It's Curtains Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stagemanagers) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
itscurtains2020-07-11 11:52 am
stagemanagers) wrote in itscurtains2020-07-11 11:52 am
first trial
[Within a few minutes of the performers is finishing their investigations, the lights in every room flicker on and off several times. For those in or close to the lobby, they hear a faint rumbling. The gilded doors across from the heavy wooden front doors (which have always been there, the showrunners may have gotten to indicate them on the map) have opened.
Your intermission is ending. The show is about to begin.
The space behind them is lit; you're free to enter. It's a very short hallway, decorated in the same way as the lobby with the light walls and red carpet. There is one more set of doors to pass through and then you're all, finally, in the House. There's one grand chandelier above, glittering crystal, and the seats around you are made of fine, if dust-caked, red velvet. Those don't seem to be for you though - all the way down in front of the stage, where the orchestra might sit, there's a circle of wooden podiums. They're arranged so that everyone can face each other and are fixed into place. Each one bears a metal plaque with a cast member's name engraved on it. There's also a metal panel on top, with twenty ivory buttons paired to everyone's name.
Among these, only Jonny's podium is different - that one is draped in black crepe, with a larger grey-scale version of his headshot from the playbill framed and sitting at on top like a funerary portrait. Standing where he might have stood, a bare light bulb glows faintly atop a metal pole.
Right here, you're very close to the stage. But the curtain is closed, and it's a little too high to easily clamber up. You may not want to try. You've got more important business right now, after all.
As everyone is finding their places, the Phantom's voice suddenly sounds loud and clear throughout the space. If anyone is to look up, however, they'll see the dark suited figure of him and the whiteness of his mask peering over the edge of box 5.]
You must now determine who was responsible for the death of Jonny D'Ville. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.
Your intermission is ending. The show is about to begin.
The space behind them is lit; you're free to enter. It's a very short hallway, decorated in the same way as the lobby with the light walls and red carpet. There is one more set of doors to pass through and then you're all, finally, in the House. There's one grand chandelier above, glittering crystal, and the seats around you are made of fine, if dust-caked, red velvet. Those don't seem to be for you though - all the way down in front of the stage, where the orchestra might sit, there's a circle of wooden podiums. They're arranged so that everyone can face each other and are fixed into place. Each one bears a metal plaque with a cast member's name engraved on it. There's also a metal panel on top, with twenty ivory buttons paired to everyone's name.
Among these, only Jonny's podium is different - that one is draped in black crepe, with a larger grey-scale version of his headshot from the playbill framed and sitting at on top like a funerary portrait. Standing where he might have stood, a bare light bulb glows faintly atop a metal pole.
Right here, you're very close to the stage. But the curtain is closed, and it's a little too high to easily clamber up. You may not want to try. You've got more important business right now, after all.
As everyone is finding their places, the Phantom's voice suddenly sounds loud and clear throughout the space. If anyone is to look up, however, they'll see the dark suited figure of him and the whiteness of his mask peering over the edge of box 5.]
You must now determine who was responsible for the death of Jonny D'Ville. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.
EXECUTION: END OF THE LINE
The curtains are open on the stage now, bathed in darkness except for a single spotlight illuminating Sigyn in the middle. Above her a catwalk slowly lowers into view, the Phantom strolling into view as a melody begins, the soft and distant sounds of a rumbling train whistle creeping at the edges, and he begins to sing:]
Welcome, my friends
To our trial drawing swiftly to its end
Fighting to see
If you’ll vote or if you’ll die to set her free
Come along with me
As we cut a bloody swathe across the sky
Soon she’ll be
Riding wheels of new tomorrow nigh
[On the stage Sigyn is tense, looking from stage left to stage right, as the sound of a train whistle cuts through the music and a near blinding light cuts across stage left and seems to be heading at a rapid pace straight for Sigyn. Her eyes go wide and she turns to run in the opposite direction.]
Mile after mile
From the stars to the place
Where the void sings
You’ll answer its call
[When she’s nearly to the wings the train light goes out and immediately comes back on stage left. The surprise sends Sigyn reeling back, throwing her hands in front of her face and her eyes squeezed shut in preparation for the impact-
A shadow-shrouded hand grabs her arm and yanks her out of the way, the spotlight following them as the dark “train” passes harmlessly by. The one who’d dragged Sigyn away from her fate is...difficult to describe. They seem to be made of shadows, no discernable features even under the light except for long, straight red hair.]
