Calm down. Calm down, Ami! You have this under control. I-

[notices that the Vine is ready for her input, and she clears her throat softly to speak]

H-hello, everyone! Ami's having a little trouble understanding the situation. This- this is surely some kind of prank?

I'm talking to a plant. This is so stupid. But what other choice do I have?

It's really clever! Ami hasn't been tricked so well in a long time.

[A pause. This just can't be real. And she stomps away from the Vine to cool off for a second.]

[A new face has shown up on the vine tonight! It must be; how many people here are decked out in one of those especially revealing Santa costumes? In any case, she's smiling very tersely indeed, leaning down for a rather nice view of the... ornaments.]

Ladies, ladies, ladies! I am most disappointed.

I've been keeping a list and checking it twice, but there's not enough naughty and far too much nice. Means you wouldn't know how to take advantage of wishes if they were tied to a chair in tinsel and pretty lights, for those who can't keep up.

Where's your holiday spirit? 'Tis the season to be giving! If you're into receiving, that's fine too. Her royal bustiness told us you'd be encouraged in no time, honestly.

It's high time I take matters into my own hands, don't you think? Yes? Glad we agree!

[That's that, apparently. It takes nothing more than a teasing flick of the wrist to prompt some alarmingly quick plant growth in the background. Maybe you've encountered these before. Then have a kiss blown at the mirror, as if to demonstrate:]

Now pucker up, girls. You'll thank me later.

[OOC: You heard the, um, lady. Mistletoe now decorates the Gardens, and any two people caught beneath it will be compelled to kiss. For child and pre-teen characters, this does not have to be a kiss on the mouth. The mistletoe will last through Saturday the 18th, after which point it can be assumed that the Vamp got bored of putting it back up after its victims tore it down or set it on fire.]

[Any ladies who check the vine today are greeted to a new face. She's wearing the default white shift, although she's carrying other clothing in her arms and has put a hat and rose-lensed white glasses on top of her head. The first thing she does when the video begins is gasp dramatically.]

Ah! It worked!

[She leans in closer to the mirror, her eyes wide and her expression inquisitive. It's almost as if she doesn't really believe that the Vine is actually recording.]

Well, if anyone can hear me, my name's Ema Skye. Does anyone know how this whole thing works? It seems really... unscientific.

[Judging from the girl's expression, being unscientific is a crime--right up there with kicking puppies and punching babies.]

Ms... Queen of Hearts lady, I have a flight back to Europe in a few days and I need to continue studying science so I can become a forensic investigator, so I'd like to pass on your invitation. I asked the cat how I can get home, since that's what you suggested--although I have no idea how they understand me--but it just curled up and went to sleep.

Cats are kind of fickle. Maybe you should consider getting better pet-servants.

[Germany's first priority, upon arriving, is to take in all of the information provided. When trapped in a strange environment, having all the facts is vital, regardless of whether or not said facts were provided by a cat.

However, her second priority is to quickly change out of the awkward white sheath into her proper clothes.

Finally, she'll try the vine once she's gotten rid of the sheath and is buttoning up her shirt.]

H-hallo. Germany speaking. I would like to be put in contact with the person known as the Queen?

[muttered] If this is some type of joke...

[Vanille is smiling at the screen, greeting anyone watching with a wave.] Hello, Gardens!

Uhhh, I just have a question. Did anyone... hm. [She purses her lips, giving herself a minute to figure out how she is going to ask this. It is quite random, after all.]

Well... did any of you ladies have, say, a power of some sort before you got here that you no longer have now or has changed a bit?

Has everyone been settling in alright so far? [She doesn't really give much time for anyone to answer this question before moving on. She crosses her arms over her chest and holds up a finger as she continues speaking, and she has a smile on her face.]

I think we should get all the information we've got about this place together. If you could, reply and let me know what kinds of things you've found here. Having all the information in one place would be a good idea, wouldn't it?

[the mirror shows what looks like a bush rustling, then suddenly a figure tumbles out from behind it, landing hard on her backside. As she scrambles up again, wincing, she stands still long enough for a better visual: the usual white shift new arrivals wake up in is covered by a long black coat, the hood drawn up to obscure her face. She's also barefoot.]

