castle_whims | You're My Friend, They're My Friends (IC Intro)

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ From her position sitting on top of one of those tables: ]

Too many butterflies?

Well, I guess that's one way you could put it. It doesn't look real, right? This is all more like... Someone's idea of a garden, or a meadow, or a castle, instead of the genuine thing.

... Yeah, actually, it kinda does. Sort of fits the whole fancy hotel vibe the indoors has going on, right? Like if you could turn a tacky painting into an actual place.

[ this is the thomas kincaid of gardens ]

Hmm, I guess that's one way to put it... [ Manaka taps her chin, considering. ] Another way might be immature, or maybe just childish? It's like... A storybook castle, except that when you go into its library, all you find are actual storybooks.

[ And Zoobooks. What's up with that, she wonders. ]

I mean, we're waiting on an actual tea party. Childish is probably the word.

[ Or British! But certain adults aren't here to dunk on, so there's no point in saying that. Lena is quiet for a second, surveying the meadow before them. ]

Ugh, this is magic, isn't it.

Mm-hm, probably. The question is where exactly the power to do this came from. It's not out of the question that a child could have the power to do this on their own, but still...

[ Manaka trails off, humming to herself. ]

So some kid got their hands on some artifact they shouldn't have, or what?

... not that I'd know, for the record. I don't "do" magic. It just ruins my day on a regular basis.

Mm-hm, I see. I guess if that's how it is, it makes sense that your mind would jump to a conclusion along those lines... Well, maybe. If they didn't have help from an outside person, an outside power source is a good bet—and it really doesn't seem like there was any adult supervision involved in making this place, does there?

[ If what's how it is...... no, she can't get snippy on her yet. Not if this other girl might have a better idea of what's going on here. ]

Mm, can't say it does. There's nothing sinister about the view, unless you count what's not here.

Like a second floor. Or an inside that matches [ pointing at a particularly ruined looking part of the castle exterior ] any of that.

[ As Manaka follows the pointing of Lena's... wing... her own expression falls into something uncertain. ]

I wonder about that, actually... Hm. I know I said it's all more like someone's idea of a castle than a real one, but still. The inside is all shiny and new, but the outside looks like this...

[ There are a few different reasons Manaka can think of for that, but ultimately: ]

If this place is made out of someone's ideas, it's hard to tell what has a deeper meaning and what doesn't, unfortunately.

So it's not just magic, it's stupid dream logic, and we have to live in it. Great.

[ god why is magic always LIKE THIS ]

You're taking this pretty well.

That's just my instinct, based on what I've seen so far. But, uh-huh, something like that.

[ Manaka rolls her thin shoulders in a shrug, and then she smiles again. ]

I don't have any choice in the matter. Isn't it just a waste of energy to get upset?

Sure can be fun, though.

I'll take your word for it, since I wouldn't know.

[ Manaka has only ever been upset about people hurting Saber, which is not fun. ]

You've never gotten mad at something you can't control.

[ It's... a question... ]

Hm... Not really. [ Because she doesn't care, or because she's been in control of every situation in her terrible little life? ~it's a mystery~ ] I've been upset before, but it's never been very fun.

Oh. Well, righteous anger really works for some people. You know, yelling "vengeance shall be mine" and shaking your fist?

Ah, I guess I can understand that... Isn't it more satisfying to act on it instead, though?

That's what they tell me. I'm not super into vengeance, personally? But sometimes it's nice to have something to yell about.

Mm... I guess it's just different for me. If something is bad enough to be worth yelling about, then I'd rather just do something about it instead.

You're My Friend, They're My Friends (IC Intro)

garden

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject