[The Vine sure is easy to accidentally activate when you're not thinking about it, huh? And it's easy to get wrapped up in your own little world when playing an instrument. So here we have an accidental video of Mugi playing her keyboard. And, since she doesn't know anyone else is listening, she's doing something rare for her; singing. Her voice is rather soft, though, as is her playing. She doesn't want to startle or disrupt anyone]

76 keys nanajuurokunin no yousei
watashi no omoi o tsutaete...

onna no ko nara
daredemo kitto tsukaeru
orijinaru no mahou
watashi ni totte sore wa kenban...

akogaretachi wa tooku ni
namida wa nazeka soba ni
dakara kokoro wa yureru
sono subete o ima, kanademashou...

[she closes her eyes and sways to the music as she plays. The song is meant to be much louder and energetic, but tonight she's using it as a rather reflective and even a bit nostalgic piece]

((ooc: she's specifically singing Dear My Keys ~Kenban no Mahou~, which is one of her character songs. The whole song is translated in English in the video notes on that link. Here's the translation for those specific lines:
76 keys, 76 little elves
Express my feelings

When it comes to girls
I'm sure any one of them could do it
An original magic
That's the keyboard for me

The things I long for are far away
Tears somehow are close
So, my heart sways
Let's, now, put all of that to music))

Hello, everyone!

For those of you who don't know, my name is Ema Skye. I'm a forensic-investigator-in-training; I'm due to be assigned to a precinct once I finish school. I've already worked with prosecutors and defense attorneys to help find the truth and fight crime! [Well, working with Phoenix Wright clear her sister and helping Miles Edgeworth that one time both count, right?] Like the little girl who was on this thing before, I think there's been a lack of imagination in these parts. A lack of scientific imagination!

So, who wants to come with me to investigate the wild places and experiment with the dirt we can get from there? I want to get a team together--I can't be the only scientist here!

[Pause.]

Someone who can fight and protect us would probably be good, too. I... I'm not really well-equipped for wilderness.



((ooc note: Gotta run for now, but I should get to tagging later this evening! ♥ ))

[ somebody's not looking too happy. That's because somebody's been hit by a wildcard while out exploring, and seems to be more than a little muddled up. The language centre of her brain isn't holding up too well ]

There is something seriously potato salad with the sarcophagus out there. I was wandering around, chainsawing my own business, when bam! Now I can't even talk without getting unicorn in the overgrown shrubbery.

Argh! Machungwa!

*Satsuki is wandering about in the dead of night again. While she's able to move around during the day it's still easier for her to be around at night. It's much less exhausting this way.

What she's found for the very first time is a lake full of blood. A human might not be able to tell right away in the dead of night that it is indeed a pool of bodily fluids this isn't a problem for a vampire. In fact she could smell it quite a ways away before seeing it with her eyes which were designed to see in the dark.

She calmed herself down, taking deep breaths. Satsuki's vampire instincts are going insane at the sight of the blood but she has to do her best to calm herself. After all, she would hate to attack someone who managed to find her. Taking a few more breaths, she looks around and then kneels down slowly. Still in control, she dips one hand into the lake and begins licking the blood off.*

... Thank goodness. This will make things much easier for me.

[ooc: I've been doing a terrible job at keeping Satsuki's vampirism a secret so I just decided to go ahead and do a post like this. Maybe we could also get some fellow vampire cr up in here? I would like to not have Satsuki attack anyone but if you really really want it to happen I can work something out. If you would like to have her attack you, check this permission post! You can comment there or drop me a line on aim at marbledoll.]

[Larry starts up her video, looking... really, really happy with herself.]

Alright everyone! I think it's time I get to work on a few things, and I'm looking for a little help. As we so recently saw, this place can get legitimately dangerous - and no one knows how it'll happen next time if it happens again.

To that end, I think we need to make sure the people who never had a reason to learn how to survive stuff like this know what to do. I'm gonna keep working on being able to reliably make more guns, and finding anyone interested in helping me out with that or anyone who wants to learn how to shoot. We need people who can teach some kind of self-defense techniques, and people who know a thing or two about running away.

Right now, I'm just looking for people willing to help teach others. Feel free to tell me you're interested in learning if you can't teach though!

[ a young woman's voice comes on the Vine. she does not sound pleased. in fact, 'furious' might be a more appropriate way to describe it. ]

What is the meaning of this?! I demand an explanation! Right now! [ there is a loud, sharp CRACK!, the sound of leather hitting hard against the ground. ]

Any foolish answers will be met with a whipping! I don't want to waste my time hearing nonsense explanations!

