graveyard

[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 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.

Comments

[onethirdthesoul]

[Is he really getting reprimanded for Kuzuryuu misunderstanding him...? Ryou just nods hastily in silence, looking a little uncomfortable and thinking better of complaining. At least they worked it out in the end. That's what matters; he's not about to cause a fuse over it.]

What makes you say that, Kuzuryuu-kun...? Why would anyone else need to die if they can get through with a no-kill week? Unless you're thinking the producers might try something...

[mightiswright]

[ Thank god for Host-chan really ] It just goes to show you can't judge by appearances. [ Or gas masks. ]

Now that they have the opportunity... it'll really need all of them to work together to get through this next week. All it'd take is one person for the cycle to continue.

[mightiswright]

The penalty needs to fit the crime, and cheating is a very serious crime.

[ But he relents. ] But... since this is a first time offense, I'll let you off easy. Two hours should be enough. [ So... generous?? ]

[onethirdthesoul]

[Ryou looks so hopeful...and then he hears what "letting him off easy" actually entails. His face falls into a pout.]

The game won't last that long either...

[impheired]

[His smile fades a little at that and he turns his gaze to the screen]

...not everything. [Like...he's proud of himself, but at the same time he kind of hates what he's done to Nanami here. Even before he found out that Komaeda did the same thing. He essentially just made part of her nightmare from week seven come true. And he left her all alone.] But I don't regret it. Not really. So...

[He did what had to be done, even if parts of it hurt him to do so. Killing Chizuru and Feferi... Leaving Nanami alone...]

The rest is up to them.

[perfectstrike]

Mm.

[She just hums quietly and lets her fingers curl more securely around his, still kind of marveling that she can do that. He might not regret it, but she regrets that he had to do it. It's not fair. She'd never wanted this for him.

But she just follows his gaze to the screen. Kanaya or Rapture would be more apt at explaining that they're not completely out of it yet. And she's certain that some others would like to speak with him, so she chances a glance at the rest of the theater, looking to see where Feferi, Phoenix, and Chizuru are in particular.

She won't let go of his hand unless he pulls himself free, though, and she'll stay hovering the background regardless unless he asks her to give him privacy with anyone. It's not until everyone who looks like they want to have gotten to speak with him that she finally tries to draw his attention back to her, reaching as if she might touch his arm before thinking better of it.]

Young master... The island. Can we...?

[And then she hesitates, because after how grueling watching him in the castle was, does she really want to know what happened to him after her death on the island? But Kouha said to have faith, so... maybe things were fine for him.]

[impheired]

[Gomen, Peko, but he did eventually let go of your hand. Because he did have other people to talk to, you're right. After he'd cleaned his face up a little more, of course. Crying? Who was crying? Not this guy.]

[By the time he's done talking to everybody else, he looks...exhausted, frankly. This week had been a rather trying one, and it left him more drained than he wanted to admit. And now that it's all over, it's finally starting to catch up to him.]

...Tomorrow. [He actually looks slightly apologetic. He has no reason to believe that Peko doesn't remember her own execution, so...honestly he doesn't see anything really pressing to talk about as far as the island stuff goes. It's not really relevant here, save for the stuff about Nanami being an AI.] We can talk about it tomorrow. Sorry but I just...if I'd fucking known what was gonna be in that bag, I might've waited to open it. I had no idea just how much they'd fucked with my head here...

[perfectstrike]

[Not that guy. Nope, Peko was the only one in tears during Yakuza Cryfest 2k14.

She exhales quietly through her nose in a not-quite sigh, but even she can see how tired he is, so she just nods.]

Of course. Please forgive me. [YEAH IT WAS HER FAULT SHE'D SHOVED THE BAG AT HIM. WHOOPS. She's not really all that sorry, though.]

It may be a good idea for you to get some rest. I have some of my things in a quieter corner, if you would like...

[She gestures toward one of the aisles along the side of the theater, a little ways separated from the others. A fairly-familiar looking antique doll is sitting in her own seat over there.]

[impheired]

No, it's okay. I mean...I wanted to remember everything. Just...that was more at once than I fuckin' bargained for. I thought you were the only thing they'd made me forget.

[No but lucky Dangans get to forget their entire damn canon.]

I'd like that though, yeah. Didn't exactly sleep all that well this week. [He gets up from his seat, picking up his own bag and shouldering it before moving to the area Peko indicated. He is just going to go pass out now and nobody can stop him. He is going to sleep like a damn rock after all this, he is too tired to even have nightmares about his execution, tbh.]

[perfectstrike]

[There's her extra clothes he can use as pillows if he wants. Or blankets. It's probably comfortable enough in the theater that he doesn't need to bother with those, though, considering apparently we're all ghosts who don't even need to sleep if we don't have to?? Incredible.

