Three Act Thrill!

With tensions starting to brew, predictably, Casper once more contacted the chat with— what else?— another event.

anyone up for a movie night? waiting in that room with the big screen this evening, ill grab a movie once people start showing up 

Milling in, most of the group arrived to the Nyarlecchino Rehearsal Room prepared for a cozy movie night. Blankets and pillows had been arranged along the floor, drinks and snacks were stacked up on blocks, and even a popcorn machine hauled from the upstairs concession stand was filling the room with the smell of hot, buttery popcorn.

Still, it seemed that their host had already had to deal with someone that wasn’t invited— namely, Nyarlecchino, with a DVD clutched in his paws, facing a slightly flustered Casper.

"I, uh, what are you doing here...?"

The event planner said to the leopard, his eyes glancing over to the new arrivals.

"You can't hide nyanything from me, nyehe! I heard there was gonna be a mewvie night... So I thought I'd help out and help decide what to watch!"

Nyarlecchino is holding up one of the mysterious discs available for purchase in the box office— one that might have been familiar to Celeste and Sentarou in particular, who had left a very similar disc in the rehearsal room earlier.

"A real retro classic mewvie mewsical! And it's kitty themed, just like me~!"

The cat executed a little jig, and Casper looked at the crowd helplessly. No helping it— they all proceeded to watch a certain 2019 movie adaptation of a cat-related musical, followed by a much more palatable screening of Ratatouille.

Ahem-hem— a clearing of the throat reminded the preoccupied crowd that the mascots were, in fact, still there.

“You all really worked your tails off!”

Nyarlecchino started, Melos following close behind with something not quite matching the leopard’s praise.

“It’s… a good thing that we’re preparing your mystery solving abilities… as we’re quite confident that soon you shall have a real murder mystery to solve, hoo.”

“We realized… we got to, um, give you more than just getting out to enclawrage you all! So we’ve got a special pawffer for you!” “Kill somepawdy to win a grand total of 1 million US dollars!”

The assembled parties devolved into chaos.

Those more affluent among them, such as Laszlo, Hiroki, Guanyu, and Urara, believed wholeheartedly that nobody would kill for that; whether they believed this was because it wasn’t enough money or because of their own morals, they staunchly believed that nothing would happen from this.

Those not belonging to the rich and powerful countered this with the fact that it is certainly a life-changing amount of money, and certainly not to be taken lightly; people have killed for much, much less.

Melos cleared their throat once more, hushing the crowd.

“You will need to succeed with murder to get the full prize, of course, but… if you fear being caught will make it all for nought… your family shall be awarded 250,000 dollars… even if you do not survive.”

“So, um, nothing to lose by giving your all at it! Oh, also, like how Meowster Okie doubted it... we knew some of mew might be doubtful that we have that kinda money, so, ummm…”

Nyarlecchino scuffled off stage, returning back with a huge bag that he dumps onto the stage.

“One hundred thousand dollars, right here! You can check all you want, not a single clawnterfeit bill in here!”

“...We will have to pick this up later, you understand…?”

The assembled stared, struck by the visual. A hundred thousand US dollars, unceremoniously dumped on the stage. Once more did they plunge into chaos— including Vesta Rose offering several thousand US dollars herself for Caitlyn Cheng to tackle Sentarou Sekisada. This was executed with Sentarou’s blessing, an absurd moment in an already absurd night.

Still, there were a couple questions, namely from Minny and Celeste: could you change who could get the money? Would the victim, too, have their family compensated?

Nyarlecchino had a quick answer for Minny about choosing who got the money.

"You can have it go to anypawdy you want, after your death! You can choose to give it to charity, or someone else's family, orrrrrrrrrr even somepawdy here! Not like, there's, um, not like there's any guarantee they'll be nyalive for that..."

And to Celeste’s question about whether the unlucky would get the same rewards as their killers, Melos leaned forward, all 6'6 of owl looming.

"Rewards... are for the victors, hoo."

With that chilling note, the mascots dismissed everyone, the night finished already— understandable, as many were unwilling to continue a party after that.

Going to bed that night, many fell asleep, uneasy and uncertain. Would someone really kill for something like money? Would they themselves be willing? Would they be killed themselves?

