Like classics, play aces

[mypartnerintime]

Who: Max and OPEN!
Where: The pool, the roof, the youth center, the destruction room, the music room
When: Last two weeks of April
Rating: Probably like G? PG?
Summary: Max does a bunch of stuff all by her lonesome, but all over, so you might just run into her!
The Story:

[The Pool]

It's around midnight that you might wander into the indoor pool area. Glowing blue patterns flow across the walls and ceiling as the underwater lights project the pool's ripples into the room, which is otherwise dim.

For now, Max is content to sit at the edge of the pool, hair soaked from her quick dip. Her legs move slowly beneath the surface, feet now and then breaking water, the soft splash upsetting the silence of the room. She's clearly lost in thought- staring at the pool, but obviously not seeing it, shoulders slumped into a relaxed (if not lazy) pose. Anyone entering the room is unlikely to rouse her, unless they're making a lot of noise.


[The Roof]

The night is quiet and dark, and cold, but Max is undeterred. Not only is she up on the roof at around eleven, but she somehow managed to lug up a telescope as well- no small feat given how sore she is (almost daily training does that to you, especially with Peggy as the instructor. Max swears what that woman wants is impossible sometimes). She's currently using the thing to look up at the sky. There's a small book next to her on constellations, and another booklet on how to use the telescope. She's not likely to find any use out of the former, however: the constellations are that of Earth.

Resting some way away is a messenger bag, a gray Polaroid camera peeking out from its open cover.


[The Youth Center]

In one corner of the Youth Center's arcade area, Max is frantically banging at the controls of an extremely old game. She looks like she's thoroughly enjoying herself, despite the fact that she leads her character to death several times.

"Oh come on!" she yelps as a floating green anvil slams into her character's stomach and flings him through a stone wall, leaving a person-shaped hole. Max gives the machine a little bang with her foot. At the same time she jabs impatiently at the buttons, restarting the game. "It was left that time?!"

These games were deliberately made to eat your time and money. Fortunately neither is a concern in Wonderland.


[The Destruction Room]

Along the hallway on the first floor, near room four, can be heard the sound of breaking plates. Max is inside what Mae once told her is the "destruction room". If someone were actually to open the door and peek inside, they'd find Max lazily pushing plates off the table so they shatter against the ground. Or even just pushing shards of broken china around with her foot. Or even just sitting in one of the chairs, listening to a bit of softly playing music.

In any situation, she starts as someone enters, turning quickly to look at them in surprise.

"H-hey," she stutters in greeting automatically, regardless of who she sees.


[The Music Room]

While Max tends to play guitar inside her own room, the better acoustics in the music room tempt her out now and then, so today she ends up practicing in there. Her own guitar is set to one side, replaced for now by an acoustic one hooked up to an amp- another benefit of the music room. (She'd be willing to have an amp in her own room, but she always worries it would bother the rooms near room seven on the third floor, who... well she barely even knows them. It's a little sad. Chloe used to live in room eight, and now there's a guy there that she's never really made the effort to talk to.)

She plays (quite proficiently) one of her favorite songs. And, more hesitantly, she sings quietly under her breath [not as good as the girl in the video, but it's in the same ballpark].

She stops singing if anyone enters, though they might catch the tail end of a note. In any case she nods at them with a smile, continuing to play, though more quietly.

Comments

the music room »

[mucked]

It's the sound that catches her attention. Peggy is passing by, intends to do nothing more than that, but the strummed guitar snags her for a moment -- she stops walking, loitering just outside the door and just outside of sight.

Peggy hasn't made a perfect adjustment to music from decades beyond hers. Often, it's jarring and difficult to follow. But there's something to be said for the stripped down quality of this performance -- sweet, if a bit soft. She doesn't realize it at the time but this is her very first exposure to the cultural phenomenon that will be the Beatles.

Peeking around the doorway, she's surprised to find the performer is a familiar face. One of her 'students,' such as they are.

"Miss Caulfield," she says by of greeting when the last note hums on the air and the girl stops for a moment. Peggy isn't in her tactical gear, the gear she wears during morning sessions, but is rather different-looking in a pencil skirt and crisp blouse. "That's quite lovely."

I'm just assuming some things about training... hope that's okay? :)

[mypartnerintime]

It's rare for anyone to address her as Miss Caulfield- and recently, only one person has been. Max jerks in her seat, instinctively moving to stand as she sees the familiar face of her instructor (which brings mixed feelings- Peggy's really nice outside training, but when you're so tired you can hardly move and someone asks you for twenty more push-ups, well... It's not a pleasant experience, even if it's not actually mean. Max brought it on herself after all).

