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

[seventhlittlemonster]

Actually, I'm the tallest one, but everyone else is still really big... They're close to my tallness. And yes, Two's nose can be a pole, it has many purposes! He can dig, he can help my head out of the chimney... In the case of the toppest shelves he piggybacks on me and balances me on the very tip of his nose so I can grab a jar with my teeth. It's very dangerous, though, so momma tells us not to...

[Other than the... peculiarities, they seemed to live like your average kids.]

[seventhlittlemonster]

Well... we could, but we had to get home first. We wanted to stay up all night but the way we wished for things to be the opposite of what it was? Time reversed and we became younger and younger. [is he describing real events or a fever dream]

[seventhlittlemonster]

I can fit flowers and butterflies into my head, but I don't have any flowers or butterflies right now... [no thoughts head empty]

[immaculacies]

Oh! But you know, there's a garden outside. It's got all the flowers and butterflies you could ever ask for~ Do you want to see it?

[seventhlittlemonster]

[Oh no he's becoming soft]

I would love to... [He's really. really soft for pretty things please do take him out to the garden]

[nothingposh]

It doesn't work like that where you're from?

[You sing important shit! That's how it goes!]

[immaculacies]

Okay! Follow me~

[ Manaka pivots and begins to walk in the direction of the garden, a little bounce in her step. ]

You know, I've never seen a person like you before. Are there lots like you, where you come from?

[caligulass]

Ah, I'm glad you understand... though, unfortunately, I wish we were the ones who could open the gates. The royal family of the neighboring country are the ones who can do that. We can only close the gates.

[seventhlittlemonster]

Well... There are only seven monsters that I know, all seven of them are me and my siblings. It would be a joy to meet more monsters, but I doubt there are any others where I come from.

[He never really contemplated the idea before... he was one of only seven monsters that he knew of. Even if he was content with just him and his siblings, maybe it was kind of lonely.]

[caligulass]

...I wouldn't be surprised if there's some kind of festival where it works like that, because there are lots of festivals for lots of different things, like dressing up like pirates and dressing up like rabbits and carrying eggs around. But it's not really normal.

[immaculacies]

Huh... I wonder where you came from, then. Ah, but still, you're the nicest monster I've ever met~

[ The garden is on the other side of the castle, but Manaka seems to know where they're going as she leads Seven down the portrait hall and cuts through the dining room. ]

[seventhlittlemonster]

I came from Chestnut Street, that's it- Wait... You've met other monsters before?! What are they like? I wanna know!

[He's really excited now!! If there are more monsters out there then that means his family truly isn't alone in the world!]

[xxxx_me]

Oh.

[So... none of that actually helps, either. He slumps.]

[byzer0]

It was only one. Criminals don't leave vital clues right out in the open like that.

[ Maybe, maybe not but he does seem to be looking around at the rest of the room with more consideration than he was before. ]

...like in a crawl space? I thought you only hide clothes in there.

[immaculacies]

Mm! Just one, but he was nothing like you. Even though he was just an infant, he was scary and mean... And all he wanted to do was eat and eat, so when anyone except for me came near him, they would be swallowed whole.

[ And yet, she sounds fond as she says so. That's her baby boy!! ]

[prescience]

No, I'm quite concerned. I need to stay calm so I don't overlook anything.

[Oriko bends down to retrieve the offending playing card from the carpet, turning it over in her hand.]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I don't believe you should trust the view.

[But now her own curiosity is piqued. It hasn't occurred to her just how different each room might be, an assumption she chastises herself for now.]

What did you see?

[ballooncaged]

[Apparently Sleeping Beauty is the movie that's going to come on. Mizuki sits back on the floor and gathers her arms around her legs.]

Oh. It's one of those Disney princess movies.

[A little immature for her, and she's not gonna lie around watching a whole feature, but good to know it's not some snuff tape.]

[littlebratziska]

The "game" can only be a joke in poor taste. No one would seriously mean this set of rules, after all.

[caligulass]

...

I at least think we'll be fine once we get out of here, though. If I can find the way home, I might be able to pull some strings to get other people back, anyway.

[nothingposh]

Huh. [He's gonna have to think on that later.] That's how it always is, back home. You sing when you got feelings or it's important.

garden

[littlebratziska]

[It's... more comfortable out here than it is in there, though Franziska would hardly admit to that. Still, the girl peering through the bushes is unusual enough to catch her eye.]

Were you expecting it to look right? This place is unusual enough already.

[seventhlittlemonster]

...suddenly I'm glad it's just my family. [Wow big sis you really are traumatizing me!!]

[xxxx_me]

[Immediately perking up!]

Really?

[caligulass]

...

I can't say I understand it, but it doesn't sound too bad. Unless you're around people who are bad at singing, anyway.

[littlebratziska]

Mmm...

At least in my case, the quote, even most of the details about me could have been taken quite recently. But this portrait, this gallery full of portraits, is not a thing that could have been done in the space of the last afternoon, even by a master painter.

[Does she know this? Well no, she's mostly assuming, but she is nonetheless convinced that she is right.]

As no one I have yet spoken to has claimed to sit for a portrait, that must mean a good deal of surveillance, probably for months. It... on the surface, it doesn't make sense.

[She is not about to admit that she's pretty baffled.]

If someone was able to follow us for all this time, why wait long enough to commission paintings?