CitW: Round 2: The Curious

[Pegasus]

Was it something that you said?

Round like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel
Like a snowball down a mountain, or a carnival balloon
Like a carousel that's turning running rings around the moon

Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face
And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind!
Like a tunnel that you follow to a tunnel of its own

Down a hollow to a cavern where the sun has never shone
Like a door that keeps revolving in a half forgotten dream
Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream
Like a clock whose hands are sweeping past the minutes of its face

And the world is like an apple whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find in the windmills of your mind!
Keys that jingle in your pocket, words that jangle in your head
Why did summer go so quickly, was it something that you said?

Lovers walking along a shore and leave their footprints in the sand
Is the sound of distant drumming just the fingers of your hand?
Pictures hanging in a hallway and the fragment of a song
Half remembered names and faces, but to whom do they belong?

When you knew that it was over you were suddenly aware
That the autumn leaves were turning to the color of her hair!
Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel

As the images unwind, like the circles that you find

In the windmills of your mind!

120th Ashan, 719. Midnight

The First Shard.

The Curious

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

They were the Curious. And how did they know?

"You are the Curious! Oh, Welcome!!" The woman said. She smiled at them, a beaming and happy smile, apparently very happy to see them. Of course, the Caterpillar was there too and he looked around with interest at the group. "And curious you are!" He seemed to find that funny and gave a little chuckle. They were in a woodland, it was dark like dusk but it wasn't cold, even though they were in their jammies. However, they were just on the edge of the woodland and there, in front of them was a path which quickly split into two. The path on the left hand side meandered and led to a house. It was a beautiful looking manor-house, brightly lit and inviting.

The path on the right also led to a house, but this one was small, rundown and ramshackle. It was enveloped in darkness and seemed to be rather spooky. The woman who was there with them gestured. "You have to find the pieces of the mirror, and they are in there." She gestured to the houses. "But there must be two groups of three. So, your first choice is to step on to the path of your choice and state which two other people you'd like to go with. Then, I'll take you."

She looked at them and smiled, apparently beamingly happy to see them. "And in the meantime, I'll answer any questions if I can!"

Pictures hanging in a hallway and the fragments of a song.

Objectives & Rules

Congratulations. This is your group for this event. I hope you're all comfy. Ok. So, the objective you have in this room is to find the pieces of the broken mirror. However, before you can do that you need to split into two groups.
So. In this post, what you must do is:

1. Ask any questions of the woman you like. I will "modnote" answers up to once a day, depending on my schedule.
2. Step onto one of the paths (left or right) and state clearly (your pc must speak) which two other pcs you'd like to take with you.

Everything here has consequences. They will not always make sense.
PLEASE NOTE: ONE person's stated wish of who goes where will come true. This will be randomly decided after everyone has posted. Therefore, it's fine for you all to choose the same path, but you MUST pick two other pcs to go with you.

You do not have to ask questions, if you don't want to - that's absolutely fine. If you do, I'll try and get to them, but please don't delay posting waiting on someone else's answer because I'm not guaranteeing they'll happen.

!	Message from: CAN DO OBJECTIVES
	There are 2 hidden objectives here. I'll let you know if you meet them.

[/tab]

Dates & Deadlines

You need to post here by Friday, 22nd Feb. If you have not done so, you've missed the round. I will be locking the thread at that time.
I will post on Saturday 23rd Feb.

[Nightshade Eld]

It had been a very long and interesting journey already for the half-breed, having appeared first within the waiting room she got to watch the entire mess from start to finish. Watching some be rude, others be kind, and some do nothing at all. Mostly though, she herself was curious. Cautious and curious with a heart full of desires to help and protect. Despite her curiosity she wasn't going to risk the lives of herself and others, she'd do what she could to protect instead of harm. That's why unlike some people after the rune book had told her that no she may not look she left it be. She'd greeted Tio kindly enough after she was able to pick up on his voice. His face was a bit... different. However, he was someone familiar in a group of people she'd never met so of course she'd greet him warmly. Then she'd talked to the caterpillar. That was perhaps the moment the little red lights in the back of her mind started to discreetly flash. Arcs and arcs. She wouldn't mind chatting for a trial certainly! Arcs was perhaps a bit too long...

She'd really have to watch what she did and said in a place like this.

After that she just watched the mess unfurl around her. People tossing books, the various sounds the things in question made, multiple people messing with the rune book, the sphere breaking, and so much more including one person who was rude enough to eat their host. Rude as well as dangerous. Definitely dangerous, absolutely dangerous. The most upsetting thing was when someone did... something, which caused a strange and sorrowful sound to haunt the air. It was a melody that the half-breed couldn't place, something from long ago that had been lost. Like a voice, one you hadn't heard for years. Or perhaps the gentle soothing melody of a dead loved one's heart. Either way, it took genuine effort not to cry. The sound itself was followed by a loud pop that caused the half-breed to jump. She wondered if anyone else had heard that pop, but looking around, the marked woman wasn't quite sure if everyone had.

Then, after enough time or perhaps after everyone who was supposed to there arrived, people started to disappear one by one.

When the half-breed herself disappeared she opened her eyes moments later to find herself in an entirely new place. A Curious, that was what the strange woman had called her. She was a curious woman herself. Flouncy golden hair and a short red dress which clung to her body, her giant beaming smile staring at the group as she explained to them what was going on. Pieces of a mirror, they were looking for the pieces of a mirror. The significance of their quest was lost on the half-breed, but she was aware that none of them could leave until something broken was fixed. She didn't know what that broken thing was though, or how it had become broken. The half-breed, however, was of a helpful sort so she nodded along quietly with the decree of the woman. She wondered if it was more than just the mirror that had broken, but for now, they had a group and a task to complete.

Then they were given a choice and the freedom to ask questions. Curiosity burned the back of the half-breed's mind, but she refused to be rude or seem a nuisance. Her first question was one spoken with kindness. "Thank you for your aid miss, may we have something with which to properly address you? A name or perhaps a title?" The half-breed kept her tone as respectful as she could, trading a warm smile for the woman's own. She waited a moment to get that first answer before asking the other things that had come to her head, being quite the curious sort that she was. "Do you know what kinds of threats might be waiting for us in those houses? Or ways to combat them? In addition, what exactly will we achieve by bringing back the pieces of the mirror?" Her eyes were bright, her tone light as she tilted her head to the side like a curious bird. Quite ironic.

There were more questions she wanted to ask, but she also didn't want to waste the time of their guide or the group, so she asked what was most important and listened in case anyone else had other questions that they wanted to ask.

After the group was satisfied with asking questions she would choose her path. Two houses stood before them. One left and one right. One grand and one terrifying. One bright and one dark.

Was it ever a question as to what she'd choose? The woman was a defender, a Valkyrie, a protector. Her gaze turned to the decrepit house run down and in shambles long before she even glanced towards the one that was bright. There were a lot of things feeding her decision. The shambly house could be the more dangerous of the two, in which case she'd protect herself and those who ended up coming with her, as was her job and pride. She'd do whatever was in her power to protect herself and anyone who became her companion. Her conviction remarkably strong, made fire and steel from years of abuse and being wronged. There was also the chance that looks could be deceiving and it might be the safer one. The thing that really cinched it though, was how the brighter house reminded her of the home of The Master. Glittering and perfect looking, but probably hiding an underbelly she didn't want to have to see. Of course, of course her feet were drawn to the right.

Glancing over the group and trying to decide who she wanted to come with her was a bit trickier. "Obviously, Tio, we should stick together," she said while her eyes were still glancing over the rest of the group. Tio was familiar and she didn't want to lose that sense of familiarity. "I also think the man who touched the rune book and made it scream should come. Considering you made all the poor books start screaming I hope you were able to discover something useful," her words weren't intended to be rude or even really accusator as her gaze flitted towards Alistair. It was more so a matter of fact statement. He was the one who made the books scream. She'd watched him touch the rune book and then the books started to scream. Whatever he learned could potentially prove useful, so she'd try to take him with her.

