WEEK 3

[bathymetric]

Well, the tail end of Week 2 could have gone better. That's the first thing to note.

The second thing is... hang on, should it be Week 3 yet? You've all gone to sleep (or... not, in the case of anyone who doesn't), but when you wake up (and you do all wake up), the calendar and clock on your device informs you that it's Sunday. In-character, all characters explicitly have absolutely no memory of Saturday.

Your sense of time isn't the only thing that's changed - a new branch of the facility has opened and become active overnight, giving you new resources and places to investigate, should you so choose. There's also a new channel on the television, though whether it's an improvement over the last one is questionable.

Otherwise, though, things have mostly settled into normalcy again, or at close to normal as you can find in this place. How long that peace will last, though... that's becoming increasingly uncertain, moving forward.



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 3! Turn in last week's AC over here, and regains remain over this way! And for the sake of consistency, Angel's office hours remain over yonder! ]

Comments

[philoxenia]

[ Mira's got several things from the vending machine that she... has no idea what to do with. But one thing in particular has her seeking out someone--Rhea. So when she sees her in the lounge-- ]

Oh-- I have something for you.

[ Has she been carrying it around in the bag she'd made for herself yesterday? Of course. She searches through it, and withdraws a scroll, which she offers to Rhea. ]

I'm very certain this is yours.

[archboxer]

[Rhea's preoccupied with her horde, I mean stack of accumulated trash. She smiles a bit tiredly.]

Oh?

[That smile turns into a frown as she looks at the scroll. She unravels it and--rolls it back up quickly.] Yes... I can say that it does belong to me. Thank you, Mira.

[..Maybe that was a little too quick?]

[philoxenia]

Of course.

[ Huh. That's probably odd! She's curious but... ]

I didn't read too much of it... when I realized it was yours, I tucked it away until I could find you. I'm glad it found its way back to you.

[archboxer]

How did you--

[She seems a bit startled at that then realizes the obvious. The scroll mentions Saint Seiros often. Rhea is the head of the Church of Seiros. It was a natural conclusion that it either belonged to her or Seteth. She calms herself almost in the same instance.]

Yes, well. I am rather glad that it will be returned to the church.

[philoxenia]

[ Her eyebrows raise, just the slightest bit, but. ]

Is it like the other item? Lost to history?

[archboxer]

It was how I learned of the Chalice. Part of my personal collection.

[Okay, she's doing a Seteth check. Looks like she's clear!]

[philoxenia]

[ At least she doesn't have the Chalice on her. That's practically a Seteth Summoning Circle right there. ]

I see... It's still strange that it ended up here. [ ... ] And that I ended up with both of them.

[archboxer]

They are important to the Church but other than being historic I doubt they would have any value to the Professor.

[That... is a good question actually.] Perhaps the Goddess knew you would return them to me.

[philoxenia]

[ the goddess....... ]

.... Maybe so. [ Those odds, though. ] It... makes me wonder what the exact purpose of that machine is. Why take all of our things and put them in there? Even things that are... fairly useless.

[ ..... like her novel about vampires, which she is never telling anyone about, ever. ]

[archboxer]

[It feels like Seteth is coming closer to finding her out ever second... she clears her throat.]

Perhaps amusement, perhaps to give us more reasons. There does seem to be quite a lot of weapons, after all.

[She turns to leave, her secret held tightly.] Thank you, again. I believe it is time to put this in safe keeping.

[kthnxbai i'm not hiding anything i sweeaaaar]

[philoxenia]

[ he loom. ]

Of course. [ She pauses, and... well. It would be easy to let Rhea go but she... she definitely doesn't want to be alone. Everything's still weighing pretty heavily on her.

Maybe it's selfish, but. ] ... Once you've put that away, do you-- want to have tea with me, Rhea?

[archboxer]

[She... does relax slightly. She knows she's not out of the woods but she's sure she can find some answer to satisfy Mira. She nods.]

Of course... I could not turn down an invitation. [She's too polite, even if she has Secrets.] I will meet you at the dining area in a few moments, Mira. Will that be alright?

[philoxenia]

[ She relaxes too, just a little bit. ]

I'll wait for you there, then. Do you... have a preference for flavor?

[archboxer]

Chamomile, please. If you do not mind.. let it sit.

[Her mouth! Her poor mouth. She excuses herself to hide her secret away before heading to the dining area as she promised.]

Thank you for waiting.

[philoxenia]

Of course.

[ And Mira's waiting, with two cups of sufficiently cooled chamomile tea! She's writing away in her notepad, which she tucks into her bag when Rhea comes over. ]

It's no problem. Thank you for joining me.

[archboxer]

Ah, well, I could not turn down an invitation, could I?

[Curse her politeness. She sits down next to Mira, touching her cup gently to check the temperature. She takes a sip before nodding.]

I am here if you wish to speak, after all.

[philoxenia]

That's... fair enough.

[ ... but also she wouldn't have acted too bent out of shape if Rhea had. Would she have been upset? Yeah but like. She wouldn't have shown it. ]

Mostly... I was wondering how you were doing, after...

[ You know. ]

[archboxer]

[The killing? The motive? The severe swerving that she did minutes ago? Well.]

Admittedly, I am a bit rattled but it is nothing that I cannot handle. It would take more than this to make me fall to my knees.

[philoxenia]

[ At least Mira's not gonna call her out on the swerving!! ]

It's... certainly a test of strength, isn't it?

[ Strength she isn't sure she has. ]

[archboxer]

The fact that I have more endurance for this is not exactly a favorable thing.

[Remember the discussion during the after party?]

Strength is built up over time, Mira.

[philoxenia]

... That's true. I just-- wish I didn't have to do it here.

[archboxer]

I cannot say that this is a good situation but you are not alone here.

[She's going to take a drink of her tea and just casually put her other hand on the table if you need it.]

[philoxenia]

It's certainly hard to forget.

[ But by the way she says it... she's grateful. And that hand--yeah, she'll take it. ]

This is almost becoming a habit.

[ What "this" is, though, she doesn't quite elaborate... but she hopes Rhea understands. ]

[archboxer]

[She just sits there, drinking her tea.]

Do you think that is a bad thing?

[philoxenia]

[ She shakes her head. ]

No... I don't think it is at all. It's nice.

[ ... but she can't help but think it'll hurt in the future, if she loses it. ]

And I'm grateful for it.