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

[octopups]

[Some time shortly after Allen stumbles out of his room, another door opens a crack and some other kind of creature entirely pokes a slim, seal-like head and long neck cautiously out of Room 19. ... And then another head. And then another.]

[And then the first head spots Allen, and instantly all three of them turn to look at him absolutely wide-eyed, and a disembodied voice like a young boy's squeaks out from the creature's general direction.]

A-are you a human?!

[xxxx_me]

[Oh.

...

Hhhhhhhhhuh.

This still tracks as far as the Dream goes though, so!]

Yeah. You're... a dog?

[Maybe???]

[octopups]

[The three creatures slowly slip all the way out the door now, and yeah they do look even more like dogs from the shoulders down, but still pretty weird. One of them, plus another couple who emerge from the room after it, start cautiously investigating the area, but two of them scoot right up to Allen and stare at him even closer.]

I-I'm not a dog, I'm a Tine! Are... are you one of Jefri's friends? [He pronounces the name in a Germanic or Scandinavian way, like "Yeff-ry."]

[xxxx_me]

A Tine?

[What's that. He's kind of looking curiously at the other d- tines? investigating.]

I don't know a Jefri.

[octopups]

Y-you don't? Then... you're not from the High Lab?

[All eight of Amdi are out of his room now, but by this point instead of poking around he's started bunching himself up hauch-to-haunch like, well, like a group of frightened animals.]

[He's looking at the other children around the hall and noticing how none of them look anything like Jefri's friends in coldsleep, how this castle is completely different from the ones he knows in the Domain. His short life has been filled with impossible things, but this...]

We're... we're not on Tinesworld, are we? You're not Straumers, and... [He cowers in on himself even more and his simulated voice sounds absolutely miserable.]

What's happening? Where are we?

[xxxx_me]

[That's so many unfamiliar terms UHHH.]

I... I don't know what any of those are. [Um.] But it might be a dream?

[octopups]

[I am so sorry he is such a space alien s-sob]

[That notion does seem to get him to perk up though.]

A... a dream? Y-yeah! Maybe this is all a dream!

[A couple of him stare up at the nearest picture frame containing The Rules.]

I... really hope it's a dream.

[xxxx_me]

Yeah. Me too.

I'm going to look around.

[But not-puppers can join if they wish!]

[octopups]

[Not-puppers does!!1! He unclumps himself quickly and two of him walk up to either side of Allen.]

I-I'll come too!

[xxxx_me]

-Okay.

[It's a little surprising - and gosh, there's really so many puppers.

...

Can he

pet one on the head.]

[octopups]

[He can absolutely pet one on the head.]

[The petted one seems stiff at first, and the others stare at the hand and at Allen, but he loosens up very quickly and presses his head up into it. It's like the first time he met Jefri, and that makes him feel a little better.]

[xxxx_me]

[Ohhh... this is cute.

Adventures are on pause to pet the not-pupper. He'll pet each head that seems okay with it just to be fair, too.]

Achievement Unlocked: Pet Every Dog

[octopups]

[Can confirm, all of his heads are okay with it. He wiggles a little and his young-boy voice giggles happily from every member.]

[xxxx_me]

[Aw yisss.]

Okay, ready to go?

[octopups]

[Happily] Yeah!

[xxxx_me]

Then let's try this way.

[Onwards down the hall!]