Intro log

[cardinalrule]

WHO: Hunter and open!
WHERE: The labyrinth, followed by the city.
WHEN: Early February.
WHAT: Hunter arrives and gets his bearings.
WARNINGS: Likely mentions of a toxic familial relationship.

[Hunter has walked through these halls enough times to know when something is off, and here, right now, he knows something is off. The walls, the columns, the floor - they look worn down, old. Not meticulously buffed and cleaned as one would expect of the Emperor's castle. The hall is empty aside from himself, though that isn't surprising at this time of the night. When it's this late the only people around are the night guards, so he disregards that in favour of focusing on his surroundings. He's suspicious, immediately on his guard.

He doesn't come upon the statues until he's a bit further down, but they immediately jump out at him, too. These aren't decor he's seen before, and - well, they're unnerving, because they look like him. Not him-him, Golden Guard-him, and they look far shinier and polished than the rest of the hall. This is weird and wrong and there's many of them stretching down the hall, around the corner, that he can only freeze and stare for several seconds.

This is Kikimora doing some illusion to mess with him, right? Right. It has to be, there's no other reasonable explanation, and clinging to that answer he turns and storms down the hall, the gears in his mind working to come up with some way to get her back. He turns the corner, and then another and another, and those statues aren't ending, and they're making Belos' words bubble up in his mind as he walks.

It would be such a hassle to find a replacement.

He hates that he doesn't have his artificial staff. He hates that he can't bring his palisman out, it's too dangerous.

He's at the end of his rope by the time he finds a doorway and, not bothering to pause and weigh the risks of going through an obviously unknown door. He's feeling far too frayed at this point, and he barrels through it to find himself... somewhere.

A city. A very bizarre-looking city, with wide streets and no sign of any Titan corpse towering overhead. This definitely isn't the Emperor's castle.

Hunter stares, utterly bewildered. Thankfully, it's late enough that there aren't many people around, giving him time to hurriedly get his helmet on. Once he does he turns back to the door, only to find it gone.

Great, wherever 'here' is, apparently he's stuck until he can figure out how to get back. Unless, of course, this is more illusionary work from Kikimora, which he wouldn't put it past her. She hates him enough to ambush him with a trap like this, something that'll try to kill him like that handdragon before. Best to keep his guard up, in that case, and he curls his hands into fists before turning and heading down the sidewalk, very much looking someone who just walked out of a LARPing session.]

Comments

City

[crushtheskulls]

[As Hunter's walking, he'll come across... a horse. Just a regular horse, wandering the city. She doesn't care what the others think, she's not going to stay cooped up in a stable all the time when she could be out figuring out how to get home.

She sees Hunter, and honestly... his wardrobe choices aren't that far off from him.]

Hey. You don't look like you're from here. I think?

[cardinalrule]

[A talking horse is no big deal. A talking horse that doesn't have fangs or wings or a horn, however, is straaaaange. Hunter is glad he's got his mask on, because he's looking her up and down, very baffled.

But okay, she isn't immediately dangerous and she may have answers, so time to see what information he can get out of her!]

Wow, and here I didn't think it was that obvious. Where's here? This doesn't look like anywhere on the Boiling Isles.

[crushtheskulls]

You kind of stand out. Also so far you haven't gone "aaaaaa a horse!" and ran away.

[Which is probably why they're standing alone right now...]

You're in Kaisou. Haven't heard of the Boiling Isles before. Is that your home?

[cardinalrule]

[He stands out? Well, he's kind of supposed to back home, being the right hand of the Emperor and everything... but he's guessing that isn't what she means.]

Why would I do that? I've talked to scarier things than what's basically a unicorn without a horn.

[But seriously why would people be running away from her is this something he should be worried about -

He has questions. So many questions.]

You... haven't heard of the Boiling Isles. [That's setting off so many alarms in his head, and he looks around again.] Okay, horse, important question here - where is Kaisou?

[crushtheskulls]

A lot of people think it's weird for a horse to be walking around? I don't get it either. But people are super freaked out around here. They'd never survive in a war.

