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

[caligulass]

[...oh, well, cool. This doesn’t look like anything Veronica’s familiar with at all, even if it’s not particularly unpleasant. Given what she was dealing with immediately beforehand, she kind of figures she knows why it might be happening, even if the aesthetics aren’t at all the same... though, after reading the note, it’s honestly more confusing. The note seems more in line with the kind of tomfoolery the Ljósálfar were into, so what was going on here?

She seems deep in thought as she exits Room 23, though not enough that she doesn’t notice passers by. She will look them over critically, because, uh...]

... what world are you from?

[look. She’s used to this kind of thing...

Anyway, she starts poking around the castle a bit, though eventually she just decides to hang outside the audience hall looking... well, more Done than annoyed, but it’s both. She’s at least open to... well, questioning you.]

None of you have seen any annoying girls with wings, have you?

audience hall

[scratchitti]

Surprisingly, no.

[He sounds like he was legit expecting some annoying winged people too]

[caligulass]

Oh, were you dealing with the nightmares as well, then? Or... something else.

[...she did remember the heron and crow laguz from the World of Radiance just now... they’re not as annoying as the danged fairies, though.]

[scratchitti]

Nightmares? I don't know anything about that, but I was dealing with one loud annoying chick with wings. Who tried to kill me. So I'm kinda biased.

['Tried', way to be in denial, Neku]

room 23

[nothingposh]

France.

[He points to the ribbon rosette in the colors of the French flag on his jacket. That is what she was asking, wasn't it?]

[caligulass]

...I’ve never heard of a world of France. You must not produce many Heroes, then.

[that wasn’t necessary Veronica!]

[nothingposh]

Well everything's gone downhill since Napoleon, so I suppose that's right. Not many heroes around when the people don't rise.

[Personally, he thinks Enjolras is a hero but he's also pretty sure Enjolras would gut him for even suggesting that so.]

[littlebratziska]

What do you mean what world? There's only one world, outside of foolish theories.

[caligulass]

I guess nobody’s bothered to look into your world yet, then.

[It’s maybe a little dismissive in tone, but there are countless worlds out there. It’s not surprising, she guesses.]

[littlebratziska]

[She's clearly crazy, then, but Franziska decides to play along.]

What does it matter, anyway?

rooms

[imozon]

What world am I from...

[She... actually stops and thinks.]

I guess I'm from the Kingdom of Mirrors?

[caligulass]

...hm. I haven’t heard of that one, either.

[Another one, huh... is this concerning or a natural consequence of there being so many worlds?]

Do you remember anything strange happening there before you got here?

[imozon]

I don't really know what usually happens there, since...

[...oh. Hm.]

Actually, I think I am something strange that was happening.

[She says this with a grin, as if she's delighted to realize it. Which she sort of is.]

room 23

[immaculacies]

Earth. [ A beat, and then: ] Ah, but that might not help you very much. There are any number of parallel 'Earths' that I could originate from... If you want to index that sort of thing, you'll probably have to ask for more details than that.

[caligulass]

...well, I don’t think I’ve heard about Earth or its variations outside of the dirt we stand on, but at least you know anything whatsoever about different worlds existing. That’s a start.

[immaculacies]

Hm, it's a basic principle, don't you think? Even if most people never see another world for themselves, the concept of parallel worlds is becoming mainstream even in mundane science nowadays.

Why? What world do you come from?

Room 23

[rhododendronhoney]

Um...Earth, I think? Are you from the Pokemon world? Or...another world, entirely?

[caligulass]

I’m from the continent of Zenith, if you’ve heard of it. I’ve heard of some people from Earth, at least, but I haven’t heard of the Pokemon world.

[rhododendronhoney]

...no, that name's not familiar to me. Did your world and Earth also end up merging together somehow?

Rooms

[xxxx_me]

[This is like, almost terminology that he uses. It just makes him even more confused.]

...?

What do you mean by world?

[His definition is probably a little different now.]

[caligulass]

...other realms where things went differently than in your world, I guess. Sometimes the continents are different, and sometimes they’re the same but the people are different. Things like that.

neighborrrrr (room 23/24)

[soverainty]

[Well, it took Niko a bit to make herself presentable after accidentally exiting Room 24 like a sack of potatoes earlier, but now she is Dignified and Dressed to the Nines, or rather just to Castle Chic standards. Complete with shoes, promise.

She just happens to be here when one of her neighbors comes out and Veronica gets a long few blinks, just, of bafflement.]

World...? I don't really understand the question, so, can I ask where you're from? That might help.

[She accidentally answered a question with a question but them's the breaks when you dispense with context like this.]

[caligulass]

...I’m from Embla. I imagine you haven’t heard of it.

[she’s just starting to sound kind of tired at this point...]

room 23

[undershadow]

[ Man, this is starting to get annoying on top of unsettling. Lena, who is unaware of the grand nature of toplevels, assumes this is yet another double take. ]

The one where everyone isn't a gross featherless giant, apparently.

[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.