and I know things now, many valuable things

[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. It's your dressing room, that much is certain, but 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, you're not out of the woods yet.]





[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

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

[She touches the red ribbon in her hair.]

Well... The story can't continue without all the principle characters...can it? And I could never leave them there.

[robitussin]

[A pause.]

I mean, I didn't really expect any different, but... Jesus, D-ne.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

It's fine. [no it's not] We're not aware of it going on unless the story's been stopped, which is...a blessing. [no it's not] And...there's always a chance we can solve the mystery and break out.

[...]

[robitussin]

None of that sounds like a good thing at all.

...If you normally aren't aware of it, how do you know now?

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

[She sighs.] Because, my last memories are of the story pausing. It would do that after we all died, and we could discuss backstage, before we were put back in the story again.

[robitussin]

...Jesus christ.

[what else is there to say, really]

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

[You could always do what D-ne does and smile.]

Don't worry about it. Soon...this'll all be over, one way or another.

[robitussin]

That's kind of foreboding. Anyways...

What are you going to say to everyone else if we see them again?

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

Ah... I haven't... There's nothing I really can say, is there? I don't think many of them would believe me, whatever I did.

[robitussin]

That sounds like a pretty shitty reason to not even try to apologize, honestly.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

...Right as usual. [She sighs.] The truth, then. That on some level I regretted it as soon as I did it.

[robitussin]

Well, it's at least better than not telling them anything, I guess.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

True, but among them, who would want me to approach them and actually speak? Momentary discomfort, I suppose that's how I'll look at it.

...You know...whatever I tell them, it won't change how they think.

[robitussin]

...No, it won't. That's not the point. The point is that telling them you're sorry for killing someone a lot of them cared about is kind of literally the least you can do.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

Mm... I didn't think of it from that perspective. [She smiles apologetically.] I guess I really don't understand how people work outside my...closed circle.

...Thank you. This must be basic decency to you, but to me...

[robitussin]

[She pauses.]

You're welcome, I guess, but - it's for everyone else, too, not just you.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

I know. You're a good person, Natalie-san.

[robitussin]

For telling you that an apology might be a good idea after murdering someone?

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

For caring so much about the others. For...caring period, after what this place has put you through.

[robitussin]

...They cared about me. It's only right, or whatever, I guess.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

...Is that so? You aren't required to care about someone back, because they care about you.

[robitussin]

Yeah, but—

[Feelings are hard.]

I haven't really had a lot of that? So, it mattered that a lot of them seemed like they did.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

Ah... Yes, I... That much I can understand.

[robitussin]

...Really?

[It's not accusatory, just - curious.]

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

[She smiles.]

I think I fell in love with B-ko because she was the first person to show me...a real kind smile. The first person to look at me with affection not out of obligation. Not because she had to, not because she pitied me and would soon leave, but because she's just that sweet.