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

OTA

[dechagny]

[Raoul had assumed, upon waking, that he'd gotten sidetracked in his quest to find Christine after the curtains went down on Hannibal, that somehow he'd found himself in one of the smaller dressing rooms and his nerves had gotten the better of him. He hasn't gotten to know every inch of his new patronage, so the bed doesn't arouse suspicion - it's the lights on the vanity that do. Electric lights aren't a common thing in the 1880's, not yet, so he blinks blearily at them, subconsciously rubbing at his neck as he tries to get his bearings. When he emerges, it's with the silver key in his pocket and the thin program in his hands.

Augh - the hallway's too dim to read by. It's lucky the door to the lobby is so close to wherever he's woken up. If anyone ventures into the lobby, they will see Raoul, well-dressed and sitting upon one of the couches as he parses through the booklet with a furrowed brow, paused at his own page. He looks up when he hears you enter, and stands quickly, glancing at your face before flipping through the program and approaching.]

Excuse me! Excuse me, ah...[When he's close enough, he'll point to your entry in the program.] Would this happen to be you? I would like to ask you some questions - namely, where is this place, and do you know exactly what is going on?

[robitussin]

Sure, read it right in front of me, that's not awkward or anything. But yeah, it's me.

[She sighs; she's aware everyone's probably going to glance over the other descriptions including hers, but it still isn't information she wants a group of strangers to know. It's another source of stress on top of the almost overwhelming disorientation waking up in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people has brought.]

And no, I don't know the answer to either of your questions. I'm gonna guess that's a theme around here.

[dechagny]

[He has to bite back an obvious quip - he's not reading it, he's looking at the pictures - but this is a young lady, however spiky she may be, and Raoul shouldn't be rude to her. After all, he's never seen this girl before in his life. So, he obliges, closing the pamphlet.]

My apologies. I hope that, perhaps, one person here may have an idea, so I don't think it wise to assume that everyone I come across shall be as clueless as ourselves.

[robitussin]

Yeah, well... If you do find someone who has it figured out, keep the rest of us updated. I'm kind of figuring whoever's behind this is the mysterious, lurking in shadows kind of kidnapper, though.

[If there's one person or a small group behind this, at least, which is the assumption she's working from.]

[superboyisalive]

Ask away, dude, but I got nothin'.

[Gabe shrugs a bit, hands in his pockets, looking only slightly concerned.]

That's certainly me, but I have no clue why there would be any actor playing me. Especially me playing me.

[A shrug.]

Guess we just have to go with the flow, yeah?

[dechagny]

[Well Gabe, it's worth a shot to ask. Raoul sighs, closing the pamphlet.] My thoughts exactly. Though, I am not sure I can take the "actor" part very seriously, considering that isn't the case.

[A pause. Cripes, why are you so relaxed? It's important to keep a level head but it's like you don't even care.]

As of now, I am not sure I wish to "go with the flow", as you so put it, but I do admire your level head.

[superboyisalive]

I'm no actor. Well, other than if I want to stay out a bit too late and try to convince Mom to let me. Then I can be an excellent actor. Nothing stage-worthy, though.

[He pauses, shrugging.]

I figure it's better to at least see what's going on before getting the metaphorical torches and pitchforks. There might be an easier way.

[sunshineprincess]

[Anna stops when she's addressed, looking at the entry with an annoyed sigh.] Yeah, that's me. But I can tell you I'm not an actress.

[It's insulting, really. She was quite sure she was Anna of Arendelle, the actual princess.]

Can't really answer the second one. I've never been to a place like this in my entire life! I'm... pretty sure there's nothing like this anywhere in Arendelle.

[dechagny]

[Raoul nods, acknowledging the grave error in these pamphlets. The information in these is creepy.] Nor I an actor - and I am fairly certain this must be some sort of opera house, but none I am familiar with in the least.

[He sighs, and slips the pamphlet into his coat pocket.] Ah, but, where are my manners? Charmed to meet you, miss, I am the Viscount de Chagny.

[sunshineprincess]

An opera house? [She's read about them, but this is her first time being in one. It's grand, but creepy without a lot of people in it.]

A Viscount? [She clasps her hands together in front of her and gives him her brightest smile.] I'm Princess Anna of Arendelle. It's nice to meet you as well, Viscount de Chagny.

