week seven

[facultwist]

Wake up, Rosenblum Hall. Wake up.

There are many ways to tell that things are coming to an end. The same feeling of familiarity, of rote repetition, that has plagued you for weeks now is fading. Whatever happens, however it shakes out, the end is near.

Eight of you remain in the Hall, but you know that the rest of your company is waiting for you. To support you, and to help you make it to the finish line. There are twisted evil things to be defeated, as it were, and you may not want to be the girls for the job, but here you are.

No more new areas, nothing more to investigate for now. The storm still rages on outside, and sometimes you can hear it rattling the windows in a way it hasn't before now.

The loop is gone, but remember: Rosenblum Hall is here for you. Rosenblum Hall will always be here for you.



SATURDAY | SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY

[ ooc: welcome to the final week of rosenblum hall! endgame approaches!

Here you can find endgame check-in, regains, and Isabella's office hours. ]

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SATURDAY

[facultwist]

[kickdownthatwall]

[As is usual, Alena wakes up early to get a pre-workout meal in the kitchen, only to find that... Mafuyu's birthday cake hasn't respawned. She freezes a bit in front of the fridge, then looks down at her phone to see what the date is, and then gasps a bit...]

...We have escaped the day of the groundhog and found the forbidden Saturday...

[It does feel like a victory on some level, despite everything. She will still hit the gym, but there's a bit of a celebratory angle to it. Even if the cake is gone...

...And, well, she didn't spend that much time around the newer buildings last week, and she hasn't gotten to see the cat... so she heads to the clock tower to visit Bernie. Cats are good, and she's happy to hang out with a cat.

...though. she eventually. starts thinking. and maybe rubber ducking the cat a little bit...]

Oh, to be a cat and to not wonder endlessly about your feelings... are cats having romance, Bernie? Or is it all just the animal thing? Maybe the animal thing is easier and you do not have to think too hard...

clock tower

[tomestones]

[Dagr came out here to check out the clock tower as well, and they just so happen to wander in while Alena's rubber ducking the kitty...]

Hah, I hope they don't have to think as hard about it as we do!

[Heya, Alena, you don't mind if they insert themselves into this topic, do you?? Of course not.]

Don't tell me you have a crush on someone?

[👀???]

[kickdownthatwall]

Yoy.

[she kind of sighs...]

Is more about people having crushes on me and not knowing how I feel about it...

clock tower

[rednails]

[They're here with the same agenda, she sees. Mariko's been haunting the periphery of the clock tower all week but hadn't yet gone inside. It reminds her of something, less like a memory and more like a word on the tip of your tongue. Hearing about Bernie? Now she has to.

She watches Alenda for a while before making herself known, a classic Mariko maneuver. Without much fanfare she tucks her skirt beneath herself and sits to watch her.]

Well, what do you think?

[Theories on cat romance?]

gym

[shellhawked]

[Alena isn't the only gym rat today! Hawke's energy has bounced back with vengeance and archery just isn't going to cut it today. It's fencing hours, baybee! There's also a scuffed-up soccer ball hanging out next to the bleachers next to a pair of grass stained and well-loved cleats scribbled on with purple marker and what looks to be Anthy's rapier.

Well...it's spiritually fencing hours. She's broken out an already beaten to hell dummy, forsaken the top half of her fencing uniform for a t-shirt with rolled up sleeves, and is going at that thing with...a longsword...? She stops mid-swing when she spots Alena, relaxing her stance to push her hair off her forehead.]

Alena, hey. I'm almost done if you need the space.

SUNDAY

[facultwist]

mini investigation

[shellhawked]

[There comes a time in every girl's life where she has to sit down and wonder...how many swords is too many? Her own fencing saber, Vanity's, Anthy's, a mystery longsword- it's more swords than Hawke has anticipated ever having custody of at the same time. Hawke regards all four of them laid side-by-side on her bed, arms folded while she stares down at them.]

Why do I feel like if I choose one of you to practice with today the rest are going to be jealous?

[The question is somewhat moot because the school library ends up being Hawke's focus today. The thought had occurred to her weeks ago when she'd gone through the basement and found the old club information but she'd slept since then. Eight people have also died but we're not focusing on that right now. She's going through and grabbing all the yearbooks she can find, starting with 2004 and going back as far as she can find, and piling them on a table. Specifically she's looking for anything about their favorite mid-2000s ghost girlie Mari, club photos, previous faculty- the kind of things you'd find in a yearbook.]

"Sonnet"? Wow, people really named their kids anything in the 1990s. [babe, your parents named you after a cartoon fox.] ...huh. She kind of looks like Chris.

[Closer to dinner she can be found in the conservatory with Anthy's guitar, a notebook and a Chu-chu nestled cozily on her shoulder. Varric lays several feet away, staring out at the storm with his nose pressed against the glass. Hawke plucks at the guitar strings, eyes closed and shoulders relaxed, until she hits a sharp note. She makes a sour face and picks up her pen to write something in the notebook before getting back to it.

It's been a long and hard seven weeks (or two weeks depending on the looping time) and Hawke can count on one hand the number of times she's felt at peace in that time. But waking up yesterday being Saturday again has made something snap back together inside her. Now she's forcing herself to relax...and to plan.

