MOCK ROUND INTRO LOG

[foundationmods]

Welcome to Rokkenjima. This island may just be a copy in the middle of reformation, but the Witch extends her greetings all the same. Please, relax.

This game is just a trial run, but please do not think you can sleep through this. The Witch fully intends to put the system through its paces, so please put up a good fight.

The difficulty level depends on you. Think deeply on your moves during this short play time.

You wake with a start - even if you don't remember falling asleep in the first place - and find yourself standing on the dock of what looks like an island. There's a noise behind you - and if you turn to look, you'll see a plain white boat taking off and leaving you all behind, not stopping for a second if you try to flag them down or scream at them.

It doesn't look like you can swim to shore, either - there's nothing but sea in all directions, and something tells you trying to swim out will end up badly. However, a small dip, if you were so inclined, would be fine. It's not like the weather is bad for it - it feels like it's summer, despite whatever it was when you laid eyes on the envelope.

...Speaking of, Every last one of you have an envelope in your hands, with a gold letter 'L' on it. It's the same letter you were reading before you 'woke' up here, after all. More than that, those of you who had supernatural or magical abilities will feel...strange, as if your abilities are being forcibly blocked. Try as you might, you just can't use them - though all of your physical abilities are intact, of course.

If you decide to head up the path, you'll find Goat....men? waiting for you near the doors to the mansion. Despite their bright red eyes, they merely bow politely and wordlessly bring you into the mansion, showing you your rooms and then stating that they will prepare food for you or anything else you should need whenever you want, in surprisingly deep voices.

As they leave, you can't help but wonder...

What did you just get yourself into?


Mock Round Calendar!
The taken page still requires a little coding, but it should be done by sometime today.
Thank you for your patience!

Comments

[artificialhighness]

[Luna doesn't react outwardly, at least at first.

She stays on the dock for a long time, perhaps past when many others have moved on to the island, staring down at the letter in her hands with (almost invisible) brows lowered and seemingly either rereading it or staring endlessly at it. Eventually, though, she lowers it and moves on to the beach.

Here, you can find her taking a quick dip or rather just walking out to sea, a petite girl in a big colorful helmet. Maybe she's thinking of making a swim break for it? Maybe she's just spending all her exploration time staring out at the water.]

I'm not sure I want to play this game.

[Later still, she'll be in the rose garden amidst the rose bushes, passing her fingers gently over them and checking for defects. You'll be able to find her here summarily destroying a wilted rose she's found with quiet efficiency.]

beach;

[dawnwardspiral]

I don't think I'm interested in playing along either.

[ So that's two of them. ]

[artificialhighness]

[Peering back at him from the water.]

You have a wish?

[dawnwardspiral]

[ ... ]

I do. You do too, don't you?

[artificialhighness]

I'm not sure it would be worth this.

[Not that she has all that much to lose. Robots don't come with hefty inventories where she hails from. All the same...]

[dawnwardspiral]

...Something feel off with you too?

[ As in, Riku wondering if she had abilities and they'd been blocked as well, but the question can be taken however. ]

[artificialhighness]

... Yes. The witch must have taken something.

[There's a brief thread of venom in her voice, quiet but there.

She hasn't confirmed anything yet. But.]

As a price. To motivate us. To level the playing field. Whichever it is, I want it back.

[accitio]

[ That makes two Lunas straying near the waves, letters in hand. Lunafreya's thoughts are scattered and too numerous to voice, yet her visage is as calm as ever. When she hears the other girl speak, she turns her head before curling her hand over her chest. ]

And yet I fear we have little choice but to do just that.

[artificialhighness]

[It's a whole beach litter of Lunas! The witch really outdid herself.

Luna tilts her head a little when Lunafreya shows up, briefly taking in her expression.]

It's been a while since I've been by the sea. But even then, I never did all that much swimming.

[Theoretically, she could give it a shot, but there's a lot more going on here than being trapped on a not-so-deserted island.]

[accitio]

[ Truly did, but that's why she's a witch. And she always has to exceed expectation.

At the mention of swimming through the sea, Luna's hand moves down and she links her fingers together. ]

My own experiences with swimming are... meager, to say the least. I've never had much occasion to swim, nor a great need to learn how to do it well. [ She pauses and tilts her head toward Luna. ] How long has it been since you've seen the sea?

[artificialhighness]

[She wouldn't know; witches aren't exactly on the radar where she comes from. This is a long shot all around.

Luna (robot) turns back to the ocean and lets the waves push her around a little. It's easy, because she's small and light for a creature made of whatever kind of metal futuristic robots are made out of.

It's a peaceful silence. Eventually:]

... A long time. Many, many years.

[Why does she talk like a grandma. Probably because she is one.]

[accitio]

[ At least Luna (robot) has an excuse for it. Luna (oracle) speaks stiffly because of her upbringing. She also just watches the wave pushing, ready to walk in and help if needbe. ]

I see. [ No pun there. This is a genuine statement. ] Then I hope your memories of it are fond ones.

