CHAPTER 2 ; MINGLE

[themodsgrimm]

The Story Continues... CHAPTER 233 Narrators Remain ; There’s nothing to shake up the feeling of helplessness and betrayal quite like some renovations. Residents in the castle will find a gentle rumble stirring them out of their sleep on Monday morning, and if they choose to find the source of the noise, they’ll notice a newly constructed staircase on the second floor. It stretches up, up, up and will guide the Narrators to a third floor with all types of new installments to the castle. Go ahead, crack open a book, try your hand at some potion mixing. What could possibly go wrong? Just as last week, the morning that the dining hall opens, the tapestries of Ann Takamaki, Soo-won, and Dave Strider will all suddenly catch flame from the bottom, burning up and up until the entire tapestry is gone. Anyone who ventures outside will also find that the scenery has warmed up considerably. Snow no longer dusts the ground, but rather the warm sun and pleasant chirping of birds greet you to the castle grounds. The area has also been expanded, a new jousting grounds available for play and recreation. A set of stables stands next to the grounds, but anyone who ventures inside will find only hear the occasional, phantom whinny of a horse and – find some rather large feathers? Interesting. Finally, partners will find themselves unable to rest peacefully yet another week. While no paranoia creeps over anyone’s shoulders, when night falls and they find themselves sleeping, they’ll instead see dreams – or rather, some memories of their partner. Apparently the Crafters would rather that you all get to know each other sooner, rather than later. Hopefully you don’t see anything you’re not meant to. Welcome to Week 2, everyone! Today we've introduce new castle locations and brought a new round of partner effects, so please review those, including the Outside section on the Locations page. If you'd like to have your characters interact with the laboratory, please feel free to PP the mods! We would also like to remind players to submit all of their Prologue PCs and new PCs at the Private Conversations page and review the weekly ooc notes for important details in the castle. Something exciting will be arriving on Wednesday, June 20th so keep your eyes peeled for that as well. full navigation. locations taken (statuses) stories (profiles) info & faq wishing well private conversations

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[hairbrain]

library; monday & tuesday;

[ rapunzel can be found pouring over book after book, practically living in the library. she's here for literal hours upon hours, surrounded by a pile and reading intently and definitely forgetting to eat. ]

[ so, feel free to stumble into her at any point --- or, specifically, when she's reading rapunzel. this is some meta shit right here. she's also frowning. ]

Excuse me --- pregnant? My parents gave me away for a plant? None of this is right!

[ she sounds offended. ]

tapestries, monday;

[ hm. rapunzel's standing in front of them, staring at her own featured with the classics. hers isn't dripping ink -- but she looks between akechi's and sousei's and then back her own. she shudders a little, before turning to you. ]

Have we figured out anything about what these mean yet?

all around the castle, tuesday afternoon;

[ is it time for a musical interlude? it sure fucking is. rapunzel starts this off in the library, gently putting away the books she's read so painstakingly for the last..... forever. ]

♪ Back to life after another week of murder ♪
♪ Stuck inside once again and I'm gazing out ♪

[ she lingers near the unremovable book, tracing the letters with her fingers and a sigh. ]

♪ True, I'm in here with new friends so dear ♪
♪ Surrounded by their warmth ♪
♪ And that should be enough to chase away these doubts-- ♪

[ is that music playing in the background or are you going crazy? oh wait, the songbirds have gotten into the castle and are providing the music for her. anyway, she busts out of the library, making her way down the stairs and sliding down one of the bannisters. ]

♪ But I got the wind in my hair ♪
♪ And a fire within ♪
♪ Because there's no way I'm giving in ♪
♪ I got a mystery to solve and hope to spare ♪

[ now she's bursting out of the castle itself, accompanied by her flock of songbirds and various other woodland creatures. and--- wait, is that the armor dancing to the tune in the background? huh. well, if you look closely, pascal is on her head, gently directing everyone with his claws. ]

♪ That beautiful breeze blowing through ♪
♪ I'm ready to follow it who knows where ♪

[ she rushes off to the stables, followed by her small herd, bare feet pitter-pattering against the ground. ]

♪ And I'll get there I swear ♪
♪ With the wind in my hair ♪

[ she holds that last note for an impressive half a minute, while you, presumably, are standing there. once she's done and the animal crowd disperses -- the armor already danced off when you weren't looking, she takes a deep breath, looks in the direction of the hedges --- then at you with a smile. say something?? ]

several hours after that;

[ so, uh, hey remember rapunzel having that big musical swelling reprise and skipping off in the direction of the hedge maze? huh. well, she's just at the entrance now, staggering back towards the castle, not having much luck with that, evidently, because she's stumbling down to her knees. she's covered in what looks like animal bites, she's got a nasty wound in her side, which she's bunching her dress into (as a makeshift tourniquet) to try to stop the bleeding with one hand. in the other hand, she has a petal of a magical looking flower clutched tightly. and.... she's crying? yeah, she's crying. ]

[ maybe next time take some armor instead of bouncing off into the hedge maze singing, rapunzel. this isn't a disney movie. ]

[ anyway, give her a hand. maybe. ]

tuesday

[faceripper]

[ Fane is out and about, probably just passing some time, since even he gets bored of reading all day. Eventually. It's nothing a quick walk can't re-energize him to tackle again. But as he takes his leisurely walk, he hears singing. It's not long after that Rapunzel and her entourage appears, and Fane stops his walk.

