kaisou | Intro Log

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?

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[ Her cousin's voice - and squeak - is also pretty distinct, and she turns to the older girl with a surprised smile. ]

Dolores! I didn't know you were here too.

[ By now she had already run into some of the others, but just how many family members ended up in this weird place? ]

Mm, here I am!

[More and more of them by the day, it seems. Luisa does not seem to be as... outwardly overwhelmed as most of her family has appeared on entry to Kaisou so far, so she peers at her cousin with a curious expression.]

How long have you been walking around out here?

Uh... [ She actually takes a look around, trying to figure out where the sun was in the sky. ] Maybe a...couple of hours? Mirabel found me earlier and explained as much as she could.

[ Which wasn't exactly a lot, all things considered. Luisa is definitely confused and concerned about what's happened, but being able to explore and try to get her bearings has helped a little bit, given her something to focus on besides the worry.

But while she manages to reign in some of her emotions, her appearance is still a bit scratched up, given what she'd been through in her maze. ]

Oh! Then you know about as much as I do, I expect.

[And it sure is a lot, especially for people who have lived their whole lives in an isolated town surrounded by ridiculously high mountains. Then, of course, there's the problem with their gifts...

Dolores does not miss hers terribly, but she definitely notices its absence just like she did before. Everything feels oddly muffled and quiet, and now and then the volume of the world around her will just shoot up several points before fading out again.

It's... probably worse than not having her gift at all, really.]

But are you all right? [She hasn't missed that Luisa looks like she's been pulled through a thicket.] You look...

[Ruffled?]

I guess so. [ It definitely didn't feel like much, really. And with how large everything seems in this city, it was easy to feel so...lost. ]

Oh, uh... [ She runs a hand down her arm, trying to cover up one of the larger scrapes. She had cleaned up as much as she could, but some were still fairly noticeable. ] Yeah, I'm...okay. The maze I was in had been...challenging.

Ah... [She remembers her own maze too. How the whispers had driven her to distraction before Mirabel had found her and taken her out of there. Dolores isn't sure how much more of it she could have taken.]

Do you, uh... want some company?

[Luisa looked like she'd been doing just fine on her own, but when are Madrigals ever really entirely alone?]

What are you looking at?

[ Honestly, having someone familiar as she navigates through this strange city is a comforting feeling, so with a smile Luisa nods. ]

Uh, yeah. I'd really like some. Thanks.

[ Though Dolores' question does have her suddenly a little more embarrassed. ]

Oh, uh...nothing, really.

[ Except it's hard to say that when she's still standing in front of the shop, with a dress put up in the window display. The dress was long-flowing and decorated with delicate lace and frills, very much like something Isabela had often worn before her change in style. ]

Nothing. Mmhm.

[She looks into the window, tilting her head slightly at the very pretty dress in the display. Luisa is not alone in thinking of Isabela when she sees it, but Dolores does not think that that is what her cousin wants to hear right now.]

Thinking of a change of style? [Dolores asks mildly, a curious smile on her lips.]

I think you could pull it off.

[ Luisa can already feel her ears turning red at having been caught, but her cousin's comment has her hesitating a bit, glancing back towards the dress in the window. ]

You think so? It wouldn't look...too weird?

[She can understand the hesitation, but Dolores hears things and she knows that Luisa would want nothing more than to feel graceful wearing something like that dress.]

There's only one way to find out how you feel when you're wearing a dress like that. [Dolores points out, looking up at her cousin.]

And that's to just do it! Who cares what anyone else thinks? I think you'd look pretty.

[ It's a bit of an embarrassing secret, but if she trusts anyone with it, it would be her older cousin. And despite her words to ignore what anyone else would think, it does warm her heart knowing that Dolores would think she'd look pretty in a dress like that.

As she glances back towards the display, though, her face falls again as she shakes her head. ] I don't...think it'd fit me.

[ Which had been another reason she couldn't wear dresses like that. They'd always been made for women with nicer figures, like Isabela's or Dolores', not for hers - with her broad shoulders, and large arms, and wide waist. The nicer dresses were just never made for her physique. ]

[Dolores plants her hands lightly on her hips as she looks at the dress in the window.]

Luisa, I don't think that dress would fit anybody. Look at that thing it's hanging on. No one has a waist that small.

[She shakes her head and then curls her hands around her cousin's arm, smiling brightly at her.] But you know, if you got something like that made for you, I think it would be lovely.

[ That does get a small laugh from Luisa. ] Yeah, I guess that's true. [ Though honestly, she thinks it might fit Dolores just fine.

Looking at her cousin for a moment, she then glances at the dress in the window again, and a small smile of her own lifts the corners of her face. ] Yeah...maybe.

[ She doesn't know how she'd get something like that made, though. Mirabel could probably make something for her, but she wouldn't want to put a strain on her sister if it was too difficult. Maybe she could find someone in the city who could help her, but money would probably be an issue regardless.

She could probably see about working and saving up to have something made. She knows the family doesn't want her working too much or too hard anymore, but...it would be okay for something like this, right?

Something she wanted, that would be just for her. ]

Yeah...okay. I'll think about it. [ She places free hand over one of Dolores', turning back to her cousin with a more genuine smile. ] Thanks.

Intro Log

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