[Introduction] This isn't Quite the Adventure I Signed Up For

[hismothersson]

Albert Herrera, formerly the Viscount de Morcerf--it was hard not to remind himself that with almost every step he took--heard the boarding call for the shuttle to Luna. He gave the attendant his ticket and passport with his new, and entirely legal now, name. It had been his mother's name, and after she'd retired back to Marseilles, he'd been

Comments

[emocaliban]

Caliban is sleeping. Or he was.

It's a nice couch, okay?

However, someone comes in, and he sits bolt upright, groping for his gun. His dreams have been uneasy and unhappy lately, and it puts him on edge. Then he figures out that it's just another person, standing there and quite literally gaping. He tries not to smile too much. "So you're the new kid, I guess," Cal says, straightening his leather jacket. "...a new kid. Close your mouth, you'll catch birds."

Adjusting fast out of sleep into wakefulness is something Caliban's gotten used to.

[hismothersson]

Albert is clutching a small satchel in one hand. He closes his mouth as instructed--he would have gotten around to it on his own eventually. He blushes faintly at being called out on it, but since he figures he probably did look pretty stupid, he isn't upset about it.

"New. Yeah, I think so." He looks the fellow in the leather jacket up and down. Albert can't tell if he can relax yet or not. He's not used to trying to guess if he's in danger, so he nervously runs a hand through his hair. "I was supposed to be getting on the shuttle to Luna. How could I end up in someone's house? I'm really sorry about this. I don't think I've touched anything."

[emocaliban]

Caliban stands up, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans and giving Albert a looking over of his own. "Huh, yeah, you're new. Not my house - you can touch anything you want as far as I'm concerned. I'm pretty sure no one else will care either."

"I'm Caliban," he says, and then can't help a toothy grin. "Welcome to the Madhouse."

[hismothersson]

First names huh? Albert's smile is still nervous. He sets the case down and holds out a hand to shake, if Caliban will take it. "I'm Albert," he says, pronouncing it in the French manner with the final 't' silent.

"A madhouse?" he asks worriedly. Some of his friends parents were driven mad by the Count's machinations. He's worried now that something delayed had affected him. "Seriously?"

[villageson]

11-12 was wandering around too. He was still unsettled by the magical events that had recently occured but at least now the mirrors were quiet and the doors stayed still until you opened or closed them yourself.

He sees the young man and, not knowing him, simply gives him a smile.

[hismothersson]

Relieved of the burden of his satchel, Albert is looking from room to room, trying to get himself used to it. He grew up in a large house, but it was so very different there. There were no visible servants here, but he still knew that things got done anyway. It was very strange, and kind of made him suspicious and worried.

But all that falls away easily when someone smiles at him. He lifts his chin and smiles back, almost childishly happy. "Hello!" He waved too, just in case his greeting wasn't clear. "Do you live here too?"

[villageson]

"Yes, I do. Are you new here?" 11-12 looks at him curiously.

[hismothersson]

His face falls a little. "Is it that obvious? Is there a sign over my head or something?" He glances up just to make sure. "I'm Albert, and yeah, I just got here today. I was supposed to be taking a shuttle to Luna." And he could almost hear Franz calling him an idiot. If Franz couldn't be around to tell him how stupid he was being, he'd just have to remember his friend's words.

[aru_iru]

Alphonse is standing outside the library, trying to juggle the books in his hands so that he can actually open the doors to get in. Perhaps he shouldn't have taken so many, but he couldn't help it!

Books!!

[hismothersson]

Even if they were being carried by what looked like a walking suit of armor, Albert couldn't help running forward to help save the books. "Be careful!" he called as he did. He held out his hands, watching the tower of books, and wondering if he should take some or just open the door.

[aru_iru]

"Oh!" Some of the books do fall and Alphonse has to lean back a bit to keep them in place, almost bumping into the stranger. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

[hismothersson]

Albert snatches one or two from the top and jumps back, then reaches around for the door. "I'm fine," he says, but he's careful to keep from being stepped on. "Here, I have the door for you."

[blindbomber]

If and/or when Albert makes it to the kitchen, Iggy's cooking. Again. Well, baking this time. He's trying to make a strawberry cake and while the cake batter bakes in the oven, he's making the filling and icing.

He's humming softly, but paying attention to his surroundings for a change. So many people seem to be sneaking up on him lately...

[hismothersson]

Albert follows the smell of baking to the kitchen door, and just stops there. "Uh, wow. Where are you from?" he asks, completely in awe of the beautiful wings.

[blindbomber]

Iggy tilts his head at the unknown voice. At least they didn't sound hostile or 'reverent'. "California. I'm Iggy. You?"

[hismothersson]

California? He thinks he's heard of that. "But isn't that in America?"

[notavillain]

Warren doesn't recognize the kid when he passes him in the main room, but he gives him a friendly enough nod. He wonders if the kid is new, since he hasn't seen him before and if he is new it couldn't hurt to stick around and make sure he's settled in all right. "Hey."

[hismothersson]

Albert turns to follow the stranger's progress with his eyes, so he catches the nod. "Hi!" he replies enthusiastically. There were so many people here that he wondered how they all fit into one house. "You live here, too, right?"

[notavillain]

"Yeah, for a few months now. Did you just get here?" He doesn't sit, but he leans on the arm of a couch to talk to Albert.

[hismothersson]

"I did," Albert confirms. "It's very confusing..." Albert isn't comfortable enough to sit, but he folds his arms and kind of leans against a wall. "I don't know what to do with myself."