productions | graveyard

Entry tags:

graveyard

the theatre

You awaken in a darkened theatre.

In front of you is an enormous cinema screen. On it plays everything that's currently happening in the castle, accompanied by appropriate sound effects and background instrumentals when fitting. The seat you're sitting on is large and plush, and while there's many of them, there's enough room in the theatre for you to fully recline the seat into a comfortable bed if you wish. Under each seat is a sleeping mask and noise-cancelling headphones, in case you'd like to take a break from watching the show.

Follow the stairs up and you'll reach what should be the projection room. There are no projectors in here, however; it is simply a large and well-lit room above the main seating area, and a good place to hang out with your fellow eliminated contestants if shouting at each other across the aisles proves too much to handle.

If you leave the theatre through the door in the back, you'll find yourself in a hall. On one end is a concession stand. It's stocked with standard movie snacks - popcorn, candy and the like - but if you're feeling the urge for something else, you'll be able to find it stocked somewhere in the back. On the other end is a table with thirty wrapped bags and a placard reading 'A star for our stars! Please accept these lovely giftbags as a token of appreciation for your hard work, sponsored by [illegible smudge]'. Each bag has a tag bearing the name of someone in the mansion; you will only be able to open the bag with your name on it. As soon as you open it, any memories that have been taken from you, including those of the other people in the mansion that you may have forgotten, will be returned in their entirety. Within the bag are also objects from your home that you may want for your stay here, though you will find no weapons.

Past the hall is another door, this one wooden and seemingly decayed. If you go inside, you'll find a fairly simple, wooden room, that is empty except for a very large machine. It is difficult to tell what the machine is for; it has a touch screen that appears to be a control panel, as well as a large open space that seems to be part of the machine, but the machine is dead and won't turn on no matter what you do.

Still, at least you aren't alone here. You have your fellow players, as well as a few guests to keep you company.

Oh, and one more thing. At midnight following each execution, once all those who've died that week have woken up, a video will begin to play on screen.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

... [Ryou looks pretty conflicted. He's angry that Phoenix killed Yuyuko, but at the same time it's not as if Ryou has any room to speak.

So he just kind of waffles and stares at him for a while.]

[ To be fair, neither does Phoenix. In any case, he never was really judging Ryou for what he did. Not when he had his own intentions this whole time. ]

I guess this place made a liar of me in the end. [ He'd tried to assure him, didn't he? That he'd see his mother and sister again... ]

... [It takes a moment for Ryou to recall what Phoenix means. That whole day was a blur to him now. He'd been so distraught that everything had muddled together in the few days following.]

It was foolish of me to think it'd be that easy.

[He shakes his head.] Wright-san, why did you pick Yuyuko-san?

... [ He remembers what he said to Mei. 'Nothing personal'. His voice is detached as he recounts his plan. ]

My plan counted on someone flying to check on Maya. The only ones who could fly were her and... Wriggle. I noticed she and Mei were always together, and from there, it was easy to see a way to lure her to the tower.

[ ...He really did rely on Yuyuko's goodwill and kindness to kill her. ]

...I see.

[So it wasn't because she was a ghost, but the fact Phoenix had used her good nature against her wasn't any better. Really, it was worse.]

This place makes us do terrible things, doesn't it? Was it worth it?

[He just wants to know. Ryou can't even draw up the strength to sound bitter, only exhausted.]

[ Phoenix wants to say no. He wants to say that it's not worth it, that it was never worth it, but he can't. Because it was. ]

Maya's safe now. It's what I was working towards.

[ He hesitates for a moment but... what's the use in pretending anymore? ] ... But that wasn't the only reason.

[So that was a yes. Ryou can't look Phoenix in the eyes.]

It wasn't? What was your other reason?

Edited 2014-07-08 06:11 (UTC)

My daughter. [ This, he answers frankly and honestly. ]

From the beginning, I was shown what would happen to her if I didn't play along with this game.

[Ryou is quiet for a little bit.]

...I'm sorry, I don't know what to say. [He bows his head, mulling a moment longer before continuing.] Even if I can understand why you did it, you still killed my friend.

But... [He straightens back up.] It doesn't matter what I think anyway.

No... I guess it doesn't.

[ He sounds a little distant. It's funny - he thought saying it loud finally, to someone who wasn't also one of the group, might make it seem more... justified. But of course it doesn't.

Phoenix just gives Ryou a tired smile. ]

It looks like we're all stuck regardless. What's there for us to do around here? [ Other than stalk the living people... ]

... [Ryou looks away when Phoenix smiles at him.

He wants to be angry, just angry and to tell him off and maybe even hit him, but he feels too sympathetic towards who Phoenix killed for to do it. He let it go for Peko...because she killed someone who wasn't his friend, isn't that right?

At least his hate for this place was unquestionable.]

...There's a concession stand in the back, and probably a bag with your name on it, too.

A bag, huh. The ones with our memories from home.

[ The one that Yuyuko mentioned... Suddenly, there's a hesitance because as much as he wants his memories back, with all these bombshells left and right, what would he do... if they only made things worse?

Phoenix stands up slowly from his seat. ]

I guess we're due for a little reunion. [ Him with his memories, that is. ] Where is it?

They're right near the concession stand.

[Ryou hesitates a moment. He's still thinking this all over.]

I can show you, if you want.

I wouldn't mind it.

[ But he'll leave it up to Ryou. ]

...Okay, right this way. [It'll give him some time to think. Ryou sounds distant as he leads Phoenix towards the back of the theatre.]

