Wonderer's Wish World: An Empty Land

Truth

The curtain fell, and the actors straightened up, looking around at each other, none exactly sure what to say. Was it really over? They could hear applause on the other side of the curtain, so probably, but what would happen now-?

Just as Kipo was about to ask the question, the world winked out around her again, and in the next instance she found herself sitting down at a nice grand table with delicious food piled high on top of it. Kipo's nose twitched and her mouth watered. She couldn't stop herself from reaching out with the plate in front of her and piling it high with all the different options the table offered her. As she took the food, her friends popped in around her, at the other seats at the table. Kipo smiled at them as they appeared and immediately followed her example, taking the food. It seemed that none of them had realized just how hungry they were until now.

Soon enough, when Kipo was finally satisfied with the amount of food on her plate, all her friends had arrived, filling up all the chairs except for one, at the head of the rectangular table.

At first, Kipo didn't pay to much mind to it, too busy ebbing at the hunger in her stomach, but as she took the edge of her stomach cramps, she ended up glancing at it more and more. It seemed... ominous, and Kipo felt herself grow nervous. It almost was like they were waiting for something...

Suddenly, the room grew darker as a shadow passed over it, settling over on the back wall behind the chair. Kipo's eyes widened. It was the same shadow she had seen at the beginning of the show!

"It's you!" Kai cried, voicing Kipo's thoughts. "The announcer!"

The shadow looked abashed, tucking some non-existent hair behind its ear. "You recognize me? You're too kind! But I prefer the title of 'director' rather than announcer, myself."

The kids glanced around. Kipo couldn't feel any ill intent coming from this... shadow, but she knew she couldn't let her guard down. She set down her plate, and then leaned forward, intending to get some answers of this... 'director'.

But before she could say a thing, or even think of one question she wanted to ask first, the director continued.

"But, really, Kai, the people you SHOULD be giving recognition to is the wonderful people around you!" the director cooed, moving around them on the walls. "Seriously, so many talented people came together tonight! I couldn't have picked better people for my play if I tried!"

Kipo was confused. "You... 'picked' us?"

"Well, you kind of just fell into my lap and I shuffled you around as best I could," the director admitted, stopping at the far wall again. "But you all stepped right up to the challenge! You most of all, Luz. Ever thought about going into theater?"

Luz blushed. "Well, yes... but people thought I was 'too much' for theater."

A strange expression crossed over the shadow's face. "'Too much'? For theater?"

"Well, there was this one time I had a death scene and I guess I used too much fake blood," Luz replied. "My teacher called it 'inspiring', but, more importantly, 'traumatizing'."

The director snorted. "Fire them."

"I don't think I can," Luz said, snapping her fingers in a 'oh well' way.

"Hey, are you..." Coraline suddenly frowned, looking at Mabel and Luz as if searching for something. They both blinked and shrugged. "Aren't you, you know, that guy from the painting? The one Luz and Mabel were carrying around?"

Kipo blinked, confused. She looked over to the shadow, up against the wall. Where was this coming from? Seemed like a bit of a stretch...

"Well..." the director started, looking awkward. "First of all, I'm not a 'guy', second of all... yeah. And before you ask, long story short, my body was eviscerated by a wizard (not the one from the play, a different one), and only my soul and the shadow of my soul of left behind. Yes, I know, makes no sense, it was a long time again, now I write plays and paint to stop myself from being bored. Also, I can't leave the castle."