TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 4

[avalonmods]

{ QUICK NAV } Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️ A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival KERPLUNK, SPLASH! Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's chilly waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's paralyzingly cold for a few seconds before you're approached by the Lady of the Lake beneath the water's surface. She puts a vial of a vibrant, glowing red Everwarm* potion to your character's lips. The icy water doesn't feel so icy once consumed and you'll be able to move your limbs enough to swim to shore on your own. She can't stick around to explain, she's got to get this to all the new arrivals! Many of which you'll see plopping in around you. If you can't swim, a handful of helpful ice turtles will scoop you up from beneath and drop you off at the shore. It's a fast process, as they no longer have to collect possessions and pets from drowning in the waters, so they're only needing to go around hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals. If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. If anyone with Animal Magic asks the turtles, they will give the full spiel, but very slowly, and they like to get off topic and gossip about other turtles you've never heard of. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot Once everyone is wrangled up to the top of the White Cliffs, the handsome owner of the Rent-a-Ride, Archimedes, will distribute smart phones, a pair of earbuds, and a winter cloak** and tell them to "Check the Shit Box." The "Shit Box" refers to wardrobe more formally known as the Wardrobe of Finding, a hammerspace-like wardrobe that opens to each person's items and pets when the person touches the handle. It was recently enchanted by Merlin to prevent people from having to fish their waterlogged possessions and pets out of the water with them. From there, Archimedes directs everyone to settle in groups into modernized carriages pulled by horses and gives them a basic explanation of why and how they've been brought to Avalon: The rest of the universe is frozen in time and your character has been brought here by a familiar that was able to bond with them. They'll have to learn magic to help save their own world from destruction, but first they've got to get them to Camelot. It is here that you have the first opportunity to decide who they will be in their new home. You'll have about an hour to wander around here, meet and greet, and pet the horses before it's time to go. These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk. C ⦿ The Red Spring The journey from the White Cliffs to the City of Camelot is a long one, and the first evening you arrive you'll end up spending at the Red Spring, a booming resort town. Because of the volume of new arrivals and vacationers, inn rooms are assigned two-to-a-room. The rooms have two twin beds, a bathroom, a mini-fridge and microwave, and a TV equipped with a couple of entertaining video games and a few free movies. For the month of February: there are complimentary chocolates placed on the pillows that make you feel warm and fuzzy when you eat them, all the rooms have been temporarily redecorated after hearing about Valentine's Day after an announcement about an upcoming Valentine's concert to be held by the off-worlders. They wanted to celebrate love too, and help the newcomers feel welcome! Unfortunately, this means that the two-person bedrooms only have one bed this month... maybe you can get a roll-away? If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there. As the snows give way to rain and the cold persists across Avalon, it may seem as if some of the local businesses are suddenly short-staffed. A favorite spot might have shorter hours, longer wait times. Whatever it is, it seems that there are fewer Avalonians as the days go on. It is not long before there are signs posted outside local businesses and every clinic, there is an illness striking the populace and adventurers seem to be immune. While the healers can cure this malady, they are short on supplies and some of them are not easy to obtain. All are urged to take up a task and gather these ingredients. Anyone who does obtain one or more of the