Duel 01 [Written -> Dictated]

[princelyspirit]

So, we're supposed to write in these if we want to talk to someone, right? Just like a real journal. Or...

[Wait, no eraser. She quickly scribbles out the “Or...”. Or.... Good enough. Soon, she begins to talk]

Or I guess we can just talk to them. It's weird, I don't see a microphone, or anything like that-anyway, that's not important. The important thing is...

[breathes in]

What is this place? And how on earth did we get here? Look, don't get me wrong, I appreciate the help and all, but waking up in some fairy tale castle? Just a little bit creepy, if you ask me. If anyone can tell me what's going on, or anything at all... I'd owe you one.

[OOC: I'll be heading to bed at around 12:30 AM EST. If I can't get to tags tonight, I'll get to them tomorrow evening]

Comments

[thebestseller]

Nobody here but us chickens. Buck buck buck. In our chicken pen called Paradisa.

[princelyspirit]

[She knows he's just joking around, but that doesn't really help her mood. The way he's talking makes it seem like they're stuck here.]

Yeah, it sounds like a real great place. [not] But if we're the chickens, then who's the farmer? I mean, someone's gotta be running this place, right?

[thebestseller]

Oh, it's grand. Apparently the Easter Bunny was here and everything.

Vague mysterious forces. Or magic. Yeah, I don't really like it, either. That's my explanation for everything that happened- wizard did it.

[princelyspirit]

So it's all a bunch of mysterious mumbo-jumbo, huh? You're the second person to say that - though, according to her, there isn't even a wizard to blame for this mess. Apparently the castle's got a mind of its own, and it's invited us all to dinner. But, hey, you said the Easter Bunny dropped by, right? Maybe this means we'll get a visit from jolly old St. Nick. A nice breakout would be the perfect Christmas present, don't you think?

[Joking, joking. Everyone knows that the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus aren't real, right? Right.]

[thebestseller]

I haven't seen Santa yet, but it really wouldn't surprise me. And I'm not sure if it was the actual bunny's doing, but we had eggs on Easter all the same. See, the castle likes to do things for us in exchange for kidnapping us. How kind of it, eh?

[princelyspirit]

Yeah, yeah, it's very generous. Though, stuff doesn't really come free around here, does it? I mean... you know about the losses, right? How the castle takes something from you? Like memories, or skills, or things like that.

[thebestseller]

Oh, do I ever. I lost my ability to drink coffee. So there's a lot of give and take on both sides.

[princelyspirit]

It... [she tries to hold back a laugh, and succeeds, mostly.]

I guess the castle takes away something important from everyone, huh? I hope it hasn't been too hard on you.

[Utena does feel bad for almost laughing at him, really. It wasn't even that funny! But after the kidnapping and memory loss and finding out that she's trapped in the middle of the sci-fi/fantasy adventure from hell... well, the stress had to break somehow. And as it turned out, it was courtesy of a man who had to make the greatest sacrifice of all: his morning coffee.]

[thebestseller]

I've grown to quite like tea as a substitute. It's just not the same, though. Kinda ridiculous thing to take away when you think about it, on the other hand- I coulda got off a lot worse.

[And hey, he's learned to laugh about it by now, too.]

[princelyspirit]

So, no complaints there, I guess. But you're right, it is kind of silly. If I didn't know better, I'd say the castle was playing a joke on you, or something like that.

[thebestseller]

I've heard that's its nature, yes. It likes to play with its toys.

[princelyspirit]

Ugh, you didn't have to put it like that. It makes the whole place sound like one big, demented dollhouse. Though... [shakes her head] I guess, depending on who you ask, that's what the castle is. It doesn't make it any easier to swallow, though.