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

[trettende]

[ He will marry you, Anna, even if it's the last thing you do. ]

Don't say that-- [ I mean, it's true. But. ] The people of Arendelle love you. I'm sure they'd all worry if you vanished like this.

[ He looks away. ]

Me, on the other hand... I have no clue what they'd want with me.

[sunshineprincess]

[We'll see about that with all these eligible bachelors around.

She pushes some hair behind her ear, smiling softly.] You think so?

[At that she puffs up and huffs.]

You're royalty just as much as I am! Of course it'd make sense to kidnap you!

[trettende]

Of course! Even your sister would be worried sick.

[ As much as it pains him to admit it. ]

I don't know-- my brothers used to say that if I ever got kidnapped, the Southern Isles would have to be crazy to pay my ransom. I have plenty of brothers who are more important than me.

[sunshineprincess]

Maybe... I'd hope so.

[They don't have the most glowing relationship.

She looks surprised.]

You have brothers?

[trettende]

[ Um. Wait, what? ]

Yes? Twelve older brothers, remember?

[sunshineprincess]

[Anna just stares at Hans.]

No... and that's a lot of brothers.

[trettende]

You really don't remember...?

[ Betrayal... and shit, Hans has been telling people they're engaged! Hijinks! ]

We talked about it on the veranda. Two of my brothers pretended I didn't exist for three years.

[ How could you forget :'( ]

[sunshineprincess]

[Anna still looks clueless.]

Are you sure it was me you were talking to? The last thing I remember is standing beside my sister talking about chocolate.

[There's other redheads in Arendelle.]

[trettende]

This must have been just shortly after. You mentioned that your sister had spent years shutting you out.

[ If Elsa doesn't treat her poorly, how is Hans supposed to take advantage of her sadness? Hans looks deeply concerned. ]

Are you sure you haven't hit your head?

[sunshineprincess]

[How does Hans know all this? It's... kind of creepy.

Anna takes a step back.]

I'm sure... Hans, you seem like a really nice guy, but if I told you any of those things, I would have remembered.

[trettende]

Anna...

[ Crap, he's losing her-- this is the opposite of what he wanted, dammit. Hans can't explain why she doesn't remember, either. He's just hurt. He trusted you, Anna. The shoe's on the other foot now, huh. ]

You have to believe me, I... [ I asked you to marry me would seem a little trite, wouldn't it. ]

It's alright if you've forgotten. [ He smiles somewhat sadly. It wouldn't be the first time someone pretended to forget him. ] I guess we can start over. Or I can leave you alone, if you'd like...

[sunshineprincess]

[Honestly, she does feel bad about this. He seems so set on having her be the one who he had this conversation with. Who knows how many other princesses Hans knew in the long run.

She raises her hands, shaking her head.]

N-No! I don't mind you being around. And starting over means you'd have to find a horse, and we'd have to find a boat... [That might be a bit too far back.]

[trettende]

[ Hans chuckles softly. Yeah, things are totally fine. He's not heartbroken or anything. ]

Well, perhaps not that far back. But you know what I mean, right?

[sunshineprincess]

[Hey, Anna tried to make the situation a little lighter.]

Right. So... we should start from waking up in this place?

[trettende]

Yeah, that sounds good.

[ Cough cough, look, he's reformulating his plan here. Pull yourself together, Hans! ]

So, are you alright? You mentioned you and someone else thought we'd been kidnapped...?

[sunshineprincess]

I'm fine!

[Anna nods, hands on her hips.]

I talked with Hime about it and a few others, and only Hime agrees with me. She's a princess, too, and something called a Precure.

[trettende]

I think a kidnapping makes as much sense as any other theory. What's a "Precure?"

[ Agreeing with you, see. ]

Nothing here seems to make sense at all. The lights, the booklets, the stage...

[sunshineprincess]

I was going to ask... but she started singing.

[So that thought went out the window.]

The people, those rooms we're in, and those titles? Oh! [Anna flips through her booklet and stops on a page.] This doesn't say what a Precure is either.

[trettende]

Oh, I see. And that didn't explain it?

[ Javert also sang at Hans, it was A Thing. ]

It's like they expect us all to be in some bizarre play.

[ Hans pulls his own pamphlet out, browsing through it. Ugh, why is his so bad. ]

It doesn't explain how they could have all this information about us.

[sunshineprincess]

I've never been in a play before... Wouldn't they give us some lines if we were?

[Anna looks at her own description and sighs.]

Disheveled. Really? [... oh. Does... Does Billy think she looks disheveled?]

[trettende]

Or a script, at least.

[ Just don't read Hans' too closely, Anna. ]

You're certainly not disheveled. Whoever did these must think this is all some kind of joke.

[sunshineprincess]

Do they want us to just improvise?

[There's one she's checking out now that certainly is not Hans.]

I know! I make sure all of my clothes are neat and my hair is nicely done. If anything, they probably... mean when I was little or something.

[trettende]

I suppose? I can't imagine what they'll get out of it though.

[ His just says he tries real hard and is unloved and unnoticed, how could u forget him Anna :'((( ]

Don't take it personally, Anna. We shouldn't put too much value on the opinion of whoever wrote this-- they're obviously the ones behind this entire mess.

[sunshineprincess]

[She hasn't but gosh she literally ran into a guy and he complimented her on her hair and clothes and just oh my gosh he was cute, too.

And then there's Raoul, too. So charming.]

You're right... whoever wrote this is going to get a piece of m mind!

[trettende]

[ Why u so cruel to Hans he hasn't hurt you yet, Anna :'(((( how will he break your heart if he doesn't have it!!! ]

Exactly. They're the real bad guys here. I'd like to have some strong words with them, myself!