required ingredients will be given a Fairy-blessed Tincture of Wellbeing from one of the faeries who stayed behind after the tournament. It is said to bring healing no matter where you are when you sprinkle it on the ground in front of you. (Note: The tincture will teleport the nearest healing mage to your location. This information is not included with the tincture... surprise!) A ⦿ Ingredient One: A Can of Sprite Sprites can be found in and around Avalon, and thankfully so. The first task is to obtain a small can of magic dust from a sprite's wings. Now an adventurer may think to capture and take this by force, but be wary: sprites always travel in packs and will be so inclined to curse any would-be attackers dance till they drop, literally. Sprites are mischievous sorts with a wry sense of humor and can be quite fond a flower which grows near the Red Springs called the Cinnabar Paper Bush. Bring them a bouquet and beg for their cooperation, but be cautious of breathing in the flower's pollen-- the sprites will not warn your character that it's a potent ingredient in probability spells, so breathing it in may cause sudden repeated visions of 15 seconds of a potential future based on every choice your character could make in a particular situation. Getting out of the pollen's effects takes a full day of going through visions of parallel possibilities if there's no one to help you, and the sprites will be long gone by then. You'll need another adventurer to use their magic to get you out of this or prevent the pollen from spreading... good luck. B ⦿ Ingredient Two: Deez Nuts Within the Brocéliande there grows a certain tree. Even in winter, this tree produces tiny star shaped nuts that when ground into a powder are a key ingredient in many healing tinctures. However, the nuts are coveted by the wildlife for they taste quite sweet when eaten straight from the tree. Adventurers are tasked with entering the woods and retrieving baskets full of these tiny nuts. A warning was given to not go unarmed, those animals can be very protective of their food supply and they are rumored to be coveted by the Bear Fir, who won't hesitate to come for you. A warning to the wise: do not eat them yourself. They can be quite tempting. A tiny call will induce the desire to devour all of them, burrowing deep within your conscious. Not only would an adventurer fail their task but they would fall gravely ill for a period of two days. With these obstacles in mind, it may be best to team up and go at this task together to make sure everyone comes out alive and well. C ⦿ Ingredient Three: Wait, isn't that a Pokémon? The hills to the south-east of the Red Spring are home to the elusive Hill Trolls, who never leave their hills, but like to engage with any traveler who does come through. Most try to avoid them as they are extremely rude in every way. However, for this particular remedy, there is special bluegrass known as poliwag grass, so named because the seer who discovered this unique grass had seen the creatures it is named for in an alternate world and found them endearing. The catch? Only the Hill Trolls know now wherein the hills the small patches of this grass can be found. Adventurers are tasked with entering the hills, engaging the Trolls, and requesting a guide to the grass. Avalonians will advise doing anything the troll asks of you, it’s the only way to appease them and get the prize. Characters will be set about various household and yard chores by the Hill Trolls, who will lead them to believe that this grass will take several days journey to reach and they simply can not leave their home and yard in such a state when on a long trip like that. Make sure to complete all your tasks, though, try not to be too angry when once their yard and home are spotless the Hill Troll produces a satchel of poliwag grass straight from their cupboard. They didn’t say you had to go on the trip with them and they will need to replenish their supply after, so they're not apologizing for anything. A video is sent to everyone's devices, a strong magic spell making certain that it opens. Morganna's face appears. Morganna, after all, is to be listened to when she speaks. She seems to be looking at her nails as the recording starts, not looking at her captive audience.

