It's Curtains Act 2 Test Drive

[stagemanagers]

1) CURTAINS UP

You’ve just woken up in a small dressing room, which is certainly not where you went to bed last night. Actually, do you even remember going to sleep…? Regardless, this isn't where you last were, and if you leave your room you’re going to find a lot of other people in the same state.

Go out and socialize! Most of these people may be strangers, but you’re gonna all have to get used to one another. And who knows? There may actually be a familiar face in the crowd.

2) THIS PETTY PACE

By now, you're acquainted with everybody here and you're slowly growing bored. Bored enough to kill? Hopefully not. You'd better try to find something else to do. You can always go hang out with your castmates, or maybe try and whip something up in the kitchen! There’s also a music room to keep you busy! I sure hope you like music.

3) BREAK A LEG

Comedies are fun and all, but that’s not quite what we’re about here. You’ve all just been handed this week’s motive. What do you make of it? Is it one that might actually tempt you to kill, or did you get off lightly this time? Either way, maybe you’d better look around the room and see who else is having a rough time.

4) CURTAIN

It was bound to happen eventually. Someone is dead, and now it's time to go off and investigate. Were they close to you? Are you, perhaps, feeling guilty? Either way, it's probably best not to leave anyone alone right now.

5) CUE MUSIC

Feelings in a murder-opera can get pretty gosh darn intense. Sometimes you’ve just got to let it out. And hey, if you sing a song about whatever’s going on in your head, maybe someone will hear and come help you? Either way, this is a musical – there’s not really any reason not to sing.

[Mod Note: The song mechanic is meant to be fluid and simple. You do not have to produce your own song lyrics, nor are you required to use show tunes (although we do encourage it!). If you want to rewrite existing lyrics to fit the situation, go for it! Anything goes - if Mumford and Sons expresses your character’s current emotions, then break out the banjos. We want to keep the musical mechanic as fun and simple as we can to encourage our players to use it as much as they like.]

6) WILDCARD

Make up your own prompt!

--

Questions, comments, concerned? Reach the mods on plurk at slothbless (Lynny) and lluosogrwydd (Lu) and at our public mod plurk stagemanagers. Our official Act 2 FAQ can also be found here!

Comments

Riley Williams | We Are The Tigers

[isawallflower]

2 - But I don't even care, I don't care

[ Okay! This whole situation is less than ideal! All Riley wanted to do was cheer! Now there's not much to do!! Except keep in shape!!!

She doesn't have music to play, she doesn't have mats, so she can't do anything too crazy--can't do anything much without a team, anyway, without a base to the pyramid, a flyer--but at least she can keep herself flexible! So, here's Riley, going through all manner of stretches! She's...wow, does she even need to practice? Should people be this twisty? Is she just holding her feet- stretching her arms past her feet- ]

3 - Promise it, I swear, I don't care!

[ Okay!! Really not cut out for this now!!!

Their host has promised anyone who kills will go home -- with the added bonus of a whole load of money!

This- this does nothing for her. Riley sucks in a nervous breath and claps her hands together, loudly. In a high-pitched, almost sing-song voice: ] Okaaay, well! It's clear to me this establishment is trying to pit us against each other from a place of privilege! There's no reason why those with...more monetary advances can't work with those who have less! In fact, if we can all put this little bitty threat [ screaming internally, stretched smile- ] I am sure we can find a way to rectify some of that- that inequality!

[ ...Oh, she's trying so hard, isn't she? ]

4 - I'm not always trapped in my head

[ ...Okay. Okay, this is the farthest she could possibly be cut out for anything in her entire life, isn't it? At the sight of a man positively brutalized, red-and-white pinstripe suit just fully red now, face twisted to a mangled mask of terror, color drains from Riley's face, as she takes a slow step back, into...oh, that's a puddle of blood, isn't it? There's blood all over the place, isn't there?

There's no possible way to deny it, Harold Hill, The Music Man is dead!

A long, panicked shriek echoes through the halls. Composure? What's composure when you're stuck in a fucking death opera?! ]

4

[justmeheere]

[Oh god. Jeremy runs toward the scream, because you know!!! Screaming bad!!! And uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wow! He's really not. He is not equipped to deal with this.]

Oh. Oh my god. [He's trying very hard to not just say "that's a dead body."] Are you okay, Riley?

[isawallflower]

Of course I'm not okay, there's a person dead right there!!

[ She's hysterical! ]

[justmeheere]

I mean, but - the blood? [His voice cracks on the end a little, there. Be chill, Jeremy. BE CHILL ABOUT THIS.] I didn't know if you were hurt too. If you're okay, we can. We can figure this out.

[isawallflower]

The blood? [ ...Oh. Oh, he thought-- she vehemently shakes her head--and then shakes some blood off her shoe. ] No! Oh, no, I just- I just found him like this, I swear.

[justmeheere]

I believe you. You would never do something like this, Riley.

[Somewhere offscreen: RIIIIIIIIIIIIILEYYYYYYYYYY]

We can just be chill and investigate a murder. Just, uh. Just a normal, everyday murder investigation.

[He's trying. He is trying so hard, Riley, you have to believe him.]

[isawallflower]

[ Jeremy, could your Greek Chorus be any more ill-timed. ]

Of course I wouldn't. He's... Oh, my God, he's just- [ She turns away from Mr. Hill sharply. Someone didn't just kill him, they went to town on him. It's a little sickening. Okay, a lot sickening.

