Would you speak with a queen? Or a cat? (AUDIENCE HALL)

[twinverses]

Need something? Want to complain more directly to your cute hosts or maybe you want to bargain with your memories? Maybe you just have a favor. Regardless, this is the place to do it! Just knock on the Audience Hall's door or just call for the Alices and they'll answer.

Of course, if you want to speak with a particular Alice just note that in your toplevel as long with the date and rough time it's happening. They can be contacted IC-ly throughout the day.

For the final week, in person meetings with the Storyteller (formerly known as the Cat) aren't possible. Alice, obviously, isn't talking to anyone either. However! The Storyteller can be called to talk throughout the castle so just say where you're yelling at her from.

Comments are screened until the game is over.

Comments

hewwo? queen awice?

[prescience]

[Oriko of course knocks gently on the door and waits patiently to be admitted, having sought a time where the Queen's cat companion might be otherwise occupied.

(She's still so afraid, sometimes, of the things behind closed doors, what she might see when one opens in front of her. The memory of that fear assaults her while she waits, and Oriko has to dig her own nails into her palm before her request is answered.)]

Good morning. I hope you aren't too lonely waiting in here for someone to speak with you. Though I'm sure after what happened to Ib-san, there may have been a few too many requesting audience with you.

[twinverses]

[The cat is gone when the door opens. The Queen Alice yawns and tries to stifle it when she sits up. There's a little trepidation when she sees Oriko but she shakes her head.]

Just Neku since then... it's, mm, okay, Miss Oriko.

[prescience]

Really? [She muses.] I suppose he's taking it quite hard. It's difficult to lose something you're trying to protect.

[Her approach is slow, one step at a time, as if she's giving Alice time to wake up fully and get herself organized.]

Did I wake you? I'd be happy to fetch you some breakfast from the hall if you'd like.

[twinverses]

[It does take her a long time to wake up. A bit slow, for how alert she was during the meeting but this was a rough day.]

Mm, I was just napping. Things are-- [Yawn.] Busy. Do.. do you want tea?

[prescience]

[Oriko gives a sympathetic smile, thinking about Manaka's explanation. Even if the other Alice is getting power from somewhere, holding up this castle must be very draining.]

That would be very nice. Thank you for offering.

Do you have everything you need here? I often think, you're here by yourself, and yet there are so many nice things in the castle...

[twinverses]

[She waves her hand and a small table filled with various sweets and some (sweet) tea. She yawns before jumping off the balcony to sit on her seat, seemingly unharmed.]

I do go out a little but I don't like to, Miss Oriko. [She lowers her head as she starts filling a plate.] No one can see or hear me out there. I'd rather stay where everyone can.

[prescience]

[She seems drained and yet she uses magic easily. Pondering this, Oriko crosses over to the table to set up for a teatime of her own.]

You're certainly safer in here, as well. It's nice to know where we can find you.

No one would miss a board game from the media room if I brought it. We could play chess, or maybe there's a book you'd like to read - ?

[Oriko - and the other children - can cross between castle and audience chamber easily. Her offer seems both logical and entirely altruistic.]

[twinverses]

My Alice usually brings me things but she says she probably shouldn't until everyone's calmed down.

[She doesn't really move much like she did at the introduction. Maybe she should have just called for her Servant instead... but tea is so much better than no tea. At the offer, she perks up.]

Oh--could you? You play chess, too? I always wanted to read The Hobbit, too--!

[The offers seem genuine, indeed.]

[prescience]

That's probably wise. I'm sure Alice-san did what she thought she had to, but you had every right to be cross with her.

[She shares another sign of trust: She eats and drinks the sweets and tea that Queen Alice set out magically for them.]

However, if I were to borrow them, I don't think anyone would mind. They wouldn't even have to know.

[twinverses]

She should have given her a warning instead! We can't even use the Queen's Glass Game yet.

[Thank you. Vindication, just what a child needs.]

It'll be our secret, right?

[prescience]

That's what's going to happen to someone who loses, right? It couldn't be used too early.

