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GRAVEYARD PT. II
GRAVEYARD
The world is black. And then you blink at your plate.
A portion of your favorite dish greets your eyes, albeit in a form you may never have seen it in before. Encased in a thick, wobbling layer of multi-colored gelatin, the food you know and love now sits suspended in its protein-based enclosure as an eccentric re-imagining of the dish. Furthermore, it only takes a glance to see that the rest of the dining table's spread shares this same theme, as every single dish, sweet or savory, finds itself victim to a jiggling Jell-o jail.
Still, you won't have much time to take this all in before a quiet, high-pitched giggling makes its way to your ears, only crescendoing in volume the longer you sit in this oh-so-familiar dining room. It doesn't take much to find the source of the sound either; unlike the other side, this place is absolutely teeming with fairies to the point where the fluttering of their iridescent wings is clearly audible behind the din of their laughter. As you come to your senses, dozens and dozens of beady eyes watch with their tiny faces stretched out in a wide grin, before speaking in unison.
"Welcome, we can't wait to serve you!"
As the fairies erupt in raucous laughter all around you, at least one more thing is readily apparent: however you met your end, your body is completely whole again. You also have company at the table with you, although whether it's desirable company or not may depend on the circumstances surrounding your death.
In any case, there's nothing stopping anyone from leaving the dining room and roaming freely as usual, and most of the same areas that were available to you on the other side are still present here, albeit with some differences. And though your life may have been stolen from you, it still looks like you have a part in this tale, somehow, someway.
So, will you let your story finish here, or will you write your own ending?
[Welcome to the Graveyard! This is part 2 of the GY post for Weeks 6 and 7. The previous post for Weeks 2-5 is linked above. Please also view the GY doc linked above for a full rundown of the basics. You may also still submit for items and gacha rolls using the GY shop post.]
Monday
[For the majority of Monday Jack is not so easy to find.
(Actually he was missing later on in Sunday, too, it's been a very long couple of days this weekend and all things considered the party(???) has been rarin' & roarin' nonstop all the way through.)
Later in the afternoon, though, when the sun is golden in the treetops -- if you look closely you may spot golden tresses and a familiarly fancy green outfit surprisingly well-camouflaged in the canopy of the forests near the ranch. Did he dress the part?? Who even knows. The fact remains that Jack is just napping a fair ways up in one of the trees, curled against the trunk in a way that looks like it shouldn't be secure but somehow is.
Feel free to holler up and try to make him fall off, or just wait for a fairy to come along and tweak his nose. Unfortunately for him, fairies sure can fly.]
II. Boomboom Bonbon, Bon Voyage (Candymaker Factory)
[He's still rather difficult to find in the later hours -- but the lights in the candymaker factory are all on and there's definitely a bustle of activity in there late into the evening and perhaps even into the morning, and someone has left what looks like an entire tea set cooling on the counter.
Should one venture or peek through the Candy Lab door, they'll find Jack clad somewhat incongruously in all the PPE available (seriously, it's bizarre to see him in lab gear, but what can you do?), surrounded by a small pile of books ostensibly from the archives and the lab itself as well as all manner of candymaking ingredients and equipment. There's even a bit of salt somewhere in there.
Also? Those sure are cherry bombs. Also salmiakki fish, but it looks like he's mostly making cherry bombs right now, and a fair number of them. He'll look up warily should anyone decide to stroll in, but his smile is either reflexive or unceasing as ever, because he looks oddly cheerful. Maybe the extra sleep did it?]
I would heed the need for protective equipment, were I you.
There is a great deal of volatile substances here at the moment, and I cannot entirely guarantee my expertise with them still.
[A pleasant shrug. Is there a danger of being blown sky-high when a (probably-not) musician takes up explosive chemistry? Well, depends upon who you ask.]
I
Unfortunately, he happens to be in the area when a fairy decides to pinch his nose, and if he does fall, he'll find Suga peering down at him in concern, because that seems like it would hurt?]
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Don't try this at home, kids.
After a moment he blinks, yawns... looks like he might be contemplating going back to sleep again... oh, hey, he recognizes that head of dark hair. Much easier to spot in the daytime, really.]
Hmm? Oh, Koutarou. Are you lost?
[Usually people come riding into this forest! Never mind that Jack doesn't have a horse either.]
