You're My Friend, They're My Friends (IC Intro)

[whimsicalism]

Whatever you were doing before, wherever you were before this moment it doesn't matter. The world seems to grow dark around you: an almost inaudible giggle floats to your year before you lose consciousness completely. Other it belonging to a child there's no defining characteristics of the voice. Maybe you just imagined it? Even if you did, one thing is clear when you wake up.

You're not where you were before. The bedroom you find yourself is plush and well decorated, almost like a fancy hotel or apartment. That might be little comfort considering that it's clear that you don't recognize it. Before you rush off to explore your surroundings there's a message pinned to the door to the hall.

From the desk of the Queen:

Hello, my friends dear.

I can only hope you enjoy your new life here. For those you stirring from sleep, this is my promise that I will keep: I will let you go if that is what you desire but the price for it will be quite dire.

For my rules are quite clear that I don't wish you to leave. Yet I will, if you can take the grief.

If you wish to know my name and the reasons to my game, meet in the audience hall for tea. Tea, yes, a grand tea party for my grand guests! Cake and sweets are what we need to meet. In an hour we both will be there, no peeking before!

Signed,

Instead of a signature, there's a small feline paw print underneath as well as some strange sort of heart crest?

There seems to be others moving outside your room. Perhaps it's time to explore, to see if anyone else knows what's going on. Don't slip on the playing card (an ace of hearts, with the heart shape replaced by the strange crest). That there's a scribbled phrase of 'dormez-vous? dormez-vous?' on the card but surely one of the others slipped it under your door.

This Castle seems like a strange place ot live in... yet for now it's quiet and peaceful, even if the Audience Hall is locked.

Comments

[soverainty]

[Hmmm. Well, doll-like is better than the alternative, even if she still hesitates for a little while before picking up the head. There's a momentary surprise at how airheaded light he is, which is helpful given the size; either way she probably just needs to get it over to the body, because there is absolutely no way she is tall enough to put it back on as is.]

So... it's like... a unique quirk for each of you?

[Talking and moving heads is apparently a thing she is doing now -- just going to pause and gingerly tap it against one of the body's questing arms?? Please take your head, torso-kun.]

It must be a really interesting family. And I'm Yuniko Kouzuki. [a smile now that she's sort of regaining her balance] I didn't mind being called little miss that much. You are really tall, after all.

[Just going to wait patiently for the introduction since he probably needs to get ahead first.]

[soverainty]

I might have to try it for myself...

[She's so reassured she's apparently totally going to go adventuring. This will end well!

Regardless of any disconnect here, they're at least progressing using some measure of parallel logic. Niko nods slowly at the idea of a gameboard, even if it isn't exactly how she would have described it either.]

There seem to be a bunch of other... players? Here. The Queen is definitely running some kind of game, but I don't know if I can tell why the castle is like this, still.

[Do they really need VCR players for a death(??) game??]

[seventhlittlemonster]

[Surprisingly, his body started to walk in the direction of the much louder noise.]

See, it works! [This monster works in weird ways... and hilarious ways considering that his body accidentally kicked his head as it came over.] AH! Y-Yes, I'm right here!

[Finally this weird performance came to an end, the body lifted his head before spinning it back on like a top.] Thank you, I've never been the loudest monster out of my siblings... They do a better job of helping my body get to my head.

[seventhlittlemonster]

Yes, indeed! I could tell you all about them if you want me to! [Torso-kun takes Head-kun and screws it back onto his neck. Mission complete!]

It's very nice to meet you, Yuniko. [He gave a slight bow.] My name is Seven. Though, I feel it isn't that hard to figure that out. [He did have three Sevens on his being after all. Two on his sleeves, one in front.]

[golden_king]

[ Well Gil was sure one of these kids would be a crying mess by the end of it, given the stakes of the game here.

But she seemed to be doing fine so that was kind of a little surprising. ]

I can agree with that.

But as far as I know, yeah. We could have been here far longer than it seems, though. Especially if we were teleported here.

[ Casually mentioning teleportation like it's a normal thing, it's fine. ]

[caligulass]

...hm. I guess they must not be the same thing after all, then. The particularly annoying ones I'm familiar with aren't the ones causing problems on purpose.

[caligulass]

[...you know Veronica is so stunned by the sudden impromptu performance that she freezes and fails to comprehend the actual content of the song. Instead, she finds herself trying to figure out how she is supposed to respond to this.

...

Well, it is a good performance, so she... applauds...?]

[caligulass]

They were overrunning both Embla and Askr back home. I imagine if they got to the gates, they could go into other worlds, as well.

