Intro Log

[neverbreaks]

WHO: Luisa and you
WHERE: The Labyrinth, then the city
WHEN: Feb. 12
WHAT: A new arrival, and she happens to be a Madrigal!
WARNINGS: Possibly some anxiety

Labyrinth

[ Luisa had no idea what was going on.

She didn't remember ever falling asleep, but when she woke she suddenly found herself in this strange place. It kind of reminded her of a Roman coliseum, like the ones she'd read about in a few books she'd picked up before. There didn't seem to be any obvious way out, though, and after wandering around while trying to find an exit, she'd come across some kind of strange creature that tried to attack her.

It wasn't like she'd never had this dream before, of encountering some monster that she needed to fight, so she wasn't entirely surprised to find a sword and shield nearby as well. But she knew something was wrong as soon as she picked them up - while they weren't necessarily heavy, she could definitely feel the weight of them. And as she blocked a blow from the monster with the shield, she felt the strain in her muscles, just trying to keep from being crushed under it.

And yeah, she's had this dream before too - even before all the trouble with the magic, she'd have nightmares of losing her strength, of not being able to do what she needed to. But while dodging another of the monster's attacks, she felt the sharp sting of its claws as it grazed her arm, leaving dark red lines on her skin.

This wasn't a dream. It was all real, and she was actually fighting a monster without her usual strength. But if all this was real, then did that mean her family could also be here somewhere?

She wasn't entirely sure how she managed to beat the monster, but it probably had something to do with the sudden rush of adrenaline with the need to find her family. She called out for each of them, searching through the twists and turns of the maze while encountering more beasts. Some where animals that she'd heard about, some were creatures of myth she'd read about, but all were tough and difficult to beat.

She somehow manages to push on, even though the fights wear down on her. She isn't sure how long she can keep this up, but she has to keep trying. If her family was here, she needed to find them. ]

The City

[ After eventually getting out of the labyrinth, and with some explanation later, Luisa takes a little time to explore this strange new city. It's a weird feeling; she'd never even left the Encanto before, and suddenly in some huge city in who-knows-where. Even with the mountains surrounding their home, she had never felt quite as...small as she does now.

She tries not to dwell on that too much, though, as she takes in all the stores and shops along the street. And she can't help a puzzled frown. ]

Why is everything so...red?

Comments

[neverbreaks]

[ Luisa definitely does, and it's with a chill down her spine when she recognizes the voice. ]

Mirabel...?

[ And she takes off running, sword and shield still in hand as she tries to follow the sound of it as it echoes off the coliseum walls. ]

Mirabel!

[nonmagical]

[She thinks she hears Luisa’s voice - but it can’t be… could it?]

Luisa! Luisa, are you there- oof!

[The dog takes one giant paw and just. Knocks her into the wall.]

[neverbreaks]

Mirabel!

[ She arrives just as the dog beast knocks her sister away, and jumps in between them right as the dog leaps forward. The beast crashes into her shield but immediately recovers, and Luisa can feel her feet dragging as it pushes her back a little as the beast tries to overpower her. ]

Mira!

[nonmagical]

[Mirabel wonders how many animals she's going to get knocked around by in this city. At least this one was intimidating and not an electric squirrel. She's dazed, but she looks up to see her sister coming to her rescue.]

Luisa, look out!

[It's trying to bite one of them - it's big enough that all Mirabel can see is a flash of teeth and drool.]

[neverbreaks]

[ Just as it tries to bite down, Luisa swings wildly with her sword, cutting the creature's mouth. It screeches and staggers back, and she wastes no time before going and scooping her sister up and making an escape while the beast was in pain. ]

[nonmagical]

[And she's scooped up! Honestly she doesn't mind because this is some pretty frightening stuff.]

Have you been fighting in here this whole time?!

[neverbreaks]

Pretty much!

[ If the answer seems a little terse, it's just because she's still trying to put as much distance between them and the dog beast as possible. But the exhaustion is quickly catching up to her, and once she finds a hidden enough space she carefully sets Mirabel down before sinking to her knees, using the sword digging into the dirt floor to keep herself from collapsing any further as she takes heavy breaths. ]

[nonmagical]

[Mirabel saves her further questions for when they're safer, but when they stop to rest, she notices her sister struggling. She quickly moves over to her, putting a hand gently on her shoulder.]

