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6: A Key Turns
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    • You reach forwards and embrace your... actress in a hug. Suddenly, you feel warm and tingly as blue light envelops you. When it fades a few moments later, she's vanished from view. You're pretty sure you feel her in the back of your mind, though she currently seems to be... sleeping? Dormant? What's the appropriate word here?

    Species Change: Hybrid Conceptual Being

    Either way, you do still get your coat hung up. You also find yourself drinking the rest of your actress' coffee. It tastes nice.

    Still, the fact of the matter is you're still stuck in this theater, and you very definitely want to go home as soon as you possibly can.

    Thinking about how to get out, you realize something interesting. Apparently, merging with your actress came with a full mental map of the theater.

    There's no exit for theater staff, but apparently members of the audience come and go. Meaning there has to be a door in the seating areas.

    Where do you go?
    [] Upper Level
    -[] Over The Stage
    -[] VIP Seating
    -[] A/V Room
    -[] Producer's Office
    [] Main Level
    -[] The Stage
    -[] Main Seating
    -[] Costume Department
    -[] Props Department
    -[] Effects Department
    -[] Break Room (YOU ARE HERE)
    -[] Dressing Room
    [] Lower Level
    -[] Beneath the Stage
    -[] Band Pit
    -[] Kitchen
    -[] Miscellaneous Storage
    -[] Staff Toilets


    Completed
    -Shovel The Snow
    -Hug your Actress

    Current
    -Escape the Backstage
    Name: Taylor Hebert
    Age: 15
    Gender: Female
    Species: Hybrid Conceptual Being

    Equipment
    -Digital wristwatch
    -Winter Clothing (stored in break room)
    -Snow Shovel (steel)(stored in break room)

    Powers
    -???
    Known Locations
    -Upper Level
    --Over The Stage
    --VIP Seating
    --A/V Room
    --Producer's Office
    -Main Level
    --The Stage
    --Main Seating
    --Costume Department
    --Props Department
    --Effects Department
    --Break Room (YOU ARE HERE)
    --Dressing Room
    -Lower Level
    --Beneath the Stage
    --Band Pit
    --Kitchen
    --Miscellaneous Storage
    --Staff Toilets

    Known Phenomena
    -Costumes match people in Danny's life, including you.
    -That seamstress works crazy fast if she needs to.
    -People in reality have corresponding actors in the Theater.
    -There's an Audience.
    -No-one in the Troupe has a name.
    -Something about metaphors?
    -What how did I merge with her!?
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [:V] Grumble about how nice it would have been to have a twin sister.

    [X] Think whether your actress are needed on the stage soon.
    -[X] If your aren't needed go to the next preference.

    [X] Producer's Office

    Maybe the one in charge knows more about what is going on.
     
    [X] Think whether your actress are needed on the stage soon.
    -[X] If your aren't needed go to the next preference.
    [X] Producer's Office

    Agreed
     
    [X] Think whether your actress are needed on the stage soon.
    -[X] If your aren't needed go to the next preference.
    [X] Producer's Office
     
    [X] Think whether your actress are needed on the stage soon.
    -[X] If you aren't needed, go to the next preference.
    [X] Producer's Office
     
    7: An Empty Office
  • Threadmarks
    • Thinking for a moment, you prod your mental companion on if you'll be needed on-stage anytime soon.

    "mrrrn, lemme sleep."

    Well that was singularly unhelpful. Right, where else can you go for information on how to get home... maybe the producer's office? The person running the theater should know more about it.

    Steeling yourself, you make your way through the bustling hallway full of props being moved this way and that, climb the stairs to the upper level, and approach the door to the producer's office. Its reflective window is dark and hard to see through.

    "Hmm? What are you doing, Taylor?"

    You try the doorknob, and it rattles slightly. Locked.

    "Well of course it's locked. Letting just anyone mess with the script could have nasty consequences for the whole Troupe."

    Still, remembering a little bit from a long time ago, you press your face to the glass and cup your hands to block the light. Now you can see through the window.

    The office is currently unoccupied. There's a device looking like a mashup of a pipe organ, a typewriter, and a computer taking up the center of the room. You can see a pneumatic tube connected to it, occasionally sending capsules full of rolled-up paper downstairs.

    "Yeah, that's how we get our lines between scenes. It has outputs stage left and stage right. Need to be really good at speed reading to keep up with it though."

    Clearly, you won't be getting into the Producer's Office any time soon. Even if you did know how to pick locks, there's nowhere on this side of the door to stick a lockpick. Still, your newly acquired headmate seems relatively informative.

