Initial EP

[greenpowerz]

It's been a long day, but a good one. Early morning run finished just as the rain started, a big breakfast, school, club, work, a few rounds at the dojo, two monster attacks, an evening run and now, finally, Kaoru puts her key in the lock and, hand ruffling her short blue-black hair, she sighs and pushes open her front door

Comments

[themysciradiana]

"Milliways can be a tricksy place, on occasion."

Diana's voice is mild, friendly, and coming from a woman who is approaching Kaoru from a nearby table.

"And it does tend to take newcomers by surprise. I am sorry."

[greenpowerz]

...

"What's a milliways?" Kaoru frowns and pinches her cheeks, not really sure that she isn't maybe asleep in class. Although this is more the type of dream Momoko would have; Kaoru's dreams tended to involve more tackling.

[themysciradiana]

"The name of a bar," Diana says.

Start small and introduce the true strangeness later.

Sometimes that even works.

"An interdimensional bar, if that makes any sense?"

[greenpowerz]

"Hmmph. Sounds like something on a stupid tv show." Kaoru has no idea what an 'interdimensional bar' was, but she isn't going to admit it. She steps closer, ignoring her strong desire to try the door again. "So I'm dreaming of a bar. At least there could be a fight going on or something?"

[themysciradiana]

"I wouldn't say dreaming, myself."

Though it is entirely possible that other patrons are dreaming. Diana is not in a position to say.

"Though it would be quite unwise to begin a fight here."

[greenpowerz]

Kaoru looks around. "Not a dream?" A sigh. "I can't believe this. Momoko has to be to blame somehow."

She finally extends a hand to the woman, a small wry grin on her face. "Matsubara Kaoru. Call me Kaoru."

[themysciradiana]

"Kaoru. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Diana smiles, warm and friendly, and shakes the other woman's hand.

"I'm Diana, lately of Themyscira. I've been coming to Milliways off and on for a fair amount of time, myself."

Fewer times than she might have preferred, in some ways.

Far too many times in others.

[greenpowerz]

"'Themyscira'?" Please forgive the butchered pronunciation. "Never heard of it, but I'm not the best at geography. I'm from Japan, myself. Tokyo City."

"So you come here a lot? On purpose, or kidnapped?"

[themysciradiana]

"It's an island that not every world has, I imagine."

Her smile is slightly crooked, but genuine.

"Tokyo, is it? I've been there a few times. It's a lovely city."

And hard on the heels of that --

"I don't think kidnapped is the right word for it, but I do tend to stumble over doors rather than deliberately choose them."

[greenpowerz]

"I see." Kaoru is used to strange things by now, but really? "So you're from an island on another world?"

[themysciradiana]

"The boundaries of many different worlds -- and universes -- seem to touch at Milliways. That's part of its charm."

Her voice twists a little dryly on that last word, but so it goes.

[greenpowerz]

"So even if I could leave, I may not end up at home?" Kaoru's smile is just as twisted and dry. "Charm isn't the word that comes to mind. Everyone seems to be pretty comfortable with it, though; because it's a bar?"

[themysciradiana]

"You would if you left through a door that you opened. Following behind another patron would land you in their world, of course. Or so I understand it."

She spreads her hands.

"As for the rest -- most of us are comfortable with it, or pretending comfort, because we've been here before. And there are, indeed, some patrons who live here full-time."

And not only those that are Bound, which is -- perhaps less surprising than it could be?

[greenpowerz]

"The more I hear about this place, the stranger it gets." Kauru's sigh is one of frustration and amusement, and she looks around. "So I guess what you're saying is, I should just hang out until it lets me go home, yeah? I can... do that."

Her family is used to her keeping odd hours.

[themysciradiana]

"You can also look for other people from your world, see if you can find a way home with them. If -- "

Diana breaks off, looking toward the front door.

"You've tried to see if you can get back already, then?"

[greenpowerz]

Kaoru nods at it as well. "Well, I did as soon as I got here. Haven't tried it since. The door just led me back to this room. It has to be that door?"