But then she realizes that it's outside training hours, so she sits back down heavily. Awkward.

"Hey. Uh. You... heard that?"

She strums idly at her guitar. There's a look of mild embarrassment on her face. How long was Peggy listening?

music room

[postictal]

He doesn't have a habit of coming in here. When he does play, it's usually in the privacy of his own room, where no one can see it and therefore try to raise conversation over it. He's never been one to broadcast much about himself, much less one of the few things he can say he enjoys.

When he passes, he hears a few bars of something he doesn't recognize, sung by a voice he definitely does recognize - and didn't think he would.

Curiosity tugs him halfway into the room, brow scrunched downward.

"...didn't know you played," he says, when the last note dwindles into silence.

[mypartnerintime]

"A girl's gotta have a hobby, right?"

She picks at a few strings, playing out a simple melody, and then smiles at him. Tim still brings a lot of mixed feelings, but... It just seems harder and harder to care these days. And especially after she found out about his experiences back home.

Or maybe it's becoming easier to care about him, and that bugs her a little.

"I don't... usually play outside my room. My pillows are enough of an audience, thanks."

youth center

[stereotypicaljock]

[As she kicks the machine, Jason follows the sound until she's in view. From there, he grins.]

When I come out to talk to people about not punching the video games, I'm usually expecting someone shorter.

[mypartnerintime]

[Max turns, surprised at the sudden voice behind her- she'd been too caught up in the game. In response, her character promptly gets buried under a pile of falling bricks.

Rocks fall. You die. Classic.

She's not familiar with the guy talking to her but... if he's insinuating that she was being childish, well... she kinda was. But that was the point! She gives him a lazy smile.]

Sorry. But this game totally deserves it.

The Destruction Room

[morework]

The destruction room was hardly a welcome addition to the mansion, at least not for the two people living in the room just across from it. Cullen passes it on his way back, and through the half-open door notices someone inside. It has been a long day, and he wouldn't mind it coming to an end without the sounds of destruction.

So he opens the door, intent on asking whoever is inside to postpone whatever it is they're about to do-- only to find a girl standing there, lazily shifting shards on the floor with her foot, in no way that could reasonably be called destructive or disruptive.

Cullen's brow furrows curiously.

"Did you- just finish?"

[mypartnerintime]

Max snaps out of her idle trance and turns quickly toward the door, surprised at the sudden voice.

"Oh, uh..."

She looks down at the small pile of debris. Nothing impressive. She forgets how many plates she smashed, but it's gotta be less than five.

"Uh. Yes." In reality she finished like ten minutes ago, but hey he doesn't need to know that. She shuffles her feet some more before looking back up at him. He's familiar- she's seen him around, at least.

"Do you wanna use the room?"

Youth Center

[shslliar]

[Kokichi was going to con someone into playing Mario Kart with him, but Max looks like she's playing something more interesting...

To watch that is.

Kokichi pulls up a beanbag chair and happily watches Max fail at the game yet again. Man, if only he had popcorn to go with the movie... This does look like a movie anyway!

You know what?]

Mind watching my spot for a sec? I'm gonna go grab some popcorn from the kitchen.

[mypartnerintime]

[She glances back at him, surprised that she suddenly has an audience... and even more surprised that he's got a beanbag and apparently wants some popcorn? And that she's supposed to save his seat for him?

Man, she got way too caught up in the game. How did she not notice all of this happening behind her.

In the meantime, her character dies once again, letting out a high-pitched wail as flames engulf him.]

...This can't be that entertaining.

{I feel broken, maybe I'm just breaking free » destruction room

[insincerecharm]

There's a lot of Wonderland that Becks is still wildly unfamiliar with, so on the days that she doesn't just stick to her room or her people, she wanders. Just for the sake of familiarizing herself with the mansion and the surrounding grounds.

As she makes her way down this particular hallway, she hears a repetitive crash and shatter of something, probably glass. If not for the way it just kept happening, she might have ignored it, but there's a sort of steady rhythm, like it's intentional, and she can't help her curiosity to discover the source.

A door just a few feet down is ajar, and she follows the noise to it, pushing it open a little further to peek inside. "Hey," she echoes, a curious note in her voice. "whatcha doin'?"

[mypartnerintime]

"Me?"

