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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)
"Moondrop tried to scoot backwards but fell off her chair as well. (Though fortunately she wasn’t dead.)"
Oh my goodness, I love it! This is so good, Lumi, and I love the shifting house thing. I know you didn't plan it, but it's so cool.
(December 8, 2020 - 7:38 pm)
HOW ARE YOU ALREADY ON THE SECOND PAGE?! TOP! NEW PART! AHHHHH
(December 7, 2020 - 9:12 pm)
top top top top topppp
@Fae and Yasmine keep up the good work! (It's Silver Crystal topppp)
(December 7, 2020 - 11:36 pm)
//This has been a top courtesy of Topping Songs™. Topping Songs™ established 2020.\\
TOP! TO THE TOP!
RISE, RISE AND RISE TO THE TOP!
TOP! TO THE TOP!
WE CANNOT LET THIS SKI LODGE DROP!
TOOOOOOOOOOP!
(December 9, 2020 - 12:09 pm)
//This has been a top courtesy of Topping Songs™. Topping Songs™ established 2020.\\
toop! toop! toop!
toppity, toppity, rabbit in a boxity,
opety the boxity and you will get a toppity!
*dum dum dum dUM*
*dum dee doo DUM*
*DUM DUM DUM DOO*
a toppity a toppity a toppity for youuuuuuuu!!
(December 10, 2020 - 4:59 pm)
//This has been a top courtesy of Topping Songs™. Topping Songs™ established 2020.\\
top.
top top TOP.
top.
top top TOP.
i lika top, top, toppity top.
top top dont let 'em drop.
top, top, top-o-top,
ima be da best cuz im at da top.
(December 11, 2020 - 2:26 pm)
Day 4, pt 1
The next morning, dreamii woke up early. She had gone to bed late, and was still so sleepy. But unsurprisingly, A.A’s death combined with Darkling’s and Spring’s and Sage’s disappearances had made it much too hard to fall asleep. “I couldn’t sleep either,” Starlight said, sitting up as dreamii got out of bed. The CBer jumped and spun around, teetering dangerously on one foot.
“Oh- oh, it’s just you,” dreamii realized, standing normally again. She was so relieved she was trembling. Starlight nodded and pulled herself out of bed.
The two got dressed and walked down the hall to meet up with Nightfall and Galaxy, who were waiting at their door. “Couldn’t sleep either, huh,” Nightfall observed as they headed downstairs. “No,” dreamiing agreed.
As they got to the bottom of the stairs, four bowls of steaming oatmeal and four glasses of orange juice appeared on the table inside the kitchen. No one noticed.
Morning, Moondrop, and Sterling, their group reduced to three, were each sitting in armchairs with books and cups of hot cocoa.
The oatmeal and orange juice disappeared, realizing that a book and hot cocoa probably would be more enjoyable.
dreamii, Nightfall, Starlight, and Galaxy plopped into armchairs. Morning looked up. “Hi,” she said quietly. “Hi,” Galaxy said, just as quietly. This was, after all, a library. Moondrop waved and sipped her hot cocoa. Sterling looked up. “Oh, hi. Seems like a lot of us had trouble sleeping…”
“Yeah,” dreamii agreed, and stood up to pull a copy of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie of the shelf, but decided that was probably a little too close to home for this situation.
She changed her mind and pulled out a copy of Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, because there isn’t really anything depressing about that book, and depressing was the last thing any of them needed.
“Good choice,” Morning agreed from behind her.
dreamii dropped the book and jumped violently. The book just missed her feet and landed on Starlight’s foot instead. “Ouch!” the AE shouted loudly (well, loud for Star- which wasn’t actually that loud, fortunately). “Oh my goodness I’m so so sorry,” dreamii groaned. “It’s- it’s f-fine,” Starlight said, back to her usual quiet-ness and handed the book back. “It- it w-was o-only a- a paper- paperback,” she managed.
“Oh no, I think that was my fault, I’m so sorry for scaring you,” Morning said suddenly. dreamii jumped again, but didn’t drop the book, fortunately. Even if she did, though, everyone had tucked their feet safely onto the chair. “It’s fine- I’m just- just a little jumpy today,” she said, smiling weakly. Morning smiled back, but it was a sad smile.
They were all a little jumpy, weren’t they, noted Sterling.
