Hey, Minako-chan, did you make it through that blizzard alright? Let me know, I've been a bit worried about you.

[The audio on the Vine is...a little more distorted than usual for this message. But that's definitely the Queen's voice coming out of it. Singing.]

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days
Of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us
Once more.

Through the years,
We all will be together
If the Fates allow.
Hang a shining star upon
The highest bough,
And have yourself a merry little...

I forget...how does it go?

Oh, it's so dark out. Won't you help me in these dark days, my darlings?

[She sounds distraught. And the snow begins to pile up...]

_{[There's Rei, sitting in her impromptu campsite, going through the remains of the groceries she'd gotten from the wishing. She snaps her fingers in frustration.]}

I'm out of tea. I don't suppose any of you have some?

_{[Nausicaä adjusts her flying cap on her head as the mirror forms an image of her. Her mask is dangling in her other hand.]}

I think I'm going to make a trip to the edges of the Garden, just to see for myself.

Would anyone like to come?

_{[[EDIT: Log is up here.]]}

_{[Rei is sitting on a fallen log somewhere in the gardens, looking a bit disgruntled and holding what looks like a rather basic broom made out of bamboo and other materials. There's a pile of red and white clothing next to her as well, and she pipes up, waggling the broom.]}

You know, when I wished to be home at the temple, this isn't quite what I expected. My miko clothes... _{[She nudges the pile with a foot.]} And my broom. Not really the most useful things, but I suppose they'll come in handy. Oh, and I did get some food, and a sleeping bag!

_{[She holds up what looks like a couple grocery bags worth of supplies and a comfy looking sleeping bag.]}

We don't know how long we'll be here, so I figure some practical things would be useful. Sleeping on the ground isn't really that fun, after all. Hm. I should get some more changes of clothes tonight...

Wishing is hard work! Well, that, and dodging. I almost got brained by my wish for konpeito. But, hey, I got 'em! [With a pleased laugh, Minako pushes the capsule full of the sugar star candy into view.] If anybody wants some! I've stocked up. Konpeito annnnnnnd pork buns and ice cream! And that's gonna melt, and I don't think I'd get it if I wished for a freezer...

Or that would be a hazard falling out of the sky.

But it seems like stars are really good at granting food wishes, and not so great at other stuff. Like making sure my friends are safe? All I got is a picture and it's––it's really not all that comforting! [She waves a picture briefly in front of the mirror; it's hard to make out anything except a blond, pigtailed girl in a short skirt.] And this! This is not my cat! [She's got a white plush cat, which also gets waved in front of the mirror, a bit more forcefully. It does look an awful lot like Artemis, golden crescent moon on the forehead and all. But it's just a stuffed animal.] There's a whole lot of stuff like this. What am I gonna do with flower petals and why does wishing for clothes get me a … a princess dress?

I just don't get it.

[ America appears holding her baseball bat. She wished to go home, but got this instead. ]

Hey! Who wants to play baseball with me? I can, like, teach the aliens how to play too! [ If you don't know what America is, she considers you an alien. ]

Baseball is one of the best American pastimes, so it's up to me to teach you. Don't be too disappointed when I beat you, hahaha!

[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.]

[ 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... ♫

[When she sees the mirror appear, she smiles warmly at it.]... Nice to see that this Vine appreciates my charms, too...

[Lou has altered her plain white dress to be much more revealing than it used to be. She's also been experimenting with some of the berries she's found in the orchard since she's gotten here, and painted with them across her chest in big, block letters: 'For Rent.']

Hope no one minds that in light of some of the Queen's having some younger guests, I'll have to use a few euphemisms for this.

It occurs to me that some of you ladies here might be ...in need of some special attention while we're here. I have to imagine that at least some of you enjoy the more ...risque activities. If you're hormones levels are climbing anyplace near mine, well, I'm happy to offer my services.

I am Louisa Dem Five of New Hong Kong, owner and proprietor of both franchises of the Velvet Fist, and a fully licensed sex professional.