Well, duh, Max, obviously you. She looks down at her feet, which are surrounded by broken glass, then to her hand, which is currently gripping a plate. The expression on her face is surprise and confusion, as though she only just realized exactly what she was doing.

"I guess I'm..." She shrugs. "Breaking shit." There's a hint of amusement in her voice, and she looks at Becks sheepishly. She sets down the plate gingerly on a table. "Shit nobody owns, anyway..."

Why does she feel like she was just caught red handed?

roof;

[keephersafe]

He still goes up to the roof, and it's easier than it used to be, when some measure of coordination has been restored to his once-unwieldy body. Going up so many stairs still presents something of a challenge at times, but it's something to be faced, something to be overcome, and R is determined to keep moving forwards even if he's once again been pulled from his home world and the woman he loves.

It's not unusual for him to find that he's not alone up here. Sometimes, there's even conversation. Ellie would be up here, sometimes... but he knows she's gone. Still, she'd given him some hope that even those with all the reason in the world to be afraid of him could eventually come to see him as a friend.

Max doesn't hold his attention as much as the telescope does. He finds himself searching his mind for what it is, what it does, and he's probably been staring for some time before he realises it.

"Um... s-sorry," he mumbles, whether she'd actually noticed him or not.

[mypartnerintime]

She certainly didn't notice him- her eye is pressed up to the eyepiece, fingers working some of the knobs to adjust the thing, to find better focus. The feeling is nice. Similar to working her camera. But she finds the inability to move around with it disconcerting, as is the idea that it doesn't produce a tangible picture at the end.

R's words startle her. She turns with a small gasp, hand gripping part of the telescope for support. And when her eyes settle on him, well... it doesn't really help. He looks off.

"Uh."

Despite the various kinds of people in Wonderland, Max still finds herself taken aback now and then. She instinctively leans back slightly, away from him, brow furrowed.

"...Sorry for-?"

Music Room

[moraloutrage]

[Ishimaru was conflicted on going to the music room. On one hand, memories of the recently departed Sayaka could make it feel difficult. But on the other hand, when she was here, he did endeavor to try to study the ways of music for her, so he still saw the value in visiting.

And so today he managed to convince himself to take a look around the music room and maybe try to practice something. He was surprised to find a familiar face in there, already playing something on her guitar.]

Ah! Max-kun! [He's not sure if he heard things, or if she had sung something - oh well. She definitely seems to be silent now as she continues playing the guitar.] I apologize... Am I interrupting you?

[mypartnerintime]

[Max is currently gnawing at her lower lip after giving Ishimaru a brief smile, wondering how much of the singing he heard. And also wondering how intense this music session is about to be come now that Ishimaru has shown up.]

Nah, I'm just... you know, playing the day away.

[She looks down at her left hand as she strums, shifting chords.]

I'm cool with sharing the room. If you're planning to play, I mean.

[Ishimaru has one of the most distinct personalities she's ever met, and she's curious what sort of music he'd like.]

the roof

[punful]

He's been backsliding, he knows he has. Staying cooped up in his room too often, letting the trash pile up, not talking to people. It's easier--it always is. This time, though, he's conscious of the fact that he's doing it. And conscious of the fact that he should probably stop being such a sadsack.

So Max's summons is a welcome distraction. If there's anything that can consistently get him out and about, it's the promise of stars.

He blips onto the roof fashionably late, partially because he stopped to get two baskets of fries out of the closet. He grins when he spots Max and the telescope. Man. He should lug his own scope up here sometime.

"hey, maximus."

Well, nope, that nickname probably isn't going to be a thing that happens.

"nice night. brought you some fries. i wasn't sure what you like with 'em, so i got a couple different sauces."

They're all in neat little packages on the side of the basket he holds out to her--ketchup, mustard, and BBQ.

[mypartnerintime]

The way she grins at Sans says that Maximus is totally going to be a thing that happens. It catches her by surprise- only Chloe used to do those sort of puns, and she's just realized how much she misses them.

"Hey Sans!"

She pulls away from staring into the telescope and walks over to where Sans is, taking the basket from him and poking through the various packets.

"...I think I'm gonna make your proud and go for ketchup."

The smile she gives him is interrupted a moment later by Max popping a fry- sans ketchup for now- in her mouth.

"Thanks for coming... I was setting up and I just thought of you, so..."

Pool

[uncaging]

Elizabeth usually swam in the mornings, loving the glint of the sun on the water and the feeling that she was getting herself energised for the rest of the day. It had been a long, slow process, teaching herself to get comfortable in the water and to be able to move to the part where her feet couldn't touch the bottom, but now she feels almost as much at home in the water as out of it.

