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]

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?

[caligulass]

I did see Heroes getting caught up in the nightmares, so that would make it easier to figure out if that’s what’s going on. I’m starting to doubt it, though.

[littlebratziska]

You saw their nightmares? What did they look like?

[she is clearly pandering to her]

[caligulass]

I didn’t see their nightmares. I was fighting nightmares in general before I got here. This could even be one, actually, but it’s not dark blue and purple enough.

[littlebratziska]

So they can't be black and white? Then why bring it up at all?

[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.

[littlebratziska]

H-how dare you!

Hmph. You are right in any case, I'm certainly not a dream.

[Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? What if this is a dream? She's so convinced it's not, but....

And in any case, why should a dream ask you if you are sleeping? That was nonsense.]

[caligulass]

You didn't tell me I was wrong.

[about the smug thing, she means...]

Anyway, I didn't think you were to begin with. It's the rest of this that I'm not sure about.

[littlebratziska]

[She is entirely recovered by now, but still does not deny it.]

Smug is not a flattering word perhaps, but I've always felt accusations of arrogance are tools that fools attempt to wield against those they are inferior to.

But very well, let us assume all you have said is accurate. What reason would this place have to function like your home? My home is nothing like what you've described.

[caligulass]

...

I can't really argue with that.

But in any case, since multiple worlds are only a theory to you, I think it's more likely that it's like my home. We've known about them since the dawn of the Empire. I can tell you're not from my world since you don't know about them, so that means you have to be from somewhere else.

[littlebratziska]

Maybe, though from what I've seen thus far this place seems to be more of a holding cell than anything. It's not... People were brought here, but there doesn't seem to be any way to leave.

[Not that she exactly believes they are in another dimension or whatever, but w/e w/e]

[caligulass]

Yes, I do agree with that end of things... aside from the fact that there doesn’t seem to be a way to leave. We were given rules that tell us how we can leave, actually.

[littlebratziska]

There are rules? The note mentioned them but I've not yet seen them - where are they?

[caligulass]

They’re framed right over there.

[She points at the List of Rules because oops I forgot this was a walking out of your room thread maybe it was right behind them the whole time]

[littlebratziska]

[She turns, reads the rules, and blanches.]

W-what? These... these can't be serious!

[caligulass]

I suppose that's possible. The "queen" did say she wanted to meet us, so we can ask if it's a joke then.

...

It seems like a lot of effort for something that's a joke, though.