Event Log: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

[faileas]

Event Log: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

I. Boaltinn (1st - 3rd) Boaltinn comes around again. A handful of Mirrorbound will remember the holiday from last year, but for others, it will be brand new. In both Residential Districts, bonfires burn in central locations through the night, frequented by the residents celebrating another summer come to Aefenglom. Curiously, while last year the bonfires seemed quite segregated by human or Monster, this year, there is more of a noticeable mix at each, and Mirrorbound are invited to join the games and festivities quite happily. Characters are invited to try and jump through the bonfire's flames to burn away any poor relationship experiences, be it romantic or platonic, past or present; to aid them in this, those at the Eastern Bonfire will give those participating rune-etched accessories to protect them from the fire. The city has quite a bit to offer for this holiday: shared rose baths at public bathhouses and pleasure establishments that increase feelings of friendliness and talkativeness, poles draped in ribbons meant to be danced around, wrapping a ribbon around the pole to bring good luck for the summer, food stalls whose offerings are meant to be shared, and fortune-telling set up by Divination students of the Coven, who can tell your day is going to go. To see last year's Boaltinn prompts, you can take a glance right here! Much of it, including the bonfires, baths, and entertainments will be similar this year, so feel free to use those in your top levels.

II. An Unusual Arrival (3rd on) A full year from the arrival of the first group of Mirrorbound, the 1st passes quietly, with no one showing up in the mirror-lined halls of the Looking-Glass House. Dates and times are important in most kinds of magic, and this is strange enough that some Witches of the Coven get together on the night of the 3rd to try a probing ritual, attempting to gather some kind of clues that could be useful in prying out the cottage's secrets. Boaltinn is the best time for such things, when the boundaries are thinner, and magic is stronger. Those who are awake that night at 3 am might notice a pulse of harmless silvery light that spreads like ripples on water throughout the whole city, originating at the Looking-Glass House, but nothing further happens, and the Coven receives no answers. Well, nothing happens in the Looking-Glass House. Before long, the reports start coming in: people are emerging from mirrors, regular old mundane mirrors, all over the city. Anything with a particularly reflective surface could be an entry point for someone from another world! Inhabited homes, businesses closed and locked for the night, pools of still water in fountains or the river, these unorthodox Mirrorbound pop up anywhere and everywhere, causing chaos for the City Guard (folks aren't happy to find strangers in their bathrooms at 3 in the morning) and the Coven both. Out of nowhere, a glint of light catches your eye; your heart thunders in your ears as your body moves on its own, your mind consumed with inspecting the source. Your reflection stares back at you, just as curious from the surface - a mirror, a pool of water, your most trusted sword, something fleeting that your mind can barely remember - then ripples at your touch. If you are one of these unfortunate arrivals, it's likely a rude awakening for you, to find yourself somewhere inconvenient, somewhere other than where you've been. It only makes sense to be confused. Hopefully someone finds you and explains to you what's happened to you. Resident Mirrorbound will hear a message from Miss Nessie shortly after it begins, a call to arms: "Dears, I'm quite sorry to disturb you, but it seems your fellows are arriving elsewhere than the Looking-Glass House this month! We're trying to track them all down for the usual welcome, but we could use a hand or several! If you could just bring them by the Coven, the usual spot, that would be lovely." She'll give her usual orientation and pass out Watches, but no doubt the Mirrorbound will be more helpful in this regard, with so many arriving.