[caligulass]

Oh, the royalty of the Askran Kingdom and the Emblian Empire have control over the gates to other worlds. Askr's royalty opens them, and we could close them if we wanted. We usually don't, though.

one

[soverainty]

[There's a small surprised shriek when he comes barreling back in, since Niko had just wandered out onto the lawn when she basically saw a guy disappear into the ether and then come screaming back in. She throws up her hands and tries uselessly to hide behind them.

Please don't tackle her or something.

As long as she's not tackled she's going to eventually open an eye and peer between her fingers.......]

S-Sorry? I didn't really catch that, you were yelling really... [or babbling?? really loudly, she was kind of focused on hiding (still uselessly)] Really a lot. But, um. I think it's normal?

[... She's apparently referring to the looping, since she's gesturing at where he's come from. So maybe that isn't what startled her after all.......]

[soverainty]

Ah, Seven-kun, then...

[It's kind of weird to be tacking a -kun onto somebody who's at least twice her size, but he seems to be pretty nice, so might as well do that until further notice. Niko winces a little at the screwing on but that might just be because she got way too close a look at the inner workings there.

At least there aren't any weird sound effects. Hopefully.

All that aside, she's bowing back, smile growing a little at the... ridiculous number of Sevens on him (badumtish).]

I really didn't expect to meet so many people like this, but it's not that bad right now... And, you can tell me about your family if you want! I'd like to hear about them.

[soverainty]

[Maybe she's still a little too dazed to go back to panicking properly?? Who knows. But their situation is so surreal that it's possible a number of the kids will go into denial instead. You have to have all kinds in on a mess like this, after all.

For her part, Niko blinks momentarily at his assessment, head tilting and pigtails flicking.]

For... longer than it seems? [that does seem to discomfit her a little, and she looks back in her room with a bit of trepidation and then down at her clothes again] I-I guess I can see porting, maybe, but I don't think I've really been in bed for that long...

Um, unless you're talking about memories?

[Her nervousness seems to gain a level! Her idea of teleportation seems to have gained a level too, though...?]

[seventhlittlemonster]

[well, there was, equivalent to a squeaky wheel turning really fast until it stops. but nothing spectacular.]

Oh, very good, I can make it quick as well if you need to be anywhere too. [He sat down on the ground, crisscrossed legs and hands to himself.]

Though first I want to know, what is a -kun? I don't think I've ever heard anyone put it at the end of my name before. [He knew not much of the world outside of his hometown, nor their mannerisms. He's seen monuments from a hot air balloon made by his big bro Three, though...]

[caligulass]

Why wouldn't there be more worlds than just those? There are infinite.

Anyway, I was doing a good job of fighting them off until I showed up here. I don't know if that means one of them managed to sneak up on me or if this is something different.

[caligulass]

They're nightmares. They can be anything as long as they're scary.

You're just smug, so I don't think you're one.

[caligulass]

[.............

oh.

...

Okay.]

I'm going to assume you're not usually shaped like a human with wings, then. And even then, those are usually herons and ravens. I've never heard of people turning into ducks.

[caligulass]

So I've just been dragged into some other world, along with all the rest of you, who seem to be from worlds I've never heard of.

[...sigh.]

All right. I guess this isn't the worst situation I've been in.

gallery

[caligulass]

[...Veronica looks at the other girl's portrait a bit analytically, and then looks over to hers.]

That's not like any of the portraits I've sat for. It's more like someone painted a whole portrait of me going about my hobbies while they were hiding in my room.

[undershadow]

So some kid got their hands on some artifact they shouldn't have, or what?

... not that I'd know, for the record. I don't "do" magic. It just ruins my day on a regular basis.

[imozon]

Reflecting their images into magic crystals. I think Shadow used mirror abilities, too.

Re: Outside Rooms

[imozon]

Oh, it's the same as on mine!

[...

She's just. Like this.]

Re: Media Room

[imozon]

No. What's a VCR?

[She takes the tape back out (er, the rest of the way out) and looks at it suspiciously, as if expecting the letters "VCR" to suddenly reveal themselves.]

Re: exit

[imozon]

Oh, then I'll--

[...

Wait.]

Hey!

[imozon]

[It's Sleeping Beauty, specifically the Disney animated movie.]

Hmm... so he wanted you to be selfish, but also do things for other people?

[...

Yeah, she doesn't get it.]

[imozon]

Okay!

[She pushes the button! With great enthusiasm. The VCR gets pushed back a few inches. It's a good thing powers are nerfed or it probably would have gone through the wall.

Then she takes... like three steps away and stands there.]