[artificialhighness]

[Despite the rocking motions, she seems surprisingly stable and rooted where she stands, just far enough into the surf for the water to lap at her elbows. Nothing to sea here, pun fully intended.]

It's where I was born.

[And once upon a time, something like where she thought she would meet her end: in an endless rippling expanse of water. There's a lot to be said about water symbolism, but nobody's got the time for that outside of sad robot hell. She's lost in thought for a moment.]

I'm glad to have had the chance to see it again, even if it isn't mine.

beach

[beastlybruno]

Me either.

[He's hoping he doesn't scare her too badly. Really, he was kind of exploring a bit, but whoever this is he agrees with.] I'm not even sure how I got invited, of all people.

[artificialhighness]

[There's a brief flash of curiosity in her eye when she looks up, but it settles back into the calm blue of them. She comes from a world of robots, it's fine. Bruno gets a small nod.]

This witch seems to have cast a wide net. There are all kinds here.

I think we must all have something we want. That's why we're here.

[beastlybruno]

[Bruno frowns at the suggestion. He's already had plenty of trouble with someone who promised wishes before...]

Well, I can't say you're wrong, but I have a bad feeling about this.

[artificialhighness]

Oh, it's more than just a bad feeling. But we're here regardless.

[And it doesn't look like they're getting out of here anytime soon, does it?

They've already been caught. It's just a matter of what they make of it.]

[beastlybruno]

Yep.

[He can't deny that.]

We may as well get to know each other. What's your name?

[artificialhighness]

I am Luna.

[It's strange to introduce herself after so long.

Usually, usually people have heard of her long before they've ever seen her. There's something fresh about it. Outwardly, there's just a small quiet smile.]

Tell me your name, and more of yourself. This is the first time I am meeting your kind, if you are not a robot.

garden;

[gorira]

[ Huh, this one seems to be pretty intently checking out the roses. It's no surprise, really; past that long, winding trek of a stone pathway was what could only be described as a gorgeous garden, one that puts the hedges in front of her own little palazzo to shame. Blossoming roses of all sorts of colors and sizes filled up her whole line of sight. Sure, the situation is bizarre; that blistering midsummer heat, the ocean breeze, and everything in between have been a far cry from normal, but the sight of the massive rose garden greeting her almost makes the whole thing worthwhile. Who wouldn't be impressed?

...Of course, she hasn't seen the goats yet, but what she does see is a young girl who seems to keep a pretty keen eye out, observing the flowers with a cool focus, an eye for anything askew...ah! ]

Hey, you must be the gardener around here, right?!

[ It would certainly match up! The ends of Chitoge's bright red ribbon practically jump for joy at her exclamation; she just has to give her praise..! ]

They're so beautiful! I can't imagine just how much work goes into protecting them from bugs and stuff!

[artificialhighness]

[Luna raises her head from the flowers at the greeting; it gets a bemused little smile, not offended but a little lopsided.]

I am not the gardener; that would be the goats on the property.

[Hey, don't goats eat flowers--]

Flowers such as these are always very delicate. Probably even more so in a place like this. They're very well stocked.

[gorira]

The...huh? Ghosts?

[ Surely that's what she said, right? She thought she heard her say goats, but that's just plain silly...

Ah, not that ghosts would be any more believable, but-- ]

You don't mean this garden is haunted, do you?

[artificialhighness]

[She blinks a couple of times. Slowly. It's very dramatic with the size of her eyes.]

Goats. I wouldn't know about any ghosts here, even if there is a witch.

[Witchy stories, ghost stories, same difference, right? They're all for scaring silly humans. This one seems to be the target audience...?

Luna's just going to reach out and gently prod her with one of the roses she's picked.]

I don't think ghosts would deal with real flowers.

[gorira]

G-goats...I dunno if that's better or worse. I doubt goats can be very good gardeners, what with, y'know, the hooves and all...

[ This is all just a lot for her to sort of roll with. She does a little jazz-hands motion, just to indicate that there should at least be a pair of hands with opposable thumbs in this gardening business.

But the flowers...whether they were planted by a ghost, a goat, or a human, they're beautiful nonetheless, and they speak for themselves. Maybe she just shouldn't think too hard about it? Ah, but, but... ]

They're definitely real, and beautiful, too. It makes me so damn jealous...

[artificialhighness]

I would expect them to graze on the flowers, rather than tend to them. That has its role, too, but no, these goats had arms, and hands. They must have been made for the garden.

[Or probably for other things too?? They were very fancy goats.

But they're concerned with the garden here. Perhaps for the moment, not thinking too hard is the word of the day. At least until they can suss out where the witch is and what she's doing. Luna is concerned, sure, but there is plenty to see in the meantime.]

Are you jealous of the flowers?