...we came in?

[strangerpeople]

POOR UNFORTUNATE SOULS


[There's no doubt that those who wake up will vaguely remember a dream.

In that dream, at least for most people, there are two figures, informing them each that they had a Title. With that title came a power. More than that, they were being given rooms, as if they were meant to stay in the dark and gloomy place where their dreams placed them. The Strangers might have found this to be a ridiculous proposition. Unless they have been through this before, then were probably not surprised in the least.

All of this, of course, ended with a sense of inexplicable dread for everyone. Especially when they woke up to find themselves in long, thin, cramped rooms, with only candlelight to give them any illumination.

Yes. Unfortunately, that dream had not been a dream at all, much as you might have hoped. You are here, now, inside an old, decrepit house where you have been given what appears to be a permanent residency. While you apparently have a power to aid you, it's no comfort. You have no option to leave, you have no way to escape, and the rules hammered to your door doesn't help the creeping sense of doom pooling in your stomach.

...

Now.

Where are those two figures that had greeted you to begin with?]

((OOC: Please remember to comment on the Mansion Guests and the Guest Profiles pages if you haven't yet!))

Comments

[hexposition]

What...?

[Emma looks horrified, for a brief moment, like this possibility had not occurred to her. But...]

...That's... I don't believe that's true. My heart is still beating in my chest, after all, and these rules refer to our lives as something that can be lost.

[icanhearscreams]

[Slowly, he looks down at the list of rules still clutched in his hand. He frowns and shakes his head.]

... That makes no sense. I should be dead...

[hexposition]

[Every word that comes out of your mouth just worries Emma more, child.]

What makes you say that...?

[icanhearscreams]

[This is fair.]

Because I piloted Zearth. That's what happens after you pilot it.

[hexposition]

Zearth...? That's not the name of any Divine Knight I've heard of... and certainly, piloting shouldn't lead to death, right...?

[...Right? But the reality is that she doesn't know what's become of Rean, and...

She's growing pale herself, swallowing hard.]

...Listen. I don't know where you come from or what happened, but I get the impression nothing here operates on the rules we know. I haven't the slightest where we are, but it must be very far from home.

[icanhearscreams]

... I don't know what the hell you're talking about with 'Divine Knights'.

And... if this is another world... that's a really bad sign...

[hexposition]

If neither of us are speaking of things the other understands, that's the conclusion we're forced to come to, isn't it?

[icanhearscreams]

Well it probably means we're going to die. Or another world is.

[hexposition]

...

[Seriously, are you capable of saying anything that isn't, like, existentially unsettling, Ushiro?]

...Perhaps. But perhaps the rules that bind this place are different from the ones we came from, as well.

I know it's easy to panic. I was, myself, when I first arrived. But until we have a full grasp on our situation, let's not assume the worst.

[icanhearscreams]

[Maybe.]

Well, I haven't seen or heard another robot show up... yet. So we at least have 48 hours if they're not here at the bare minimum.

[hexposition]

[And yet you have no idea what she's talking about with Divine Knights? smdh]

There's no mana signature like that here that I can sense.

[icanhearscreams]

[Uh.]

'Mana signature', like this is some kind of anime? What the hell are you talking about?

[hexposition]

[Blink.]

...Anime? I... have no idea what you're talking about.

Robots, like the Divine Knights and presumably your Zearth... they have certain energy signatures that usually, I can pick up on. Granted, everything's been more than a little strange since I got here, but I think I'd still recognize if something like that were around.

[icanhearscreams]

What the f... never mind.

Anyway, the robots are like... five hundred meters tall. I think anyone would recognize if they were around.

[hexposition]

Meters?

[Don't mind her, she's just going to look up at the ceiling and take a deep breath and try to accustom herself to the weird world-shifting nonsense. Why this. Why her.]

...Never mind, indeed. I don't think Divine Knights are anywhere close to that large, if my understanding of measurements is correct, but even so. I imagine you're correct, but it's not as if either of us are near a window right now.

[Obviously, her eyes work! Don't be rude just because she has glasses when you have them, too!]

[icanhearscreams]

That's true. I guess we'd feel the ground quaking... but it's not here. Not yet. Probably.

[hexposition]

Right. And given that the two of us seem to be from wildly different backgrounds in regards to robots, I think it might be best not to fret too much over it showing up. We can deal with that when we get there.

[So please calm down, terrible baby.]

[icanhearscreams]

I... guess so.

[... Okay. Okay, he should probably get up. He tries to stand from where he's been sitting and wavers a little as he gets to one knee.]

[hexposition]

Ah... careful, there!

[Emma pushes herself to her feet first, offering her hands to help him up.]

[icanhearscreams]

[He shoves her hands away, even though it means that he wobbles a little more.]

I don't need help.

[hexposition]

[She pulls back, looking shocked and a little hurt.]

I... I see. I'm sorry for offending you.

[Wow, she folds like a house of cards, doesn't she.]

Please, be careful, though. You seem unbalanced.

[icanhearscreams]

[For a brief moment, he thinks of Kana. It's the same sort of look.]

[... For fuck's sake. No. He has no idea who this girl even is.]

It was a long battle.

[He manages to find his way to his feet, tugging a little at his uniform.]

[hexposition]

All the more reason for you to take care of yourself. Pushing yourself can only hinder your recovery.

[She opens her mouth again, wanting to offer further assistance, but...]

I imagine there should be some sort of drinking glasses in the dining room downstairs, although I haven't looked too closely. I know there's a well in the garden.

[icanhearscreams]

... Haven't really been up and about. And there weren't plans for recovery. For any of us.

For -

[Of course. He lifts his head and calls out.]

Dung Beetle! [...] Dung Beetle!

[...]

If I'm alive I still should be the current pilot. If he can't hear me...

[He. Doesn't like the options.]

[hexposition]

[To herself, more than anything:] That... is certainly a name...

[She shakes her head.]

Perhaps there weren't plans for it, but it does seem like plans have changed, doesn't it? So until we have a better grasp of what's going on, please... don't put too much strain on yourself.