With a small eyebrow raise and a forced scoff, she looks at him. ] Do you investigate a lot of murders, or is this new for you?

[justmeheere]

I play a lot of Clue with Michael and I've read Encyclopedia Brown.

[So that's a no.]

I, uh. I can look at the body and you can look around for other clues?

3

[nobodysbismuth]

...why, you got a lot of it?

[Bismuth doesn't care about this even one bit! What's human money good for? She can make anything she wants herself!

But Riley is uh, being pretty weird over there.]

[isawallflower]

[ Gems confuse her! But Riley likes Bismuth well enough. She turns right to her, taking this in stride! ]

Yes! Well- I mean, my parents do, and I have grown up in a lucky position. [ That is only slightly rehearsed. ] So! There's no need to worry about getting any here!

[nobodysbismuth]

Don't use the stuff. But it's nice of you to offer! See, no reason for anythin' to happen!

[Inwardly, she's not half so optimistic about this whole thing as she sounds, but it's best to try and keep up some morale.]

[isawallflower]

[ Look, all you need to do is work hard and have a GREAT positive attitude, and everything will be FINE. ]

Yes! Yes, that's exactlyyy what I meant! [ Melodic, enthusiastic. Maybe a little forced? But not harmful! Just energetic. ] If we all stick together, we're going to be fine.

[nobodysbismuth]

See, there's the spirit! Now let's get outta here - I bet that guy just loves to hang around and watch us freak out.

[not that the overseer, per se, is visibly here, but you know]

[isawallflower]

[ it's the principle of the matter!!! you know?? ]

And we have much better things to do than give in to the demands of a...well, whatever kind of person gets excited about things like that! No standing around panicking! [ What do we do instead of-- ] Let'sss...organize a gathering! Some kind of...of togetherness thing!

[nobodysbismuth]

A party? Sure, we can do that! The Crystal Gems know how to throw a real good party!

[not usually one with humans, admittedly, in her experience. but she knows a little of this, too...]

What do you all like, pizza? I know how to make a pizza!

2

[mcfife]

[Even when wearing loose-fitting clothes instead of armor, Angus McFife can barely reach bast his toes. Flexibility is not a priority of battle hammer-wielders.

He approaches Riley slowly, just trying to comprehend how any human could perform such feats.]

Is...is this what you do all the time?

[isawallflower]

[ Strrrrretch. Her head's bent, the line of her neck lining up with her arms as she easily reaches past her feet. At the sound of someone else, she pops up, ponytail flipping about from the speed of it. ]

Uh-huh? Beeecause I'm on the cheer squad? [ Everyone knows about cheerleading, right? ]

[mcfife]

A squad of...cheermasters? [Usually you'd have a band of musicians or performers to motivate royalty or warriors or whoever needs it, but they weren't necessarily acrobats.] And this involves performing feats of dexterity?

[Honestly, he's already impressed.]

[isawallflower]

[ Oh wow, she's never been called a master before-- Riley sits up, internally preening and curling one arm over her shoulder in a showy manner. ]

Why, yes! It's the job of the cheer squad to keep everyone energized, inspired--we are the heart of the school- no, the town! It's an honored position, one that empowers and emboldens young girls to take a stand in their community!

[ ...Well, he's got her talking, so, now she'll never shut up. ]

[mcfife]

[It needs more metal descriptors for Angus’ tastes, but she’s getting there.]

What else do you do when you’re working? Is it simply a matter of acrobatics? Do you perform for your entire town?

[It sounds like an interesting place, wherever she’s from?]

[isawallflower]

[ Her eyes have completely lit up. There's this kind of...fire in them that's all-consuming. In an instant, Riley's on her feet, bouncing on her tiptoes. ]

Oh, not just acrobatics! It's our very spirit, our nature. We...

We are the soul of the school,
The pride of the name,
The heart and the flame.
Our words are pure inspiration,
Years of creation,
Changing the nation!
We'll give you something to hold on to,
When you think your time is up.
We'll give you just the song you want to
Hear when you're out of luck.

[ And she's going through a slow routine while singing, reverently. She's filled with so much pride it's palpable. ]

We're to be role models, giving back to everyone else. We perform for anyone, everyone who happens to be there to see us.

3

[holyspit]

[That's. Kind of a lot of words.]

...So. You're offering to pay people to NOT murder?

[He hadn't thought the motive was that big a deal.]

[isawallflower]

[ It sure is, Steven. It sure is. ]

Exactly! ...Okay, when you put it that way it sounds weird. But this whole thing is weird, isn't it?

[holyspit]

I guess? I mean, this whole place is definitely weird. But do you really think anyone will go for this motive?

4- I'm not always trapped in my head

[arieltritonsdaughter]

[Ariel hears the long, panicked shriek. Is someone else being murdered? Was someone else already murdered?]

What was that? I can't believe that this is happening again!

[Ariel, runs onto the scene. She skids to a stop right before she reaches the pools of blood. She sees Harold's body. She sees Riley.]

Riley, what happened? Are you okay? Nevermind, of course this is not okay. We must tell the others. Come with me. You need some water.

[Ariel reaches out to take Riley's hand and lead her away.]