18th doll | video

[shanghaiworld]

[Have you ever seen someone call up the vine, only to look so indecisive about actually bothering? You may right now, as Alice Margatroid is just tossing around the idea of 'is this worth the effort and what it may bring'. In the end, after... being reassured by her dolls she goes with it.]

Right, now then...

Greetings. From what I know, a few weeks ago, there was another bout of people being stuck together and being unable to separate, although with no visual culprit. While I do not know how many people were caught in this, I can only assume a number of you were.

I would like to know something about this time. Namely, what exactly was the cause for your release? Unlike previous cases, this may not obvious, so I would at the very least, like to know what you may have learned from it.

Comments

[shanghaiworld]

For me, it happened early on in the day, so some may have been asleep during the time, but I felt... that I had to get up and move. I didn't know it at the time, but it was drawing me to a certain place... or rather, someone.

You didn't have this feeling?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Hmm. I had a feeling like that, but it's not like I was moving in a different way? I really didn't think about it. [ She scratches her cheek. ] I mean, when I saw Katina, we were supposed to go jogging that morning anyhow, and I didn't think anything was weird about Suruga visiting me, either.

[shanghaiworld]

Well, perhaps it was just amazingly convenient for you?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Ahah, maybe so! [ She smiles. ] I mean, I don't need any excuse to be close to my friends, so I don't know what the Queen was thinking. I just wish I could help, since I don't know what might have happened to break that "spell" of hers.

[shanghaiworld]

Well, did anything similar happen between the times that this happened?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Hmmmmmmm. [ Subaru thinks about this for a long moment, arms crossed. ] I can't really put my finger on it. We all just talked, and had some food, and spent the time together. It's no different than any other time we hung out...

[shanghaiworld]

Did a certain amount of time pass in each of them?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

We went our separate ways around lunchtime, after spending the morning together. [ At least as far as I know... ]

[shanghaiworld]

This is going to be harder than I thought...

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Aheh, I'm really sorry. If anything stood out, I'd tell you!

[shanghaiworld]

How long did it take you to notice something was going on, by the way?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

...not until others started talking about it. [ Katina had told her something was happening, but she didn't feel any different, so she assumed it hadn't affected her! ]

[shanghaiworld]

... Ah.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ That's an "ah" of "Subaru, you idiot", isn't it? She just smiles nervously, hand slowly coming up to rub at her neck. ]

[shanghaiworld]

So... do you think the people you were with would have noticed anything?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Katina did! She actually mentioned that it was why she didn't go jogging with me the day before.

It just didn't occur to me that it would be happening to us the next day since I didn't feel different.

[shanghaiworld]

Or maybe there's just something... different about you.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ Headtilt. ] What do you mean?

[shanghaiworld]

I don't really know. I was just trying to think of a reason why you never noticed.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Ohh!

I wish I could explain it, too. [ But she can't so she's at a loss. ]

[shanghaiworld]

... Things just happen here, and we never get told why...

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Mm, that's true. It's frustrating, but I guess the Queen just expects us not to question it. [ Furrowing her brow. ] It's not exactly fair, but has anyone ever questioned her directly? I know she shows up on the vine sometimes, but I've never tried to just call her.

[shanghaiworld]

Be my guest to try.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

I'll have to do that! [ For all the good that's likely to do her. ]

[shanghaiworld]

And then tell us all how it goes.