”"As infamous as Arthur and Merlin are, there are many magics they are unfamiliar with. They live in the realm of basic magics, the ones you all have touched and trifled with. But there are skills you will need in the future that require something a little stronger. Now if you came to me seeking spells, I would ask a fair price, dears... but it is my universe you are all saving too, so I will offer you a taste." She finally looks directly into the screen. Despite that it's just a recording, it looks as if she's looking directly into your soul. She sees you even without you responding. Her lips curl up in a little smile, friendly and yet mischievious. "Magic is stronger when more than one person performs it. Where you would be able to toss fire, you could create a fire tornado or rip the earth until it spits the fires of hell up as lava. To perform this kind of magic, you must be entirely in sync with your partners. Of one mind, of one movement. Open the attachment and it will place a memory of how to perform Synchronic Magic with a partner into your mind. It will still take practice, of course. Baby steps."

Magic-infused technology is a hell of a thing-- those who listen after the video ends and open up the attachment will find themselves rapidly flooded with what amounts to an instructional video and a visual sample of witches moving exactly in sync. After a little finger painting on each other's face and collar bones and some deep meditation while performing the spell, the caster of the spell will have complete control over the movements of the person the spell is cast upon. For the duration of the spell, the person who the spell was cast upon will mentally reside in the caster's head outside of their body. Their body will do anything the caster's does. For this particular version of the spell to work, it requires the consent of the person it's being cast upon, though there are other forms of the spell that do not that are not. With that knowledge, get practicing. A ⦿ We Succeed Together When a goddess gives instructions to learn something, you learn it, and so some of the locals have set up meditation tents at one of Camelot City's parks. The tents are filled with incense, steam, and have a spell cast on them to provide relaxing sounds-- babbling brook, yoga music, rain on the ocean, a crackling fireplace, the cries of your enemies, the relaxing sound of change falling from your favorite plinko machine... It will respond to your emotions and find the sound that's most relaxing to you to help you clear your mind. If you trust the person you're with, the spell will go smoothly and you'll be able to perform the much simpler practice spell provided in the tent: a shadow dance. Follow the dance steps around the circle on the floor of the tent; shadows will begin dancing along the walls of the tent outside of their light source. Your shadows will be able to separate from your feet and travel without you once the dance is completed. It will return after completing whatever task you need from it. If you need some help developing your trust in the other person, try playing a game of twenty questions or partaking in some of the sparkling ginger shots in front of you-- they've got a heated kick to them that's sure to warm you up and make you fire out a secret to the person you're sharing the tent with. B ⦿ We Fail Apart If you aren't perfectly in sync with your partner to cast Synchronic Magic, all kinds of things can go wrong. People who do not trust each other may end up accidentally sealing the tents shut and trapping themselves inside until they tell each other a secret they've told no one else, thus forcing them to trust each other. People believe the exact opposite at their core could end up temporarily body swapping with their partner until they wipe off the body paint and break the spell. And of course, even if you're completely on the same page and the person controlling both bodies has two left feet, a mistake in the shadow dance could cause the shadows to enter your eyes, turning both of your vision to complete darkness until you've been in sunlight for about 15 minutes straight. I hope you weren't practicing at night. C ⦿ Loss and Gain After performing the Synchronic Magic, magicians of all kinds are going to feel a little strange. It's a magic outside of their field of expertise used to perform further magics, after all, and they've shared their essence with another person to perform it. There's a chance that characters are going to feel very alone after being separated from the synchronic magic. Alone, tired, and wanting to feel connected again even if you're normally the lone wolf type. Synchronic magic makes you feel connected to others in a way that's hard to do otherwise, and without it it leaves a sense of loss and disconnect. It's not a side-effect that was discussed ahead of time, but the citizens of Camelot have prepared for it for anyone who wishes to stick around after their spellcasting. After the magic is done, at the center of the tented area, everyone is invited to gather around a huge, prismatic bonfire taking place in the center of the park that the tents had been set up in. The bonfire is filled with flames of all colors, like a prism reflecting light and warmth, and acts as a beacon for casters' shadows to find their owners and reconnect with them. It also is enchanted to encourage affectionate feelings. This may inspire people to be more... touch-friendly than normal, wanting to hug and hold onto or simple be shoulder-to-shoulder with the people around them. These feelings can easily be fought even if they're present, but fulfilling them will help to eliminate the sense of loss from the synchronic spell ending. At the end of the night, little rainbow fireflies will begin to fly away from the flames, having been hatched within them, and fly off into the night as the flames turn to embers, and then to charcoal. It is said that if you catch a rainbow firefly, you can make a wish on it, and when let go they will take those wishes to the heavens with them. Some wishes may actually be granted, so if your character has a wish, submit it here. MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. • If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. (This month, please check updated method of inventory collection at the Rent-a-Ride and the "February Special" rooms at the Red Spring.) • The Shadow Dance Ritual is a form of advanced dark magic; this means that yes, after significant practice, a dark magic user may be able to do this on their own with only their own shadow. Even if your character isn't a dark mage, they can do a ritual to perform out-of-discipline magic. More information on rituals and how to unlock them will come in the future! • Please comment with wishes regardless of new/current member status if you want to participate! :) • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ. *This Everwarm does not count toward your potion collection for those who wish to take up potion brewing. You must obtain Everwarm from the Elphame Trader's to count. **Jackets come in a variety of neutral colors, enchanted with a fit-adjustment spell that will adjust to your character's size.

Comments

cecelia ardenbury | an oc | ota

[sighsheavily]

o1. beached

G-gods, how...how stupid! [and humiliating! she'd been mid-negotiation with a very key player in a long game of musical chairs -- the chairs being thrones and the stop-and-go music being war, but. look. it's a metaphor. whatever. doesn't matter now that she's drenched and dragged half-drowned to shores unknown! thanks, mysterious watery woman! so helpful.

u g h.

Cecelia is way overdressed for a beach, all silks and layers of finery to suit the scene she'd been in. her hair had been magically bullied into a braid that now is just a thing of the past, with blazing-red curls already a matted mess while still dripping wet.

it takes a minute to get situated enough to sit upright (silks, layers, hair, etc.) and take stock of her surroundings, and, while wiping ruined makeup off her cheek, she finds quite the stupid spectacle. a grand stair, a smattering of strangers, a...giant beach-hand gingerly plucking up those who fall.

she grimaces. this may as well happen.

well, time to look for some signage, or...ugh, like. maybe make eye-contact with someone who looks remotely helpful and not as equally lost?]

