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Chatterbox: Pudding's Place
You walk home from school, feeling utterly exhausted. Slumping on your bed, you close your eyes, trying to wish away the mountain of homework on your desk. It’s a warm day, even though it’s October and the leaves should be turning red and falling. The sun is shining, the sky is blue. The weather makes it hard to be grumpy, but you’re trying your hardest.
Suddenly, the room gets much hotter. You open your eyes, feeling grumpier than ever. Why can’t the weather be pleasant, for once, you wonder, forgetting that it was pleasant just one minute ago. When you sit up, you nearly fall over, thinking you’re dreaming.
Because standing on the outside of the window, looking very cross, is a phoenix. “Open your window, grumpypants,” it seems to say. You’re too shocked to do anything but obey. The phoenix hops inside, making the room even hotter. You open all your windows trying to cool the room down.
The phoenix unfurls its tail, making it look like a peacock on fire, and making you wish even harder that it was gone as the room becomes almost too hot to bear. A piece of smoldering paper tied with a piece of singed ribbon falls to the ground. “Goodbye, for now,” the phoenix’s voice in your head says, and it jumps through the window and disappears in a flash of gold feathers.
The room has now cooled down significantly. You pick up the smoking paper gingerly, hoping it doesn’t fall apart in your hands. It doesn’t. You gently tug on the singed green ribbon and it disintegrates, bits of ash floating down to your carpet. You wince, and uncurl the note even more carefully. In the top right, it says the date. Under that, it says Pheonixe Place.
Are they aware they spelled phoenix wrong? You wonder, but read the note anyways. In immaculate handwriting, it says:
Dear CBer,
My sister and I would like to invite you to spend a fortnight of vacationing at our house, Phoenixe Place. It’s located on the Edge of the World. If you accept, fill out the form below. You may bring up to one companion. Please no CAPTCHAs. Last time no one could understand them and they got rather upset. My sister doesn’t want to hurt their feelings again. Ten spots only, not including companions. Reply as soon as possible. Teleport to Phoenixe Place using the device attached at three o’clock on October Fifteenth. Forms must be filled for alter egos as well.
Name:
Pronouns:
Appearance:
Personality:
Luggage:
Age:
Favorite Color:
Companion:
Allergies:
Other:
We hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Fae (and my sister, Yasmine)
Underneath the note, a wooden phoenix is taped to the paper. You slide it out and put it on your bed. Then you reread the note. Wait. The Edge of the World? Earth is a sphere. Don’t they know that? Your frown and wonder whether to go.
You debate with yourself. A vacation sounds great, but do you really want to be murdered? After a few minutes, you catch sight of the pile of homework sitting on your desk. That does it. If it isn’t fun, at least you’ll be able to figure out what Fae and Yasmine mean by the Edge of the World. You fill out the form. It disappears, and you wait for October Fifteenth…
submitted by Fae and Yasmine, age Ski Lodge!, Pheonixe Place
(October 5, 2020 - 1:37 pm)
(October 5, 2020 - 1:37 pm)
@Fae and Yasmine? Are you letting this die?
(November 16, 2020 - 7:25 am)
(November 16, 2020 - 1:51 pm)
Author's Note: Sincerest apologies, CBers. I didn't manage to get a part done last week. Expect things to go back to normal this week, though. Also, congratulations to Morning. I am Luminescence. *takes a bow*
(November 17, 2020 - 3:21 pm)
Yay! I was so worried that this was dying. It's fine you missed a week, life happens and I do the same thing with anything I commit to. Also, congratulations to me for guessing you, I suppose. Why are people always unmasked so quickly? *throws exploding confetti roses in response to the bow*
(November 17, 2020 - 8:22 pm)
Lumi? OHMYGOODNESSYOUAREWAYBETTERATWRITINGTHANME *screams*
Anyhoo, I'm Captain Arianna and I was already guessed, and I'm so busy I can literally not even have time to look on Cricket anymore T^T
Ok, but, congratulations Morning! AND AGAIN YOU ARE AMAZING AT WRITING!
~Nightfall
(November 19, 2020 - 12:51 am)
Hi, Lumi ;D I'd like it if you call me dreamiing or dreamii instead of Heroes :D I love how its going so far! Cant wait for the next part :0
-dreamiing
(November 20, 2020 - 12:41 pm)
Author's Note, #1: I don't believe it. I'm late again. Sincerest apologies. I may be moving the installment date to Saturday so I'll be more likely not to forget.'
Day 3, pt 1
Luna-Starr woke up early. Earlier than Summer had the day before. Sage was still snoring softly. Luna walked over to the window where she had taped up her chart of quartets.
There were 16 CBers and AEs, not counting Darkling- Luna tried not to think about Darkling. 16 was not divisible by 3, so she had decided to do groups of four.
Earlier, they had talked about whose room was closest to whose, and Morning had drawn up a map in her spare notebook. Now, Luna was finishing up her final draft.
It looked like this:
Group 1: Agent Winter, Night Vision, Summer, Spring
Group 2: Luna-Starr, Sage, Bakerloo, Orson
Group 3: Sterling, Moondrop, AutumnArtist, Morning
Group 4: Nightfall, Galaxy, HeroesOfOlympus, Starlight
She copied the five groups onto nine more sheets of notebook paper and kept the original first. “Sage, wake up,” she said, poking the AE’s shoulder. Sage blinked. “What?” “We need to go distribute these.” Sage sighed and pulled herself out of bed.
