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]

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.

[fortune_sought]

[gapes at him] You can't be serious!

[luministimods]

[steps back, nervous] What happens to me?

[collector]

I'm very serious. Nothing happens to you, except that I'll know what you know. It's as relaxing as having a nice cup of tea. Well, a little less. You're awake the whole time and you can see - though not control - exactly what I can look at.

[He tries to think of a way to say 'I won't do it without your permission' without actually saying that he wants her permission, given that the whole point is that she isn't to get a choice.]

If it weren't perfectly safe, Sophie would stop me. Wouldn't you, Sophie? She is a much better person than I am. One of the kindest people I've known in my long life.

[fortune_sought]

I... [trails off. she's a bit speechless from that, let alone what he's just said he's going to do. few things she's heard of in the past have sounded more like black magic than that just did. but she wants to know more about why they're here as much as Brax does. and if he says it won't harm her...] Yes, of course I will.

[luministimods]

[glances from one to the other, still clearly reluctant] If you're sure it's safe...

And you think it'll help--with everything that's been happening?

[collector]

I wouldn't try it if I didn't.

[fortune_sought]

He'll be extremely careful--won't you, Mr Braxiatel? [because he has to know as well as she does what it could mean for all of them if something did happen to Verita]

[luministimods]

[worriedly] If you're sure...

What do you have to do?

[collector]

Extremely careful.

It's very easy. I just put one of these to each of your temples [he holds up the cufflinks] and I'll be inside your head. Thoughts are faster than words, so the process is quick. Everything should come through in a few seconds.