Beginning

[thecastle]

One moment you were elsewhere, surely speaking to your friends, fighting in a battle of your life, dying, or even in a state of non-existence in its entirety. It doesn't matter now, since when you open your eyes it’s become clear that not only is everything around you foreign and unfamiliar, so is everyone. And there seems to be a fair lot of you, at that.

It's easy to discern a few things upon a cursory glance, once you pick yourself up from the field of grass you're resting on. The place you've awoken in seems to be fairly tranquil, for the first few moments at least, and the view of a newly budded sakura tree is among the first that will greet you. In the distance, is a towering castle that manages to look all at once both imposing and welcoming at the same time. There's also an odd pendant around your neck, which you'll find won't come off despite your best attempts. In your pocket you'll find a room key, engraved with a number.

The weather is currently cool, with the sun brightly shining in the sky, though there are a few too many clouds to make it a completely clear day. While most of them appear rather normal, every so often you might spot one that looks just a bit off— like a storm cloud that's completely lost it's way. Lucky for you, it doesn't seem like you're going to have to worry about any inclement weather anytime soon, as they'll vanish from your vision as quickly as they came.

A large stone wall surrounds the entirety of the castle, though it's anyone guess why that is— maybe it's for your safety, maybe it's to keep you trapped, or maybe it's for another reason entirely. The only breach in the wall is a single gate that looks like it certainly led to the outside at one point, but that too has been cordoned off by solid stone.

Fortunately, there's nothing to stop you from entering the castle itself, where you'll find it's pretty grand all things considered. The lighting inside is provided not by electricity, but by magical flame that adjusts to the time of day or night. Actually, if you're looking for anything electronic anywhere, or even a simple power outlet, you'll be sorely out of luck.

For now, it might be best to explore and make some sense of where you are and why you're here— maybe one of your fellow travelers might know something? There are some plaques in the Great Hall that might catch your interest given their focus, in addition to one ridiculously large golden one that seems to bear rules.

Welcome, fellow warriors, to your very long stay.

Comments

[irrationalities]

It's just a fridge. Of course I have.

[Is this fridge a secret portal to the meat dimension or something...!? He doesn't see what's so amazing about it...!]

You don't have anything like this in your home?

[pseudoregelia]

I don't have a fridge this huge!

[Staaaare.]

It looks like there's some really exotic ingredients in here, too!

[irrationalities]

You know, you're making a bigger deal of this than it has to be. Just grab something and eat it.

[And here he'll just get something at random and dump it into her hands. Enjoy that bag of chicken feet??]

1/2

[pseudoregelia]

[Oh. Well. That's a bag of chicken feet.]

2/2

[pseudoregelia]

...Do you know how to cook these?

[Like. If someone prepared them, she'd totally give them a try.]

[irrationalities]

No. Just try something or go ask someone else to do it.

[He is the most helpful...]

[pseudoregelia]

I wonder if Narumi-san would know...

[She thinks this over for a moment before replacing it in the fridge and stepping back entirely. Go forth, Mahiro.]

Can you cook at all?

[irrationalities]

What, is he really that good?

[Because he is all up for mooching off someone else's cooking if he can manage it.]

Yeah. I don't make a habit of doing it, though, and I don't usually use any ingredients that are too weird.

[pseudoregelia]

[Sorry, all the rest of that is ignored because:]

Narumi-san's cooking is divine.

[And she is here to spread the gospel.]

[irrationalities]

[Okay he's slightly taken aback by this because uhhhh really??]

...You sound like you're obsessed with him or something.

[Or his cooking. Same difference.]

[pseudoregelia]

You'd think it too, if you tried some! It's seriously like a gourmet chef...

[...

Now she really wants some of his cooking.]

[irrationalities]

Have you even had food from a gourmet chef before?

[Because you know. She looked so amazed by the fridge's contents...]

[pseudoregelia]

Of course I have!

[Maybe.]

[irrationalities]

Oh yeah? From where? Don't spare me any details.

[He's onto you Hiyono!! ...maybe]

[pseudoregelia]

Narumi-san's apartment.

[Really not sure what you expected here, Mahiro.]

[irrationalities]

That's just a cyclical answer! Besides, you already said his cooking was like a gourmet chef; is it or isn't it?

[why is he getting so agitated over this...]

[pseudoregelia]

I changed my mind! He is a gourmet.

[You just haven't actually, have you Hiyono.]

[irrationalities]

That isn't something you can change your mind over. You just make him sound unqualified now.

[Good job Hiyono, now he'll be dubious when Ayumu cooks...]

[pseudoregelia]

What do you even know about gourmet food anyway?!

[irrationalities]

I used to go to fancy restaurants with my parents during formal crap, so don't lump me in with you.

[pseudoregelia]

Wh--

Just how fancy were those restaurants?!

[irrationalities]

The kind that doesn't let you in if you don't follow a dress code.

[So... pretty fancy? Let's go with pretty fancy.]

1/2

[pseudoregelia]

[Please hold while she looks over his clothes.]

2/2

[pseudoregelia]

Is that so...

[>Doubt.]

[irrationalities]

[Shrugs?! He's well-aware that he doesn't look anything close to the stereotypical image of a rich kid, but since when did he let people's expectations dictate what he should or shouldn't do? Never, that's when.]

I never said I liked going to them. Call it out as bullshit if you want, though.