Scenario:Feather - The Haunted Room
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The Haunted Room
Beckoned by an Erune child waiting outside The Haunted Room, Lunalu enters in search of storybook material. The total darkness and her costumed crewmates' capers prove too much, however, and her screams of terror resound through the airship's corridors.
As the blue sky melts into black, the Grandcypher's Halloween party is kicking into high gear.
Kid: Hey, miss. You'll love this.
Lunalu is avoiding the festive shenanigans when a mysterious sign catches her eye. She stops in front of it without thinking.
Lunalu: Hm? The Haunted Room...
What is this?
What is this?
Other curiosities are inscribed as well:
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Enter if you dare.
Lunalu: Hmm... This looks like Melissa's handwriting.
Lunalu: She did say she was working on something. This must be it.
Kid: Yup, sure is. Wanna go in with me?
Lunalu: Weeell...
Lunalu: Guess I might pick up some ideas out of this. Let's take a peek inside.
With some trepidation, Lunalu enters the room.
Feather: Here we go! We got our first victim!
Feather: Who's the honorary number one?
Melissabelle: Huh? It's Lunalu.
Jamil: She's holding a memo pad. I assume she's looking for ideas for her next work.
Feather: Heh. "Walk into my parlor," said the spider to the fly.
Feather: Spook her with everything you've got!
Feather: To your scare stations, everyone!
Melissabelle: Okay!
Jamil: On it.
An eerie silence deafens the room as Lunalu looks around.
Lunalu: The atmosphere they created isn't too shabby.
Lunalu: But why is it so dark that I can barely see anything? Maybe they thought their decorations were too amateurish?
Drip. Not a speck of light graces the room. Drip. Only the sporadic fall of lonely water drops.
Lunalu: Clever. Having one's sight stolen away heightens sensitivity to sound, so each noise is more bone-chilling.
Now filled with curiosity, Lunalu coolly analyzes her situation. She moves deeper into the room, her legs never stopping.
Lunalu: Er—
Lunalu: Huh? Was that... a child's voice?
Lunalu fruitlessly scans the impenetrable darkness.
Tendrils of fear clutch at Lunalu upon the realization that she can't see anything, no matter how hard she tries.
Lunalu: Gulp... This is all part of the mise-en-scene, so...
Lunalu speaks aloud with feigned composure in an attempt to keep herself from being consumed by the dark isolation.
Feather: Looks like we got a reaction. What did we stick over there?
Melissabelle: The water noises probably threw her for a loop.
Feather: Oh, yeah. I can see that happening!
Jamil: Even so, she's keeping her composure better than expected. I'm going to turn it up a little more.
Feather: Sure. Go for it!
Jamil climbs up the wall and across the ceiling ahead of Lunalu. He watches and waits.
Lunalu: Phew... Calm... I'm totally calm... Remember—this is all fake, so...
Jamil: ...
When Lunalu reaches a point right under Jamil, he uses a paper fan to send a soft breeze her way.
Lunalu: Yaaagh! What was that!
Melissabelle: ...
From where she lies in wait, Melissabelle's hair snakes out and whips around Lunalu's feet with hair-raising speed.
Lunalu: Whaaat!
Lunalu: S-something... something just brushed past my legs!
Lunalu: Yeeek! Let me out!
The once silent room reverberates with Lunalu's screams.
She scrambles in a panic back the way she came, but the only way in or out is now locked.
Lunalu: Nooo! Why is it locked! Melissa! Are you there? You're there, aren't you?
Lunalu: Melissa?
Lunalu senses someone standing behind her. She turns.
Jamil: ...
Lunalu: Waaaugh!
Lunalu's terror pushes past its breaking point in the face of a zombie staring right back at her. Her sanity fails as she bolts.
Feather chooses this exact moment to spring out at her, laughing as he chases his prey.
Feather: Triiick ooor treeeat!
Lunalu: Waaaugh!
Lunalu runs like lightning while the man with the lightning fists attempts to keep up.
Feather: Get back here!
Lunalu: Gyaaah!
Jamil and Melissabelle have to step in to stop Feather, otherwise Lunalu will never stop screaming.
The Haunted Room: Scene 2
(Captain), Lyria, Vyrn, and Randall visit The Haunted Room—new and improved thanks to Lunalu's counsel. Lyria is overcome with fright, so Feather and friends call off the spookery and lead their friends to the exit.
Lunalu: Huff... Huff...
Melissabelle: Are you okay, Lunalu?
