[004]

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie's small, human body succumbed to the fog very quickly, and she has just woken up very confused indeed. she's found the CAT in her pocket and is pushing buttons on it, which has resulted in an accidental transmission as she continues to fiddle with it]

What is this? Some sort of charm? Is that why I've changed back? [holds the CAT up near her face, as though asking it her questions] But why, if you changed me back, would you take my pincushion? "Good hands" indeed! [hmphs]

[sighs and stops abusing the CAT for the moment, keeping it in her hand as she turns to take a better look around the room--the living room of her own townhome]

But where am I? This certainly isn't Howl's castle! It doesn't even look like any of the locations outside. Did the door get turned black-down somehow and send me out there? Or could this be Calcifer's doing? [to the CAT again] Do you know? [frowns as she looks down, however. strands of her hair have fallen into her face, and she brushes them back in annoyance] Gracious! It's strange to have my hair back again. But...it is such a relief. [pauses for a moment, patting at her face as though she doesn't expect it to feel as it does. she smiles, sighing, relieved] Yes, very much a relief. Though I wonder what broke the spell. And why take my pincushion? That sounds more like Howl's doing than Calcifer's, but he should know that I'll have to clean if I can't sew!

Once I've found where I am... Calcifer! Calcifer, are you here?

Comments

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Fuu's honestly interested, and very curious!]

Really? Can you present me with an example? I'd love to see real magic at work!

[fortune_sought]

Oh, I'm not a witch! [not that she knows of yet, at any rate] But there must be others in town who are, if you really would like to see magic.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[ditto!]

Oh, that would be exciting! I'm afraid that I won't be going out just yet though. However I'm sure that if there are any witches out there, I can ask them to do magic later!

[fortune_sought]

[surprised] Why do you want to stay inside?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Well, a missing person should not stray too far from where they got lost!

And, I'm finding some interesting things in this apartment. [Points to a note on the fridge door.] Like a work schedule. [Opens the door.] And a fridge full of food that I like.

[fortune_sought]

[blinks] You think someone will come here after you?

That's very odd. [crosses the room to the sofa, holding up a partially-finished dress, cream-coloured and decorated with blue anemone flowers] I would say this was my own, except that I'm sure I don't remember sewing it.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Well, once I can contact the police, or once someone at home does... [Her cheerfulness dims at that. She really doesn't want to worry her family.]

[Wanders while talking]
Oh, what a lovely dress! If you did indeed sew it, you are quite talented.

[fortune_sought]

But if you have a job, doesn't that mean you've left that house before? Assuming we really have already been here...

Oh, thank you. [embarrassed] It's a hobby.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Giggles] Yes, I suppose it does! But still, it might be best to stay in until I get a bit more oriented. I don't even know the layout of this house! [Walking through the kitchen she pokes her head into the bathroom before moving on to the bedroom.]

And you're very welcome. If we end up stuck here for a while, may I ask you to make a dress for me?

[fortune_sought]

[smiles, always glad to exercise those particular talents--as long as she's not being exploited. and no one in the castle has exactly appreciated her sewing, so this is welcome] Certainly. Is there a pattern you wanted for it?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Thank you!
Oh, gosh. Not that I can think of. We usually just buy our clothes, not have them made. But I trust you can choose just the right thing!

Oh! Another find. This is like a treasure hunt!

[In her bedroom, a kyuudo (http://faculty.washington.edu/kendo/025.jpg) uniform is spread out on the neatly made bed. She goes to finger the material.]

I don't think it's mine. But it looks like I'm keeping up my archery practice here.

[fortune_sought]

[curiously] How can you tell those clothes have to do with archery?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Equally curiously] You can't? But your Japanese is so good, I couldn't help but think you're... we're... [Now she's totally confused.]

You aren't Japanese? Are we not in Japan? But where else could I get a uniform of such quality?

[fortune_sought]

Japan? I've never heard of it.

[oh dear. so been here before XD]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

No? . . . But you're speaking my country's language. Japanese is primarily spoken in Japan.
What is the name of your country?

They can enjoy the deja vu later

[fortune_sought]

[frowns] No, you must be mistaken. I only speak Common.

Ingary, as I said.

[looking *forward* to it! /is shot]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Fuu plops down on the bed (but not by the uniform), her mind reeling. She tilts her head while thinking this out.]

Really? Common? Is that like simplified Chinese? Even so, sounds like Japanese to me...
Ohh, so Ingary is not a town's name. It's far more likely to not know a town's name than a country's so I just assumed...
And that there could be real magicians here, and not just illusionists...

Maybe there an earthquake that threw a whole bunch of random people together? Or to a whole other world! Could it be have somehow landed in a whole other world?

That was really bad!

[fortune_sought]

[shakes her head] I've never heard of this "Chinese" or "Japanese."

What does this have to do with magicians?

This place is certainly nothing like my own country... [looks at the room around her again] I've never seen anything like the magic box on the wall or this charm that lets you speak to people.

[yes, yes it was ^^]

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Fuu can't help but grin at that. Here the person from a world with magic is talking about technology as magic.]

Well, I have to admit that these CAT things are far beyond what I'm used to, but it's just technology. Same with the TV-- that is, the box on the wall. Um, think of it as the magic of my world. You've never seen technology, and I've never seen real magic.

Isn't it amazing we could meet!

[fortune_sought]

[surprised] So you have such things, where you're from? What are they for?

You've really never seen magic, have you? That's so strange.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Nope. The only 'magic' is done by illusionists, which is different from the type you're thinking of, I'm sure.

As for the technology, it's used for all sorts of things. Communication, medicine, transportation... attempting to make our lives better. I hope that magic does the same things for you?

[fortune_sought]

Illusionists? [scoffs] Magic can create illusions, but it's much more than that!

[blinks--it's odd to consider a world without magic, or to try to look at magic as anything other than a fact of life] Yes, I suppose it does. But I meant this magic box, this--TV, you said. What does it do?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Ah! Yes, the TV. It's for communication and entertainment. It's... like... is there a magical equivalent?

Well, it's similar what we're doing right now, communicating visually. But on a TV, it's usually not live like this. A show is recorded, then shown to everyone later. Kind of one-sided, instead of the conversation we're having.

I don't suppose that makes sense?

[fortune_sought]

Oh, my. It sounds rather like theatre, I suppose.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Yes! Rather like that.

[Sighs, looking around the room] This is fantastic and all, but where is this, why are we here, and most important, how do we get home? I have homework to finish, and I don't want my parents to worry.

Miss Hatter, I'm going to continue looking around here to see what else I can find. You- You're welcome to stay on the phone and keep talking to me, if you like. But, of course, if you want to do your own searching--

[Although said shyly, she's sincere. She doesn't want to keep Miss Hatter from anything, yet she also doesn't want to feel lonely in this new place.]