Welcome.

[trustfellowship]

The last thing you remember hearing is static. There were words in there, perhaps, quiet whispers like the rustling of leaves, like the crinkling of paper, like rust being scraped off a knife. The words aren't anything you'll remember, but they're there, and there are a lot of them washing over you, and it might be concerning if it weren't so warm where you're lying. You wake feeling disoriented, like you've been asleep for a long time. Of course, it's probably odd that you're waking up just now - perhaps you were in the middle of something important, perhaps you were waiting for something, or maybe you were just going about your day, but even before the whispering came you can clearly remember doing something back home. Can't you? Something else. Something that wasn't looking around the room you've found yourself in. It's not your room, either. Not the one you're used to. The room here is grey and white and tile; even if the bed is nice (and the bed is nice, it feels like it's been designed to cater just to you, maybe if you keep your eyes closed you can pretend it's a favor), the room itself is spartan and oppressing. The walls are cracked and the floors are in disrepair, but despite that there's not enough noise - it's silent, the quietness of it pressing in on you, and even if you can't see any cameras you get the distinct feeling that for good or ill, someone is watching over you as you get up. That might be enough to make you move, to make you not want to stay there. But even if you stick around for a while to look around in there, the walls hold firm despite their decrepit state and the pervasive silence isn't going away - if anyone's in the rooms near you, you can't hear them. If you want answers, you're going to have to leave. Be sure you grab the key sitting on your desk on the way out. Once you step out of the room into the hallway you'll most likely find yourself face-to-face with other confused people who feel as though they don't belong here either. Maybe you'll find something if you explore together; maybe it's safer in numbers. Wherever you end up going - and there are several places to go - you might want to check the large room toward the center of the communal area of the building. A subdivided foyer is here; at first glance, it even seems to offer you a look at the outside. Of course, once you've gotten over that particular disappointment, you might want to check out the walls, where you'll find some very interesting information about yourselves hanging on the walls. There's some other framed information that you'll most likely want to get a look at as well, seeing as how it could be the key to escaping this place. Although, speaking of keys... Despite your best efforts, you won't find any doors. The windows you find here and there are far more durable than they should be as well, and any attempts to break out won't work. It seems you're stuck here for the time being. Maybe your fellow captives have some thoughts on all of this. Welcome to Beacon General Hospital.

Comments

halls

[nachetanya]

No, it isn't. I had actually hoped it might be familiar to you.

[ Said the one-armed woman with black rabbit armor on with a long sigh. ]

[crywiththesaints]

I expect it isn't familiar to anyone in here. A kidnapping like this would be uncommon, of course, but look at how confused the others all are. Though I should ask, what do you think of all this?

[nachetanya]

I don't know what to think of it yet... like you said, everyone including myself seems to be confused, and based on the rules, it seems like we're in here until someone kills someone else.

[crywiththesaints]

They might think it a test of the nature of people. Really, you could get that without all this effort, so don't take my word for that. We've still only just arrived, and we haven't even met this kidnapper of ours.

[nachetanya]

[ Test the nature of people... huh? Nachetanya presses her lips together, and she sort of pouts. But that corrects quick enough and she tilts her head ]

You have a theory like that so quickly...? I guess that makes sense, though...

[crywiththesaints]

Only a rudimentary one. After all, we haven't even seen our captor yet, and they hold the key to all of this.

[nachetanya]

[ . . . Hmmmmmm. ]

Have you experienced something like this before, Ms. .. Ash, it's Kashima?

[ Apparently, she read the profiles. ]

[crywiththesaints]

Thankfully not, but I find it's good to hone observational skills in any situation. [She nods.] Kashima Sakura, head of the Martel Group. Have you heard of us?

[nachetanya]

I'm sorry, no, I haven't, actually.

[ She even hangs her head a little as a slight apology ]

Was is it your group does?

[crywiththesaints]

Martel is a scientific organization that works for the betterment of the world. We're well known for environmental research and running public forums to encourage society as a whole to protect our planet, and we also give back to the community with administration of facilities like hospitals and orphanages.

Of course, right now we don't appear to be in Kazamatsuri... or anywhere else I've seen.

[nachetanya]

I've also never heard of Kazamatsuri. Could that be where your organization is based out of?

[ That does sound like a worthwhile group though. Wow. ]

[crywiththesaints]

Currently, yes. It's known as the city at the forefront of connection with nature, surrounded by a forest. Though tell me, what kind of place are you from?

[nachetanya]

I'm from the country of Piena, and I lived in the capitol city.

[ Connection to nature, huh... Nachetanya would normally leave her explanation at that - there's no way someone could not know Piena. However, this time she only leaves it in the air a few moments to see if the woman would recognize the name in her eyes before pressing on, ]

It's the center of the most powerful nation on the continent, and quite busy.

[crywiththesaints]

...I see. It sounds like the kind of place I should have heard of, were we from the same sort of world. Which leads me to believe that, however unlikely, we aren't. Tell me, have you heard of multiple world theories?

[nachetanya]

[ She shakes her head, no! She's never heard of such a thing, but is giving an expression as if to ask!! What is is. ]

[crywiththesaints]

In short, it's an idea in physics that the world we perceive is one of many parallel to it, each with small or large differences. Perhaps one world had a different outcome to a war centuries ago, drawing new political boundaries in the present. Or another is shaped differently or evolved different creatures.

[nachetanya]

[ Nachetanya'a face... goes strange. She frowns, her eyes widen, and then she... well. She tilts her head to the other side, and then sighs. She mounts her good arm at her side, and- ]

If that's the theory, Ms. Kashima, would you mind if I asked you a question which would be impossible for any human not to know, in the world as I know it?

[crywiththesaints]

Why, certainly. Far be it from me to discourage exploration of new ideas.

[nachetanya]

Can you tell me about the Evil God, and his friends in the Wailing Demon Territory?

[ She asks, simply ]

[crywiththesaints]

While I consider theology one of my strong points, I haven't heard of anything called that specifically. That just about proves it, wouldn't it?

[nachetanya]

[ she nods ]

To think of it as theology actually proves it even more, that you at least have never been on the continent I was born on.

[crywiththesaints]

And I've been around, you could say. That solves one thing, but leaves only more questions. Our world doesn't have any way to transport between these readily established.

[nachetanya]

Nor mine - actually, I had never considered that there could be "other" worlds.

[crywiththesaints]

It's not something most people do consider, outside of fiction and theoretical physics.

[nachetanya]

[ . . . ]

It's very fortunate that we have experienced [ OLD ] people like you here then, Ms. Kashima. Us being confused about differences for two long would be bad.