[She lets out a neighing sigh.]

That's a good question, and I don't really know? It's like, a whole other world that's separated from ours. I just got here not too long myself.

[cardinalrule]

Not being able to survive a war is a weirdly specific thing to think they couldn't handle.

[Especially coming from a horse? What the hell is going on here.]

A whole other world? [He folds his arms, not sounding surprised at that, but disbelieving. Portals to other worlds are things he knows about, but the one Belos has very specifically doesn't work.] That can't be possible.

[crushtheskulls]

Because I came from a war - a war ravaged my home. It's what I was doing before I ended up in Centaurworld, and uh, here. I guess.

[That's right, Hunter, there's a Centaurworld too.]

Oh yeah, it's possible. I didn't wanna think so either, but if Centaurworld has taught me anything - there's other worlds and they're weird.

City

[whiteshroud]

[Jun spent last month seeing a shrouded knight figure with a white cape in the last Spirit Gate, so he can't say he welcomes seeing a gold variation while he's just trying to walk home. Instead he looks downright startled, like he's seen a ghost.

Seeing this stuff in the spirit realm was bad enough, but on the street??

Jun really doesn't want to engage, so the green haired teenager is going to try his best to walk past this guy while avoiding eye contact after that first look. Just keep walking, pretend you don't see the knight and then you don't have to question your sanity! Great plan!! ]

[cardinalrule]

[Hunter would be more than happy to just avoid people until he can get his bearings and figure out what the fuck is going on, but unfortunately for Jun he has one very

important

thing. Something that makes Hunter freeze up, and then spin around and grab Jun's arm. Sorry guy, you aren't going anywhere right now, because those ears.]

Hold up, you're human?

[He's sounding equal parts Official Oppression Squad and bewildered. The only human he's ever seen before is Luz, and this guy isn't Luz.]

[whiteshroud]

H-Hey!

[He squeaks out as he gets grabbed by the arm. Crap crap crap, not what he wanted! He does pick up the voice sounds different than what he heard before-- but you know, that's only a small comfort when you've been grabbed by a strange masked figure on the street.

Also what kind of question was that?!]

Yes? Of course I am!

[Was this because he had green hair? Dammit, he knew that'd cause him trouble, just not like this]

[cardinalrule]

[Look, he doesn't normally like touching other people, but the circumstances are dire here. He's dealing with a second human when it shouldn't be possible for any new humans to be in the Boiling Isles, and that's messed up. At least when he gets that answer he lets go, though that's out of shock more than anything else.]

That's - impossible. You shouldn't be here, you can't be here!

[whiteshroud]

[As soon as he gets let go of, he's stepping back enough to keep out of arm's length. Just what did this guy want?? why was there a knight here? ]

What're you talking about?! My hair may be green but you look way more out of place than me!

[cardinalrule]

Who cares about your hair? [Seriously, loads of people in the Boiling Isles have green hair. Maybe it isn't normal for humans, but that's something he's never considered before and it really isn't the important thing here -]

What are you talking about?? This is a uniform for the Emperor's Coven, this is the most normal thing in the Boiling Isles!

[But this looks nothing like the Boiling Isles, and he's talking to a human, so this is all leading up to one very important question and he hates it so much, because it can't be true. It can't!

He takes a step towards Jun, but otherwise doesn't try to close the distance between them.] Where are we??

city

[wedonttalkabout]

[Wow, that sure is someone in some sort of...getup. It doesn't match what people usually wear in the city- not the native folks anyway. It really does scream 'someone dragged here against their will'. Much like himself. Like a lot of people here.

Bruno dithers, torn between minding his own business and keeping out of the way (which is what he really wants to do, truth be told) or stepping in to check the person is okay (which is what he knows he SHOULD do). He's a decade out of practice from his mother's laser-guided pressure to help the community around him but the pull to do so is strong even now. So, despite himself, he steps in- nervous and fidgety, but he's trying. ​]

Uh, he-hey! Are you okay there? You look kinda lost? Unless you're not lost which by all means just carry on with your day and I'll just-go. Should I go now? I feel like I should just go now.

