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

i should warn you that his rattata is in the top percentage of rattatas

[strictura]

[ He gives a nod of acknowledgement at the apology; he doesn't think she had anything to apologize for in the first place, so it's fine! ]

I'd say that depends on both your idea of realism and the kind of game that comes to mind. That letter did say this was supposed to be a game, though.

so I guess he's ratting someone out at trial then--

[soverainty]

At home... At home, I mostly play VR games.

[She seems to hesitate, because well. The technology here is Not Great in terms of modernity and some people seem to be wandering around more dazed and confused than she was falling over a playing card. But shshhhh.]

Some of them are advanced enough that it can be hard to completely tell parts of them from reality. But I don't think they're allowed to make things that are so realistic people get confused.

All these rules really would make more sense if this was virtual, though.

[strictura]

Ah...

[ Hm. With how often he's had video game terminology and concepts applied to real life, actual reality is enough like a game that he hadn't immediately thought of virtual reality as a likely option. But it is one, isn't? Putting AIs of people into a virtual setting isn't unheard of, and there's been plenty of focus on its development lately, given the state of the real world. ]

You're right, that could be a possibility. And there are systems like that, I think, or at least they've been in development.

[ If only he knew exactly what the Future Foundation was planning. ]

A lot of things about this situation that seem impossible could make sense if that were the case.

[soverainty]

[.......... Nagisa what is your life.

Video game metaphors are all well and good but still!! To Niko all of this is perfectly regular and matter-of-fact because that's how near-future Japan works, so all she does is wait patiently for him to give his perspective!]

Well, I mean! Not everyone plays a lot of VR, but you've heard of Augmented Reality, right? That's pretty normal in Japan nowadays.

[Is. Is it. See: near-future Japan. Boy she's going to run into a lot of these, huh.]

I still don't know about whether this game is okay at all. But the idea of it isn't that far-fetched. There's also a theme, I think?

[strictura]

[ Don't... don't ask about the video game metaphors in his life.

Anyway, he nods; whether or not they actually have the same idea of what augmented reality is, he's familiar with it as it exists in his world, and yes, it's pretty normal. ]

So if that were the case, then the game described in the rules would just be one component of the larger "game," so to speak, which would be the virtual reality itself.

[ This still seems plausible enough, though he's just going to look at it as one possibility, because assuming that nothing is real could be a dangerous path. ]

What theme is that?

[ Personally, the whole thing seems a little Alice-in-Wonderland to him, with queens and cats and cards. ]

[soverainty]

[Look, she literally comes from a video-game centric canon, it's just inevitable that video game metaphors are going to Happen sooner or later. Just at the moment, though, Niko is brightening at the idea that someone at least is closer to her own level of technology and reality than the pre-Internet age.

It's kind of reassuring, in its own way.]

I... guess? Virtual reality is the medium for games, but the game itself might be in its own virtual... server? I think that's what you'd call it.

[She's totally hedging because look, she's a player, not a maker.]

Um, Alice in Wonderland was the theme I was thinking of. But it's still a little early to be sure.

[strictura]

[ Just don't bring up HP restoration and items and we should be fine.

Another nod; they're definitely on the same page there, then. ]

Mm, I thought the same. A queen, a cat, cards, and tea parties... it's probably what would come to mind for anyone familiar with the story. But it remains to be seen whether there's anything to it or if they just enjoy the aesthetic.

[soverainty]

[Well, you never know; it's not like we've tried most of the items here yet...! HP restoration might end up being more relevant than expected, though.

For the moment, Niko leans forward a little, getting into their session of speculation now that they seem to be getting somewhere -- it really was just a hunch and a feeling at first, but then she saw the portrait gallery, and then she was here, so might as well.]

Even-- Even the game makes sense with that. "Off with her head!" and all of that. [she's doing her best to project a dramatic retelling despite her voice wavering uncertainly a little in the middle] And there's something else, too.

[strictura]

Ah... I guess that could make sense too.

[ Maybe he ought to go check the garden to see if anyone's been painting the roses. ]

What is it?