And I'm here for you for as long as you need me, ladies. Or even if you just want me. [Wink.]

Message posted on or about 2115 hours, 11/29/17 by my home's calendar.

Mirelle has told me that the area bounded by the Garden is finite, and that there's a definite edge with... something beyond it.

I'd like to scout it out, and would like some assistance doing so. If any of your are skilled fighters or investigators, I need your help.

Something is going on out there, and I for one would sleep better at night knowing what it is.

Thank you in advance.

- Anna Lin

( OOC )

[The mirror shows a teenaged girl with odd white-blue hair and wearing a school uniform, sitting crosslegged in the grass. One of the Garden's cats is curled up in her lap, and she's petting it idly]

This may sound like an odd question, but I have to ask. Are any of you in possession of an unusual red phone card?

[ooc: She's trying to determine if this is some new form of the game she's stuck in back in her canon. Your character would not be in possession of a phone card matching that description...unless they are in canon, natch]

[ The mirror activates, revealing a slender young girl lightly touching its surface. She looks slightly different than your average human – candy corn horns, gray skin, yellow eyes, and black lips will do that to you – but overall, she looks remarkably humanoid. She hasn't yet changed out of the white shift, and yet her clothes are nowhere in sight.

She takes a deep breath, focusing intently on the reflective surface, and begins to speak. Her voice is clear, putting a distinct emphasis on each syllable of every word. It's overall a rather pleasant sound! ]

I suppose that this was unavoidable. Similarly, I can see why Karkat felt so strongly against the idea of going to sleep. Nonetheless, I find that this is not an unpleasant sort of dream. Assuming that this is a dream.

[ She pauses for a moment, letting her hand drop from the mirror before speaking once more. Her tone relaxes slightly, even if that same pristine pronunciation is still present. ]

What planet is this? Just figured that I'd check. If nobody knows, that's fine too.

[ She touches the mirror. After a few moments, she blinks and shakes her head. She leans forward slightly before whispering: ]

Thank you, vine. You've done well.

[ And just like that, the feed terminates. ]

[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.

[Minako's face appeared in the mirror––still in the white dress, she hadn't found her things in the nearby glade yet, or attempted much exploration. Her face is drawn]

Can I use this thing to communicate, too? It really seems like there are tons of people here. Everyone's okay, right? I mean, well, aside from waking up in this weird place, I don't remember how I got here, for sure.

[At least, what she remembers is not anything she wants to share. She pauses.]

My friends might be here, too––Ami-chan, Mako-chan, can you hear me? Or see me, I guess, [A titter at the correction] this is kind of a cool way of communicating, right?

[ video ; Giselle is slightly back from the mirror and looks startled, as if she was taken by surprise and jumped back. She recovers quickly and approaches the mirror again. ]

Another one? My, this is curious! Your highness, are you still there? [ evidently, she is unaware that this is being broadcast to more than just the Queen. ] This is a lovely garden, and I would be so pleased to view it sometime soon, but you see I was out collecting wildflowers and I only meant to be a few hours -- perhaps I fell asleep and, er, sleepwalked, I have heard cases of such things -- but it's after dark now and Pip and the animals will be so worried, I really must get home to assure them I haven't fallen into some evil ogre's lair and require a daring rescue mission to be mounted in my name...

Hello? Oh dear, is anyone there?

[Wherever you are, so long as you're here already, a vine unfurls, and unfurls, and unfurls until it's holding a lifesize mirror. For a moment there's only darkness in it, and then someone steps out of the shadows and into view: a woman.]

You're here already! Isn't it wonderful? I hope it's wonderful. You see, I've been working so hard to make things right; there's still work to be done, of course, but I think it's good enough for now, don't you? I'm so happy to see you! All of you. It's been a long time...

Oh, oh, did I forget to introduce myself? I was so excited.

I'm...

[Her gaze goes distant, her expression misty and faraway.]

I am the Queen of Hearts.

You're going to love it here!

[Without further ado, the mirror curls back up.]