!	Message from: Peg
	Noted. Night has chosen Tio and Alistair and the spoopy house

!

Message from: Answers

Q: "Thank you for your aid miss, may we have something with which to properly address you? A name or perhaps a title?" A: "My name is Leigh. Call me that!" Q "Do you know what kinds of threats might be waiting for us in those houses? Or ways o combat them? In addition, what exactly will we achieve by bringing back the pieces of the mirror?" A: "Oh, terribly terrible ones. You can only combat them by being strong and brave and not stupid. Don't be stupid. Stupid is dead before it starts. And what you achieve? Well, you get to leave!"

[Rei'sari]

Ari'sora nodded slowly when the caterpillar answered her questions. In some ways it explained a lot. This...whatever "this" was...was connected to the Maze, and everything that had happened there. Ari'sora had guessed as much when she had seen Antherpos in the crack that had brought her here. The events that had happened in the Maze had started something...but what had it started? Everything hung in the balance? Well that certainly didn't sound good. But...what was everything? Everything for her and the other people here? Or everything everything. Was the caterpillar telling her that the world itself hung in the balance? Was it going to survive...or not...based on what they did? What she did? That was...that was more than Ari'sora was able to process just now.

Instead, she chose to focus on the rest of what the caterpillar had said. She needed to end it one way or the other. Or they did. Ari'sora would feel a lot better if everyone in the room had a part in stopping it...whatever "it" was.

"What was started? How do we end it? And what is that song? It's so sad..." Are'sora asked softly.

She was asking both Shadow, and the caterpillar. Shadow simply shook her head in confusion. It was clear that she didn't know any more about any of this than she did. So she hoped that the caterpillar might answer. Whether it did or not, she suddenly knew two things. Until all of this was over, no one who was here would be able to leave. And until "it" ended, anyone who fell asleep would be unable to wake up. And that begged yet another question.

"Will everyone wake up again if we do put an end to it?"

The room faded around her, and Ari'sora found herself in the forest. Panic overcame her until she realized that Shadow had come with her...wherever "here" was. It was dark, but not completely dark. More like dusk than night time. She was still wearing her pajamas, but she wasn't cold. As she continued to look around, she realized that she was at the edge of the forest...and she wasn't alone. There were five other people with her. Before them lay a path. As she followed it with her eyes, she saw that it split into two paths, one leading to the right, and the other to the left. The right path led to a small, run down house that had definitely seen better trials. It seemed to be swallowed by the darkness around them, and it looked frightening. Maybe it was even haunted. It certainly looked as though it could be.

To the left, there was another house. This one was a beautiful manor house. It was brightly lit, and it looked warm, and inviting. Ari'sora distrusted it immediately. Looks were deceiving...especially in this place.

Her attention was quickly drawn to a smiling woman who seemed very happy to see them. She greeted them warmly, and called them the Curious.

"Why did she call us the Curious, Shadow?"

The cat chuckled.

"Do you really have to ask?" her friend asked in amusement.

"You ask enough questions to satisfy the curiosity of a thousand cats, Ari'sora."

Ari'sora noticed that the caterpillar was there too when he added his own comment about them being curious. Was that why they were all part of this group, then? Because these others shared her desire to know things?

When the woman explained that they had to find the pieces of the mirror, Ari'sora's mind instantly traveled back to the mirror she had had in the maze. It was now broken, too. Was that the mirror that they had to find the pieces for? Or maybe it was the mirror that one of the others had had with them in the maze?

The explanation continued. The mirror pieces they needed to find were somewhere in the two houses. And they needed to split into two groups of three so that they could search both of them. The woman offered to answer any questions that they had, and that was a good thing. Ari'sora had a lot of them.