Re: OTA

[solomonjihad]

Wh--

[Sir, do not scare her like that. She's almost skittering away from you, red eyes wide, at the brazenness in which Raul approaches.

She shakes her head quickly.]

No! I don't know anything...!

[dechagny]

[Ah, he IS being brazen, that's not right. And towards a lady no less! He stops immediately, holding his hands up.]

Sorry - sorry, I do apologize, miss, it was not my intention to frighten you. I merely wish to know where I am and why I am here - questions that, perhaps, you too ask yourself?

[No one's going to get any answers if they get upset, and the last thing Raoul wants to do is upset a lady he's never met before now.]

[solomonjihad]

[She stares at him, still reticent, as he holds his hands up. He's...not trying to attack her. She looks down, then back up, then back down.

She simply nods at his question.

None of this is right.]

[dieformymusic]

[Winslow hoped no one would notice his entrance. That perhaps it was empty, but alas not even that wish would come true.

He looks at the stranger standing up...oh he doesn't really want them to see him like this so Winslow only keeps his head down, shaking his head. No he knows nothing that's going on. He holds up his own pamphlet with a finger over Raoul's face.

Is this you?]

[dechagny]

[Given that this fellow is dressed as the most unusual...birdman...thing...Raoul has ever seen, he does give him a respectable berth when he doesn't speak, but gestures.]

Ah - yes, that would be me. Though, I must make sure you know that I am not an actor, and I suppose the same must be true of you.

[dieformymusic]

[Everyone here looks like they've been taken out of some kind of play...which would make sense if they were putting on a show and yet.

He nods, sighing. Yes, he's aware neither of them are actors. He mimes piano playing in the air. He's more of a songwriter himself.

But. He taps the other photos. Do you know these people?]

[trettende]

Yes, that's me. I could do without the embarrassing bits about my past...

[ Really, Hans is lucky his bit doesn't say more, but he seems quite upset about what little it does say. ]

I'm afraid I must not know anymore than you. I woke up here and I've never acted a day in my life. This is all too strange...

[dechagny]

Ah, to be frank, I have only skimmed these sections out of respect for privacy.

[Sure you're kidnapped and locked in an opera house, but you've gotta not be an asshole.]

It is incredibly troubling, I agree. Why, I doubt a single person who's been brought here has tread upon the stage a day in their life.

[trettende]

Oh, good. I'm glad to hear that, sir.

[ Haha, Hans definitely read all of them but that's neither here nor there. He's not an asshole! Just... thorough. ]

I would say that's a fair assumption. I can't imagine what reasons they could have for bringing us here, but if they expect us to act after bringing us here without our permission, they'll be sorely disappointed.

[irreprochable]

Yes, Monsieur.

[Javert nods, we've all read the pamphlets. we all know what's up.]

And you are De Chagny? [javert, of course, has no problem with the otherwise foreign sounding name. enchanté.

anyway everyone's business is now javert's business when it comes to figuring out who he got kidnapped and what sorts of people everyone are, so he has memorized the whole thing by this point.

where is valjean though?! that's who he was looking for when raoul unleashes this flurry of questions at him.]

I wish I could give you answers, but I am poor in them myself.

[dechagny]

[Ah - a countryman! Raoul nods with a smile. Hey, look, you may have read this thing cover to cover, but with how weird his own blurb was, Raoul doesn't know if he feels right reading someone else's all the way through.]

I am, Monsieur, and it is good to meet you, though I wish it were under different circumstances. I believe, when it comes to answers, we are in the very same boat.

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

[Oh- oh, well, coming up and so fervently addressing her? D-ne hesitates before nodding.]

Yes... Yes, that's me.

[Though what a strange picture.]

But I regret to say I'm clueless about this situation in general. [An apologetic smile.]

[dechagny]

[Yeah he's...more nervous about this than he realizes.]

I see. Thank you, miss - and I am sorry, to have asked that so suddenly. I simply want to find answers.

[onthebusagain]

[Yeah, guess who hasn't read the booklet at all? She's had more important things on her mind, and that thing's no Cosmo.]

That is me! Why am I in that magazine? [She reaches for it. Come on, hand it over!]

[dechagny]

[By all means, take a look, he'll hand it over.]

I haven't the slightest clue, miss, but everyone I have spoken to so far has his or her picture within, as well as some sort of...odd profile written alongside it. I believe if you were to return to the room you awoke in, you would find another just like it.