OVERTURE

[stagemanagers]

You wake up, and realize you don’t remember how you got here.

This bed is soft and warm, but it’s certainly not yours. And the room is unfamiliar - unless perhaps you’re an actor, seeing as it looks almost exactly like every dressing room in the world. It's not quite large enough to fit the bed and trunk comfortably alongside the vanity, but it what it lacks in open space, it makes up for in coziness. This could be something you’ve seen in a movie, or dreamed about experiencing one day. But whatever the case, you aren’t supposed to be here.

There’s a silver key resting on your vanity, along with a thin program booklet. The cover - where the name of the show would usually be - is blank, but if you flip through it, you’ll find some startlingly familiar information. Maybe a few familiar faces as well…

The hallway outside is narrow and poorly-lit, lined with star-studded doors. But if you make your way past them and out into the lobby, you’ll find something entirely different: an elegant, refined opera house. Crystal chandeliers glitter overhead, and the red carpet is perfect for putting on a show. A large clock on the northern wall marks the time, though with the windows shuttered and locked it's difficult to tell whether it's morning or night. There’s also some framed information pinned up that you might find helpful. If you explore further into the adjoining wings, in fact, you'll see there's an identical copy in every room.

There’s also two sets of double-doors in the lobby: one leading back the way you came, deeper into the Opera House, and one leading out. For the moment, neither of them will open.

It looks like you’re stuck. But hey - at least you aren’t alone.

Comments

[aflatouttahell]

[This is not her beautiful bed. This is not her beautiful... okay, Hell is hardly beautiful, but! This is a dressing room, and she doesn't live, you know, in a dressing room. And certainly not with an ominous blank playbill full of... headshots and profiles? Including her own, which... okay, "The Hell Princess" is a little on-the-nose, but it's not inaccurate. The implication that her skin and horns are just makeup bugs her, but if it's a matter of "this is what it would take for someone to pretend to be you, Jezebel Mephistopheles" then it's probably not wrong. There are plenty of Devils, but they're mostly ugly jerks.

But after a moment to collect herself, she'll poke her head out of her room and call out:]

Hello? Is anyone there?

[Later, once she's been emboldened a little further, she'll make her way to the lobby, either pacing back and forth in thought or examining the rules.]

... Dad would be way more straightforward, but who else would set all this up...?

[sunshineprincess]

[The rules drew Anna's eyes until she sees who else is reading them.

.... that was some rather elaborate makeup. Sorry if she's staring at you, Jezebel. She thought the booklet was wrong.]

[aflatouttahell]

[She notices Anna staring after a moment, and looks over.]

This... sure is something, huh?

[sunshineprincess]

[Sorry about this next part.]

..... are those real horns? And wings?

[aflatouttahell]

[Ah.]

Yes and yes. And my skin really is red, too.

[dontfeedplants]

[... Okay, are those horns real? He had briefly looked at her photo while looking through the booklet, but Seymour had just assumed that it was makeup.

Sorry Jezebel, there is going to be a lot of staring.]

I guess I'm here?

[Awkwardly waves while staring.]

[aflatouttahell]

[Awkward wave back!]

Hi! Do you... know where we are?

[dontfeedplants]

[If he had stopped to think about it, the amount of staring he's doing right now would probably be considered rude.]

I don't think so. I just got here myself. This might be a dream...?

[If her horns are anything to go by.]

[aflatouttahell]

If it's a dream, we're both stuck in it.

[She's a little nervous herself, so she doesn't comment on the staring.]

I'm Jezebel.

[solomonjihad]

Your dad?

[...Wh...what? Is this the daughter of the responsible party?]

Why would your dad do this? I don't even know your dad...

[Or any human male aside from...one. Sort of. As far as she knows he was once?]

[aflatouttahell]

Well, he is Satan.

[She gestures at the rules.]

He wouldn't be coy like this, though. Theatrical, yes. But he'd make sure we knew it was him.

[1/2]

[solomonjihad]

...............

[Satan. SATAN. AHA-

The stare that Astarte gives to Jez at her response is...well. Something. Its a combination of wide-eyed surprise, and barely-held back contempt.

This girl? This girl is claiming to be the child of Satan.

Fool. What a joke, what--]

[2/2]

[solomonjihad]

[Of course none of it makes sense to Astarte. What does make sense is that the voice is gaining ground, and she shuts her eyes, using her willpower to beat it back. Her legs shake, and the next thing she realizes in a truly cognizant state, she's hit her knees on the floor.]

A-ah-! I'm...!

[Uh. Sorry?]

[aflatouttahell]

[WELL THAT SURE WAS A RESPONSE IT WAS.

Jez kneels down next to her, hand hovering as she tries to figure out if she should put it on this girl's shoulder or not?]

Are you okay?

[dechagny]

[The horns and skin are rather...weird. And strange, and ominous, and about as weird as that girl with blue hair, but this person does seem, at least, like a lady, and should probably be treated as such. Raoul approaches carefully, clearing his throat when he nears her pacing.]

Miss? If I might inquire...do you happen to know anything about this place? Or might you be as stumped as the rest of us?

[aflatouttahell]

[Oh, how charming! Jezebel smiles.]

Option two, unfortunately. Sorry.

[dechagny]

[As always.]

Oh, no apology necessary. I would rather ask than assume, miss.

[But now that he's said that, would it be rude to ask about her...features?]

Are you...quite alright?

[trettende]

[ Hans is still looking for his Princess, wandering the hall in hopes of finding her. Jezebel might be a far cry from Anna, but she's still a lady who needs help! ]

Yes? Are you alright?

[ The lights are dim and he's calling from the other side of the hall. He definitely hasn't noticed her appearance yet. ]

Are you lost, miss? I'm afraid I am too...

[aflatouttahell]

Yeah, lost sounds about right. So you have no idea where we are either?

[trettende]

[ Okay, yeah, he's walking closer now. She looks-- well, the picture made it look like makeup, perhaps.

But Hans totally fights a snow monster without stopping to pause so This is Fine. Hans simply shakes his head. ]

I woke up in one of these strange rooms, but I was at a royal ball before. It doesn't make any sense.

[dieformymusic]

[Winslow isn't exactly the prettiest person but, even he can't stop noticing the horned girl calling out of her room as he's wandering the halls.

Noticing so much in fact he makes a startled squawk and ultimately stumble hard on the floor.

Uh. Yes. Someone's there.]

[aflatouttahell]

[Oh no! She hurries over to offer him a hand up.]

Sorry! Are you okay? I didn't mean to scare you.

[robitussin]

[Upon reading Jezebel's profile earlier, she had rolled her eyes. Someone with wings and horns? Yeah, right. That's why, when she pokes her head out of her room and speaks up, Natalie turns to look at who's calling to her... And promptly freezes.]

Oh, holy fuck. No way.

[Language.]

[aflatouttahell]

[A sheepish smile!]

Way. Nice to meet you.

[robitussin]

Wow, you're really polite for a, uh...

[She trails off, but she's certain that Jezebel knows what she's leaving unsaid.]