"My name is Ari'sora, ma'am. What may I call you? It would be awfully rude of me to just say "hey you," or something. Especially after you were nice enough to offer to answer our questions. I do have a lot of them...so I'm sorry if I ask too many. I tend to do that a lot. How many mirror pieces are there? And how will we know if we've found them all?"

Those were two of the most important questions she had. The other winged woman asked about what dangers they might find in each of the houses, and how to fight them. She also asked what finding the broken mirror pieces would do. These were all some of the questions that Ari'sora wanted to know, so she really hoped that the woman could answer them.

"Who...or what lives in those houses?" Ari'sora asked, eying the haunted looking one nervously.

"Will they be mad if we go in to look for the broken mirror pieces?"

Someone had to own those houses, after all...and since the one on the left was all lit up, it seemed likely that its owner was at home. Perhaps one of the dangers the other winged woman had asked about was that the owners of the houses would punish them for barging in and looking around. She wouldn't be happy if someone barged into her house to look for something.

"Will finding the broken mirror pieces end what was started in the maze so that people who fall asleep can wake up again? Or is it just the first step in what we need to do to end it?"

That was another important question that she really wanted the answer to.

"Is there anything in particular that we should know about the houses? Does time pass differently once we're inside, perhaps? Or are they bigger on the inside than on the outside?"

She had read a book about the first scenario once, and the girl who had entered the magic shop spent what she had thought was a break inside looking around only to find out that a thousand arcs had passed for the rest of the world, and everyone she had ever known was long dead. She had had a weird dream about the latter once. And since she had come here from a dream...who knew what was possible? If the houses were bigger on the inside than on the outside, what would happen if they got trapped in a part that didn't exist on the outside? Would they cease to exist?

"Is there anything inside either of the houses that might help us find the broken pieces of the mirror? Or any traps that we should know about?"

Ari'sora was worried that the woman might get angry if she asked to many more questions, so she ended with one final one.

"What happened to the other people who were in the first room with us?"

They had to choose a house to explore, so Ari'sora studied both carefully as she thought about which one she wanted to explore. The obvious choice, of course was the one that seemed to be welcoming them. But...looks were deceiving. Especially in places like this. What if it was inviting them into a trap? Or what if the houses themselves were alive, and the one on the left was trying to lure people inside to eat them while the one on the right just wanted to be left alone?

She was already leaning towards wanting to explore the house on the right when the other winged woman moved towards the right. She had never seen anyone else with wings like hers before. Ari'sora knew her father had wings because of things her mother had said about him. But she had never met him before...nor did she want to. The other winged woman was a different story, though. So the other woman's decision only solidified the choice she had mostly already made. Ari'sora moved towards the right as well.

"I'd like to go with the other winged woman if that's okay?" she told the woman who had offered to answer their questions and take the groups to the houses they would explore.

The other person was harder to choose. The only person beside Shadow that she knew at all was the ghost, and she was pretty sure that the ghost didn't like her because she had made her mad when she met her in the maze. Growing up under Ren'zar's rule made her nervous about men in general, so even though she was starting to learn that not all men were bad, she decided that she didn't want to take that chance with two men she knew nothing about when everything else was uncertain. So that left one other choice.

"And I'd also like to go with the woman who is wearing the mouse ears if that's okay?"

!	Message from: Peg
	Noted. Ari'sora has chosen Night and Sephira, and has also chosen the spoopy house.

!

Message from: Answers

Q: My name is Ari'sora, ma'am. What may I call you? A: Call me Leigh... Q: How many mirror pieces are there? And how will we know if we've found them all? A: I don't know and... I don't know <she laughs> Q: "Who...or what lives in those houses? Will they be mad if we go in to look for the broken mirror pieces?" A: "Monsters. And yes, dear, they're already mad. They're hungry too." Q: "Will finding the broken mirror pieces end what was started in the maze so that people who fall asleep can wake up again? Or is it just the first step in what we need to do to end it?" A: "Hmm. Yes." Leigh said and then raised a hand. Her eyes darkened. "NO MORE! You ask too many questions! No more from anyone else!!! Speak your choice then begone!"

