luministi | [004]

[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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't suppose you could tell me a bit more about this witch?

[gives him a sidelong glance] If you've never heard of the Witch of the Waste, you should count yourself lucky! She's probably the most wicked person in all of Ingary. Even more wicked, I think, than the Wizard Howl himself! Coming into people's hat shops and turning them old. Really, I never! [hmphs]

I've got to say, your world sounds more interesting than the one I live in.

[suddenly, stops and stares into the distance] Hey, looks like there's more buildings up there.

[blinks, smiling a little to herself. he's right, really. and to think, it hasn't been very long at all since she thought she would spend the rest of her life in the hat shop, duller than a nail!] Yes, it certainly has been of late.

[follows his gaze] Yes...there are. Still, going there must be better than staying in the town to which someone has brought us.

Be careful. There's no reason to assume they didn't plan this, as well.

For us to leave? Well, that might be a hard plan to keep to once we've disappeared in some other town!

I hope you're right.

[carries on walking forward, until his brow furrows]

Hey, do some of these buildings look familiar to you, or is it just me?

[frowns] Yes. It's not a very diverse town, is it?

No, seriously. Like, these are the same buildings.

[scoffs] That's preposterous!

Unfortunately it's not. I thought something like this might happen, I just didn't think it'd be this obvious...

What are you talking about?

[frowns as she looks at the building, beginning to feel a bit of a sinking feeling in her stomach] It's misdirection, isn't it?

It's called a closed circuit, sometimes an Ouroboros Loop... it's one of the most basic ways to cheat geography anyone learns, but no-one in the business- no-one who knows what they're doing- ever uses it this blatantly...

[he begins to smile, thinking he's cracked it] Sophie? I know where we are. We're in a dream.

We're... [stares at him] Arthur, whatever joke it is you're trying to play, it's not very funny.

Okay, then, let's hear your explanation.

We've clearly been brought to some other country. I might have...accidentally...left the castle with the door turned black-down. [i.e. she might have snooped] But everyone else here could have been spirited away--by some sort of demon, perhaps.