[cardinalrule]

[It's a very bizarre day for both of them. Hunter absolutely stands out in his uniform, and even though he has his mask on it's clear from his voice that he isn't happy that he's being approached by a fidgety nervous guy. And since Bruno's ears aren't visible, Hunter's first thought isn't to be bewildered that there's a human who isn't Luz talking to him.

At least it seems like he can throw his weight around and maybe get some answers.]

Oh no, you're not going anywhere. [He steps to move in front of Bruno, blocking his way, drawing himself up to look as official as possible.] You're going to tell me what's going on, citizen.

[wedonttalkabout]

[Oh wow, Bruno hates all of this immediately. He raises his hands meekly, stepping backwards. Hunter's pretty short, but so is Bruno- and this guy looks pretty spooky with the mask and the air of authority. ]

Uh- I really don't know as much as...as you think I do. I'm just stuck here. Not even from here, nope. You're better off asking someone else.

[cardinalrule]

[He's only got a couple of inches on the guy but is he ever using his slight height advantage to its fullest extent. He gestures with one hand at the otherwise empty street.]

Do you see anyone else around? Answer the question. Where are we?

[wedonttalkabout]

[Bruno shifts himself backwards, making himself even smaller. Confrontation really isn't his strong suit, and he wants to be anywhere but here right now. He glances around, panic slipping in.]

Uh- the- the city is called Kaisou? Apparently, it's in the U.S?

[cardinalrule]

[He doesn't feel particularly good that he's clearly intimidating some random person, but it offers him something familiar. This is one of those kinds of reactions he gets as the Golden Guard back home, this is the kind of respect he knows. Given everything else currently going on is one gigantic, horrible mess that terrifies him, this is weirdly comforting.]

And where's that? What's that stand for?

[kokaiwanai]

[Well. That's something you don't see every day. Kakyoin watches as this person walks on... before deciding, eh, what the hell.

If this is another off-worlder, might as well point the person in the direction of Zodiac.]

Hey, excuse me. [After taking a moment to assess this person's body language--hm, clenched fists--Kakyoin continues.] Is everything alright?

[cardinalrule]

[Hunter is having a whole time so far. All of this looks familiar in the vaguest sense of 'a city', but aside from that it looks so completely different from the Boiling Isles that he's thrown off-kilter.

Especially when what appears to be a human approaches him. The ears are unmistakable, after all. That can't be right though, there is a grand total of one human in the Boiling Isles and she broke the portal between the two realms. That's why he stops, staring from behind his mask, and decides to ignore that question.

Because things aren't alright. Not at all.]

You. You're human, aren't you?

[kokaiwanai]

[... Okay, well, that's an interesting question. That's either a point in favor of off-worlder or "particularly committed LARPer."]

I am, yes. [He pauses.] Did you just get here?

[cardinalrule]

[That... that is not good. Not good at all. Someone is messing with him, surely?]

Yeah, sure, let's call it that. [It's hard to keep the impatience out of his tone. Kikimora, this is probably Kikimora trying to kill him again, or something. Some stupid elaborate plan of hers.] Where's 'here' supposed to be?

[kokaiwanai]

Kaisou, it's a city in the United States, on a planet called Earth. I don't know how much of that means anything to you.

[Possibly none of it! Hell if Kakyoin knows!]

You're not the first one to stumble out into the city from... elsewhere, if it helps.

[cardinalrule]

[Most of it doesn't. 'Earth' is vaguely familiar, something he's sure has been used in relation to the human realm... if that's the case (and he has a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that it is), that's terrible news.

He's quiet for several moments, trying to sort out his thoughts. Right now it's a whole jumble of he needs to figure out where he is, he needs to figure out how to get back home. He can't disappoint Belos, not again.

His entire posture is tense when he speaks up again.]

Who else has? Give me names, human.