On the platform: Meet the new characters

[utopiamods]

As you all crowd onto the platform, which is drenched with sunlight though the air is cool you are met by five girls and eight boys. One of the girls is a somewhat humanoid grey-skinned, finned alien and one of the boys seems to be a blue Hedgehog; but the rest all seem human. All twelve are in uniforms that would match if not for the colour differences - skirts and trousers, waistcoats, and light summer shirts that seem totally inappropriate for the chill. Some seem irritable while others look excited. Each has a beret with a crest pinned to the front - six depicting a shield on green, the other seven a sword on red.

At the first lull in the chatter, a frail looking girl with a shield on her cap steps forward.

"Excuse me, may I have your attention please!"

She explains that the eleven of them are the current prefects of Rakuen, representing the two schools on the island. Nanami (she gestures to herself), Lelouch, Yuri, Sonic, Jade and Sora of Fortitude; and Santana, Flynn, Feferi, Kevin, Gino, Suzaku and Golbez of Conquest.

The introductions are over fast and the girl named Santana seems impatient, "So come over when your name is called so we can all get inside." They all move to stand in two groups some distance away from each other; two boys step forward and begin to read names from a clipboard.

Suzaku, the Conquest Prefect reads in a short clipped manner, his posture stiff. But his tone is kind. "For Conquest, Arthur Pendragon, Stellaluna, Nepeta Vantas and Jadesprite."

The Fortitude prefect, Lelouch, on the other hand looks bored. "Jane Crocker and Merlin are for Fortitude."

Comments

[secretlyuseful]

[Merlin is stood near the strange moving box that brought him here. He had woken up alone, feeling strange and empty.

And scared, what was he doing here? What was the... thing... he had arrived in? Who were all these people? This wasn't Camelot, it was no where he had seen before.

But that all paled in comparison to the emptiness, the realisation that his magic... was gone...

He was in a complete daze and didn't hear most of what was said. When the names were called he remained still because he didn't recognise any of them. None of them was his name... his name was...

What was his name?

[unflinchable]

[Arthur, after speaking to the knight from some place he has never heard of, scans the area for a familiar face. One of his knights would be most beneficial but he had little hope for that. What he would give to see Sir Leon, or even Gwaine. But instead he sees a familiar mop of hair and some ridiculous ears that could only mean one thing. He closes the distance between them swiftly.]

Merlin, what are you doing here? Did you wander off and get us kidnapped again? [suddenly hes waiting for Gwaine to show up and battle to the death...] Honestly Merlin, you are the worst servant I've ever had.

[secretlyuseful]

At a familliar voice Merlin turned to see... wait what was his name again? The King... "No," Merlin replied indignantly, "I did not get kidnapped, what are you doing here? It's much more likely you got kidnapped and dragged me with you!"

[unflinchable]

Don't let Arthur find out you forgot his name, he wouldn't be very happy about that, what is one to do when one of their closest friends servants forgets who they are?

He frowns, the hardest part is he doesn't understand how he could have been kidnapped, last thing he knew he was in his chambers, there's no way someone's could get him out of Camelot without him knowing or others persuing. Even Merlin would be smart enough to alert a knight before following, right?

"What is the last thing you remember? Where were you? I do not recall leaving Camelot nor were there any whispers of a sorcerer preparing to attack. We were not together, why kidnap both of us?" Arthur begins to pace.

[secretlyuseful]

The last thing, "I was eating supper with..." Merlin frowned, putting a hand to his head, what... was that man's name again....

"I think I would have remembered being kidnapped." Though since he was having trouble remembering even his own name, "Who are all these people? Their clothes are strange... Where did they come from? Half of them are children, how could they have taken us?"

[unflinchable]

Arthur furrows his brow when Merlin didn't say Gaius, who was he having supper with then? He wasn't usually suspicious of Merlin, but they had been kidnapped again and they weren't even together at the time, "Who were you dining with?" he asks, trying not to sound suspicious or curious but instead like he was looking for more information.

He looks around, he had noticed their strange clothes but to be honest he was a bit more distracted by Jadesprite who was part girl, part dog, part ghost and, frankly, she was freaking them out. "Children with strange clothing? No wonder they took you, Merlin. Perhaps they figured you could not go anywhere without your keeper."

That was him. If you didn't notice.