III. The Goblin Market (All Month) Life goes on in Aefenglom, despite the addition of so many new residents. With the City Guard decidedly busy dealing with the sudden flood of break-ins (or, more accurately, break-outs?), the vendors of the Goblin Market find opportunity to set up their stalls more openly than they have since the crack-downs some months ago. They pop up all over the city, but clustered more often in the Residential Districts and the Harbor District, where there are even fewer law enforcement agents out and about to run them off. These sellers, while not as devoid of morals as those major players of the Black Market, still have very few compunctions when it comes to lying, cheating, fencing stolen goods, and misrepresenting their wares to unsuspecting buyers. It's also the place to find those things that are- not quite legal, shall we say. They won't say a word if you don't. If confronted, they are quick to pack up their things and slip away, however; they know this city and its hiding places a lot better than you do. With a brand new batch of what the natives assume are Mirrorbound, many undergoing rapid transformations into their Monster forms, many of the wares on display are potions: supposed cure-alls for aches and itches, calming draughts for the full moon restlessness, some even claim their brews can halt changes entirely! Some concoctions are meant to increase a Witch's magical ability, or decrease it, or provide them a finer control. They offer potions that they say will eliminate the need for a Bond, or temporary Bonding potions of their own that they claim are more pure, stronger, than the ones offered by the Coven. Claims are only claims, though. A few remedies for the pain of changing or some regular temporary Bonding potions can be found here and there, but for every potion that works, there are twenty more that have less than pleasant side effects. A brew that will cause everything you touch to turn to solid gold for up to an hour; a potion that will invert your sense of direction - trying to turn right will make you turn left, trying to go forward will cause you to walk backward; a potion that will remove all traction from your feet, causing you to slide around as if cobblestone are the slickest ice. Worse, some shadier vendors sell things more sinister, including a potion that gives you the appearance of being moderately to heavily infected by the Cwyld. Even if you don't drink any, the vendors are not at all careful where they're sloshing those bottles around, trying to show them off, and they all activate on skin contact.

IV. A Wilde Hunt (7th - 22nd) All Mirrorbound, temporary or not, are likely to feel it. Monsters are always affected by the full moons, but this month, it is more. Stronger. Instincts rise to the surface as the Sisters emerge full and visible in the night sky, and for many Mirrorbound, they are undergoing rapid transformations into whatever type of Monster they are meant to be. Curiously, the natives get along like they usually do, noticing nothing out of the norm, other than the increased agitation and restlessness from Mirrorbound Monsters. Monsters' aggression fades when the Sisters start to wane, but as the new moons approach on the 22nd, Mirrorbound Witches will notice their magical reserves overfilling, and will find themselves stricken with the overwhelming urge to use it, until casting spells, pushing one's magical limits, is almost a compulsion. Those who are not in proper Witch-Monster Bonds will feel it even stronger, with no stabilizing magic to consume (for Monsters) or avenues to expend magic (for Witches) other than casting spells. (For those who are interested, the Coven does offer temporary Bonding potions which can be used to help alleviate the effects somewhat.) The Coven Witches notice the signs, and they take decisive action on the morning of the 6th, the day before the full moons. So many Mirrorbound, likely to be so heavily affected by the lunar cycle this month, many of them coming into new features and abilities at a breakneck pace, only spells danger for the city. They barricade off a massive chunk of Wilde outside Aefenglom, largely free of Cwyld and totally bereft of farms, homes, and Wilder outposts. They invite anyone who feels the effects of the moons too strongly to control to come out for a Hunt. The hunting grounds will be open nightly to anyone who needs to work off restless energy or overflowing magic; all participants will be warned that their safety cannot be guaranteed from others, but they won't be able to harm bystanders out here. The woods are thick, with the river cutting through them, and full of wildlife. There is room to run and chase prey, or room to play with your developing magic. Play cat and mouse with your friends or Bondmates, or stalk a stranger. If playing games isn't your thing, there is something else to hunt out here as well. With the deep Wilde entering into Winter, this patch of land so close to the city is much warmer, and fearsome Shades have emerged to search for prey. These were once living beings, Monsters, Witches, or animals, who have been overtaken by Cwyld infection long ago, leaving them dead but for the infection, white-eyed and seeking out sources of magic to consume and infect. Anything could become a Shade, but the most common out right now are the ferocious remains of bears, wolves, and nomadic Arachne and Turnskins. If not killed, these Shades threaten the people of the Outer City, when they inevitably escape the barricade. Careful to limit your contact, though; anyone infected upon their return to the gates will be escorted straight to the infirmary.

Welcome to May's Fourth Wall event, An Inauspicious Arrival! The comms are now open to comments from all registered users and will be until June 1st. Current players, if you don't want fourth wall characters tagging your posts, just say so in your text. Fourth wall characters can use this post for their own network top-levels, or this post for log top levels. This event is game canon; threads from this fourth wall can be used as application samples later and current players may use these threads for AC. As always, be courteous to each other! Let the mod team know if there are any problems and we will handle things.

As always, please direct your questions to this thread!

