No Backward Glances

[stagemanagers]

Today is the day of the promised grand finale. And, strangely, nothing about the Opera seems especially different this morning. The theatre doors remain locked. There's no smell of blood in the air, no trashed rooms, and no dead bodies to find. In the lobbies, the crystal chandeliers are still in their places, not swung about by any mysterious force.

But there's little things. It may take a while to notice, but the lock on one of the doors in the second floor lobby - the one leading to Boxes 5 through 8 - is missing. Should anyone try it, it opens easily and without a sound.

Meanwhile, down on the first floor, the graffiti on the box office walls has once again been cleaned up. In the process, it seems, the box office door was left slightly ajar.



(( As a reminder, these are your teams. Group A gets the second floor, which will involve the area indicated in red, and Group B gets the first floor, with the areas in blue here and down the left to here. Good luck, everyone! ))

Comments

[stagemanagers]

[Nope, nothing else going on then.]

[catliketread]

[Alright, if there's nothing else to see on the calendar, he'll move over to the empty vase.]

[stagemanagers]

[It's empty.

It also doesn't really match the decor in this room, and is completely different from the other vase in here. Seymour might recognize it.]

[catliketread]

[Well, we'll leave that for Seymour! The potted succulent is probably also better suited for Seymour, since the Pirate King knows nothing about plants. Up next is the trash can! Is there anything in it?]

[stagemanagers]

[A bouquet of wilted lilies.]

[catliketread]

[...Why are there so many flowers?? Is there anything else in here or is that also best left to Seymour?]

[stagemanagers]

[Nothing else in here!

The desk does, however, have drawers.]

[catliketread]

[Drawers are fun, let's check the very top one, assuming it's not locked!]

[stagemanagers]

[It is not! There are four file folders and one loose sheet of paper in the uppermost drawer.]

[catliketread]

[Let's start with the paper. Does it have anything written on it?]

[stagemanagers]

[It has something drawn on it, in fact! With a handwritten note reading: Make it look like this.]

[catliketread]

[...Huh. Interesting. That's probably another thing he should take. So, let's start with the folders! What's in the top one?]

[stagemanagers]

[The folder contains a picture of a bearded man in a colorful outfit and mask, standing in what looks like a miniature stage. It's full-sized, like a headshot, but he doesn't exactly look like he's posing for it; he's not even looking at the camera.

The text beneath it reads:

Clopin Trouillefou
I like his style, but too chaotic. He’d go off-script at the drop of a hat. Could be an interesting cast member in the future.]

[dontfeedplants]

[Well Seymour is trying to get his mind off of that snuff film, so he might look around at the other stuff in this room. Okay what's of note about this vase?]

[stagemanagers]

[Do you remember what you did after the second trial?]

[dontfeedplants]

[It takes him a moment to recognize it, since it was awhile ago, but eventually it clicks.]

What is this doing here? Did the Management...?

[Dear god, did the Management seriously steal his present for the Balladeer?]

[stagemanagers]

[Is this a bad time to remind you of the potted succulent also sitting on the desk]

[dontfeedplants]

[Okay fine, he's angry but he's always down for looking at plants. Anything of note about the succulent?]

[stagemanagers]

[It's definitely the same one you gave the Balladeer.

And it has not been sunned or watered recently.]

[dontfeedplants]

[What? But he told the Balladeer-]

... I think the Management has been stealing my gifts to the Balladeer.

[He sounds absolutely livid.]

[dechagny]

[Huh? Raoul puts the lego book down when he hears that.]

You're sure? Then...if they've been stealing what he's been given...

[...Where's the Hamilton ticket and snacks he gave the guy last week]

[stagemanagers]

[Well, they're not on top of the desk...]

[dechagny]

[How about we cross over and look in the desk drawers?]

[dontfeedplants]

Positive! I recognize this succulent and this can't be the Balladeer's office!

[Well... there is a small chance that it could be, but he already had an office.]

[dechagny]

What need would he have for an office with an entrance in a box office, when he was always behind the curtains in every trial?