week 4

[stagemanagers]

WEEK 4
[Another week has passed in the opera house and things are looking grim as ever. With Gabe and Hime gone, the performers are down to 16 of them.

On Monday, the opera house is still heavily decorated with a few new additions. There are more cottony cobwebs, a few small ghosts hanging from the ceiling made of cheesecloth, even more pumpkins here and there. A few more candy bowls have been set out in places like the dining room and a few others and only a few of them are only filled with candy corn. In the dressing rooms the stars on Gabe and Hime's doors have fallen off, leaving behind a patch of star-shaped wood slightly lighter than the rest of the doors on Hime's and a different star underneath on Gabe's.

Like the previous week, the door on in the second floor lobby is unlocked and a new floor is ready to be explored. Have a good week, everyone.]

.


[Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday]

Comments

TUESDAY

[stagemanagers]

MOTIVE: IF I WERE A RICH MAN

[tellthestory]

[As per usual, the Balladeer makes his announcement on Tuesday morning:]

Meeting at noon. Standing meeting at noon, actually. Do I need to keep announcing this every Tuesday? Is this helpful for you guys?

[You can try answering, but he can't hear you. It's an intercom. And, as per usual, he isn't in the lobby when the meeting time rolls around. It doesn't take long for him to make his entrance: coming down the stairs this time, strumming a cheerful-sounding tune on a little ukulele.]

Money makes the world go around
The world go around
The world go around
Money makes the world go around
It makes the world go 'round.

A mark, a yen, a buck, or a pound
A buck or a pound
A buck or a pound
Is all that makes the world go around,
That clinking clanking sound
Can make the world go 'round.

[Remember those ghostly voices from the walls? They're back in force today, all chanting in unison:]

Money money money money money money
Money money money money money money
Money money money money money money

[Again the Balladeer ignores them, going on and weaving around the rest of the cast. He doesn't seem in the mood to engage with anyone during his performance today; he's just trying to get to the other end of the room.]

If you feel like
Being rich
And you think that a
Murder's no problem
You can get what you wish for right here

If you're smart and
Get away
With your crime then you'll
Have a big payday
And your future will be crystal clear

If you're quick and
Win the week
And -

[Before the door to the east wing, he hesitates. The ghostly voices go on, but he stops playing and sings, for a moment, an entirely different melody.]

If you won the lottery
That's such a petty prize
Just stay the course
Prizes are everywhere, we've just got one life to spare

[He glances up and around, then starts playing again, joining back in with the phantom singers.]

Money makes the world go around
The world go around
The world go around
Money makes the world go around
It makes the world go 'round!

[And then he steps back into the east wing and out of sight. You won't find him anywhere down there even if you follow after him immediately, but he'll be back in the box office in a little bit.]

[sunshineprincess]

[Money? Really? You're bribing people with money?]

What kind of motive is that?

[aflatouttahell]

[THAT'S A WEIRD MOTIVE? THAT'S A WEIRD MOTIVE.]

Wait, really? That's it?

[What a terrible filler number as far as murder motives go.]

[irreprochable]

These motives seem to be getting less complex. Wouldn't anyone who needed money have murdered as part of the wish granting one?

[dechagny]

[Don't think Raoul didn't notice that different melody and verse - it makes him wonder if, perhaps, the Balladeer is offering just a little bit of advice against the game of his managers. Balls to you, good sir. Raoul doesn't need the encouragement not to kill for this, but it's intriguing AND nice to see.]

Money. Well. That's...certainly an offer, but I happen to be quite comfortable at home, thank you.

[He's no Rockefeller, but if he can back an opera house he's got the bucks.]

[trettende]

[ Yeah, Hans is royalty, he's never wanted for money in his entire life. ]

Really? Somehow, even robbing a bank would make more sense than simply murder.

[ But that one verse... ]

Not even the Balladeer thinks this one is a good idea.

[solomonjihad]

[......Ok, that--?!

The next thing anyone knows, Astarte is laughing hysterically. She throws her hands out wide, and mockingly begins to sing as she turns towards the crowd.]

Oh, yes, money makes the world go round!
Look at how everyone's head spins!
Go on and kill and see
Just how much money you win!

Fool.