An hour into the masquerade, Nyarlecchino and Melos deigned to speak to the crowd.Of course, Nyarlecchino was, as usual, fairly exuberant:

“Wowow! You all looked picture pawfect out there!”

And even Melos had his own compliments to offer, along with something... else?

“Indeed… some of you were the perfect picture of elegance. I could waste away for hours to this sight... But now it is time to make this mysterious masquerade… more mysterious, hoo…”

“Meowder mysterious~!”

“At least… that’s what we wanted to say… but unfortunately and oh so tragically, none of you have been compelled to action quite yet.”

“So we’ve got a super fun non-meowder meowder mystery for you guys! And it’s even educational, ‘cause it’ll help you when someone actually does, um…”

To punctuate their point, Nyarlecchino mimed stabbing the air with a child-size rapier. Melos cleared her throat before further explaining what exactly a non-murder murder mystery entailed.

“As it typically is in a theater… before we arrived, Ms. Elicia Henderson was planning to host a theatrical production. But what exactly was she hosting? Her production was a deep secret… though, of course, we know what it is, hoo.”

“So meow it’s time for you to figure it out!"

“Go explore this theatre– find hints and traces of what she was going to do. At the end of the night, you will all submit your theories.”

"After 1 hour, you’ll all submit your theories, and you’ll get handsomely rewarded for it! Extra if you’re completely right about pawll of it!"

“But the festivities of the night won’t end there, hoo… we’ll see you upon your return. Break a leg…”

And so all sixteen attendees set off to uncover the evidence laid about the backstage; while unearthing stage directions, props, costumes, and even a mock-murder scene set up along the set pieces, they did their best to sleuth out the truth according to the mascot’s whims over the next hour. At the end of it, they presented each of their solutions to the mascots for evaluation.

Nyarlecchino and Melos hemmed and hawwed over the sheets, deliberating over the arrangement of the clues, before Melos stretched to their full height to address the would-be detectives.

“Well done. We will present your prizes now… we hope you enjoyed our mystery, hoo..."

While everyone received some form of compensation in the form of the game’s strange currency, the most accurate among them received prizes personally from their hosts

In third place, Urara Hashino, while disappointed at her placement, received a two luxurious fans, one gold and leopard-patterned and one lush with shiny black feathers.

Guanyu Xue, earning second place with her guesses, received two masquerade masks– each matching the mascots in front of her.

And finally, netting first place for his insight into the play, Hiroki Takahiro earned a rather comical prize of Nyarlecchino and Melos themed kigrurumis— one that he used reluctantly at the insistence of his peers, donning the Melos kigurumi for a brief time.

Almost a week.

The killing game had been in effect for almost a week, and the help that was assumed to be coming was nowhere to be seen. While some may have expected this, and some may have held onto faith, the dread that growing each day was palpable regardless.

But even in the face of dread, the masquerade ball loomed closer still. For those who asked, as promised, Nyarlecchino had provided outfits. They were picture perfect, with every whim and specification applied. Even if you didn’t dress up, Melos painted a very clear picture that attendance was mandatory— so for those who didn’t do anything special, a standard (but still elegant) masquerade mask was left on their dorm beds with a note saying “DON’T FURGET! :3” next to it.

 As you all enter, no grand, sweeping staircase that overlooks a ballroom awaits you; however, twin red carpets have been rolled down the aisles of the theater seats, offering you a star-studded entrance from the lobby. Coming out on the red carpet in a glamorous outfit underneath the simulated starry sky—  it’s so magical that it might make you forget the situation you’re in.

The lovely (?) hosts, Melos and Nyarlecchino, awaited the attendees on the stage in their own finery. With nods of their heads and silent stares as their quiet greetings, they simply allowed their guests to filter in and greet each other at their own pace.

For most of the masquerade, they left the attendees alone. Some danced under the stage spotlights, putting their practice into use on the makeshift dance floor. Some enjoyed the refreshments provided in the left wing, while others relaxed in the quiet space set up stage right. Still, a fairly enjoyable evening of finery and friends (or enemies, in a few cases) seemed to be set up without the hosts’ interference.