===

o2. field research
[we're going to bypass the H E A P S of prose required to cover exactly how bad it feels to not have connection to her sorcery and the panic that ensues, because that's more fun to play out than preamble about. instead, the focus is now on a Cecelia post-existential panic and currently in triage mode.

here in a place called Red Springs, she's starting to get more of her footing for the madness she's been swept up in. after all, this isn't the first time it's happened! it's just...weird that this time she can't use any magic whatsoever. that's. yes. okay. moving past that.

next thing: proper grounding. information. she needs the rules of this realm and the expectations one might find commonplace for a native, but perhaps not for herself. like...

...wait...]

...This is...familiar...

[she says so about the decor, the architecture, the...tone? the technology, too -- she'd been thrust into a world unawares and given a funny little device for chatting up people before! the realization makes her heart miss a beat and put her head on a swivel, far-away memories starting to surface out of the back of her mind.]

What did they call this place again? [and have i been here before...?]

===

o3. arcane study
[Cecelia knows better than to openly complain, but...gods dammit, square one? she can't even get in on this realm's brand of magic without the base of her own? that's irritating. it'll make things tougher; she has centuries of study under her belt, all that may mean nothing at this point!

...but then again, it may give her an edge. she can't write this off as a complete farce just yet, and an opportunity to add new magics to her repertoire is something she'd be a fool to snub.

so it goes that the half-elf woman studies -- now less a washed-up piece of shipwreck, more a well-groomed, elegant extra from a Renaissance photoshoot -- and busies herself with note-taking within one of the meditation tents. she's not sure how anyone could meditate with such flimsy trappings that can't mask the noise of mulling-about outside, but...eh. humans. she's not sure they know what meditation really is, so. y'know bear with it.

she can hear whomever may approach quite easily, is the thing. that's why, whomever fate leads her way will see her arched brow, amber eyes peering up from the pages of the instructional tome in her lap.

she waits just a beat before:] ...Yes?

03.

[thepattern]

[ He's been here for a month. That probably means it's about time he works on actually practicing some of this world's magic. After some less-than-gentle nudging from his unicorn familiar, Corwin makes his way into the meditation tent. The kind of sorcery he is used to didn't make use of the art of meditation, so he is unaccustomed to its practice, outside of vague knowledge of theory.

So he's wandering around the tent looking a little lost. He sees a young woman sat at a desk, feverishly poring through the pages of a book, and thinks, "Ah. Someone who clearly knows more than I do about all this."

Little does he know that she's even more new here than he is. ]

Excuse me miss, I was wondering if you could direct me to any... introductory texts on meditation?

[sighsheavily]

[carefully and calmly -- two traits she's had to really work at, being quite an impulsive, emotional girl growing up -- that's the way Cecelia takes in the sight of the man who enters. her first order of business is confirming he bears no arms or posture meaning to do harm, which is quickly obvious. second, though...

have i met this man before?

being thrust spontaneously into a new world means there is the very real likelihood she could meet old friends and foes!

this person, however, doesn't ring any bells. she can't really say if that's a relief or a pity, and now's not the time to ponder.]

Well. [she sits up straight, setting the open book down on the desk and smoothing the pages.] Let me preface that I am no librarian, nor did I coordinate this exercise. That said... [she'll tap the communication device she was given, left idle beside the book.] Have you one of these already?

[thepattern]

[ Thankfully for Cecelia, he's left his sword, Grayswandir, back in his quarters today. He has no intention of starting any fights, and is relying on his innate fighting ability to be able to stop any that might catch him by surprise.

At her preface, Corwin raises an apologetic hand. ] My mistake. You look so self-assured and comfortable in this scholarly environment; I'm afraid I assumed...

[ Ah, but she's motioning to the computer phone they were all given. Two things that Corwin is aware of from his time spent on the shadow Earth, but that he had never seen put together in such a small package before his arrival here. ]

I do. [ He retrieves his smartphone from the back pocket of his trousers. ] What do you suggest I do with it? Call a reference librarian?

[sighsheavily]

[her mouth quirks briefly, settling into a mild, amused smile.] No, that would be rude. I'm not dismissing you, I'm guiding you. [really, library staff should pay her.

pointing at the device.] I received the outlines and basic instructionals from a recorded message. They populated quite quickly after I viewed it. I could show you where to look, perhaps, though I'm still learning the ins and outs of the device myself.

03

[faithfulson]

[ Luke... hadn't really been paying attention -- it was hard to pay attention when he was so used to the Force making up the majority of his perception. It was why he didn't realize it looked like he was staring at a woman going over a tome of her own, nor did he realize he was walking toward her, until she said something. ]

Hunh?

