WEEK 4

[grimgrinningghosts]

[Tadashi, Sophie, and Princess Anna are dead. By now, maybe you're realizing that this plays is way more dangerous than you have ever feared, but don't worry, maybe some hope will come along the way.

For example, if anyone tries to open the Conservatory Door leading outside starting this week, they'll find that they finally have access to the graveyard and outside. You are now freely able to leave the mansion whenever you want.

Maybe you can all finally leave this place...?

20 guests remain.]

[SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY]

 

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Comments

[terribibble]

[Fiddleford notices the giant cherry through the door and is halfway through asking what the hell is going on with that when he spots something much more important.]

Is that --

[It is! He'd recognize it anywhere.]

My Cubic's Cube!

[He swoops down to scoop it up with the same sort of joy a person might exhibit upon finding a lost pet.]

[aboyandhiscar]

Your what--woah. [just swooped in like a hawk there, Fidds. Mike laughs.]

So that's yours, huh? Uh, what is it?

[terribibble]

[Look. This is important. This is one of the best stress-relief methods he has.]

Sorry, sorry. Just-- got excited, that's all.

[He turns the cube over in his hands.]

It's a sort of puzzle. You can turn the sides like this to put the colors out of order and then you have to get all the sides matchin' again. You want to see?

[aboyandhiscar]

Some kinda logic puzzle? [He squints at it. Not a car, too complicated!!] Yeah, show me.

[terribibble]

Here, I'll need you to scramble it up first.

[He holds it out.]

Just twist it up real good. I won't look.

[aboyandhiscar]

[Hmmm OKAY. He takes the cube, and turns his back, twisting every side over and over til the colors are every which way. He'll turn back to Fiddleford and hand it over.]

There you go! Let's see what you've got.

[terribibble]

Well y'see it's all about pattern recognition. [He takes the cube back and turns it over in his hands a few times, then starts busily clicking away.] You know what all the sides look like, you can work out an algorithm to get them back the right way as fast as possible.

[aboyandhiscar]

[Mike watches on curiously nodding, even if he has no fucking clue what Fidds is talking about. Still, it's fun and awful familiar feeling.]

So it's basically a race with yourself to see how fast you can connect the dots. A little brain exercise!

[terribibble]

Exactly. Some folks can do it in twenty seconds. Some folks can do it that fast blindfolded.

[The implication seems to be that he's not quite that good, but his hands are still moving awfully quickly.]

[aboyandhiscar]

Blindfolded? But I thought you needed to see the colors. [??? the fuck]

But looks like you're moving almost as fast. I can't even follow.

[terribibble]

Oh, you do. They just memorize the sides and picture it in their heads, movin' what they think they should be to get it right. It's all about memory.

[With how his memory is he's never tried it. Something that's so relaxing to him shouldn't become something frustrating.]

I've just had a lot of practice. I'm sure there's things you can do I wouldn't be able to follow.

[aboyandhiscar]

Dang. That's outta my territory for sure! [honestly, he probably could do it if he put his mind to it, but Mike is too gotta go fast. He'd more likely give up and make it a car ornament.]

Heh, maybe! But this is another level. You really are one heck of a braniac, huh?

[terribibble]

That's probably one of the nicer ways of puttin' it.

[click click click click click]

It's one of the best ways I know to... to focus. S'why I've had so much practice.

[aboyandhiscar]

Is there a bad way to put it? You genius types are always full of surprises.

It does really seem like it's pretty calming. I haven't seen you this chill since you made breakfast last week.

[terribibble]

Well it's like I said. It's all about keepin' busy. Keep busy and it keeps you out of your own head.

[If he's focusing on this problem in particular he doesn't have to worry about all the much bigger, much more difficult ones. All he has to care about is what's in front of him. A solved cube is a settled mind.

The last side clicks into place.]

[aboyandhiscar]

Whatever works!

[With that click, Mike lets out a WHOO YEA, as if Fiddleford's scored a touchdown or something, and he excitedly (but lightly) punches him in the shoulder]

DUDE you did it! That was awesome!

[terribibble]

[Part of him wonders if maybe Mike is patronizing him a little, but he's in too good a mood to really get stuck on it.]

Aha. Thank you. I mean, honest, thank you. I know it was up to chance, you pullin' this out of the machine and all, but I've really needed it.

[aboyandhiscar]

[Look he is just super hype about positive reinforcement.]

Hey, no problem, even if it was a total accident! Glad you got something good out of it. Better that than--[gestures at the rock face, bottle of frog's breath and giant cherry.]

Besides, it's fun watching you work your magic. I'll have to find something like that for a friend when I get home.

[terribibble]

[He still wants to know what the fuck is up with that cherry but at the same time he kind of doesn't. Any possible explanation is just too outlandish.]

Well it was fairly new in my time, so it must exist in yours. Or at least it's highly probable it does.

[aboyandhiscar]

Yeah, for sure! We can probably dig one up somewhere. Worst case scenario, we'll just have to recreate it. I may not be able to solve that thing, but bet I could build one.

. . .

Huh. Building. . .

[.......he's getting an idea. It may be good it may be bad it's likely just something in between.]

[terribibble]

... Buildin' ...?

[Let him in on the secret, Mike, he's curious!]

[aboyandhiscar]

[he looks REALLY EXCITED]

Dude, dude! I bet we could make another cube! Nothing can top the original, but it'll give you something else to solve!

[terribibble]

Oh. Oh! That might be -- I bet we could finagle that.

[A lot of his frustration the past several weeks has come from the fact that there's nothing he can build with the materials he has that could possibly get them out of here. But if he could build another cube, distract himself with that... it might help. It won't save them but it might keep him sane, and that's still some good.

And then he can give it to Mike to take to his friend, because they're both going to survive this and get out of here and it's fine.]

[aboyandhiscar]

[everything will be fine this is a fun normal project!! Mike nods in agreement, grinning ear to ear.]

Dude we totally could! It doesn't have to be an exact replica either--just using what we've got will add to the challenge.

[terribibble]

We could probably improve it a fair bit, even.

[He's not sure how yet but there's always improvements to be made.]