Now you're on track
You must push forward, there's no turning back
This performance is new
This destiny will drive you straight and true
Come along with me
As we travel to a future shining bright
Soon you’ll be free
To stride out into that perfected night
[Sigyn’s expression changes, somewhere between pained and yearning, as the figure takes her hands and sweeps her into a waltz. They take nine steps together, in perfect, romantic sync-
“Loki” spins Sigyn out toward the back of the stage. The spotlight follows her as her back hits an upright silver altar. Metal cuffs wrap around her wrists to pin her in place but that doesn’t matter. What matters is the arcane glyphs and blood channels and gears and sigils that line the altar, lighting up blood red the moment Sigyn touches the silver. Underneath the song there’s a steady hum like a far off chant.]
Mile after mile
From the stars to the place
Where the void sings
You’ll answer its call
[CONTENT WARNING: Needle use]
[“Loki” comes close, touching a delicate, shadowy hand to Sigyn’s cheek...before reaching back and pulling off the red wig and the shadowy cowl, revealing the face of Jonny D’Ville. He grins as her expression changes to absolute fury. The needle he jabs straight into her heart cuts off any sound she could make and Sigyn’s body jerks then slumps forward, limp in the wrist restraints. The spotlight on her dims, leaving only the bright red lights of the glyphs and sigils that very slowly fade.]
[CONTENT WARNING ENDS]
[The only light remains on the Phantom, high above the scene. He stands tall and confident, looking down at the scene for a moment, before flicking a hand dismissively at the rest of the cast. The lights onstage go out, and the curtains swish shut.
You’re all free to go.]
no subject
There are some alchemical reactions that require... quite a bit of sacrifice.
That's what this is, now. He watches in helpless desperation, his own heart aching as she's...
Well.
His grip on Ariel tightens harshly before he seems to realize what he's done, looking down at their hands before quickly letting go and turning away]
Fuck this shit, I'm out.
[It's a broken, bitter lyric- but it's all he can express right now as he heads the fuck out of here.]
no subject
That wasn't an execution! Executions are clean, and simple. That was... torture!
no subject
She wishes it hadn't.
Jonny D'Ville's grin and the swift stab elicit a swift and sharp shriek from her throat, and she grips the podium to keep standing. For a food few seconds after, she stands eyes wide, staring at the stage.
And then, with shaky hands, she quickly leaves, pulling the knife from the podium and taking it with her. ]
no subject
Angus says nothing, only tightens his fists and glares at the curtains until someone calls for him.]
no subject
It's hard to watch. As the dance continues, as Sigyn falls mercy to something more powerful than her, to a tyrant in his own right, something bubbles up within him. It's dark. It's angry. It's the first time he's felt in ages.
Stephen drops their grip and turns tail. It's fine. In the wind of his departure, he waits. His voice is dark when he sings.]
Welcome all to curtain call
At the opera
Raging voices in my mind
Rise above the orchestra
[And then, just as quick as it came on, Ariel turns and leaves.]
no subject
When it's over she lingers just for a moment, before speed walking out of there. Not running but not being slow about it either. Her brain have switched back into autopilot and she just thinks she has to do what she can right now to take care of others.
Never mind taking care of herself. ]
no subject
[He can't watch, he shouldn't watch. He should just stay sitting by Spinel, huddled in a pile in front of her podium. But the relative quiet after the train passes gets him, he turns cautiously, hopefully- to see the needle jabbed into Sigyn's heart.]
[He could have stopped this, she should have stopped this, there's always something to do. But the moment is passed, they're free again. And Sigyn's gone.]
[Steven slumps back down for a while, before slowly getting up and numbly moving towards the door. There's still people here. He has to care about them now, not himself.]
no subject
A whole lot.
Spinel is transfixed in a way, even as she peeks out from behind her podium. It's strange, the jab into her chest makes her flinch, but there's no poof. Just. Stillness. Much like before.
It's a lot. She doesn't like any of it.]