graveyard pt ii

[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

[teenspirit]

...Yes. You aren't dead, there; you sleep, although we cannot be sure how deeply. As for whether we return or not... Gundam and I... Well, we'll see. [ They honestly don't touch the topic very often... ]

[perfectstrike]

...I see.

[Kind of the answer she suspected, but she just closes her eyes and nods once.]

I know the young master, yourself, and the others will do your best for us. [Kazoo are you listening, she's practicing that whole 'believe in your superior' thing Kouha taught her about.] No matter the outcome.

Assuming the two of you are in the same situation the young master and I are in, correct? Where the two of you go, we also go.

[teenspirit]

That is right. He sacrificed himself so that all of us might live. I still wonder if I shall ever be able to repay the favor. Regardless... If we stay here or leave, we shall all stay together, as comrades and friends. [ Because fate has bound them all, whether they like it or not. ]

[perfectstrike]

...?

[That's something Kuzuryuu hadn't mentioned, actually.]

What do you mean, Tanaka sacrificed himself?

[teenspirit]

...He and Nidai... [ She looks a little sad thinking about it. ] When we were sealed into those buildings, deprived of food, they developed a pact. They decided that they would both offer themselves as sacrifice, so the rest of us could live. They battled so that one could become the victim, and one the perpetrator. Tanaka always intended to be caught.