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

[rockthistown]

[Hime might have had a panic attack in her room. But... time to be a hero and investigate! Right. She carefully (okay, shakily) takes her booklet and key and sneaks into the hall... using her clothing rack from her dressing room for cover. Because a moving rack of clothes isn't going to draw attention.

Once she gets out into the lobby, she pokes her head out from behind a spare hanging dress and gapes at her surroundings.]

Whaaaaaaaat!?

[dechagny]

[Raoul doesn't notice the sound of the rolling rack, he's too engrossed in his pamphlet entry. "The Charming Rival" - what is that even supposed to mean, he's not a rival to anyone. Though he is charming, thank you mysterious pamphlet.

It IS Hime's yell that startles the crap out of him, though, jumping as he's seated on one of the couches, the pamphlet flying up and fumbling out of his hands. He is definitely whipping around to take a look at the...blue...haired...girl?

What?]

...Dear God, are you well?!

[Because who yells like that other than people who are not well? Oh yeah, panicked people.]

[rockthistown]

[Eep. Hime hides behind the rack again. She takes a few deep breaths, though, and slowly comes out from behind it.]

E-excuse me! This is a theatre, right?

[dechagny]

[.......

Raoul nods slowly.]

As...far as I can tell? Yes. Most likely it is a form of opera house. Now...why did you feel the need to shout and commandeer a clothing rack?

[rockthistown]

People are scary!

[Stop, Hime, you've been working on this. She breathes in again.]

I was just surprised! I remember being invited to a celebration with my friends and we were going to perform, but I don't remember actually going there, and I don't see anyone I was with.

[catliketread]

Hahah! You've a powerful set of lungs on you, girl!

[where did you even come from, king]

[rockthistown]

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH

[Hime flails and falls over, knocking down the garment rack.]

Who are you? Do you work here?

[catliketread]

[Beautiful. 10/10.]

Of course not! Do I look like I belong in an establishment like this? Nay! I am...!

[DRAMATIC PAUSE + DRAMATIC POINT UPWARDS]

The Pirate King!

[...this would be so much better with his crew to gleefully sing about him, but nahhhhh, of course not.]

[rockthistown]

I didn't know you could become a king by downloading a bunch of things you didn't pay for. Harmonia is strange, huh?

[solomonjihad]

[What in the world is...is that a clothing rack? And its moving?.......perhaps...oh. OH.

An Undead!

Astarte quickly makes her way towards it, certain that the creature - the poor creature, bound to such an item! - might have answers. What she got instead was a human's head poking out and screaming right in her face.]

Ghk--

[She flails a bit as she tries to jump backwards, unfortunately catching her foot on her dress. The result is her landing on her behind back in a very ungraceful manner, arms still flailing.

The savior of the world, everyone. ]

[rockthistown]

Oh!

[Hime flinches back. She gives a shaky smile and comes out from behind the rack, though she still has a tight grip on one of the bars for security.]

Um. Hello?

[solomonjihad]

Ow...

[She looks up at Hime. Oh, its...its not an Undead. Of course not.

She frowns as she hears a chuckle in the inner depths of her ears.]

Why did you do that?

[rockthistown]

I woke up in a strange place with a bunch of people I don't know! I didn't want anyone to see me!

[aflatouttahell]

Ah!

[SHE WAS JUST TRYING TO WALK BY, AND NOW THIS......]

Are you alright? Um... [She flips through her program guide.] Hime?

[rockthistown]

howdoyouknowmyname

[Hime squeaks and hides back behind the rack, After a few deep breaths, she slowly comes out from behind and stares.]

...hello! Is this what the people of Harmonia look like?

[aflatouttahell]

It's in the program guide? I don't exactly see anyone else with blue hair.

[She shakes her head.]

Nope, I'm not from anywhere called Harmonia, I assure you.

[irreprochable]

Madame, please --

[Javert approaches the girl slowly, checking his handy dandy pamphlet reference guide to figure out how this screaming, blue-haired woman is. She is apparently a princess, so he corrects himself, clearing his throat]

Your royal highness, please stop screaming. I am afraid you will only attract more attention in this manner.

[rockthistown]

[Hime freezes. She looks at the pamphlet herself and sheepishly comes out from behind the rack.]

Are you sure it's safe? We just got kidnapped here.

[irreprochable]

It isn't safe.

[i mean he's not going to lie]

But yelling will only draw more danger to you.

[trettende]

[ Hard to miss a shriek like that! Hans wasn't even in the lobby, but he makes his way there at her scream.

Like a valiant prince, he bursts through the doors! And finds a clothing rack? Um? ]

I heard shouting! Is someone hurt?

[rockthistown]

[With all these people noticing (not that it's hard), Hime is busted... She comes out and sighs, albeit still clinging to her clothes rack.]

I was just surprised to be here already...

[trettende]

[ You can't hide those pipes, gurl! Her hiding plan was probably a good one, Hans didn't see her at first. ]

Oh. Well, as long as you're alright... This is an understandably scary situation.

[dontfeedplants]

[Well Seymour is wandering around the place when - OH DEAR GOD WHY IS SOMEONE SCREAMING NEAR HIM?

Seymour makes a surprised noise and just... stumbles to the ground in shock.]

Ow...

[RIP Seymour.]

[rockthistown]

[Hime nervously approaches, ready to bolt back behind the clothing rack at a moment's notice.]

I'm sorry! Just-- do you know why we're here? Nobody else seems to!

[dontfeedplants]

[Seymour awkwardly gets back up.]

I-it's okay; and sorry, I don't know what we're doing here either.