Don't you know?
What did you bring into this world?
Its the same thing you'll leave with!

Οὐδὲν!

Princes and paupers, all are equal
in this one fact.
Isn't it so nice
I reminded you of that?

[robitussin]

...That is the stupidest thing that I've ever heard. Oh my god.

[And despite the Balladeer's advice, she's pretty sure at least one of them is going to go for it. God.]

[allicareabout]

[Billy's leaning up against one of the walls, arms folded across his chest while he watches all of this, because there's no sense in having no idea of what absolute nonsense he's going to be dealing with somebody killing over this week; he'll take all of that in, though, and he's...actually not going to join the masses in declaring that all of this is stupid.

Don't get him wrong, he's kind of laughing to himself under his breath, and he's shaking his head a bit because really, but openly denouncing it is another thing.

This week's already a mess. This is just icing on the cake, and this particular cake looks like one of Astarte's.]

[onthebusagain]

Good thing I'm already loaded! [Modest, Heather. Not that any of that matters, if Seymour's theory is true...]

[bestof]

[Eliza finally emerges from her room for the motive. She hasn't bothered to change out of her nightgown but she did find a somewhat frilly black robe to throw on over it. She listens to the song impassively, watching the Balladeer with a tired, empty expression until he finishes and disappears.

Once it's done she doesn't join in the chorus of "this is stupid"s and instead turns and walks back to lock herself back in her room.]

[littlegirl_littlecurl]

[She admires your ukulele skills, good sir.

So she'll be polite and wait a minute after he leaves.]

Pppppllllpppp~!!

I have lots of money. So that aint gonna work.

Investigation/OTA

[dechagny]

[Alright, enough eye-rolling at such a lackluster motive. Today Raoul is going to keep himself very busy.

First, you'll find him in the first floor lobby setting out some merchandise booth prizes he's more than happy to give away. Seriously, this shit's cluttering his tiny room and trunk. If you catch him while he's putting them out, he'll make sure you know you're free to take what you please. He accepts trades as well, if you're interested.

Later, Raoul can be found in the Bakery and the Cold Storage, investigating the areas. It should be noted that he looks rather melancholic in the former, as if thinking of someone who's now gone who would have liked such a cute setup, and in the latter he's propped the door open out of nervousness - it's a cold room with a heavy door, and even an accidental chance of being locked inside is not on his agenda. It's worth noting that he does take out items from the cold storage here and there and sets them aside, as if...planning something.

Then, in the evening Raoul is in the kitchen at various stages of cooking something - not a beloved burnt-bottom quiche, though. As the dish begins to take form, it resembles...

...What in the fuck is a Frosted Ribbon Loaf? Oh no - Raoul, no, he's setting out little plates and forks and cutting it into slices for everyone when it's done. Run before he offers you some, if you know what's good for you.]

Kitchen

[dontfeedplants]

[He had barely eaten ever since he woke up on Monday, and while he hated to admit it he was starting to get hungry. He fully intends on getting a bite to eat and then slinking off to his room, but he can't help but become curious at whatever Raoul's making.]

... What is that?

[Seymour is pretty sure he had seen something like this back at home, maybe in a magazine, but he's never actually seen anything like that in person.]

lobby

[catliketread]

You certainly have some interesting belongings!

[He's already picked up the striped scarf to examine it, but he sets that down after a moment to pick up one of the kinky boots.]

...My, this is... something.

[Goodness.]

kitchen

[robitussin]

[She walks in the kitchen to get something to eat at one point, and while she hesitates upon seeing who's in there... Well, it isn't like they can avoid each other forever.]

What is that?

OTA, some investigation at the end

[aflatouttahell]

[Well, this is a motive she's much less bothered by on the whole? What would she even do with money, she has anything Wages can buy back home. So, having gotten over her memory regain (the one where, for some reason, she pointed a gun at her dad??? Yikes.), she sets about exploring and looking around some today.

First is the new floor, which she looked around a little the day before, but definitely not at all of it. She checks out the game room first, looking through all the board games and, naturally, the tabletop rpgs.]

Who needs this many sides on their dice?

[The other rooms she only really briefly enters - she doesn't know how to bake, and carpentry is the big guy's son's shtick, so she heads to the library instead to curl up with a copy of... some sort of trashy novel about vampires? Huh.