But she just follows a few steps behind him and settles into a seat close by to make sure no one disturbs him.

An hour or so later, and she very quietly sneaks off and goes rummaging through the concession stand, emerging with a bag of a particular junk food and slipping it into Kuzuryuu's bag, the plastic poking out the top so it's visible at a glance.

From then on, she just curls up on the seat next to him to try to get some rest herself, though it's light enough that if he shifts in any way, she'll wake up immediately.]

[impheired]

[Yeah he pretty much just puts his bag down, reclines the seat and passes the fuck out. No need for pillows or blankets or anything like that. No need to worry about him shifting either because he definitely doesn't. HE WAS REALLY FUCKING TIRED, YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW DRAINING THIS WAS, PEKO. YOU REALLY DON'T.]

[She'll probably wake up long before him. Because unless Peko does something to wake him up, he'll just sleep straight through till everyone in the castle gathers for dinner the next day. Holy hell, Kuzuryuu. He apparently wasn't kidding about sleeping like shit all week.]

[perfectstrike]

[She definitely wakes up long before him. And just. The only time she spends away from him is for a quick jog around the perimeter of the theater, then grab herself something to eat.

Then she's just going to. wait for him to wake up. Since nothing all that pressing went on at dinner anyway, so he can sleep as long as he wants.

She'll be sitting right there next to him in the same position she was in when he fell asleep. Hi bocchan.]

[impheired]

[He finally starts to stir about twenty minutes or so into dinner. He jumps a little at first, probably because he kind of forgot where he was and was momentarily caught off guard to wake up staring at the ceiling of the afterlife theatre instead of the canopy of his bed. But he recovers quickly, sitting up and rubbing his eye. THEN, he notices the fact that Peko is...still...sitting there.........]

...Please tell me you haven't been sitting there the whole damn time.

[Peko that s really a little excessive if so...]

[perfectstrike]

[Um clearly he doesn't understand that she literally spend the last month and a half just watching him on TV so this is business as usual!!!! But when he stirs, Peko's shoulders ease, because damn bocchan, you were asleep a really long time. Like, a couple more hours and she'd have shaken him awake because seriously now, that's alarming.

But she shakes her head when he looks to her.]

I slept myself, and had something to eat. It's dinner time, for them. {And she nods toward the screen, since without any windows, that screen is literally the only way to know what time it is.]

I... wanted to stay near you. Is... that a problem?

[impheired]

[Look, he told you he was really tired and hadn't slept well all week, okay? And that was also AFTER he hadn't slept all that well the week before thanks to the damn nightmares. In two weeks, he's had like two nights of actual decent and restful sleep. It's really surprising he didn't sleep longer than this, tbh.]

If you really weren't sitting there the whole time then...nnnnno. Not really. [He stretches his arms up over his head as he speaks before lowering them and cracking his neck loudly. Real attractive, Kuzuryuu. Real attractive.] But I'm fine and I obviously wasn't going anywhere and it's not like this theatre is that big.

[So...basically she didn't have to. After what she said last night, she honestly kind of expected her to just go do her own thing. Maybe talk to other people. That's all.]

Shit though, was I really out that long? [Just...staring at the screen. Yup. They sure are eating dinner. Goddamn.]

[perfectstrike]

You needed rest.

[THAT'S. THAT'S THE ONLY THING SHE'S GOING TO ANSWER, APPARENTLY. GG.

She shifts slightly in her seat and points toward the back of the theater.]

If you want anything to eat, there are some things in your bag, [Karintou. How did that get there,] as well as a fully stocked concession stand. [IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING...]

Often many of us will eat together, with what we have taken from there. It is surprising, what one can find.

[impheired]

[How did that get there? Mysteries.]

You don't say? I'll have to check it out later, I guess. [He's actually not all that hungry right now. Besides, they have island shit to talk about...]

[Which he should probably start doing but...lord how do you bring this back up.]

Right now though...you wanted to talk about the island, right?

[MAY AS WELL JUST...GO FOR IT.]

[perfectstrike]

I...

[It's clear she wasn't expecting him to want to talk about that so soon. A pause, as she looks clearly taken aback, struggling with whether or not to selfishly let him continue, or to insist that he eat something, or perhaps talk to someone else. Or even just. Have more than a couple minutes to stretch and wake up.]

If... you are ready to speak about that now, young master.

[It's pretty obvious that she wants him to be ready, especially how, in spite of herself, her gaze flicks to his eyepatch. But she doesn't expressly say so, either. If he doesn't want to, she'll just leave it. She's... really not going to make him rush into anything.]