[Her voice stays very even and conversational, so even though she asks a question it doesn't feel like an interrogation, or even like she necessary wants to press Alice for an answer. It's just musing while chatting.]

You'd like for it be a secret? Then, of course. I don't want this delicious tea to go to waste, but I'll bring them later.

[twinverses]

It turns back time so it doesn't matter how much we use it but...

[She pauses.] It can only be used once something special has happened. Alice won't use it until it does.

[But then she brightens.] Thank you! I'll keep it a secret, too, Miss Oriko. I won't even tell Alice since she's been naughty.

[prescience]

[get fucked you awful book]

funny story i never got a notif for your reply

[prescience]

[Why is it that someone can have the power to reverse the flow of time and use it only for wholly selfish reasons?

It angers Oriko, knowing that this isn't the first time she's seen it, knowing that sooner or later these two little girls will use it to run away from their sins all the same.]

I'm sure I'll figure out what that special something is in time.

It can be hard to disagree with your friends. I hope Alice-san usually listens to what you want more than she has recently.

so... you didn't 'see' it coming, huh?

[twinverses]

[This older girl sure is great. She's really nice and understanding.]

She should. Maybe I made her mad earlier? I dunno... [She pokes at her sweets.] We usually agree about everything. This is weird.

i can't believe you.

[prescience]

We do strange things to protect people we care about sometimes. Was she worried about you, I wonder...?

Or perhaps it hurt her feelings, the attention you've been getting.

[She's just here trying to help Alice figure out why her friend would do something to betray her trust like that.]

if you couldn't, would you be here?

[twinverses]

Jealous? She does get jealous... but she said she was doing this to help me get friends so why would she get jealous?

[It's an honest question. Something that Alice was thinking on her own but was unable to voice before.]

hmph

[prescience]

It's hard to say. What if it felt like you were drifting apart? Or like it was taking too heavy a toll on you?

[If this is the room where Queen Alice is safest, at her most powerful, then the lethargy she's exhibiting would probably worry someone who was supposed to be on her side.]

She'd be worried since you can't even leave this room, right?

[twinverses]

I... yeah. She must be really worried. I can go out for short periods but...

[She hates it. Hates being in a place where she can't speak or be seen by other people. It was better to stay in a place where she could be heard.]

Ever since, um, a couple days after everyone woke up I've been really tired lately. She seemed pretty worried. She can be a crybaby sometimes...

[prescience]

A crybaby? I see. Staying beside you probably makes her feel stronger.

[Wouldn't that suit the role of Master and Servant they've been told about before? But if she's going to separate the two then she can't make the Queen think she's insulting either of them.]

It must take a lot of energy to keep the castle running... and to have brought people who are already dead here.

[twinverses]

Mm... maybe. I cry at things she doesn't and she cries at things I don't.

[The musings of a child who hasn't quite fully developed empathy yet. It's there but not quite.]

...You're dead? [She sits up.] That can't be right... she said she the point of everyone dying in the castle was to make sure the monsters don't get them. If you're already dead, Miss Oriko, then why would she put you here?

[prescience]

I was hoping you might know why. For me, the experience has been a little...confusing. I'd wager I'm not the only one.

[To be fair, there's no need to worry about monsters getting those who are already dead, technically, is there?]

What are the monsters supposed to do to us?

[twinverses]

Closetland monsters attack kids but if they're dead they ignore them. That's why she said once I get strong enough I shouldn't be afraid of leaving the castle.

[prescience]

You too?

[Her eyes widen - a show of a little surprise, a little sympathy.]

So because of all that, you need to regain your strength...

[Oriko's drawing her own conclusions about why children need to die in the castle beyond that, but that isn't a question for this girl, is it?]

It's hard to make friends when you're sick, isn't it?

[twinverses]

Mm. I wasn't sure for a long time but I'm pretty sure that happened before I met Alice.

[Nasu hates kids.]

It is. At least I can talk to people instead of like in the hospital!