action.

[bronwe]

[ Frodo arrives rolling and tumbling across the floor.

There was a great shadow over him then, something with a terrible stench and legs too numerous to count. And now, light. He shields himself from the brightness and scoots back until he bumps against the wall, then scrambles to find shelter behind a couch. It hurts his eyes. The air is suddenly too clear, everything too clean. He fears it is a trick.

He speaks in a hush, afraid to alert the enemies but more afraid of being alone. ]

Sam? Where are you, Sam?

Comments

[bronwe]

[ He's all soiled for one and scratched here and there but nothing dire. His feet feel the worst, after all that climbing on nothing but rocks. ]

Not anymore, now. And yes.

[not_mafia]

[He's never seen anyone who lives at the castle looking like this. And besides, it's all snow out anyway; you'd really have to try to get dirtied up like Frodo was.

That and his attempt at hiding himself leads Tsuna to one conlusion.]

... you must be new here.

[bronwe]

[ He frowns, unsure what would be the correct answer. The safer option. ]

Why do you say that?

[not_mafia]

Why? Well, there's no reason for anyone who's living in the castle to be dirtied up like you are right now. Especially with all the snow outside.

[It occurs to him that this guy's acting pretty nervous, and he figures he should at least somewhat quell his fears.]

Ah-- you don't have to worry. It's pretty safe here for the time being.

[bronwe]

[ He's all frayed nerves! ]

Thank you. It is jarring. I was most certainly not here a moment ago...

[not_mafia]

Yeah, I know what you're talking about.

[For him, he had literally only blinked, and suddenly he was in a completely different world.]

This place is called Paradisa. It's a magic castle that's capable of taking people away from their homes and putting them here-- all across different worlds and times, too.

[bronwe]

[ Wow, he has a headache now. ]

Are you not from the same world as I? Middle-earth, Arda?

[not_mafia]

[Yeah that tends to happen. That or disbelief/denial.

He shakes his head.] My world's just called Earth. And I come from the country Japan.

[bronwe]

Japan? [ Frodo tries to place the name, if it is elvish or dwarvish or if it is a city of men, and fails. This guy looks enough like a man. ]

You can call me Frodo.

[not_mafia]

[He nods.] You'll find that there are a lot of people who come from Earth. But, you might find someone here from your own world as well.

My name's Tsuna. You, ah... might want to sit down for this, Frodo-san. There's quite a bit about Paradisa that you should know.

[bronwe]

Just Frodo. [ He really isn't sure what that's all about. ]

You must forgive me if I have not the time for explanations, only directions that I might return to where I'm from.

[not_mafia]

Ah-- right, sorry, Frodo.

And, well... that's part of the thing, unfortunately. Nobody knows how to get home; people only leave when the castle wants them to.

[bronwe]

[ Frodo frowns. ]

Then tell me what I should know.

[not_mafia]

[Tsuna nods.]

Well, the first thing you should probably know is that the castle is sentient. I know it sounds really weird, but, well, that's what everyone here says.

[bronwe]

[ He nods. That's easier to believe coming from his world... ]

Is it malicious?

[not_mafia]

It's hard to say for sure. Sometimes it can do really nasty things, but it'll do nice things for us, too.

[bronwe]

[ Like the peoples of Middle-earth. ]

It does provide for us.

[not_mafia]

Yeah, that's right. Every one of us gets a room when we come here, and you can wish for just about anything that you want.

[bronwe]

[ He tries a small smile. ]

You seem content here, perhaps I shall be too.

[not_mafia]

[The comment catches him a bit off guard.]

Oh, um... well, yeah, I guess I am.

You seem to be reacting pretty calmly to what I'm telling you. Most people think I'm crazy when I say this sort of stuff...

[bronwe]

[ That's probably because he can't quite believe everything yet. And this place feels much safer than anywhere he's been the past couple of months. ]

I don't doubt you.

[not_mafia]

Ah, well... thank you! [This is probably the first time a newbie actually HASN'T put him down or otherwise dismissed his information.]

Um, let's see. Have you used your journal yet?

[bronwe]

No... [ He tries to recall if he said anything about journals before. ]

I did not bring one with me?

[not_mafia]

You get one when you arrive here. It looks something like...

[He reaches into his pocket and produces his own journal, complete with his name engraved-- Sawada Tsunayoshi-- on the cover.]

Like this!

[bronwe]

No one has given me one yet. [ Because magically appearing journals make no sense... ]