01 - And So It Begins.

[chalicejoker]

[A - 2239 Stevens]

[Hajime wakes up...which is not unusual in and of itself, but he becomes very aware of a few things. This is not the room he's been renting at the Jacaranda, nor are these the clothes he went to sleep in the night before. They're a very outdated style he hasn't really seen before. The room itself is more spacious than the one he's been renting, and it has windows, making it quite unsuitable for the makeshift darkroom he had going back home. Decorating the room are photographs of him and some humans he's never seen before, which confuses him.

Also, there's a woman lying next to him. Hajime sort of stares for a moment. He's now even more confused; he definitely doesn't know who she is and isn't the sort to take up with strange women. He decides the best course of action is to sneak out of the bed and try to figure out what's going on, but, unfortunately, when he starts to pull himself into a seated upright position, one of the mattress springs squeaks very loudly...]

[B - Around Town]

[Hajime is now stalking around town and trying not to look as confused by everything as he feels as he tries to get the lay of the land. He's trying very hard to pretend like he knows what's going on, which mostly means scowling and staring at things. He has now stopped to stare at something in the area, looking thoughtful and a little angry. Despite appearances, maybe he'd be up for a chat?]

Comments

A

[suicidoll]

(The last thing Kreutzer remembered was everything going black and silent. It also felt strangely cold, but it was something she was prepared to face. Something she expected...

...however, she didn't expect Mayfield. The bed was soft, warm and very unlike what she just felt moments ago. As she opens her eyes, she sees the strange room, the poor designing that went into it and the unfamiliar male so close to her. She's surprisingly calm, given the situation.)

...I suppose you're the one who greets all of the newcomers?

Re: A

[chalicejoker]

[Okay, cool. She's not screaming, which is what Hajime had been expecting. And she doesn't know who he is, either, which is...well, it's not exactly comforting, but at least he's not the only one who doesn't know what's going on.]

...what are you talking about?

[suicidoll]

Are you the one who grants the dead passage to the afterlife? I've heard many tales on how this is supposed to happen, but I never heard of this...

(She's treating this like a business transaction more than anything else.)

[chalicejoker]

...

[Well, he's never been called THAT before.]

No, I'm not.

[He kind of glances down at himself to make sure he's still human. Nope, no signs of Joker-dom!]

[suicidoll]

Then are you here to mock me as I prepare for hell?

(She's expecting to bump into people that don't like her, unaware that no one in Mayfield knows her.)

[chalicejoker]

I don't know what I'm here for.

[He kind of shrugs.]

I don't know who you are, and I don't know where this is. And I'm not...whatever you think I am.

[Unless you think he's an Undead. Then he's totally that.]

[suicidoll]

Then I guess it's safe to assume this is a prison of sorts...a strangely accommodating prison.

(She's looking over her clothes and is not happy about them at all.)

At least prison garbs share the benefits of jump suits...but I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Kreutzer Wilhelm XIII, emperor of the Genoremasody Reich.

(She's hesitant about saying her full title, but royalty has to be known, even if it gets her hated here.)

[chalicejoker]

[He nods at the introduction, though the whole royalty thing doesn't seem to bother him one way or another.]

I am Hajime Aikawa.

[Hajime's starting to move around the room now, rooting around as though he's searching for something. He's realized his Rouze cards are missing. On a whim, he tries to open the window. It swings open easily.]

If this is a prison, it's a failure of one.

[suicidoll]

(Well, the lack of response makes it easier for Kreutzer; she's still expecting pitchforks and torches.)

I wouldn't be so certain; perhaps a closer look is needed. Assam!

(She extends an arm outward as if expecting something to happen. To her surprise, nothing does.)

...well, I suppose our captors have done a better job than we thought.

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime stops what he was doing, which was rummaging through what is apparently his underwear drawer. He's holding a wadded-up undershirt and a fairly horrible set of heart-print boxers as he turns to stare at...whatever it is Kreutzer is doing. Given the sort of people he hangs around (and is), he's assuming that was meant to do something. Still, it never hurts to make sure one is not dealing with a crazy woman...even if she's been fairly rational so far.]

...what was that?

[suicidoll]

(Kreutzer's sanity is rather debatable, but she's still in control and still strangely calm.)

A test. My powers have been taken from me and I assume yours are gone as well. I suppose it's for the best; Hell steals away what made us sin in life, doesn't it?

[chalicejoker]

[Powers? Now Hajime wonders what she knows. He gives a slightly annoyed sigh and attempts to summon his belt, which fails. Now he's really not looking happy.]

