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

Hallway

[nachetanya]

[ . . . Did this girl growl at her? The one-armed bunny-armed princess puts her hand to her chin and tilts her head. She walks over closer to the smaller girl and looks down on her, as if trying to get a feel for what that growl meant. Either way, she responds, ]

Hello?

[ariadibaule]

[Oh? People don't usually do anything but...look at her...weird with that-]

Hello. [...

we're doing great here]

...I'm looking for my friend. He doesn't speak human language.

[nachetanya]

Oh. Then I assume he's not human?

[ She answers, without missing a beat? ]

[ariadibaule]

[She doesn't think that's weird? Oh! ...Well, of course not, maybe she recognizes her-]

Yes! Yes. He's a liger. Have you seen him?

[nachetanya]

Mmm, I've only seen one obviously not human thing here so far. But I don't know what a liger is, actually.

[ That said... hmm. She tilts her head to the side. ]

Would you be willing to tell me?

[ariadibaule]

You've never seen a liger...?!

[Unheard of! Arietta has to fix this. Oh... First, she reaches up so her arm is a few inches above her head.]

He stands this high, but then there's his fur, that reaches back like this- [from the shoulder-area? she's trying-] And he has so many stripes, and sharp teeth, and claws. And a very big tail! [She tries to mime it, stretching out big and wide.] He growls like I did, and he's like- he's like a very, very big cat. A lot of fur, around here! [All around her face. ...And she looks a little embarrassed.] I've never described them before... I've just always known how they look.

[nachetanya]

[ Honestly, that sounds a lot like certain fiends, but after nodding to confirm - no, never seen a liger - Nachetanya is studiously watching the other girl's description. And when it's done, ]

And those creatures are called ligers? Not panthers or fiends? [ She uses her one arm to put a hand on her hip - ] No, I don't believe I've seen your friend after all, then.

[ariadibaule]

No? Not a panther, nor a fiend. They're monsters.

[...Oh, one arm. Arietta kind of wants to ask about it, but she has other priorities, and she can't afford to get distracted!]

Oh well. I'll have to keep looking for him.

[nachetanya]

[ Monsters. But from her tone... ah, that must be a name for a larger group not a judging statement. Odd? Odd? But she nods all the same. ]

I hope you can find him, then! I've lost a few things as well, including some people I was with.

[ariadibaule]

[She thinks for a moment. That...]

...Did you breathe in miasma too?

[nachetanya]

[ Miasma? What sort of a question is that...? ]

No? Have you been in the Wailing Demons Territory?

[ariadibaule]

No. What's that?

[nachetanya]

[ Nachetanya blinks. Once, then twice. And then she speaks, slowly, ]

... The Evil God's continent...?

[ariadibaule]

Huh?

[It's clear from her expression: she's completely clueless.]

[nachetanya]

... That's impossible. No human could not know about the Evil God...

[ariadibaule]

Is it like the world under the Outer Lands...?

[nachetanya]

[ WhaT??? ]

The Evil God is the one who commands the fiends, and has tried to end the world three times now. Everything exists under the threat of it.

[ariadibaule]

[Arietta...shakes her head.]

Nothing like that's happened. Not in all the history of Auldrant.

[nachetanya]

[ Nachetanya puts her hand to her chin, and then after thinking it over a moment... she laughs. A little giggle at first, but then she bursts out into real, pronounced laughter, ]

How strange! I've never heard the word Auldrant before either! So that would mean either of us is crazy, or we somehow have different histories!

[ariadibaule]

[Her laughter sparks a gasp, and Arietta jumps. That's so far from what she was expecting.]

I- I don't think- I'm not crazy!

[nachetanya]

And I'm certain I'm not either! Isn't it strange?

[ariadibaule]

Y- yes...? You don't seem to be lying...but I don't understand it!

[nachetanya]

[ She doesn't either, but... it's... hmmm.

It's something to look into. Nachetanya shakes her head and- ]

My name is Nachetanya. What's yours?

[ariadibaule]

[...Right, people...shake hands. Van and Ion mostly focused on bowing, so...Arietta does that. It also means she can duck her head for a moment, to hide her face.]

A- Arietta.

[nachetanya]

[ She'll match the motion. ]

Well, Arietta, you've given me some new questions! I suspect we'll see seeing more of each other [ Because if she ended up here with no knowledge of it... she's been captured, right? ] for a while, so I hope we can get along.