Comments

exploring

[heartsbane]

[ Jorah wouldn't quite describe himself as idle or particularly friendly, but the question seemed to be pointed in his general direction. he slows his walk to a halt, twisting his frame to face the woman that seemed to be the embodiment of restraint if her body language was to say anything about it. not that he would blame her — having a barrel filled with fish resting on the crook of his neck and shoulder as if it weighed nothing gives off an impression that he had somewhere to go. he does, but...

... there's something here that grounds him. maybe he has a weak spot for helping those that are just as lost as he was when he once arrived. maybe it's the eyes that belong to this lady's face. she wasn't familiar-looking in any way besides those damned eyes.

either way, she has his attention, barrel being set down on the ground so he could instead lean against it. ]

I am, but for different reasons than your own, I must imagine. How can I be of assistance?

[honesthearts]

[ the clothes are extremely bizarre to him as well, but beggars cannot be choosers. he shuts the door behind her and thinks if he should find a candle. the light that shines from the window is the only reason the store is not pitch black, and it may be all that can be done for now.

he leans into the doorframe, keeping himself small and wrapped in shade away from the light. ]

I cannot stay here. Wherever here is. I must search for a way back to where I'm from.

[ the mirror that he came through here is nothing more than an ordinary window. he must find another transmission mirror, a frustrating task when he spent so long procuring the one he went through. ]

rinoa heartilly • final fantasy viii • witch

[pinwheels]

— ii. an unusual arrival

[ The last thing Rinoa remembers is catching sight of her reflection in Squall's ring as she cleaned her necklace, which in itself was something kinda odd. For one, she had never noticed before that she could even see her own image in the tiny piece of jewelry. And second, she'd seen her reflection hundreds of times before, and yet for the first time ever, something about it had transfixed her...

...and now she's here, sitting in what appears to be a currently inactive fountain in the middle of an unfamiliar city, the moon's near-full glow surrounding her in the water. Drenched through, cold, uncomfortable.

Squall? she calls out in her mind, reaching for him -- only something about doing so feels different, empty, and there's no answer.

At least for now, she's on her own.

Okay, not completely alone - Angelo's snout pushes into her armpit while she's sitting there feeling sorry for herself, causing Rinoa to yelp before she turns, arms gratefully wrapping around her companion's neck. ]

Hey, girl. [ Her voice is low, barely even a whisper. ] I'm glad you're here too.

[ With a sigh, the witch stands from the water and climbs out of the fountain and onto the street, dog following. The water streams off her as she shivers, puddling around her feet. Fire would help, she thinks, but in the same way that calling failed her, her attempt to cast leaves her in much the same place; there's a strange emptiness inside her where she's become used to finding her magic.

Rinoa's not sure whether to feel irritated or afraid. For right now, she settles on both. ]

Hello? [ Announcing her presence may not be the smartest move, but she's low on options. What she can do, though, is break one of these loose chunks of rock off the side of the fountain. Between Angelo and rock, she can at least defend herself if the reply to her call is less than welcoming. ]


— iv. a wilde hunt

[ It's been a couple of weeks since Rinoa's arrival in the city, and Aefenglom hasn't gotten any more normal. She feels like an outsider; apart from Angelo, none of her friends are anywhere to be seen, and she still hasn't gotten used to the emptiness where her magic used to be. Or the strange, brimming power of her new magic.

In practice, working with her new magic isn't much different to working with her old. She's been told by members of the Coven that her strength with them is somewhat abnormal, most likely due to whatever strange events are taking place in this world. Rinoa can't help but wonder to herself if it's just because she already has her own powers, absent as they are. Either way, she's among the first to volunteer to hunt Shades. She may not be at home anymore, but if she has power, she can still help people, right?

It's probably a good thing, too, because as the moon wanes from full towards dark, Rinoa feels the pull of her new magic stronger than ever before, stronger even than the pull of the old. She was warned about this, but it was a warning that went without understanding until now. The magic feels like it wants to burst right out of her body! Her fingers tingle unendingly with electricity, and her senses constantly feel both heightened and muddied at the same time. She can barely sleep, her dreams feverish and interrupted by the overflow of magic.

That's how it was today, too - when Rinoa emerges from her temporary accommodation as the sun sets, Angelo by her side, her eyes are shot, her tiredness written all over her face.

