[ week one: overflow ]

[murderhost]

MINGLE LOG

The way you arrive might vary from person to person. Perhaps, you wake up on the beach, with your pet cat licking your face. Or you wake up tucked away in your bed, an item of yours nearby and a card on the bedside table reading your name and Welcome to the manor!

Either way, you end up in a modern mansion on a empty, lonely beach, with no explanation of why you're there or what's going on. In the driveway, there is a car with keys in the ignition but, unfortunately, no gas in the tank. In the living room, there is a touch screen television featuring a variety of profiles featuring you and the many other lost souls trapped in this mansion alongside with you.

There is also a camera crew. A camera crew? Really? But following the characters along are blank faced mannequins in a variety of colors, dressed in all black, operating cameras to film them. If you try and talk to the crew, they say nothing (as they have no mouth or eyes or... anything) and just continue to film them. Trying to touch them results in the mannequin falling over and going immobile, only to be replaced by a new one that appears from... somewhere? Weird.

The kitchen is fully stocked. There are spare clothes in the closets. There's even a few video game systems with games in the living room as well. There are books to read in the library. There's writing and drawing materials in the office. There's things to do. Just... why? To what end? What's going on here?

For those intrepid folks who decide to walk as far as they can away from the manor and the beach will find themselves blinking at one point and suddenly being back in the front yard of the manor. Huh. Strange.

Answers don't seem to be coming anytime soon. You might as well just... settle in?

—

PROPERTY DAMAGE | PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS

♥

Comments

[yesterbloom]

[ she heard the tail end of this conversation.... but she is going to grab some hot choco. ]

What is it?

[honeytraps]

Miss Echinacea, do you wanna come gossip about love with us?

In a nice way!

[yesterbloom]

I talk about fashion trends more than I do about who's the most eligible husband candidate....

[honeytraps]

Do they have to be "most eligible?" What if it's just someone who understands you better than anyone else?

[yesterbloom]

[ she flinches a little.

... ]

It's of no concern right now. I'm focusing on achieving knighthood.

[honeytraps]

[Oh...

Milly takes a step closer. Did she say something silly that accidentally ended up being a little too careless?]

Even if you say that, a knight is just about the most romantic thing there is. I've heard so many stories! [Always saving people. Always coming to find the girl who's been locked away, who can't save herself, who is just waiting and waiting.] Do you want to protect people?

[yesterbloom]

[ she shakes her head. ]

It's not all that romantic, but I do want to protect people.

[ that's one of the things she wants most of all. ]

[honeytraps]

[But that is romantic...It's even more romantic that it's her driving force, without thinking of romance!

So Milly doesn't push on that point. Instead:]

What will you do once you become a knight? [She places her cheek in her palm, ready to let the fantasy daydream envelope her.]

[yesterbloom]

Whatever anyone does when they become a knight.

[honeytraps]

[Milly cocks her head.]

The knights I've heard about all do courageous things like slaying monsters and saving princesses who have been kidnapped.

[Echinacea is not beating the romantic and heroic accusations just yet. Milly claps her hand together, the very air around her bubbly, and bounces closer. Personal space who?]

I believe you can do it! Become a knight and save the princess!

[yesterbloom]

[ she looks a little surprised at the invasion of personal space but doesn't step back yet. ]

Some knights are more noble than others. Some are there to lord power and strength.

[honeytraps]

[Oh. Even if it's unfamiliar to her, she'll take Echinacea's word for it.]

That doesn't sound like a very good knight. Or the type I think I'd like.

[yesterbloom]

Knights are just like everyone else. Some are impressive. Others aren't worth the time it takes you to look at them.

[noirges]

I'd like to hear your thoughts too, Mademoiselle...

You've never spared a moment to entertain love? Truly?

[ what's it like to not have it consume your every waking thought? ]

[yesterbloom]

[ she smiles a little before looking away. ]

Of course it's come up in conversation. It's a popular tea party topic, but my parents won't force me to marry anyone for the family, so it's a second thought.

[noirges]

Oh, so you're spared from the dance of nobility! Thank goodness.

[ marrying by force sounds like a torture ritual to be found in hades... even if yves would probably eventually fall in love with anyone ]

Does that mean that no one has caught your eye naturally then?

[yesterbloom]

We're not an important family.

[ she continues to look away, but her cheeks grow a little pink. ]

No. Not really.

[noirges]

[ peers at her expression ]

Really?

[yesterbloom]

Look away from me. Really.

[noirges]

[ does a complete 180

but looks over his shoulder to glance back at her playfully ]

Then if you think you were to take a lover one day, what would you want them to be like?

[yesterbloom]

[ there's a pause of surprise. she didn't think he would turn around like that.

....

almost too softly: ]

.... I wouldn't. [ before she adds more brightly, confidently: ] I'm aiming to be a knight.

[noirges]

[ oh!

he turns back already, eyes bright ]

Really? Amazing! Have you been training?

[yesterbloom]

[ okay she likes this more. she turns to face him fully. ]

I have. I need to build up my stamina, but I'm confident in my swordsmanship.

[noirges]

Oh?

[ he looks around, humming thoughtfully ]

If I could fashion training swords out of something, shall we practice together? I wouldn't want to get out of shape either!

[yesterbloom]

[ it takes a second before she nods. ]

... okay. If you can manage it, I'll spar with you.