♫ contractors

[falsehymn]

❝But I tell you, do not swear
an oath at all:
either by Heaven, for it is God’s throne;
or by the earth,
for it is His footstool;
or by Jerusalem, for it is the
city of the Great King.
And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even
one hair white
or black.
All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No';
anything beyond this comes from
the evil one.
—Matthew 5:34-37

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WEEK THREE, TUESDAY ❤︎ EVE MEMORIAL HALL

[falsehymn]

( Dear contractors, at the request of the Audience, your presence has been requested.

Somewhere along your character's path, they will find a set of black elevator doors, overgrown with black roses, appear before them— a doorway in the middle of space, connected to nothing and going nowhere. With a gentle ding, the doors open. Despite yourself, your bond compels you to give it a look. There are only two buttons: Eve Memorial Hall and Return.

Visiting the Eve Memorial Hall takes you Backstage, and opens into what appears to be a comfortable, red-hued lounge built into a crypt. The bar is well-stocked, the music really isn't bad, and the stained glass depicts Mucha-esque maidens bearing white roses and apples. You may find yourself dressed in simple(!), black tie attire upon arrival, as if a costume change.

You can return and leave the Memorial Hall as many times as you'd like today, but you can take nothing in and out of it. This lounge will only last until midnight tonight; remain a moment longer, and you'll find yourself in the watery Backstage hallways. )

[falsehymn]

( Sika Madu is in his humanoid form, behind the bar, apparently bar tending? wearing something simple and, unusually, black. He looks pale and a little tired, and the burns visible across his skin seem to be less severe relative to the ones on him last Tuesday (for those who saw him then), but seems to be in a generally good mood. Mikaela is on the counter in a black/black hair bow and bow tie ensemble, numming on an orange slice. Sika Madu will only be here for a little while, as he's quite the busy bee!

This post is more or less an easy meeting point for the PCs, per request. OOCly, I will actually not be here for much of the week, so Sika's gotta bounce before I gotta go! But do feel free to try to body him before then, he deserves it. )

[impacter]

[He'll slide to the bar in silence. He's already said everything he felt he needed to earlier today - there's no need to hash it out further. But to see how many people are down here visibly frustrates him.]

Are you pleased with yourself?

[falsehymn]

( hehe )

In truth, I'm quite anxious. But, what was it you said? So long as you don't give up, there's still a chance?

( They tilt their head. )

Would you like a drink?

[trollophoroi]

[ Here's Sadaniel, at the bar. Enjoy, as Sika Madu is liable to be only one to enjoy any iteration of him at all, including this one. He takes a seat and watches them for a moment before saying anything, ]

Did you know? Did you know what secrets everyone traded in this damnable hellhole?

[falsehymn]

Mmhm. I believe Man A attempted to mention this in passing, at one point.

( So it wasn't meant to be a secret! Or so Sika suggests. )

You seem quite whole. How does it feel?

[legendofthelion]

[She doesn't say anything she just glares at Sika for a moment.

The only thing keeping her from starting a fight is that she doesn't want to bring another scare to the rest of the dorm. Again. She's already risking one more painful stab to them as it is.]

[falsehymn]

( Sika smiles at her. )

Is something the matter? You did get your wish.

[desmomenos]

[He isn't much of a drinker, but a section of the church they used as their base had been converted to a bar, so he seats himself by the counter easily enough, although he keeps his legs crossed in front of him as his hands rest on his lap. Sika already called him here, so he'll skip any pleasantries.]

What's the significance of the roses?

[falsehymn]

All of them? They grow from me. They only began to grow when God came to resent me, I believe.

Did you want a drink?

( blood wine... )

[hjadningavig]

[ Dainsleif is, in fact, sitting at the bar, so it stands to reason that he will be here for the drinks. He's quiet for awhile, but notes the wounds that have somewhat diminished since then, as well as their current, unusual attire.

Also, he is patiently waiting his turn to speak until the others have finished their approach - preferably, after he's had some drinks. Nothing creative to ask on his mind, he supposes in the end...he'll settle for something simple. ]

You seem about ready for whatever lies ahead. Or, perhaps, trying to enjoy yourself a little before more of the storm?

[laestrella]

[Don Quixote sits at the counter, her expression pensive]

...this is not what I believed you wished from me, when you asked me for my aid.

[impacter]

[Solomon is staying carefully neutral as he steps into the lounge all dressed up again, one hand bandaged at the palm. Black spirals up from the back of his neck like a spreading inkstain, growing worse since Monday, with a familiar pen twirled absent mindedly in his fingers.]

Here if I'd known they found so many of you, I'd have had some slightly different words for our host. [The tone's very, very hard to place.]

[hjadningavig]

[ Looking from over here with a drink or two at the bar, just like this again.

Dainsleif looks remarkably tired, though fortunately not injured. ]

...there is still time.

[ That's all he says for now. ]

[legendofthelion]

We've all been in the same place. [Like, how hard is it for Sika to find them, really. They're right here.] If they'd make a deal with one of us, makes sense they'd make a deal with all of us.

[trollophoroi]

Please, I doubt you are shocked to see me here, and I certainly not you, though the rest...

[ His gaze twitches towards Dehya, Don, Pinnochio. The others, perhaps, but one he knows to pretend nobility and courage, one too dense to comprehend (or was she?), and the last seeming too innocent, but he would not know.

He had little chance to get to know a number of them well. ]

[laestrella]

...I knew there were others who would come to her aid, and yet, this is too beyond my assumptions.

[The little tattoo at the back of her neck burns, itching. It is all phantom pains though, brought on by close proximity to too many]

[desmomenos]

[He eyes that mark on Solomon’s neck, but he doesn’t linger on it overly long.]

…Should we be asking what your reasons were?

[hjadningavig]

[ Dressed just like this, hanging on over at the bar.

He is nursing over a drink as well.

He doesn't say anything immediately, because he's probably one of the quieter people here.

But, he will not protest if someone wishes to approach and speak with him. ]

[legendofthelion]

[🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂️]

There's a lot more of us than I thought.

[laestrella]

[Well]

You were also called to protect, were you not?

[heartstringless]

[P eventually approaches, quiet and uncertain both.]

What do you... make of all of this?

[trollophoroi]

[ So, they are all summoned to meet, is that it?

Fandaniel is already aware of Don, but the rest? He could likely give it a guess, but after yesterday, he simply cannot find it within himself to care. It doesn't matter. This doesn't matter. The tower, Father, any of them; this is meaningless.

He arrives a broken man, although perhaps that was what he deserved to be from the very start, assuming one had not considered him such before. Fandaniel is dressed in a simple outfit of a white shirt and black vest, tie, and slacks, sleeves rolled up to show a clean-ish bandage wrapped about his right forearm, but numerous band-aids populate both arms, as well as a few on the left side of his face.

He won't return any looks he gets from the rest. He just... goes up to the bar and takes a seat. If he must be here, he thinks he will spend the time drinking. Perhaps someone will stir him to care again, to interact; feel free to try.

But until then, he strikes a sullen figure, unhappy, without a smile — cruel or not — or laugh. There is nothing. ]

[impacter]

[hello guess who's here :)

Just sidling up the seat next to him, though his tone is hard to place.]

What a difference two days makes... What happened to you now?

[legendofthelion]

[Honestly it's sort of disconcerting to see Fandaniel so... depressed. Like, he was already a nihilist but now it's like it's getting to him.]

You wanna talk about it?