Character Mansion

[Entry Hall]

"2036." A pause, and a rather unbecoming frown from her. "No, wait, 2037. December has been kind of screwed up. I doubt we could actually do it now, like this, but we have most of the building blocks that would ultimately be necessary to so I can't rule out some lab somewhere managing it."

[Master Bedroom]

"Huh?" She seemed quite surprised when Aseyu remarked that she worked for a government. She quickly seemed to remember the emblem on her sleeve, and covered it with her hand. "Oh, well," A slight smile briefly crossed her lips. "I don't really spar for fun, so I'll have to take a rain-check on that." She paused momentarily and slowly let her hand slip away from her sleeve. "I guess you could say I've got quite a few augs, yeah." She muttered.

She pulled her lab coat off the bed, shook it out and put it back on, quickly covering up her sleeves. "You told me about Kokabiel earlier. I bumped in to it shortly after I arrived here, actually." After taking a second to fuss over her short hair, Claire soon looked about as orderly as she had when she'd first stepped into the mansion. "You also told me it was quite a rude entity." She smiled.

[Theater]

"Thank you!" Said Tamara, excitedly, as Samira handed the popcorn. Then the adults started discussing boring things like calenders and time and she started to wander off. The conversation turned back to what movie they should watch before she saw anything interesting, however. "Can we watch Toy Story?" She said. Then a thought occurred to her, and she immediately spoke her mind. "Or, actually, I wanna watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Can we watch that?" She glanced over at Anne for a moment, then back at Samira.

[Theater]

Samira looked over at Tamara in puzzlement for several moments before dawning comprehension came to her face. What're the odds? Then again, I've heard of weirder things happening. "That might actually be a good idea," she said, glancing around the room with a subtle smile.

[Master Bedroom]

Aseyu said, "yeah, it's kind of a pain..." she paused, then frowned thoughtfully. "Actually, I don't know. A lot of people describe it as unfailingly polite and courteous. Maybe I just rub it the wrong way." She studied Claire, with a contemplative frown. "You, on the other hand, might get something useful out of it. I don't get how the damn thing works, exactly, though. It doesn't see the world like we do, as you can imagine."

[Parlor]

John blinked in surprise. "Um...I said we shouldn't have left you out the conversation. It was rude of us." He looked over Ozzy carefully, "Care to introduce yourself?"

[Theater]

"Snow White. That's a great choice." Nathan said, smiling as he bent down to Tamara, "Let's go see if the projector has it, shall we?"

[art gallery]

"I first met Elijah a couple years ago, not long after we hired his brother as our bodyguard. The two had to leave Earth and their careers behind because they haven't aged in over thirty years, so Elijah takes odd jobs painting commissions from various nobles and occasionally royalty. He regularly bemoans that all of his subjects thus far have been ugly," he said rather matter-of-factly.

Sora glanced up at Thomas. "What do you call yourself?"

[theater]

"Oh, my daughter used to love Snow White. Still remember watching it when VHS still existed," Matt said as he took a piece of popcorn. Mmm, sodium and canola oil. Tasty.

Ryu's cat sat back near the wall in silence and looked over all the people gathered around, taking care to avoid Anne, occasionally batting at a random piece of fallen popcorn from the weird machine that was making it.

Theater

Anne shrugged. "Sounds good to me. It's not like I can suggest anything better." She turned to Samira. "I'm going to go find a seat now." With that, she made her way over to the closest row of seats and sat herself down.

She thought about the title for a few seconds, before suddenly looking rather confused. Wait a minute...Snow White? Seven dwarfs? Where have I heard of both of those before? Could it possibly.... She shook her head. No. That's ridiculous. It's just an odd coincidence, that's all.

Grimhilde gave the woman who spoke to her a quick lookover. Upon first glance, she assumed that this was a young girl, but she definitely didn't look like one. A closer examination only further proved her point - this was a woman that appeared to be around her own age, albeit nowhere near as pretty. Regardless, the fact that she didn't blow off Grimhilde was a good sign that she was much more respectful than the two people she first met here.

