[video]

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

[It's nighttime. The vine shows what appears to be a disoriented young lady, oblivious to the presence of the mirror. In truth, that's not exactly the case; the mirror had been deliberately called, and the apparent confusion is mostly an act. Grace is just doing her best to establish herself to anyone who might be watching as a poor, helpless little girl, pathetic and in need of coddling. She stands from where she had been seated, blinking owlishly and distractedly smoothing the skirt of the white arrival's dress.]

Am... Am I dreaming...?

[No, of course she's not dreaming—that would be too convenient. But it's not like she really has a home to return to, so rather than being upset or enraged by her abduction, she merely finds it annoying. Still, it's annoying in the worst possible way, so she has to fight to keep the helpless stutter in her voice when she speaks next.]

B-but... I thought this place was just something I imagined...

[She turns then, pretending to catch sight of the mirror for the first time.]

Oh! H, hello. [She smiles an uncertain smile.] I d-didn't realize you were th-there. Are, are you showing this to everyone? A-are the people I met before still here...? Please... I d-don't want to be alone in this place...

((ooc: Yeah so I got bored sooner than I expected. Tags will still probably be a bit slow, sorry!))

Comments

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

[As usual, Zenobia's always excited to see a new face.]

Oh, hello there! You're very cute. Is there anything I can help you with?

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

[Damn right she's cute. She can't come out and say that, though, so she just fakes low self-esteem instead.]

C, cute? U-uhm, thank you very much!

Ah... Th-this is the Gardens, isn't it? I've, I've been here before, s-so...

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

[Oh my god that face. So adorable. Congratulations, you officially have a Zenobia in the palm of your hands]

You're so welcome.

Yes. You're back, then. I guess I wasn't around when you were here before. Which is a pity.

[video]

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

Hello.

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

[That was unexpectedly easy. Not that Grace is complaining.]

I, I didn't think this place was real... Wh-when I woke up at home, everything seemed fuzzy, like it had just been a dr, dream.

A, a pity? B-but it's good if you weren't here, right...?

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

Oh! A-Alice, you're still here?

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Oh. I've heard other people who went home say similar things when they returned. I'm not sure why that happens.

No. I like being here. Back in my own world, I was sealed away. [She stretches the single wing on her left shoulder.] I'm not exactly normal, so people back home weren't fond of me.

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

O-other people? S-so... Th-this has h-has happened to others, too?

Oh... [She studies the wing for a moment, then sets her face into a sympathetic expression. She's curious about what this girl is, but it would likely be rude to outright ask, so she makes herself refrain.] I, I'm sorry. Y-you seem very nice to me.

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

Oh, no. I'm just a dream.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Yes. My landlady, Miss Grell, came back, just to name one person.

Oh, thank you. [She smiles, almost beaming.] No worries, I don't let it bother me. I'm always so pleasantly surprised to find people who aren't offended by my wing. You seem very nice, too. I like you.

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

[That earns an indignant little pout.]

Alice! D-don't be mean. I, I'm still trying to get my b-bearings...

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

[a chuckle from over here]

So, thought all of this was a dream?

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

Y-you're welcome. [She smiles back, though it's a bit uncertain.] O-oh! Th, thank you. I'm g-glad... I, I don't see why I should b-be offended by it, though. Where I c-come from, there's nothing like you, s-so I think it's really neat to be able to m-meet things besides humans...!

[Lies, all of it.]

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

Th, that's right. I j-just woke up in my bed and all m-my mem-memories of here seemed fuzzy...

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

And yet it seems to have done nothing for your speech pattern.

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

I-I'm s-s-sorry!

[Yeah she might be making it worse just to annoy you now. Whoops.]

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Wow, you're pretty open-minded. That's great! I don't like being called a monster or scaring people away. It makes it hard to make friends, you know?

Oh, my name's Zenobia, by the way. If you need anything at all, or have any questions, just let me know.

[Congrats, she seems to be buying it completely. It doesn't help that she loves shy, helpless girls.]

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

A-ah, I try to be...! If, if you d-don't mind me asking, though, wh-what are you...?

I-I'm Grace. Grace Harlow. I'll b-be sure to do that...!

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

I'm a demon. Half-demon, at least. I've been sealed away so long that most of my powers are gone, though. But I don't really need them here, so it's not too bad. Don't worry, I don't do anything scary like eat people or anything.

It's so great to meet you, Grace!

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

... And I haven't spoken of your little secret.

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

[The idea that Alice might have blabbed hadn't really occurred to her, but she still feels a keen sense of relief upon learning that her secret has remained safe.]

Th, thank you. I-I really appreciate it...!

[shanghaiworld.livejournal.com]

That said, others have shown up here during you absence. Some may be able to tell.

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

[A demon, hm? She's pretty relieved to hear that most of her powers are gone, to be honest. She doesn't like sharing space with things more powerful than she is, so it's definitely reassuring.]

I-I believe you...! You d-don't seem like the kind of person that would d-do anything scary like that, s-so...

Mm! I-it's very nice to meet you, t-too!

[deathtrapping.livejournal.com]

[She sets her jaw and straightens up, but she's a tiny thing, so it's really not very impressive.]

I understand. I-I'll b-be careful...

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I just want to make a nice new life for myself here. I'm not out to hurt anyone.

[Zenobia really wants an excuse to meet this cute girl in person.] Hey, do you need someone to show you around? Or if you'd just like some company? I know this probably is a strange and troubling time for you...