[Visual] Backdated to the start of Fairy Tale Glitch

[smecker]

Paul Smecker is sitting on the steps of a delightfully fairy-tale castle, and despite the Disneyesque sort of theme behind him, flapping pennants and pastel turrets, he is not the happiest boy on earth

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[tothelightshown]

There was a flurry of activity - hoof beats and raised voices and boisterous laughter - as DG and the rest of her hunt rode into view, coming to a stop in front of Paul and the castle.

"The kingdom of Taxonia is not in danger while the Wild Hunt rides," she pointed out, "Who holds you captive?"

He didn't look like a prisoner, but, in a city such as this, appearances could be deceptive.

[smecker]

Oh, sweet Jesus Christ on a pogo stick.

Paul takes a long, reflective drag on his cigarette as he takes in the... horses. Real, goddamn hooves-and-shit horses. City-boy does not want.

Is that... DG? He squints up at her, breathes a plume of smoke at one of the horses, although not hers, to see if it reacts.

"Invisible men in the sky who have a penchant for uninvited remodeling. What are you hunting, then?"

[tothelightshown]

The horses were well trained. More than that, they were ethereal creatures from a world beyond the human realm. It was the rider of the horse that responded to the smoke, pulling on the reigns to move his steed backwards and glaring at Paul. The Wild Hunt was proud and powerful, unaccustomed to such disrespect. DG, however, took it in her stride.

"Anyone who threatens this kingdom," she answered, "Including, if necessary, invisible men in the sky."

[smecker]

The original party pooper, Paul doesn't really want to play along with it even though it's clearly a glitch and it's not DG's fault she thinks she's... whatever it is. Queen of Fairyland? Who knows. He's rusty on his mythologies anyway.

"Oh chrissake, you don't even remember it's their 'kingdom', do you," he sighs. He absently flips off the ethereal rider who is glaring at him.

"Look, DG, it's a... figure of speech."

[tothelightshown]

Princess and guardian of the fairy kingdom, actually. The city had twisted the truth just far enough to make it fantastical.

"This kingdom belongs to the people of Taxonia," she said with a frown, "They have no king or queen."

She held up a hand, wordlessly ordering the rider to keep back.

"What is your name? You know mine, but I don’t remember meeting.”

[smecker]

"Maybe no king or queen but we sure have rulers," Paul says with a humorless grin.

"Paul. Paul Smecker. You're under a spell to screw with your memories," he says, dully. He doesn't expect her to believe him. But he's hearing himself say the words anyway, got to try, who knows.