Maybe she should look into getting herself one of those potions she's heard so much talk about... ]


— wildcard

[ Got something else in mind? Go for it! And feel free to hit me up at denouements if you want! ♥ ]

bruno buccellati | jjba | ota

[risorto]

i. arrival (harbor district)

[It's more the sensations of the place that strikes Bruno first rather than the simple fact he finds himself...wherever exactly this is. The darkness in his vision is simply a consequence of the time and the streetlights having a limited reach. When the wind off the water picks up, he can feel the familiar sting of the colder ocean breeze. And although the industrial smells of the factories are overwhelming even at this hour, he can still smell the salt in the air from that very same breeze. Still processing all of this, Bruno doesn't make much of an expression until he places his hand on his chest and feels the steady thrum of his heartbeat.]

[He lowers his hand back down to his side, finally choosing to take in his surroundings as a whole rather in piecemeal. It becomes very apparent to him quickly that only a quick glance is really sufficient as it seems that in any city, the signs of the importance of not appearing lost or out of place are plain as day. Granted, he can't help but stand out like a sore thumb among the people milling about regardless of their intent.]

[Still, standing here does him no favors. Bruno moves on, only glancing over his shoulder when he hears a second set of steps ghosting behind him.]

ii. goblin market

Excuse me. [A pause as he waits patiently to be acknowledged. When that doesn't occur, he clarifies.] Up here.

[Looking up, one will find that were Bruno not keeping a very firm hold on the edge of a roof, a lamppost, or the top of a tall fence, he would most certainly be floating away up into the sky with reckless abandon. Given that he is holding on to some object to keep himself there, this is not likely desired. As it turns out, it wasn't his choice. If one were to ask, he would likely explain how exactly it is this has happened. But for now, he's a little more focused on not being stuck holding on to this spot until the effect wears off.]

Would you mind assisting me in swinging over there?

[He nods his head in the direction of the next thing he can grab. It's just a little out of arm's reach for him. While he can work to get the lower half of his body back down, it takes a lot of effort.]

iii. wildcard

((ooc: none of these striking your fancy? hmu via pm and we can make some stuff up. i ain't overly fussed!))

4th wall. FUCK IT.

[npc_admin]

[ Humming to himself, he is fascinated by the sound of hums. Oh, he could have hummed any time as an Administrator and he is certain that it would upset quite a few people to hear it, but it was best to act like an NPC rather than one that had become sentient. Because it'd be quite troublesome to have people actually bother him rather than come for some set dialogue options and leave him to enjoy their ever growing misery. ]

Ha-ha.

[ He turns a corner before pausing to look to someone looking rather monstrous. Well. Everyone is a little monstrous in this place. I wonder if I am going to grow horns soon. ]

Good evening. [ The AI chirps in greeting before he starts to walk by. He is getting used to the area, and wondering when he'll be deleted off this plane of existence. Of course, he does pause for a second and shifts his stance to get a better look at the individual. ]

Well... How about that? [ He turns his head and laughs. ]

[honesthearts]

[ isaac's eyes are drawn to the light of her choker, the pulse curious and perhaps magical in nature, but chooses not to utter a word of it. he does not know who he is dealing with, and vampires have a warranted pride when dealing with humans like him. they see him as their next meal after all. ]

You... are saying you were turned then?

[ it isn't unheard of for vampires to turn humans, but it is rare. even his lord and master did not turn his human wife into one of his own kind, a decision he knew was not his place to question. how can the decisions of dracula ever be questioned by a mere human after all? ]

No matter. The incident is forgotten.

[spirialink]

[It feels very weird to Kor seeing Hisui so angry. It really kind of puts into perspective for him just how much their relationship has changed. Because this? This sounds like the Hisui he used to know, the Hisui who used to threaten to clobber him and call him a dumbass, rather than the Hisui that he bumps fists with at the end of battle.

Like an... older Hisui. He doesn't really get how time works, but... did this world bring a Hisui from his past? He's acting like the desert just happened...]

I-I really don't have an explanation! [He waves his hands in front of him.] At least... not the kind you want! But...

[there's a pause, as he takes a deep breath and tries to collect himself.]

I don't really know what's going on here, but the stuff that happened in Schehera Desert? That was a long time ago for me. But I kept Kohaku safe and we all found each other again. We even kicked that sandworm's butt afterwards!