!	Message from: Peg
	Because Ari'sora asked too many questions, Leigh will answer no more, nor will she accompany you.

[Tio Silver]

A story? The staircase wanted him to tell it a story? That was certainly not something he'd thought it to ask. Still he liked this staircase, and it had revealed a rather interesting bit of information to him, so why not? Tio took a seat on the bottom step of the staircase and leaned up against the railing. "Sure thing. It just so happens I know quite a few interesting stories. Let me tell you about this adventure I once had on a little island in Scalvoris called The Immortals Tongue..."

As the rest of the people arrived and went about their business Tio for the most part ignored them, focusing instead on telling the staircase the tale of his first great adventure; where he and a group of other heroes had bravely put an end to a plague created by Lisirra that could have wiped out all of Scalvoris. It was perhaps a tad bias, making him out to have been the one responsible for winning all the fights, solving all the mysteries and generally saving the day, but was still mostly true to the original events. A short while later the story came to a close.

"... And so we returned to the island, and the people rejoiced to see their heroes return. They threw a party, with a feast, music and dancing, and all sang their praises and declared their love for the chivalrous Captain Silver. The end."

A mere few seconds later the room suddenly shifted with an audible popping sound, and Tio and Fred found themselves in the woodland area along with a small group of people from the previous room. He listened as the pretty woman explained the task to them, and to what Night and the other woman said in response.

"Night's plan sounds good to me. The spooky house looks like it'll be fun, and her and Mr. Chiseled seem like they'll be good company." He replied, shooting Fred a look to see if he agreed. The fox nodded, content to follow his lead. "I've got one little question though..." His eye glinted with cheeky humor. "Would you please come with us? I'd just love to get to know you better. It'll be fun, I promise."

!	Message from: Peg
	Noted. Tio has chosen Night and Alistair and the spoopy house.

[Alistair]

He'd always felt at home in the woods. Or - at least, ever since he'd lived in Gauthrel. If they'd kept within the confines of the forest proper, where no walls could close in on them and their perceptions were the determining property as to whether or not they'd be plucked off by Nightmares, or whatever lurked nearby... he probably would have been content to just, keep going forward. Instead, however, the man was incredibly reticent as he arrived with the rest of them. He observed the others, still wondering what sort of odd power he'd gained from the runes. It appeared that he could control his surroundings, but he'd not tested it. And magic - didn't one of their own already dive deep into Overstepping? He remembered her, from Scalvoris. A Rupturer like him.

This had to be Emea. There was no other explanation for why her magic reacted like that, or how they were trapped in this place, or any of the many oddities. He scowled; even though he was a Transmuter, Emea was a dangerous place for mages like him. He'd always done what he could to avoid the Foyers, or going beyond them, for fear that he might end up dwelling within a place like this. And yet, here he was, surrounded by strangeness. Leigh, the woman, screaming at being asked too many questions... and then the proposition that none of them would awaken until they 'fixed' whatever had been broken. He didn't understand it.

Alistair was tired, and had not the energy for these confusing games. He wondered if there would be any way to force himself awake, but then... was he even really sleeping? He was... awake within the dream, a scary proposition. One he'd always been warned of as a mage, from the very beginning of his learning. Even Ellasin had been made afraid by the dream, and called it lucky time and again that as a Lich, she would never need to go back there.

In some way, this in and of itself, even without any further influence was a Nightmare. Fear rung through him, as he wondered what sort of action he'd performed to fall into the purview of dreams as he had.

The mage calmed himself, as he looked down the two paths. One was inviting and, well, like home; a rich manor with opulent decor and a strong foundation. The other may as well have been a Witch's hut from the tales, inviting his curiosity only to open its mouth and gnaw through him. Throw him into a cauldron. If this was the land of dreams, though, perhaps he needed to stop being so afraid. He'd only create enemies the more he feared.