Yes...I seem to be unable to transform.

[Well, that's a given seeing as how you're cardless, Hajime. He goes and sits down on the end of the bed, looking thoughtful as he tosses the underwear back into the still-open drawer. He doesn't really want to give her more information than he has to, but he still refuses to believe this is the afterlife for one good reason.]

I still do not believe this is the afterlife...my kind do not die.

[suicidoll]

(Kreutzer stands up to lean against the wall. She isn't sure if she should be so close to him just yet; she was right to assume he doesn't have his powers, but what really interests her is his mentioning of his kind.)

I can and I did.

(She said that more forcefully than she meant to.)

Then what kind of...being are you, if you're unable to die?

[chalicejoker]

[And now Hajime's regretting opening his big mouth, as he really wasn't interested in a question and answer session. Still, if they were both stuck in this mess, sharing information is probably not a bad idea...and she also seems like she'll get really annoying if he refuses to answer or picks up on a lie.]

I am an Undead.

[Quick, try to change the subject, Hajime!]

And what sort of powers were you trying to use there?

[suicidoll]

(Undead...she hasn't heard that one before. Maybe read about it once or twice, but that's just about it. Being undead wasn't as popular in 1757 as it is in modern times or even Mayfield times!)

I was trying to summon one of my dolls. Since I lack my own power at the moment, I thought it best to send them scouting.

[chalicejoker]

[He glances out the window, looking thoughtful.]

Scouting wouldn't be a bad idea, but...dolls?

[Hajime's feeling restless now and gets up to continue his search of the room, like he's really going to find what he's looking for.]

[suicidoll]

(He clearly doesn't know what Kreutzer's dolls are capable of.)

Yes, dolls. Don't underestimate them because their state of being; my dolls are capable of incredible power and taking down entire battalions. They're proficient in combat and can detonate the bombs in themselves to severely damage groups or large targets.

[chalicejoker]

[Hey, they explode. He can respect that!]

Then they are not mere playthings. That would indeed be useful. Anything to figure out where we are would be useful...as would anything that would be able to show whoever is responsible for this a little pain.

[He's still rooting through everything in the room and making a mess. Being without his Rouze cards is making him NOT. HAPPY.

During the course of this search, he knocks over a picture frame of the "family." It breaks. He bends over and picks up a shard of glass, but he cuts himself on it. His hand starts to bleed.

Hajime's eyes widen noticeably at the sight of the blood, and he sits down hard on the bed and just sort of stares at his bleeding hand.]

[suicidoll]

They definitely are not. I suppose being able to create even my weakest doll would be asking for too much...

(Kreutzer doesn't bother helping with the search; she's not very interested in taking the room apart since she's still convinced it's some sort of hell.

But she rolls her eyes after watching Hajime break something and injure himself. She woke up next to a klutz...wonderful.)

Staring at your cut won't make it any smaller.

(Instead of immediately helping him, she instead picks up the picture and stares in horror. That...that was her in the picture! And Hajime!)

...why are we in this photo together? I don't remember this!

[chalicejoker]

[Clearly, Kreutzer doesn't see what's so troubling about the cut as Hajime grabs a handkerchief he found while tearing the room apart and holds it over the bleeding.]

But it's red...

[Oh, good, family photos! That'll distract him.]

I don't remember that, either. I also don't remember them.

[He jerks his head towards another photo that shows Kreutzer and Hajime posing with some kids he doesn't recognize.]

[suicidoll]

(She didn't hear that part about red blood because CHILDREN!? She definitely never saw them before. It would've been one thing if Kreutzer was unconscious in this photo, but she was awake and smiling of her own volition.)

What is the meaning of this? Who took this photo?

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime grabs the picture with his not-bleeding hand and starts looking at it closely. Getting his mind off the freakiness of the red blood...]

I'm a photographer. This...it's not edited. Has not been altered in any way. If it's an alteration, I've never seen any that good.

[suicidoll]

That...this isn't possible. This has to be the afterlife; it's the only way I can be here and all of this could be so properly arranged.

(It's starting to sound like denial at this point.)

I must be cursed to spend eternity as a commoner...

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime's looking thoughtful again. He still doesn't think he's dead, and he's almost muttering to himself now.]

Wonder if we got sealed somehow...

[He glances at Kreutzer.]

But that doesn't make sense...you are a human, correct?

[suicidoll]

(While it's not getting any easier, Kreutzer is managing to stay calm. Princesses must maintain rational thought at all times.)

I am.