WEEK 4

[bathymetric]

Another trial, another week, and still you're probably running lower on answers than you'd like. And on people - you lost three since last Sunday. By the end of this week, you'll have been here for nearly a full month, yet still the days crawl on.

You wake up Sunday, again with no memory of Saturday, but this time with a simple message on your devices: You may resume requesting items, if you like. Enjoy. Guess it really was just a stealth motive after all, but at least it's being communicated that it's over! That's something, at least.

And when you leave your rooms on Sunday, there's another new area to explore! This one is... certainly more ambitious in its construction than the last one, to say the least. But hey, you have a pretty neat place to host parties, if you feel so inclined! That's... fun...

Hey, you gotta find the fun in situations like this where you can! Silver linings, right?



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 4! Remember to turn in AC here, threads for regain coins here, and if you feel so inclined you can visit Angel's office hours over here! ]

Comments

[emberserker]

[After Birkin's TV-related discovery, what other secrets could the lounge hold? So Anna's there in the morning, putting in the VHS tapes she's gotten from the machine. Unfortunately, there are no secrets in them whatsoever. But hey, if you come by, you can watch some baseball or... some really weird bread-making video, as Anna gets more and more frustrated.]

Ugh, this is useless.

[You'll find her in the sewing room come afternoon, plotting out what appears to be another jacket. Seems a bit redundant, since she's been wearing nothing but jackets since Monday between her suit and school uniform, but hey, clothes are clothes in here, right? At least she didn't dissect another teddy bear for this one.

And then Anna ends up in the art gallery before lights out, looking over the paintings again critically.]

Really...

Gallery

[bolderfell]

Really what.

[Therion must have come in a little while after she did. Now he's leaning against the wall by the entrance, just observing.]

[emberserker]

What we discussed at the meeting, about how stealing the paintings was probably part of his job. Or at least a highly related hobby.

[bolderfell]

[He tilts his head a bit, then comes over to join her at the painting she's looking at.]

Does that bother you?

[emberserker]

As much as anything else about this place does. The Professor really does just like to go off about how great he is and how no one else can possibly comprehend his plans, doesn't he?

[bolderfell]

...Arrogance is an oddly common failing among thieves, I've found.

[emberserker]

I suppose you'd know a lot of them, being one, then?

[bolderfell]

I know a few. It's not exactly the chummiest profession.

[emberserker]

That would explain it. What do you think of the Professor, then?

[bolderfell]

...I think he's after far more than our deaths. Or even the... psychology. Testing what we do in extreme circumstances. Might be that's how he gets his kicks, but scholars and doctors wouldn't give him coin for that--and he wouldn't be able to talk them out of their resources with just that, either. No matter how persuasive a liar he is.

I think some part of this setup--pushing us to kill, and then bringing us down into that round chamber to work it out, forcing us to choose either to kill again or die together--does something. Something we can't see that's worth the effort he's putting in.

I think it's damn suspicious that his "assistant" knows so little about his real intentions. And I think he's swindling a lot of people out of a lot of money.

[emberserker]

[She nods along.] That's the only way it makes sense, if he's telling the truth that we just can't see the full scope of his plan. How else would he have the resources? As for Angel, with so many of the clues going back to her and with how little she knows of what he really wants... She has to be the key to this, but how?

[bolderfell]

...You know magic. What do you make of her abilities?

[emberserker]

You mean how she's part machine and controls machines herself... or, at the Professor's whim, is controlled by them. We didn't have anyone at home who specialized in that kind of spell, that I know of -- it would be difficult, with magic sealed off, to invent such techniques. Aside from the use of ARMANOX, of course. Rin might have answers, however -- it's something far in her own wheelhouse.

The purple material, though... that's clearly related to her, but what is it? A magic stone, or a mechanical fuel source?

lounge;

[snackooed]

Oh, did you find the sports channel?

[ She almost can't remember the last time she saw a Dodgers game on TV. Not that she recognizes either of the teams playing now, but there is something familiar about it that gives her a sense of relief. ]

Quality's kind of grainy, but I guess that's to be expected...

[emberserker]

Unfortunately not. I got some old tapes out of the prize machine, and with all this talk of the television, I thought they'd have something hidden on them. So far, it's been a complete waste of time.

[snackooed]

Well, it's probably worth a shot. I'd say to maybe fast-forward it, but you might skip past someone recording over the audio that way...there are definitely worse ways to spend time here than watching baseball, though. It's a pretty fun sport, scientifically speaking.

[emberserker]

How is something fun scientifically?

[snackooed]

Lots of variables and reactions to play with. Of course, you could say that about any sport, but with baseball in particular, there's a pretty constant stream of extremely quick decision-making, and the players need to leverage those decisions well if they want to optimize their play. Not only that, the pitcher is throwing the ball over the mound at such a high speed that the batter needs to understand the physics of the pitch, at least on some level, if he wants to even have a chance at hitting it.

[emberserker]

Forget I asked. At least you're very dedicated to your pursuit.

[snackooed]

Chemistry is a little more of my area of choice than physics is, but I do have a fair bit of respect for all of the different fields. Just so happens that the baseball field is fun, too.

[ That was corny, Ema-- ]

[emberserker]

If you weren't so helpful with investigations and trials, I'd wonder how you've lasted.

[snackooed]

[ That's a little mean..! ]

W-well, it is my job, you know. I'm certainly not going to let myself up and die...

[emberserker]

[Has she ever been known to be nice the entire time she's in here, though...]

Let's hope not. Some might see you as a threat if they wanted the incentive, so you'd better try not to.

[snackooed]

I'd like to think I don't exactly walk around with a big target on my back...

[ Though she won't pretend that the thought has never crossed her mind. Still, isn't that making her out to be a bit too important? ]

As long as no one tries anything, I won't have to do my thing. Believe me, no one wants that more than me, Anna.

[emberserker]

Well, sometimes one has to wonder. Most important person's wish... Enough people in here are that sentimental. As for me, I think it can go far too wrong.