SHOWMASTER HEART GAME (FRIDAY)

[showmaster]

A familiar voice can be heard above you, you're not sure if they're talking to you or not but it does feel like you're part of this conversation:

"What a Wonderful Story that you have. I've read it many times when I was feeling sad. You know, I wanted to keep it in my personal collection, but it doesn't seem that's going to be possible. To grant my wish, I'd have to sacrifice what it means to be a reader ... to become the story. That's The End that I'm looking for.

...

...

...

...

..."

Comments

INTRODUCTION

[ticketmaster]

But when you open your eyes, you find yourself nowhere near the showmaster and instead, you're inside of:



A subway.

And the Ticketmaster is there to take you for a ride.

COLLECT YOUR TICKETS

[ticketmaster]

The Ticketmaster is standing there by the door to the subway train, holding onto tickets that seem to be meant for you. Before she hands them over, she decides she wants to speak:

"Good morning, and thank you for accepting the invitation to the Line of Memories. I am the Ticketmaster and I am here to assist you with your journey today. The story has no choice but to end here, and so you are here to find the End of the Line. What Line you'll end up with, I cannot say, but I believe you'll find what you need to.

You see, the stage is not really my cup of tea, I've never been able to perform or direct any story. All I can do is assist with the journey. As I've said before, my cup of tea is with you!

The Subway is a tunnel filled with the Showmaster's memories, all of her secrets and all of her stories can be found here. You may do whatever you like, if she didn't want someone in here, she should have known better than to have it exposed so easily ~ I'll take you wherever it is you need to go, I've even prepared some tickets for you. Please come aboard the subway and we'll be setting off soon."

[ticketmaster]

...Just so you know, I'm looking for a different end. I'm not looking to find a way for someone to "become the story".

[socialcapital]

If she doesn't, does all this just keep happening?

[ticketmaster]

Well, we are on the third set of performances and she's already preparing for the fourth so...

[endsjustified]

What has brought us to the point that it no longer has any choice but to end?

[ticketmaster]

At some point, you'll regain too much of your former self.

[mykidisthebest]

Is it too direct to ask which ending will let everyone move on with their lives? Becoming a story doesn't sound like it's going to fix any of the problems we've got going on, which is why I ask.

[ticketmaster]

I do not think it is too direct. It depends on who is included in "everyone".

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Then what end are you looking for?

[ticketmaster]

Well, the answer is "burning the story" but that's not the actual question you're asking, is it?

LOVE (Brother)

[ticketmaster]

You find yourself stepping through the door and into an oceanic looking ballroom. The floor is lighted up to mimic coral patterns, and there are beautiful bouquets of flowers on the table that looks similar to anemone and other sea life. Everything is a hint of blue, and the chandelier above mimics the sunlight from the surface of the ocean. Fish are floating around you, as if this was the ocean, but there's no water. It's just a pleasant party ... with two people.

Every so often, your body feels a sharp pain as you walk around. Every moment, you feel as if your body is being pulled into different directions, but you're physically fine. As long as you don't move too often or if you don't think about it, you won't feel it.

A young man is standing in the center, prim and proper, dark hair, deep violet eyes, and a pleasant smile. He's speaking to a figure that seems quite like the Ticketmaster, it seems he's talking about a story he's written recently.

Other things to note is that there's plenty of food on various plates, but they all look terrible, mushed up, gooey, unrecognizable. There's a book in the young man's hand as well.

Re: LOVE (Brother)

[socialcapital]

[ the symbolic implication of those food plates makes me feel queasy to contemplate

well. time to try to subtly evesdrop on this convo. ]

Re: LOVE (Brother)

[ticketmaster]

"I really am bad at writing stories that aren't for children."

"That's true, you have used the word 'quite' three sentences in a row. Isn't that embarrassing?"

"Well........"

[The conversation is light, nothing too particularly horrible. Definitely not like the symbolic implication of those food plates that might make you feel queasy to contemplate.]

Re: LOVE (Brother)

[mykidisthebest]

[oh wow moving feels unpleasant, he's not going to think about that right now though. he can unpack that LATER.

he does try to slide over to the young man and the Ticketmaster to see if he can shamelessly try to take the book out of the young man's hands while they're talking]

Re: LOVE (Brother)

[ticketmaster]

[The Young Man looks at you, eyebrow raised, but he keeps a tight grip on that book]

...yyyyes? Nice to meet you, too?

GOAL (LEGENDS)

[ticketmaster]

At the very center of the huge vessel, taking up several floor's worth of space within the ship, is an open room with a brightly lit stage centered near the end of it. The floor is a glossy-looking marbled white and gold, and the walls are covered in thick, velvety curtains displaying the ship's insignia, interspersed with massive arched windows, meant to show off the ocean on one side of the ship.

Except there is no ocean to be seen, just a green yard of flowers and graves.

There are doors leading from here to who knows where else.

The stage, a half-moon shape, has pretty pink and gold lights surrounding the edge, and a massive screen on the wall displays whatever message the crew want to convey to all of the passengers. There are chairs and loveseats closer to the walls where passengers may sit and relax, all marked with the ship's symbol again.

Above the stage is a shining, golden sign; it can be turned on and off to suit the situation, but for now it reads THE LEGEND OF ESTORIA.

Along the back wall are white and gold clothed tables with decadent snack foods of all kinds, and bowls of ice filled with wine glasses, beer cans, juice boxes... really, whatever kind of little snack and drink you'd want here, you can find it.

Re: GOAL (LEGENDS)

[endsjustified]

[oh wack

makes his way to the windows first—any way he can see to get out there, or does the glass block him? any visible names on those graves, or particularly significant flowers?]

Re: GOAL (LEGENDS)

[ticketmaster]

[The glass is there as a barrier, whether it breaks or not depends on what you do. Oh, for the record, your blessings are on, canon powers are not (for this room).

On the graves, there are names that aren't themed like the families that you're familiar with but it FEELS like a theme. Florian, Rianoll, Ianthea, etc.

The flowers aren't particular, but they are quite vibrant and beautiful, colorful and fun.]

THE SUBWAY

[ticketmaster]

Yes for whatever reason, the third floor seems to encompass an entire subway station that looks like it needs some strong renovations. Honestly, a good cleaning and paint would be enough because everything else seems to be working alright. The lights are on, nice and bright, and the air is circulating enough to make it airy enough to breathe, and surprisingly, the only smell is the light odor of dust.

But there's still a strange eeriness to this floor.



And yes, it does look like a child made this map and hung it on the wall in an official manner.

[ticketmaster]

[The ticketmaster is here with you.]

We can go on the train for faster travel or we can walk down the tunnel.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Let's just take the fucking train.

???

[ticketmaster]

You find yourself in the familiar hall of the elevators, but it’s somewhat different than what you might remember. It's still clean, the potted plants are still there, the bright fluorescent lights are still there.

However, what you do notice is that the doors you walked through are behind you, but they look like regular double doors. There's also an emergency exit.

And instead of a row of elevators, there are only three and each one has a unique label:

The first one is 𒆙.

The second one is labeled �������.

The third one is labeled 𝄃𝄂𝄀𝄁𝄃𝄂𝄂𝄃.

If you need to access anywhere else, you have to go through the elevators, but you're not sure where they will take you.

Re: ???

[carrionmywaywardsun]

[picks the middle one cuz why not]

Re: ???

[ticketmaster]

[When the elevator opens, it is just.

Pure darkness. It isn'tt like the inside of the elevator is dark, it is just a weird void.]