The Morning After...

[paraplots]

To think all of five days fluttered away in what might felt like just a day for the residents. Only yesterday the enemy showed its face only to be defeated, and today, the sleeping residents wake to a brave new world.

The castle itself seems much the same if not for that renewed spark of beauty in everything. The glittering veneer has returned. Every sweeping staircase, every turn of the hallway and every glint of sunlight against the windows would take your breath away. Paradisa defines its very name today.

But the greatest change will be felt by those venturing out to the City Royale, now brought centuries back to be reminiscent of the Middle Ages. Even here the air smells of hope and rebirth and the townspeople speak of the recently defeated enemy like an ancient piece of history that they are rightfully proud of. The Steward, they say, is planning to erect a statue to commemorate it but he has been busy on city matters. Far too busy. It can wait.

Paradisa, after all, seems to care little for trivialities such as time.

LINKS: THE CASTLE | CASTLE GROUNDS | CITY ROYALE | Start your own!

Comments

[samson]

Yeah. Sophisticated sense of humor you got.

[He jerks his head toward the greenhouse, past the door they're lingering in.] You goin' in? Might be cool.

[willrememberthat]

Aren't the point of greenhouses to be warm?

[Little girl humor. But she starts venturing in, glancing back to see if Brock follows.]

[samson]

[Kids!! Brock loves kids, they're great. He snorts a little at her joke, and does in fact follow her in.

Of course, he doesn't know her -- her voice is familiar; he's pretty sure she's the girl who was talking to him after Molotov died but his memory is kind of fuzzy about those two weeks -- so he's sure to keep his distance without being awkward about it.]

Well, you're right. It's not cool at all.

[willrememberthat]

[Clementine doesn't mind. If she's learned anything about other people, it's that she's usually faster. But no one in Paradisa has yet to attack her, so she's not too worried about an escape route.]

It's pretty, though. [She knows better than to pick any flowers, having good manners and all, but she does lean in to smell them.] Smells good, too.

[samson]

[That's kind of sad, actually. Brock would be sad if he were a mind-reader.]

Yeah. [He just looks around -- there's like an amazing variety in here, it's nuts. Is all this stuff magic?] Kinda reminds me just how much I'm done with winter.

[willrememberthat]

Yeah, I'm done with winter, too. Too cold. I just want it to be summer.

[Winter is only good for slowing walkers, but she (generally) doesn't have to worry about that here.]

[samson]

[Brock pauses to reach up and touch a palm frond -- well, there goes the theory that it's made of magic or pixie dust or something stupid. Feels real enough.]

You been here for a summer before?

[willrememberthat]

Last summer. I got here the winter before.

[It feels like a million years ago. Like she's somehow been here forever, but also not since home feels fresh, too.]

[samson]

[Brock rubs at the back of his neck, sort of muttering to himself.] Jeez, I really gotta pay more attention...

[This girl's been here for, like, a year and he doesn't remember talking to her before... beyond that one time that he's not even 100% sure about. It's so easy to just forget about everybody here except for the people you already know.]

You got anybody taking care of you?

[willrememberthat]

I can take care of myself.

[It sounds as defensive as she feels. However, Clementine remembers that she's in a place where people tend to look after kids, not lock them in sheds and leave them to rot.]

But I have people from home, here. We stick together.

[samson]

[That is also what all kids say, so he's not extremely convinced.]

Yeah? That's good. Make sure you make other friends too, though. [Not that he's going to say anything, but there's always the possibility the people from her home will leave and then she'll be alone. Not a good scene.]

[willrememberthat]

[She knows. The people that first took care of her when she arrived are long gone.]

I'm friends with my neighbors.

[samson]

You live in town or in the castle? [Does anybody live in town now? He needs to head out there and see what else has changed.]

[willrememberthat]

The castle. I lived with someone in the city for a while, but things are a lot more convenient when you can wish for what you want.

[Whatever the consequences. Life here is tough no matter what.]

Where do you live?

[samson]

[Ah. Wishing. Brock doesn't like to judge about this, mostly because as far as he can tell, abstaining from wishing doesn't really do anything... but he feels like it's a moral stand. Still, he doesn't say anything about it, just scratches his cheek.]

Oh, the castle. But I have a cabin out in the, uh... woods. That I work on sometimes. So I'm not around here a lot... [He is realizing he needs to make sure it's still there...]

[willrememberthat]

You built your own cabin?

[A cabin in the woods sounds sort of creepy, but Clem hasn't exactly had good experiences with them.]

[samson]

Yeah, just sort of a place to use if things get too weird around here.

[He gestures around at the plants.]

I have a greenhouse out there too, but compared to this place...