❀ Episode 01 ❀

[therealrisette]

 [Rise awakes with a bit of a start. Had she fallen asleep? The last thing she remembered was taking a break during the filming of a new commercial. And now she...]

Huh?!

[... A castle?! But the commercial she was filming today was supposed to be for a new cell phone model. What would a castle set have to do with that? Did she wander off into another part of the studio?

Not seeing anyone else around, she speaks her thoughts in a quiet mutter.]

Oh man, this is bad. I can't just wander off set like that!  Inoue-san worries so much about me as it is...

[She thinks back to the previous year. The year she quit being an idol. The year she met some of her closest friends, discovered her power, and even helped them solve a murder case. It couldn't be her health. She's stronger than that.]

... This bed is really comfy, though. I'd toootally sneak off set to try something like this out!

[She lets out an almost childish giggle at that, as if she were getting away with something she shouldn't. She doesn't remember sneaking off, though, and her mirth quickly gives way to frustration.]

Uuuggghhh, why can't I remember how I got here?!

[She pulls herself to her feet with a twinge of reluctance - the bed really is comfy. But she really should be getting back, and that means she has to figure out where in the studio she even is. She steps cautiously toward the door, trying to keep her footsteps as quiet as they possibly could be in a castle.

But isn't this just a set? She reaches out, cautiously, to open the door...]

... Wooow, is this real?! Someone must really want this place to look authentic!

[The door creaks open as she peeks through to the other side...]

{{OOC: Rise's on the seventh floor, apparently. Open to anyone who wants to help introduce a newbie!}}

Comments

[dupable]

[ John himself happens to be floating down the hallway, just a foot and a half above the ground, with a big basket of laundry in his arms as he comes back from the laundry room. He's not paying a ton of attention to what's going on around him, but when he sees a girl peeking out her door he does stop to wave at her. ]

[therealrisette]

[Rise flinches back when she sees someone approaching, but then he stops to wave at her. Whoever he is, he doesn't know that she's wandered off and isn't supposed to be there.]

Oh, hi! Sorry, am I inter-... -rupting...

[Her voice trails off. She had thought he was just unusually tall for a kid or something, but as she looks down, his feet aren't even close to touching the ground!

Wait. This is a set, right?]

Wow, those are some pretty neat effects! How are you staying up there? I don't see a harness or anything.

[dupable]

[ John stops in mid air and looks around like he's about to see whatever effects she happens to be talking about. But at harness he suddenly realizes she means the whole flying thing and just lets straightens out his legs and drifts back down onto the ground. ]

Oh uh... it's not actually an effect! I just didn't feel like walking just now.

[therealrisette]

[Rise watches, even more stunned than before, as the boy just casually floats back down to the ground. As if it's the most normal thing in the world.]

Wait, but... how did you do that?!

[She looks up at the ceiling, starting to suspect that she didn't just wander off set. This place was too complete, too real. And there were no cameras or studio lighting anywhere she could see. But where else could she be?

She's seen some pretty strange things before, but she's still cautious about sharing it with others, so she picks her words carefully.]

This... isn't a soundstage, is it? I'm really in a castle?

[dupable]

Soundstage?

[ Yeah, if she had any doubts about it before, his obvious confusion here should probably say it all. This is definitely the real deal. ]

No, it's a real castle. And it is hard to explain but I fly around on the wind? It's kind of my thing.

[ An awkward pause. While it's not a regular thing to see most people in the castle probably wouldn't be that alarmed by him flying, or they'd at least accept it even if they looked startled at first. ]

... Are you new here?

[therealrisette]

"Here"? I don't even know where here is!

[She's starting to panic, just a teensy bit. It wasn't as much of a problem when she thought she had just wandered off set, but now she was in a strange castle with some boy who flies around on the wind, Inoue-san is probably worried sick looking for her, and-

- Suddenly, a small beacon of rationality pierces through her emotions. She realizes there's one potential explanation. She can feel her power inside, but... this place doesn't feel right for that, either. She has to make sure, though.]

Um, this'll probably look a bit strange.

[She closes her eyes and places a hand on her chest.]

Kanzeon...

[There's an uncertainty in her voice, until the familiar blue glow surrounds her and her statuesque Persona appears around her. She can sense the people nearby are real, and that there are no Shadows close by, but the world feels... wrong. There's no entrance or exit, and she can't feel people's minds in the world itself. It's not inside the TV, but she can call her Persona? A billion questions spin in her head, but she only voices one.]

... What is this place?!

[dupable]

[ She was right! That definitely looked weird to him, but he's also the boy floating around the hallway like it's not big deal so he really shouldn't be judging anyone here.

He does tense up when he sees her persona though, and if hadn't been pretty clear she was the one that had summoned this thing he probably would have attacked, because it looks sort of like a monster to him. It's mostly the whole... head area really, but it doesn't look like it's attacking him or the girl that called her up so he'll leave it be.

Even if he does shoot up another foot or so into the air as he checks it out. ]

It's called Paradisa. Wherever you are from I am about ninety-nine percent sure this isn't even on the same planet as wherever that was, because it basically never is.

[selfless]

[Someone else happened to be passing through the seventh floor hallway. She pauses when she sees someone poking their head out the door... and awkwardly waves]

Ah... hello!

[therealrisette]

[Nothing catches Rise off-guard about the blonde girl, so she simply returns a genuine smile and opens the door wider to step out of the room.]

Hi! Wow, you guys are keeping busy here, huh? I'm really sorry if I'm intruding, I just couldn't help taking a look around here.