[impheired]

[He's dead and probably didn't really NEED to sleep anyway but opted to because of deeply-ingrained instincts. So...yeah, he's good to go, really. Rip it off like a band-aid, basically. He is 100% ready to answer any and all questions she might have.]

Ready as I'll ever be. So what do you want to know?

[perfectstrike]

[WELL OKAY THEN. She just shifts more in her seat to give him her full attention, tucking her legs beneath her body and resting her hands in her lap.

Bluntly,] Everything. The last thing I remember is being dragged away. What was my execution like? You and Nanami and the others, what happened after that? Have you defeated Monobear and escaped?

[Her brows furrow, and she glances away before asking, more quietly,] What... happened to your eye, young master? [AND THE APOLOGY SCAR. HOPEFULLY THAT COMES UP IN THE SAME ANSWER?? AWKWARD.]

1/2

[impheired]

...........

[Oh god. Oh god, he lied, he is not 100% ready to answer any question after all. He thought he was. But he also thought that she remembered her fucking execution.]

You...you don't...remember...

[Lord, he doesn't even know where to start here. Goddammit, why don't you remember your execution, Peko.]

[Okay give him a minute here to just...figure out how to address all that. HE WAS NOT PREPARED.]

[impheired]

Fuck, okay... [He takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself to a point where he's not just uselessly staring and boggling over the fact that she DOESN'T REMEMBER SHE WAS THE ONE WHO TOOK OUT HIS EYE.] you were executed. And then seven more died after you... Hinata, Owari, Sonia, Sounda, and I were the only five to survive till the end. And...while we defeated that fucking bear and the hand controlling him...escaping was never an option in the way you're thinking. Because that island wasn't fucking real, the whole thing was a goddamn simulation.

Y'know that bullshit story they tried to feed us during the trial about Nanami? About criminal rehabilitation with virtual reality? And about her bein' an AI? The only part of that that was a lie was the part where she was an evil rogue AI who took over the program and twisted it into a murder game. She really is an AI, and she really is from a memory-altering rehabilitation program. It's just that this [He gestures to the screen and vaguely around the theatre.] isn't that program.

[The island was.]

We shut the program down but...I don't know what happened after that. The last thing I remember was the final courtroom fallin' to pieces around us. I never actually woke up outside the program, which is probably why I still look like this.

[Implying he...should look different normally? He thinks? Maybe? He's really just not sure. Is he even technically human right now he's not fucking sure.]

[perfectstrike]

[Only five survivors. Only five. She'd hoped there'd be all but her, Togami, Hanamura, and Koizumi, but clearly she'd only been among the first third to die.

At least Kuzuryuu got out. If he'd said he was killed after she was, she would have lost everything right there. She didn't miss that he didn't explain about his eye, or that he didn't touch on her execution itself, but the rest of, well, everything demands her attention first.

She's quiet for a long moment after he stops speaking, clearly putting the pieces together before shaking her head.]

When you say criminal rehabilitation program... you mean, something run by the police? They were controlling the bear?

[IS EVERYONE IN THAT PROGRAM ALSO SECRET YAKUZA.....]

[impheired]

[Sorry, Peko. You were not nearly well-liked enough, and you died way too early to be the Sakura of this game. Sorry. They still got their murder on even though you asked them not to.]

...no. The Future Foundation isn't the police, pretty sure the police aren't even a fucking thing anymore. [He sighs, running a hand through his hair and staring at the screen for a few seconds. God why did you have to die so early Peko, there is so much he has to explain here.]

D'you remember when we found those ruins on he second island? And Monobear first told us about the Destroyers of the World? That's the Future Foundation. He was twisting it to make it sound like they were the bad guys all along, but that wasn't the case at all. They actually were the ones that "kidnapped" us, but they weren't the ones behind Monobear and they weren't the ones who destroyed the world, either. They were the ones behind Usami and Nanami. Monobear was a virus, introduced to the program by the group that actually fucked everything up and destroyed the world. Super High School Level Despair. [He hesitates a little before clarifying:] Us.

[Yeah, so that was why they needed rehab.]

[perfectstrike]

...

[Kazoo you can't just drop that on her jesus fuck. Her expression doesn't change much, but it stills, going almost dangerously blank. Kuzuryuu should be fairly familiar with this face as her being actually uncertain what expression is the most natural to make. She almost starts to shake her head with some disbelief, maybe a touch of annoyance that someone would have made Kuzuryuu think that?

But her face just stays still and blank, her eyes the only thing that move as they flick over her young master's face.

Then just one word, not quite a whisper.]

How?

[How did they destroy the world? How did they introduce Monobear to their own program?(???) How did they become SHSL Despair? Maybe you should ask her to qualify, Kazoo. Or just answer every possible how. That's an option, too.]