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]

Were you mad when you found out I'd been lying to you? ...When I let you search my room, and vouch for my innocence?

[roadroller]

.... [she'll just be honest here.] Yeah, I was for a while. I mean, I really believed it couldn't have been you, and I felt really stupid when I was wrong. And then the next week, when Len was my hostage, I was angry again, because ... because you already got yourself killed, and I didn't want to lose anyone else.

But, I couldn't have understood. I knew that too. Even when I was mad at you, it was always complicated. ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

I thought so... [Ryou nods a little, glancing over his shoulder at her before tentatively turning to face her again. He still can't meet her eye just yet.]

Rin-chan, when I saw that you used my room to kill Chihiro-chan... I don't think I've ever felt so betrayed. I gave you my keys, and then you used them to... to do that! [His voice cracks as he's still pretty upset over it, but Ryou hushes himself as he continues.] I... was really mad, I felt like I couldn't trust anyone anymore. Even when I found out what your real incentive was, I was still upset until Kanaya-san talked some sense back into me.

I-I realized that... We should still take responsibility for what we do, but a place like this where we're tricked into killing each other, it's not going to do us any good to turn against each other. Sometimes good people do bad things, and even though you did something like that... [He starts to cry, sniffling and trying to stop so he can keep talking.]

I was wishing you would have gotten away with it, because I didn't want to see you die! [Ryou takes in a breath, and there's a sort of finality to it.] So I think, th-that makes us even.

Let's never hurt each other again, okay?

[roadroller]

[it's probably a good thing that Ryou wasn't looking directly at Rin, because as he goes on, her first impression is to slip into annoyance, crossing her arms. Is he trying to say that his feelings should have been more important than Len's life? Fuck no. Rin had to use whatever resource she could to save him. So this thing that he's whining about - it couldn't possibly matter. If he's planning to use her feelings on his murder to justify that, then he'll have another thing coming.

But ... as he goes on and begins to sob, her expression does soften. It seems like he really is just going through the same phases she did... for Rin, the realization hit when she saw him holding his letters to Amane. And she ended up just playing games with him instead of telling him off at all. And further still... her poker face cracks a bit, the corner of her lip shaking as she grips her shoulders a bit tighter. She quietly admits,]

I wished you had gotten away with yours, too.

[and then she uncrosses her arms, letting them fall to her side, and then raising her hand again to offer a handshake.]

You're right, Ryou-kun. Absolutely. ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

I don't know what I wish happened... [But he understands why she says it, and it makes it hard to keep himself from crying again.

His hand is shaking a bit when he takes Rin's, gripping it tightly and awkwardly shaking it.]

But I... I know what I want right now. [And for that, he can manage a smile. Rin's friendship felt like one of the only things he had left.]

[roadroller]

[Rin squeezes his hand, looking down at it with likely more gentleness than he was used to seeing from her. Having a hand to hold, even if it was just a handshake from a friend, was comforting in a way. She wasn't sure if he could forgive her for what she'd done, but if nothing else, she wouldn't be losing him again. That thought warmed her heart just a little.

Though at the words on his wavering voice, she looks up at him suddenly with somewhat wide eyes.]

Wh-?

[Rin's not sure, but that sounded - almost like a confession. Her hand continues holding his as she stares. How can he think of that at a time like this? She looks away, a bit embarrassed, but ... still holding on.]

... What are you saying? ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

[Ryou doesn't seem to hesitate at all in his convictions. He just continues to smile warmly at her, inclining his head a little at the question with a slight crease in his brow.]

I'm saying that being friends with Rin-chan is more important than holding petty grudges. [Petty would be a massive understatement were they anywhere else, but give this place, and given what he'd already done...] Both of us have already lost so much...

I don't want to lose anybody else.

[roadroller]

Oh, then you didn't mean... never mind.

That's fine. Let's be friends even after this show is over... ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

[Ryou gets a little side-tracked there, blinking curiously down at Rin.]

I didn't mean what?

[roadroller]

Ah, nothing...

Just that what you said, sounded kinda like a confession or something. I was a little shocked, but it was just a misunderstanding. ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

Huh? [Ryou tilts his head.] But I was confessing.

[Confessing to his undying...friendship.]

1/2

[roadroller]

Eeeeh.... ♪

[roadroller]

[it is at that moment that Rin notices they're still holding hands. Accident on her part, but now she's not sure if it was on his! She'll take it back now, looking uncertain.]

Then I ... I don't know what to say. I don't think I'll ever love anyone more than him... ♪

1/2

[onethirdthesoul]

...? [Ryou's just looking even more perplexed now, a slight sympathetic pout on his lips. He awkwardly pulls his own hand back as well, having forgotten it was there--]

2/2

[onethirdthesoul]

[--and then it hits him. Ryou's cheeks turn scarlet, his ears burning as he slaps his hands over his mouth with a shocked gasp.]

R-rin-chan, I...I didn't mean it like that!

[roadroller]

.... And you didn't get it the first time?

[Now they both look kind of foolish. Rin doesn't have the energy to get mad, but she scratches her cheek a bit.]

How dense are you ... jeez. ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

Sorry... [He starts to lower his hands, although his face is still pretty red.]

I got confused, because I was confessing...just not to that.

[roadroller]

[That's fine - even she's a bit flustered.]

Aaah, just forget I said anything. ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

... [Ryou smiles a little again, tapping the side of his head with his knuckle.] Done.

[roadroller]

[blink.]

Was that your forget button? ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

...Is it? I forget. Heehee.

[roadroller]

[cracking a small smile...]

Must be. Wow, Ryou-kun. I didn't know you were a robot too. ♪

[onethirdthesoul]

Ahh?! [Ryou looks genuinely surprised.] Me neither! I bet I can do all sorts of cool things now.