The Invisible City of Kitezh II. Wedding Procession

[collector]

[Braxiatel has picked out a nice, comfortable room for the broadcast. (Also, he has tea, but does that even need to be mentioned?) The initial smile he offers is somewhat less pleasant than it could be.]

First, allow me to congratulate the happy couple on their engagement. Do enjoy yourselves picking out the drapery for your new home. And if I may applaud the Doctor in particular for finding a new place to trap us all.

[That done, Brax is back to being cool, calm, and calculating]

Now, on to business. Some of you may have already explored the area and found five locked doors. One, to the north, is essentially inaccessible, but I'm sure no one will be too upset if we keep trying. There also are four other doors, each of which asks a security question when one gives it access to one's CAT. Each door's question is asked by one of the residents of the town.

In case anyone wanted to have a go at the questions, I've made a text post with the door's location, the question's speaker, and the question given. My suggestion is that the doors be taken in teams. We haven't any idea what's behind them, after all.

[with a sip of his tea] And if I could borrow the future wife of Doctor Hatter, I think I'd like to try the northwest door with her first.

[TEXT]

Northeast: Osculia
What treat is the best reward?

Northwest: Verita
I don't just stand for the news; I, Verita, also stand for...

Southeast: Audrey Ardes
I'm as boisterous and cheerful as they come, but mentioning this can kill my good mood. What is it?

Southwest: Dante Iussus
I'm a man with an awful... And before I believe anything, I need...

Comments

[collector]

All your good work, Sophie.

[And now that that's done and he can put his other tie into his pocket, he walks across to Verita. He isn't speaking in accusations. There's just a calm, gentle rationality running through him.]

Verita, we have been hurt. We have been drawn from our friends, from our homes. We have been attacked, and transformed, and robbed of our memories. We need to know what's really going on here.

[fortune_sought]

[reddens] Yes, well, that depends on how well the charm works.

[to Verita] Not only that, but we need to know what we can do about it! I'm quite tired of being trapped in places I don't want to be.

[luministimods]

[takes a step back from Brax, looking rather intimidated] I know... And I'm trying to help! But I don't know how much I can tell you... Daddy says I only got hurt in the first place because I told about the gas when I wasn't supposed to. He might keep me in here even longer if I tell you too much!

[collector]

[He stops and puts his hands in his pockets. A thought flickers through him, but he holds back on it.] We have been imprisoned in this house, Verita. I doubt he'll willingly let you out as long as we're locked in here with you.

By the way, I take it that Ms Osculia, Sheriff Iusses, and Ms Ardes are behind the other doors?

[fortune_sought]

[eyes the door, scowling] And who knows how long that'll be...

[surprised] You think he's trapped everyone in here?

[luministimods]

[looks very distressed now] But...but that's just not fair at all! It wasn't supposed to be like this. Daddy's project was supposed to be a good thing!

[confused--and worried] What other doors?

[collector]

Your door came with a security question asked in your voice. It was about you. There are three other doors, asked by three other people, about those people.

[fortune_sought]

But why might the Mayor trap the other residents here?

[luministimods]

[frowns at that news] It sounds like he might have locked them in, too. Maybe he thought... [trails off, visibly worried]

What do you know about Daddy's project? Maybe if I know what you already know, I can tell you a few more things without getting in too much trouble.

[collector]

Perhaps he wants to protect them. Am I right, Verita? All of this is about protecting your people. We're here because it will help you all.

[fortune_sought]

[frowns] I suppose that makes sense... But is it any safer for them now that he's trapping us with them?

[luministimods]

[fidgets uncomfortably] You are here to help us, yeah--that's why Daddy's doing these experiments. But I think I'm the only one he locked up to protect. For everybody else... [pauses, tapping a toe nervously. glances around her, then leans closer to the two of them and whispers:] I think Daddy just wants to find out who's trying to stop his project.

[collector]

[He glances at Sophie, then back to Verita.] That . . . may be very bad. If it is one of them, and if they aren't very careful, then conversations like the one we're having may give them away.

[fortune_sought]

[sighs] And so we've been locked in here with them so we might have those conversations...

But why all the trouble with the security doors if the Mayor wants us to speak to everyone else?

[luministimods]

[is clearly thinking along the same lines as Brax] Oh, but--[pauses, catching herself]--but they'll be very careful, definitely. They haven't been caught yet, so they must be, right?

I don't know... [thoughtfully] It's probably just for another one of Daddy's tests. He likes doing two things at once.

[collector]

Does he? Well if he's testing us, then there may be a way for Sophie and I to get out of here. [He's frowning, though.] I can't say that there's necessarily some way for you to leave with us. If he can let some people out of the town but not all of them, then he can let us out of the room without letting you go.

[A frown overcomes him as he looks around again.] Why does your room look like this? Are you very attached to the town square?

[fortune_sought]

[sourly] Unless the test was simply whether or not we could get in... [she wouldn't put it past this town]

[but she waits curiously for Verita's answer to that]

[luministimods]

[sighs] He probably has some way to make sure I don't leave with you. Did you both try to open the door?

Oh, not reeeally, but it's my place, you know? I'm the town crier, so I belong in the Town Square. See? [stands, spreading out her arms to indicate how she's both at the center of the room and the center of the false square]

[collector]

[Brax looks slightly embarrassed] I'm rather used to doors that mysteriously shut behind me being locked. I didn't think to try.

It's a little theatrical though, isn't it?

[fortune_sought]

[is eyeing the door suspiciously] It doesn't have a knob...

[glances at Brax] And what in this town hasn't been theatrical?

[luministimods]

Maybe you could push it?

Sophie's right. I'm the news, after all! That's supposed to be a show.

[collector]

I want to try something before we attempt our great escape, Sophie. So, one moment?

[Braxiatel detaches one of his cufflinks, looking rather sadly at it for a moment. The diamonds are really nice, and it'll be heartsbreaking if he loses them. He turns it over in his fingers, then looks at Verita.]

How much do you know about your father's project, Verita?

[fortune_sought]

[glances at him curiously] Yes, of course.

[luministimods]

[also looks curious] I know some things... What do you want to know?

[collector]

Everything, really, but I'll settle for something. [He detaches the other cufflink.]

Now, if I had a device - entirely painless, I assure you - that allowed me to take that information from you, then no one could hold you responsible for that, could they? It wouldn't be your choice. It would all be me - and, of course, my charmingly advanced technology. It's amazing what you can come across when you're a collector.