[At least, that's what she assumes. She still can't remember leaving her commercial shoot, let alone wandering onto this set.]

Those beds are amazing! I've never seen such quality on a set before. Are you working on a big-budget film or something?

[selfless]

No, that's okay, you're not intruding.

[oh oooooooh, this girl didn't seem like she knew what was going on, Colette shakes her head and returns that smile]

Um! Not really... I know this is going to sound really strange, but this is actually a magical castle. [she hasn't given an introduction in a while... goodness, she forgets how strange it sounds]

[therealrisette]

Magical... castle?

[There had been something like that in the TV world, hadn't there? Her senpai had mentioned a castle, and Yukiko-senpai always got flustered when they talked about it. But she's absolutely certain this isn't the TV world, and that these people aren't Shadows or Persona-users.

Not wanting to worry anyone, Rise laughs quietly. All traces of worry are gone from her face.]

Yeah, it's pretty strange. But I've seen much weirder.

[Even though she can hide how worried she is about being taken to a magical castle all of a sudden, she can't hide the disgust that flashes across her face when she remembers her Shadow.

It passes quickly, though, and she tries to stay cheerful. Worrying about how she got here isn't going to help, and she's certain these people aren't the ones behind it. Not when they seem just as surprised she's there as she is.]

I'm Rise Kujikawa, by the way. Nice to meet you!

[Being an idol, she rarely gets a chance to properly introduce herself. But she still half expects them to recognize her when she says it.]

[selfless]

R-Really? [she's seen stranger things? she must be from a pretty crazy world... but it's good that she seems to be taking it in stride, so Colette's smile looks a bit less sheepish]

It's nice to meet you too! My name is Colette Brunel... I'm sorry that we have to meet under such strange circumstances.

[therealrisette]

Oh, no, it's not a problem!

[Rise smiles encouragingly.]

I mean, it sort of is, but it's not your fault. So you don't need to apologize.

[It's a bit of an assumption, but she can't possibly believe that such a nice girl, especially one that looks pretty close to her own age, could be responsible for tearing her away from her life to a magical castle somewhere.]

... Where is this place, anyway? I've toured all over Japan, and I'm pretty sure there's no castles like this anywhere.

[whathedoves]

[We'll not think too hard on why a bird would be walking up to the stairwell to the roof as opposed to just flying up there.

Then again, it could just be that he's snooping very ineffectually.

Partway down the hall, he notices the door crack ajar; like a gentleman should, he moves to the opposite side of the walkway to give the occupant room. It doesn't take very long to realize she's not coming out, after all.

Yuuya turns his head to the side, looking up at the peering face.]

Are you feeling shy, mon amie?

[therealrisette]

[In a rare moment, Rise is stunned silent for a moment by the random and unexpected arrival of a talking bird...]

... Wow, this place is crazy.

[She opens the door just enough to slip halfway out of the room, peering closer at the animal.]

You're not a puppet or anything, are you? You're real?

[whathedoves]

Ohoho, tell me about it! Weirder every day.

I assure you, I'm very real! I have been since the day I hatched! ... You shouldn't worry too much, though: Almost everybirdie else here is human!

[He takes a step back to let her out, adding,] There, isn't that better? Now we can see your beautiful face.

[therealrisette]

[Rise can't help but giggle at the compliment - and the bird pun. At least, she thinks it was a pun. Maybe that's just how a talking bird would say it.]

You remind me of someone I know. He'd always flirt with cute human girls, too.

[For a moment, she wonders if she should have specified "human", but then, she is talking to a bird. And at that thought, she's reminded of one possible explanation for waking up someplace like this.]

This isn't the TV world, is it? I don't think it is, but, well... that friend of mine is from there. And I'd like to know for sure.

[At that, she starts to look worried.]

Not that it helps if I can't find the exit...

[whathedoves]

He must have good taste! I'm honored to share it with him.

['TV World' certainly doesn't ring any bells, but the castle has sent them to so many strange lands, it's probably not that far-fetched.]

I'm afraid not, at least to my knowledge. If we were on TV, we probably would have had a seasonal break by now, right? And .. I don't believe there is an exit - though there is quite a nice town, you should know.

[therealrisette]

[She smiles again at the compliment. Even if it's coming from a bird, it's still nice to hear.

But then he says something she didn't expect.]

Seasonal break? Isn't it April?

dskafljd i keep forgetting aradia is elsewhere and can't do action posts right now!!!

[psych0p0mps]

[actually dictated because the mun is an idiot :'D]

oh hello there
you sound like a new person are you new

Re: dskafljd i keep forgetting aradia is elsewhere and can't do action posts right now!!!

[therealrisette]

{{OOC: Good change, actually! Rise needs to learn about journals still! xD}}

[The voice startles Rise. She turns to face it, but doesn't see anyone there.]

Uh... hello?

[psych0p0mps]

hello
who is this

[therealrisette]

Who are you?! Did you take me to this room?!

[Rise sounds extremely upset, as she should after waking up in a strange room and hearing mysterious voices talking to her all of a sudden.]

[psych0p0mps]

oh! no no nothing like that
my names aradia
right now i am talking to you through a magic book
do you see one of those near you

[therealrisette]

Wait, so, you're not actually here?

[That's actually reassuring to hear, after all the thoughts flashing through her head before. Looking around, she does see an open book on the nightstand.

She picks it up for a closer look, and even sees the conversation she's had with this Aradia girl written on the pages. Reminded that the girl introduced herself, she decides she should probably do the same.]

My name's Rise, by the way.

[This is an awkward conversation...]

If you're not here, though, where are you?