[ He blinked, staring for a long moment, his own tome (titled The Minds of You and Others, which wasn't ominous at all) about as thick as his calf cradled easily in his arms, before his face turned a bit pink. ]

O-oh, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you.

[sighsheavily]

[but soft, a stuttering stranger appears. easily flustered, or genuinely caught unaware -- who can say? Cecelia can at least appreciate some manners, despite the awkward delivery.]

Lost in your thoughts, were you? [she sets the book on the desk, straightening up.] Pray, tell me: Were you assigned to this particular tent, or did you choose this spot by chance?

[faithfulson]

Something like that...

[ Luke paused a moment, glancing around. Oh... right, tents. They had tents they were supposed to be going into. He reached over to rub at the back of his neck, easily holding onto the thick book with one arm. ]

Um... I'm not sure?

[ He let out a sheepish noise, turning back to her. ]

If you want your privacy, I can leave.

[sighsheavily]

[she has a flip remark for that, but she doesn't voice it. manners.]

See, the thing about that, as I understand it... [she glances to the communicator she'd been given, set aside in favor of a proper book.] Someone with a lot of clout in this land is expecting some collaborative work out of this effort. So being alone wouldn't really benefit either of us, would it?

[that said, she hopes she has the chance to be picky about it, rather than get saddled with a complete lummox. this fellow, awkward though his entry may be, doesn't seem completely checked out.]

its raining beaches

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[With everything that had gone on the last month, Darin hadn't really considered that maybe he can find some more answers where he made his appearance. Which meant heading out back to the bay.]

[He hadn't really appreciated it when he initially made splashdown, but now that he had time and some warmer gear, he decided to make a day of it. He brings a fishing pole, a tackle box, and a thermos of hot cider and plants himself on a rock on the beach.]

[He casts his line only to hear a much louder splash than should be proper. And when a woman makes her way to sure, Darin just...sorta stares.]

...Okay, I'm going back to the tackle shop and telling them they're undercharging for this bait.

it's raining bitches

[sighsheavily]

[what a thing to say! good thing there's still water in her ears from the turtle-based ride. Cecelia's gotten most of her bearings? sort of? but beyond being able to see properly (and see a giant sand-hand -- gods, that better not be motivated to grab hold of her right now) and inspect the remains of that weird potion she'd been force-fed, she's got...nothing.

did i get banished? WAS there anyone powerful enough to cast that? it didn't seem that way, not out in the open. did Felix try to recall her back to the orrery and something just...blipped? that's never happened before.

she'll get no answers just sitting there, though, so she fidgets to get her feet under her--] GYAH-!! [--and under some of her skirts, apparently, since she barely gets to her feet before stumbling over herself.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Whoa! Hey there! Easy!

[Darin sets his pole down and steps out to the surf to help the poor mass of hair and dress to her feet.]

You alright? Seriously, this was not the catch I was expecting today. Does this bay just like to spit out women?

[Seriously, he's two for two at this point.]

[sighsheavily]

I-oh, gah, what? [great, people saw that? lovely. why aren't they all just falling off that cliff instead?

not that she's not grateful for the help or anything, but! like! please. first impressions.

even so, she's not really in a position to argue as she's helped up. while in the midst of pushing hair out of her face again:] Does it? Gods, as though I would know, I simply-- [she halts, choking a bit on the remainder of her thought as she proceeds to gape, her stomach and heart dropping. everwarm be damned, she goes pale and feels a sudden chill.]

I...Y--h-how...

let's do 02 no one else has done 02

[patchricide]

[While Allura's purpose in town is mostly to treat herself to a nice soak in the springs, she's not in such a hurry that she can't stop to help someone else. Especially since she can feel some empathy for this particular question — how many times had she needed to ask the name for something? It's not all unfamiliar, but growing up on another planet had left her points of reference few and far between.]

Do you mean the town? Because they call it the Red Spring.

[sighsheavily]

That's the part I don't get, because the name doesn't tie back to-- [...] To...

[...

Cecelia's scrunched-up expression drops into a near-blank look of shock as she stares at Allura. she doesn't realize she's done it, or she'd have caught herself real quick, but. well. shock be like that sometime.

quietly alarmed:] And...you, too..?

[patchricide]

[What about her? What did she do? ... oh, perhaps she's asking...]

