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[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[Arthur seems to be taking his change of circumstances more or less in his stride... he thinks he knows what's up.]

If I've done this right, I should be broadcasting to everyone else who's got one of these - [points at the screen] - things. [waves] Hi.

From the general chatter it looks like we've all lost something important to us, and none of us have any idea where we are or how we got here. I found one of these cards where my item should be- [shows his card]- which I can't interpret as anything other than a taunt. What about you guys?

Our first move has to be to get back what's been taken from us. I've got a theory about what's happened here, and if I'm right then these items will still be in this village somewhere- we just need to find them. It won't take too long to search, if we work as a team.

Are you in?

[he doesn't want to mention dreaming, if he can avoid it. He's still not sure whose dream this is... unless it's everyone's.]

Comments

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Fuu looks completely sleep-deprived, but interested.]

I found that card too, and... a lot of other very interesting stuff. But I'm not done yet.

However I'm certainly in for finding our things! If I may, what's your theory?

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[shakes head] I'd rather not say until I've got more information. Sorry. You're just going to have to trust me.

What other stuff did you find?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Well, mostly things showing that I've been living in the apartment, or I should say this town, for some time already.

[She moves over to the table where a variety of items are spread out.]

The fridge has food I like. There was a note on the fridge with a - my - work schedule. Three nights a week at the library, but doing what, I don't know. A traditional uniform for kyudo archery was laid out on the bed the way I usually have it before a practice. A plaque (http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t114/vampwrite/Luministi%20Stuff/LionPlaque.png) saying that I helped protect the citizens of Luministi, which is a strange one. But not as strange as this.

[She indicates four books, one open part-way.]

These are journals, written by me. But I don't usually keep a journal. I'm reading them in order, so that's why I say I'm not done yet. [Unconsciously rubs an eye.] But I'll let everyone know if what I find is important.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I've got nothing like that here. Just this gift basket- [shows with the CAT's viewscreen] -and the clothes I'm standing up in. And a letter.

[he doesn't mention the gun]

How far back does the journal go? When's the first entry dated?

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

Oh, that gift basket! It looks like what I'm using as a laundry hamper. Interesting. Was mine a gift basket once too...?

Well, that's a strange part. So far it's a telling of my life history. Not terribly detailed, but just about every significant event that I can remember. So I'm not sure when I started writing it yet.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[nods] Very interesting.

[an odd protective instinct kicks in- this girl's far too young to be mixed up with anyone who would target him] By the way, kid, if you need any help with anything, just get in touch.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Blushes a little]
Thank you, Mister Arthur. It's pretty crazy right now, but we're all in the same boat, right? I hope we can work together to figure this out.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too. Let me know how you get on with those journals, okay? Any information you can gather might be useful.

[wind-of-reason.livejournal.com]

[Smiles]
I'll do that!

[no-object.livejournal.com]

[vaguely threatening voice] If you know where my Belderiver is, then take me to it.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[raised eyebrow] Your what, sorry?

[no-object.livejournal.com]

My Psypher.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

Sorry, it didn't make any more sense that time, either.

[no-object.livejournal.com]

It's a sword.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

Ah. Now, that could be useful.

I want to find out more about what defenses this place has before I make a move. Do you know anything about that?

[no-object.livejournal.com]

I know nothing of the defenses in this town, although I, too, would like to find out more.

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

[Waving back] Yo!

That all sounds pretty accurate. At first I thought that Erika was playing a prank on me, but it's not like her to do something this extreme, especially not to people we don't even know. My only other idea is that we've been sent to an alternate universe at the cost of something important to us.

I guess I'm in on this hardboiled story! I can play the Good Cop or the Bad Cop if it comes down to it. With that kind of flexibility, I can team up with anyone!

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[he almost says something, but there's far too much craziness for him to focus on one particular detail]

...glad to have you on board. So you lost something too?

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

Judging from the card I found in the hood of my shirt, I didn't lose it, it was stolen. But yeah, it looks like someone ran off with my backpack and everything in it! The tradeoff is kind of cool, I'll admit - I've never seen this model of cellphone before.

[Retrieving two chisels, one in each hand] Still, phantom thieves can cause all kinds of trouble if they're allowed to just run around taking things! If I had any idea who it could be or what it was they wanted, I'd have set a trap up already!

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[examines the CAT] I'm starting to wonder about this, since you mention it. Why would anyone kidnap us, prevent us from leaving, and then give us a way to communicate with each other secretly?

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...

[Gently prodding his own CAT with a chisel] My best guess is that we're getting trolled. I wouldn't be surprised if these doubled as tracking devices and someone was really watching all of this! And at the very end, when we find the culprit, they'll laugh and say, "This was a great social experiment!"

Like anyone but the very most gullible would believe that line!

My second-best guess is that this universe is secretly in grave danger and we've been summoned to rescue it but we haven't realized our destinies yet. This would be the much cooler option.

I'm open to other ideas, though!

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[he's learning to respond selectively]

If these are tracking devices, then we should stop using them to communicate. You ought to check your room for bugs, too.

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

It may not matter, since it's possible that they're always on in some way or another. Or they could just be harmless phones. That's the risk you take with mass guessing!

I'll have a look around anyway just to be on the safe side. It's not like I've got anything better to do right now and if I found something it would be kind of exciting. I've never been in a situation where someone felt the need to spy on me before! I feel like I should be doing something scandalous to make it worthwhile!

Unfortunately, I'm not a very scandalous kind of person no matter what kind of things Erika's written about me saying otherwise! Even if I'm being watched, I don't think I personally have much to worry about.

It's one of the advantages of being the type of character who tends to stay in the background.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

[Arthur has to admit, there's some good points mixed in with all the crazy]

You're right, they could be recording all the time. Especially since we can't seem to get rid of them. Look, what room are you in? It might be better to talk about this in person.

Oh, and I didn't catch your name?

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

[Exactly!]

Sure, if that's what you want. I don't have much to do right now.

I'm Walker Yumasaki, over in B7 West. I should really see if I can set this to put my name on all of my calls like my old phone.

[arthurcosgrove.livejournal.com]

Good luck with that. I'll be over in a moment.

[takes a pen and paper, slips it into his jacket, and walks over to Walker's house]

[knocks on the door]

[likefedex.livejournal.com]

[Hardly even paying attention as he fiddles with his CAT with one hand and opens the door with the other - at least the diversion got him to put the chisels away.]

Hey, that was pretty quick! I didn't even get to finish messing around with the settings on this thing.

You know, I might be better off just wearing a sign with my name on it around my neck or wearing a shirt with it on there. I wonder if I could pose as a football player if I did that? Do they even have football here?

[Venturing back on-topic, kind of.]

You can come in if you want.