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

[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.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Mm, I'll do what I can!

I'm Subaru, by the way. [ She's been around a while, but they've never talked. ]

[shanghaiworld]

Alice Margatroid, Seven Colored Magician.

[EGO]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Ah! So many other magic users here. [ Said with casual excitement. ]

[shanghaiworld]

Ah, but even to them, I am unique.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

There are people here from all different kinds of worlds, so that doesn't surprise me. Even I only have one friend here left from home.

[shanghaiworld]

So, would that mean you are a user of magic as well?

[of_the_highest_caliber]

That's right! Belkan Zauber, Ground Rank AA.

[shanghaiworld]

... Very different worlds.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Eheh, I'm not surprised to hear that. Vivio is the only one here from my world. She's actually the daughter of my mentor, Captain Nanoha Takamachi,... who was here sometime before I arrived. [ Said with less pep than one might expect. ]

[shanghaiworld]

... Odd name, when Subaru and Nanoha sound like Japanese names.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

That's because Nanoha is originally from Japan, and my dad's heritage can be traced back to Earth, but we're all citizens of Mid-Childa now, and that's where Vivio was born.

I guess it's less obvious here since language isn't an issue.

[shanghaiworld]

And yet I still picked up on it.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Haha, that's true.