[The private study is, as it's name would imply, secluded enough to earn her favor. It's quiet there, and easy to think there, to write and move through the complicated feelings she has about being here.
Of course, when she enters today, that's forgotten when she notices a small boy with a sizable collection of glitter on his person. It's difficult to hold back a surprised laugh, and there's at least an amused smile on her face when she speaks to him.]
[The addition to the rules is a welcome one, and it's not long after she reads it that she heads to the kitchen. Of course, she's not the only one who had that idea, but that's not the surprising part of the encounter. Even the glitter covering the person she sees there isn't the surprising part - that would be the array of weaponry he seems to be carrying with him.
It's enough to make her pause in her tracks, glancing from him and to the door like she's planning out a potential escape route.]
[After the trial ends, she's furious. There are so many thoughts buzzing around in her head about the trial, the gods, and things entirely unrelated to this place. She isn't sure what brings her to the study other than the fact that it seems small and private.
When she sees someone else there, though, she doesn't leave. In fact, she speaks up.]
[Once she realizes that the houses they’ve found provide enough lodging for everyone here, she thinks about just staying in one of her own... But that feels too lonely to her, in the end.
That’s why she seeks Ray out in the place she assumes he’ll be - the lab.]
[ray's on the nice! except in boots and not skates because he's a loser. and also not doing anything that looks like skating, since he's really just sitting on the ice, peering into the frozen over water below.
he's terrible at having fun, but he is intrigued by anything he hasn't seen before. there weren't any bodies of water like this to freeze in grace field, so.
[Today, if Ray happens to be in the house they’ve been sharing, he may see an interesting sight. Zoe, wearing some unholy monstrosity, walks in the door. In her hand, she’s holding the remains of another jacket that looks slightly burned.
Before anything else, she’s looking around and praying that nobody else is here, taking the coat off as quickly as possible - and then her eyes fall on the younger boy. There’s a long, tense moment before she says a word.]
[While last week had her angry, this week only expands that feeling. She didn't know any of these victims too well, but the fact that there are so many of them... It digs at her, especially knowing that there's going to be another in just a few days time.
Still, that anger gives way to concern for the people who did know the victims better. When she finds Ray in the study, she glances his way before speaking up.]
[After that mess of a trial... Some fresh air is even worth having to wear this horrible coat. She's trying to take a walk to clear her head, but when she happens to pass by the park in the East Wing, she glances Ray's way before she starts to walk in that direction.]
[After the trial yesterday, between checking in with the people she's grown close with here, she went to visit someone with more authority. Something they mentioned to her has been rattling around in her head ever since, and when she happens to wander into the kitchen and see Ray... It comes as a relief.]
[When she starts to explore the west wing, she's in a better mood than she's had for a while. It shows in the smile she wears as she realizes there's an ocean here, immediately heading towards the water once she does.
She sees Ray when she's already taken her shoes off in order to step into the shallow water, toes buried in the sand. When she sees him, she offers a wave.]
[ray doesn't know if the ocean even exists in his version of earth, so he's aware that this is probably the only chance he'll ever get to see the ocean—which means he's pretty fascinated right now.
[It's a while after the meeting that she goes to look for Ray, eventually finding him in the private study. As she sees him there, she raises a hand in greeting, heading over.]
Hey. There was something I wanted to ask you really quick.
[As the weeks go on, her hope that the death would stop has been diminishing. That doesn't stop the way it aches when four people are dead so quickly after a meeting that was intended to stop this very thing.
When she happens to pass by the kitchen and see the younger boy, she gives a sigh.]
Maybe this week we'll get lucky ["lucky"] and someone responsible will still be alive.
[Today, rather than the parlor, private study, or any of the other places she usually frequents after the trials... Zoe heads to the armory. She didn't come just to find Ray, but when she does find him, she speaks up regardless.]
[She's hanging around near the lake in the east wing when he finds her. She doesn't seem to be up to much, just sitting and watching the water. When Ray approaches, though, she shifts to offer him a wave.]
[After speaking to a few other people, there's someone else pretty high on her list that she needs to check on. When she finds him in the dining hall, she walks over carefully, taking a seat next to wherever he is.]
[After the meeting on Monday, Zoe is looking around the temple to find Ray. When she enters the lab and sees him there, she raises a hand in greeting.]
[It’s easy enough to guess the places Ray is going to gravitate towards by now. She heads towards the bookstore, and when she sees him there, she raises a hand in greeting.]
[As soon as she makes it into this new area, it feels like there’s something tearing away inside of her chest. The reasons for that are numerous - regret, anger, sorrow - but chief among them is a feeling of grief and guilt. What she heard just before she died reverberates inside her head again and again, and while she hopes it doesn’t mean what she thinks it does...
