okay.

[ His voice rises a little bit as he speaks, that anger coming back for just a moment. He gets a hold of himself quickly, but there's still that little lapse. ]
violentenvies: <lj user=farferello> (57)

[personal profile] violentenvies 2021-07-18 03:03 am (UTC)(link)
[oh buddy :< Salieri reaches out to set a hand on his arm, supporting]

He thinks it will fix things because either someone told him it would, or, worse, he thinks it will without having any actually idea of how these things work. As opposed to actually asking people who have an idea of how it does--[gestures to Discord and the SQUIP]--I would very much wager that his arrogance has guided him into thinking that he could fix it all.
themuseabandonsyou: (looking down)

[personal profile] themuseabandonsyou 2021-07-18 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
[ Orpheus puts a hand over Antonio's, comforted at first, but then -

He thinks of deciding he could fix the seasons with a song, because everyone around him believed in him, because they were desperate for hope and there he was, singing flowers into bloom in the dead of winter. He thinks of being so self assured that it would work, despite having no plan other than intercepting Lord Hades and Lady Persephone and performing for them. And he thinks of how it did work, but only after it cost him almost everything.

He squeezes Antonio's hand, his own trembling, and looks away.
]

Right. But he can't fix it. No one can fix something like this alone. [ His voice is hollow as he speaks, despite his best efforts to the contrary. ]
violentenvies: <lj user=farferello> (51)

[personal profile] violentenvies 2021-07-18 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
[Salieri turns his hand over, to take Orpheus's, squeezing in return]

It is not always a fool's errand to try. However...many hands make light work. And two heads are better than one. This time, Orpheus...you're not alone in your fight. We will win, this time. We will succeed. Together.
themuseabandonsyou: (looking down)

[personal profile] themuseabandonsyou 2021-07-18 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ And the Wizard keeps talking, and talking, and talking, and he mentions something else, countless worlds on the verge of collapse. ]

Do you think... [ he looks over at the Balladeer and the Leading Player, the SQUIP and Discord. ] They could fix what he's talking about? If he's even telling the truth. Find another way. End the resets without undoing everything we've been through.
violentenvies: (96)

[personal profile] violentenvies 2021-07-18 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
Absolutely.

[Salieri says this with absolute confidence as he looks where Orpheus is looking, gaze lingering on one of the four in particular]

I know they could.
themuseabandonsyou: (flower)

[personal profile] themuseabandonsyou 2021-07-18 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
If anyone could.

[ He says. The Balladeer and the Leading Player don't look... especially confident, right now, but if they had time to think, to plan? They're the best equipped to come up with a solution out of all of them. He strums his guitar idly as he watches them, frowning. ]

There must be some other way out of this
Said the poets to the mage
There's too much confusion
A way to get backstage