Round 1 [new characters and round announcement]

[utopiamods]

You're falling, and you can't remember why. It's a sickening feeling that makes your insides lurch; the darkness and the vertigo combine, and all you can think of is a story you heard once, somewhere.

- I remember now. It's a simple story that everyone knows. A legend of a Princess, the Demon Lord who kidnapped her, and the Knight who fought to save her.

The Demon Lord had kidnapped the Princess countless times, but every time the Knight bested his challenges and rescued the Princess.

No matter what tricks and ploys the Demon Lord used, the Knight would always triumph in the end. This was because--

The world tilts on its axis one last time, and the dream slips from your mind as easily as it arrived. A new voice intrudes on your sleep.

"Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. This tramline terminates here; all change. Next stop: Academy Main Entrance. All change."

Sunlight streams through the windows of the long carriage, making the seats almost uncomfortably warm beneath its waking passengers. The air is muggy and thick, the atmosphere deeply tired. Your nausea settles, slowly. The last of the dream fades.

"We have arrived at Utopia. Repeat, we have arrived at Utopia Academy. Could all passengers please leave the tram, as it is terminating here."

The tram pulls to a stop outside the academy station, and the students onboard are ushered off and directed to the front lobby of the school. They can't miss it; there are signs up pointing toward the main entrance, reading "New student orientation" in big, bright letters. If anyone should care to move off the path, try exploring somewhere else, a teacher will conveniently appear to shoo them back toward the lobby, assuring them that "all your questions will be answered inside".

The lobby is big and spacious, looking more like a university or perhaps a fancy international hotel than a high school. Stood around are any number of students in the uniform of the school. Some of them even look awake. There are several receptionists at the desk towards the back of the lobby, but for now they seem busy with paperwork.


[ Note: the round announcement will go up in a thread once you've all mingled. ♥ ]

Comments

[formerly_known_as_prince]

"It's wrong to own people!" Utena shouts at the screen, suddenly very angry. Her pale fists are clenched and she's so rigid she's almost shaking.

She knows that she knows this and she knows that she knows why she knows this but she doesn't actually know why she knows this or at least can't remember, although now she knows why she can't remember why she knows this Rumsfeld would be proud..

[princesspowerful]

Molly looks over to the girl who was yelling. "It's just a game," she says back, weaker than her usual pep. She looks tired, shaken, and maybe too young to be here, "If we play maybe we can go home."

[formerly_known_as_prince]

"It's not just a game!" She snaps. "It's evil and manipulative! It's just like the last time when...when..." Colliding headlong with the block in her memory allows her to notice the source of the question. She feels suddenly ashamed for her outburst. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled." She leans down to her height, one hand resting on her knee, and offers the other. "I'm Utena. Are you new here too?"

[cheesetwo]

"Own people?" C.C. replied coldly, standing nearby the young pink-haired girl. "You think that this little game of theirs is anything like actually owning someone?"

[formerly_known_as_prince]

"Just because it looks like a game doesn't mean it's not hiding something terrible." Utena replies with absolute conviction and very little idea of how she got it. "I was...involved in something a lot like this."

[cheesetwo]

"How terrible it must be," the green-haired woman responded callously. It's hard to take most people's complaints seriously after suffering through centuries of wars, witch hunts, and dying most every way conceivable. "If you're going to be mad, why not be mad at the people running it, instead of the game? They're the reason we're here."

[formerly_known_as_prince]

Unbeknownst to either of them, Anthy had a set of experiences similar to C2's, with a lifespan that reached back into the dawn of myth. Utena though could not connect the two of them in her mind and probably wouldn't until she found out more.

"I am mad at them! But they won't come out and explain themselves to us."

[cheesetwo]

"Then, why don't you win their game and make them come out?" the witch replied, bored of this conversation already. "There's no point in just complaining about it."

[formerly_known_as_prince]

"Yeah. I think i'll do that! I did it once before, it can't be that much harder. Thanks. I'm Utena, by the way." She replied enthusiastically, practically chomping at the bit to go. She hadn't yet realized the obvious: she'd have to find a way out of hurting any Weapons in the game.

[cheesetwo]

'Can't be that much harder?' This girl... the witch thought silently.

"C.C." she replied curtly. "Good luck convincing them of their misdeeds." That usually goes well.