[another rustle, and a pair of long ears poke into view. Beady eyes regard the girl serenely as the rabbit chews away at something dark, with a flash of silver on the edge--]

My boot--h-hey! Give that back!

[she makes a grab for the creature, but it backs up, dragging its new meal out of her reach. The girl cries out in frustration, lunging forward, and manages to grab the toe of the boot, pulling on it. After a brief and somewhat comical tug of war, the rabbit relinquishes its hold and hops off out of view, apparently satisfied.]

[The hooded girl, meanwhile, sits down, her shoulders in a dejected slump. She holds the boot up: black, with a bit of a heel and a pointed toe--and sighs.]

It's all chewed up...

[she hunches over, her voice dropping in volume, apparently speaking to herself.]

I guess that's the least of my worries...I hope he's...all right.

[she rests her ruined footwear on her lap, turning her hands over, looking at her palms.]

And how can I still be here...does that mean he's--no. [she shakes her head, her quiet voice sharpening, curling both hands into fists. She clutches them both to her chest, tightly.] It can't be. He'll be fine--he has to be.

[she doesn't seem to be convincing herself, however, and leans forward, hugging her knees, pressing her face to them. When she speaks again, her voice is muffled.]

I thought it would be over by now...Roxas.....Axel. Please be okay.

[ Death is out in the ruins, putting the falling stars to good use. Behind her, on a half-crumbled wall, are six wooden frames, each one different in style. There's no picture held by any of them, but on the backing where a photo or painting would be placed, the letter D has been scratched onto the surface. Beneath each frame is an item; a heavy, moth-eaten book, a helmet made to resemble the skull and spine of an unidentifiable being, the handle of a sword, a rock in the shape of a heart, a hooked ring, and a small glass vial, containing a liquid made up of ever changing colours; and they are all quite useless. The book has no words, the helm is too small to wear, the sword is clearly harmless, the rock may well have always been there, the ring has been cut and no longer forms a circle, and who would even considering drinking whatever the liquid is? ]

[ apparently pleased with her lot, Death is sat on a rock, legs crossed as she tends to the “table” in front of her. It is, in fact, only another piece of the ruins, but she's thrown a sheet over it, and set up a small tea set on the surface. She pours and stirs the piping hot water, adding in leaves and sugar and honey, and while she seems to have no interest in drinking it herself, she may well be waiting for company ]

[ after a moment, she speaks into the vine ]

A long time ago, when the skies were still pitch-black, the First Man set about placing all of the stars in the sky. It was, as I'm sure you can all imagine, a long, arduous task, and he set out to do it the only way he knew how: methodically, with a sense of complete order and control. The First Man decided that he would place all of the stars in rows and columns, each an equal distance apart, so that the night sky might resemble a grid, no matter which way anyone or anything gazed upon it.

But! – and here's where it gets interesting – he spent so very long mapping the position of each and every star that the trickster god Coyote was able to steal them from him! Now, on the surface, Coyote appeared to be less serious about his work than Loki, and less frightful than Wisakedjak, but a trickster is as a trickster does, and it isn't very smart to assume that how they present themselves is anything close to their true nature. For the First Man and all those who followed, Coyote was the portal through which chaos bled into the world, and with it, the ability for mortals to gain wisdom and differentiate between what they should and shouldn't do. Morals, if you will.

Now Coyote, he took the stars, and threw them without care into the sky, scattering them in clusters and constellations across the heavens. Ever the wise fool, Coyote didn't particularly intend for anything to come of his unruly behaviour, and yet, with the way that the sky appears to be falling, I can't help but be reminded of him. Not that I'm suggesting you're a trickster in any way, shape or form, Ms. Damsel, but it'd be nice if everyone could be at least a little careful.

And remember, the inverse law of wishing: the more you want something, the less likely you are to get it.

[Minako has discovered the arcade. Her natural habitat. In fits of joy, she has sprinted around trying out all the games, before finally settling down into a steady Sushi Cat addiction. Damn it, Heavy Cat, why can't you get that last little pieceeeeee.]

Alright! Come on! One to-- no, no, noooooo, don't die, kitty! Darn it! Alright, one more time!