[ she ends this with another CRACK!, to emphasize her point. ]

[ now that the Vine's crept into the buildings, Batgirl's taking full advantage of it. She's in full costume, and what little of her face that can be seen is bruised and scratched, skin chapped by the cold. All in all, she isn't too worse for wear; just a little drained ]

Listen up, and listen close, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once: do not go outside.

Take this from someone who's recently faced off against techno-zombies and Draculas – yes, plural – and deals with this sort of crap on a nightly basis. Those things out there? They're no joke. From what I can tell, there are two types, maybe more. Getting away from 'em is, well. It doesn't matter how much ass you kick on a daily basis, 'cause they just don't stay down. I dunno what they do, exactly, because I didn't stick around to go head-to-head with them.

If you need to communicate with somebody, use the Vine. If you're holed up with somebody, huddle together. If you've got supplies, ration them out. If you're running low on food, I—I guess I can get something to you, if it's an emergency.

I'm going back out there, because I have almost as much experience as I do stubbornness, but I'll be back to sporadically check this thing. Sound off if you need to. [ she reaches up, fiddling with one of the ears on her cowl. Two lenses slide down with a click, covering the eye holes ] I'll be able to spot anyone caught out in the snow, but that's no excuse to go for an early morning stroll.

—if there is anyone who knows they can deal with this sort of thing, I am so up for a team-up right about now. If you think you can handle it, let me know. If not, you'll only get in my way.

Everyone else? Stay inside. Don't even open the door. No going out under any circumstances. Okay, so I said it twice, but it was worth repeating. Seriously. Inside. Stay there.

[ ooc; action replies are more than welcome, as Batgirl will be out and about everywhere! ]

[When the video comes into focus, it's showing a panicked girl. Not that anyone would be able to tell otherwise, due to her young age and less-than-mature figure. It's Sora, and she's pulled on her usual jacket and her crown necklace over the shift--far too worried to change completely.]

Wh-Where am I!? Where are my Islands!? Has anyone seen a Riku or a Kairi!?

[She's gripping at her hair, pulling at the spikes slightly. She looks around at the garden slightly, still obviously confused and distraught. This isn't her home, or anywhere near to what it should be. She's never seen any place like this! And considering that she just watched and fought as her home fell apart around her, she's not too sure about what to do.]

Please... Is there anything anyone can tell me!?

[After some tinkering with the vine (which mostly resulted in scribbles and shouted swear words - feel free to have seen or heard them), Santana finally gets it right. Oh, look, a mirror. You're all treated to the image of her primping as she muses to herself.]

This is...insane. I am literally talking to cats. Like a crazy person. I feel homeless.

[Pause.]

Can anyone hear me? What kind of psycho dreamworld is this, anyway? This better not be some Alice In Wonderland shit, because if this Queen of Hearts starts getting axe-crazy, I will shank her.

I asked this cat where the nearest Breadstix was and it coughed up a freakin' hairball on me. Even after I took its damn scrolls. What are the scrolls even about, do these cats have any idea what century this is?

I never thought I'd say this, but I want to go back to Lima.

Progress on killing the Queen: Slow, but remaining optimistic!

Progress on exploring the gardens: Fast! ...Because there's not actually much to explore. We're actually pretty restricted. (Which makes me want to speed up killing the Queen, but, patience and perseverance will conquer all!)

Progress on finding out what the 'anchors' are: ...Nothing but theories. This isn't my specialty at all. Who's a detective around here?

Progress on building my own home: Much, much, much better.

I was so damn sick of sleeping in the wild.

[Japan can be seen gathering her neatly folded clothes to her chest, shuffling with them nervously before she speaks.]

Ah, I believe-- um, these cats are quite kind. How are they trained? This seems... [she pauses thoughtfully, glancing down at herself. there's some faint blushing, but she moves on with her speaking.]

It's almost as if I'm in a rather main role! What a surprising thing to be thrown into so suddenly. [she says this with the slightest bit of energy, but quickly backs down with an attempt at a stern voice.]

This is not a dream, is it? Is anyone there? America-san, please warn me if you are going to have me in a movie! ...A simple warning was all I needed.

[the mirror shows a side view of the hooded girl sitting on the boardwalk by the arcade, her legs dangling over the edge. Her head is turned slightly, arm outstretched to indicate that she purposefully called the mirror from the Vine, but she's silent for a few moments. She's thinking, though it's a bit hard to tell with her face mostly obscured.]

[when she finally speaks, it's to say:]

I didn't know love was so complicated.

[her mouth turns downward in a puzzled frown.]

I heard that love was something special, like...a power. But it's also a feeling. [here her voice becomes subdued, and it drops in volume.] I've felt it before.

But what power does it actually have?

This whole mistletoe thing is awfully awkward. I didn't think anyone actually followed that tradition. At least back home you heard a lot about it but I've never actually seen anyone use it as decoration. It's all even more awkward when you consider...