"I am Queen Grimhilde of Theoland, here on an official break from my royal duties," she said, "So far, my reception hasn't been what I was expecting. Certainly distasteful of the owner to let his guests treat a royal like that." She took a sip of wine. "And who might you be?"

[Second Floor Hallway]

"Eh...no. No brainwashing or any of that. It just makes go insane and stuff. Mind that the Corruption doesn't make you become evil or that only evil folks become Corrupted...it's just the result of using too much dark magic," Jonathan explained. Brainwashing? Huh.

[Wine Cellar]

Alice gave Grimhilde a curtsey because, really, how many opportunities did one get to curtsey? She then said, "Alice Winters, Head Security Coordinator, Western Amalgamated Agricultural."

An odd smile came to her face as she studied Grimhilde. What we have here appears to be a standard-issue Minor Dictator. Well, except the 'has a vagina' thing. Don't see many female dictators. Then again, she's a noble, so just crawling out of the right womb put her above that glass ceiling from day one anyways. Probably smarter than she seems, but definitely not as smart as she thinks she is. Normally cutting a deal with this breed is shitty money and a risk of shitty publicity, but if we can get our roots in and survive — maybe even incite — a revolution or two, this could be the start of something awesome.

"Queen, eh? Rulership is quite a burden, I'm sure. Y'know, all those people complaining about their trivial concerns because they can't see the big picture, what's really important..." she suddenly looked very thoughtful, and tapped her chin knowingly. "You. You're a woman with capital-I Ideas. Care to share them? Of course, if you don't, that's your royal prerogative, but really, how many other people are you going to find here who appreciate vision and talent?"

Nothing to say on the Theater at the moment.

edited 22nd Feb '13 5:32:17 PM by KillerClowns

Agustin was quick to interject, hastily following Xavier with, “-which, rather conveniently, brings us back to the topic we had been discussing previously. If I recall, Xavier was explaining to me how the world he’s from has dealt with the issue of racial differences between Humans and Chimeras. Frankly speaking, it seems surreal with how well it’s supposedly gone.” He turned to face Xavier. “Perfection’s too much to expect in any endeavor, but I still doubt it could have worked at all. This forcible integration you speak of sounds rather sinister. Even if it were totally voluntary which- despite what the authorities may say- it rarely truly is, often there’s an element of coercion involved. Just the concept of taking two completely different species- sentient though they both may be- with two completely different cultures and histories and sets of values seems like a fundamentally disastrous idea to me.”

[Art Gallery]

"Thomas Riverson, sir." Thomas said, before letting Sora's words sink it completely. "Wait...you said he had to leave earth? As in...go to a different planet?"

[Entry Hall-Second Floor]

"Oh." Abeiyuwa said, "My, I'm worried about you already. Your earth sounds so dangerous. I would be afraid to even go outside if such a thing happened to my world."

[Dining hall]

"Not as much as I'd like," said Mai. "Although more than most where I'm from, since I lived in China most of my life." Her brow furrowed and her voice grew a little growly. "Then the Great Leap Forward happened," she muttered, "and everything fell back."

She shook her head. "Anyway. Japan and the Orient. Oriental chimeras tended to have it better than the Occidentals, what with us being worshiped and them being demonized. Not really sure how that happened. I think it was because the Oriental policy tended to be a bit more involved but also more subtle towards humans. Should probably research that a bit more," she muttered to herself, "but that's more historical dracology, not arcanoarchaeology..." Her voice trailed off.

"Oh," she said, turning back to Linna, "and if you just happen to meet any Japanese chimeras and they claim to be behind the original kamikazes that drove back the Mongols, don't believe them. Those really were just freak storms that some opportunistic, jingoistic assholes want you to think they were responsible for. Popular urban legend, in any case," she mused.

