[Video/Action] [OPEN]

[exbride]

[The Vine opens up to reveal the inside of Utena's dormitory, the Tower Room in particular. It's spacious and lacking in decoration and furniture, except for a strangely shaped bed that Anthy is sitting on, her legs together and her hands in her lap as she faces the screen with a serene smile. She'd like to address the residents of the Gardens for the first time, formally.]

Hello. [For the most part she's been keeping to herself. A hideous spattering of nightmares and the strange incidents of the past month have kept her from revealing herself too soon. Among other reasons. It hasn't been a pleasant arrival for her, but she doesn't appear disturbed or distressed in the least.] Ah, how to begin? I'm quite new, you see, so you may not recognize me.

Then again. [Her voice switches key, imperceptibly. Lower, a bit darker.] This room here is a place I do recognize. [Anthy brightens up her tone and her smile before she speaks again.] I was wondering...

If anybody knew the person who used to live here?

[OOC: first post ahhhh she's trying to find out more about Utena obviously but please feel free to bug this antisocial loser so she can maybe make some friends god.]

Comments

[notvitiligo]

Yeah, that's... pretty harsh, really. [Knowing a friend was here and then gone... she can barely imagine it.]

Oh, geez, just Jessica, please. Miss Boyette makes me feel like I'm in trouble or something. Uh, but yeah, nice to meet you, too. I'm guessing you read over the scroll and stuff already?

[exbride]

Yes, I have. I've been here for at least a month.

[She sounds a bit tired. It's been a strange month, to say the least. Some of the other residents seem harmless, like this Jessica, but some of the others, not so much.]

[notvitiligo]

Oh, have you read the brochure? It kind of explains some...

Are you all right?

[exbride]

[Blink.] I didn't know there was one.

Oh, yes, I'm fine. [Polite smile is back on.] These Gardens can do all sorts of strange things to you, can't they? At least the dreams have stopped.

[notvitiligo]

Oh, yeah, hold on a sec.

[She fiddles with something offscreen, and a sheaf of parchments emerges on Anthy's end.]

Yeah, you have no idea. Fair warning: things kind of get crazy once a month here. [Well, maybe not all that crazy to someone from Utena...] Like, Alice in Wonderland crazy.

[exbride]

[Anthy looks a little surprised, but mostly altogether unfazed, by the appearance of the brochure. She takes it into her hands and skims over the descriptions.]

Once a month? [She thinks of the singer in the well. In another month, there will be something else. At least at Ohtori she'd had a certain amount of knowledge and control.] And in the meantime, the Queen would like for us to become friendly with each other.

[That part, she innocently deadpans. As if she has no true understanding of the meaning.]

[notvitiligo]

Well, "friendly." [Air quotes included]

For some reason, she's really, really into the idea of us hooking up.

Not that it's gonna happen for some of us, but I'm getting the impression she doesn't really have much control over who shows up. Which I guess explains a few things.

[exbride]

[She touches her hand to bottom of her lip and looks down.]

Are there any rewards if we do?

[notvitiligo]

[Shrug] That you get a girlfriend? I haven't noticed anything in particular. It's not the most well-thought-out plan ever.

[exbride]

I wonder if the Queen herself is interested in such things.

[notvitiligo]

Unhealthily so.

Well, unless you mean in hooking up with someone herself. I don't think there's any way to tell. She doesn't really open up to any of us.

(Probably because she knows half of us would attack her.)

[exbride]

It's possible she'd be more receptive to someone who would work with her, rather than against her.

[An opportunist has appeared.]

[notvitiligo]

Possible, but doubtful. The Powers That Be aren't really all that interested in consorting with us mere mortals.

Well, peons, I guess. I think there's some people here that don't die. And technically, we all don't die, or at least we come back...

OK, yeah, sorry, tangent.

[exbride]

Oh, that's too bad.

[She really does sound a little disappointed. Anthy crosses her legs and turns her frame to show her profile, like there's something off to the side, unable to be seen within the parameters of the screen, that's caught her attention.]

That's an interesting rule, though. Not being able to die.

[notvitiligo]

I guess?

It's more like the death isn't permanent. I'm not sure if that's related to how this place works, or just them not wanting to let us out.

Lately, I'm more inclined to think the former.

[exbride]

Ah, what I mean is -- death that isn't permanent, that doesn't sound like death at all. [Chin resting in her palm now.]

That's also too bad. For the ones who really want to leave.

[notvitiligo]

Maybe in a way... probably still hurts a lot.

Yeah, tell me about it. I've been here... almost two years now. Man.

[exbride]

Two years? Really? [She blinks back over to Jessica.]

No wonder you know as much as you do.

[notvitiligo]

Well, I've also been trying to figure the place out. Which is sort of a losing battle, but I guess everyone needs a hobby.

[exbride]

Yes, it's best to keep yourself occupied. I like to garden, so this is not too bad a fit for me.

[notvitiligo]

Yeah, especially here. It kind of sucks not having school to go to.

[exbride]

What was your life like before you were brought here? [All innocent and curious.]

[notvitiligo]

[Shrug] Pretty usual, I guess. High school, quiz bowl, science olympiad, that kind of stuff. I'm supposed to be in college by now, but that's obviously not happening.

What about you?