[Spoilers. But you know Kor wouldn't lie to you. He doesn't know how to lie.]

[shinkunochou]

[Though the gesture startles her a little, Sae doesn’t pull away. She gives the arm around her own an odd look of wonder, like she can’t quite believe someone’s touching her casually, but it makes her smile a little.]

Together... Mm. [She nods. In her ear is her sister’s voice, promising to be together forever, and she tries not to pay attention to it right now.

She looks a bit pained at the question even though she sort of expected it.] I...I was told I’m a monster. [It’s not like Sae’s a stranger to that title and it had never been a particular happy thing, but people here seemed to almost be excited for her about it.]

I don’t really know what to do about that. Maybe they’re wrong... At least a witch seems really interesting. You can learn that magic and spells and thing from here, right? [She lightens her voice, as if Alayne is the one who needs reassuring here.]

[cursed_descendant]

[Finding Hilda, for all that her friend has changed, is the greatest thing that could have happened to Marianne since arriving in this strange place. It's like finally breaking the surface after spending so long drowning, tossed about in a ruthless sea, and even if that first gasp of air hurts, it's good, because it means you're still alive.

With Hilda at her side, it feels like she could conquer anything. The sleepless nights, strange aggression, and general restlessness seem less dire when they're walking through the market like they have a hundred times before. It's familiar, and fun, and she finds herself more at least than she's been in a long time, smiling when her friend laughs, entertaining her whims, and haggling with the vendors when it's required of her.

When they settle in the grass, the pair of them sprawled in a rather unladylike fashion, she finds herself looking up at the sky, watching the birds overhead.]

I don't know.

[It's a rare show of vulnerability, but if there's anyone she can trust not to jab their fingers where she's still tender, it's Hilda.]

Sometimes, things were tough back home, but....at least I knew what I was doing. Things were familiar. Here....I don't know what's going on one minute from the next, it's all so strange. And I don't even feel like myself.

[shinkunochou]

[She’s used to the darkness, and the light of the moon(s?? She’s not thinking about) makes it not as daunting as it could be. She tentatively picks up pieces, and squints at their outlines, but nothing in here seems like the kind of clothes she can even really identify. Pants? Sure, got that, but she can’t really wear those. She’s not a man, first of all, so wouldn't that be too weird?

She glances up though and stares at him, thinking that through.] Mm... [A small noise of understanding and agreement, fingers curling into the fabric. It doesn’t even feel familiar.]

Did you... [Sae begins, then hesitates, knowing it sounds strange, before continuing:] Did you come through a mirror too?

[siegfriend]

( he has a feeling that they should be alone, and therefore safe. not that he expects anyone to challenge them, not when he has balmung close at hand. )

Good. ( as good as he can be, but the lack of words... it's not a bad thing that they're together. right? ) And yourself?

( with as much care as possible he keeps his tail from knocking over anything or bumping into the walls. his is admittedly thicker and heavier than he remembers, and he can't attribute it to exhaustion.

and just in case, if sieg is feeling similarly? he keeps a watchful eye on the other. )

[confectionerie]

Wait — you, too?

[ So, what, this weird place is just spontaneously kidnapping a bunch of people and spitting them out wherever, or what? This is messed up, but she doesn't have the time to think on it any further than that at the moment. Once they're somewhere safe, they can figure out what the hell is going on.

But when will they even get somewhere safe? What is safe, here?

She's nearly out of breath by the time her companion stops suddenly, but Ann doesn't hesitate to follow, as below-average as hiding behind garbage might be. She tucks in close to the wall and holds her breath, but she doesn't hear the sound of approaching footfalls or voices either. It seems as though they are safe, for the moment, at least. ]

Phew...thank goodness. The last thing I want is to get arrested in — in whatever weird place this is! This doesn't look like anywhere I've ever been before...

[ She looks to the other girl. ]

Are you okay?

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ What.

Berserker's rage fades away to pure confusion. The shreds of cloth still in his grip are not missing from the Kirei in front of him. Illusion magic...? It had to be -- there's no other explanation. He immediately closes the distance between himself and the AI and grabs for him, teeth bared in a snarl. ]

Don't act like nothing just happened...

