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

[scratchitti]

Just to see if anyone has... something there. Don't worry about it.

[He peers at her hand, but doesn't try to grab it or anything]

Okay, so it's not just me...

[immaculacies]

Hmn...

[ It's a noise of consideration, more than suspicion. When she pulls back her hand again, she reflexively checks the back of her palm and finds it just as blank as it has always been. ]

Why? The Queen didn't mention anything about hands, did she?

[scratchitti]

No but... this is all kinda similar to something I've seen before.

[immaculacies]

Huh... [ Manaka pauses, her eyes lifting up toward the ceiling and the tip of one finger tapping against her chin like she's thinking about something really hard. ] Similar how? There are a lot of different pieces, so it's hard to understand what you mean if you just leave it at that.

[scratchitti]

The 'forced into a game with my life on the line' part, mostly.

[immaculacies]

Ah, I see... And in that game, there was something on the back of your hand that had to do with its terms, or something like that. [ Manaka presses a finger to the space exposed above the collar of her dress, idly tracing the dark line that extends up toward the dip between her collarbones. ] Do you know what chose you for that one?

[ The Holy Grail War isn't a game, and she wasn't exactly forced into it, but... Still, she may as well ask, in case there's any similarity at all. ]

[scratchitti]

Yeah, an asshole.

[immaculacies]

So it was another person, you mean.

[scratchitti]

Right.

[It's More Complicated than that, but also not a lie]

[immaculacies]

[ Valid, valid. And it's enough for the point of comparison that interests Manaka, anyway. ]

Just like the Queen that's supposed to be behind this one... Hm, okay! It sounds like your point of reference is closer than mine, then.

What do you think? The same sort of game at its core, or too different to be related?

[scratchitti]

Can't say for sure. My Game didn't have killing other Players as a task, but you were competing for your life so... other Players weren't really your friends either.

[immaculacies]

[ Manaka hums. ]

I think I get it. It sounds a little bit like something I got involved with, too, but... Well, no one would have described that as a game.