Which was further proven when fifteen minutes later, Bakerloo, Orson, and Luna clattered down the stairs, Orson loudly demanding breakfast (a bowl of oatmeal reappeared on the kitchen table) and Bakerloo shushing him. Luna trailed behind with raised eyebrows, not sure whether to laugh or be annoyed.
Morning, Moondrop, Sterling, dreamii, Starlight, Galaxy, and Nightfall all jumped. dreamii dropped her book, again. Moondrop almost knocked her hot cocoa over but saved it last minute. Morning squeaked. Nightfall jumped so violently it was visible. Galaxy whipped their head around to face the newcomers, ready to throw their book (which was a hardcover) at them. Sterling turned her head so quickly it hurt.
“Sorry for startling you,” Luna said, plopping into an armchair and sipping a hot cocoa that definitely hadn’t been there a moment before.
Sterling scribbled something in her notebook.
“It’s fine,” Moondrop said. “We’re all a bit nervous after last night. I hope Summer’s all right… she wasn’t there, but…”
But Summer had found Darkling, been knocked out as Sage and Spring were kidnapped, and now this.
Inside the kitchen, a bowl smashed. “What’s going on in there?” Sterling asked. “I’m not sure I want to know,” Morning decided. “You’re probably right,” Nightfall said, and went back to reading their book.
No more crashes came from the kitchen, so they decided it was probably okay.
Bakerloo, who had been browsing the shelves for a book, sighed and decided that since Orson was his AE he probably should go make sure nothing terrible was happening. After all, not destroying property had been one of the few rules.
When he poked his head into the kitchen, he found Orson staring at a seemingly perfectly clean patch of floor. Upon closer inspection, a few shards of shattered porcelain littered the area, but as Bakerloo squinted at them, they faded away. “What?” he said out loud.
The house didn’t respond, though that was to be expected. “Don’t break anymore bowls,” Bakerloo said after a moment, and went back to look for a book.
Another bowl of oatmeal appeared on the table.
The house did seem to operate where no one would notice, which was somewhat creepy but also cool, Bakerloo noticed. Four more cups of hot cocoa had appeared. One was for him, he assumed, but what about the other three?
As if on cue, Summer, Win, and Night Vision appeared at the foot of the stairs. Summer yawned. “Hi,” Win said, and grabbed a book.
That was how Fae and Yasmine found the CBers: reading books and sipping hot cocoa that never seemed to run out. The hosts didn’t interrupt them.
Or they wouldn’t have, but then they realized if they didn’t, they’d be left alone in the kitchen with a perpetually grumpy Orson.
“Hi everyone!” Yasmine said brightly, interrupting the CBers and their books. dreamii dropped her book and cried out in pain. (It was her own foot this time.) “Are you okay?” Night Vision asked quietly. “Yes,” dreamii said, rubbing her toe. “That’s the third time I’ve done that today.”
Night grimaced sympathetically. She knew how terrible it was to drop things on your toes.
Meanwhile, “Hi!” Morning said, successfully stopping a scream halfway out of her lips. “You scared us,” Moondrop added, after a pause. This seemed important to say, as Moondrop’s heart was currently racing uncomfortably, Summer had jumped at least an inch off her chair (and that wasn’t even exaggerating that much) and Agent Winter elbowed her hot cocoa, which miraculously didn’t spill. It teetered dangerously on the edge of the table, and Win tried to catch it, knocking it further off balance.
It quite clearly slipped off the table and then pulled itself back onto it. “What-?” AW asked. “I don’t know… that was... weird,” Nightfall agreed, though they felt that “weird” didn’t exactly cover the bizarre-ness of a cup pulling itself back onto a table.
“Anyways, hi,” dreamii said, steering the conversation back on track. “Sorry for scaring you,” Fae added. “Do you want breakfast?”
The CBers looked at each other. They didn’t particularly want to leave their mugs of hot cocoa and books, but breakfast might be nice. Galaxy shrugged. “Sure,” they said. The group trooped into the kitchen, and Luna gasped.
Only sixteen bowls were set.
~to be continued~
Dead: 2, maybe 4 (A.A., Darkling, possibly Spring and Sage)
Missing: 2 (Spring and Sage)
Alive and Accounted For: 13
Suspects: Agent Winter, dreamii, Orson, Luna-Starr
Author’s Note: I think we took Nightfall off the suspect list, though correct me if I’m wrong. Now question(s): as a vacationer in Phoenixe Place, how do you feel about the magic? Is it creepy, scary, interesting, cool, etc.? Also, what do you think the significance of the 16 bowls is? Is there any significance?