With the buzz of the ball prickling at everyone’s minds, a timely text comes from Casper.

hey uh with the masquerade coming up feel free to swing by the dance studio to practice if you want no pressure if you arent planning to dance but if youre nervous about stepping on toes or anything you can get a little practice in to ease any nerves 👍

And surely enough, many filtered into the dance studio— one furnished with some extra water should they tire themselves out. Whether they were somewhat practiced or decidedly less so, everyone got in some practice steps— albeit some with more success than others.

Hiroki and Vincent paired up to practice the best they can, the former with much less success than his leading partner, while Vesta nearly dropped Cressida on the floor trying to dip her. Minny and Bianca managed to shuffle through an acceptable waltz and an okay-looking twirl, despite their mutual inexperience in having never done dance units for PE.

omg hiiii!! we know everyone’s, like, totes stressed– so we’ve gone ahead and planned a little party! its on the stage, be there or be square! feel free to steal cute outfits from the costume room, even if they’re all, like, totes victoriany. lol

A stage isn’t the usual place for a gathering like a tea party– surely the lobby would have been better, yes? Still, maybe it’s the novelty… or, perhaps, just the entertaining risk of someone falling into the orchestra pit that compelled Caitlyn to call the cast over the group chat.

Either way, the stage had been transformed, as stages tend to be. A place for everyone had been lovingly set around tables full of desserts, snacks, and teapots of various drinks by both Caitlyn and, predictably, the resident event planner, Casper. Some, like the hosts, came in the suggested dress code, while others stuck with modest adjustments to their outfits or nothing modified at all.

The group snacked and sipped, and even at some point started up a game of paranoia at Caitlyn’s insistence. It was fun...

Until a couple of party crashers showed up. With a flutter, a scrabble, and a hoot, where there was empty stage now stood Melos and Nyarlecchino, each fitted with a tiny top hat. With a step forward and a tilt of the head, Melos spoke.

“An… excellent showing of bonding, hoo… Though… your camaraderie is… a bit unnecessary. Perhaps you’ll need a real reason to be paranoid...?”

Nyarlecchino is quick to follow up with a cleared throat and an excited look on his furry face.

“Well, well! Soon, we’ll be having… a meowsquerade ball! So get excited for that!”

“And… please, dress appropriately, hoo.”

“But Melos! They, um, don’t have any costumes right now! Besides the costume room ones, I guess… but those are purretty old-ish.”

“...Oh. Very well… Nyarlecchino will fetch you any outfits you desire, so… summon them once you have your request prepared.”

With nothing else to say, Melos abruptly turned on his heel and strutted away into the wings.

“Oh! And before we go, we wanted to say that everypawdy did a great job of being super fancy, so we’ll be giving out some coins…! So keep an eye out for those, and, um, see you soon!”

Nyarlecchino, too, scampered rapidly off-stage, leaving the cast to stare at the place that they were.

Caitlyn stared at the empty spot for a moment longer before starting to gather cups with an annoyed huff.

 “...I think that means party’s, like, over, besties… thanks for coming out, and, um, take some Gatorade to go…?”

Once all three teams reconvened on the stage (with a brief musical interlude from Vincent to pass the time) they were surprised to find two more figures join their number...

Art by Cleo.

Once all three teams gathered and all sixteen students were present, two more figures joined them on stage.

“Waaah, mew guys took forever! I was worried you wouldn’t make it on time!”

The small leopard fretted and fussed, though a relieved smile curled his three-shaped mouth into a grin.

The large owl stretched to their full height, reaching even over the tallest of the students. One eye blinked slowly while the clock in their other eye twisted.

“Quiet, hoo…”

“But we were waiting for them, Melos…”

He looked up to the owl with golden eyes, wide with curiousity.

The owl, apparently Melos, craned their neck down to address the cat back. It seemed to extend a bit as he does.

“...That is true, Nyarlecchino, but… still.”

He coughs, turning his gaze back to the students.

“Welcome, wonderful actors. Now that you have all shown your capability for the most basic of challenges… it is now time to introduce the true game—”

The tiny leopard, or Nyarlecchino as he seemed to be called, chimed in with an enthusiastic paw up, as if raising his hand for a teacher.

“Mewtual Killing! That’s what it is, right?” He looks back to the group gathered on the stage, eyes wide and expectant. 

The group let out a widespread reaction of disbelief, some insisting they would call the authorities... only for many searching their pockets to find their phones missing. Melos, meanwhile, remained unfazed, blinking down slowly at the scrambled students.