The pair moved down the hallway, slipping pieces of paper under each person’s door, and went downstairs, where Fae and Yasmine were already making breakfast of waffles.
They were soon joined by Heroes, Starlight, Galaxy and Nightfall. “So you got the message?” Luna asked. Nightfall nodded. “Good.”
After all four quartets had made it downstairs safely, the CBers and AEs ate breakfast.
“Um, I was thinking we could--” Sterling started, but Fae interrupted her. “Today we’re going to spend the day outside in the gardens.”
“Oh. Okay, then-” Sterling started again, but Yasmine interrupted this time. “Yes! I know some of you are sensitive to pollen but it’s not too windy today, so hopefully you’ll be okay.”
Sterling sighed and decided to discuss it later. A night’s sleep of questionable quality seemed to have got Fae and Yasmine somewhat back to normal. Or, at least, they had pulled themselves together.
This was not the case for Summer. She was jumpy, paranoid, and… a hot mess. She hadn’t brushed her teeth or her hair until Spring reminded her to. She was barely touching her waffles.
Sterling tore her gaze away from Summer, trying to stay as lighthearted as possible. Which… wasn’t very lighthearted, but.
After everyone (except Summer) had finished their waffles, Fae and Yasmine told them to stay in the library while they cleaned up.
After a few minutes, Sage tapped Luna on the shoulder. “What?” her CBer asked. “I need to grab something from upstairs.”
Orson heard this and burst into loud exclamations of protest. “So now we all have to go upstairs while Sage gets something from her room? That isn’t fair!” Bakerloo squinted at him. “Orson, this is for safety, not because anyone’s being a jerk. Come on.”
He opened his mouth to continue but Spring interrupted. “Summer and I will go with Sage. I would like to get something from my room as well,” she said with a scornful look in Orson’s direction.
The trio hurried upstairs.
They didn’t come back.
Not after five minutes.
Not after ten minutes.
Not even after fifteen minutes.
At this point, people were starting to worry. “Should we go look for them?” Morning asked awkwardly. Luna opened her mouth to say something, but Nightfall was already moving. “Yes, we should,” they said. Morning followed them with Heroes and Bakerloo not far behind.
When they got to the top of the stairs, Nightfall bit back a scream.
Lying on the floor was Summer.
She didn’t appear to be breathing.
The rest of the CBers stampeded up the stairs as Heroes let a shriek slip out of her mouth.
The murderer didn't know what to say.
~to be continued~
Dead: Darkling, Summer (maybe), Sage (maybe), Spring (maybe)
Alive: 16 or maybe 13
Suspects:
Author’s Note, #2: As per usual, the suspect list is open for editing. Question of the week: do you think Summer is dead? What about Spring and Sage? Also, what do you think Sterling's going to do? P.S. Ugh, this part was super short, sorry.
(November 20, 2020 - 12:21 pm)
Author's Note: I came here, saw the new part, and promptly had a heart attack. No, not really. That was a figure of speech. BUT OH MY GOODNESS I REALLY AM ALL OVER THE PLACE TODAY. I forgot to attach the suspect list. Here it is.... XDD Also, dreamii, will do.
Suspects*: Agent Winter, dreamiing, Orson, Luna-Starr
*I don't think anyone took anyone off the suspect list, but I think the general consensus was that Nightfall was acting suspicious.
(November 20, 2020 - 1:20 pm)
Hmmm. Summer is probably dead. Spring and Sage aren't. Or the other way around, I don't really know. As for what Sterling's going to do, I have no earthly idea. Thank you for doing this, Lumi/Fae and Yasmine. It's soooo good, and I can't believe you've gotten this far already.
(November 21, 2020 - 2:34 pm)
I... am dead?? Or not? I don't know. Honestly, I think I'm probably dead, as are Spring and Sage.
*sigh* Well, it's not like we didn't expect that to happen.
True that. Well, this is awsome, Fae/Yasmine/Lumi! Nice job!
(November 21, 2020 - 6:06 pm)
Hmm... this is really interesting! I love the way you've introduced us to lots of different motives and subplots already.
Maybe Sterling has a suspicion or idea she is nervous to share?
Summer... hmm. My instinct says she's dead, but the fact that you said "maybe" makes me think otherwise. Maybe it's an experiment she's doing, and she believe it'll help her figure out who the murderer is? Or the murderer figured out her plan, and they set a trap for her? As for Spring and Sage, I think one or both of them has been captured by the murderer.
Suspects... that's getting very tricky. I don't suspect myself quite as much as before, but I wouldn't rule it out. Whatever happened to Summer probably could've been done by anyone, but I doubt it's Spring or Sage- but that was obvious. It probably isn't dreamiing, though, since they're mentioned right before the murderer...
So many factors! You're doing a wonerful job, Lumi! :D
(November 21, 2020 - 10:54 pm)
Did I abandon this? How dare I? I will never forgive myself, and I'm very sorry Fae and Yasmine/Lumi
As normal, this is amazing! I think one of the three are dead, the other two fainted.
Why?
Because 'She didn't appear to be breathing', so I don't think the murderer would kill all three of them, ofc, it depends. Also because it sounds more logical.
~Nightfall
(November 22, 2020 - 11:44 pm)
To the Union!
To the revolution!
And the hope that you provide...
(November 23, 2020 - 12:45 am)
May you always...
be satisfied.
(November 24, 2020 - 12:47 pm)
rewind..... rewind.....
(November 24, 2020 - 1:07 pm)