Something's coming for them. Whatever "L" is isn't going to wait for long and they're going to need to be ready. Hawke intends to be, has to be- but first she has a different kind of game plan to finish.]

not investigation

[facultwist]

[ ...So, at 3 a.m. on Monday morning, if Hawke were to, say, get a bite from Chu-chu on the finger. What then?

Because that's exactly what happens. Whatever finger Hawke may have out, Chu-chu takes a bite at approximately 75% Rat Power. 3 a.m. on the VERY dot. ]

this one's investigation

[facultwist]

[ So! Mari's presence lines up with what she said - you can find her freshman year picture and her sophomore year picture, but after that... nothing! In what would be her junior year, her photo isn't present and the club photo also isn't present.

And hey, this is your first time seeing her! Aint she cute?

... that said, there's no In Memorium or anything like that. ]

MONDAY

[facultwist]

TUESDAY

[facultwist]

MOTIVE...?

[facultwist]

[ Tuesday morning, a day later than you’re used to on account of the Saturday, the loudspeaker sounds. ]

So you may be wondering what happens next. Get to the lounge.

[ Once everyone is in the lounge, the speaker once again picks up. ]

There’s no way I’m getting any of you to kill each other. You and I, we all know that. So why don’t we do what’s on everyone’s minds, huh?

In two days, I’m going on trial. I’ll lower the gates on the areas you haven’t been able to get into yet, you can… investigate them to your heart’s content, and then if you can figure out what’s actually going on here, we’ll talk face to face. No loudspeakers, no spooky chains. L will come, too, if she knows what’s good for her.

So please. Let’s finish this. We all want to.

[shellhawked]

[Hawke frowns as she listens, one arm folded across her chest while the other scritches Chu-chu's little head where he's perched on her shoulder with a bandaged finger.]

...That's it? We wait two days, poke around restricted areas and we're done?

IT'S THE FINAL MEETING (deer neer neer neer)

[shellhawked]

[And just like that they have their deadline. Today and Wednesday to put together the part of the puzzle they already have, Friday to find the pieces still missing and then the Interim Headmistress stands trial...and it stands to reason they're the prosecution and the judges.

It's the easiest it's been to plan a meeting with so few of them left. Not long after the announcement she goes around individually to let the other survivors know to come to the senior math classroom in an hour for a meeting and to bring anything they've found, investigation notes and anything from the dumbwaiter they feel might belong to someone else.

When the others start rolling in, Hawke has shoved together most of the desks to make one long table and laid out a written version of her rat ouija conversation with Anthy, Hatsune's automatic writing, some yearbooks and someone's armlet. She's also put out a bunch of pre-packed snacks and water bottles, which Varric and Chu-chu are sitting in the desk chair behind with the patient hope of being given special people treats.

The hostess herself is scribbling notes on the whiteboard in different colored dry erase marker:]

PEOPLE

[shellhawked]

Interim Headmistress: NOT an adult/probably our age. Hates Isabella b/c mommy issues. Parents = sensitive subject. Has much less control than it seems (?). cool motive, still murder

"L": The Rosenblum Witch?????? Has actual power to effect us/the environment. No affiliation with Death Note (for now).

Isabella: Guidance Counselor, Single Mom Who Works Too Hard. Kids being held so she cooperates. Trustworthiness Level: ?????

-

Mari: Ghost friend! Tried to help the old Ghost Hunter's Club by getting possessed by the witch, drowned in the old pool in 2004. Very cute! No memorial page in 2004 yearbook. School cover-up? (yes)

-

Louise Monroe: First Burnbriar daughter. Survived the 1823 fire, grew up and got married to some guy. IMPORTANT.

Maria Faircild: Daughter of the Hall/school architect. Louise's secret 1800s girlfriend. A lot of missing info about her. IMPORTANT

Ingrid Monroe: Looks like she did did everything. Died in an accident in the basement.

Charles Fairchild: Architect and Maria’s father. Was into a lot of funky spiritualist stuff.

Aloysius Monroe: [A stick figure depiction of Hawke and Mariko this with a printed out photo of Aloysius Monroe instead of any actual information.]

LOCATIONS

[shellhawked]

Clocktower: Someone is/was living in the mechanisms under the trap door at the top. Blankets, a boombox and chalk drawings.

The Monroe Collection: [This is blank, Hawke doesn't know shit.

THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT US

[shellhawked]

- We’ve done this before but we can’t remember almost any of it.
- Our ghost friends can communicate but it’s very tiring for them.
- The dreams are??? Other versions of us???
- The ghosts can see things hanging off our backs and/or following us.
- There is a girl whose face and name I (Hawke) can’t remember.

DOOMCOMING

[shellhawked]

TOMORROW: Time Loop Broken And It's NYE Party! Steal clothes from the theater or wear what you want. Drinks, food, music all in the Ballroom. Enjoy the Shroom Tea.

WEDNESDAY

[facultwist]

DOOMCOMING [cw: drugs, shrooms]

[shellhawked]

[Sundown on the last day before the final chapter of their story.