Uh. I guess it doesn't matter much. That isn't the point of my addressing whoever might be listening but I have a small project I'd like to try. Well, several actually, but the first would be to try and make a billboard of some sort that new arrivals can check? It seems new people are coming in each and every day and we all know how confusing it can be so I'm trying to compile information on this place and our...hosts.

So if anyone knows anything, or if anyone would like to help me with that please let me know. Maybe bit by bit we can piece together this puzzle and find a way to get back home.

[The mirror pops into view, flickers a few times, then reveals the Queen of Hearts once again, still against a dark background. This time, there's a holly wreath perched atop her hair.]

I'm sorry I haven't had the time to listen to all your helpful suggestions, darlings! It turns out creating a world is hard work...ahahaha, who knew?

Besides, I'm feeling a bit...

[She trails off, looking absently to the side, then quickly readjusts her wreath and continues.]

Anyway! One of my less tame incarna has shown her face, has she? I may not like her attitude, but I think she had a good idea this time. There are so many ways to enjoy this season, but this might be the best!

Now, I have work to do. At this rate, the whole place will fall down around my ears while I'm working on opening the dungeons...ah, it's enough to drive a girl crazy!

[And the mirror shrivels back up. But the mistletoe, that remains, wherever you are...]

[OOC: The Queen won't be replying to comments directed at her (she is, like she said, busy), but this post is free to be used for general mistletoe antics and mingling so that everyone who wants to make use of the mistletoe doesn't have to make a whole post.]

[Tonight on the voice part of the vine, there is the voice of one Alice Margatroid. It is clear from her tone that she is not pleased.]

This library is useless, it shouldn't even be called one. After giving brief looks to most of what was inside, all I saw was poetry and biographies. Along with... other material. But not a single magic tome, grimoire or even simple notes. A library is supposed to have a wealth of knowledge, not simply be a holding house for two or three kinds of literature!

Even a simple story book would have tided me over for a small amount of time, but there was not even one of those. I can hardly believe this...

[The image on the mirror this early evening is that of a young woman with black bangs with vivid bright red streaks through them falling gently over her eyes. She stares curiously out towards the viewers, stepping back a few moments after. With the ivory vestments hanging gently from her body, it was evident she was novice to the Gardens. Her own belongings are seen on the side nearby and a bit scattered, as if they had recently been rummaged through. The most prominent of her gear would be the giant sword that was nearly the same height as herself.]

Hello everyone♪ The friendly were-cats here gave me a collection of scrolls, but they wouldn't speak to me. Which was pretty rude of them! I've never met a were-person who didn't chat my head off. Also, this gown covers too much of my body up. How am I suppose to fight wearing it? If I were attacked, I would surely be overwhelmed by my opponent.

[With a tiny laugh, she holds up the introductory scroll in her hand.]

At first I thought I was being kidnapped, but this letter is from the Queen of Hearts herself. It'll be interesting to meet another member of royalty. Oh! I'm being rude with my rambling! I'm Kaguya Nanbu from the nation Kagura Amahara. It's in the Endless Frontier. This place doesn't seem to be anywhere near that world though.. I wonder if this is the home world of one of my comrades. Hey KOS-MOS, Xiaomu, Reiji... are any of you here? No?

[The young woman frowns at her words, as if remembering someone who couldn't possibly be there.]

Maybe Haken is here.. it's possible, right? I made him promise he would kidnap me for another adventure. Maybe this our newest adventure together! Hey Haken, can you hear me?!

[She's much more perkier now with this revelation, the feelings of loneliness and despair fading now by the surge of hope of her favorite comrade's possible presence.]

[ Caprica has been avoiding Gaius's house ever since she accidentally conjured it from her memories. Once she considered trying to burn it down, but eventually decided she couldn't bear it. The original is already ash and splinters because of her; she doesn't want to repeat that.

But inevitably, she's back there again, sitting on the balcony, where a tendril of the Vine has crept its way up the side of the house — it's becoming part of this place. She has a cocktail glass of something a dull green color — ambrosia and rum, almost unbearably sweet, but she likes it that way — and she's staring off past the mirror, watching the lake as the sun begins to set over it.

When she speaks, her tone is idly curious, or seems that way. She still doesn't look at the mirror. ]

What do all of you miss? From home.

Well, well, well, what have I found here... [France leans in close and peers at the vine.] It seems I have been abducted by some truly horrible people, non? How should I deal with such a thing?

[Taps on the mirror.] Le chaton a-t-il indiqué la vérité? Can you lovely mademoiselles hear me? Ah, someone as wonderful as moi really cannot be held for too long, I am a busy woman.

... Angleterre? This seems like something you would enjoy but if you wanted my company so badly you could have just called. Honestly.