Feather: (Captain) told me to spook up the party by dishing out terror.
Feather: Did we getcha? Were you scared?
Lunalu: Are you quite serious! You took years off my life, making me scream like that.
Lunalu: Geez. You owe me those years.
Feather: Whoa! You literally got the life scared out of you?
Feather: I'm sorry about that.
Lunalu: First of all, I wasn't scared. I was just startled. That's it!
Feather: Um, they're kinda the same thing, aren't they? What's the difference?
Lunalu: You poor boy. I didn't want to have to break it to you, but your scares lack elegance.
Lunalu: The setup isn't bad, but you should spice up your operations with provocation and fluctuation.
Feather: Provocation? Fluctuation? How do we do that?
Lunalu: Are you kidding me? Why should I tell you anything?
Melissabelle: Um, I want to know too, Lunalu. Please tell me if there's anything I can improve on.
Lunalu: Eh? Even you, Melissa?
Lunalu eventually relents, unable to refuse Melissabelle who has helped her in the past.
Lunalu: You have to agitate their sense of dread. Like, make them think something's going to happen, but then do nothing.
Lunalu: You keep pushing those fake-outs onto them so they do all the work in psyching themselves out. Which sets them up for the climax.
Lunalu: At that point anything will scare the pants off them. That's when you can lower the boom.
Feather: So that's how it is!
Jamil: I see. I never would have thought of that.
Melissabelle: Wow! That's why you're a storybook pro! It's because you're such an accomplished writer!
Lunalu: Um... I'm not really at that level yet or anything... I mean... that is...
Lunalu: Anyway, I don't want to tell you how to run your room, but that's how I see it.
Feather: We appreciate your advice! Now we can super ramp up the scares!
Feather: Thank you!
Lunalu: Sure. Well, I'm off. Good luck with the spooks, Melissa.
Melissabelle: Mm, thanks, Lunalu. And good luck with your storybooks.
Feather: Wait! Hang on another sec, Lunalu!
Feather: I can't give you those years you lost back, but you can have these prize candies.
Feather: It's to commemorate your status as the first person to enter and experience the room!
Melissabelle: Happy Halloween, Lunalu.
Jamil: Thanks for trick-or-treating, Lunalu.
Lunalu: Th-thanks... Have a good Halloween.
Lunalu leaves.
The spooksters quickly scatter back to their designated stations on Feather's signal.
Feather: We've got another victim incoming!
Feather: Everyone to your places!
The spooksters quickly scatter back to their designated stations on Feather's signal.
Lyria: Oh my... It's pitch-black in here!
Vyrn: Yeah. I can't see a thing.
Randall: Ugh... How'd I get roped into this...
(Captain) has brought Vyrn and Lyria to check out the room.
They encountered Randall along the way and invited him to join them.
Lyria: I know! Wh-why don't we sing a song? Then it won't be scary at all!
Randall: Listen, ever since we walked in, you've been more annoying than a leaky faucet. Quit the waterworks.
Randall: Seriously, if you didn't want to be scared, you shouldn't have come—
Lyria: Huh? B-but I'm not crying!
Randall: No, not you. I meant this little—
Lyria: Eeep!
Vyrn: What is it! What happened?
A loud noise startles them all.
Lyria: Eeek!
Randall: ...!
Lyria: What was that! Something just went by my feet!
Vyrn: Something? What do mean something?
Lyria: Um, it felt silky, I think!
Traps are sprung one by one in the dark room. The guests can feel their hearts beating faster and faster.
Lyria: This is too scary! Vyrn! (Captain)!
Randall: For crying out loud... There are five of us, okay? We'll be fine. See? I'm right next to you!
Lyria: Wh-where are you, Randall?
Randall: It's all right, Lyria. We're both here. How are you three holding up?
Lyria: We're okay!
Hm? Did you say you're with someone?
Hm? Did you say you're with someone?
Lyria: Vyrn... Me... (Captain)... Randall... Isn't that only four people?
Vyrn: Ow! Where'd that bright flash come fr—
Vyrn: Z-zoinks! Lyria, behind you!
Lyria: Huh?
Lyria slowly turns around...
Jamil: ...
Lyria: Yaaaah! A zombie! Don't come near me!
Lyria: Nooo! I'm sorryyy! Don't eat meee!
Vyrn: L-Lyria?
Hey, masked person! Whoever you are, I think Lyria's gone off the deep end!
Hey, masked person! Whoever you are, I think Lyria's gone off the deep end!