[confectionerie]

[ This is getting weirder by the second, and an assumptions she made about the situation seem to be unraveling as fast as she comes up with them. Sure, she's not the most level-headed in their band of misfits, but she has utterly no idea what to make of any of this.

She still can't be sure it's not a trap, but Akechi isn't doing anything even indirectly threatening, so she cautiously steps out of the bathroom and into the living room, her gaze only flickering away from him for a moment to take in the appearance of the room. ]

You just said it was your apartment.

[ And this place does look lived in...but the fixtures don't really look Japanese, either. Or, you know, from the 21st century. She doesn't like that she has to get her information from Goro Akechi of all people, but it's not like she has a lot of options right now... ]

So what, is this somewhere in the Metaverse? My nav wouldn't even respond, and —

[ — And she can't feel Carmen's presence at all. A chill runs down her spine, a look of urgency springing to her face. ]

You better start explaining!

[hypomeneo]

[The jug of strange beer - no telling yet if it's a lager, pilsner, or a stout - drops from suddenly lifeless fingers to the ice below in its trough. The merchant swears, but it sounds so suddenly far away, ringing dimly in Waver's ears, in comparison to the shout.

There's a lot he's thought of since the Incineration of Humanity. There's a lot he hasn't, tucked away to be processed another day or not at all given he nary gets a moment to himself. His students, chief among them three, happen to fall into both camps simultaneously. This voice was gone. This voice was burned away. Like so many others. Across the world. Across time.

Waver's voice cracks as it jumps to something momentarily... younger, in both relief and panic.]

Flat!!!!

[The next breath is almost like a sob.]

Over here! Now.

[gale_arc]

[ The more Kor talks, the less sense he makes. It's really not helping Hisui's mood, but at least Kor has his attention.

But just because Kor is serious about helping Kohaku recover doesn't mean Hisui has to like the guy, though, and certainly not even that is enough to get him to believe a story this wild. ]

How can something that was a long time ago for you be only a minute ago for me? For all I know, you're just making all this up-

[ It's at this point that Hisui catches a glance at the window nearby. He'd been so busy yelling at Kor that he hadn't noticed just how out-of-place he was. Unfamiliar scenery, a few less-than-normal-looking inhabitants passing by... ]

What the...

[ His head is starting to hurt. Yeah, no, forget the desert and the time confusion. Just where the hell is he? ]

[shinkunochou]

[Sae tilts her head one way and then the other, listening, but there doesn’t seem to be anything. She can’t feel anyone near-by either, and she gives a semi-distracted hum of agreement.]

I’ve never been to a place like this before... It looks completely different from my village. Is this what big towns look like...? [Sae trails off, bewildered, then looks over at Ann’s question.]

Oh. [When was the last time someone had asked her that?] I—Yes, I’m okay. I think. My feet hurt, and my heart’s pounding, but...I think I’m okay. [Bloodied hands, feet, and clothes notwithstanding. Again, at least none of it looks fresh.

Then, actually able to get a good look at Ann for once, she notices the blonde hair from beneath her hoodie and gasps in a mix of surprise and delight.]

You’re so pretty! Your hair looks like gold!

[honesthearts]

[ he keeps his eyes to the side, suspicious of any passing shadows in the light and on edge in the event someone catches them. highly unlikely, but he won't take any chances. he still has his dagger if things escalate.

her question, however, jerks his head in shock. ]

What? [ how... ] You came here through a mirror as well?

[ he thought she was just a girl who got into a bad altercation in the streets at late night. perhaps she is still that, but now there is an extra complication added to it. isaac frowns and gives a point to one of the long full-body mirrors with a wooden frame. ]

I emerged through that one there. Where did you come out of?

[fortunefound]

bleary eyed and more ravenous than he can recall being in recent memory, molly hardly notices he’s being addressed, at first. the words register, delayed, after he’s already passed by percy, and molly turns around, quickly scanning the passers by for the shock of white hair that had asked if he was okay.

