WEEK THREE: EXECUTION

[guestservices]

W̴͍̎E̴̝̊E̸͚͝K̸͕̿ THREE: EXECUTION

By now, you've all got to be expecting it. Time marches on, and as Sunday morning arrives, you'll find yourself rising from your bed around 9. It starts off as a gentle suggestion, a feeling that you're going to be late for something. Aren't you going to be late for something?

Whether you answer that call or not, eventually, you'll find yourself walking directly down to the lobby, to a room that has so far been locked. All of you stand in front of a pair of golden doors, blocked off by a red velvet rope.

There's a moment of silence, and then a strange clattering noise. The doors fly open, and you'll find that you're standing in a darkened room where rows and rows of blue velvet seats lead up to a stage. The stage in front of you is covered with a pair of matching, rich blue velvet curtains, emblazoned with the logo of the Starlight Hotel.

Welcome, everyone, to the Starlight Theater.

You'll find yourself feeling like you must sit. You can choose your seat, but every seat in the house in the Starlight Theater guarantees a perfect view of the stage - there's no hiding. Should you try to merely stand, you'll find a pair of hands on your shoulders, and your body will move along without your permission into a seat. For those of you looking at your less cooperative friend, you might see the figure walking them to their seat is skeletal in nature, almost dancing behind them as they're ushered into their seat.

In fact... The empty seats in the theater are already filled. Skeletons sit in each empty seat, but make no mistake, audience: they clatter and move around, excited. Some of them are holding popcorn. Some of them look at you, then at the screen, eager. Others raise their arms to flag something, or someone - shadowy ushers burst from the floor and provide refreshments - and skeletons pour drinks down their nonexistent throats and stomachs, slurping at straws in a way that should be impossible.

Eventually, the bone clattering stops, and a hush falls over the crowd. Looking around, you might have noticed that one of your own didn't make it to the theater - MARIE is not among you.

Perhaps she's backstage?

You don't get much time to think about it, though. The lights dim, and a pair of spotlights spin arches across the curtains, as somewhere, a drumroll plays.

Lights, camera, action!

N̸A̵V̴I̶G̶A̶T̴I̴O̸N̷.̷

█ LOCATIONS █ STATUSES █ PROFILES █ AUDIENCES
█ REPORTING █ PRIVATE CONVOS █ MURDER

Comments

[toesies]

A really famous play where— maybe relevant to us, or maybe not? The leads both die at the end.

[mustbepurged]

[ ... looking over to our two performers with immediate panic ]

[toesies]

It could still be okay. I mean, subverting expectations is super entertaining. And they're all about entertainment.

[wisterin]

[ huge dislike ]

... That won't be entertaining.

[ she's trying to manifest. ]

[toesies]

It will be the opposite of entertaining. Sooooo boring. There's no audience for it.

[manifests harder.]

[wisterin]

Absolutely none.

[ as a pendulum swings to hit both kazu and marie. ]

[toesies]

Exactly. So clearly, Marie has to survive. That's the way to go.

[looks at effect


she is now team amabuki apparently]

[wisterin]

[ help the die also says she's team amabuki. ]

She should give up that foolish notion of protecting him when she knows only one of them can come out of this.

[ as she watches the fire grow with rising concern. ]

She has to let him go.

[toesies]

[RNG really said fuck Kazu.]

She's just going to get hurt if she keeps drawing out...

[wisterin]

[ rng really did

and get hurt marie does. ]

Is that supposed to happen?

[ shinobu doesn't know the script, but tybalt is the one that dies, isn't he? ]

[toesies]

[She shakes her head, covering her mouth with her hand while she continues to watch.]

No... It's not.

[wisterin]

[ she would have more concern for kazunari, if it weren't for the execution effect, but she's just like ok, that's fine if you tackle that shadow dude.

she watches as they switch rooms. that bottle doesn't give her a good feeling. ]

It's not going to end like the original, is it?

[toesies]

... There's no way that's just a sleeping draught. I think this might be it.

[supremity]

[ from where he's seated, after a beat: ]

This place does enjoy anything that can give "entertainment." They may not miss out on that chance.

[toesies]

You're right, but you shouldn't say it.

[supremity]

I, personally, will find it incredibly boring if they go that route. Too predictable now that we know the reference.

[ said primly and with full seriousness. ]

[aono]

Was THAT in the play?

[Hello, pendulum swinging at Wicked and Kazu.]

[toesies]

It wasn't, oh my god!

[toesies]

Subverting expectations is way more entertaining—

[She starts to say, before the pendulum swings down.]

—But not like this!

[supremity]

[ help. he doesn't seem surprised, necessarily, but also. ]

Stop subverting expectations and stick to the classic version! We just need the twist ending, not all the extra bullshit.

[toesies]

Exactly! You know what would be a good twist ending? If Romeo lives.

[team amabuki........]

[supremity]

[ HELP.

things are not going so girlboss for team amabuki right now. hua cheng looks a little severe, watching this. ]

That'll be poison, I assume? Maybe we'll get that ending if it takes fast enough.

[toesies]

[oh

things are definitely not going so girlboss for team amabuki right now]

Oh, my god. [YIKES.] There's the twist ending.

[unbested]

[ ah— yeah, that is how that ended, isn't it? he hadn't thought of that. ]

[toesies]

[It will be fine......................... Probably?]