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No, just enjoying the scenery
You should be careful in high places
The fairies like playing pranks
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Once he gets down to one of the lowest branches such that he doesn't have to holler and Suga isn't writing PSA announcements on note paper:]
I've become quite acquainted with the fairies despite my short stay so far. As I imagine you have. Though, I'm quite used to falling out of trees.
The scenery itself is much better enjoyed on horseback. I recommend it.
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I'll keep that in mind for home though
[Suga's always been a relatively expressive person, to make up for the lack of expression that a voice brings. His face right now is neutral. Not 'deliberately masking an emotion' neutral, just... neutral. No strong feelings.]
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But hey, there's no real murder here, so maybe it's an improvement?]
For trail-riding, and with someone else to tack and handle the animal? That is doable in a single afternoon, I assure you.
[Green eyes watch him from the green-and-golden canopy, transparent as some of the leaves and just about as expressive.]
I am sure many of us are familiar enough with it.
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C-ta's from the city and so is Riku
Yor doesn't seem like she'd be gentle enough with the reins?
[Please press f to pay respects to any horse Yor tried to ride.]
Pericles almost certainly doesn't ride horses
And I'm not really close enough with anyone else to ask for favors
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[He looks like he's seriously considering this, and seriously feeling sorry for the horse. For real, there might be horse glue needed somewhere in there. To glue the horse back together.
Unfyortunate scenarios aside...]
The Professor, however, has proven himself capable of making a bed and other bizarrely human pursuits, so I would not discount him so quickly. That being said, I am certain William is familiar enough both with horses and this side of the realm to give you a proper tour.
Why not seek him out?
[This is totally about horses and not Suga's questionable taste in company at the moment.]
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[So he'd rather not seek out his company willingly.]
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I don't hate him or want him dead or anything
But he thinks he's smarter than he actually is
I don't get along with that type of person
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[That totally wasn't an eye joke? It totally wasn't an eye joke.
Except the bizarre twinkle in Jack's eye says it may have been an eye joke. Genuinely why is he like this. Still, he thinks things over for a moment and then:]
Is it simply people who have an inflated sense of their own intelligence you don't get along with, then? That makes me question your acquaintance with the Professor and several others, but...
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He's capable of a lot of humility at the appropriate moments, with the right people
[That letter had proven that, more than anything.]
Who else?
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II
I see, thank you for the warning. Anything else I should know?
[ His voice sounds as melancholy as ever, nothing new there. ]
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[It takes Jack a little while longer to register just who he's talking to, it appears -- he sort of looked up, narrowed his eyes vaguely at plumage through the lab goggles, and then went back to his bench without blinking nor missing a beat.
It's perhaps a little comical to watch him concentrating so much when normally (if there is such a thing as normal now, with him or anyone else) he would be bungling or fumbling at least something -- something inconsequential and not-quite-destructive enough.
When you get good enough at hiding, it becomes a reflex.
Still, for a moment he considers Nageki, before looking back down to finish his motion. He was in the middle of something, after all.]
... Would you prefer to speak outside? I'm afraid the tea is cold, but it may be more comfortable.
[Less explosions, maybe. He had to think about it for a moment, but he's got the spirit.]
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If you have any questions, I suppose. I'll be leaving this room either way--blowing up this room wasn't my plan coming here.
[ When he turns slightly to leave, he'll make it obvious why he's keeping his distance: those are definitely cinnamon hearts in that cloth. ]
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[There's a brief chuckle at the sight of the cinnamon hearts but he doesn't seem especially alarmed or anything -- he's not so bad at containing things that their mere existence would somehow set something off. Besides, they are one of the less dangerous candies around here.
It takes a few moments longer but at length Jack comes bustling back out, having shed all of his outer lab layers and now back in just a plain shirt and a pair of trousers in the usual boutique style. His hair is still pinned up; it's rare to see him this unadorned.
He double-checks the tea set first, but doesn't bother with it after that -- seems it really has been out for a long time.]
I see we had the same idea, though. Are these your weapon of choice nowadays?
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[ Tempting as it is considering how he's had a bad feeling about this place since the week he saw it, they still need the factory, so he'll hold back.
