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

[notyetlost]

[A little while after the trial ends a hideous sounding gasp tears through the theater, as if someone had been deprived of oxygen for so long they feared they'd never breathe again.]

[speakveryclearly]

[Someone is stomping over completely emotionlessly with nothing in hand but a bucket of plain popcorn. Not even extra butter, just the default amount.

The bearer of the bucket is not even looking directly at the source of the voice, instead calling over the shoulder to elsewhere in the theater:]

Ukraaaaaaaaine? Ukraine! Is your blanket for Poland done yet?

[notyetlost]

...?! [Poland kicks at the bucket, looking around obviously wildly disorientated.]

[speakveryclearly]

[She looks down indignantly at the disturbed bucket, and tries to pick up a few pieces of popcorn to make the mess slightly neater. At least a third was lost though.

She sets it back down next to his hand, forcefully.]

[souredsweet]

[AND HERE IS KAORU who has actually been looking forward to all of the potential arrivals today. he's leaning over the back of a theater seat, arms crossed and chin resting atop them.]

So she did smother you with that curtain? No one thought to make sure.

[notyetlost]

[Poland grabs at his neck with one hand, while the other moves for his mouth searching for what was suffocating him-- seeing Kaoru his face somehow becomes more stricken with horror.]

[souredsweet]

[it's an expression that seems to bring some fleeting amount of amusement to Kaoru's own.]

I wonder what you're thinking, making a face like that... Ah, but why don't you get something to eat? You may be here for a while.

[notyetlost]

[Poland moves from the chair so quickly he trips over his own feet, falling into the aisle. He scrambles to right himself and runs for the doors in the back of the theater.]

[souredsweet]

[Kaoru cups a hand around his mouth to call after him, expecting he'll be back soon enough regardless.]

Don't forget to grab your bag while you're out there! That is very important.

[notyetlost]

[Poland's back, memories returned and looking slightly more adjusted to his "demise."]

....

[Except the problem with Kaoru is that everything Poland had gotten to know about Kaoru was a total facade. It's like dealing with a complete stranger.]

[souredsweet]

[he's more than used to the awkward pauses and the need for readjustment. even Kanaya had been discomforted at first, so he carries on like nothing at all has changed, more for his own sake than for Poland's.]

You look a little better now. [a self-satisfied nod. the smile that follows is quite genuine, but lacking in warmth.]

It is a shame that you were targeted, though. No one else was looking for the producer as hard as you until today... I had thought you might be the one to find them.

[balzams]

[Casually, Latvia slides in next to him and hands him a small paper cup with a little vodka at the bottom]

So...

Did you and Lithuania ever do it in the mansion?

[Welcome to the afterlife, Poland]

1/2

[notyetlost]

... [Poland's back in the theater, clutching an unopened gift bag and looking upset. Still an improvement over how he was when he first arrived, anyways.

At least now he doesn't have to be wary of random liquor in dubious cups anymore. He takes it from Latvia, downing it in one go.]

2/2

[notyetlost]

[Or at least that was his intent, until Latvia made him spray it back out.]

W-what kind of question is that?!

[balzams]

It's been two weeks! I've had nothing to do but watch you two awkwardly flirting and disappearing behind closed doors.

I'm sure the audience at home is talking about it, the least you can do is tell me.

[notyetlost]

There's like nothing awkward about how I flirt-- [Poland coughs, rubbing at his neck aggressively.]

...I'm not the protag in one of your weird romance novels!

[balzams]

I wouldn't say protagonist, you two were definitely more of a sub-plot than a main plot but still...

[He eyes Poland's gift bag nervously]

You haven't opened it yet, have you?

[notyetlost]

[Either way, Poland's storyline ended more abruptly than he was prepared for.]

N-no.

[After eight weeks, Poland managed to narrow down that the memories he'd forgotten had to have been something quite difficult for him in his history. He's reluctant to sucker punch himself like that so soon after dying.]

[balzams]

[Oh thank goodness he wasn't too late. Latvia had been waiting for this moment and he wasn't going to let Poland take it away from him. He had to act fast though, and he looked Poland dead in the eye as he blurted it out]

You've been cheating on your husband with your husband the whole time.

[motheringnation]

Poland, I'm so sorry!

[Ukraine has located him at least and is standing by worrying.]

Have you opened your bag yet?

[notyetlost]

[Poland's standing in the hall lobby, looking winded-- he's run the entire length of it at least twenty times looking for a door or a window or anything he can escape from.

His body jolts abruptly at the sound of Ukraine's voice and he turns around.]

W-where--?

[motheringnation]

We're in the theatre.

It's where we all go when we ...die there.

[notyetlost]

H-how? I didn't...

...I wasn't.

[He wasn't supposed to die.]

[motheringnation]

You just missed the trial....

I think you need to sit down. It takes a while to get used to this place.

[notyetlost]

[Poland unceremoniously drops to the floor of the hallway, burying his face in hands.]