    What do you do?
    [] Try talking with your actress some more
    -[] Topic?
    [] Go Somewhere
    -[] Where? (Consult known locations)

    Completed
    -Shovel The Snow
    -Hug your Actress

    Current
    -Escape the Backstage
    Name: Taylor Hebert
    Age: 15
    Gender: Female
    Species: Hybrid Conceptual Being

    Equipment
    -Digital wristwatch
    -Winter Clothing (stored in break room)
    -Snow Shovel (steel)(stored in break room)

    Powers
    -???
    Known Locations
    -Upper Level
    --Over The Stage
    --VIP Seating
    --A/V Room
    --Producer's Office (YOU ARE HERE)
    -Main Level
    --The Stage
    --Main Seating
    --Costume Department
    --Props Department
    --Effects Department
    --Break Room
    --Dressing Room
    -Lower Level
    --Beneath the Stage
    --Band Pit
    --Kitchen
    --Miscellaneous Storage
    --Staff Toilets

    Known Phenomena
    -Costumes match people in Danny's life, including you.
    -That seamstress works crazy fast if she needs to.
    -People in reality have corresponding actors in the Theater.
    -There's an Audience.
    -No-one in the Troupe has a name.
    -Something about metaphors?
    -What how did I merge with her!?
    -There's some sort of crazy script machine in the Producer's Office (which is locked)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Try talking with your actress some more
    -[X] Ask her if we can leave

    Honestly surprised the obvious solution hasn't worked yet.
     
    DrWhoFan13 said:
    [X] Try talking with your actress some more
    -[X] Ask her if we can leave

    Honestly surprised the obvious solution hasn't worked yet.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    O: Fairly certain what you think is the obvious solution isn't what we think is the obvious solution. That said, we sure aren't going to just tell you it. That said, curious what you think said solution is.
     
    8: A question
  • Threadmarks
    • After a moment, you think to ask your actress "Is it even possible for me to leave here?"

    "I... don't know? I didn't even know the characters were their own people before you showed up, no offense."

    At least she's honest? But that's really not all that helpful of an answer. After a bit though, she does come up with something.

    "Maybe we could ask someone from the audience? A lot of the regulars in the VIP level are frighteningly knowledgeable about all sorts of esoteric topics. They might know."

    Huh. Well, that's an idea. Without further delay, you make your way to the hallway behind the VIP boxes. There's a long procession of doors to your right as you move down the hallway, most of them being empty. Still, eventually you come to one that seems different. Among other things, there's a painting of nine fox tails emerging from the bottom right corner hung from it.

    You hesitate. You really want to go home, but you know just enough about mythology to know that whoever's on the other side of that door is the sort of being you need to be really careful around.

    Do you open the door?
    [] Yes
    [] No

    Completed
    -Shovel The Snow
    -Hug your Actress

    Current
    -Escape the Backstage
    Name: Taylor Hebert
    Age: 15
    Gender: Female
    Species: Hybrid Conceptual Being

    Equipment
    -Digital wristwatch
    -Winter Clothing (stored in break room)
    -Snow Shovel (steel)(stored in break room)

    Powers
    -???
    Known Locations
    -Upper Level
    --Over The Stage
    --VIP Seating (YOU ARE HERE)
    --A/V Room
    --Producer's Office
    -Main Level
    --The Stage
    --Main Seating
    --Costume Department
    --Props Department
    --Effects Department
    --Break Room
    --Dressing Room
    -Lower Level
    --Beneath the Stage
    --Band Pit
    --Kitchen
    --Miscellaneous Storage
    --Staff Toilets

    Known Phenomena
    -Costumes match people in Danny's life, including you.
    -That seamstress works crazy fast if she needs to.
    -People in reality have corresponding actors in the Theater.
    -There's an Audience.
    -No-one in the Troupe has a name.
    -Something about metaphors?
    -What how did I merge with her!?
    -There's some sort of crazy script machine in the Producer's Office (which is locked)
     
  • Threadmarks
    • 9: An Explanation
  • Threadmarks
    • You knock on the door politely, twice. After just a moment, you hear "Come in."

    You open the door, and find yourself face-to-face with a full-fledged nine tailed Kitsune. Off in the distance you note that the show is currently depicting your father talking to the PRT about your disappearance, but the fox lady in front of you is commanding far more of your attention.

    (Generated with WaifuDiffusion by a friend of ours)

    She seems to have noticed your hesitance to speak.

    "Oh please, I'm not going to eat you or inflict some other horrible fate. My name is Kon. What may I call you?"

    You answer "I'm Taylor. Taylor Hebert."

    She hums for a moment "Ah, I recognize that name. Which gives me a pretty good idea of what happened. You got caught in one of my friends' experiments."

    You blink "Experiments?" thoughts of Bonesaw whirling through your mind.

    "Nothing quite that bad, I assure you. She likes to set up odd scenarios and see how they play out. Usually she asks permission first, but even in cases like this the test subjects are in no actual danger."

