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[foin]

[Location: Lobby

Time: Afternoon

Mood: Confused as hell

Off to the side of the castle lobby stands one young woman dressed in white and red, looking thoroughly confused and slightly panicky. The sword at her left hip stays sheathed for the moment, as her attention is currently occupied by the floating menu in front of her. Tapping and swiping, she soon gives a frustrated noise slightly akin to that of a distressed water fowl. Unknown to her, the journal sits open on a table a few feet away.]

Where the heck's the map? It was just here! [She pauses before groaning loudly.] Oh, come on! Don't tell me this is another glitch-- that's the last thing I need right now!

[With another aggravated swipe, the menu vanishes, and she whirls around to face the room.]

Godfree! Are you still around? [Pause.] Kirito-kun?? [Another pause.]

Geez! What just happened?

Comments

[dupable]

[ He's trying to remember exactly what he was told during the one expedition. ]

I'm not sure exactly, but I know magic travels in a funny way out there. It moves around all over the place, and so I'd guess that probably messes with people who have it? But I don't know how it affects other things. Like my powers aren't magic based at all! Or the fact that nothing that runs on batteries works without-

[ He adjusts the plate in his hand so he's only holding it with one and he can reach into a pocket and pull out his crystal that he carries on him at all times. ]

One of these things.

[foin]

[Asuna leans closer to look at the crystal in his head.]

It's like a power source out there?

[dupable]

[ He's holding it out to her like he's offering it to her... just give it back though! He still wants it. ]

Something like that! Only they were given to us as a gift, so we don't know where you'd find them if they really are out in the Dead Zone somewhere.

[foin]

[She reaches out and takes it, looking it over with interest.]

Who gave them to you?

[dupable]

[ He drops his hand. ]

A woman we met that lived out in the Dead Zone. Her name is Flora, she sent them to us for Christmas.

[foin]

That was kind of her. Did anyone ask about them at all?

[dupable]

When we were visiting her we did! But she basically told us what I told you about how they work. At least, that was what I remember, someone else might have asked her more about them if you wanna ask around some time?

[foin]

I think I'll save that for another time. Thank you! [She reaches to hand the crystal back.]

I'm Asuna.

[dupable]

[ Takes it back and pockets it. ]

I am John. Nice to meet you, Asuna!

[foin]

You, too. Is there anything else I should know?

[dupable]

A lot of stuff! Uh... Well you will probably want to explore the castle a little sometime when you settle in more, but you will more or less have everything you need provided for you here, and should have a room somewhere on one of the upper floors. Also if you need something and can't find it in the castle you can just wish it up and it will magically appear in front of you.

[foin]

We're provided everything here? That's almost too good to be true.

[dupable]

Yeah... but we are also trapped here. There is no way to leave at all! So that's kind of a big downside.

[ Oh right! ]

Also the losses!

[foin]

Losses?

[dupable]

Yeah! Temporary ones and also permanent ones. The permanent losses are the things the castle takes from you when you show up, and it is usually something important to you! The temporary ones are... well... okay, they're not really losing things most of the time, so I'm not sure why people call them that? But it is still whacky stuff the castle does to you from time to time.

It turned me into a rabbit once!

[foin]

Something important to me...? What could it take? [She's looking sort of concerned now.]

[dupable]

Pretty much anything, but I think usually it takes skills or memories or any really important items someone might own.

[foin]

Eh?! Memories?!

[dupable]

That is only one of the things it can take though! I mean, it didn't necessarily take any from you though.

[foin]

Yeah, but how's that possible?

[dupable]

I have no idea. But that's just kind of how this place works. It does stuff and doesn't ever tell us how.

[foin]

I don't like it. [She scowls.] It's not right.

[dupable]

No one does, but no one has really figured out a way to make it stop.

[foin]

I suppose that part goes without saying, huh? If they had, we wouldn't be talking about it.

[dupable]

Yeah, since most of us would have gone home by now.