Two people called on him - Tio and Nightshade, or Night from what he knew. They seemed resolved to go to the dark house together, and with him at their side. He wondered why they'd chosen him, before casting a glance towards the man and his physical oddities. His shadow was a skeleton, and Alistair's shadow was animated; a living Haunt, waiting to spring and defend him. The magister's shadow lurched forward and began to savagely attack Tio's, as if responding to his curiosity, though outside of their animated affair nothing would occur. He knew what it all meant, though; the young man had to be a mage.

And the winged woman... he could've sworn he remembered her, from somewhere. A memory filled with tears.

"I'll... go with you two, then. Tio and... Night, to the dark house. My name is Alistair, by the way. Alistair Venora. Before I go, though..." Alistair turned to Leigh, looking at her. She had grown furious. He wondered if he could avert that - what the limit of those Runic abilities might be. He attempted, mentally, to calm her and compel her to come with the three of them to the dark house. And perhaps to open herself once more to their questioning. If he failed, at least he knew that perhaps his abilities would not work on people, or whatever Leigh was. It felt strange to be speaking to Emean apparitions as if they were people, animated and all. His mind remained wondering: what was this, and why were they here?

Note: Alistair chose Tio and Nightshade, and the dark house. He also attempted to use his environmental-altering ability to get Leigh to calm down and open up to questions.

[Sephira]

There was a strange relief in seeing that Maxine had been pulled into this fiasco as well. The ex-convict was weirdly the only person the Special Assistant would trust to have at her back in a situation like this. They were marooned in a foreign place, with no backup, and no sign of ever going home.

They had survived very similar circumstances before and they would do it again.

The Attunement Spark within the mage shivered strangely when the song began within her mind. It was as if the Note of Sorrow had been distilled into something both melodic and discordant at the same time. It almost reminded Sephira of her initiation into Attunement. Except the Song that had given birth to her second Spark had been one of sublime joy. This was almost the opposite, although it was no less beautiful in a way.

Wyn shifted uncomfortably as her ivory fur began to stand on end.

Sephira has to stop her hands from trying to clamp over her ears as the sound of the Song intensified and she began to realize something interesting.

Everyone was hearing a different song and as all of the songs began to mix together she was left to hear a cacophony of tangled notes. The mage briefly glanced down at her wolf companion who released a soft whine.

The song that she could hear Wyn experiencing was different from the songs the other mortals were able to hear. The other animals were the same, their songs were slightly different than what their partners heard.

Strange...

Sephira felt her muscles tense as she wrestled with the discord surrounding her. Was this song as result of her? Or was it simply something she unearthed that was merely a symptom of whatever was wrong in this place. Was that why they had been brought here? Was their presence in this Waiting Place a direct result of their activities in the Maze? Hart had changed the game when he had brought back the Wingless Man. It should have been impossible, Anthropos had been dead at their feet and the mortalborn had brought him back. Perhaps a balance had been disturbed. The woman drew forth the mirror she had brought with her. It had shattered after they had left the Maze and over the following trials had become more and more broken, yet not a single shard of glass had ever fallen from the frame.

Before the woman could work through the intricacies of the music there was a pronounced popping sound. That sound seemed to announce what came next.

Without any sort of warning the group found themselves rather suddenly within a dark woodland. There was a small comfort in this place, it reminded the soldier of Sweetwine Woods. The voice of a woman broke through the darkness and Sephira felt the wolf at her side bristle slightly.

The moment Leigh mentioned the pieces of a mirror that they were to find, the mage glanced down at the shattered mirror in her grasp. The cogs within her mind silently began turning as she considered the puzzle set before her. Everything was linked, the Maze and this place. Then the mirror in her hand and whatever mirror they were trying to repair.

The song of sorrow continued within her mind and Sephira focused through it. She shoved the discordant melodies into a corner of her mind where her Attunement Spark could toy at them like a cat being entertained with a fuzzy ball of yarn.

The Element could see the faces of the others more clearly. She instantly recognized Tio, even in his lovely night clothes. She never could escape that man, whether he was breaking into crime scenes, or trying to sneak into her house, the thief was inescapable.