Luisa! Just rest, ok? I think - I think we're safe for now?

[She doesn't hear the dog monster anymore, so maybe it won't try to follow them?]

[neverbreaks]

[ She shakes her head. ] Might not be long before the next one shows up.

[ Beacause there's always a next one. ]

[nonmagical]

You've been in here for a while, haven't you?

[She can tell. She looks... so worn. Going back out the way she came in meant going past that dog monster again.]

I think I can get us out - I remember how I came in, but... we'd have to go past that big dog again.

[neverbreaks]

...yeah.

[ She has no idea how long she's been in here, but she knows it's been quite a while. Wandering, trying to find one of the others or just a way out, running into beasts and monsters...she's just tired.

She hesitates a little, still leaning heavily against the sword. ] I'm not...I don't know if I can, Mira. My strength, it's...it's weakened again.

[ She may be "more than her gift", but right now she needed to protect her sister. How was she supposed to do that without it? ]

[nonmagical]

[Mirabel nods, she's not gonna make her sister fight if she doesn't have to.]

I think everyone's powers are weakened when they come here. Tio Bruno's visions aren't working right either.

[That's right, Bruno is here too.]

We'll find another way out, then. There's gotta be a way out of here that doesn't involve so many monsters?

[neverbreaks]

Tío Bruno? [ She glances up at Mirabel. ] He's here?

[ She has no idea what lies outside of the labyrinth, but if their uncle is here, then certainly it meant that the rest of them could be as well, right? ]

I dunno. It feels like I run into them every couple rooms or so.

[ She also didn't like the idea of wandering around here any longer. The longer they were here, the more difficult it would be for her to protect Mirabel. ]

Let's just head back the way you came in. Maybe we can distract the dog monster long enough to slip by him.

[nonmagical]

Tio Bruno and Dolores. [And soon Isabela and Julieta! But she hasn't met them here yet.]

Maybe we can slip past without having to fight him.

[neverbreaks]

[ Her frown deepens in concern. What was taking their family and bringing them to this place?

She'll ask questions later. Right now they had to get out of here.

She nods, but even using the sword to brace herself it's a struggle to get back on her feet. ]

Yeah, maybe. [ Nothing to do but try, right? ]

[nonmagical]

[Mirabel is much smaller, much weaker, but she'll try to help Luisa to her feet anyway.]

Once we get out of here - Casita appeared here too - somehow - so you can rest there. You've gotta be exhausted.

[neverbreaks]

[ She's grateful for the assistance, even while she tries not to lean all her weight on Mirabel. ] Casita? [ Okay, people were one thing, but their whole house? ] What is this place?

[nonmagical]

There's a whole city outside of this place. I don't really understand it myself, and I've been here for a month...

[neverbreaks]

Wait, what? [ Hold up a minute. ] How have you been here a month?

[ She had just seen her back home! ]

[nonmagical]

I don't know, but I know it's been a month. Tio Bruno I think has been here just a little longer than that...

[Wait. Hold on.]

Did you - did you not know we were gone?

[neverbreaks]

Uh...no? [ If they're trying to sneak past anything, the raised incredulous pitch in her voice certainly won't help that. But this doesn't make any sense! ]

The last thing I remember was celebrating back home after rebuilding Casita, and the magic coming back? We had just taken that family picture, and I guess I nodded off while the party was still going. [ She shakes her head. ] The next thing I know, I wake up here.

[nonmagical]

That’s what I remember too! But I’ve been here for a month?

None of this makes any sense…

[She can hear heavy footsteps now. They must be getting close to the dog monster… unless it’s something else.]

[neverbreaks]

[ Luisa does too, and gently pushes Mirabel to stand behind her as she raises the shield up. ]

We better get out of here first, then we can try figuring this out.

[nonmagical]

[Mirabel does as she's directed, trying her best to not make this any harder on Luisa than it has to be. She points to a corridor and drops her voice to a whisper.]

I came through that way!

[neverbreaks]

[ Luisa follows where Mirabel is indicating, then peers around the corner. The beast is there, but it's facing the other way, so hopefully they could get by him. ]

Okay...let's head over really slow.

[ She stood so that she'd always be between the beast and Mirabel, at least from where it's standing. Her first priority was always to keep her sister safe. ]