Letters to the Phantom

[inside_yourmind]

[You may now write letters to the Phantom!

Each of you will find plenty of stationery in the drawers of your vanities, along with candles, a block of sealing wax, and a stamp with your initial on it. You can use these to seal your envelopes in style!

Letters may be dropped into the flap at the Box Office at any time. Replies will appear in your dressing rooms, occasionally quite quickly. Sitting in your room to keep watch won't let you see how they're brought; they'll just appear whenever you happen to leave or fall asleep. Yes, they can be delivered overnight. Probably don't think about it too hard.]

Comments

[inside_yourmind]

[..........]

The world is broken and terrible. I intend to fix it. I will ensure that what happened to me will never happen again.

It would benefit everyone, of course. Surely all of this has proven that much.

[37773972]

[Stephen's quiet for a moment. Thinking for a time. After the seconds tick by, he opens his mouth, and...

It's hard to describe his tone. It's not angry, but it's not happy. It's...a bittersweet, honest, raw sound that comes from his throat, and soft as the words are, there's an edge to them.]

So glad to see you will
Overcome them, and keep them silent, now-
With someone's help
You'll cast the demons out

[He moves to look at the mirror, not knowing what he expects to see. His reflection? The Phantom himself?]

And not to pull your halo down
Around your neck and tug you off your cloud
But I'm more than just a little curious
How you're planning to go about making 'benefit'
To the dead

[inside_yourmind]

I know full well who is responsible for your presence in my home. This is exactly why we instituted a rule against summoning demons.

[But he also knows that they didn't summon him for that one, so there's really no one available to punish for it.]

If you are truly so eager, I will speak with you from behind the mirror. Name a time.

[madgiganticfeelings]

[Now that's... weird. Does he mean Beetlejuice is responsible for them being here? Or another demon?

Maybe it's something to bring up when they meet. Christine is practically holding her breath as she writes:]

Dear Phantom,

Can we speak this Monday? If you aren't busy, that is. I would like to speak to you in the evening if it's possible. Probably once the kitchen is closed, if that makes it easier for you.

-Christine

[inside_yourmind]

No one else has ever considered what I want before. No one has even thought to consider me at all. We may have many disagreements, but he speaks to me as he would anyone else.

Why would I turn him down?

[inside_yourmind]

Do you think I lie to all of you every Tuesday?

[My guy, what was the very last motive?]

[inside_yourmind]

Fine.

[The Kitchen is really not that relevant, but whatever - he'll come along at that time, then. He does not appear dramatically in the mirror or anything like that; there will just suddenly be a voice.]

What is it?

[37773972]

...no.

[Bringing back from the dead- and yet.]

But we have to kill more than one person to get it.

[He's referring to the deaths of everyone else.



He looks up, sharply. One can almost see a lightbulb going on above his head]

Are you saying you could bring every single person back to life- everybody who's died here- if you had a reason?

[inside_yourmind]

Of course I could.

[madgiganticfeelings]

[She just wanted to pick a time when people weren't out and about! They could have just met in her room, but. When she hears his voice, she pauses.

...There's a platter of almond cookies on the table, again. Just in case. Christine fidgets with her skirt and just mumbles quietly.]

I'm... I'm really sorry for what happened. To Spinel. I know she meant a lot to you.

And I'm sorry I haven't tried harder to see things from your perspective. I kept taking for granted that I was a good person, but if I was, y-you wouldn't have picked me for this.

[She exhales, slowly. Okay, she can do this.]

I don't understand everything that's happening, but... If there's any way I can help you, I want to try. If there's something I can do to make up for the mistakes I've made, I won't, I won't rest until I finish it.

[37773972]

[He almost screams then what's the point, but- that's just it. There has to be one. Stephen stares at the mirror with his mind racing a thousand light years per minute, thinking back to what Mephisto- what 'Ariel' had said in the first trial, about sacrifices, and he swallows around the lump in his throat.

He doesn't want to think about this right now. He doesn't want to think about Sigyn, or Riley, or anyone else being somehow used.]

...I can't even imagine what's going on in your head.

[Awe? Shock, maybe.]

[inside_yourmind]

...have I not just told you?

[What? Was the point of this talking thing you wanted so bad then?]

[inside_yourmind]

[There's a moment or two of silence.]

You...are volunteering to become a mole?

[HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT TO MAKE OF ANY OF THIS]

[37773972]

[That he intends to fix this. That all of this is- pointless, except not. That...]

You've given me more questions than answers.

[...]

One more. [And hopefully before the Phantom has a chance to pull away-] I'm gonna ask Nana to help me make something. And because, despite everything, I think you're still just a man...

...where'm I leaving a portion.

[Consider it gratitude for humoring him in this. Also? No man can resist Nana's cooking- he's pretty sure of that.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

[So... she might have been a little naive to have thought that the Phantom would change his mind about this the second he lost one person he enjoyed. Christine takes a step back and shakes her head.]

I was volunteering to help you accomplish whatever you wanted to do with this game, so it could end. So no one else would, would have to die. I thought... I'm sorry, I thought with what you said about the SQUIP, you didn't want anyone dying either.

Sunday evening, Week 5

[holyspit]

Phantom

You're right. I couldn't protect Spinel. I haven't been able to protect anyone.

I'm sorry.

You keep saying you're trying to fix something, but you won't tell us what or how these murders help.

Why?

-Steven

[inside_yourmind]

[You hear an audible sigh.]

Outside the box office is acceptable. Nana can show you. [Nana Knows]

[inside_yourmind]

[...]

The deaths are...not necessarily required for what I want to achieve. This...show, if you will, was one requested by my patron. I will have my full payment when it is complete.

[37773972]

[He can't help it. He chuckles.]

Not the first one, huh?...look, consider it 'thanks' for humoring me.

[beat]

The offer's still open.

[What exactly is the offer? Fuck if he knows anymore.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

Then... who is your patron?

[That's maybe not as important. Whoever they are... they're the real evil here. Christine knew that was the case.]

And if you want to achieve something, I'll help you with that. Without the deaths. Maybe, maybe we can work out a deal, so you don't have to put on this show.

[inside_yourmind]

Steven,

I am trying to fix everything. Your life and mine are nothing alike, but I am sure you know full well how broken everything is. What happened to me did not have to happen, and what happened to you did not either.

OG

[holyspit]

[It, um. Takes a little bit for this response to come because hoo boy.]

Opera Ghost,

Do you mean like that kind of thing shouldn't happen in general or that literally it can be un-happened because I'm pretty sure one of me time traveled before and I'm very sure it ended really badly.

Also how do these trials and executions and everything actually help with this?

-Steven

[likemypicture]

idk because murder?

No one's ever been nice to you before?

~TKBC QAOC

[yes she actually wrote idk because murder and crossed it out]

[inside_yourmind]

Which offer is that?

[yeah you know it's unclear]

[37773972]

['Try to understand'. 'I can't even begin to understand'. Yeah, good job, Stephen, you're an idiot. He shakes his head at himself. What's new?]

...talking at someone who'll at least listen. Since there's still too much I don't know. [To start to understand.] And who won't try and bullshit that I'm something I'm not.

[Aka, They're Definitely Not Friends and at most, Stephen is deliberately trying to curry Lima?]