“sorry. terribly out of it. i don’t suppose i am alright— i woke up in one of the baths, that way-“ he points, “- and now i’m wet and very... tired, very hungry. you wouldn’t know where i could find food, would you? like a... ah, somewhere i can find meat? i’m not sure where this place is, where i am.”

maybe it’s a little much for a first meeting, but molly hardly feels as though he’s in his right mind right now, and since when has he ever cared what people think? he certainly isn’t going to start now. he’s fucked, that’s what he is, and if this stranger can’t help him, he’ll find that out pretty quickly.

goblin market,

[confectionerie]

[ Of course she would find Yusuke here, some place he probably shouldn't be...not that Ann isn't here for the exact same reason. She's not cut out for this witch life, and so, okay, maybe she was looking for a little extra help boosting her magical abilities. Anyway, why she came here isn't important, what's important is that Yusuke is here, and as excited as she is to see him, she's also...a little worried, too. ]

Yusuke!

[ After calling out his name, Ann jogs right up to his side, her expression shifting as she glances at the vial in his hands. ]

Hey — what've you got there?

[ IT SURE DOES LOOK QUESTIONABLE. ]

[shinkunochou]

[She turns her head to look at the mirror, her eyes mostly adjusted to the gloom now and she makes an ‘mm’ noise of affirmation.]

Down the street a little way’s. There’s some kind of... [She doesn’t actually have a name for the store it was.] It sells bread and things like that, I think. I just suddenly came through a mirror in the back...

[Had she been looking at a mirror at home? Her brow furrows a little as she holds up what appears to be a dress. Not perfect, but it might do for now.] It wasn’t as long as that one though. It was just big enough that I could fit through. One moment I was...at home, and I was running...?

[Had she been fleeing something? Impossible, really, because who would’ve dared been chasing her? Maybe she’d been reenacting something in the past. Sae shakes her head to clear it and holds the dress to her, deciding that would be the best she could probably get.]

I ran to a mirror, and then I was here. But no matter how much I touched the mirror, I couldn’t go back through.

[lastcomfort]

[ Oh, he was trying to help? Goodness, now she feels worse for squashing him--

--wait, who is this guy? Where did he come from? This is decidedly not Soul Society...at least not any Soul Society she's familiar with--which, recently, has been very much the opposite of what she knows. Maybe he's a Quincy? Did she fall on her way up to the Soul King's Palace?

Orihime shakes her head to clear her thoughts, only to realize it probably looks like she's saying she's injured. ]

I-I'm okay! Are you sure you're not hurt? I have kind of a hard head...

[ She landed with her butt but, you know, same difference. ]

[escardos]

[ flat doesn’t need to be told that twice at this point. he was always so terrible at following instructions, always assuming the wrong thing and breaking everything that he tried to fix and—

it felt like an eternity since he had last seen his professor. not waver velvet, the turnskin he had befriended, but lord el-melloi ii, the man that had changed his life for the better. the man that took him in when no one else did and never gave up on him.

he stops right in front of the man, eyes wide as he tried to find something to say. he looks a mix of frightened, relieved, and happy all the same but, in the end, speechless.

waver will notice that he looks different. he’s wearing different clothes than the ones he used in the clock tower, and he almost looks like a native here. but the most important thing is that one, singular command spell on the back of his hand, which he immediately tries to hide away. ]

Professor, you’re actually here! Am I dreaming? If I pinch you will you wake up? Or wait, I actually have to do that to myself, right!? [ he’ll pinch himself. ] Ow—! But I’m not waking up— so it’s really you!

[confectionerie]

[ Ann doesn't hesitate a moment once the other girl is through the door to break out into a run once more. The guards have caught up far more than she is comfortable with, and now she's got an accomplice. Or is she the accomplice? Did she just aid and abet a burglary?

But it doesn't look like Kainé has taken anything, sooo it's probably fine?

She hooks a right around the closest street, which is slightly less crowded. If they can find somewhere to hide out for a bit... ]

Yeah, but I don't know why! I just fell out of a mirror into someone's bathroom and they freaked out!

[ Which....any other circumstance would be an entirely reasonable reaction, but still! ]

Why were you in that shop?

[petcromancer]

[Hector's eyes narrow.]

No forgemaster has claimed me. This is what happens here. You come into this world through a mirror, and you either turn into a monster or you become a witch.

[He hadn't heard that more Mirrorbound had arrived, but Hector's not always the most well-informed. He tends to neglect reading the news for days if he gets absorbed in a project.]

There's usually an orientation speech when someone arrives. Do you know where you are?