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

[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.

[notyetlost]

[Poland shrugs, diverting his attention to his gift bag.]

Susan seemed to have figured some things out on her own when I talked to her so... [It's kind of hard to mask the disappointment in his voice though.]

[souredsweet]

Sonia supposedly left enough hints with your death to lead them in the right direction as well. [his gaze still lingers even when Poland's attention drifts, expression suddenly flattening.]

...Did you ever learn about us? It seems that Gundam and Susan had some awareness, and she said that the contents of that tape had been shared with two others.

[notyetlost]

Stiles mentioned something after you were executed in passing, that made me realize why you'd done what you'd done.

... but no one ever shared any tape with me.

[souredsweet]

What did he mention? [said with genuine curiosity, and then:]

Ah. Well, it seems like it was a new find, anyway. It was an accident for the Hostess to share it at all and Gundam and Susan made some sort of trite vow of secrecy over it, if I'm interpreting what they have said correctly. Foolish, really; if that tape contains what we think it does, it has information everyone would surely benefit from.

You see, those of us working with the producer were unable to reveal that person's identity or the existence of our group, but if it was discovered without any help from us... [he trails off, knowing Poland can likely tell where that train of thought is heading.]

[notyetlost]

He was talking to Susan so I don't remember it verbatim, but. It was something along the lines of the 'mastermind is like totally forcing people to kill,' and then I realized it wasn't just about the incentives.

Whoever it was, was designating people to kill to make sure that every week someone died.




...The game ends?

[souredsweet]

That is correct. From the very start, the people insisting that there will always be murders - Touko and Kanaya, for example - were saying so because they knew it to be true. It was our job to step forward if none of you committed a murder, and from the beginning of the game we had extremely heavy incentives of our own in addition to the weekly ones.

[his head dips a little at that though, and he lapses into a brief but thoughtful silence.] We are hoping for as much, anyway. To be honest, I would not mind seeing the producer hung for what has happened, but... It seems merely uncovering their identity is enough. [a shrug follows.] We were truly cheering you on, you know; that much was not a falsity. Not a single one of us wished to play to the producer's tune. It was simply an inevitability of being the unfortunate chosen.

1/2

[notyetlost]

[Poland absorbs the information, pulling a paluszki out of his gift bag and chewing on it thoughtfully.]

...

2/2

[notyetlost]

You said Sonia left clues with my death?

[souredsweet]

[oh hey wow it's the polish fingers, looks like stiles came in handy after all]

She is a meticulous and intelligent girl who would not have targeted you for no reason. What clues those may be, I haven't the faintest, but I have faith in her ability to guide those remaining. She said quite a few interesting things in her exit interview, though.

[notyetlost]

[Poland didn't know who'd killed him. His murderer had gone about his death in a cowardly way as far as he was concerned.]

...

[He drums his fingers on the arm rest looking eerily calm.]

[souredsweet]

[for a few moments, he silently watches in the bizarrely detached, distant way that he seems to regard almost everything with. eventually:]

"Nobody wants that person to suffer more than I do." It is a sentiment that we all shared. I left letters to those still alive in my group, who I cannot remember, asking for the same thing.

[notyetlost]

[Poland's voice is calm. The only thing betraying his anger seems to be how heavily accented his speech has become.]

The Princess Royal of the Autocratic Monarchy of Novoselic will explain her aggression against Rzeczpospolita Polska herself.

[souredsweet]

[his head cants to one side, both brows arching.]

...Well, you will surely get the chance to speak with her. It isn't as though there is anywhere else for any of us to go. I would suggest you not take up the same stance as Beat, though; it is tiresome, dealing with squabbles over deaths that were not even real.

[notyetlost]

[Poland can pretty much guess what happened prior to his arrival.]

On the contrary, I think Beat had every right to totally kick your ass.

[souredsweet]

[that earns Poland a sour look. he reaches up to tuck some hair behind his ear in a somewhat indignant gesture of agitation.]

If the punch he landed had satisfied him, fair enough, but he has been so dogged in his pursuit. If I had known he would be such a pain to deal with later, I would have targeted Alice instead.

[notyetlost]

He's pissed, what were you expecting? Not only did you get him killed, you used him.

[souredsweet]

I do not know what I was expecting, but May was not even harmed, nor was she ever going to be. Even if Gundam had not interfered, I would have killed Beat myself. What a nuisance... [gee that sure is a mystery isn't it, someone here has a great human capacity for empathy and understanding.]

It seems most everyone else has managed to get over their deaths, anyway.

[notyetlost]

It sucks that you had to kill, like. Seriously. That doesn't mean that it completely absolves you from responsibility though. His feelings count too.

If Ukraine's right and we all get to come back, then we'll see.

[souredsweet]

Ah, I would not think of not taking responsibility for my kill. There isn't a point in that since I have already been deemed guilty, yes? I just find it pointless to continue feeling agitated about it. Humans have died for less, and his participation might have given us the boost in ratings that we need to get out of this place.

[his expression falls back into something a little more somber at that, though.] If the ratings are high enough... The tape said as much, anyway, but who is to say if it can truly be trusted?

[notyetlost]

[Poland shrugs. He's never been one to ignore his emotions in favor of whatever seemed most pragmatic.]

The alternative is lame. What other reason do you need to believe it to be true?

[souredsweet]

["lame"... well, he can't disagree with that, even if he'd choose much stronger words.]

I would have preferred the information to come from someone who is not potentially the producer, for one... But I would certainly prefer it to be true.

[notyetlost]

[Welcome to Polish Optimism 101, Kaoru.]

So believe it and we'll work hard to make however many weeks remain as interesting to watch as possible to make it come true.

[souredsweet]

[he can't understand this "optimism" thing man Poland just gets a flat look... but his expression eventually eases into something (reluctantly) accepting.]

...I suppose that is the exact sort of thinking that has won you so much favor and endeared you to so many. Some people seemed to think you were dim despite that, you know, but we knew better. Your struggle was admirable. I will believe, then, in a conclusion that will not leave any soured.

[notyetlost]

[Poland smiles.]

You know.

I like you better like this. That butt kissing persona you put on doesn't really do you any justice.