WEEK SEVEN

[lockdownmods]

[Week seven is here. Surely the course is drawing to a close soon? There are more places to explore, and there can't be that much more going on but...

The wall is actually very ominous now, like something has been awakened. The field is almost impossible to be near, that's how oppressive the wall is around it. There are also physical signs of darkness dotting the wall.

Welcome, you're almost near the end.]

LOCATIONS | PROFILES | HAN OFFICE HOURS | MEGUMI OFFICE HOURS

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

Comments

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I- what- you-.... ugh... I... will be waiting.

[He brought this upon himself.]

[sendintheclown]

[Not too long later, a scuffling sound can be heard- as if someone's climbing down from something - and there's Gogol, seating himself up onto the table.]

I'm heeeere!

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I noticed.

[He sighs at Gogol perching himself on the table, but makes no move to stop him.]

Where were you?

[sendintheclown]

It's a secret.

[He may or may not have been crouched on top of one of the bookshelves like a gargoyle.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

Of course it is.

[He suspects that was the case.]

Right... um... should I start the book over?

[sendintheclown]

If you want! Or you could just fill me in!

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

.... I'll start over.

[If he's going to read someone a story then he's going to do it right. He flips back to the first page and starts reading. The story so far appears to be about a wedding between two people. Pretty boring to Gogol probably, but the second daughter starts playing the koto at one point. So.. there's that.]

[sendintheclown]

[When the daughter plays the koto, it's Gogol's time to introduce sound effects.

Except he doesn't know what a koto sounds like, so he's really making it up. It's...not particularly accurate.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

.... I've never heard a koto, but even I know it doesn't sound like that.

[There's part annoyance and part amusement in his voice. He really can't believe how ridiculous Gogol is sometimes.]

[sendintheclown]

That's the wonder of fiction! It can be anything you want!

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

That's... true... but this one is supposed to be realistic.

[sendintheclown]

In a world where this is what a koto sounds like.

[It's called suspension of disbelief or something.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

Where in the text does it say the koto sounds like that?

[sendintheclown]

Where does it say it doesn't?

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I.... I'm going to continue reading now.

[Gogol won that argument. Poe continues reading. The sound of a koto plays out in the night. Later, the bodies of the newly weds are found stabbed to death with a sword inside a locked house. It's a locked room mystery.]

[sendintheclown]

[GREAT someone's been stabbed! Gogol even mimes the action as he makes the sounds of flesh being pierced. It's pretty accurate.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

.... At least you're actually accurate this time.

[sendintheclown]

Thank you.

[He prides himself on that.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

[He continues reading. The father calls in a detective who starts interrogating the rural people. The detective investigating takes up most of the rest of the book. Besides things being opened and people being talked too, there isn't much more room for sound effects as he unravels the tricks behind the locked room mystery. Also because the summaries I found stopped being useful at this point.]

[sendintheclown]

[Gogol flattens on the table, unsatisfied.]

That wasn't a fault on my special effects abilities, you know. The book just wasn't good for it.

[He tried his best.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I'm aware.

[He puts it down and seems to think for a bit. That... wasn't as bad as he thought it would be and ragging on Gogol for his sound effects was actually pretty amusing.]

.... That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. If... there is a book more suited to your tastes... I won't mind reading it while yo do your ah.... sound effects.

[sendintheclown]

Really?

[Gogol brightens, and bolts straight back up.]

We could start our own collaborative storytelling theater!

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

I'm... not fond of audiences.

[That many eyes on him... he shivers.]

Can this just ah... be... between the two of us?

[sendintheclown]

Alright then.

[Gogol loves an audience but there was something nice about this, too. Something between friends.]

[blackcatintheruemorgue]

Thank you for understanding.

[His shoulders relax and he releases a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. The waves of relief radiating off of Poe right now are almost palpable.]