...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]

Japan?

[She tilts her head a little.]

I can't say that's any place I've ever heard of... I'm from Erebonia.

[relieable]

[Osomatsu blinks at the word, trying to repeat it]

Ehreh... boneeah... I've never heard of that place, either. Then again, I never did well in geography... or any subject, for that matter.

[hexposition]

I... did pretty well in geography. [And every other subject, for that matter.] And I've never once heard of Japan. I can only assume that's a country?

And Erebonia... is a very large empire. It seems surprising to me that you wouldn't have heard of it.

[relieable]

[Osomatsu nods at her question, confirming that Japan is a country]

An empire! Yeah, I think I would've at least heard of it, in that case. We're probably not from the same world.

[hexposition]

[That's enough to get Emma to stop in her tracks for a second, blinking owlishly before resuming her pace.]

...I can't say I was expecting anyone else to talk about such a thing so casually.

[She's so used to normies! Which, by all appearances, you are, Osomatsu! What gives?]

But yes, that's the conclusion I'm coming to, as well.

[relieable]

[Osomatsu waves a hand like he's not bothered. different worlds, alternate universes. he's fairly comfortable talking about those things, even if he is a normie]

I guess it's kind of a weird thing to think about, that there are other universes out there...

[he pauses for a moment to rub his head. he just got a dizzy spell, or, rather, his head feels fuzzy]

This doesn't seem real, though.

[hexposition]

It's not that weird to me, if I'm honest. But most people back where I'm from would have looked at me like I had two heads if I started talking about it...

[Being a witch is so hard. But... hm? She comes a little closer to him before stopping, tilting her head in concern.]

Ah? What do you mean?

[relieable]

[he stops, too, just for a moment to look at her]

I dunno, really. My head's so foggy, so it kind of feels like a dream. Or, I guess, a nightmare.

[hexposition]

[Fretting mode activated! If they're not well and truly down that staircase by now, she's going to escort him the rest of the way down and then pull him to the side so she can examine him.]

Everything right now, you mean? Are you feeling all right otherwise?

[Can she put a hand to his forehead to take his temperature or will this kill the NEET?]

[relieable]

[once they are down the staircase, Emma can definitely touch him. though Osomatsu's quite surprised by the suddenness of it. he automatically goes red in the face, flushed and warm. so his temperature probably feels hotter than usual now] U-Uhhh... I th-think I'm okay! Really...!

[hexposition]

[Wah, don't get flustered on her! You're going to make her get flustered right back!

Thankfully for both of them, she pulls back quickly enough, putting a hand to her chin thoughtfully and hoping her hair and her glasses hide her own little blush.]

W-well, you're warm, but I don't think it's a fever or anything...? Still, I can't imagine it's good for you to feel like that. I mean, I can't say everything about this place is exactly sitting well with me, but I'm not feeling anything physically.

[relieable]

[oh geez. two flustered people. great. Osomatsu looks away, clearing his throat]

I-I'll be fine, probably! ...But thanks for worrying about me. [then he turns to give her an embarrassed smile. he probably looks stupid, but there's a part of him that's really happy. girls are just... so cute!

then again, he's used to cute girls who step on him and mock him. this is new territory!]

[hexposition]

I certainly hope so!

[Don't worry, Osomatsu. Emma won't step on you unless you ask nicely.]

And it's nothing worth thanking me over. I should hope anyone who saw someone suffering would be worried.

[Oh Emma you sweet summer child]

[relieable]

[she seems too innocent for this place. she must be Protected]

............it doesn’t always work out that way.

[hexposition]

[Well, it looks like Emma's not completely a sweet summer child, as she does smile a little bitterly.]

Oh, I know. But that is the hope, at least. Still. Even if that sentiment is less common than I'd like... it's an ideal at least I'd like to try to live up to.

[relieable]

[aww, what a sweet girl]

Well, that’s good, at least! As long as there are people like you around, we should be okay. Though, I wonder if the others here are as nice as you.

[hexposition]

I suppose we'll find out! There's at least two of us, right? So our chances don't seem too slim, at least.

[relieable]

[well, Osomatsu isn't very nice, but he's not going to say that yet. he sighs, nodding to her before looking around the bottom of the staircase]

...Where to first?

[hexposition]

[He seems nice enough to Emma! (Emma's judgement of character is bad and should not be trusted.)

To his question, she raises a hand to tap a finger to her chin.]

Hm... this way?

[She motions toward what they'll find to be the dining hall, having just picked a direction at random.]

[relieable]

[that's fine. they're going to look around everywhere else, anyway.

as they enter the dining room, the sight takes Osomatsu's breath away. he's never seen anything like this before, except movies]

Whoa! No way! This place is huge!

[hexposition]

[Emma looks around, clasping her hands in front of her as she walks.]

It is quite grand... I've set foot in an ancient castle and I can't say it was anything like this.

[She heads over to a cupboard, lifting a hand so that she can open it up and inspect its contents.]

It looks like we have glassware in here.

[relieable]

[Emma's been inside an ancient castle? dude...]

This must be where we get to eat! [because it's a dining room] Eat like kings!

[it's like he forgot all about the bad dreams, and the rules, and circumstances]

[hexposition]

[Yeah, it had a giant ghost at the end. Not fun. F-- would not recommend.]

I've yet to see anywhere to prepare or store food, though. You'd think it would be off of a room like this.

[And yet there's no other exits...]

[relieable]

Maybe there's a kitchen nearby. [he's already excited, thinking about the feast they're going to have in this room. moron. he tilts his head back to sniff the air...

but there is nothing, no smells of food, anyway. hmm]

[hexposition]

If there is, it's not an offshoot from here... I don't see any other obvious exits. Maybe the other side of the mansion?

[While she's here, though, she'll close the cabinet she's looking at and peer into another. Cutlery...

Sharp cutlery. Hm. Bad. Just gonna close that door.]