There’s no mistaking the voice she hears calling her name. Her heart drops like a stone through open air. Not an instant passes before she’s running towards the sound of his voice, tears already gathering in her eyes. When she sees him, the one word she says comes out choked as she stops in her tracks, distraught.]
[After they escape the crowd of truth or dare participants, she takes him somewhere that seems devoid of other people, glancing around to make sure nobody might hear.]
So... We were talking about, like, what we were going to do when we left here.
[After the guilty party is found and the trial concludes, Zoe heads into the study. It's one of the first places she thinks to look for Ray, and when she sees him, she comes to take a seat nearby.]
[There’s a pause before she opens the door, ultimately deciding that not answering would just make it worse. Her eyes are only slightly red, and the one thing notable about the room is a small pile of balled up pieces of paper near one of the walls.]
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week one, tuesday
Of course, when she enters today, that's forgotten when she notices a small boy with a sizable collection of glitter on his person. It's difficult to hold back a surprised laugh, and there's at least an amused smile on her face when she speaks to him.]
What the hell happened to you?
no subject
he just groans.]
I'm going to have to deal with people constantly asking me that, aren't I?
[kill him now.]
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week one, thursday
It's enough to make her pause in her tracks, glancing from him and to the door like she's planning out a potential escape route.]
You're not planning to use any of those, right?
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They're for self-defence.
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week one, saturday
When she sees someone else there, though, she doesn't leave. In fact, she speaks up.]
So I guess we know what a trial is like now.
[There's a tight anger buried in her voice.]
no subject
Yeah.
Nine hours in the same space as everyone is not my idea of a pleasant time.
[plus you know
everything else that sucked.]
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week two, monday.
That’s why she seeks Ray out in the place she assumes he’ll be - the lab.]
Hey. Got a second?
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Yeah. What is it?
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week two, tuesday
he's terrible at having fun, but he is intrigued by anything he hasn't seen before. there weren't any bodies of water like this to freeze in grace field, so.
anyway, hi.]
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how did i never tag this back
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week two, thursday.
Before anything else, she’s looking around and praying that nobody else is here, taking the coat off as quickly as possible - and then her eyes fall on the younger boy. There’s a long, tense moment before she says a word.]
Hey.
[This is fine.]
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... he does come close to it, though, instead slamming it down on the counter to save himself as he stares at zoe.
uhhhhhhhhhh.]
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week two, friday.
Still, that anger gives way to concern for the people who did know the victims better. When she finds Ray in the study, she glances his way before speaking up.]
How are you feeling?
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Fine. You ready for the trial tomorrow?
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week two, saturday.
Hey there.
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Hey.
[if nothing else, he seems the same as always.]
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week two, sunday.
...Oh, hey. I'm glad I bumped into you.
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What's up?
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week three, monday.
She sees Ray when she's already taken her shoes off in order to step into the shallow water, toes buried in the sand. When she sees him, she offers a wave.]
It's nice, isn't it?
no subject
he waves back.]
Yeah. Makes you feel pretty small.
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week three, thursday.
Hey. There was something I wanted to ask you really quick.
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What is it?
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week three, friday.
When she happens to pass by the kitchen and see the younger boy, she gives a sigh.]
Maybe this week we'll get lucky ["lucky"] and someone responsible will still be alive.
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That'd be ideal, wouldn't it? I still wonder how last week happened.
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week three, saturday.
...Hey there.
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[...]
I'm going to be direct. I'd be surprised if you did it, but for the sake of putting it out there—are you the culprit?
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week 4, tuesday.
... Zoe. I have a question: exactly how did you know you were Strung Red to Connor last week?
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Why?
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week four, wednesday.
Hey. What's up?
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I'll be staying with someone else for Thursday night. They've been Strung Red, so I'm concerned about them.
Stay with Connor.
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week four, saturday.
...You really saved our asses back there.
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Barely...
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week five, monday.
Hey. Do you have a second?
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What is it?
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week five, thursday.
Hey there. Got a second?
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week six, monday.
There’s no mistaking the voice she hears calling her name. Her heart drops like a stone through open air. Not an instant passes before she’s running towards the sound of his voice, tears already gathering in her eyes. When she sees him, the one word she says comes out choked as she stops in her tracks, distraught.]
Ray...?
no subject
it's why, upon waking up, his first thought is of her. and when he sees her, he likewise freezes—before he runs over to her.]
Zoe!
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week six, later monday,,,,,
So... We were talking about, like, what we were going to do when we left here.
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week six, saturday.
Hey.
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Hey.
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week seven, saturday.
Zoe?
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How’d it go?
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