Solid onyx eyes gazed between the two houses as two of her companions questioned Leigh. The first was rather beautiful really. It seemed to exude a warmth and sense of safety that was so very...obvious. The Special Assistant had seen traps before, she had walked into a fair number in-fact; and this house had to be a trap.

“Which one are you going to pick?” Wyn asked whilst sniffing the air experimentally. Her tail swished faintly before growing still.

“The others want to go to the dark one.” The ivory canine added, glancing back at her companion with a perplexed amber stare.

The mage frowned as she whispered a reply to the wolf. “This is a world where stairs and caterpillars talk, we cannot assume that anything here is going to make sense. What appears foreboding and dark may not be, and what seems secure and welcoming could be the opposite. ”

Stepping forward, Sephira strode toward the path that led toward the gently glowing house.

“But do you think it’s safe in there?” Wyn asked darkly. She stood on all fours with her ears up and alert.

“If we are where I think we are...then ‘safe’ is relative.” The woman replied grimly.

“I’ll take the idiot thief and the ex-councilwoman if either of you care to come.”

Even if Tio was the moron that had tried breaking into her house and Amaris was somehow back amongst the living, the soldier always prefered to keep people around her that she knew she could trust.

Off Topic

Seph is choosing to go to the warm fuzzy house, on account of it certainly being a trap, and totally worth investigating.

Also she chose Amaris and Tio

Dialogue|Thoughts

[Amaris]

There were more people that came after the mixed blood had entered, but they had not paid much attention to them. Or rather, they made it a point to not focus on them. Interaction with others was quickly becoming something they pushed to the back of priorities in a sea of worries. That, and there was a measure of embarrassment that came with the attire they were wearing. Some decency was required when seeing others you knew. And strangers, for that matter. Regardless, the situation at hand was becoming more bizarre by the moment. The room was filled with a sound that was almost like weeping - but in a manner of a song. Sorrowful was the word for it. But it didn’t give any clues as to where it was coming from. Perhaps that was something best left alone.

As they examined the runes, they recalled a small portion of what they had read. Chapter Two, it had been. Something about going bang. They frowned as they remembered more. That some of them were capable of ripping the soul and body apart. With this recollection came the jerking back. Getting too close might very well activate them - and that was not a desirable outcome if what they remembered was correct. But hadn’t Kura been tracing them at some point? Or maybe that was just an image conjured up in their mind. They hoped it was.

The apprehension didn’t stop them from looking. Look, but don’t touch. Fiver seemed to understand this concept as well as the mixed blood did, keeping his distance as his small nose worked to pick up familiar scents within the room. They had spotted several other animals, ones from the maze. More familiar faces. He did not have long to do so, snow white coat...fizzling and fading.

“Mr. Fiver, I think something’s wrong again.”

“Did you touch anything?”

“No! Did you?”

“I didn’t! But I think it’s the-”

He was finally gone from view, and Amaris followed suit no longer after. Eyes shut, they braced themselves for some measure of pain, but none came. In fact, it was just the same sort of silence that had accompanied Fiver’s disappearance. Still, their eyes remained shut. Not even as the familiar sounds of a quiet night within the forest drifted into their ears. They inhaled, taking deep breaths as if to calm themselves. Testing the air around them. Slowly, they opened one eye and then the next to take in the scenery.

“-room.” Fiver’s voice reached them just as they took a breath, frame relaxing ever so slightly.

It was no Sweetvine but it was nice, no less. The forest they’d appeared in felt reminiscent of home. The leafy comfort of place well acquainted with, the vibrancy of glowing insects blinking in soothing rhythms. But there was one person that stood out in all of this and it was stated that she would be their guide. But - The Curious? They’d entered a place before and been given a title. The outcome of that had not been so great, and if their record were to remain consistent, then neither would this result in anything good.