 “…. I was leading up to something. Your dramatic timing… we can work on that. First, we must introduce the rules of this game.” Her neck clicks alarmingly as she rotates her face sideways, staring at everyone with a wide eye. 

“Sorry, Melos…”

Nyarlecchino swung his arms behind his back before producing a paper from behind his back to recite from.

“Um! Rule Number One rhymes with fun! Don't hurt me or Melos! We're just here to make sure the show goes on just as planned, so it’s a really bad idea to claw at us! Plus, um, I don’t really want to get hurt…! If you try and attack one of us, anything that happens after that is, um… self defense, I think…but worse than that! ‘Cause you’re not supposed to do that! So you get punished for breaking rules! Like this one!”

Melos continued with the second rule, the two of them falling into a back and forth rhythm.

“Rule number two is that you are not only allowed, but encouraged to hurt your fellow cast members. Indeed, getting away with a murder is the only way you shall be able to escape from this game…” 

“But it's not just as simple as killing and then strolling on meowtta here! First, the dead body— it has to be discovered by somepawdy who isn't you! The killer, I mean! Then we'll all let you know to come investigate!”

“We'll give you enough time to investigate... but how much is enough shall be up to us, hoo. Your time— as it always is in this life— is limited, so you must use it carefully.”

“Nyaaaafter time is up, we'll all get together for a fun trial! You'll all have to work together to figure out who the killer is, and then you'll have to vote on who they are! Demeowcratically!”

“If you are correct and at least half of those alive vote accordingly, the killer shall be executed. And if you are incorrect... somebody else shall be executed in their place, and they shall get to escape the game.”

Melos straightened to deliver one last rule.

“The third and final rule is that you may not cause major damage to the environment around you. This is a historic theatre… and you must treat it with respect.”

And finally, Nyarlecchino reiterated:

“Soooo to recap fast! Don't hurt us! Do hurt each other! Don't hurt the theatre!”

The students protested this game, insisting that there was no way any of them would ever do such a thing. In fact, most seemed convinced that their absence would have to be noticed sooner or later, and that help would surely be on the way.

Melos let out a little tsk, tsk, tilting her face the other way. Her voice remained monotonous, if not slightly dreary.

“This… is how it is. Your complaints… cannot change this.”

Nyarlecchino chimed in, still cheery despite everything they’ve said.

“We’ve left everypawdy a Meridian Experience Tablet in their rooms! Mew can review the rules there at nyanytime, so don’t worry about forgetting them!”  ^_^  “You can also talk to everypawdy else, like if you think of a really really good joke!”

“Or… anguish with them.”

Melos sniffed a little bit.

“Muse about the tragedy you face through the creative process… whether that be writing, art, or performance….” 

“Melos, that’s kinda depressing…”

Nyarlecchino pouted, before he seemed to awkwardly realize something

“I guess everypawdy does get kinda sad when people die… though… ‘nd this all really is purretty depressing…”

His ears pressed down sadly for a second, before he perked back up with a newfound glitter in his eye.

“Oh, Oh! I know what’ll make things better! Here, have 15 Nyarleccoins!”

He ran around a part of the wings, retrieving a large sack filled with many other small sacks. These small sacks were then distributed amongst the students like a tiny little waiter. Inside were, indeed, fifteen brassy coins, printed with half an image of an owl and half an image of a cat. 

“You can use them to get all sorts of fun stuff at the shop in the box clawffice!! Oh, oh, and I also hid a bunch around the theatre, so you can search for them when mew get the time!”

“...I don’t know why you’ve chosen to refer to them as such. Meloscoins is, hoo… clearly the better name.” 

Nyarlecchino tilted his head quizzically towards Melos with an upset expression.

“But I’m on them.“

“As am I. …And I am the eldest.” 

“That’s not faaaair, Melos!”

Nyarlecchino protested loudly with a whine, waving his paws about indignantly until a long sigh escaped the owl. Melos’ head returned to its original position.

“Fine. We shall compromise, and just call them Coins... use them to buy baubles and amusements, if you so wish. Now, ‘Cchino, it’s time we stop interfering with the performance. Good day to you all, and break a leg.” 