[ Phoenix will follow him until they reach the table of goodie bags, where his eyes pick out easily the bag with his name on it. He'll reach out to pick it up, though he's in no hurry to open it. (Somehow... he has a feeling). ]

It's lighter than I expected. [ For something so precious. ]

Maybe yours doesn't have any items in it.

[Ryou fiddles with the strap to his backpack. His own bag had quite a few in there, so...]

Are you going to open it? [He seems to be waiting for that.]

[ He just looks at it for one moment more before he opens the bag. And-

'You just couldn't resist, could you, Herr Wright...'

'...Mr. Fine, is it?'
'Uh-'

'The real trial begins now...'

...

He finally remembers. The thing that's been on his mind since he got here, the missing memories that never stopped making him wonder. The ones that made him so terrified for Trucy's safety... it was right in front of him all along. Apollo. That beacon of hope, that kind of faith that gave Phoenix the chance to bring the truth (at least, some of it) to the eyes of the world.

Klavier's hostage. Kristoph. Kristoph, the man who for so long had been his 'friend' and enemy all at once. Everything's clear now, but somehow, he only feels worse. What happened to him... it wasn't justice for the crimes he'd committed. It was blood sacrifice, for the sake of everyone else. There's something in the difference that makes him feel... unsatisfied. And Klavier himself... There must be some kind of sick irony in that, of all people, he ended up becoming one of Phoenix's targets.

Outwardly, Phoenix probably looks dazed and frustrated right now. Maybe Ryou should've waited until after he had his memories back to ask him if it was all worth it. ]

So that's it... I can see why they took away my memories now.

[Oh, but that was exactly what Ryou had planned to do. It's the only reason he decided to take Phoenix over here. He stares at the older man for a bit with an unreadable expression, and then:]

Was it still worth it?

[ THANKS RYOU...

Phoenix gives Ryou a blank smile. ]

'No. It wasn't worth it at all. I shouldn't have done it and I regret everything I did.' ... Is that what you were hoping to hear? [ It's all just a mess now. Apollo's here, but he was also at home. But if he dies here, then what does that mean for the situation at home? Then there's also what seems to be some time traveling going on and. Yeah. It's all just a mess.

The smile disappears. ]

The truth is, I don't know anymore. I'm sorry I did what I did to Yuyuko, and I won't deny it makes me a murderer. But nothing here is as black and white as that - not for me, not for you, not for anyone. Regret, worth, guilt... it's all a blur when everyone is just trying to protect the ones they love, or get home. [ Coming from a former lawyer, that's pretty bold, but so much has happened in the past couple of weeks. He's had to re-think his philosophy considerably. ]

[Always here to be a pal, except right now apparently where he's taking out his own problems on Phoenix. Ryou's eyes are boring into Phoenix, eerily blank, but he doesn't seem surprised by the answer.]

...You got what you wanted, that's why you don't regret it, right? But if you failed, you'd feel differently. I'm sure if I had been able to bring Amane back, I'd feel differently too.

But at least Mei-chan gets to bring her sister back. [And then Ryou smiles the most bitter, almost spiteful smile he's ever worn. At least he looks more alive.]

I think I'm starting to finally understand how this place works. They give us sympathetic motives, so we feel bad for the murderers too. That's why nothing's black and white.

They do it on purpose.

Edited (added more) 2014-07-13 01:55 (UTC)

[ Ryou is such a great pal gosh WELL GUESS WHAT Phoenix is unbothered. Or at least he appears to be. ]

Yep... it's fortunate for Mei that things worked out in her favour. [ He does mean it since he feels terrible for using her to get to Yuyuko. And... poisoning her too I guess.... ]

It's more dramatic that way. When they see us suffering whether we catch the true killer or not. It's rigged so we can't win.

[Ryou just looks suddenly stricken by guilt when Phoenix agrees with him and doesn't even acknowledge what was a pretty passive-aggressive conversation on Ryou's end.]

Sorry... I shouldn't be taking this all out on you. [Some of it, though. But moving on... At least Phoenix said he was sorry.]

They really do like to watch us suffer. It's bad enough we keep killing each other, but they have to taunt us too with these promises and threats... And you can't even win without killing at least two people!

But what are we supposed to do? It's just like you said. Everybody just wants to protect someone they love... I want to hate the people who've killed others, but I can't.

I wish we could have all just been friends, instead of playing this twisted "game".

Edited 2014-07-13 04:25 (UTC)

[ Given he seems to be the oldest out of everyone here, and has a pretty tough skin, he's willing to shoulder the burden of being the emotional punching bag.

It's a nice thought... but it's just that. A thought. ]

There's nothing we can do about the murders each week, I can say that for a fact. But if we're here, we have an advantage they don't. We know there's something beyond being murdered or executed. [ He looks around the theatre they're in and turns on his lawyer brain. ] Has this area been checked out?

[Ryou could punch and emotional hole in Phoenix if he wanted to!! Maybe...]

But if everybody just stopped, and didn't hurt anybody for one week... The show would stop too, right? It's been five weeks, and we still keep falling into the same trap.

[He sighs, and then answers Phoenix's question.]

There's not much, just another room with a big machine in it.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

wow tl;dr i'm sorry

delicious tl;dr

no subject

no subject

no subject

SORRY EDITS lmao I shouldn't tag when I'm tired

IT'S FINE o7

no subject