rakuen | Round 1 [new characters and round announcement]

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Round 1 [new characters and round announcement]

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. ♥ ]

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Euphemia wanders to the lobby, apprehension in her gait, her smile. She's in there just in time for the list to appear, and before she reads that, she notices all the new students; yes, the introduction... it feels far too long ago that she herself arrived here, confused and disoriented, to be greeted by the woman on the screen.

Then, she turns her attention to the list. And promptly stares.

"Me? A player?"

"Congratulations," Fletcher says nervously. He guesses that it's something worth congratulating her for.

"Oh, hello, Fletcher," she smiles, and then frowns a little. "I... thank you. I don't know if I'm happy about this..."

"Sorry, Euphie..." He fidgets. "I'd--I'd offer to be your weapon, so you can get as many as possible, but I already have a link charm with my brother." His hand went to the necklace partially embedded into his skin. (It was kind of worrying that he couldn't remove it, but it hadn't hurt him yet...)

"Oh! Your brother is a player, then?" She smiles. "I'm not sure if I should congratulate him, but I'm sure your brother will protect you. Thank you for offering, I appreciate it. I'll get my family and Suzaku to join with me, I think, and maybe I'll be able to win the round without fighting... much, at least."

"Ah, yes, he's..." Fletcher reoriented his eyes on the screen to scan for his brother's name. It wasn't alphabetical by last name so it took a moment. "Russel," he said, pronouncing the name as though it were brand new to him. "He's always protected me, so I think I'll be fine. Good luck, Euphie!"

"Good luck to you two as well," she laughs lightly. "Let's try our best to have fun."

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greennotgold - 2011-02-06 08:13 (UTC) - Expand

"Apparently so."

"Ah, Sherlock... good morning," she greets. "Um, this may be a bit forward, but do you have a player yet?"

"Not yet, no. And yes, I would be amenable."

"That's wonderful, then!" She goes to take his hand, and smiles warmly. "Will you let me protect you, as your Player for this round?"

"Certainly, miss."

That's that taken care of.

"Would you mind writing me a note of general permission?" He smiles wryly. "I am afraid that without one I might lose my violin."

"Of course! I would love to. Do you have a paper and pen on you?"

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veepofchess - 2011-02-11 17:00 (UTC) - Expand

"If you are, then you require a weapon."

Turning his eyes on the pink-haired princess, Xingke looked upon the massacre princess with impassive eyes. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking but... hadn't he seen her face somewhere before? Something continuously nagged at the back of his mind that he knew this woman standing before him and yet for the life of him it remained curiously elusive. Perhaps because he had marked it of note but not terribly important, a passing bit of information stored away until necessary.

Regardless, perhaps that was a good sign. Surely, bonding with someone familiar would be better than allying himself with a complete stranger? Even if they appeared to be a Britannian. "Would you allow me to aid you?"

"Ah," she turns to see the tall man, and smiles at him. "Are you sure?" He had offered, approaching her on his own, so surely it would be, but Euphemia didn't want to hook him into something he might change his mind on later.

"Yes, playing along seems to be the best option for now." He replied quietly, gaze sincere enough. If winning back his memories took tokens, he'd just have to earn them. After all, perhaps there was a reason for taking them away and if that was the case, he wasn't interested in going into a fight blindly.

Edited 2011-02-07 02:43 (UTC)

"Okay," she says, and she gently goes to take his hand. "Then I, Euphemia li Britannia, promise to vow myself to your protection." She says it quite seriously, meaning it. So long as she has this man as her Weapon, she'll protect him the best she can. "And if you would like to be-- discarded feels like the wrong word to use, but I suppose it's the technical one... I'll discard you if you find someone else to be your player." Euphie releases his hand and looks up at him sheepishly. "What's your name?"

There was absolutely no way to describe the emotions that went through his body at those words.

Euphemia li Britannia.

A Britannian princess. The Massacre Princess. The dead Britannian Massacre Princess. How was such a thing even possible? How could-!? Turning clearly shocked eyes back on Euphemia, the soldier stared at her for a long moment before registering that he'd been asked a question. It took one more second to clear his throat before he could properly reply in a mostly composed tone of voice.

"Li Xingke."

Edited 2011-02-07 04:23 (UTC)

Her face falls at his reaction, and then she realizes. However what she realizes is much different than the reality.

"Don't worry about, ah, um-- my status," she tells him. "You can call me Euphie. I figured it was a moment of formality-- so I forgot to introduce myself as something more casual. Either way, it's very good to meet you, Li Xingke."

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lolisandminorities - 2011-02-07 04:38 (UTC) - Expand

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lolisandminorities - 2011-02-10 06:22 (UTC) - Expand

After Suzaku had left Lloyd and Cecile he wandered the room looking for Euphemia; something that was made more difficult by the fact he couldn't remember what she looked like.

He had seen her name on the board and knew she was a player, he hoped she was all right. Even if last nights dream had been just a dream, and really what else could it be? They had still been scary and while he could not remember seeing Euphemia dead or dying he had a feeling she had died in his dream.

It was useless this looking round the room, because how did you find someone you couldn't recognise on sight. He sighed and continued searching.

She spots Suzaku wandering, and immediately goes after him.

"Suzaku!" Euphemia shouts, catching his arm.

Suzaku smiled at the voice, "Euphemia, how are you?" He hid the worry in his voice as best he could.

"I'm okay," she says, smiling. "Did you see? I'm a Player this round. I wasn't expecting it so soon..."

Suzaku smiled again, though he wasn't sure what he felt about Euphie being a Player. He didn't want her to get hurt. "I thought you might be, but... you're right. Do you know what you want to do?"

She pauses and puts her hand to her chin, thinking. "I don't want to put anyone at risk of being hurt," she says. "The rulebook says the injuries aren't real, but that the pain is... I'm kind of curious to try playing, if I'm honest. It might be kind of fun... it's just a game, after all..."