The two started to their leave with alarming swiftness, Melos taking two large steps back— two steps too large. They seemed to forget their own height and size, walking backwards directly into the orchestra pit with a crash and a few stray notes.

Nyarlecchino jumped, startled and squeaking.

"Um... Mew have to leave. I need to go help her out, and, um... Please head out!!!"

They clambered into the pit after Melos, dropping down to leave the students to their own anxiety and confusion.

ACT ONE BEGIN.

When the students regained consciousness, they found they had been separated into three groups and trapped in various rooms of the theatre:

Cressida Mochizuki, Saturn Carlyle, xx_minnymouse, Sentarou Sekisada, Urara Hashino, and Vincent Schwarz found themselves waking up among the racks of the costume room. 

Caitlyn Cheng, Hiroki Takahiro, Vladislav “Laszlo” Erlings, Rania Mikhail, and Celeste Chengzi Li were surrounded by fake-trees in the set storage.

Casper White, Guanyu Xue, Bianca Ortega, Vesta Rose, and Damien Regan came to consciousness on the floor of the prop storage.

In all of the rooms, there was the same note to be found in a haphazard scrawl, a message for all of them signed with a pawprint on the corner:

 “GET TO THE STAGE IMMEOWDIATELY!!!!”

Each of the teams had to solve various puzzles in order to escape their respective rooms – with some having a more pleasant experience then others.

Team Costumes were able to cooperate with one another – with only a little condescension from the great Urara Hashino, a little awkwardness from Vincent, and without any assistance from the bitter Sentarou. With xx_minnymouse’s gamer strategies, Saturn’s valiant attempts at searching through pockets, and Cressida’s analytical support, the team escaped their room first, and made their way onto the stage as instructed.

Team Sets had a few challenges, but were still able to succeed with the help of Hiroki’s assured leadership, Rania’s kind demeanor, Caitlyn’s aggressive encouragement, and a daring stunt to change a lightbulb pulled off by Laszlo and Celeste. Together they all managed to escape the room, and joined Team Costumes on the stage.

The city of New Orleans seemed to sing as it welcomed the sixteen visiting Hope’s Peak students. For some the trip was a short flight, while others had to come from across the sea— but the city was happy to have them all equally. 

This was their Hope’s Peak Alumni Experience, after all! Even with the thrill of a new place, none of the students could quite seem to forget that… most likely due to the university’s overwhelming omnipresence. Some students with more hands-on talent advisors were personally escorted by them: flying in with them, sharing adjoining hotel rooms, and talking over itineraries. For others, perhaps it was an assistant of their talent advisor or some Hope’s Peak intern who kept them accompanied. No matter what, a university official had been with them nearly every step of the way to make the entire trip run smoothly.

The students’ Hope’s Peak representative— whoever they may have been— woke them up on the morning of January 13th, the first day of their experience. Two pieces of technology were presented to them along with a short briefing. The first was the Meridian Experience Watch— a sleek, art-deco styled smart watch, which they claimed would “unlock special experiences” at the theatre. The second was a highly coveted Hope’s Peak Universal Translator earpiece— a comfortable earpiece that could be slipped on for easy universal language translation. They could take it out, theoretically; but with how comfortable and useful it would be, why would they? 

After lunch, the students were escorted to the theatre. Finally, their representatives gave them some time alone; of course, with the promise that they would check in at night.

The building loomed as one by one, the rest of the sixteen students assemble. They may recognize some from the media, from class, or perhaps not at all. Either way, they all stood waiting together in the shadow of the Historic Meridian Theatre.

They barely had the time to exchange hellos and comments about the theatre before being interrupted by the creaking sound of the grand theatre doors swinging open.

“Hello, my dears! You’re all here just on time! Come in, come in!”

A woman opened the door, radiating a powerful elegance not unlike the theatre itself. The wrinkles around her eyes deepened as she beamed, pushing the theatre doors open wider and gesturing for the students all to follow. 

A few short steps, and the students found themselves inside the storied theatre.

Time had been kind to it— though this could no doubt also be attributed to both preservation and restoration efforts of those who were here before. Every part of the theatre gleamed, from the large sparkling crystal chandelier that hung above to the glossy banisters that wrapped around the two curling staircases on either side. No matter where you look, something offered a story– from the carpeted clock design displaying bright summers and icy winters to the wooden leaves wrapped along the edges of door frames. 