I am called Allura. Although I'm not normally from this town, so if I remind you of anyone from it... you may be thinking of someone else?

[Or it could just be the ears! There's so many people with short, rounded ears here. It's a relief to see someone who's a little more normal!]

[sighsheavily]

[Cecelia brings a hand to her mouth when she realizes she's blurted things aloud -- and because hearing the name aloud is what really brings the sledgehammer of remembrance down. she looks a touch dazed, flush-faced, her eyes darting to and from her as she rapidly calculates what's just happened, what could be happening, and what might happen.

dead memories...are rising out of the ether here. how. why?? is this by design?

she peeks back Allura's way once again, this time more apprehensive, shoulders drawn up.]

And you don't...know me. Correct?

[gods help her, she knows the answer, doesn't she? or does she. honestly, she doesn't know which response would be worse!]

1

[tempredmental]

[Well, he didn't look much less lost than her, but he was definitely more mobile, even if he was wearing what looked like a full suit of armor. Not being weighed down by layers of soaking wet fabric definitely helped, and he offered her a hand.]

Need some help?

[sighsheavily]

[she supposes this will do. he looks at least dressed to aid...albeit weirdly. that's not proper plate where she's from, but, eh. whatever. question it after bearings are gotten.

holding out her hands.]

Please. The water's soaked me through, so-- [so she's wearing like a zillion tons of fabric. it's not great!]

[tempredmental]

[He gripped her firmly so she could brace herself properly and get her footing again on the sand.]

Getting dropped into freezing water isn't exactly the best welcome.

[Keith managed a dry smirk, and then nodded towards the crowd.]

It looks like we'll get our answers up those stairs. Are you going to be okay climbing?

[That dress definitely looked heavy...]

[sighsheavily]

[she struggles a little, but with the help, finds her feet at last, narrowly snagging a shoe on one of those layers before finding purchase in shifty sand. this is...not her best look by far, but this is not her fault -- high court attire is not designed to be utilized on the sea shore!

flushed from being so upended and left a mess, Cecelia's gaze flicks away from her rescuer to focus back on the stairs in question, her expression scrunched with apprehension before she remembers to reel it back in and throw up a more composed one.]

To be completely frank...no. No, I...daresay I'll be managing maybe five or six of those steps at best before careening back to the earth. [she lets out an exasperated sigh, releasing his arm at last to fiddle with a bundle of the gown.] It'll be a shame to have to tear this down a bit, but I doubt I'll be expected for tea with a monarch up there, hm?

2.

[mycrosstobear]

[Wolfwood's leaning against the wall, pondering the packet of cigarettes that came here with him. It's not a brand name he recognizes. Except...maybe he does? It's from-

It's from Earth. He's already been to Earth. An Earth. Hasn't he?

He's only half paying attention as he starts to answer the question.] Red Spring, I thi-

[He looks up.]

Red?

[It's like muscle memory, the nickname coming out before he consciously realizes it is a nickname.]

[sighsheavily]

Hm-?

[she didn't expect a reply from someone she was passing, but that halting response stops her mid-step. Cecelia blinks, turning partway in his direction to look, and something...tugs at her. in the back of her mind, in the depths of her heart...she gets a very strident feeling that red was not said just because of the color of her hair.

it's her, all right -- the woman who wound up mixed up in that world thanks to fey magics. she remembers. and while it was long, long ago, he's not the first ghost to stir her memories. it's why her eyes are immediately sharpened and searching this man's features to repaint what was faded and buried.]

You're...referring to me, are you not?

[mycrosstobear]

[That's her, his always opinionated neighbor. But not as usual, he's realizing, as memories catch up to him. She's older. But that happened before, too. She was this age for a while...

He raises a hand to rub the side of his head, closing his eyes. It's so much information at once, coming back all in fragments.

Fucking magic. More trouble than it's worth.

Does she remember? People forgetting is something that's happened before too.]

Yeah. You...look like someone I know.

[sighsheavily]

[there's a split-second widening of her eyes before she purses her lips into a thin line, holding back on even the chance of any unchecked responses. his appearance is more uncanny by the second, and more than that -- the timbre of his voice. she remembers it. it makes her chest tighten.

this assault on carefully constructed caverns for her feelings is really fraying at her stamina, yet somehow she still has adrenaline to spare?? she can't claim that's a common occurrence at all.

she turns fully to face him, quickly taking stock of her surroundings within her peripherals and earshot before uttering quietly:] Will you tell me her name? Just to humor me.