She doesn't usually swim at night, but tonight she's particularly full of energy that she needs to burn off before she can sleep. It's around midnight that she makes her way to the pool, dressed in a swimsuit that probably looks ridiculous to anyone but her, and only noticing she's got company after she's slid into the water.

"Oh! Hello Max!"

[mypartnerintime]

Max is too lost in thought to notice what's happening at the other end of the pool. But she turns quickly where she's sitting, facing toward the familiar voice with a smile.

"Hey Eliza-"

The greeting is cut off by laughter that Max quickly tries to suppress, a hand coming up to cover her mouth. It takes her a moment to fully stuff down her giggles.

"Elizabeth. Hi. You know you're peak Victorian Period, right?"

DESTRUCTION

[mettatonvevo]

Mettaton has never stepped foot inside the destruction room but he has always been curious. Curiosity finally wins the day for him and he has made his way over- only to find someone else already here. He blinks in surprise at Max but then he grins.

"I see you're warming things up for me in here! Thank you, darling!"

He looks around at all the broken plates and laughs.

"What a delightful mess... do you want some help with it?"

[mypartnerintime]

Max expression tightens into amused confusion.

"Mettaton. I can't say I'm very good at warming up, but company is always welcome."

She smiles as she holds out a plate for Mettaton. While she's not so enthusiastic about breaking stuff herself, she's more than happy to aid him in... whatever the heck this is. Venting? Idle destruction?

The Pool

[letsemilythis]

Growing up in the midwest, houses with pools in the backyard were a thing of movies and television shows. Indoor pools were for upscale hotels. In Charm City, pools were for gym memberships. Expensive gym memberships.

In Wonderland? The pool is free. And it is fabulous. She loves the pool. It's heated. There's a sauna off to the side. It's way more upscale than she could ever afford back home.

And sure, it's way late at night, but she'd started thinking of everybody back home and hadn't been able to sleep. And she's not going to go outside to do something to help her forget. Not that there are bugs or anything outside, but she doesn't want to be caught out there if Wonderland decides to do something in the middle of the night. Which means that she's currently in a brand-new blue bikini, with a cover she'd seen in a fashion magazine, and a towel, and walking quietly down the second-floor hall to the pool room.

She lets herself in and jumps when she sees a young woman off to the side, her feet dangling in the water. She presses a hand to her heart. "Oh! Sorry! You scared me!"

[mypartnerintime]

Max is similarly startled in response, her hand also moving up to cover her heart. She stares at the other woman, struggling to find her voice, until she finally stutters out, "I scared you?"

To be fair, she'd been far too lost in thought and wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. A small huff escapes her. She's not annoyed or anything, just... well, now she doesn't know how to react. She feels strangely vulnerable sitting there in her one-piece with her legs in the water.

The Roof

[mourning_ghost]

The cold doesn't bother Nageki, though the darkness presents a bit more of a challenge. Even after he lands, he can't see well enough to tell who Max is - just that someone is there on the roof with a telescope.

"Does that help you see the stars better?"

[mypartnerintime]

Even without peeking up from the eyepiece, Max recognizes that voice. A smile spreads on her lips and she pulls away from the telescope, turning to Nageki.

"I haven't seen you in ages!" She doesn't bother answering his question just yet.

pool (super late, sorry!)

[geekorthodox]

Patterson's sleeping patterns have long been irregular, largely due to the terrible work schedule she keeps. Things had gotten a little better when she'd left the FBI and created her own app, but then she'd been forcibly pulled back into that life and things had become uneven and stressful again. She has to admit she thrives on the adrenaline of it, though.

Still. It kind of sucks when sometimes she's just up impossibly late at night, wanting to sleep, wanting to be in her lab actually more than anything, but being able to do neither of those things.

Wanting to distract herself somehow, she ends up in the pool room, wearing a swimsuit and carrying a towel over her shoulders. Seeing a familiar face, she approaches the young girl slowly, not wanting to startle her.

"Hey. Mind a pool buddy?"

nah it's okay ive been slow as hell anyway lol

[mypartnerintime]

Max comes out of her daze slowly, without being startled. She turns a smile toward the older woman.

"Hi, Patterson. Did the insomnia bug get you too?"

Her phone is tucked into her bag, which is lying a safe distance from the pool, so Max has no idea what time it is. How long did she spend staring? Her hair's still damp so maybe not too long.

"Let me guess... you're bored out of your mind, but sleep is so far away."