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

outside the trial room

[isawallflower]

[ It's not surprise to find Stephen here. Over the last few...days? However much time has passed, it all feels so strange right now- Riley's seen him, but...always felt awkward approaching. She knows what he's doing. There are times she's tried the same thing. Avoided the others and slammed at the door, stabbed her knife into it to no avail.

And...sometimes, maybe. You need a break, right?

She clears her throat. ] Um.

[ In her arms are...bows. All kinds of hair bows. Smaller than the one she normally wears, and all some variety of...well, the right word for it is tacky, but sparkly also works. Sequins, rhinestones... They're like something a much younger kid would wear.

She has one in her hair, actually! Pulling a small bit of hair to the right, very uneven. ]

Do...you have a minute?

[37773972]

Something up, Riley?

[Don't mind his expression - it's not aimed at her. He's clearly distracted, or at least trying to put the greater majority of his focus towards the doors.

...no, it hasn't worked so far, but. Considering it's possibly only a matter of time before something happens...and what else does he have to do, anyway?]

[isawallflower]

[ Haaa. She. Doesn't know how to ask this, oh dear. Her grip on the bows tightens and she can just feel the stutter start. ]

C-c-c-c- [ Deep breaths, girl. Just take your time. ...The fact that the gentle voice that always talks her through this is still Cairo is. Complicated. ] Could. Could you...help me...with something?

[37773972]

[That...catches his attention. Riley is- well, the stutter isn't new, but the fact that it's become worse has definitely drawn him away from- this. He looks over at her, brow creasing, a bit of concern entering his expression]

Sure- is everything all right? What can I do?

[isawallflower]

[ Honestly, ever since she started examining...all of her, it's been cropping back up again, in bursts and starts. Riley kind of wonders if, like everything else, she didn't really overcome it, but buried it instead.

But, that's an observation for another day. For right now, she's just a very nervous girl with arms full of hair bows. ]

I, uh. Well. I was. Looking through the...the costume closet, and found these, and um. They're a bit...small, for my- my usual...style, and... I kind of...need another pair of hands, so...

[ Please understand what she's asking. Please. This is overwhelming. ]

[37773972]

[It takes him a few moments to understand what she's asking of him. A few moments more for him to approach, and hesitantly reach out to take one of the bows]

I- if you'd like? I've never really done this kind of thing, before, though.

[He's not unwilling, he just...doesn't know how he can help?]

[isawallflower]

I-I know! I mean. I figured. I just- [ Not looking at him, very not looking at him! ] Haven't...really either, and...thought it...might be nice?

[37773972]

[...]

You think the library might have some inspiration? A book of hairstyles, or something?

[guess they're doing this]

[isawallflower]

[ She tries to quell the giddy wave crashing through her, but she sure doesn't do a good job. With a little squeak, she nods, enthusiastic. Seems she's finally accepted he's not just going to change his mind at the last minute. ]

Yes! Uhh, probably~! I mean. Wouldn't...hurt to look.

[37773972]

[Her clear delight is enough reassurance for him that he's made the right choice. With a smile of his own, he tilts his head, gesturing for her to walk with him] Then let's check it out. Were you planning on using all of these?

[isawallflower]

Maybe? [ She glances down at the just...unreasonable amount of bows in her arms. ] ...Possibly. Probably not, I just- um. I couldn't...choose. I've always just worn what, uh...came with the uniform, but-

[ I don't deserve to- ]

I...thought I might wanna...branch out.

[37773972]

No time like the present, right? [Especially considering- if they get out of here, she won't. Really. Have the opportunity. So he resolves to go full out with this, since she was clearly worried about asking him.

No way will he let her down.]

Maybe pick a few to start with, and if we find room for more, we can add them?

[isawallflower]

Eheh. [ With a nervous little laugh, she tries sweeping some hair behind her ear. It keeps falling in her face, because she's not used to wearing it down. ] Yeah, uh. That's probably a good idea. I just got a little...excited.

[ She knows. Whatever happens, Hell or jail, this is...the last chance she's ever going to have to be a normal kid. Honestly, that chance was up, six months ago, but...it's the closest she can get now.

So...she knows. This is it. One more first-and-last experience. ]

They...look nice, though, right? Cai- um. Cairo never really did bows, so- but they're...cute, and...I think I like the way they sparkle?

[37773972]

There's nothing wrong with that. [He gives her a smile] And I think you'll look good, sparkling. I found an outfit, before, when Anne threw a party- I almost wish I still had it. It looked nice in the light.

[This thing, if Riley saw!]

[isawallflower]

I remember. [ She says this almost delicately. ] I...was watching all of you.

[37773972]

Watching over us, huh? [They...needed it that week. It was Rough. Combine what he remembered with the affiliation and...honestly, he's amazed he made it through.

...only for so long, though.]

[isawallflower]

I had to try and do something right. [ In a rather matter-of-fact tone, just very simply. ] We couldn’t tell what, but...something was wrong, so...I got everyone together to try and do something about it.

[37773972]

You guys did a lot for us, over the weeks. Don't sell yourselves short. [And, more softly;] I'm sorry for screwing it up.

[isawallflower]

...You didn't know it'd cut off connection. It's... It's okay. [ Equally soft. ] I just...hope they know we're still here.

[ hhhhi library. ha. ]

[37773972]

If you're able to make contact again...you can remind them.

[Right! Library! He remembers checking on this before, so while it takes him a minute to get used to working backwards, he figures out a decent area to start looking]

[isawallflower]

[ She...wants to say something about how he should try too, but- Well. She knows that can be difficult. Christine and Mephisto were so happy to hear from her, and that... It's fueled her, the last few weeks. But.

Riley trails after him and sets the bows down on a table, so she can help look. ]

I'll...check around, okay? I don't really know where something could be, but...

[37773972]

Well, we're looking for something with a lot of pictures, maybe...something with royalty, like Anne? I think they had some interesting hairstyles.

[isawallflower]

R-royalty? [ insert internal keysmash here ] O-oohhh, no, I wasn't- thinking something that...involved, that's- I mean, that's a little too much for- for me, right?

[37773972]

We're just taking inspiration, Riley. We don't have to make you a rival for Anne.

[Beat]

Besides, I thought lots of girls wanted to be princesses.

[isawallflower]

When I was five. [ Shy, mumbling, a little self-conscious, as she hides her head in the bookcase, looking. ] B'sides. I thought...no one respects princesses. You have to...accomplish something, for people to notice you.