[Parlor]

"Then we probably don't exist in your world," said Xavier to Krajn. "We've been out in the open since the 1960s, so if you haven't heard anything about us after that, our timelines have diverged. Many-worlds interpretation and all that."

He turned to Agustin. "True, but honestly, there weren't a whole lot of options at that point. Our existence would've been revealed soon anyway, so we decided to end the secret on our own terms. There wasn't a whole lot of integration at first, though, just knowledge of the other species' existence."

Xavier frowned and added, "Well, there was the Preemptive Integration Program. Human-government-sponsored attempt to get willing people from both sides to live together. It offered tax incentives to those who joined, which probably wasn't the best idea. Some people joined just for that, without any regard for, you know, the actual point of the whole program."

He rubbed his forehead. "It's not like integration happened overnight or that it's complete now. Most of it's happened in the last twenty years, and that's more because of economical reasons than anything else. Locations of jobs and all that. I... can't really give you a good idea of the migration, since I don't study that sort of thing."

Agustin raised a hand to the spot behind his neck, slowly rubbing the tendons there. “End the secret on your own terms? It hardly seems to be on your terms if you’re being practically forced into an uncomfortable cohabitation with a race that’s nothing like you. I can hardly bear to imagine what it would be like were I in that same situation. You seem to misunderstand- I’m not so interested in the particulars of how racial integration was carried out, I’m questioning whether racial integration was necessary in the first place- or even desirable! Surely it puts a pressure on individuals to conform to the others' cultural and social norms- itself a form of coercion. Knowing of the other species’ existence is fine, but why is it necessary for them to live together in the same society?”

edited 22nd Feb '13 7:41:38 PM by Gault

[Parlor]

"In hindsight," said Xavier, picking his words carefully, "I'm not sure integration was necessary, but it just sort of... happened." He rustled his wings. "People adjusted to the other species and took chances where they saw them. It wasn't deliberate or anything, just advantageous." So why did it happen that way? Hmm.

"But believe me," he added, "in my opinion, it was a good thing. The pressures you went through under the Assemblage to keep your existence secret..." He waved a hand around the room. "This room alone is more space than I owned while in the Assemblage. I barely had enough space of my own to stretch my wings and there wasn't a whole lot of privacy. I'd rather conform to another culture than stay under that."

[Parlor]

Ozzy's eyes lit up in realization. "Oh! Yeah," his voice shifted to a more businesslike tone, "Yes, of course." He took a step back and announced with a sweeping bow, "I am Oswald Prosper Leonard Orozco." The loose bandages wrapped around his head dangled off in places as he stooped forward. When he rose back up, there was a wince visible in his eyes, and a gloved hand quickly pressed upon his temple.

"Ough..." he groaned, looking back at John, "You said that I had passed out?"

edited 23rd Feb '13 8:21:24 PM by Ryuhza

Agustin’s eyebrow upturned in an expression of confusion, doubt etched deeply in the lines of his face. “If your race’s secrecy imposed such harsh living conditions by necessity, then why didn’t your leaders simply negotiate for adequate living space? Surely the various heads of state or their equivalents in Chimera society would have been able to arrange the relinquishment of a reasonable amount of unpopulated land for your race to claim and call its own. From the obvious risks such a massive social and cultural upheaval as racial integration would represent, I just don’t understand why it would have been the preferred option. Touching on a previous point of yours, you mentioned that the physical differences between Humans and Chimeras were the least important of divisions. I disagree- in fact, I can hardly imagine something that could matter more!”

[Parlor]

Irilemi glanced at Agustin and Xavier with a smirk, and said to Ozzy, "good to see you up and well. I hope. Agustin and Xavier — the overdressed hairless mammal and the winged reptile, respectively — are a bit... distracted right now, I think." She offered Ozzy a bow and said, "anyways, you appear to be faring better than when we first saw you. Irilemi vashon'Suela. And for the rest: John and Krajn." She pointed to each one as she named them.

edited 23rd Feb '13 4:29:23 PM by KillerClowns

[Theater]

"Sounds fine." Sven is far more interested in seeking out a seat and devouring popcorn than selecting a... whatever it was.

