the theatre

[productions]

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 mansion, 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.

There are no other doors in the hall save for the one leading back into the theatre room. There are also no windows; it is impossible to tell where you are and what is going on in the outside world. Any attempts to break out will fail. So in the meantime, why not sit back and enjoy the show?

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.

Comments

[speakveryclearly]

[Staggers into the theater with her bag in hand, dazed and confused.

Not only would anyone be shell-shocked after that execution, anyone would be somewhat bemused after remembering Homestuck. God her life was less weird when she was trapped in that house.

So if all the game's dead are here then that means... as good a place to start as any...]

Bernkastel, you were right about how hard adequately plotting a murder is.

[motheringnation]

[Comes over worriedly.]

You should sit down.

I'm so sorry.

[speakveryclearly]

[Upset and confused, allows Ukraine to sit her down.]

I-- [didn't expect Ukraine to be anything other than angry at her.]

Okay...

I don't deserve... [Pity.]

[motheringnation]

[Ukraine meanwhile is trying to make sure you're alright. I mean everyone else seems to have recovered from their deaths, but still. She nods towards the screen.]

Yes we saw the entire trial.

[She bites her lip.]

But I'm still sorry. This entire place is a trap and I can understand your motives for doing so... If my people were dying, I'd have killed to save them as well.

Poland would too, all nations would. And I'm sorry for him as well. He's my friend....but he's the sort of friend it takes hundreds of years of close proximity to get used to and he was a jerk to you. So I'm sorry.

[speakveryclearly]

[Well she is definitely okay on the outside but not gonna lie she is pretty damn shaken up inside.]

Poland had a p-point... But--[She shakes her head. The secret died with her]

I hate--I hate this game.

[motheringnation]

[She nods.]

It's a horrible one.

Here we watch it all and then we vote on who to give the sponsorship to after the popularity rankings go up. That's our role now, and the only one we really have.

But ...it's better to be here then in the game itself I think.

[She offers a small smile.]

[speakveryclearly]

Bernkastel said--she thinks we can sway the ratings and come back to life if this show stays number one...

[Still shrinking into her seat traumatized though.]

I don't entirely believe it myself, I think I'm vividly hallucinating.

[motheringnation]

That's what the strange man said. And right now it's the only thing we can do. So I've been going with it.

[She nods.]

That's understandable. Um...I can leave you alone if you want. Or distract you..if that might help? Talking I mean...

There's not really much to do here, other then watch the screens and talk to each other. I've mostly been knitting.

[And drinking. But shhh]

[miraculous]

[Bernkastel laughs.] I'm sure the audience was pleased with your effort, at any rate. Perhaps you should have burned the gloves.

[speakveryclearly]

I thought about that but they'd leave an unpleasant ash. I'm sure the audience flipped over how the first day ended, though... and if I'd left the gloves in the passageway that would have been that. No second day tragedy to thrill over.

[miraculous]

It's a little disappointing that you confessed before the end, but maybe the audience will enjoy a bit of a sympathetic murderer, too.

[speakveryclearly]

I had to do something to fill up the several hours between the discovery of my guilt and the execution. I heard something about ratings being important...?

[miraculous]

Indeed. In fact, if we can keep this show popular enough, you'll get to have a touching reunion with Annie. [Another giggle.]

[speakveryclearly]

That would definitely keep ratings hi--

WHAT???

[SHE JUST FREAKS THE HELL OUT LIKE "SAY THAT TO MY FACE AND NOT SIX CHAIRS AWAY MOTHERFUCKER"]

[miraculous]

[Bernkastel carries on as if Kanaya didn't freak out at all.] If the show is popular, we all get brought back to life. Where did you think those sponsorships were coming from?

[herpreciousrival]

It was certainly a valiant effort, Miss Kanaya.

[speakveryclearly]

Thank you, Reiko. [Through gritted teeth.]

I do actually owe you the idea to use the sword.

[herpreciousrival]

[She's happy to have helped!] You're welcome!

My favorite part was the fake mystery box. It was such a lovely touch. It certainly distracted Mr. Poland for a while.

[speakveryclearly]

It took me so long to come up with that. I wish there were the materials to make it more convincing.

[herpreciousrival]

If it helps you had me convinced for a long time.

[speakveryclearly]

Really? Did you think Ms. Aozaki was that careless?

[agentx13]

Yeah, you'd be amazed how hard it is to get away with. [ Says the person who... has never actually gotten away with it. It's just always been sanctioned by SHIELD. So long as she's willing to file the paperwork, Sharon can kill to her heart's content. Or could, if she were back home and alive. ]

Still, almost half the people here have killed someone. You might as well get yourself some popcorn and watch the show.

[speakveryclearly]

[She startles briefly at Sharon's appearance - the least expected of all the moviegoers.]

Being a different kind of dead doesn't make me any more interested in mortal food, I'm sorry to point out.

[agentx13]

Oh, well. More for me.

Welcome to the afterlife, for what it's worth.

[speakveryclearly]

This...

[Looking around skeptically.]

Is definitely not how it was in my own world.