Season 1 / Tatsuko - "It's Showtime!" [The First Trial Projection]

Kaoru Naito

"Soccerrr, ugh, I'd kill someone fer somethin' t' kick around! … heh, y'know. Or eat a bus or whatever."

Some idioms become more loaded in a room full of murderers, which just makes them even funnier to say, to him.

"Y'know, I used ta pick up jobs at carnivals 'n piers all th' time, I'm basically a certified carny. Be ready with them fists, I'll run behind ya if somethin' tries t' grab me."

He says as he pushes the staff door open, not really all that worried.

Tatsuko Onizuka

Kaoru Naito He says as he pushes the staff door open, not really all that worried.

Trying to open the door, you find that it is unlocked, and you are free to enter and exit as you wish. Entering the door seems to lead you to the backstage area.

Entering this area, it seems much less flashy than the main stage, set up more like a large warehouse. A bunch of old circus equipment is strewn about the place -- rusted cages, broken unicycles, some warped hoops, a few frayed tightropes hanging overhead. Above you are signs pointing to where different types of equipment are, though they don't seem to be in meaningful order. To your left, you see a closed side door, presumably leading outside.

A note is taped to the front of one of the cages.

Shiori Yoshida

Shiori squints at the sign barring off the front row seats, the original name being crossed off making her thoughts race. Assuming that the currently legible name is Tatsuko's last name, was she perhaps part of the original family once but was then taken away? Did the entire family change last names, or perhaps it was just her?

She supposes she won't get a definitive explanation to this mystery just yet. Projections always seemed to be steeped in metaphor and allusion, and besides, what was the point in overanalyzing them? She wasn't the one deciding Tatsuko or anyone else's verdict, after all.

With Kaoru and Suzune already handling stuff backstage, her the chauffeur's gaze drifts to the large entryway leading outside the tent. Is there anything of note outside?

Tatsuko Onizuka

Shiori Yoshida With Kaoru and Suzune already handling stuff backstage, her the chauffeur’s gaze drifts to the large entryway leading outside the tent. Is there anything of note outside?

The door outside seems to lead to an endless expanse of greenery. It's impossible to tell where it ends as it disappears beyond the horizon.

You do notice that it is currently night. The inside of the tent is being illuminated by an extraordinarily bright moon and stars.

Nobuko Yoshida

Well. The outside world didn't seem particularly appealing. If there was anything left of interest to be found, it was likely to be within this tent.

Nobuko tilts her head to her sister, and indicates to the way backstage. "Come, Shiori. Let's reconvene with the others."

As she walks over in the direction she saw Kaoru and Suzune, she takes a moment to examine the curtain that covers the way forward.

Tatsuko Onizuka

Nobuko Yoshida As she walks over in the direction she saw Kaoru and Suzune, she takes a moment to examine the curtain that covers the way forward.

It's a mostly unremarkable curtain aside from its bright red color. Its main purpose seems to be to hide the backstage wings and door from the audience.

Chula - Suzune

"Weellllllll~" She'd been avoiding using the terminology of 'I'd kill,' hence the bus, but Kaoru went out and said it anyway. She made a mental note that she wouldn't need to be too careful around him. She did notice his avoidance of name sharing, but maybe it wasn't all that necessary at the exact moment anyway. She could 'hey you' the guy if she needed to, and then ask again at a later time. "But yeah, honestly, a soccer ball sounds GREAT right about now. If we get a hold of one, I'll keep you in mind, hehe."

Suzune brushed off her hands as she peered inside the room. "Looks like we're clear! No scary getter in here. But yeah, you can hide behind me if you want to!" The imagery of giant Kaoru hiding behind tiny Suzune is pretty hilarious to me, Chula.

"If you don't mind, though… I'm going to, like, step on in!!" She skipped inside, eyes tracing the room. The cage caught her attention the most, snagging the note to give it a read! She reads it out loud for the others to hear, too, given the Yoshida siblings were in another area.

Tatsuko Onizuka

Chula - Suzune The cage caught her attention the most, snagging the note to give it a read! She reads it out loud for the others to hear, too, given the Yoshida siblings were in another area.

The note appears to be a list typed in a font that seems to prioritize its quirky look over readability. The note itself is on a piece of paper with a circus-esque border surrounding it.

SHOW SET-UP

Paint marks -- Paint delivered outside

Move props to stage -- Today's stars: Juggling clowns

Turn on stage lights

Enjoy the show!

Kaoru Naito

He whistles at the list, amused, "Aw fuuuck, work, I didn't mean I wanted to get back t' work— her brain prison's makin' us clock in, man!"

He opens the side door to check out what's out there. Paint? A jumpscare? (The other projections have treated him poorly, he really is expecting a jumpscare all the time now).

Tatsuko Onizuka

Kaoru Naito He opens the side door to check out what’s out there.

It could theoretically be a jumpscare if you were afraid of dumpsters and paint cans. Otherwise, it is just a normal-looking dumpster with a box of red paint cans next to it. The outside area seems to resemble an alleyway, except only half of one, as the concrete ground only extends a few feet before transitioning into empty scenery.