[Entry Hall => Theater]

Bianca walks as quickly as possible to the theater, to check if Samira was really there. Still, she continues to eat at an alarming rate devouring pastry after pastry. She simply blows by everyone else and homes in on the theater. She enters and sees Samira and stares rooted to the spot, mouth full of pastry left sleeve flapping awkward and empty.

[Kitchen]

"Oh." Friedrich idly drums his fingers and looks at the ceiling for a moment. "What do they do?"

[Art Gallery]

"I was just interested in the art." Lance gesture gently to the area around them, "Thought I might also get some ideas for the king, this isn't really my area but I do try to keep his tastes from getting too weird." He smiles, "I do admit though, not having to pay for..." He pauses and shakes his head slightly from side to side, "Wait, what do you mean by found?" He sighs, "Another rebellious servant of the monarchy on the fritz?"

edited 22nd Feb '13 9:57:51 PM by Aqueos

[Entry Hall]

"Well, that's funky," Harry said, a little to himself. A little unexpected, a little interesting. He sent a command to open his scratchpad system. "That suggests some stronger similarity between our timelines. Have you had First Contact yet?"

[Parlor]

Krajn inclined her head again to Oswald - she still liked to see qrtxian-like behavior. Then she whistled to draw Agustin's attention.

"I think that your argument is," she paused while trying to come up with something that wasn't too insulting, "absurd. Integration between different forms of mindkind has happened successfully many times during the last several centuries in my reality, and most of those times it has been a good thing for all. The argument that any such integration could only be forced, and would likely lead to insoluble problems, is," she paused again, "ridiculous and breaks easily against historical evidence."

edited 22nd Feb '13 10:06:44 PM by nrjxll

[Art Gallery]

"I'm not a servant of the monarchy. I am the monarchy." Wylfing laughed. "I was once, at least. I ran away for many reasons, not all of which are practical to discuss here. Let's just say the scratchy fancy tunics were the least of my problems, which range between the tunics and the king being possessed by a demon. If you like long, boring stories, I'll be glad to give you one. If not, would you like to tell me more about yourself? Have we even exchanged names? Oh, dear. My name is Wylfing." He adjusted his cloak again and realized that it was getting too warm in the mansion.

Eh, he could always lie about the scars. And the people that had already seen them didn't even raise questions. It was possible that no one knew what they meant. They did tend to be alarming, though.

The cloak came off. Wylfing was wearing a plain leather jerkin and a loose white shirt that badly needed to be washed. The scent of musk was now evident.

edited 24th Feb '13 12:31:32 PM by LeungBaiFang

[Parlor]

Ozzy's eyes turned to Irilemi, attentive and aware. Though his pupils were not quite as dilated as before, they weren't close to being constricted either. But one could still make out that there was something off about him, even without the view of his horns, or glimpses of his bluish skin between the gaps on his bandaged head.

"When you first saw me?" Ozzy's brow creased, "Oh... yes... I was in quite the state wasn't I? Well, never mind that. It is a tremendous pleasure to meet you Irilemi. As well to you John, and to you, Krajn." Ozzy's gaze lingered on the space alien once more, her sight entranced him— moreso than the dragon man Xavier, simply because she was closer. He could closely observe her speaking and living, and it was amazing; far from an old special effects puppet, or a lifeless still image.

A few moments passed before Ozzy realized how off putting his staring might be, and he sheepishly pulled his eyes back to Irilemi. "I can't say that I remember a great deal about my arrival here, do you know how many hours that I've spent wakeless?"

