The Principal's Office

[tailor_made]

The door to the principal’s office is open at all hours, although you will only find Hester at the receptionist’s desk from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is primarily where you can have private conversations with her. Though there’s an actual office in the back, it is always closed and locked.

Comments

[tailor_made]

[Nana has been an excellent spy so far. Staying low, staying out of sight. There hasn't been a single indication that the Wizard has even noticed her presence yet. Or Hester for that matter. Even with all her sneaking Nana hasn't really ever gotten a good look at the Wizard's assistant in the several days she's been exploring.

That is until tonight, when she slips out of her office around 10 pm and walks with determination toward and then out the front doors.]

[musacal]

[ ...Huh.

Hester had been at the top of the list of things she was most curious about, but everything she knew was just second hand. She didn't know if it would be safe to be seen by Hester, so she'd done her best to stay away, but the curiosity was still there.

...Which was why when she sees Hester now she decides to follow her, at first creaking the door open a bit and peeking outside to see where she's going. ]

[tailor_made]

[Hester is walking straight toward the football field- more specifically the the large white stone and yellow rosebushes at the edge of the field. When she gets there she stands in front of it, hands folded in front of her, for a long few minutes.

Nana's too far away to tell if she's saying anything or just standing there silently but it doesn't take long before Hester drops to her knees and starts to dig at the dirt at the edge of the rock, like she's trying to get under it. Her long dark hair obscures her face but it's not hard to imagine her expression with how ferociously she's tearing at the ground with just her bare hands, shredding fresh grass and soil.]

[musacal]

[ whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat the fuck

She decides to go outside herself, being as quiet as she can and trying to hide behind things in the court yard. Maybe if she can make it to the bleachers somehow she can use those for cover...

Just what the actual fuck are you up to Hester. ]

cw: slight nail trauma

[tailor_made]

[She's pretty distracted so sneak away, Nana!

She's still tearing at the ground like it's hiding the world's secrets from her. Her nails scrape dirt and rock and white paint. It rips away at her nail polish, breaks her perfect nails but even from a distance it doesn't look like its hurts her- at least not enough to stop.

Nana isn't a Narrator, not in the traditional sense. But she's been with one for over a year now, skipping through different shows and narrations. Some of that has to of rubbed off on her by now and, as she watches, she'll start to feel a low thrum of a song that will feel familiar in a terrible way.

Before the breakdown
Before I lose my mind forever
I can't cry forever
I won't cry
Before the breakdown]

[musacal]

[ Wh--

She's gotten behind the bleachers now and the instant she feels that song her heart feels heavy and cold. Like it was just struck.

But she keeps watching. What on earth are you trying to do with all that digging girl? ]

[tailor_made]

[It looks like she's trying to get at whatever is under the rock but for all of her efforts she can't get deep enough with just her hands. Finally she just lets out a shout of frustration and gives up on digging to pound her fists against the rock.]

What are you?! Why can't I freaking- it doesn't make sense. It's a rock. You're a rock. Why...am I so sad around you?

[musacal]

[ The rock is why she's getting upset?

She's not entirely sure why there's a rock here in the first place - she'll have to ask someone else later when they're more sound of mind - but for now she just keeps listening, fighting all her instincts to try and comfort someone in clear distress. ]

[tailor_made]

...stupid. It's...it's stupid. You're just going crazy, Hester. He says you're not but...he doesn't know everything. Does he? [She touches her forehead to the rock, curling her hands into fists before she pushes off of it to stand up. She's not dressed for this- a sleeveless blouse and a skirt, tights and plain black flats. Her tights are ruined, torn at the knees with little pinpricks of blood seeping through. It doesn't seem like she's even noticed.

She turns to leave, ready to go back to the school in defeat, but freezes when she spots movement by the bleachers.]

-Hello?

[musacal]

[ ...aw shit.

Nana goes completely still, waiting to see if Hester comes closer or not before deciding if she has to bolt. Maybe she won't have to if she doesn't move! ]

[tailor_made]

[Hester takes a few cautious steps toward the bleachers. She's not sure if she really did see anything but it's only Wednesday.]

Hello...? Anyone there?

[musacal]

[ She could just. Pretend to be an inanimate mascot suit left outside. But that feels risky in its own way...

So she looks for an opening and then...

Bolts towards and into the corn field. ]

[tailor_made]

Wait-! [Is...is that a mascot suit? She knows she's not hallucinating so she's just going to book it after her into the corn.]

Hey! Hey, it's just me!

[musacal]

[ She keeps running, disappearing into the corn. Hopefully she can lose her in here--

But eventually she comes up to a little clearing where a scare crow once stood upright and finds herself overcome with the intensity of the bad vibes here. She stops completely in her tracks.

When the light is running low
And the shadows start to grow...

Man sometimes your boss' narrator powers rubbing off on you kinda sucks. ]

[tailor_made]

[Hester doesn't know the corn field, she's never actually been out here, but navigating it comes with a strange ease. Maybe because massive groundhogs running through corn leave a trail but still.

She skids to a stop in the clearing, staring down the Gershwin Groundhog as the sky gets darker and darker.]

...Farrah? [Because who else would put on a stupid mascot costume and take her on a chase through corn?]

[musacal]

[ Shit. Well now she's fucked up.

Maybe there's some saving this still though. She did want to learn more about Hester. And if she's really being used by the Wizard. ]

...Not exactly.

[ She turns and looks at her. ]

Hester-san, right?

[tailor_made]

[Hester stares, wide-eyed and slackjawed for a long few seconds before she can respond. She doesn't know who this is but something inside her twists uncomfortably, like she should.]

...Yeah. That's me. Who are- [Banana.] Are you Nana Daiba?

[musacal]

[ She doesn't reply right away, but she looks back towards the direction of the school. ]

...Is he watching right now?

I've wanted to talk to you for a while now. But not if he's watching. Not if he finds out I'm here or tries to get rid of me.

cw: slightly finger injury

[tailor_made]

...No. I told him to go to bed so he's asleep. I made sure before I came outside, I didn't want him to see... [She looks down at her hands, filthy and just a little bloody.] ...What you apparently saw.

[musacal]

[ She looks down at those hands for a moment... and then lifts the mascot head off so Hester can actually see her. ]

Then yes. I am Nana Daiba.

...Are you all right?

[tailor_made]

[Hester is, once again, stunned silent before she can answer.]

I'm fi- [She looks down at her clothes and hands again, caked in dirt, and swallows.] ...I don't know.

[musacal]

[ Nana walks closer to her and gently moves to take Hester’s hand in hers so she can look at them better which… looks INCREDIBLY silly with the mascot hands but hey. ]

What… what were you even doing out there? I heard you talking to the rock but…

[tailor_made]

[Hester allows it, uncurling her hands to let Nana seen the extent of the damage. It's not especially bad, though her nails and fingertips look like they should hurt like hell. She doesn't seem bothered, at least not by pain.]

...I wanted answers. And I stupidly thought they might be under that stupid rock with those stupid roses that randomly showed up.