When the survivors (and ghosts, it wouldn't be a party without everyone present) are ready, the Rosenblum Hall ballroom has been simply but beautifully decorated with carefully placed candelabras and draped fabrics (far away from the candles, of course).

The dining hall table has been laid out with a wide assortment of sandwiches, snacks, and whatever drinks are available. A teapot sits segregated at one end of the table, surrounded by folded cards written in Hawke's purple-inked handwriting that say "MUSHROOM TEA", "SHROOM DRINK", "THIS IS A PSYCHEDELIC" and "DRINK RESPONSIBLY, FIND A BUDDY, HAVE FUN".

With this many teenagers (several of them musicians), someone has to have a bluetooth speaker in their belongings. For tonight it's connected to Hawke's phone and playing music throughout the night and into the clock tower chiming midnight.

Happy new year, Rosenblum Hall. Let's make it count.]

cw: drugs use (mushrooms)

[shellhawked]

[Throughout the day Hawke will accept any help offered in setting up and will lend it without. Assistance with cooking, decorating the ballroom with carefully places candelabras for mood lighting, sorting through clothing options (both student clothing and costume pieces from the performing arts building) for people- she's keeping busy all day and she's happy to do it for her friends.

Finding something to wear for herself proves to be her hardest task though. She goes through her own clothes and things offered up by anyone else before settling on an eye-catching red suit and vest amongst the costumes. As good as it looks on her, it's missing something...and it turns out that something is a shiny silver pauldron from "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court" on one shoulder and a single-shoulder black cape on the other. When it's all together she stops to admire her reflection in the nearest mirror.]

Never thought of myself as much of a knight. But...maybe. [She makes chivalry look good again.]

[Once things get going, Hawke hovers around the outskirts of the party like a cattle dog protecting its herd. She's a beacon in red that's impossible to miss, even in the candle light. Stop her for a chat, to have a snack, or ask her to dance- she'll likely say yes.

Later into the night, she can be found relaxing on the stairs up to the bedrooms with a half-empty mug of Misty Quigley's Special-tea. Relaxing might not be strong enough of a word actually- she's sitting at the base of the stairs and stretched out on as long and she can make herself on her back up the steps. This might be the most relaxed she's been in almost a year.]

I should've remembered my edibles. They'd fix us. Or... remembered my other edibles.

[tomestones]

[So even though we're supposed to be dressing up... Dagr doesn't really dress up. They've swapped into something different that they haven't worn here before (minus the skirt-cape-thing and bracers) but well...]

Guess I should've actually dressed up more, huh...?

[Oh well. Too late to go change now. They'll gladly chat with anyone, though they aren't interested in that special tea, instead slipping away as the night goes on.

In the conservatory, they have a sketchpad and pen set out, as well as a drawn ouija board. It's pretty obvious what they're here to do, but it's made even more so when they start talking to... well.]

Can you guys hear me? Just wanted to see if we can get in contact with you guys once more before... well, before whatever comes next. I wanted to say... [goodbye?] thanks. And that I'm going to do what I can. For everyone.

[Maybe it won't be a lot. They are just one person, after all. But the idea of leaving things unsaid doesn't sit well with them. They're hoping to talk to Dorothy in particular, but hearing from anyone would be great.]

[hootheart]

[Tiera shows up in a rather plain-looking brown shirt and dark black jeans. However, that's contrasted by the fact that she's found a pair of brown-and-tan costume wings, which are attached to her back in a half-open position. Her nails are also filed to points, and she's wearing fingerless gloves in a similar dark shade as her jeans.

Before entering the ballroom, she pauses on the stairs, before cupping her hands to her mouth and letting out a loud, triumphant hoot.

Even with the wings, Tiera is surprisingly graceful on the dance floor. She hums along with the music, occasionally adding in chirps or screeches where appropriate, at times adjusting the wings slightly to accentuate her silhouette.

She does leave for a while, before bringing in Uncle, who perches on her arm as she lets him nibble at several hawk-safe snacks from the table. Tiera is also chewing down on her own selection of snacks, although she does return to the dance floor eventually, and if there's enough space, will do a sort-of duet dance with Uncle, having him glide through the air in tune with the music, the two of them passing each other several times, before he finally alights on her hand.]

[rednails]

[Mariko is mostly just trying to figure out her outfit. This is perhaps one of the only good things to happen to her in the past 7 weeks and she's going to cherish it goddamn it. If you walk by Room A-1 you'll find that Mariko is putting on actual lipstick and fussing with her hair (which is adorned with a charming hair bow that's so trendy in the year our lord 2023).

When she comes down to the ballroom, she's wearing a dress from the senior class of 2019's production of My Fair Lady with the longest parts of the skirt hiked up with pins. Old fashioned, yes, but it's the only thing that was in purple; even Mariko has principals to abide by. But isn't she a vision? It's like some confidence has come back into her expression. Maybe that's just the blush.

Coyly, clasping her cup of indeterminate beverage, she asks;]

So, what are you supposed to be?

[Alternatively, if you want the funny/mean option Mariko can be the worst trip sitter of your life.]