Witnessing the sheer terror in Lyria, Jamil quickly removes his mask.
Jamil: I'm so sorry for scaring you like that, Lyria! There's no zombie here! It's just me, Jamil!
Lyria: Noooo! Get away from me! Waaaah!
Jamil: ...!
Oh dear...
Oh dear...
Jamil: I'm sorry! Lyria!
Melissabelle: Oh no!
Feather: Lyria! Did we make her cry?
This emergency prompts Feather and his spook team to usher the flustered guests outside.
The Haunted Room: Scene 3
Outside The Haunted Room, Randall wonders where the Harvin child who toured the room with him has gone. Lady Grey reveals that the child was in fact a ghost, leaving Randall shaken. Once word of the genuine specter spreads, however, The Haunted Room is thronged by excited crew members.
Melissabelle: I'm sorry for going too far, Lyria!
Jamil: Lyria... Master... Please tell me how I can make up for this heinous transgression!
Feather: Forgive me, Lyria! Please punish me with your punches!
Lyria: Er, actually, I'm the one who wants to say sorry! I kind of overreacted in there!
Lyria: I mean, I already knew there would be scary things in the room, so I shouldn't have panicked like that. You were all just so amazing!
Things gradually settle down. Lyria praises the room with a high spookiness rating.
Feather and his team can finally breathe easy after seeing the smile return to Lyria's face.
Vyrn: Haha. I can handle scary stuff, so it was super fun for me!
Feather: Yeah? So did we deliver a spooktacular Halloween or what?
(Captain) nods in approval of their efforts.
Feather: All right! Thanks, Jamil and Melissabelle! Couldn't have pulled it off without you two!
Jamil: I am extremely pleased not only to receive the master's compliment, but to see Lyria's smile return as well.
Melissabelle: Heehee! Everyone worked very hard!
Randall: Would you let go of me? I'm not going back in there.
Randall: Go find yourself some other crewmate to play with!
Feather: Uh, Randall? Who're you talking to?
Randall: You yanking my chain? This little brat right he—
Randall: Wha? Hey, where'd that little snot run off to? She was just here a second ago...
Melissabelle: What are you talking about?
Feather: A kid? I don't remember seeing any kid around here.
Randall: Cut the jokes, all right? She was with us the whole time. Tell 'em, (Captain)!
Randall: You saw the Harvin kid too, right, Vyrn and Lyria?
Lyria: Um, I didn't see anyone like that...
Randall: Wait, what? I figured she was some new crew member (Captain) was showing around...
But as Randall desperately makes his claim, it's clear from (Captain)'s expression that the captain has no idea what he's talking about.
Randall: Then who the hell was that kid?
Melissabelle: Could it be...
Vyrn: Gulp...
Feather: A lost child?
Jamil: ...
A voice from outside the group offers a theory.
Lady Grey: Hehe. Everyone was having such a good time that the little one must have decided to join the fun.
Lady Grey greets the group with a knowing smile.
Randall: ...!
Lyria: Th-then... you're saying she was a real ghost?
Randall: Wait, why was I the only one that could see it? What does that mean?
Lady Grey: You probably seemed like the kindly older brother type.
Feather: A ghost? You really saw one, Randall?
Feather: That's pretty sweet! Was it a cool ghost?
Randall: Aw, shaddup! Just shut your mouth!
Lady Grey: Hahaha...
Lady Grey's words have Randall shaking in his boots.
For everyone else, a cold tingle runs down their spines.
Feather: On the plus side, now we can genuinely say The Haunted Room lives up to its name!
Feather: We're gonna push Halloween to the max!
Feather: Melissabelle! Jamil!
Feather: The night is still young!
Melissabelle: Yeah, but... it's not every day you meet a real ghost...
Melissabelle: Um, I'm a little nervous... Can I go get Lunalu and Mahira?
Jamil: In the meantime it would be in everyone's best interest to move Lyria to a scare-free zone.
Feather: Sounds good. While you guys are away, I'll go attract more guests!
Feather: Be a pal, Randall, and give me a hand!
Randall: Screw you! As if anyone would lift a finger for you.
Vyrn: Oh boy... Let's go snag some pumpkin pie while the snagging's good.
Taking Lady Grey's words at face value, Feather circles the airship with his marketing campaign.
Feather's Haunted Room would soon become the talk of the crew for its authenticity.
Curious crew members queue outside long into the Halloween night, marking the venture as a frightful success.