[She's not exactly being subtle. Or quiet. Will you tell her to shut up? Or challenge her to a game?]

[She pauses to talk to the Vine, though:]

==♡ VIDEO ♡==

Hey, your Maj, I love the games, and seriously, you're soooooo awesome for not making us pay for them, but… why no Sailor V Game, huh? I'm only saying it's the best arcade game ever. Everyone can agree that we could use a little more Sailor V, right?

[She seems to have forgiven, at least temporarily, all the kidnapping and stuff. Fickle girl.]

[A curious redhead appears on screen with widened eyes and an expression with confusion and intrigue written all over it.]

Wow... That's sure different from what I'm used to.

[She gives herself a minute to absorb all of what she's unfamiliar with, which is of course everything.]

Um. Ha. [A smile comes naturally.] Hello! My name is Vanille. [And then a weak little wave that lacks confidence.]

[ video ; Giselle is sitting cross-legged on the ground, with birds roosting on her head, one of the cats lazing in her lap. She is wearing a dress that is neither the default white one nor her regular pink; instead, it looks suspiciously like it was made from a pair of mismatched curtains. But in a good way! She beams at the mirror, one hand idly scratching behind the cat's ears. ]

Well! Now that we have all gotten a bit more settled into this charming place, I think we should perhaps get to know each other a little better! When you are away from home, nothing is nicer to have than a true friend, don't you think? So I asked the Vine if I could perhaps talk to everyone at once and, well, it didn't say anything because it is a plant and does not have lips, the poor dear, but I got the impression that it was saying yes! It gave me a mirror, at any rate. So!

In the interest of Forming a Common Bond and Getting to Know Each Other, I thought we could play a nice little game! Why don't we all tell each other our names, perhaps where we are from, and one or two interesting facts about ourselves? I will go first, to get everything off to a nice, happy start!

My name is Giselle! I am from Andalasia, and I ♪ looove to siiiiiing! ♫ I have not yet found my One True Love, but I am working on it! Also, my favorite thing in all the world -- except for singing, of course! -- is to make new friends! I do so hope we can all be the very best!

Now it's your turn!

[ Giselle gives the mirror a smile almost maniacal in its warmth and sincerity. If she had an acoustic guitar, she probably would pull it out now; instead she just begins to sing softly as she waits for replies, still stroking the cat in her lap. (The cat is largely unimpressed, but will put up with a lot for a good ear-scritching.) A few of the birds tweet along as background music. ]

♪ Getting to knoooow you!
Getting to know all about you;
Getting to liiiike you!
Getting to hope you like me... ♫

[In the orchard today, the sound of splashing can be heard for quite a distance. If you follow it, you'll find a pink-haired girl in a Gothic-Lolita dress trying to fish with her bare hands in one of the streams.]

Stupid fish--! Stay still so Lulu can catch you!

[For a first-timer, it's going about as well as one might expect. Watch out for the water! It's really getting everywhere.]

[OOC: Specify which post you're responding to in the subject line.]

[text]

[Ramona is testing out the magic scrolls to see if replies really do magically appear when she writes on them.]

Testing, testing. If anyone's there, answer with the first word that comes to mind.

----------

[video]

[Posted a short while after the text post. Ramona has since looked back through some previous Vine posts for more info. She now appears in the mirror sorting and scanning through the pile of scrolls she received earlier.]

Never been to an alternate dimension with its own instruction manual before. This is so weird. [Mutters] Still can't believe this isn't someone's Subspace...

[Shakes head. Puts the papers down and looks in the mirror.]

So the Queen of Hearts is kind of a bitch, huh?

I, uh... I don't mean to alarm anybody, but...

...

We're not dead, right?

Since... I don't feel any different...?

[A voice post, as Hallibel still getting used to this place. She's simply musing aloud.]

I am used to hunger, but to need food... it is different. Pleasant. I wonder, did I have a favorite kind when I was human? So many memories lost to time.

[Initially, Hayate was confused. Then, she was very, very angry. However, finding Signum safe and sound has calmed herself down a bit--not that she's not still utterly furious that she has been inexplicably taken from her pursuit of the Hückebeins and thrown onto a completely different planet, but the urge to raze the countryside out of frustration was now much easier to temper. Besides, this place now warrants investigating: kidnappings (especially of military personnel) and unauthorized use of inter-dimensional technology are both very illegal.