And just watches.

Without a face, it's hard to tell exactly what he's thinking about all of this, but it becomes clearer once they lock eyes. He pauses as if not immediately sure how to respond to her smile, but, ]

...What in the Void did I just witness?

[hairbrain]

[ rapunzel does a little twirl after the animals disperse, still smiling as she turns back. ]

Hello, Fane! How are you doing today?

[ a couple of chipmunks are also now staring at him. is he gonna sing or what. ]

[faceripper]

No, no, no—

[ He waves a hand as if to dismiss this. Fane stares at the chipmunks briefly, then back to Rapunzel. Alas, he's not the member of his RPG party that can speak to animals. ]

You'll not distract me from what's just occurred. I— Are you a bard?

[hairbrain]

A bard? [ rapunzel waves him off!!! ] Oh, no, nothing like that. It's just a hobby.

[ pascal gestures at the chipmunks to give rapunzel some space, so they back off. fane is safe. ]

[ also yeah, this does literally nothing to explain what the hell just happened. ] Do you want to do an encore with me?

several hours after that;

[axilium]

[ummmmm.

yeah, belph will be approaching her.]

Rapunzel? What happened to you?

[hairbrain]

[ she's fine?? this is fine. ]

I don't--- I don't understand how any of this could have happened.

[ give her a second she's still a lil shaken. also: bleeding a lot. ]

[axilium]

[... he can't exactly do anything about the bleeding, so, uh.]

... Let's get your injuries taken care of first.

[hairbrain]

[ please assist belphegor. ]

Alright. It's.... most of them aren't bad, except... [ this fuckin hole in her side, yike. ]

several hours after;

[fonlines]

[ oh.

oh no.

he's just a bit taller than her, but he isn't the right person for this- the best he can do is offer her more support in either himself or his staff, and attempt to put pressure on the wound better than she herself can with her amount of (or lack of) coordination and leverage. ]

What— happened?

[ he's not going to ask if she's all right, because quite clearly she's not. ]

[hairbrain]

[ maybe he should grow some muscles!!! smh at this 12 y/o. anyway, it's better than nothing, she's not doing a great job of stopping the bleeding, herself. ]

The hedge maze-- don't go in there.

[ obviously. ]

[fonlines]

[ he's literally slowly wasting away until he dies, cut him some slack!! he's going to be frowning softly down at Rapunzel now, maybe with the slightest note of actual firmness. ]

Very well, then. But that is a warning.

[ he shifts his grip, somewhat, trying to get better leverage, stem the bleeding better; haul her into slightly better position such that he can manage to help support her indoors ]

That does not tell me what happened.

[hairbrain]

[ maybe if he actually lifted he wouldn't waste away :/ but she's not dead weight and pascal is helping, so, between the three of them!! they're making headway. ]

I saw her -- Gothel -- like, like in my dreams.

[ this also fails to explain anything. she clutches that golden petal tighter!! ]

Tuesday

[disclosures]

[She can't say anything today, but she holds two thumbs up!! Very good, she'd love to hear it again!

It's real nice not having her ears bleed!]

[hairbrain]

[ rapunzel has yet to realize rebecca can't talk, so she waves. ]

Good afternoon, Rebecca! How are you today?

[disclosures]

[One hand flat as she wobbles it back and forth. Not that great.]

[hairbrain]

What's the matter? Is something wrong with your throat?

[ what's with the gesturing!! ]

tuesday afternoon

[selfinserting]

[Evan happens to be near the stables when she does... well, that. In fact, he notices her shortly after she comes out of the castle doors, and just watches until she comes closer. And as she finishes that note. And as she smiles at him. Then, finally, he speaks.]

...Good, um, afternoon. Are you feeling okay, Rapunzel...?

[hairbrain]

[ join in the musical number, you coward. ]

Hiii, Evan! I'm feeling just fine. Are you fine?

[ pascal gives him a judgy look. ]

[selfinserting]

Yeah, I am. I was just wondering, um, what you were up to...?

[how does he politely express his complete bafflement]

[hairbrain]

Well, I was just expressing my feelings a little! Care to join me?

[ the musical number is over but they can do a reprise ok. ]

tuesday but before disaster

[function]

[ . . . ]

Have you always been able to talk to animals, or is that your power?

[ like... she thought pascal was a special case, but... ]

[hairbrain]

[ pascal is special. ]

Well, I think anyone can talk to them, really. You just have to learn. Animals are very smart, you know.

[ there's a fuckin horse in tangled that's smarter than like 98% of the kingdom. ]

[function]

I've never seen someone who could... control them like you did.

[ she doesn't really get what she's saying but like... it's the only way she can think of to explain what she just witnessed ]

[hairbrain]

Nonsense. I didn't control them. They just.... chose to join me while I was singing.

[ no she's a witch. ]