luministi | The Invisible City of Kitezh II. Wedding Procession

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The Invisible City of Kitezh II. Wedding Procession

[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...

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[steps back, nervous] What happens to me?

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.

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.

[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?

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

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]

[worriedly] If you're sure...

What do you have to do?

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.

And what should I do, should anything go wrong? [not that she's worried about this or anything]

Okay... [looks at those cufflinks a bit worriedly, but she sits back down in the chair] But you made me do this, okay? Tell Daddy you made me!

Should you feel this needs to stop, just knock these devices out of my hand. It will break the connection instantly.

Of course. [And Brax theorizes that the Mayor knows his background well enough to know that Brax really could just take this information whether or not Verita wanted him to. So he crouches down to be at eye-level to Verita, puts the cufflinks to her temples - and, in doing so, also puts his fingertips there. There's something to be said for slight of hand.

And then he goes looking for what he needs.]

[watches with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, throwing a few nervous glances at the door. she has a horrible feeling that someone in this town might see fit to stop this at any moment]

[assuming that Brax is looking for Verita's memories about her father's project, her first surface thoughts bring forth images of flames and smoke. the memories are scattered--disjointed. there's yelling and tears. then bits of a funeral and repeated thoughts about Grandpa. after that, Verita's thoughts turn to a facility and her visits there. Brax may recognise the same locations shown in the photographs around the house. her memories of these places are full of people in white suits, working hard at various scientific tasks that hold no meaning for Verita. her memories are more tinged by loneliness. Daddy is always working, and she almost never sees him unless she goes there to find him]

[she remembers her frequent visits well, full of her attempts to get him to tell her more and her insistence that she wants to be part of his work, too. she remembers the exciting day that he told her he might just have a role for her. through her excitement, his explanation is only remembered in disjointed bits. he explains that people from other worlds--other universes--would come to the town he has created, and she would get to meet them and even live in the incredible town herself. she begins to watch news broadcasts almost obsessively, practices in front of mirrors--does everything she can to prepare herself for her big role. her excitement is flowing through it all because Daddy is bringing people from other worlds here, and they're going to be in the town that he built, and their visit is going to help with Grandpa's death. she's going to meet all these people and even help him make his dream come true. even more than that, she meets Audrey and Andre, who are the most fun to be around, and she spends hours in the White Rabbit talking and laughing with them and playing arcade games with Andre. she teases Officer Iussus, and even Miss Osculia gives her sweets sometimes. she could hardly be happier than when she first greets the residents and opens their time in town with the game Audrey suggested]

[all these thoughts and memories come pouring forth as related to her father's project]

[Gently, to assure Verita and Sophie] It's all going well.

[He stores everything he learns in his mind. It's very likely the most he can get, and he doesn't want to push it - he doubts he'll be getting away clean from this move - but he'll just check for one last thing: the exact names of Verita's father, her grandfather, and the scientific facility - and, if she can remember it, their current year and how Verita got into Luministi. If he can find those, he's done. If he can't, he's probably done anyway.]

[nods] Good. [resists the urge to ask any more about it. she's surprised nothing has happened yet]

[Verita doesn't know the name of her true father, nor any of her true family members. but Daddy is Constantin Caligin. in fact, news bulletins float through her mind, full of that name. Grandpa was Charles Caligin--the headstone is clear in her memory. Daddy works at Luministi Research Labs, bringing forth a memory of a giant sign out front with glowing letters]

[to enter the town, she remembers stepping through a barrier of some kind--something electronic, that tingled as she stepped through. Iussus let her in, typing furiously at a computer panel as she entered. and the year is 545 SSC]

[There we go. Brax double-checks to make sure everything is fine in there, and then he pulls away, putting his cufflinks in his pockets. He gives Verita a smile]

Well. That's a good start. Now, Sophie, let's try the door.

And, Verita. You certainly do live up to your name.

[as surprised as she is that Brax's experiment wasn't interrupted, she's quite possibly more surprised that it's over already] All right... [turns, giving the door a firm push. it doesn't budge] Confound it!

[the door rings out with a mechanical voice:] Security clearance required.

[Verita, meanwhile, blinks, shaking her head to clear it after that experience] Thanks, I guess! [smiles brightly]

Ohh, I bet that wants me. Hey, door! This is the valiantly vociferous Verita, granting clearance!

[the door gives an obliging beep and opens]

Oh, great! [stands...but then hesitates. she can guess what might happen if she approaches that door] Great for the dear citizens of town, at least...

You step through ahead, Sophie. I'll hold the door open for Verita.

[As a gentleman should, right?]

[glances at him--and might just be smiling faintly at that offer. she steps outside the room]

[is surprised by the offer, to say the least] Thanks! [starts to take off at a run for the door, but she hardly moves two steps before it slams shut. she skids to a stop] Awww...that's not fair!

[Braxiatel pulls his hand away just in time to avoid losing his fingers. And he's still trapped on the inside.]

Verita, could you open it again? And Sophie, if you can hear me, we're going to need something heavy and thick to move into the door frame.

[unfortunately, Sophie can't hear him. but she's trying her CAT on the door, and it's not responding]

[frowns worriedly] I'm not sure Daddy would be very happy if you did that. He definitely wants me to stay in here. You should probably just go.

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