Welcome.

[trustfellows]

Rise and shine. There are a few things that matter right now - the fact that you're waking up in an unfamiliar but decently comfortable bed, the fact that you don't recognize the room you're in, the fact that you seem to have some sort of headache... Nothing severe, mind. Just the sort of odd, heavy fuzziness that comes with having slept far too long. You don't really remember where you were immediately before this, not upon waking. Something will come to you eventually if you think long enough, however - a couple of seconds of consideration will bring to mind a place, a memory, a recollection of where you were and what you were doing. It probably wasn't anything that would result in you being here, though. Welcome to Graceside Preparatory Academy. You may want to pick up the key to your room before you leave the room, but don't worry too much - your door won't lock automatically, so you won't be locked out if you've forgotten to pick it up. It seems you're not alone, either; the hallway outside your room is most likely full of other confused people by now, and should you turn around to look at the door of the room you just left, you'll find a nameplate with your name printed on it. There's a single word underneath it with no explanation. This is your title, but don't worry about that right now. Depending on when you left your room there may be a clock chiming in the foyer up ahead. It seems like it's seven, though it's difficult to tell if it's seven in the morning or seven at night. There aren't any windows, after all. Should you venture into the room with the clock, you'll find that the only exit is closed - there's absolutely no way to break down that steel bulkhead. It looks like you're not getting out of here anytime soon. The foyer also holds some very interesting information. There's a bulletin board with thirty-five pictures on it. Beside each picture is some very specific and very familiar information. Feel free to examine it. The bulletin board is large enough for plenty of you to gather around and gawk. Don't try to get at it though, that glass in front of it is very thick. If you try to break it, you'll find out the hard way that it's shatterproof. Sorry about that. Perhaps even more of a concern than the glass is the list beside the profiles. It looks like a set of rules. You might want to examine those, though they're not providing much of an explanation for why you're here or how you got here. So relax and get to know your fellow Participants. You might be stuck here for awhile.

Comments

[firstaid]

"Brilliant" and "Talented" make you sound like my friend Rita! She's not really elegant though-- [A beat as she waves her hands.]

Not to say she's not pretty, she's just very unique! [Estelle, honey, Rita can't hear you right now.]

She's really courageous, too! [...more like reckless.]

[heritrix]

Oh, I hadn't even thought about looks. Elegance has more to do with how one's conduct, you know? People admire those who can gracefully in any situation.

[AKA people who aren't Rin. BUT SHE TRIES... IF SHE FAKES IT SHE'LL MAKE IT. She gestures to Estelle.]

As a princess, you must know all about it.

[firstaid]

[....Estelle is convinced that Rin is Rita 2.0 right about now. If she were only a mage she'd hit everything...

And missing the tsundere attitude.]

Naturally so. It's almost a requirement and something embedded into my personalty.

[She's not the most elegant, but she certainly acts it whenever she can... except when she's yelling at people like Kimblee.]

[heritrix]

I thought as much. [Rin clucks her tongue, then adds with some sympathy:] You're going to have a harder time than most if those goes on for long.

[firstaid]

How so? I'm actually used to being in a situation like this.

['This' being trapped inside.]

[heritrix]

...You're used to being held captive and encouraged to murder people?

[firstaid]

W-well, more the former. [The latter may be a thing later on, oops.]

[heritrix]

Oh.

[She looks like she wasn't expecting that answer, actually, before deeming to shake it off without prying.]

Well, the latter is the critical point. I can't say what things will be like in the future, but it's not going to be pleasant. The more principles you have, the more tests you'll face.

[firstaid]

I think I'll be fine.

[She says this with confidence and optimism.

...right.]

[heritrix]

They always say that. [There's some whimsy in her voice as Rin shakes her head, letting the subject drop.] But I suppose it's good you keep up that spirit for the time being.

[firstaid]

[Estelle actually catches that a bit. She sucks with sarcasm, but other tones she understands.]

I can keep it up, even if you don't believe I can.

[Again with confidence. It's not naivete speaking, but actual confidence.]

[heritrix]

[Joking with a completely straight face:]

So you're a princess, but that satisfies you're not princess of the fairies.

[firstaid]

Well, of course I'm not a princess of fairies. Just over the people of the Empire.

[Yeah, there are some jokes she clearly can't get, sorry Rin.]

[heritrix]

[It's okay, she can clap herself on the back for her wit and charm.]

Is it fairly large? Your empire.

[firstaid]

I think it's fairly large. I've only recently gotten to see it with my own eyes, though.

[heritrix]

How can you rule over a kingdom you've barely seen?

[It's only after she says this something clicks in the back of her head, that that probably has something to do with that hostage business, but it's too late to take that one back.]

[firstaid]

[She's just a figurehead, really. So to say she's 'ruled' over it is a lie. A pretty girl with a title of 'princess' that a bunch of old men use so they can rule as they see fit.]

I wasn't allowed outside. The council refused for me to leave and even if I tried, I would always have knights escort me back. When I escaped, they had the knights pursue me and they've been pursuing me since.

[heritrix]

...are these knights, or enemies of the throne who infiltrated your land?

[firstaid]

[She tilts her head in confusion.]

No, I don't think so? They've always been there and have been established there as far as I remember. Our only natural 'enemy' is the Union. Even then, they're just people who decide to live different ideals under different rules.

[heritrix]

Hey, you say that, but their treatment of you is pretty shady. There's only so far you can justify that as being protective of their princess.

[firstaid]

I just figured the council didn't want me to see how commoners are treated by nobles.

[She looks down.]

If I could rule properly, I would have made sure commoners were treated more fairly. However, I couldn't. My distant cousin is also a prince and a candidate to the throne so hopefully he's been doing well with ruling as well.

[heritrix]

[Well, they can only hope. She doesn't know the man or the politics, and this is really none of her business, so she latches on to an inferred detail there.]

You said you were recently able to see your kingdom, yes? Does the mean you're no longer under guard?

[firstaid]

I suppose that would be accurate to say.

[It's correct, but it's not right.]

I've hired a guild to escort me on my journey.

[Without the approval of the castle, but whatever, whatever.]

[heritrix]

[She's about to ask how skilled they are when she remembers something.]

The man you were calling for; is he one of them?

[firstaid]

[Estelle nods.]

He is! Although he has been accompanying me even before he formed his guild with Judith and Karol. I just happened to hire them when I needed to find something.