Edited by Ryuhza on Jul 13th 2019 at 10:25:03 AM

[Entry Hall]

"No." Nara raised an eyebrow at him. "Mind, we've not got far. Permanent space and lunar presence from the 2020s. Mariner Base on Mars was founded in 2030 and had to be retaken from the biomechanoid workforce after they were hacked in 2035. Incidentally the first actual off-world military action. If Sanderson were here he could tell you more, he actually went."

[Dining Hall]

Linna chuckled. "I don't think there are any, honestly. Besides, that particular claim wouldn't get much play today...in 2000 you'd have trouble finding non-ethnic-Japanese living in Japan. Today, they compose about half the population of the Tokyo area, and a third of the country's as a whole. The government realized that they'd run out of people to govern if they didn't find a way to reverse population decline. People ethnically Japanese and over the age of thirty will appreciate the reference and the symbolism. Anyone who's served time in the Self-Defense Forces will understand it, but in a somewhat different light." She closed her eyes. "There are a lot of never agains carved into their hearts and minds. I suppose every military organization has a few, even mine."

edited 23rd Feb '13 4:49:45 AM by Night

[Theater]

Samira glanced at the newcomer. There was something familiar about her... Samira pulled at her memories for a few moments. Had they met in the same place she'd met Matt? She tapped her head, trying to recall...

"...Bianca?" she said, walking over to her, first with puzzlement, then, after several moments, recognition as the memories awoke and settled. She looked her over. Even without figuring in the lost arm, Bianca looked even worse than when last they'd met. "Bianca," she said again, this time with utter certainty, gently offering a hand and a smile: warm but bittersweet, the mixed pleasure of seeing and old friend and pain of knowing that the tale they have to tell will not be a joyous one.

[Entry Hall]

"I'm not sure," Irilemi said to Ozzy. "You were unconscious when I first found you. But don't worry: you've not done anything regrettable, if that's what you're worried about." She listened to the surrounding discussion with mild interest: she had thoughts on it, but didn't see fit to share them for now.

edited 23rd Feb '13 6:44:08 AM by KillerClowns

[Kitchen]

Mary said, "My husband is a scientist, my brother-in-law is a gun store owner, and my friend is a nurse." She smiled, "I used to be one too, but then I decided to become a teacher."

[Parlor]

"Not too long, from what I've seen." John said, "Though, from what the others mentioned, it seemed that you were suffering from hypothermia. What had happened?"

[Master Bedroom]

Claire shrugged and said. "Anyway, I guess I'll see you around? I should probably go find Tamara now..." She chuckled quietly. "It's certainly been fun getting to know you." She winked and headed for the door. "I hope our host doesn't mind that we used the bed... I won't tell if you don't."

[Theater]

She smiled at Nathan and nodded. Then she looked around the room, and it occurred to her that she wasn't sure where the movies would be. Samira had mentioned something about storage cabinets, but new man she wasn't familiar with seemed to think that the projector itself would have the film. She took a sip of her soda as she examined the projector and its immediate surroundings for some kind of storage space... Concentrating on finding the movies was hard, however, because she really wanted to just sit down and eat some popcorn...

[Master Bedroom]

Aseyu shook her head and said, "sorry, dearie, you aren't getting rid of me that easy." A smirk played on her lips, then she said, "I gotta see what Sammy's up to. And since Sammy's babysitting your Tamara — as well Suela only knows what poor souls she's managed to pick up while we've been gone — you're stuck with me." She raised a finger and added, "oh, and by the way, until she says otherwise... only I get to call Samira 'Sammy'. Knowing her for a decade gives me that privilege."

You can freely assume Aseyu follows Claire for now.

[Theater]

Samira briefly glanced at Tamara with worry, hoping she wouldn't get herself into trouble and that someone would give her a hand. But for now, her priority was checking on Bianca's welfare.

[Parlor]

Irilemi remained silent, though she hoped to hear John's question answered.

edited 23rd Feb '13 3:46:24 PM by KillerClowns