Two paths to choose from and two others to take. The mixed blood looked first at their companions before daring to evaluate the paths. People were already speaking, and some voices were recognizable while others were not. Their brows furrowed as the guide - Leigh, as she had answered some others - was soon tired of questions. Too many had been asked by The Curious; there had to be some sort of humor in that.

Fiver tapped their leg to get their attention, already eager to get moving. A former title of theirs was used as the hare bounced a bit towards the proposed path. “Yes! We should go there!” Amaris wasn’t quite sure where that bout of energy had come from, but the hare had a particularly childish manner to him. Endearing, if they were anywhere else.

“I think we should consider our options…”

“What’s there to consider? Everyone else chose the creepy house and that one looks nice and cozy.”

“That’s exactly what needs to be considered. It could be a trap.”

“Well, it’s a nice trap.”

“Yes, I know.” It really was quite a nice looking trap.

To keep the hare from bounding off anyways, the mixed blood scooped up the hare. It was a bit of a struggle with the notebook in hand, but it could be done. But Fiver had a point. There were already plenty of people interested in going into the not too friendly looking house. There was an obvious appearance of something amiss with the place. Investigation there seemed obvious. But the other place, that nicer house...what could it hold?

If it was in much the same state as the library they had just been in, then perhaps it would have answers. And answers weren’t always found easily. Well - they were never easy to find, if the mixed blood was being honest. Which meant they would need to walk right into that trap. A grimace had settled onto their face, brows drawn. There was a very likely chance that they would regret the decision that was being made.

The Special Assistant had decided on her team, and Amaris had to say she agreed with it. With one small amendment. Tio was a bit of a wild card. Highly unpredictable and they already in enough of an unpredictable situation. Having him involved might not be the best course of action.

“We might be taking too long.”

“Almost.”

“Almost?”

“Almost.”

Amaris turned to Leigh, a decision made. “I’d also like to go with the Special Assistant.” They stepped toward the woman, and her wolf, with a small nod. “However, if we could consider taking the other gentleman instead?” Though it sounded very much like a question, their expression would have said otherwise. That a firm decision had been made and they had very little inclination of changing their mind.

Off Topic

Went with the nice house, chose Sephira and Alistair.

Amaris | Fiver

[Pegasus]

120th Ashan, 719. Midnight

The First Shard.

Amaris' choice was the one.

The Nice House
The Spooky House

[Pegasus]

The Review

Nightshade

Overview

Definitely Nightshade outside of her natural habitat! You described her confusion, and curiosity, very well indeed. Good work, also, on describing her thought processes. I wonder how differently things would have gone, had her choice been the one.

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

None

Knowledge

None.

Ari'sora

Overview

It was great fun re-reading this and remembering how Ari's million questions irritated Leigh to the point that she had a strop. Ari could never have been anywhere other than "The Curious", she's so inquisitive. I'd like to invite you to create Leigh as an Emeyan if you'd like to - she would become a sort of dream companion for Ari.

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

None

Knowledge

None.

Tio

Overview

Heh - I love how much Tio flirts with Leigh in this. I also really enjoyed his story to the stairs. Such a fun pc - such a shame he had to go and break things.....

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

None

Knowledge

None.

Alistair

Overview

I think the thing I enjoy reading most when I read your posts in this event is how you portray Alistair's mind working. His calm logic and clear thinking are really well explained and there in both subtle and self-evident ways. Yet, there's always that emotion, hidden beneath the surface.

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

None

Knowledge

None.

Sephira

Overview

When I was re-reading this for the review, I remembered chuckling in delight at Sephira's logic for her choices. She is such a wonderfully complex pc and her baseline assessment of "yep.. that's a trap" was just awesome. Fantastic writing, truly fantastic.

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

None

Knowledge

None.

Amaris

Overview

Amaris and Mr Fiver Go On Another Adventure! I chuckled at the whole conversation between the two of you - and yes, it was a very nice-looking trap. Enjoy your rewards.

Points

XP: 15 (not for magic)

Renown: 5

Loot

None

Knowledge

None.