Her priorities are the following: determine her location; find the whereabouts of her battlship and her crew; get back to crushing the Hückebeins; and, then, have someone deal with this 'Queen' and her likely illegal activities.]

[ - Video; Private to Nanoha Cast; Hackable - ]

Is there anyone else here besides Signum and myself? Fate, Nanoha? Shamal, Vita? If there are any members of Section Six present, this is your Commander Hayate Yagami; please report immediately.

[ - Video; Public - ]

[a woman appears on the mirror wearing a brown military uniform of some sort and a very nice-looking white coat being worn more like a cape, without her arms in the sleeves. She got into her uniform as soon as she found it, though she hasn't discarded the clothes she woke up in.]

My name is Lieutenant Colonel Hayate Yagami.

If there are any locals here, I'd like to talk with you. I am also requesting to speak with the local authorities, whoever they may be. Anyone with information about this place--even if only the name of the planet--or an explanation as to why people are appearing here, please share; any other information would be gladly accepted as well.

E-Eh, um, hello... I guess we're all stuck here, right? T-Then... I guess I'll introduce myself. I'm Satsuki Yumizuka and I think we're all stuck together so... maybe we could all be friends?

Um, also, is it true that everyone here is a girl? I guess that means Shiki-kun won't make it...

A-Also... does anyone know what we're supposed to do for food? I-it's actually important I eat as soon as possible...

[ there's a young, cheerful woman in the mirror, white as a sheet. Around her neck hangs a silver ankh, and in one hand she holds an umbrella ]

Oh, this is wonderful!

You mortal types – and not-so-mortal types – and your pocket dimensions, I mean. Your little rolled-up universes tucked away into the corner of who-knows-where. Y'know, they obliterate any sort of logic that ought proceed them, mess around with the very foundations of time, and completely shatter any hope we had of keeping continuity, well, continuous! In the end, though, none of this really matters. It's like a drop in the ocean, compared to everything that's come before it. Still, we all have a tendency to believe that the world, that all worlds, revolve around us. Like the Universe or the Creator or whatever you believe in purposely did this to mess with you, and you alone, and everyone else has fallen by the wayside. Not that this isn't important. Not to you, anyway.

But what am I saying? Listen, it's like this: take a moment to step back from it all. Stop with the whys, wheres and hows, and all those other question words, and breathe it all in. Some days, I feel as if nobody appreciates life anymore. Not even the little things, like being able to enjoy the chemical aftertaste that follows food, and, oh, I already mentioned something about breathing, didn't I? So take a look around, take a moment to relax! I promise you, nothing's going to fall apart while you all kick back.

Anyway, it's great to be here. I hope we can be friends!

Keele? Galenos? ...Quicke? Is Meredy the only one here?

[She pouts a bit, looking around again before she looks back at the mirror in front of her. It's really pretty, but she's never seen technology work like this. But she'd seen a lady in it just earlier, so it had to be for communication. Like Elara phone, except more primitive. There's a pause before she speaks again, and she seems to be concentrating to try something.]

Baiba! Elara is... not working! No one here is... Celestian?

[Nausicaä looks rather serious, although there's a bit of a smile on her lips - she seems friendly, at ease. She's used to talking to large groups of people, apparently. She's used to leading.]

I should introduce myself first - I am Nausicaä, Daughter of Jihil, Chieftain of the Valley of the Wind.

I realize we've all just arrived her and we're all very confused, but I think it's vital that we take stock of the situation as quickly as we can and then try to do our best to survive together. Right now we don't know how we're going to get home, how we got here in the first place. We've been promised and shelter, but even so, we need to make sure there's enough for everyone.

I'm not sure where all of you are from or what your homes are like, but I know that my own country is harsh; times are bad. I don't want the same thing to happen here. I want all of us to get home safely as soon as we can. We need to take stock of what we have and what we're going to need and how far this garden extends around us.

I can't force any of you to work with me and I don't plan to. I'm simply going to ask that you think of others as well as yourselves.

That's all I wanted to say - thank you.