It’s a place steeped in history that the sixteen Ultimates walk into— one deeply cherished and meticulously cared for. Whether that made them feel small, reverential, or perhaps a little disrespectful, one thing remained universal: it was a reminder of time, in all of its many meanings. 

The woman who lead the students into the theatre clapped loudly to draw the group’s attention as she turned to face them all, her dangling earrings jingling. She gestured with a fittingly dramatic flourish, the pitch dark of the theatre visible through open doors behind her.

Sketch by Teagan, Lines by Cleo, Colours by Emily.

“Now that we’re all here— I do believe introductions are in order, yes? I am Elicia Henderson, the Ultimate Director of my time, and your host for your long-awaited Alumni Experience. I am so terribly pleased that you, the future of our world, will be able to experience all that this theatre’s past has to offer you. Why, the legends I could tell you…! It was almost lost, and then...”

She trailed off, as if deciding against regaling everyone with whatever story she was going to recount.

“But for the present, that which I’m sure is more pressing for you all… It is perfectly acceptable to look towards both those stories and, as I’m sure you’ve heard, the show to start in the near future. I assure you.”

She chuckles to herself briefly, before gesturing out to everyone else.

“Now, I may know who is on this trip, but would you indulge an old woman’s request for you to introduce yourselves? I’m rather sure some of you are meeting for the first time…”

The students dutifully began introducing themselves - some pleasantly, some with pride, and some with great dismay...

When a quiet hiss sounds from somewhere nearby.

The students eyelids were already dropping when they realized that the sound was that of a gas being released into the room. Their heads grew fuzzy as their eyesight began to blur and swirl dizzingly.

Goodness gracious - we've only got one day until roster drop! How the time truly flies!

As a reminder, that'll happen on June 15th, 3 PM EST. We'll be deleting this server 1 hour before roster drop in order to alleviate anxiety. You'll be able to see the roster at threeactthrill.tumblr.com !

We'd also like to remind you all that TAT will be a spectator friendly game, although the exact amount will depend on player preference. If you'd be interested in spectating, please fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfWYLUzNxddPraEJixgCFK-povLcknENc9ICr_wMfeefeGZA/viewform

We're pleased to announce that, after much deliberation and discussion, we have now decided on our cast for Three Act Thrill. We promise you, it wasn't easy - you guys spoiled us for choice with great applications, and we had to reject some characters we truly did love. But we're extremely happy with the cast we ended up choosing, and we can't wait for you all to see them!

So, where do we go from here? First: roster will be dropping on June 15th at 3PM EST. We're able to do such a quick turnaround due to our lack of roster art, but we've still got various things to finalize behind the scenes and mod schedules to accommodate.

Second: we will be deleting the discords hopefuls server 1 hour before the roster drop, to ease everybody's anxiety. Be sure to save anything you need to save while you still can!

Third: If you haven't already, we highly recommend that you fill out a spectator application! The exact amount of spectators will be dependent on player comfort, so we can't promise everybody who applies will get to spectate. Still, it can't hurt to apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfWYLUzNxddPraEJixgCFK-povLcknENc9ICr_wMfeefeGZA/viewform 

Finally... it seems like there was a little guy who got left behind on stage. Does anybody know who this belongs to...?

And that's time, folks! The grace period is over, and apps for Three Act Thrill are closed!

If you don’t see your talent on the hopeful’s list but you did submit an app  - contact a mod! Things can slip through the cracks, especially when tumblr submissions get involved. 

Thank you all so much for your continued interest in TAT - applications without extensions are now closed.

My goodness, this is the last Weekly Q&A Update I’ll be doing, as it’s the last Tuesday before applications close! How the time has flown. Apps are due on May 27th, 12 AM, and if you grab an extension you’ll have until May 30th, 12 AM. 

We’d also like to provide a reminder about our spectator request form, which is now open - fill it out if you’d be interested in spectating!

Finally, our Weekly Q&A Update:

Q: Is the game set in the 2040s?

Q: Is a backstory done in bullet points/written in a more casual style acceptable?

A: Backstory is of course available to be put into bullet points— As long as it has everything we need to know about your OC's life up until the beginning of TAT, format is no issue!

And a more casually written backstory is still fine as long as all the information about your OC is there.