Prologue: Waking up to a new day

[ooeeooahah]

Action, 1490 Kramden Road, earlyish:

[ Ilsa snuggles in her sleep. Sleeping late after a great party counted as two luxuries she’d done without for years, and the capper was the party was to celebrate getting her medical degree. ]

[ No hangover, she’d been content to play Stump The DJ and mix drinks for everyone else at the bash. Of course, it

Comments

[firstcommand]

You should be able to ask your housemates, if you have any.

I believe there is a pamphlet in the mailbox for new arrivals.

[ooeeooahah]

Hah, didn't think to check the mail until this afternoon. Just a sec, there's some mail stacked here....

[ sound of papers shuffling ]

by a Mr Rose? Wait... the Rose?

[ confused chuckle ]

This isn't helping my sense of falling into a rabbet warren.

[ooeeooahah]

This pamphlet is... disturbing.

[firstcommand]

Just take comfort knowing you arrived during a fairly calm period.

[inababanchou]

Things are very far from the center, sadly. What would you like to know?

[ooeeooahah]

Does anyone know where this is? I mean, at least guesstimating?

[inababanchou]

You're stuck in an American town called Mayfield from what they call the Midwestern region. This town is perpetually stuck in the 1950's. It's highly unbelievable, of course, but grimly true. You are stuck here, as with many of us.

[ooeeooahah]

Looks like it.

[velesdonnersen]

[Worried, slightly spooked voice of someone who's just plain not used to any of his surroundings.]

Hello? Hello?

Is this thing relaying me or not?

Are you new, too? I mean -- I'm new. And I'm just beginning to figure anything out.

Um. Tarvek -- I'm Tarvek. Tarvek Sturmvoraus? [No, he's not asking what his own name is, but he's feeling sufficiently unsettled to feel a bit uncertain around the edges.]

Anyway. People seem to find each other by their street and house number here. I'm at 1126 Taylor Road.

I've got information from several people I can share: a map, a brochure, and I know there's a library, though it's apparently not very good. Beyond that I'm still learning.

[Mutters under his breath, and you can hear the click-click of a fingernail tapping the receiver.]

[Sotto Voce] I do hope this thing works.

I hate not being able to take it apart and figure it out....

[ooeeooahah]

Receiving you, Mr Sturmvoraus.

[ Well, it seemed he was more sued to radio...]

Ilsa Higa, here... wait, the married me off, what is his name....

[ shuffling paper is heard ]

Cho... Hm... at 1490 Kramden Road.

[ more paper shuffling ]

No idea where that is, without a city map, but I don't have one here. A map and a library is a great start, though.

[velesdonnersen]

[Delight! If he had the vocabulary he'd be shouting "booyah!" He doesn't, though, nor is he anything like British, so he's not shouting, "Ripping!" or "Jolly good!" either.]

Rain from heaven! It does work!

Hello, Madame...

Which would you prefer? Higa or Cho? In light of the arrangements that seem to apply here, I can only sympathize with a desire to hold onto one's normal standing.

As I have the map, I'll come to you. [You can hear scribbling,] Cho, 1490 Kramden Road, right?

I have one of those incredible self-powered chariots, but I'm afraid I have no experience driving one. And... Madame, I'm afraid my usual ability to discern a machine's nature and functions is not exactly...

[Forlorn...]

Um -- I'm head-blind. Or worse. I get headaches and the strangest sensory mirages when I try to use my spark. So, apologies, but I will have to walk. It may take me a little while to reach you. I'll bring the information I have, though.

[ooeeooahah]

Don't drive until you learn!

[ A little anxious, wasn't that? ]

Er... actually, I'd prefer Higa, it's the name my degrees are under.

I might be able to teach driving, after I make sure of the models on the road here.

[ A little hesitant here ] ...and I might have more questions in person.

[velesdonnersen]

[The doorbell rings

[ooeeooahah]

[ "Prince"? She gets an odd look on her face as she takes the purple-blue tinged papers from him. ]

I-I... Thank you, er... Your highness? Would you like to come in?

[velesdonnersen]

[He looks at you in stunned amazement.]

You have no idea how long it's been since anyone I actually wanted to impress acted impressed by that! It was a rather big deal as a child, but since then...

I assure you, I don't demand very much groveling as a common thing. Only from the odd armed enemy, and then usually only when the armed enemy is in my castle acting as through the roles are reversed.

[So dry he makes the Sahara look like a rain forest.]

Somehow I doubt that's going to matter, here. No castle, no caste, and, to judge from a few comments I've already received, exiled royalty is already spread rather thick on the ground in Mayfield.

"Tarvek" will do just fine. [Mischief flashes, and eyelashes flutter just a bit.] We can discuss nicknames later, when we've gotten more intimate. [An eyebrow arches, and he's grinning and waiting for you to scold him...ideally you will scold him kindly. Right now it's just social flirtation, you see....]

[ooeeooahah]

[ Oh, thank the Lady, I don't have to dredge up all that grace school etiquette on royalty! ]

[ Ilsa gives him a slight eyebrow lift and smile at the mention of later intimacy, and holds out her hand to shake. ]

Ilsa, then. Madame Higa is my mother, and I was still getting used to being called Doctor when I went to bed last night.

[ She gestures towards the kitchen ]

Would you like to come in for coffee?

[threelimiters]

[Hakkai has been used to the drone Reisen acting strange, so this is nothing new. What is new, however, is her immediate reaction, which causes him to wake up fully and sit up, staring darkly. He'd gotten complacent since Sanzo had left.]

Good morning.

[ooeeooahah]

Aiignh!

[ Still clutching her head in pain, scooting away ]

S-stop it, please!

[threelimiters]

Stop what?

[ooeeooahah]

[ She makes a complicated hand gesture at him - and has a stronger pain reaction. ]

NNNNNNgghhh!