now let's skip the tears and start on the whole-

[stagemanagers]

[You remember dying. Maybe the memory is clear and bright and your body still aches from the cause. Maybe it was fast enough that you didn't feel it and don't remember what you went through. But no matter how you went out you're still trapped here.

When you open your eyes it might take you a minute to recognize your surroundings. For the executed, it's your dressing room. For the victims, you startle awake in the place your body was discovered. But no matter where you are nothing is where you remember it. It's like everything has been picked up and moved to the other side of the room. The entire room has been perfectly mirrored from what it used to be and, upon leaving, it seems the rest of the opera house is just the same. If you remember one room being in the east wing, it's now in the west. If it was in the west, it's now in the east.


Welcome back to the Opera House, friends. Even in death you're still in the woods.]


WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4 | WEEK 5


[ooc: Welcome to deadland, darlings! It's a perfectly mirrored version of the Opera House and each week, as new people die after new floors have been revealed, the stairwell doors will unlock and allow you to reach them. For example, week 3 victims will unlock floor 2 and so on and so forth. Also, all dead characters will wake up at their actual canon point.

Have fun because we have some fun things planned for you.]

Comments

[37773972]

...and I didn't help. [Glumly. And, softer;] God damn it, Steve. [He's not about to break down - he had enough crying when he arrived, thank you - but he does put his face in a hand]

[superbeliever]

...Hey, maybe that did have something to do with it.

[Thanks, shithead!]

That, at least, I can't exactly hold you at fault for. You didn't know it would cut us off from being able to reach through.

[Thank god he's not about to start crying. Richard hasn't had the chance to have a good cry since he died, and by god he needs one.

A beat.]

Everything else, though, you're still on the hook.

[37773972]

[He manages the weakest of smiles]

Can I ask for a favor? [And without letting Richard refuse;] Don't let me off it.

[superbeliever]

[Behind his thick beard, it's almost hard to see the near-imperceptible quirk of a smile. But he turns to look at Stephen.]

Deal.

Now you do me a favor. If - God willing - the Phantom was telling the truth and we get the chance to come back?

Be better.

[The second and last rule that he left - that Steven transcribed next to the rules on the wall.]

Second chances don't come around often. If we get one, you have to swear to me you'll use it.

[37773972]

I-

[Wait, hold up]

He's bringing you back? He said he needed a reason for that.

[superbeliever]

[Don't say "you" like he's special. Richard blinks.]

I- Well, he told Riley that it was part of his plan all along. That it'd "hardly be helpful" to leave everyone dead.

I remember those exact words, because "helpful" seemed so weird...

[37773972]

[General 'you'. As far as Stephen's concerned, he's got nothing.

But he's also staring at Richard, a dawning - horror? realization? something coming over his face.]

I'm a fucking idiot.

[superbeliever]

[Richard's brow furrows in confusion, and he leans away from this new look.]

Why? What is it?

1/2

[37773972]

[Give him a moment, he's getting to his feet with a frustrated noise and just-rrrgh!]

I asked him- I asked him how he thought he was going to make things up to the dead, and that's when I realized he could bring you back- but then, with the SQUIP? I thought he'd just tricked me, used me, like everyone else does, and I just- I got so fucking angry, Richard, [oh whup there goes the title, bye title] I just wanted to hurt him and his fucking Wizard any way I could, and I-!

I-!

2/2

[37773972]

I fucked up.

[There, he's...he's done. Or...not quite, because his shoulders are slumping]

I fucked up, and Steven paid for it, and...everyone else. Even if they don't remember.

[superbeliever]

Not that I'm arguing with you, because you sure fucking did, but do you think you could be a little more specific?

[There's an edge of anxiety to his voice, and he sits up a little straighter.]

Is it something the others need to know? Like, now?

[37773972]

It's...[He exhales, hands going through his hair]...other than me trying to remake all my notes? I don't know. I don't think so. I just...I let myself be played, again.

[superbeliever]

[He relaxes again, satisfied by that answer. Or, at least, too bone-tired to interrogate it further. Was he willing to push himself to a nosebleed trying to get a message through if necessary? Absolutely.

Is he glad he doesn't have to? Also yes.]

So you do believe him, then. When he says he can, you know. Bring us back.

It's a little odd, he seemed surprised that we were still here when he came out to speak with us...

[37773972]

If he can't, the Wizard can. But I don't know why the Wizard would. But...if they could bring one person back? I don't see why they couldn't bring...everyone...

[...]

He was- surprised?

[superbeliever]

After we started, you know, raising a real ruckus on your side-

[Remember that time they all possessed your ex?]

-he came out to the graveyard to try and talk to us. But there was something stopping us from possessing him, or even getting close. So we had to write to him in the dirt.

It wasn't the most dignified conversation, but at least he couldn't see us as well, I suppose.

[37773972]

[Oh yeah, he remembers.]

...probably the Wizard's doing, if I had to guess. I used to think maybe he was using the Phantom, too, but now...[He makes to sit back down, shaking his head]...I don't know. I...didn't think to bring up the ghosts, just to confirm that you all had actually...died.

[superbeliever]

Well, we could have told you that much.

[About being really dead, that is.]

Though whoever this wizard is, I think we're a little out of his realm here, so at least there's that.

[37773972]

I think so, too. [His voice is soft] I really was an idiot thinking I could turn the game around on him, huh.

[superbeliever]

I don't think the thought itself makes you an idiot.

[He would know, he's been called one enough times.]

Your actions, on the other hand.

[Yep, still on that hook.]

[37773972]

...my actions were wrong, and I did them anyway. [What with the whole. Convincing himself thing.] The fact I did it to a kid...

I know
I passed the point of no return.

[superbeliever]

[Richard looks over at Stephen, a frown knit between his brows.]

It's not really up to you to decide, is it?

[37773972]

[Have a glance]

What do you mean?

[superbeliever]

I mean, it's up to you to move on and not do it again, but. If other people - if the people you hurt want to reach out a hand to pull you back, then... Well, it's not a point of no return. My point is, it's really up for them to decide.

[Speaking of.]

Have you talked to Steven?

[37773972]

...only when we got here. I don't know if he wants to talk with me. [Stephen wouldn't blame him.

...but he does look like he's considering Richard's words]

This isn't something that should be forgiven, even...considering the circumstances. I know he has a big heart, but- I still betrayed him.

[All of them.]

[superbeliever]

[Richard scoffs, though not altogether cruelly.]

I am definitely not saying it is. I'm still pretty pissed off you totally bombed our chances to speak with the living, and that is like, the most minor charge against you.

[But then he looks back at Stephen, and weakly, almost sluggishly reaches over to bump his elbow against the other man's arm.]

Just don't get so weighed down you forget how to move forward. You owe it to them to man up and try to do better.