WEEK 5

[bathymetric]

That's three murders now - and this last trial got more than slightly out of hand. It looks like you might be in for another tough week... or at least, maybe that's just the refusal of this place to change too much. You lose Saturday again, but maybe six-day weeks are starting to feel normal by now. Who knows? The cycle of day and night continues apace, changing so little.

Speaking of change, though, there's a new area to look through, the biggest and most complex yet. And the end of one wing of the facility, from the looks of it - though you can probably guess where more areas might start to open up.

And speaking of opening up (segues!), this week if you're out particularly late, you might sometimes see Angel out and about! So hey, maybe change is on the horizon.

Just gotta hope it's a change for the better, don't you?



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 5! 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! Or, if you want Angel to come to you, that's now an option! Simply put a prompt after lights-out into your toplevel and indicate you want Angel in the subject line, same as investigations! ]

Comments

[bolderfell]

[He huffs a soft laugh to himself, noticing her change in play style.]

Don't let me distract you. My business can wait.

[snackooed]

Do I need to explain to you how this works?

[ Even with her more risky approach to her stack, she seems to have plenty of control over the board as she talks over her shoulder. ]

Make a full line with no gaps in it, and the blocks in it go away. Hit the top of the screen, and you lose. "Game Over". But you get more points for clearing more lines at once, and the order isn't as random as it looks.

[ She's definitely not sloppy. But she's getting a little close to the top... ]

[bolderfell]

[Ah. He leans in a little closer to peer at her screen as she explains it, though of course she doesn't need to, it's not like he's going to play.]

Uh, Ema, aren't you starting to cut it a little close...?

[snackooed]

Watch and learn from a Grand Master-in-training.

[ She's indeed getting just about there, but the stack doesn't have many gaps in it, considering her speed. And once it's at a very, very satisfying height, she's on the hunt for an I-block like a shark in the water. ]

Should be within the next couple of...now!

[ She slams hard to the right, and the line piece sinks to the bottom of the stack. Four lines gone, quick as a flash, with a gorgeous little cascading animation as her stack drops down in height significantly. ]

[bolderfell]

Heh!

[That's a fun sound. Like a wind chime or birdsong. Therion claps quietly.]

Well done, Grand Master-to-be. Sorry for not recognizing your greatness earlier.

[snackooed]

Thank you, thank you...

[ The clapping just leads her to bow her head and chuckle to herself. She looks over her shoulder and gives him a smile at last. ]

Are you looking to just spectate, or were you here to talk professional? Or maybe a spot of gossip? Not that I mind either way. I'm not so bad at multitasking this...

[bolderfell]

It might not turn out strictly professional... Do you still have that stone you found? The purple one?

[snackooed]

That I do. A telescope, too, from the garden, but I held onto the purple rock. Got plans for it?

[bolderfell]

It was frozen when you found it, right? Anna and I want to see what happens if it's heated.

[snackooed]

Heated...you think that's a good idea?

[ Not that she's saying no, but, she's speaking more to herself than anything, as she fiddles with her stack to account for the increased speed... ]

I did find it stuck in an ice cube, but it hasn't done anything that abnormal now that it's at room temperature. If you heat it significantly, it might expand too much...

[bolderfell]

...You think it'll melt?

[snackooed]

Oh, I'm sure you'd need to get it extremely, extremely hot before that'd happen, scientifically speaking. I'm more worried about it breaking. I don't know what it's made from, but if there are minerals in it that have different thermal properties, they'll expand at different rates, in different directions, and it'll probably crack...

[bolderfell]

[...]

Maybe that's a good thing. What if there's something inside?

[Car salesman: *slaps Therion's ass* This bad boy can fit so many fucking bad ideas in it]

[snackooed]

Risky, risky...

[ She feels a little inspired to flirt with the top of the screen again. Maybe she'll take the initiative and do that... ]

My bigger concern is if we need it for something later, if it turns out to be important...but there is an appeal to a little bit of investigation, isn't there?

[ Unfortunately, Ema is a bit of an enabler. ]

Promise not to hurt yourself?

[bolderfell]

We'll use the eye things from the carpentry shop and cover our faces. I have extra scarves from the machine.

[This is going to be a disaster.]

If that's not enough, I could try to get the shield back from Rhea for a bit.

[snackooed]

And just how are you looking to heat this up? The kiln in the art room? Walk me through this plan of yours.

[ Since it seems like he's thought this out a bit. ]

If it sounds like the benefits outweigh the risks, I'll let you borrow my stone.

[bolderfell]

We talked about using the kiln. But I also have firewood and... I think they're called matches. Useful, those. Thought we might be able to set something up so we can see it while it heats.

[snackooed]

And where, exactly, are you planning on setting up an open flame with firewood here?

[ Even she can tell that's asking for trouble, and the last thing we need is to get this place blazing-- ]

You should be able to keep the kiln at a relatively low temperature to start. Boiling point of water is 212 degrees, Fahrenheit. I think you should keep it below that temperature for a little while, and then set it to work your way up to a higher temperature sloooowly. Matches are useful, but unlike an open flame, the kiln will keep your temperature controlled, and you won't have to worry about starting a fire.

You won't be able to see it as it's heating up, but I'd rather not see any of the rooms here, or worse, wind up in an inferno. Starting fires is just too risky.

[bolderfell]

Oh. Well, I was thinking of the area with the pool... but if that's how the kiln works, that's fine with me. I've never used one before.

[snackooed]

Water park still might not be ideal. It's good thinking to have a water source nearby, and the humidity in there will be pretty high, but you never know how things can spread, or who else could be in the area to add variables. Someone comes in for example, God forbid, with a drink from the bar right next to it, and there could be an issue if things go particularly awry. Much better to keep these things as controlled as possible, even if it'll take a bit longer than just starting a bonfire and sticking the rock in like a marshmallow on a stick.

Though, I do have to say, the enthusiasm for experimentation here is admirable. Am I rubbing off on you a bit?

[bolderfell]

What, you think curiosity's not in a thief's natural disposition?

I like cracking things open. Don't typically do it to stones, and I don't know that this will lead to anything worthwhile. But it's like... picking open a fancy chest. Don't you think? Or eavesdropping on the whole tavern until you find a promising rumor of wealth. For me, that's what this is like: keeping my eyes and ears open, dipping my fingers into every pocket I pass, until I find what I want.

[snackooed]

The thrill of the chase, huh...

[ She just smiles to herself and turns around, letting herself top out for now. ]

Didn't dip your fingers in these pockets, though. You had the decency to ask first, at least.

[ She reaches deep into one of her labcoat pockets. Sure enough, the purple rock is there, wrapped in paper and sealed in its zip-lock. ]

I'll let you borrow it, but I'd like to see what you and Anna do with it, if it's all the same to you. It sounds like it'll be fun.

[bolderfell]

Doesn't matter to me. The more the merrier. [Poking a little fun at himself, there.] Want to go see where she is right now?

[Time to cue up some songs to start fires to.]

[snackooed]

I think I can fit you into my busy schedule. Hang on just one second while I leave my mark...

[ Even after intentionally tapping out, she's managed to make her way onto the scoreboard, in a pretty respectable spot. And the letters she puts for her initials?

E-M-A, of course. ]

You were good luck. Who would've thought?

[bolderfell]

[He huffs a quiet laugh and puts a hand on his hip, even as he pulls his scarf up a little with the other hand.]

Hey. I'm lucky as hell. Always knock before a robbery, cross a threshold with my right foot and everything.