Kaoru Naito

Oh fuck yeaaaaah a dumpster. He looks in the dumpster first. (A tiny part of him wants another rat).

Tatsuko Onizuka

Kaoru Naito He looks in the dumpster first.

Just by opening the dumpster, you are hit by a strong petroleum-like smell, akin to kerosene, without even seeing what's inside. Looking in, you can clearly see where the smell is coming from -- the dumpster is mostly empty aside from several empty cans of paint thinner.

And what's that in the corner? A single small rat. A present just for you. (It's a squeaky rat, but it's the thought that counts)

Nobuko Yoshida

Walking into the backstage area, Nobuko glances at the list, and a smile crosses her face.

"I see that there are tasks required of us. Excellent. Let's get started then."
Nobuko will go over to the equipment. Perhaps there are things here to be juggled?

Tatsuko Onizuka

Nobuko Yoshida Nobuko will go over to the equipment. Perhaps there are things here to be juggled?

Wandering throughout the backstage area, you eventually come to a section helpfully labelled "juggling equipment". In this section, you can find boxes upon boxes of different materials and items that can be used for juggling. Balls, bowling pins, rings, and even things like knives, flaming torches, and axes… if you can juggle it, there's a box of it here.

Some of this equipment definitely looks older than other options. Who would even bring some of these things onstage?

Kaoru Naito

YEAAAH RAT. He squeezes it really hard a couple times to squeak it then wraps its tail in his collar to dangle it from there like a weird ass necklace. He sniffs the dumpster a few times and notes, okay, this seems flammable as fuck and adds that to his mental notes before looking at the box of red paint cans. Does it look like it's been opened already or is it sealed?

While here, he tries sticking his foot into the empty scenery. That's weird. Some brain thing? He doesn't expect much; these projections wig him out, which makes him want to pick at the seams of them when he sees a chance.

Tatsuko Onizuka

Kaoru Naito Does it look like it’s been opened already or is it sealed

The box has already been opened. Inside are several red paint cans, which have also helpfully been opened. The box even contains some paintbrushes for you to use, if you so desire.

Kaoru Naito While here, he tries sticking his foot into the empty scenery.

You stick your foot out to see… nothing happening. Looks like there's nothing physically stopping you from leaving the circus tent if you really wanted to. But why would you? There's nothing out there. Everything is here. You notice that the moment the thought of leaving even crosses your mind, you are filled with an overwhelming desire to stay here and finish the show.

Shiori Yoshida

As she steps into the backstage area alongside her sister, the relief in Shiori's eyes is evident as she hears Suzune read out the list of tasks. There was nothing she loved more than being given clear directions for what she's expected to do, and now with these instructions in mind, she sets out to fulfill the first one on the list.

Of course, this leads her to approach the dumpster alongside Kaoru. Except rather than looking for rats with him, she hoists up the box of red paint cans in her arms with notably little effort. Guess she's used to doing manual labor like this. She takes a step inside but then pauses to squints into space, unsure what to do next. Damn, guess the instructions weren't completely clear after all.

"What marks are we meant to paint with these? The instructions did not specify."

Tatsuko Onizuka

Shiori Yoshida “What marks are we meant to paint with these? The instructions did not specify.”

As soon as you say that, you notice that several lines of lights suddenly illuminate. Following them reveals that they turn into arrows pointing at the door back to the stage.

Chula - Suzune

"Ooooh… Yeah, I guess the other ones I've visited didn't have anything like work, huh? Though the, um, last one I was in was VERY dark!" She wouldn't share the details without Vincent's express permission, but it certainly was. A lot. So far this was a little refreshing in comparison. Wait… was that the rustling of trash she heard outside? "… Is that a raccoon I'm hearing?"

Still! there was a checklist to address now, best to get to work! Suzune glances around the signs for the different equipment types. "Do you think there might be like… a little stage thingy? Gosh, I wouldn't know what they're called."

Tatsuko Onizuka

Chula - Suzune Suzune glances around the signs for the different equipment types.

There are signs for assorted kinds of circus materials. Everything from "wardrobe" to "ropes" to "things to set on fire and jump through" seems to have its own section. You're not sure what the organization system behind this is, or when and why you would need half this stuff.

Shiori Yoshida

"Ah." She bows to the air. "Thank you for the clarification." Girl what. Anyways. She follows the arrows back to the stage. Anything on the stage that they need to paint?

Tatsuko Onizuka

Shiori Yoshida Anything on the stage that they need to paint?

The stage itself is completely empty. Looks like there's nothing to paint but the stage itself. There weren't any kinds of marks specified, so you could theoretically just paint whatever you wanted.

Nobuko Yoshida Nobuko portions off a selection of various juggleable items, with a preference towards the ones in better condition.

Most of the items seem in different states of disrepair. The only ones that seem relatively better and in show condition is the box of axes.

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