[secretlyuseful]

Merlin frowned, the King was not his keeper.

And his clothes were fine, when a certain prat wasn't forcing him into redicu... The headache came again and he brought a hand to his head. "I was dining with... well who I always eat with... obviously."

He shook his head, "No it is more likely they kidnapped you, and dragged me along so someone could deal with your complaining."

[unflinchable]

He raises an eyebrow at him, "and who do you always eat with?" Arthur pressed again. There's no reason that Merlin wouldn't say Gaius' name, the two got on like a house on fire and Arthur couldn't think of a time his manservant had been angry with the physician to the point he wouldn't utter his name. Arthur hadn't noticed that Merlin hadn't said his name yet either, but he was used to being called sire, your majesty, and even prat more than he was called Arthur.

"We don't seem to be constrained though, it seems as if escape would be all too simple," he said while looking around again.

[secretlyuseful]

"You know... physician, guy I live with, great man." He is not admitting that he can't remember his name, and you wont make him. He looked around, "Maybe they are just really bad at this whole kidnapping thing, surely we could just walk back where we came from and find out where we are and how to get back to Camelot."

He had a feeling it wasn't going to be that easy, it never was.

[unflinchable]

"Gaius, his name is Gaius," he stares at Merlin blankly for a few moments, "Merlin, what's my name?" It could end up being a dumb question, but it seems like he truly forgot Gaius' name.

Mirroring Merlin's own thoughts he says, "It cannot be that simple."

[secretlyuseful]

"I knew that," except he didn't and now it had been said it seemed so obvious. Of course his name was... Wait... Merlin frowned and brought a hand to his head.

"Your, you know," his voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "The king, King of Camelot..."

[unflinchable]

"No Merlin, that's my title, what is my name?" he's getting a bit annoyed now.

[secretlyuseful]

Merlin blinked in confusion but he had started this and he would finish for better or worse. "Don't you even know your own name? I know it's hard to do things for yourself, I really do but you shouldn't need me to keep track of your name for you as well."

[unflinchable]

"I know my own name!" he practically sputters, "Fine, as your king I command you to say my name."

Chances Merlin actually listens to a command: close to zero.

[secretlyuseful]

"That's frankly a ridiculous order, you know you can't just order people to do every little thing you tell them," He spoke clearly, as if the King was a little dim, and wouldn't understand. "Don't you have better things to do?"

[unflinchable]

"You forget who I am, Merlin," possibly in more than one way at the look of it, "I can command you to do anything I please and you must obey. That's what being King entitles me too," he speaks slowly, as if talking to a small child. Or Merlin. Who is almost like a small child, even if he's a tad taller than Arthur himself.

"I will ask you one last time, my name, what is it."

[secretlyuseful]

Merlin's shoulders slumped a bit in defeat, "I don't know, okay I can't remember. I can't remember your name, or the names of half the people I know, I can't even remember my own name! Why is that?"

[unflinchable]

"Merlin you idiot. Your name is Merlin and my name is Arthur. Did you not think it was important that you could not remember such important names?" he means his own name mostly, "that means that along with kidnapping us they also tampered with our minds. It must be the work of magic."

A bit begrudgingly, "if it makes you feel any better, I cannot recall the names of any of the Kings, Lords, Ladies, or kingdoms, besides Camelot." he tried to test his own knowledge of names after Merlin's confession, he wasn't happy about the outcome,

[secretlyuseful]

"Magic..." If it was the work of magic it must be incredibly strong power to be able to block his own, that and causing them to forget things. "They must be very powerful," some kind of enchantment...

"We need to find out who is responsible."

[veepofchess]

[This is such a pain when people forget their names.] You must be Merlin.

[secretlyuseful]

[His head hurt, but he turned to the boy and blinked.] I must be what?

[veepofchess]

[It's okay, he can sort this out.] Let me see your bag. [Holds his hand out for it.]

[secretlyuseful]

[He hands it over, he hadn't even realised he had it, he had been so preoccupied.] Did you bring me here?

[veepofchess]

No, I did not. I was taken from my home just as you were. No one on this island is responsible for any of us being here. [Sees the Fortitude uniform within, and hands the bag back to him.] I'll show you to your dormitory.

[secretlyuseful]

[He had been taken as well? He took the bag when it was given back to him.] Wait... dormitory?