Later, though, she gets an idea for somewhere to look for actual... information or hints or whatever. She goes to investigate the media room, starting with what seems the most suspicious: the cabinet of dvds. Any of them immediately stand out, or is she gonna have to be That Person and start making stacks?]

library

[robitussin]

[Natalie is browsing through the books on the shelves when she happens to glance over at Astarte, tilting her head.]

...Didn't think you were the supernatural romance type.

[allicareabout]

[Well, that was...delightful? No, really, that motive was delightful for a lot of reasons, not least of which because it doesn't involve literal magic or people apparently knowing things that they shouldn't know. It's basic and it's simple and it makes sense, and if nothing else that has massively lifted his spirits.

So thank you, opera house management, for not completely fucking up his day.

However, once the motive announcement is done and over with, he'll be upstairs for the better part of the day; he'd taken a cursory glance at the rooms on the third floor yesterday, but for now he's actually going over them in a bit more detail.

The game room has his interest perhaps a bit more than he'd like; he's not really one for board games, but chess is something that tends to entertain him and so he'll be checking out the tables there, looking the pieces over like he's trying to figure out what he thinks of the quality before setting up one of the boards for the sake of having something to do. If you're interested in a game...well, he certainly won't say no.

...Otherwise, those d20-game books are interesting, given that he is from the 1920s and what the hell are games like this. He is going to be in here for a while, is what I'm saying.

The workshop also has his interest, though he'll be in there later in the evening when he presumes less people will be wandering around; he's got his suit jacket off and slung somewhere that it won't get in the way, and his sleeves are rolled up while he works – it's hard to say what he's going to be working on, but he's got a pencil out and a few tools arranged in a vaguely purposeful manner like he at least somewhat knows what he's doing, and he's currently marking up a couple of boards and occasionally leaning back a bit like he's trying to visualize something, so who knows.

He's humming sort of tunelessly to himself while he works; whether it's because he's actually enjoying this or just enjoying having something to do with his goddamn hands is difficult to say, but at the very least today isn't terrible and that's more than can be said for the entirety of the past weekend.]

game room

[catliketread]

[Well, that motive sure was a thing. A stupid thing. But just because the Pirate King finds it stupid doesn't mean everyone else will, and at this point he's not willing to rule it out as something that no one will act on, simply because he doesn't know everyone here. While he'd love to believe the best in everyone... D-ne killed Valjean and Hime was murdered, so the Pirate King doesn't feel too optimistic here. Money may not be the best motive in his opinion, but money can push people to do terrible things. Like murder!

Anyway, he's been wandering the building aimlessly while he tries to figure out something to do (that isn't painting, though he does enjoy that) and guess who he's stumbled on!! Hiya, Billy, hope you don't mind some company at the chess table.]

I would ask if you play, but I doubt you'd know how to set up the pieces if you didn't!

game room

[robitussin]

You interested in a game, or just staring at the chess board and thinking deep thoughts?

[She's inspecting a board game curiously as she asks the question, but glances towards him as she waits for a response.]

workshop

[dieformymusic]

[Wrong because Winslow is constantly wandering all hours of the evening and day. He picks up a sort of tuneless hum which leads him to investigate the room he hadn't seem before because well. Memories and that fun stuff.

Turns out Billy is there. The right Billy this time. He has some questions on his mind and he may as well ask since he's here.

Winslow appears (with his face on), alerting Billy with a wordless gurgle.]

game room

[aflatouttahell]

[Jezebel very critically (ha ha ha) eyes a d12 as he looks at the tabletop games.]

They're all so... medieval. Except for the dragons.

[robitussin]

[On Tuesday afternoon, Natalie can be found in the chapel. It might seem like she's praying from the fact that she's sitting in a pew, leaning slightly forward, but anyone who observes her for very long will notice that she's actually writing something down quickly. Occasionally, she looks up from her work, chewing thoughtfully on the pencil she's using.

Later on, she can be found in the kitchen, mixing together several ingredients in a bowl with perhaps more force than is necessary. She's lost in thought, and when she turns to grab something, she knocks a cup of flour over - some of the resulting cloud of flour settles on her clothing as she frowns, trying to brush it off.]

Dammit...