    "Ah... So can I go home then?"

    Kon smiles in a distinctly vulpine manner, "Yes".

    You blink "Um, how then?"

    The Kitsune hums "For this to make sense, I'm going to need to explain a bit about the nature of the theater. It's an in-between type space, representing the interest of powerful beings beyond your reality. And your reality is very interesting to watch. Now, if we're watching the world from here, what part of the theater represents the world?"

    Looking out of the box, you catch a glimpse of your dad sobbing into his arms in the kitchen.

    "It's the stage, isn't it? So I just have to go on stage and I'll be back in the world?"

    She nods "There's a couple extra steps, but you've already done one of them by merging with your actor. You also need to manufacture an excuse in the 'plot' to justify your re-appearance. Well, I could do it for you. Not for free though."

    You feel your blood run cold. "What do you mean, not for free? What could I possibly have that you want?"

    Kon pinches her nose "Not how I wanted that to come out. I can directly step onto the stage without needing any external conditions met. But to bring you along for the ride, I need a plot-fitting reason to do so that fits the 'powerful otherworldly being' stereotype. The most benign option I can think of is basically being your sponsor for the local Cape scene, and otherwise getting you to run errands for me."

    You blink. "But I don't have powers though?"

    "You didn't, until you fused with your actress. You will always be able to access the Theater from here on out, and messing with affairs backstage can have some truly drastic effects on reality. Even aside from that, you're made of solidified concepts now; you'll find that you're damn near indestructible as a result, among other things."

    Oh. Oh.

    Do you accept the Kitsune's offer?
    [] Yes (Kon helps you back to reality, in exchange for becoming your questgiver for the foreseeable future)
    [] No (You'll try and contrive a reason to re-appear on your own)
    -[] Write-In how

    Completed
    -Shovel The Snow
    -Hug your Actress

    Current
    -Escape the Backstage
    --Contrive a plot-relevant reason for reappearing
    Name: Taylor Hebert
    Age: 15
    Gender: Female
    Species: Hybrid Conceptual Being

    Equipment
    -Digital wristwatch
    -Winter Clothing (stored in break room)
    -Snow Shovel (steel)(stored in break room)

    Powers
    -Theater Access
    -Unknown Brute Rating
    Known Locations
    -Upper Level
    --Over The Stage
    --VIP Seating (YOU ARE HERE)
    --A/V Room
    --Producer's Office
    -Main Level
    --The Stage
    --Main Seating
    --Costume Department
    --Props Department
    --Effects Department
    --Break Room
    --Dressing Room
    -Lower Level
    --Beneath the Stage
    --Band Pit
    --Kitchen
    --Miscellaneous Storage
    --Staff Toilets

    Known Phenomena
    -Costumes match people in Danny's life, including you.
    -That seamstress works crazy fast if she needs to.
    -People in reality have corresponding actors in the Theater.
    -There's an Audience.
    -No-one in the Troupe has a name.
    -Something about metaphors?
    -What how did I merge with her!?
    -There's some sort of crazy script machine in the Producer's Office (which is locked)
    -Literally Everything Kon Told You
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Yes (Kon helps you back to reality, in exchange for becoming your quest giver for the foreseeable future)

    Unless we want to cause a whole fuss faking a kidnapping or runaway or something to that extent, 'fresh cape with powerful backing' is an easy way for us to return home.
     
    [X] Yes (Kon helps you back to reality, in exchange for becoming your questgiver for the foreseeable future)
    -[X] Ask her wether she's in it for an interesting story or whether she wants to actually do your 'errands' the best you can.

    I'm tempted to ask for us to not be required to murder, but there's nothing that could go wrong with a powerful backer.
    The second part of the vote is because I want to know whether she would get exesivly angry at an IC betrayal.
     
    9.5: A quick clarification
  • Threadmarks
    • WallFlower said:
    -[X] Ask her wether she's in it for an interesting story or whether she wants to actually do your 'errands' the best you can.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Kon: It's going to vary significantly, but I'll let you know why I want you to do any given thing. I've already figured out you want to be a hero, and a good portion of the missions I give you are going to be for helping you develop that way.

    Kon: Anyway, since my friend's experiment already caused a continuity divergence, we'll be acting to eliminate or mitigate the host of existential threats facing your world. We're quite familiar with the root cause of the issue, so we know what needs to be done on that front. That said, there's going to be some knock-on effects, and I'm likely going to leave dealing with those to you.
     
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Yes (Kon helps you back to reality, in exchange for becoming your questgiver for the foreseeable future)
    -[X] Ask her wether she's in it for an interesting story or whether she wants to actually do your 'errands' the best you can.
     
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