(December 12, 2020 - 8:33 pm)
Yes, I'm off the suspect list. Hah! The magic is something most important, and mysterious. 16 bowls mean that 2 people have been killed.
~Nightfall
(December 12, 2020 - 11:59 pm)
Anne of Green Gables! Yes, always a good choice.
The magic is cool. Also interesting. A bit odd, but I mean, that's the point of magic. If people weren't dying, I would be ecstatic to realize that magic is real.
The significance of the 16 bowls is...
There are 13 people alive for sure.
Add 2, for Spring and Sage, who are maybe not dead, and we have 15.
This means that there is one extra bowl. Or, perhaps, someone is not as dead as they seem. I also note that Lumi mentioned And Then There Were One. So, could, perhaps, one of the dead people be NOT DEAD and also BE THE MURDERER? It seems a bit too early for such a big clue, but it also seems like a great twist. Can we put dead people on the suspect list? I would like to add A.A. and Darkling.
Or, perhaps there is no And Then There Were None situation, but there is still a not dead person. That would bring the count to 16, but there is a different murderer. Spring and Sage are Summer and Luna's AEs respectively, which would make them not want to kill them. So I would also add Luna and Summer to the list, except Luna's already on it.
Or, the extra bowls are for Fae and Yasmine. That would, if we count Spring and Sage as alive, bring the count of people to 17, which would make me think that they are kidnapped and captured, and one of them has been killed.
The end of my suspicions, all of which are drawn mostly from pure conjecture.
(December 13, 2020 - 11:42 am)
Oh, the question of "Is this annoying or hilarious" is one I ask so often...
With the ~magic~, it's definitely important that there are 16 bowls. There are two or Morning's theories that I think wold fit- either one person (probably Darkling, if this theory were to be true) isn't dead, or two of the bowls are for Fae and Yasmine and someone is about to die.
We should definitely look more into the magic, that's cool! To what extent does it exist to here? Is the murderer going to be able to use it to their advantage? (Probably.)
This is so intriguing... I feel like I want to reread it and take notes on all the clues.
(December 14, 2020 - 8:18 am)
Yesss! I love it! I think the magic is amazing, yet very scary because *gasps loudly and suddenly*
maybe there isnt a murderer.
At least, the murderer isnt someone we can see.
As you said, this isnt a normal ski lodge.
So maybe...
the magic...
is the murderer.
*bows*
That's all the suspisions I have for today! Thanks for listening! I'll be back with more quarter-baked ideas for the next part!
(December 14, 2020 - 1:46 pm)
//This has been a top courtesy of Topping Songs™. Topping Songs™ established 2020.\\
one two three! top with me!
top with me!
top with me!
top!
top top top TOP!
top top top TOP top TOP top TOP!
(December 14, 2020 - 1:50 pm)
OooOOOoooh! Most intriguing! I'm sorry I haven't been commenting, but I have been reading and I'm really interested to see what happens next...
I have a theory about the murderer... what if they're using Phoenixe Place's magic to their advantage? For instance, they think "I want Darkling to go" or "I want Bakerloo's poison darts to attack Darkling" and it happens? In any case, Orson in the kitchen is suspicious as all get out. I'm still very much convinced that something is up with him, whether he's the murderer or stealing some of the flowers from the garden to sell when he gets home.
This is so, so, so good, Lumi! To have such a complex story in your first ski lodge is really very impressive!
Lucinda says "ukcpm" U.K. Central Prime Minister, perhaps?
(December 16, 2020 - 2:02 pm)
Hi all! Thank you so much for commenting, it really means a lot to us (myself [Lumi], Fae and Yasmine) that you are still reading! WE're just here to make an announcement. (so no, not a new part, I'm sorry.) Phoenixe Place will be taking a brief hiatus for winter break- I'm trying to cut down my screen time so I won't have as much time to write. Hopefully we should be back the Thursday (Friday? Saturday? or maybe Sunday? Idk, it'll happen though) of the week of January 5th.
Thanks for understanding!
-Lumi (and Fae, and Yasmine)
(December 21, 2020 - 10:57 am)
(December 21, 2020 - 4:10 pm)