ready as we'll ever be

[tellthestory]

[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!]

Comments

[voicerights]

[Your SQUIP is putting the finishing touches on its nails when it hears the Balladeer's voice. It's in enough control of itself to not disturb the lines, but it certainly finishes up as quickly as it can before heading out. It waits, however, for the others to move as a group before it joins them, though, at the sight of the living-

-it pauses. Looks at B. Looks at LP. Looks at the others. Looks at the living.]

We should listen.

[guardianofsplendor]

[LP doesn't have to run to the garden. She's there before he even finishes his sentence, decked out in her usual black garb with the addition of a glittering black sequined suit jacket.]

Never thought I'd be on this side of one of these.

boyfriend brigade

[violentenvies]

[Salieri is just finishing fussing over Discord's outfit as the Balladeer's voice echos throughout the school--and his gaze goes immediately from Discords cravat that he was adjusting to his boyfriend's face and, after sharing a brief moment of Meaningful Eye Contact, is grabbing for the violin case he set aside and turning to run for the garden, making sure to stay by Discord's side pretty much all the way there, grabbing his hand on the way. Though the lopsided cravat does catch his eye as they go and he starts to slow just before he gets there--]

--hold on, your cravat-- [MAYBE REACHING TO FIX THAT]

[disharmonizes]

It's fine, it's more me this way, anyway!

[save him this has been his life the past hour]

[voicerights]

Salieri, perhaps you should allow him to 'fix' it himself. [helpful!!!]

[tellthestory]

That's all we can do for now. I think -

[The Balladeer is hovering anxiously - he hasn't seen any of these people in ages. Did Benji always wear flannel? Did Farrah always - ?

He takes a seat next to her, invisible, and holds his arm up next to hers. They're wearing the same jacket. It's even bigger on her; she's practically swimming in it. The thought makes him want to smile, but instead there's just a familiar prickling behind his eyes.

Whatever he was about to say is thoroughly lost to distraction.]

[violentenvies]

[HE GETS FUSSY WHEN HE'S STRESSED OKAY?! He just makes a frustrated sound, rolling his eyes]

Fine, but just so you know--

[his voice dies in his throat, stopping in his tracks as he sees the assembled there, heart suddenly in his throat]

...oh.

[violentenvies]

If I did that, he'd end up taking it off completely!

[tellthestory]

Can't imagine you would.

[It's not really as hostile as the Balladeer's typical passive-aggressive jabs at her. The dress rehearsal - the knowledge that she was hit just as badly as him there, somehow - makes things feel a little more...equal, maybe. Though he's stood up to her in the past, he's not sure he's ever truly felt quite her equal.]

Can you even...die, really?

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus runs out, guitar on his back and trying and failing to figure out his bowtie as he goes. Between being in motion and also not knowing how to tie one to begin with, it's not a terribly successful endeavor, so he gives up and just lets it hang around his neck for the moment, smoothing out his suit as he crosses the garden's threshold, eyes wide. ]

It's them! They're - they're not really here, are they? Not dead? It's just that we can see them now, right?

[disharmonizes]

I would not!

[voicerights]

Don't you trust him?

[




Is it fucking teasing you, Salieri.]

[yourattention]

Peregrine...

[He's wearing something formal, but the rest of his stuff (which is really just the Amanda Komaeda coat) is in a janky bag he sewed. None of that really matters as he drops it, reaching out like he means to touch her but then dropping his hand. Looking around the rest of the circle:]

Shit, what happened to Maya?

[voicerights]

I think...there is some level of crossover. But I do not think they are here, or we are there.

[prophetpriestandking]

[Mumble rushes out at the call, slipping down the halls for maximum efficiency. When he gets to the garden and sees everyone-]

Guys! Guys! Hello? I-it's us! The dead!

[He walks around them, and waves a flipper. He really tries to get their attention, to no reaction at all.]

...They can't hear us, can they?

[Ah. What a familiar feeling.]

[disharmonizes]

What--

[He blinks, taking a proper look at the proceedings now. And... Oh, indeed.]

...Ah.

I see.

[tellthestory]

[The Balladeer nods.]

It's because we're still part of the story. Just not the ones who can affect the ending anymore.

[tellthestory]

Sorry, should've warned you...

[But he seems pretty distracted by it, himself.]

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Nodding slowly, Orpheus reaches out tentatively to try to touch Spongebob's arm, only for his hand to pass right through. ]

Right. [ He says, brows furrowing. ] Between-spaces.

[ He doesn't want to say it out loud, but - couldn't that make their jobs just the slightest bit easier? Being neither here nor there, where the walls between might be just the slightest bit thinner. A faint hope and determination starts to bloom in him, and this time he lets it flourish as it will. ]

[wanderlusttitania]

[She'd been wearing black, for most of her time with the dead. Now, though, she wears whites.

She is prepared. She has everything she needs. Tissues, food, her zither, some extra clothing and food just in case. Whatever is needed, even a small, albeit half-finished piece of art that she's started. She's not sure what to expect.

She's not ready to see the living once more, after all this time. Her eyes widen, and her face pales.]

They're...they're all here-!?

[She rushes to try and speak to them.]

Everyone! We're here-!

[voicerights]

Not at this moment.

[excuse it while it goes around and kind of just. figures out staging/setting up.]

[violentenvies]

Of course [immediately--and then there's a flicker of annoyance in his face before it smooths out into a bit of concern as he seems to focus in on that scarf]

However...I think your own outfit might've gotten a little mused on the way here, SQUIP. Your scarf looks like it got knocked off-center. Why don't you let me fix that for you?

[violentenvies]

Alright, fine, but you certainly wouldn't make it better.

[voicerights]

[a similar spacial placement should assist...

But it won't mention that. It will, however, approach Orpheus and clear its throat, gesturing to Orpheus's own.

May I?]

[tellthestory]

We should wait for the right moment. It's all about timing, you can't just have some big dramatic thing happen right at the start.

[Not that he's trying to stop it setting up - it's good to have all that ready for when the moment does arrive.]