He'll wait patiently outside, readjusting his bag to repack the hearts in--now that they're not in an environment where they could get set off immediately, no need to keep it out. Since that doesn't take long, he'll spend the remaining time before Jack appears readjusting his now ever present red scarf, making sure nothing's missing. ]
...I nearly gotten eaten by a sightless worm, so I decided explosives would be a good distraction if it happens again.
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Ahh, that's right, you never did like this place much? I was quite shocked to learn you were trying to destroy the books, you know -- but it seems these candies may be even more useful on this side than they were back then.
[Not that that precluded them being used for murder and mayhem -- but murder and mayhem has come to have rather a different meaning here, after all. And so it will continue... it really is just arson week after this.
Jack, for his part, has learned a few lessons in his trip to the graveyard, but none of them has been murder or arson is bad, apparently.]
But what is this about a sightless worm? Are the insects more dangerous here as well?
[Man, they thought the pillbugs and whatnot were bad, but yikes??]
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[ Of course, both of them gave up on that plan once Mister William revealed that the books were still around anyway. Somehow. It's almost funny how differently he treats the candies now, even if it's just in a more necessarily evil sort of way. ]
When we were trying to get one of special crystals last week, there was a...exceedingly large worm guarding it. Thankfully we managed to grab it and run after incapacitating it with salt.
[ He really wasn't expecting that with how peaceful the other two puzzles he took part in were. ]
In general though, I wouldn't say the insects here are more dangerous. That worm was an outlier and shouldn't be counted.
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[Things really are so vastly different on this side -- though in Jack's case they actually haven't changed all that much. He isn't particularly an explosives expert even now, but he's at least comfortable in the lab, after his own fashion. It's certainly nowhere near his first time playing with fire, even taking the Fountain F Chronicles into account...
Somehow, he looks progressively more amused the more they get into this can of worms, though.]
Ah. The crystals, of course -- would get more difficult with time; that is how seals are meant to work, so I imagine they would need to work that way here as well? [why is that a question, who would know] But that would explain why we were suddenly told to put salt absolutely everywhere.
I can't say it has led to a great deal of results on the other side...
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[ Not that he'll elaborate on that, already putting a lid on thoughts of experiments and flames. ]
It probably doesn't help that we have different rules compared to the other side. What works for us doesn't necessarily work for the other side. And Ferry's liable to censor any letters we write that give out information too freely.
[ Frustrating really. At least they put as much as they could coded in the word search. That's probably the most candid they could get when it comes to information. ]
guess who wrote this and ended up taking another 6 hour nap, hi
so perhaps it's luck? chance? something in between when he manages to spot jack napping in the treetops, and he's not petty (enough) of a person to try and wake jack up from his treetop nap, considering how often jack has probably had to wake him up from his own impromptu naps? who knows how the mind works, really.
so when william waits, till he can hear the rustling of leaves above him, either a sign that jack has moved (or you know, is actually awake without actually falling down from a tree), back leaning against the trunk of the tree and head tilted upwards so he can catch jack in at least the corner of his eye-- ]
I don't know how you make sleeping in a tree look comfortable, but I suppose that's one of your many talents I don't know about, just yet.
[ it's light, loud enough for jack to hear despite being so high up, and definitely more an overture for peace than any kind of antagonism, because despite it all... ]
Hello, friend. [ this is also definitely more genuine than the tone he used the day before, too ] How's the view up there?
the napportunity beckoned
William? Ah. Good morning.
[Looking down through the foliage after a nap -- maybe it's a trick of the light since he's so high up but there's something soft and faraway in his eye momentarily before he focuses again, which might be blamed on how sleepy the atmosphere is. There are no effects here, but there have been so many lately (and so many other windows and visions) that surely some of them must have lingered a little behind -- it's an idle thought as Jack waves a little from his treetop perch.
Despite all the clashes yesterday, today is a new day and there's no rancor in Jack's pleasant expression. Bygones may be bygones?]
Oh, I don't know if I'd recommend it as a skill worth learning... it doesn't come close to comparing to a bed. Still, I don't think it was entirely left out? [skills: tree-climbing, clearly that covers it (no)] But the view is...
[Humming and enjoying the breeze for a moment, before he lounges a little on the branch and grins. How good are you at tree-climbing yourself, houseplant?]
Did you want to find out?